(Awesome thread titles ^_^)

It had been just over a day since the loner, now warrior joined the pack. Life with the pack was hectic to the large brute so far. His whole life had been spent in isolation, and every other wolf he saw during his time as a loner was to be considered an enemy, and danger before harmless. For this reason, the amount of wolves in the pack's camp unnerved him slightly, he had even opted to sleep just outside the camp under a nice oak tree he had found, which offered quite good shelter from the elements. The last thing on the brute's mind was building a den, the loner not really seeing it as necessary, and besides, he didn't even know how a wolf could build one of the damned things.

The male, who was now now well rested, had decided to take a tour of the pack's territory for a while, perhaps scout out any good hunting spots he could use. The solitude was now a welcome thing as well, and the quiet forest offered a good opportunity to clear his mind.

As he scouted about the forest, not particularly going in any direction, he was able to catch numerous small prey animal's scents on the wind, mostly rabbits although. He did not bother himself with tracking any rabbits down although, they were quite hard for the large brute to catch and he could spend his time better hunting other larger prey.

Ahead, the male could see the forest ending, opening up to a large open field. As he approached the open field just beyond a few trees, a cool wind blew through the forest, the trees above him thrashing, the early leaves of spring rustling in the wind. As the male reached the edge of the forest, where the field began, he was able to spot the source of the winds. A large wall of black clouds could be seen rolling in from the south. Kodiak paused for a moment, tilting his head slightly at the weather. It was a thunderstorm, although the loner, who was from the far northern regions had never seen a storm such as this one.

Sparing one last glance at the approaching clouds, Kodiak turned his gaze to the open field, now falling into a lying position just on the edge of the forest and field to conceal himself from any prey animals that might be out in the field. As the large brute scanned the fields, he was able to spot a small herd of deer that still grazed out on the field, most of the other deer, he could see already retreating into the forest as the storm approached. The small herd, consisted of about five deer, one buck, two doe and one younger deer, perhaps a young buck. As he observed the herd of deer he soon found his target, one of the female deer who seemed to have a slight limp in her gait, perhaps she was injured?

With his target now acquired Kodiak began to circle around the edge of the open plains, to the edge where the deer were closest too. The loner had hunted deer and other large prey animals alone often during his years of solitude, and he was confident in hunting large prey alone despite the dangers it could bring.

Streaks of white fur could been seen dashing in between the large oaks that littered the forest floor. Silent and stealthy, the female seemed to strategically place each step so not to make a sound. The scent of the male was known ages ago as she began her travels, out of curiosity she began to follow him. Not too far ahead, she could smell the herd, this distracted her from the males scent and she veered left as she came to the clearing. Cerulean blue eyes searched the field, noticing the small herd of deer. *There!* She had spotted a doe with what looked to be a limp, grazing among the freshly thawed grass and ground.

Yes, spring was coming and it was bringing forth bountiful amounts of food. The pack would be fat come summer, if they managed to keep the food supply high, and the pack amount low. As willing as she was to join, she was a glutton when it came to meat, and very vicious when she ate. Normally, Aurora didn't have issues sharing, but her travels had made her weary of others, especially males who usually approached her, just to try and mount her. A slight snort came forth from her nostrils, followed by a minor spray of wet droplets. Wolves in general disgusted her, but she couldn't blame them, most of them trusted their inner beings more often than not. Did this mean that Aurora would soon hate herself? No. She refused to fall into the same pattern and beliefs that she instilled in her own mind. Strangers were enemies, but pack members were family. This confused her, and she shook the struggles from her mind, placing them on the back burner. She would question her thoughts and actions later.

Her mission at this point was how to strategically take down the doe without spooking the herd and causing a stampede, and without getting hurt. Seeing the caretaker on her first day into the pack would surely be a failure in her eyes. Lowering herself to the ground, Aurora glided through the grass, hidden from the herd and down wind from them, she crossed the field to gain a better advantage for an attack. Turning her head sharply, his scent filled her, and Aurora sharply turned his head. The male was no less than twenty feet from where she had haulted.

Frozen in her spot her white coat stood out on edge, fear swelled in her body. She was not expecting to see such a handsome male. Taken aback from her vision, she sulked over to him, for she did not know his rank or given name. As she came closer to him, she stood back her pelt hiding behind a rock, still down wind from the herd, she looked him over once more. His body was low, and he obviously had plans to attack as well. This put an idea in her head. Mention nothing of her following, get him to kill with her, eat and leave. Minimum talking. As soon as Aurora opened her mouth to speak, the skies which were already darkened, seemed to blacken even more and hear from miles away was the loud crack of thunder, sharply followed by the bright flashes of lightening. Her eyes glanced towards the herd, which was now alert and somewhat panicked, but refused to leave for the Stag only stood there, glancing around for mere protection of his herd. Once he dropped his head, she spoke, "Hello..."

Aurora's voice was soft, and her face was kind as she said her once word of introduction. Turning once more to the field, she longed for the savory taste of fresh blood in her mouth. It had been nearly a month since her last decent kill. Travels and lack of larger prey prevented her from eating well, but now, she wished for it. Each paw seemed to throb for action on the ground, to chase, to strike, to take down. Her heart raced, for the deer and the male.

As Kodiak stalked just out of sight of the herd, now low in the tall grasses, the winds seemed to be picking up by quite a bit. The large male spared a glance up at the sky again, he was slightly worried. What kind of storm was this? He had never seen anything like it. Just then he heard a rumbling noise. Kodiak's ears instantly perked up, swilveling franticallyto find the source of the sound, but it seemed to be coming from everywhere, the sound bouncing off the trees at the edge of the open plains. Kodiak started to panic slightly, ducking low now.

The brute figured the loud rumbling noise was a stampede approaching as he ducked low into the grass, shielding himself, from the imminent storm of hooves and legs he thought was upon him. When it did not come, the male was even more puzzled. When the voice of the fae sounded behind him, he visibly jumped, his tensions had already been high due to the unknown rumbling.

As he turned to face the fae the male snorted softly. The fae smelled of the pack although, so he figured she was okay, the male only hoped she had not seen him cowering like a fool in the graze just moments before though. As he looked her over he hoped even more that she hadn't seen his foolishness. The pure white far was truly a sight to behold. He nodded slightly to the fae in reply, before replying in a somewhat joking tone, "Looks like I wasn't the only one tracking this herd. I was almost upon them when you snuck up on me." As he finished his statement Kodiak glanced back at where the herd was, thankful it was still there when he looked.

In truth the male was slightly uneasy around the fae. He had met a few faces in the pack already, Chiara, and the beta who he knew to be Esmeralda. They were so unpredictable to the male so far, he had a hard time reading them. And his confidence usually meant he spoke and then thought after.

Her ears faced forward as she watch the male, his actions showed that of a coward, but she would expect anyone to fear a noise unknown. He most certainly was not from around here, and Aurora was glad for this. Keeping her stance strong Aurora listened intently to him, and continued to watch his action. He was odd, and she liked it. A smile crossed her face, and she instantly relax when she realize the male was of no harm. Trusting him was another issue, this would take time. "I hope you don't think me strange or rude, but I have been following your scent for for a while now, and I stumbled upon the herd grazing. My apologies, I shouldn't have interrupted your hunt." Aurora's voice was low and her body came down to the ground, her belly sliding across the grass beneath her.

"What may your name be Sir? Please, there is no need to fear me, I shall not harm you. We both are interested in the same goal, I believe that makes us acquaintances in a rather strange way." She chuckled, her laughter rang forth and it was infectious. Aurora's face lit up, her features seemed to brighten as well as her spirit. Tossing her head from side to side, she shook the fur around her neck, further getting comfortable in front of the handsome male. Slowly, her eyes cast downward over her slender snout, and they crept up in a beautiful longing way towards the male. Aurora could not help but think that she had alas found someone she could relate too. Tracking the male surely was the right thing to do, she had picked a scent at random, and was happy that she had stumbled upon him.

The Stag across the field had lifted his head again in high alert, his antlers growing out far from his skull in an aggressive manor. His eyes locked dead in their direction and he shuffled in his spot. He was searching for them, but could not spot them from the distance between them. Aurora stifled her laughter, her face suddenly turning serious again. "I would love to help you murder the weak one, and to enjoy a splendid feast with you after, while enjoying proper conversation. I fear, that if we continue this, the stag will come to realize we want to strike and he will bolt. I have longed for the blood of a doe to soak my muzzle and stain the back side of my throat. If I may be so bold Handsome, but may I have this hunt?" Her words were soft, and she was in a creeping position, ready to begin a run as her blue eyes looked once towards him, and then back to the stag. She waited on his reply, she was ready to run, and to have his company if he was willing.

The male now watched the interesting new fae intently, as if taking in every detail. Her stance was strong, and she held herself in a way that denoted pride, but not overly so as he thought the beta at the border had, and this had intrigued the male quite a bit. It was quite a contrast to most females he had met which seemed to be unsure of themselves, or overly submissive around males. He had encountered quite a few females that acted in such a way during his time as a loner. At her apologies about interrupting his hunt Kodiak simply nodded slightly, as if assuring her it was okay. Just then her body came low to the ground, but Kodiak had taken a moment to glance through the thick grasses to spot the herd of deer once more, the slight sound of rustling grass from his new companion could be heard behind him.

Kodiak chuckled as her voice rang out, assuring him she wouldn't hurt him, which he thought was funny for some reason. As her laughter rang out, Kodiak could not help but smile slightly, her laughter infectious. He had noted the way she spoke, which seemed to be in a very polite and formal way from what he could tell, at this the male grew slightly amused, and decided he would return the formal speech, this would be a fun game indeed. "Warrior Kodiak at your service, dear fae." he said so convincingly, one would expect him to take a small bow afterwards. After a moment her eyes met his, and he was able to see her eyes clearly for the first time. They were of a deep blue, of a color Kodiak had never seen before, although he could compare it most closely to the shade of blue of the sky, but of a slightly deeper blue. Kodiak found the depths of her hues captivating, and he feared he would get lost within them in a few moments. The male was broken from their grip when the fae glanced at where the herd of deer was. Kodiak shook his head slightly as he turned his gaze in the same direction as well, both of their faces had turned serious now. The male noted that he had to learn how to resist the charms of faes better, or at least not make it so obvious, he felt slightly foolish letting her hues of blue ensnare him in such a way.

Kodiak, who was crouched low now, with the pure white fae just next to him, was about ready to strike, and they would need to soon. The single buck, who seemed to be keeping watch for the herd was growing weary of the patch of grass the two wolves were hidden in. Just then, the fae spoke softly, although her countenance was serious. The male gave a slight nod before replying in a low tone, "You may." Kodiak was sure the female could take down the injured doe alone, but he would follow closely to help take down the deer.

"Shall we dance?" Her voice was strong with her quick words as she began to stalk the herd before them. There was slight humor on her tongue as well. Being the first to move her body, steadily began to cross the field, taking on more ground than she imagined she would. Close behind her was Kodiak, her newly found interest as a wolf. As she closed the gap between the herd and herself, Aurora caught something out of the corner of her eye, another doe, unharmed. She slowed down and raised her head slightly to get a better look. There stood a doe and her foal, recently born for his legs wobbled and he still looked wet from the birthing process. Excitement bubbled in her blood and she veered right towards the newly mothered doe and her offspring. Keeping her ear on the young warrior and the stag behind her. Aurora hoped that the male would understand her actions and that he would distract the male and others from charging in to protect them.

Her white pelt was no longer immaculate and pure, dust and clumps of grass and dirt hung from her belly and inner legs as she crawled forward. Pain twinged in her back from being so low, for so long, but she placed it from her mind. Slowly, Aurora came upon the doe, coming around her back side towards the foal. Aurora was as quiet and as slow as she could be, carefully placing her paws as to not make a single noise. No less than fifteen feet from the doe, Aurora was ready to strike the foal, when the mother raised it's head towards the stag and in the direction of Kodiak. Aurora froze, this was it, the mother was looking away from her foal. Pity overwhelmed her, how terrible she suddenly felt for taking life so quickly as it was born. With a bound and a leap, the white female was on the foal, her heavy body pinning the small and fragile being to the floor, her fangs piercing the skin on it's throat. All Aurora could hear was the bleating of the animal beneath her, her heart broke into pieces as she murdered the infant deer. It's blood slowly trickling down the back of her throat. Instantly, she began to drag the animal away into the shadows of the forest.

The doe frantically watched as the white wolf took her baby away, and thought about charging. Her hooves shuffled and she lowered her head to attack back, but it was hopeless and she knew it. Calling out to the stag across the field, she began to charge forward. Where there was one, there was more. Her cried warned the stag and his following herd, high on alert, the bolted.

Aurora became greedy for more and quickly dropped the foal and began to chase the doe. With the foal tucked away near the rock she met Kodiak at, she raced as fast as she could towards the galloping herd. "Attack the one with the limp! Aurora nearly screamed as she blew past the warrior still hidden in the grass, if he started running now, he would easily catch the broken deer within moments. Aurora managed to get in the deer's path, causing it to rear up before her. Her blue eyes looked for the male, but kept watch on the doe. Her snarls spooked the doe, causing her to try and run, only this time straight towards Kodiak. Yes, Aurora was happy, this was an excellent hunt. Keeping watch on the infant dying in the corner, and the broken doe before her, Aurora smiled at Kodiak. She was proud of herself.

[Just tried getting the actual hunt out of the way, so we could get back to talking. Hope you don't mind.]

The male followed closely behind the female as they neared the herd. His large paws surprisingly quiet as they crept up on the deer. The male was also quite impressed with the fae's skills from what he could see so far, and was surprised there was a pack wolf so on par with him when it came to hunting. During his time as a loner, a successful hunt could mean life or death for the male, opportunities to hunt were few and far in between, most of the good hunting lands usually claimed by a pack. These tough conditions made the male into an excellent hunter, for if he had been any less than so, he probably wouldn't have survived as long as he did.

As they approached the herd, Kodiak spotted a young fawn with one of the doe, something he had overlooked, at the same time as the fae had. She glanced back at him momentarily, nodding slightly to confirm that he was on the same page. As they approached their new target, Kodiak did not feel remorse as the fae was feeling at that time, perhaps the brute didn't think about things like that while he was hunting. While the male was hunting he simply went after the easiest target, the one that would guarantee him a meal.

As the pure white fae leaped into action, Kodiak did as well, moving quickly through the tall grasses to isolate the doe and her fawn from the rest of the herd. Poking out of the grasses, Kodiak snarled at the remaining herd, trying to keep them away. The stag lowered his head then pointing his horns towards Kodiak, the wolf managed to get out of the way in time although. Silently he retreated back into the tall grasses, He could see the white fae retreating into the nearby woods now with the fawn in her grip, now dead. At this Kodiak smiled slightly, the hunt was successful so far. Just as the herd began to retreat as they saw it was now hopeless, the male heard the fae's voice ring out again, yelling out to attack the one with the limp.

The large male did not allow himself to think, only act. He rose out of the grass then, not caring for stealth any longer, only speed. Kodiak was just picking up speed when the white fae blew past him, a white flash in his peripheral vision. As Kodiak ran full speed towards the doe, who had a limp, he noticed the white fae had gotten in front of the deer. The doe then reared up, turning around and running towards the male who was now going full speed towards the deer, the two on a collision course. The large male let out a snarl, as he leaped out of the grass now with his large canines outstretched, The doe let out a surprised noise, trying desperately to turn around, but it was too late. As the male closed the distance between him and the doe he collided with the doe, sending both of them sprawling to the ground.

The panicked doe thrashed frantically, as the wolf clamped down on the doe's neck, which he had latched onto at some point when the two had fallen. The doe could not escape the large male's grip however, and he let the deer suffocate to death, its movements slowing until it moved no more.

The male stood over the kill for a moment, panting slightly from wrestling the deer down, before looking around for the fae which he had spotted a little ways off. He then smiled slightly, "It has been a while since I have had a hunt go this well."

Out of breath, Aurora could only return his warming smile, as she paced back towards the infant that lay dear near the rock. Placing her jaws tightly around the already bloody neck, she dragged the carcass back towards Kodiak and it's dead mother on the ground. "Yes, I believe I can say the same myself. I have never met another whom was on point with me during a hunt. You have stamina and spunk Kodiak, I like that about you. Now, please join me for dinner." She spoke in between the slight pants that came forth from her chest. Dipping her head low, she respectfully bowed to him on his fine kill. There was plenty, and she would make sure that those whom were hungry would have their fill, especially the Alpha if he chose to join them.

With a forceful snap, she began to shred the foals neck, it's tendons snapping at the force behind her molars, and the blood began to soak the ground. Aurora feasted, tearing open the most precious parts of the deer's body, it's entrails scattered about her. Happiness flooded her body, and blood began to stain her snout and neck, the white wolf was covered in the deer's blood. It's was glorious for her, a rush she got when the blood smothered her good looks, made other take a step back and really look for she looked evil in all her ways.

"Kodiak, please, tell me about yourself. I have stalked you, hunted with you, and now I enjoy dinner with you. My kill compared to yours, I am envious of your attack. Your strengths will serve this pack well. Tell me, how have you come to learn the skill of striking like that?" Aurora spoke, her face red with blood, as she glanced towards him. A piece of the infants skin dangled from her jaws. Yes, it was a sight to see, she was a horrible eater, for she didn't care what others thought of her. If the male before her had something to say, surely she would kill him like she killed the foal. No, she stopped those thoughts, she liked him, well what she already knew of him. Weariness still lingered on her soul as she engaged in further conversation with the strikingly handsome male. Her beautiful blue eyes continued to peer up at him from behind the torn open foal. "Would you care to share from mine, and we can carry the larger one back to the clearing for others to enjoy. I believe we let ourselves get carried away and killed more than our stomach's could enjoy."

Again, she laughed and slowly laid down upon the ground, where she began to clean the blood from her paws and chest the best she could. Leaving her neck and face to be smothered in the dark staining red. Finding water, would be her next stop, for a bath was obviously the proper this to do before returning to the pack.

The male nodded slightly in agreement once the dead fawn was dragged next to the dead doe. "We should do this more often, together we could probably feed the whole pack." At this, the male chuckled slightly, imagining him and this fae dragging in kill after kill. He nodded slightly in response to the fae's odd gesture of dipping her head, the male figuring it was just another one of those pack customs things. The male didn't have much knowledge as far as pack customs went, and for this reason he felt more comfortable outside of camp than in it in the company of other wolves. Out here, there was less chance he would run into a higher ranking wolf that would expect a submissive stance from the male, who did not about such things. His encounter with the beta at the border had been quite unpleasant because of this, he was surprised he was let into the pack at all.

As the fae began to dig into the infant, starting with ripping at the neck Kodiak paused for a moment to survey the area, mostly to make sure they hadn't attracted any unwanted attention from anything that wanted to steal their kills. It was quite a habit the male had picked up during his time as a loner, and he was still weary even now within the pack's borders.

Once he was sure there was nothing he seemed to relax slightly now, turning to the fae as she began to speak again. Her face and chest was now covered with blood, giving the white fae a red tinge throughout her fur, and a piece of hide from the fawn hung from her jaws. At the sight Kodiak chuckled slightly, sitting down now as he started to eye up his kill. A few moments later he replied, "I was a loner before joining this pack, I was not in any packs previously." He started, pausing before continuing, "I learned most of my skills out of necessity, as an unsuccessful hunt could be fatal for a loner where I came from." As the male finished his thoughts went back to the winters in the northern regions from where he came, the brutal cold was deadly, he had barely survived his first years there.

The male then turned to his kill and was just about to dig in when the fae suggested they share the fawn and take the doe back to the clearing. The male paused for a second before turning towards the fawn now. The brute laid a paw on the body of the fawn, to hold it down as he bit into its skin. With a slight shake of the head and a yank, he was able to rip open the fawn even more, exposing more meat before digging into the fawn. The male took large chunks of meat, and whatever else he could find as he ate, the male a messy eater himself. The male ate quickly, ripping off large chunks of meat and tissue from the bone. He did this purposely, mostly out of habit, just like when he closely scanned their surroundings. As a loner, the quicker one could eat, the less likely it was to get your kill stolen away.

Once the male had finished, the fawn reduced mostly to bones and other inedible parts, the male grunted slightly in satisfaction, his face covered in the blood now. He licked his chops, cleaning some of the blood before turning to the fae again. "We should begin to carry this kill back to camp, there is a creek on the way to wash ourselves in." the male said, remembering passing by the stream on his way to this clearing. The male walked over to the dead doe then, grasping it by the neck in his jaws and he began to drag it along with him.

The blood on her face hardened as she sat there watching the male eat, she had had her fill and was satisfied. When he had had managed to practically strip the infant of it's carcass, she gazed at the remaining entrails and smiled. Yes, she was liking this male more and more. Laughing as his remark about hunting together, she simply nodded her head in regards to her answer to hanging out more with the wolf. Surely, it was another chance to get to know him better. Aurora liked this thought. There was something about the male that made her wonder, the way he went about things, she watch him began to haul the larger doe, and instantly began to help.

"Don't you think we should rest a minute when we get to the water. I can wash up and we can enjoy a little romp in the water. Surely, I would love to spend more time with you Kodiak. You seem like a genuine male, and not someone who is out to kill me for my looks." Her infectious laughter sent her on a giggle fest. Stopping herself short of breaking a rib, she contained her laughter, and snapped her jaws upon one on the deer's legs. Her teeth grabbing great anchor to drag the carcass to the pack.

For what seemed like a nearly and hour or constant pulling on her end, they approached the water. The lapping of the waters was rhythmic to her ears, there was nothing better than relaxing your muscle in the water after a large hunt. Aurora sped to the shoreline, diving head first into the waves that bounded towards shore. Her body making large waves as she paddled further out into the dark blue water. Grabbing mouthfuls of water to quench her thirst. "Come on in! The waters fine." She barked in a happy reply out to Kodiak on the beach front. Aurora came in to closer to shore, where her legs could touch bottom, and she began to rub her face against her leg under the water. Forcefully scrubbing the blood from her face, the whole time holding her breath. Coming up for air, she noticed the red water falling from her face, and now transferred to her leg. Going back under, she managed to get the rest of her cheeks and breast bone. The rest on her leg would come off in the water, she was excited to be clean once more.

Looking up at Kodiak she waited for him to speak, but decide she would do one better. Racing from the water, Aurora walked up to the male, and shook her coat. The male beside her became damp with water pellets from her sopping wet pelt. She lightly nipped him the neck and ran towards the water once more, stopping short to look back to see if he would join in on her games. She lifted her leg and splashed water once more in his direction, taunting him to get wet with her. "Quit being a pup!" She screamed at Kodiak, her laughter ringing from her throat.

Kodiak nodded slightly at her suggestion to go to the water, not letting go of the deer as they dragged it along to speak. The male and the white fae were able to carry along the deer easily enough. At her suggestion of going swimming, Kodiak was excited and slightly frightened at the same time. In his old home, there was barely any water left unfrozen, let alone enough to swim in. This would indeed be a new experience for the large male.

The male had passed the body of water they had approached a few times in the past however, the first time he had spotted it, he was definebtly curious, the large body of water, unfrozen and liquid new to him. The male dropped the deer as she did though. Smiling at her enthusiasm, as she ran into the water. He watched the pure white fae as she splashed around in the water. Kodiak approached the water then as she began to turn and swim back towards the shore, the male only daring to submerged his paws so far. The water felt refreshing, cool, but not too cool. Just then Aurora approached him, shaking out her pelt next to him and wetting his fur from head to toe. Kodiak was slightly startled for a few moments, opting to freeze in place before narrowing his eyes at Aurora.

At mischievous glow seemed to take the place of his anxiety then, and he smiled then, "I will get you for that!" He said playfully before chasing her into the water. The water seemed to be more resistant than expected as he tried to run through it, but he was still able to feel the soft mud that made up the floor. Him awkwardly running trough the water would of been quite the comical sight to Aurora, but when he came within range he struck, the male using his large paws to splash the fae.

The way he waded into the water at first made her smile, but when he chased after her into the water after she had splashed him, that made her bust out into laughter. Nearly causing tears to run down the sides of her muzzle. Her laughter was joyful as she was splashed by the brute, his large paws coming close to her body, but only connecting with the water to form a large wave that soaked the top of her body. Aurora went under for a brief moment, to completely wet her coat. The way the water felt upon her back was sheer brilliance, she felt pleasure from the water. The way it swirled through each individual hair follicle. Aurora emerged from the water, her mouth full to capacity with the liquid, and with a slight force she practically spit the water into his face. Shock overcame her and she dipped her head as if she was going to drown herself. "I'm sorry, I was aiming for her shoulders. Not your face." However, as soon as she said her sentence, she was back to laughing at the dumbfounded look she was being given.

It was nice to see the male be young and playful, she could sense that there was so much more to the male than meets the eye. She began to wonder about his past, was it anything like hers? The thought of someone else having a tougher life than her made her upset. She wished that no wolf have a terrible upbringing, it wasn't fair to the pups. Not when they are so young, and everything they are taught is carried forth into adulthood. Certainly not now, as she was still trying to figure out her life and find a suitable mate to rear her own pups on day. The thought of Kodiak having to suffer, made her realize that life is too short to play games. Instantly, she stopped treading water, her feet molding into the soft mud beneath them. She waded over to Kodiak and nuzzled his neck, softly and with such a tender way about it. Feeling bad for the male and taking a liking to him, were now the only things running through her head. Her own pup-ish ways were gone and Aurora could only think about Kodiak. All she wanted to do was get to know him and mostly have a friend through it all.

Sure, Aurora couldn't help but think if Kodiak might be the one. Surely, he was a handsome brute in all his features. The way he smiled, his pelt, his stature, and those eyes! Aurora swooned once more while she looked over everything she had mention, stopping short of his ears to land upon the beautiful eyes that were staring at her. Oh Kodiak, she sighed in her head as she nuzzled him again. This time lingering longer and applying pressure to the side of his neck momentarily resting her head upon his shoulder blade. When she realize how intimate she was being, she stepped back, her back legs pressing into a deep pit of mud. Suddenly, her back legs buckled and she lost her balance, her whole body dropping to the side, submerging under water. With a gasp of air, Aurora came back up out of the water, choking on a water and air combination. Instantaneously, Aurora began to giggle. Would he think she was funny? Would he forgive her of her girlish actions? Aurora gave him a puzzled look, begging him to do something. To either return the feelings she was beginning to feel for him or to put her in her place. Aurora stood there, her white pelt soaked, making her look ten times smaller than the male, the fur around her neck hanging heavy upon her breast.

"Please forgive me and my actions, I do not mean to come off strong. My thought and feelings should have been pushed aside and showing you affection like that was uncalled for. My thoughts are behind me now, and I would like to continue playing in the water with you. You act as though this is the first time you have been in a lake, where do you come from that you act like this? Have you never been swimming before? Surely, it's the best if you can not tell already." With her cunning words, she pushed her feelings aside, but still kept them near. Incase the male would say or do something, and with two front paws she hurled up and smacked the water with a thunderous clap, sending water everywhere. It cascaded over the both of them, sending droplets everywhere, and Aurora then charged towards Kodiak gentle grabbing the scruff on his neck in a playful manner. All she wanted was for the male to have fun, she would be damned to make him happy.

Kodiak hadn't felt as happy as he did in a long time when he played with the beautiful fae he had met recently in the water. The liquid seemed strange and exhilarating to him at the same time, his fur being drenched to the skin beneath, sending a refreshing feeling throughout his body. Kodiak paused for a moment just to take in the feeling of the water flowing through his fur, slight waves in the lake shifting the water and his fur with it. Just then the fae submerged herself, and Kodiak looked towards where she was a moment ago. Kodiak was slightly intrigued by this, maybe he would try it himself. Just then the fae popped out of the water again, her blue eyes peering into his, before she spit water in his face.

Kodiak drew his head back for a moment, a surprised look on his face, but he laughed along with the fae afterwards, her giggling seemed to be infectious, her cerulean blue eyes lighting up as she laughed. Both grew silent then, gazing at each other for a few long moments, she then nuzzled him, rubbing against the soft fur under his head. Kodiak was slightly puzzled by the physical touch, but he did not object, his heart fluttering for a few moments with the contact. She seemed to pull back again, deep in thought. He grew slightly concerned now, was something on his new friend's mind? Perhaps she seeked comfort. This thought was only reinforced when she nuzzled against him again, laying her head on his shoulder. He returned it, laying his head on her shoulder. His heart fluttered again, and a strange feeling came about him, a warm feeling could be felt deep in his chest. Then suddenly she pulled back, breaking the embrace. Kodiak was slightly disappointed for a few moments, did she not feel comfortable with such physical intimacy? It felt quite natural to the male for some odd reason, just another form of body language used to express emotion better than any words could.

The female began speaking suddenly then, as if to explain herself. Kodiak was about to assure her he didn't really mind, but she continued speaking, changing the subject from one moment to the next. Kodiak didn't bother pursuing the conversation further though, as she seemed to be uncomfortable. The male thought for a few moments then, he didn't know much of this fae as of yet, but he was definitely attracted to her, her pure ivory pelt and cerulean eyes captivating, but he needed to know more about the fae. As of now, he only liked her because of her looks, and he did not wish to build relationships off of that. With that thought, he pushed aside any emotions he had for her previously. At her suggestion to play in the water again, he was about to comply, until a sudden thought hit him. He didn't even know her name yet! And to think he had already taken a liking to the fae, what a fool the brute had been.

Ignoring her suggestions as of now the brute spoke smoothly again, addressing her questions, "I am from the far northern regions, where water, wherever it is present is frozen, so there wasn't really any water for swimming." the male said simply, shifting in the lake, pulling his paws out of the mud he had sunken slightly into, he then added "You never told me your name..." he said, his eyes gazing into her's.

Aurora felt strange having these feelings for a male, it wasn't the first time she had been attracted to a male, and Kodiak was handsome in his features. Still, Aurora corrected her thoughts and actions and felt ashamed for even thinking about being with a male. Although she had never been with a male in her life the thought did sometime intrigue her, still her heart felt more content with a female at her side. Much more to relate too on other levels and still giving her the option to be as boyish as she pleased. Aurora stood there in the water, her pelt sticking to her sides, but beginning to dry under the hot spring sun only upon her head and back. The rest was submerged beneath the dirty lake water's.

"Please forgive me Kodiak, my name is Aurora. I am named after the Northern Lights. Which I can assume that you are very familiar with. I am from the North as well, just not as far up as you. The water was not fully frozen, maybe this thick coat kept me warmer than it should have, but water is my favorite. The way it feels, how giddy you get when you're swimming. It's a pleasure to have introduced you to such an amazing element." She giggled at the end of her sentence before catching his eyes. As much as she enjoyed Kodiak's company, she felt like she was deceiving him of sorts and lying to his face by not being truthful with him. Leading a male on was not what she had planned on doing, so maybe she should come clean about herself. Surely, Kodiak would understand, he looked like an understand male.

Taking this opportunity to her advantage she thought about how she would go about doing this. If she stayed this far into the water, the male wouldn't be able to get to her as quickly, especially when his feet no longer could touch. Being in water a majority of her life gave her the slight upper hand, she was a fast swimmer as well. Taking a deep breath she looked Kodiak in the eyes her voice much rougher than she imagined. "Kodiak, I must be truthful with you, and I don't expect you to be joyous or even happy, but I am asking you not to turn your back on me or think of me any less than you already have. There is something about me that you should know, as much as I like you Kodiak and think you are an attractive male, I am not the girl for you. Infact, I'm not the girl for any male. I'm the girl for other girls. Do you follow me? I lead you on or what seemed like leading you on for a brief moment before I corrected my mistakes. I don't want to give you the wrong impression so I am clearing the air now."

Aurora continued, "I would still like to be your friend, and you hold a dear spot in my heart, and I value you and who you are as a warrior in this pack. It's just, I needed to be honest. I am beginning to come clean with myself and I trust people here. I just wanted you to know." She lowered her muzzle into the water, her nose forcing bubbles up around her as she blew out the rest of the hot air in her system. Awaiting his reply was nerve racking, but she trusted him to understand. If not, she would swim, she was already braced to a kick off from her standing position in the mud.

Kodiak's thoughts went back to the lights that would sometimes light the skies in his old home, aurora borealis. Those had been the most beautiful things he had seen, and was the only thing he missed about his old home. He suddenly though this was a fitting name for her.

She continued speaking again though, and he frowned slightly as she started speaking, and many thoughts instantly went through through his mind. Was she rejecting him now, did he do something wrong. His dismay turned into confusion now as she continued to speak although. The girl for other girls? What did that mean? Kodiak tilted his head slightly at her, but he remained calm and confused rather than angered.

He sat down in the water now trying to figure out what she meant, but he could no think about anything. Eventually he just spoke, "What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?"

Aurora let out a sigh of relief toward Kodiak as he sat down into the water, his haunches and tail submerged under the cooling liquid upon the evening air. Aurora swam into towards him and sat next to him, her shoulder touched his, and she brushed up against his neck to be comforting. Finding the words for him were harder than she thought, she was going to hurt him, because she was being stupid and having a lapse of judgement. It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to Kodiak, it was that she knew she wouldn't be happy with him, and it would all be a lie. One she would never be able to take back. Worse, what if he was to find out later in life. The disappointment that she would never lie with him in his den. Aurora then considered having Kodiak in her life, for not only were they pack mates but maybe she would consider having him father pups in the future. To have Kodiak in her life would be the ultimate accomplishment. Yet, the future was still unknown and right now she needed to be honest with the male.

'Kodiak, no, you didn't do anything wrong. I did." Her eyes went downcast and she looked at her rippling reflection upon the water. All she wanted to do was cry but she needed to stay strong, for the future of all wolves who felt the same way. "It's me Kodiak, I did something wrong. I let my feelings get the best of me and I was leading you on. What I mean is that yes, although I find you handsome and as much I as I could live a life with you. I would never be faithful to you, I wouldn't be able to lie in your den each night, I wouldn't be a good mate. For I like females just the same as you. Please don't be upset with me, I still care for you, as a dear friend and most off a pack mate. I am not rejecting you, I am just trying to figure out my life and learn each feeling for what they are. As much as I show you affection I need to make sure that it's not under the impression that I wish to be at your side as a forever faithful companion. I can offer you a great friendship and the honor of being my best friend in life. I will understand if you chose otherwise Kodiak. I never mean to hurt you, and now I regret not being honest with you in the first place." She paused to look him in the eyes before she continued.

"It's just, I am just beginning to be honest with myself so you can't me angry with me for not being honest with you. For I don't know how to be honest about this, when I have been rejected so many homes, so many times by so many wolves, and worse my own home. Kodiak, my sincere apologies." Tears began to fall down her face and she hung her head low in shame.

When Aurora swam up to him he remained sitting straight now. Not returning her comforting touch now. The fae seemed to be acting strange to him right now, but he was just confused, he would let her explain first. He was also slightly worried he had been to forward and upset her, which is part of the reason he was cautious now. He was slightly relieved when she said he didn't do anything, although he had a good idea something else was at play.

As she explained herself, it started to get more and more emotional with every word. The fae was at tears by the end of it, which saddened Kodiak in turn to hear of her rejection. As he thought over these words he was able to put two and two together, and at first the realization startled him, but he understood then why they could never be together, at least nothing more than friends. Kodiak sighed slightly, looking down at the water as if he was disappointed for a few moments. He seemed to lighten up then a few moments later as he looked up into Aurora's eyes again but now he seemed to be at peace. He nodded slightly, to show he understood and was not rejecting her, he then added, "I've been a loner my whole life, I did not have a true home until now. My father once told me however, home is where the heart is."

It was if something came over the female, her whole body collapsed into the shallow water at their feet, the white fur wet and cold now as she shivered in the water from the emotional moment at hand. Her blue eyes stared at the sky, filling with tears, as she sobbed at Kodiaks feet. Her body close to his pulling his warmth from him. The sun was beginning to set and fear of the colder night was now troublesome on her. "We should probably get out of the water, surely, we will freeze tonight if we don't dry off in time." The once happy voice was now somber and low as she cowered beneath him.

Pulling herself up to a sitting position, she hung her head low as she listened to Kodiak speak. The way he dealt with her truest words was beyond honorable for her. It was as if he was understanding but was still leary of the situation, lifting her head, she rubbed her ear and forehead against his chin. A told tale sign of affection and respect for the male. She was now forever in his debt. "Once I was outcasted by my family, I lived a long time in the valley before coming here, I could never imagine being out there for longer than a year. It seems like it would destroy a wolf from the inside out. The toll it takes on our bodies and our souls. I pity those who are not able to find happiness. Looks like were just as lonely alone, but together we could keep great company as friends. Right now, I certainly need that. My mother used to say the same thing, my home is wherever my heart finds happiness. I guess that means this is my home, I know that happiness is soon to come. I hope you can understand Kodiak, I never mean to hurt you. I can be your best friend in life. I promise you that one."

Standing up, Aurora began to walk towards the shore, every muscle twisting as she shook the excess water from her pelt. The wet fur sticking out on end around her neck, she looked like a giant kitten, all fluffed up. The sight would make anyone laugh, as she caught her reflection she began to laugh. Her whole body collapsing as she fell into a fit of giggles. Turning her head up she looked at Kodiak, a smile creeping upon her face. Everything seemed to ease as she began to relax. It was over now, it was all out.