Jedoi awoke to the howling of wolves. She glanced out her window to see the reflection of the moon in Auru's lake, lazy waves disrupting the image every few seconds. She watched this for a moment before she heard the howling again, and it took her mere minutes to decide to find the source of the sound. She had always felt kinship with the wild wolves; for they were creatures of the north and so was she.
She left her home and slipped through Auru's stone brick walls, into the frostbitten Moor. The moonlight illuminated the frozen hills as she raced through them. The howling was full of sorrow, two or three wolves singing their sadness to the wind. How she could tell the emotion of their song, Jedoi did not know. Perhaps it came from growing up with a wolf and living with a pack for several years.
The howling went on, slowly getting louder and louder as Jedoi travelled forward. It came to a sudden stop as she discovered a small overhang of dirt. Two wolves, a male and a female, guarded it, staring at her with distrustful eyes. The female's eyes, a piercing yellow, glared sharply at her as she approached slowly. Her mate, a wolf with bright blue eyes, gazed curiously at the woman.
Jedoi peered into the shelter behind them and frowned. She felt her heart collapse as she saw the reason for their sorrowful song. A diminutive wolf pup, only a few days old, lie dead in their den. She frowned at the mourning couple and took a few steps forward.
"I'm sorry..." Jedoi murmured, approaching the female. She responded with a low growl. The woman realized skinny she was, and backed up to fumble through her pack.
"Shhh." She whispered, getting closer again. She could see pain in the she-wolf's eyes as she closed the distance between them. She extended her hand, and the hurting creature moved her head to meet Jedoi's hand. She moved forward to start petting the wolf, whose growls turned to low whines.
The male pushed under Jedoi's arm, and she began striking his fur as well. The two wolves eventually laid down beside the woman, who sat down on the ground when the dogs finally let their guard down.
The first gift she gave to her new companions was some steak, nourishment they wolfed down quickly. The second was a name. The female she called Apricity, for she became Jedoi's sunlight in the land of eternal winter. The male she named Entelechy, for how he seemed to realise her potential as a companion.
The two stayed by the woman's side as she dug a deep hole, and watched her as she carefully lifted their pup and placed him in the ground. They sat silently as she buried him, listened as Jedoi muttered a few words, asking the gods to watch over the soul of the tiny wolf.
The sun started creeping over the horizon, spilling golden light into the hills, and the small, newly made pack started traveling home. Jedoi led her companions to their new home of Auru.
She left her home and slipped through Auru's stone brick walls, into the frostbitten Moor. The moonlight illuminated the frozen hills as she raced through them. The howling was full of sorrow, two or three wolves singing their sadness to the wind. How she could tell the emotion of their song, Jedoi did not know. Perhaps it came from growing up with a wolf and living with a pack for several years.
The howling went on, slowly getting louder and louder as Jedoi travelled forward. It came to a sudden stop as she discovered a small overhang of dirt. Two wolves, a male and a female, guarded it, staring at her with distrustful eyes. The female's eyes, a piercing yellow, glared sharply at her as she approached slowly. Her mate, a wolf with bright blue eyes, gazed curiously at the woman.
Jedoi peered into the shelter behind them and frowned. She felt her heart collapse as she saw the reason for their sorrowful song. A diminutive wolf pup, only a few days old, lie dead in their den. She frowned at the mourning couple and took a few steps forward.
"I'm sorry..." Jedoi murmured, approaching the female. She responded with a low growl. The woman realized skinny she was, and backed up to fumble through her pack.
"Shhh." She whispered, getting closer again. She could see pain in the she-wolf's eyes as she closed the distance between them. She extended her hand, and the hurting creature moved her head to meet Jedoi's hand. She moved forward to start petting the wolf, whose growls turned to low whines.
The male pushed under Jedoi's arm, and she began striking his fur as well. The two wolves eventually laid down beside the woman, who sat down on the ground when the dogs finally let their guard down.
The first gift she gave to her new companions was some steak, nourishment they wolfed down quickly. The second was a name. The female she called Apricity, for she became Jedoi's sunlight in the land of eternal winter. The male she named Entelechy, for how he seemed to realise her potential as a companion.
The two stayed by the woman's side as she dug a deep hole, and watched her as she carefully lifted their pup and placed him in the ground. They sat silently as she buried him, listened as Jedoi muttered a few words, asking the gods to watch over the soul of the tiny wolf.
The sun started creeping over the horizon, spilling golden light into the hills, and the small, newly made pack started traveling home. Jedoi led her companions to their new home of Auru.
