.:Guidance of the One:.

Kris’tran wandered through the pack territory, his head down and his eyes focused on finding something to bring back to the pack. There were a horde of juveniles cluttering the already bursting den site and now that they have gone from puppies to that awkward stage between child and adult the Courser was feeling anxious. He was worried and afraid of what will happen when these wolves reach their adult stages; not knowing just what kind of wolf they will become despite their upbringing. Flashbacks to his own depraved past made him skirt the den site and hide from most of the pack – unsure of how to deal with the lanky young wolves now.

His heart hollow and aching, he crumpled to the ground by the river, staring at the frozen shallows with hurt in his eyes.

“Brother,” a honey-thick voice came from behind Kris, startling the dark brown wolf, “what ails your heart? I’m sure the One will help you find your way.”

Kris’tran turned around to see the androgynous face of Songheim looking curiously at him through gentle, amber eyes. The nervous male’s hackles relaxed in relief. At least it was a familiar face that he felt comfortable with. It seemed that the only ones he was really comfortable with were the other Coursers now and Raghaalr. Before speaking his mind though, the smaller brown wolf turned an ear back in nervous modesty before deciding to tell the gentle wolf of his own problems. “Madam Songheim… I-I’ll be fine on my own right now. I shouldn’t be asking for help when there are those with much more mountained problems than I.”

“Nonsense,” the gentle grey wolf said as he settled himself next to the brown form of Kris’tran with an encouraging smile. “The One always has time for His children and so I as a Vicar always have time for my brethren.” Songheim nodded to Kris’tran before turning his pastel eyes to the river. “If you have a trouble that you wish to share, I am all ears for you Kris’tran.”

Hesitating a little after the Vicar offered to listen to his woes, Kris’tran finally relented. “I’ve been in the pack for almost a full turn of the seasons and yet I feel so alone within the pack. Wolves have fallen in love around me and I am still alone. This pack feels even more mountained with each day.” He hesitated before continuing. “I-I am curious about those I have met outside Aryn’s borders. Could it be that I’m not destined to be an Aryn wolf but that my future lay elsewhere? Why else would I be meeting so many on the borders?”

Songheim did not quite understand the loneliness that the forlorn wolf was describing and he shuffled his paws as he hesitated himself. Love was such a foreign thing to Song that he literally didn’t know what to say on that subject. But in his heart, the grey wolf was sure than Kris’tran did indeed belong in Aryn. So he decided that would be where the young Vicar would start. “You should not feel alone when you have Brothers and Sisters surrounding you in Aryn every day. Why do you not try to connect with them more?” It was a legitimate question to the grey wolf and he was curious as to what was really eating at Kris’ heart.

A forlorn expression came upon the brown wolf’s hazel eyes and the strain of his past crept into his voice. “I-I was mistreated as a pup by my father. No one would help me because no one knew about what he did. I-I fear sometimes that maybe I never left those kinds of wolves behind…t-that I left one terrible life for another. But every wolf I’ve met has been kind and caring. Perhaps I am worrying over nothing…”

But as Kris’tran shared his past with the grey wolf, Songheim’s pale eyes dilated as his own past came rushing back. His whole body stiffened and he stood up, panting with panic as all he saw was his old pack descending on his family – his mother’s pleading face staring at him from under the weight of the assault. Breath coming in ragged gasps he screamed out his terror. “NO! NO! Please don’t! No…” a frightened keen split from his throat as he relieved his own horror, pulled into his post traumatic stress disorder by the story shared by the other wolf.

Kris’tran, frightened by this sudden change by Songheim was on his feet as well, skittering away from the Vicar with his eyes wide and his ears flat. The other wolf looked like he was possessed by some dark spirit and Kris was terrified. Whatever trust he had had in Songheim was shattered at that point. Frightened and worried, Kris fled with his tail between his legs as he dashed off into deeper territory.

Song finally got a grip on himself and looked about dazed. But Kris’tran had gone during Songheim’s episode and the wolf frowned sadly. “Oh Kris’tran, I’m so sorry…” but he had already failed. Inwardly Song cursed himself, wishing he could find a way to defeat the ghosts that still took over his entire life. “Oh mighty One, please help me overcome. Please…”

But the trees were silent.