Accidentally Passing Through

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Dusk was about the only time he felt good enough to travel about. Now that he had returned to the land where he spent a few of the last years, Sir Lucien was slowly making his way through the area, remembering times of the past, and wondering about what would happen in the future.

As the light continued to fade, creating deeper shadows, Lucien was lost in his thoughts of the past, and was not caring much where he traveled this evening. As the last traces of light disappeared from the earth, the area was enveloped in darkness, and Lucien made his way out of the trees into the open area.

Lately, he walked constantly with his ears perked, since his hearing seemed to be slowly escaping him. Which was understanding, seeing as he was long of tooth, sitting at around 11 years. He tested the wind as he came out of the woods, but unfortunately, the wind was blowing from behind him. He paused, and sat down for a moment, scratching at his neck.

With the years of wearing his collar, he expertly shifted the collar up with his paw before tearing into the itch he was sure was being cause by a flea. He was gonna have to take a long soak in the river soon to be rid of it. Content that his itch would be gone, he relaxed as the moon began to rise into the sky. It was almost full, and light up the large clearing he was in.

Life without you is just odd....

[CUR]

DON

It was a beautiful night, the sort of night where the moon lit earth nearly well enough to see everything by. The clear air was cleaner than it had been in some time and each breath was a present to the lungs, opening and filling them almost as pure oxygen might. It was a night for adventure, for running through the forest at high speeds, skidding to a stop before leaving the territory boundaries and racing back to find yourself face to face with whomever else might be playing with you. Don was out trying to involve his packmates in the game, but it was growing late and so far he'd encountered Hunter, who had no interest in playing, and two other packmates who were fast asleep. Still he raced to and fro, enjoying himself and the certainty that soon enough someone would join him.

On his second burst out of the forest and into the clearing he raced out of the trees, bits of leaf and stick still clinging to his short fur and flying off of him as the wind caught them. He saw an older dog sitting out, catching the moonlight on his fur and lowered his head, running as fast as he could toward the other dog and thinking him Duro.

When he was within feet of the other dog, he caught an unfamiliar scent and realized too late that this other dog was a stranger. Startled, he planted his feet and skid to a stop, head thrown forward over his front feet and sending him into an awkward tumble. He began to shudder slightly, teeth clicking together and stopping after a moment. He looked up at the other dog, wide eyed and nervous.

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Caught in the spell of the moonlight and the light breeze ruffling through his fur, Lucien was only aware of the pup after he began his tumble. He turned his head, and wide-eyed, watched as the pup skidded to a stop before coming to rest just feet away from him.

He waited as the pup seemed to shutter with fear, or maybe because he was startled. But the shakes soon lessoned, and the pup stopped shaking altogether. He cast an eye over the pup, and liked what he saw. He was a young pup, couldn't be any older than his own, which caused a pang in his chest which he swiftly moved past. His coloring was different, a splash of blacks and browns on white. He still had the gangly look of a pup, but Lucien could see he was filling out nicely, and would grow to be a strong dog some day.

"Good evening." Lucien said after a moment. "I am Sir Lucien. I hope i am not trespassing on anyone lands. It seems that i have lost track of where i was heading and stumbled upon this field. It is lovely tonight." he glanced back up at the sky again, feeling the ancestral pull to the moon.

Life without you is just odd....

[CUR]

DON

Don's eyes were still rounded in fear even after the shaking subsided. His lightly colored sclera were highly visible, reflecting the moonlight back to all who looked and from afar he probably resembled some sort of scared deer- all thin spindly legs and big gawky paws. He pricked up a single ear, trying hard to hear whether any others might be near. Naturally he felt alarmed, seeing a strange dog on his turf and seeing no reason why anyone might come about this hour of night with good intentions.

Before he had time to utter a weak warning, he heard the other dog speak in a more gentlemanly voice than he had heard in his young life, and decided to listen to the stranger. "Good evening...I am Sir Lucien. I hope i am not trespassing on anyone lands. It seems that i have lost track of where i was heading and stumbled upon this field. It is lovely tonight."

Indignant as he was about having arrived in a puppy-ish and somewhat embarassing manner, Don sheepishly kept up conversation without so much as a grumble, entranced by the noble ways of the regal sounding dog who had ventured onto Monarchy fields.

"My name's Don. And yeah my Dad's King around here, but we lost most of our packmembers so you can be pretty sure nobody's gonna bother you out here, at least since I'm with ya now so they know you're cool." He surveyed the night sky, really taking in its entirety. "And you're right about the night- it is really beautiful out here under the open skies."

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Lucien smiled to himself when the pup regained his composure and began to speak. He had such an informal mannerism and way of speaking, it was refreshing. He glanced up once more at the sky when the young pup did and once more, he felt small in the whole aspect of things.

"Well, I'm glad to have you with me then. I've gotten older and I don't think I'm up to having to defend myself against some pack." he glanced down at the pup, then thought over his other words. The son of the king? I wonder if Hunter is still presiding here... he thought to himself.

"Your father wouldn't happen to be Hunter would he Don?" he asked somewhat cautiously. If this pups father wasn't, and had maybe over thrown Hunter and his family, he didn't want to seem too interested in Hunter. Or, if this was Hunter's pup, sometimes pups didn't like being known only as their 'Sires' boy.

Life without you is just odd....

[CUR]

DON

Sitting in the cool of the evening, it was almost as though Don were in a world completely separate from that he knew. The stars shined so brightly above that if he craned his neck high enough he could exclude everything else from his vision and imagine that he were up among the stars, living in the night sky as only legends ever do. With a sigh, he shook the though from his head and turned back to his companion, wanting to forget the hardships and responsibilities that were his and yet knowing that it was unlike he would ever really be free of them.

He wondered what he would be like as an adult, upon reaching whatever age his companion had made it to. Would he still be the same old Don? Or would his world-weary body only make the tics worse, the cursing and nonstop jitters overtaking him at the most inopportune times...

When he heard his father's name mentioned almost casually, Don's ears pricked up a good bit and he turned quickly to look at the Malinois. Could he possibly know him from somewhere? More likely than not, he was just some acquaintance or old chum of his father, not someone who'd been around in the past year since Don was born.

"Actually yes, that would be him. Big tiger-striped brute, couldn't miss him if you tried. You wouldn't happen to be one of his old friends or something would you?" There were many chapters of his father's life that young Don had never been told of, and while he was sure it was likely just a lot of boring nonsense about back in the day, he sometimes wondered whether his father had led a rich and exciting life that he would rather his family not be made privvy to.

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Awaiting for the answer, Lucien let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding when Don didn't seem to become angry at the mention of his father. Don painted a picture of the Alpha for Lucien and it fit his description that he remembered of the King of the Monarchy from his years around.

At his question though, he shook his head slightly. "Although I know of your father, he and I were nothing but quick acquaintances, either right before you were born, or just after." Lucien gave Don a once over look, "You'd be what, a little over a year now?" he thumped his tail softly in ease, flicking a fly away.

Right around the age of my litter... Lucien thought to himself, then pushed the thought away. He'd been keeping his last mate as far from his mind as he could, because he was both ashamed of leaving so abruptly, and because a new lady friend was forever taunting his thoughts, K.C. He turned his eyes back to Don, hoping in his daydreaming, he didn't miss anything the boy had said.

Life without you just seems odd.

[CUR]

DON

The shaking began in his paws this time, thrumming its way up his legs until he was shaking more badly than he could contain. Head down, he squinted his eyes tightly shut and clenched his jaw, sharp teeth pressed together hard enough to cause pain. It lasted only a moment but his eyes misted over as he shook his head, fighting to clear away the tremors and regain his composure. Looking directly at the other dog, he saw no ill will and only then realized how the other dog had been holding his breath. He ignored it, shrugging to himself and trying to make it seem as though his little episode had been no big deal.

Nope, nothing wrong at all... he thought.

He was interested to learn that this dog had been acquaintances with his father sometime around his birth. His youth was obvious, and the other dog knew not whether it had been before or after Don's litter that he had met Hunter. Don was not surprised to learn this- Hunter was an old fashioned King and due to the instability of the pack at the time, he had surely kept Wiki's delivery a secret until the pups were old enough to defend themselves if the need should occur.

"Yes, I'm just coming up on one year now, still not much to me though is there." He didn't mean to discredit himself, but Don's metabolism- fast as that of a hummingbird due to his constant muscle movements- left him very toned but also much leaner than his father. Certainly he was faster and maybe nearly as strong but his presence was nowhere near as imposing and if he hoped to become King as well some day he would need to find some means of making that an advantage.

"How old are you then, if ya don't mind my asking?"

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

When the young pup had started trembling, Lucien was about to say something, then stopped himself, and unknowingly held his breath. If this had perhaps been the first time it had happened, Lucien would have been worrying and fussing over the young lad. But as he watched in silence, he saw this young pup fighting a battle of wills, one he himself wasn't sure he would have ever been able to fight.

When the trembles finally ceased, Lucien let out that breath he had been holding, and looked down at the pup with admiration. Not even a year old, and he was battling his own body and holding it all in quite well. At the very young age of one, this pup was already a warrior in ways that Lucien would never be.

He looked over the pup once more when he stated there wasn't much to him. A nice coat, all limbs accounted for. No chuncks missing out of his body anywhere. Lucien chuckled softly. "My boy. If you could see some of the ruffians I have run into, you would be very pleased with your body. I have come across those with missing pieces in their ears" Lucien flicked his own ear at that one, "their tails, and once, I had the pleasure of meeting a nice old female with only three legs. She walked right along side me for a good time, and we were content to share stories. Other than her missing her leg, she was the most gorgeous bitch i have ever had the chance to meet. So, do not think you are nothing much. Because no matter what. You are something." Lucien paused to get his breath back. He wasn't one for letting others belittle themselves, and it usually got him riled up.

Then onto the next question. How old was he he asked. That actually had him thinking for a moment. Two years at the time of the 'incident' and he had gone back to see his boy for the next... ten years. Yes, ten years sounded right. He looked down at the pup with a wolfish smile on his face. "I believe you're father would be around 6 right now? I would about double that. 12 years old." he watched Don to gauge his reaction.

Life without you is just odd...

[CUR]

DON

The night was growing long and in a few more hours the sun would be up. Even now one could hear the birds begin to stretch and chirp in the darkness, rustling their feathers and readying themselves for the day ahead. How long had he been out here? It was not uncommon for Don to lose track of time, spending long periods out by himself in the wilderness in the cool of evening. During the day it would be easy enough to tell how many hours had passed but in this state he wouldn't know until light began to creep in from the East.

He wondered whether Lucien felt the same way. Obviously the two of them were alike in many ways that count- it seemed as though both of them were sort-of loners, but not because they didn't like other dogs. The Malinois told him of other dogs he had known, some of whom had pieces of them missing, and even a beautiful bitch he'd once met with three legs. Three legs? he thought, wondering how such a thing had happened but knowing by the solemness with which Lucien spoke that every word of this was true. He couldn't imagine having such hardship- sure, he had his tics and twitches, but to actually lose a part of yourself? It sounded dreadful. He cringed.

"You're right. At least I am healthy and have all the parts I was born with. Did you feel... uncomfortable around her?" He asked gently, wondering innocently not because he had anything against those who were different, he most certainly did not have any prejudices. His question was more because he always felt so different, so out of place, and he burned with embarassment to wonder what it must feel like to be so obviously different not just when the shakes came on, but all the time.

Upon hearing how old Lucien was, Don couldn't help just a bit of a double-take. Eyes wide and curious he was amazed to learn of the other dog's age. Twelve years was an awful lot for a stray dog, but of course perhaps he'd had a home and people at one time too. "If you don't mind me saying so, you look good for twelve. I would've pinned you at closer to nine, maybe ten at the most."

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Lucien gave a knowing smile with his first question. The female had told him many tales of how lots of dogs and even people would go out of their way to avoid her. But with so many years under his collar, with meeting some very gorgeous creatures that had the worst personalities, so he had learn to not judge a hamburger by its buns. You could have nice buns, but no burger, or green buns and a thick juicy burger hidden within.

"No Don. I did not feel uncomfortable with her at all. Sometimes, dogs look different than you do, but that is no reason to be afraid or uncomfortable. Look at myself. Look at yourself. We are two dogs, very different looking, but two dogs nonetheless. Do you fear me because I am bigger, older and a different color? Should I fear you because you are white and sometimes twitch? I felt just as uncomfortable with her then as I do with you now, which is none." he scratched at an itch on her neck, his claws snagging slightly on his collar.

Life without you is just odd...

[CUR]

DON

To hear Lucien so aptly describe his feelings toward the other dogs he had met, dogs who were so different and yet very much the same, Don was impressed. Of course he knew that there were so many other dogs out there that being a little bit different didn't mean they were bad or had something wrong with them, but he was used to others feeling awkward in his presence and knew that they often pretended they couldn't see him shaking and stuttering. Lucien was different, and that was good.

"So true. I suppose from the outside we look like two very different dogs when really it seems we are alike in a lot of ways. It's rediculous how harsh some dogs can be..." He trailed off, thinking of one of the city dogs he had seen before, gawking at his family and remarking that they all seemed starved. Starved? The dog was nearly fat enough to have rolled off the hill! It was amazing how living a different sort of life could skew your perspective.

What had Lucien been through? It was obvious that he had some real life experience for not everyone was as intelligent and as objective as him. Don wondered if he would someday be talking another dog through such things, sharing the wisdom that he had gained during his lifetime.

"Well it's nearly morning. Perhaps when the sun rises we should go meet my father? He would probably be very glad to see you again."

[Fritzie]

I had only figured on a life with you...

Lucien nodded. It was quite ridiculous how some dogs were harsh and uncaring to those who were weaker and younger. Older dogs, in Lucien's mind, were here to help the weak and young to grow strong and understand that they too were to turn around and help those who were weaker and younger than they. It was a circle that Lucien felt was missing a few links lately, and needed to be restored.

With the offer to go and meet up with Hunter, Lucien only debated for a moment. It would be a little awkward to meet up with Hunter, after Lucien had disappeared from the area so suddenly. But on the other hand, it would be nice to see a familiar face and be able to catch up on the news and goings about on the area. But he didn't want to just brush Don off. The young pup had potential to be a great leader some day.

Finally, Lucien nodded. "Sure, lets go find your father. It would be nice to see him, and I can let him know how well you've treated a stranger on your lands," he smiled down at the pup before slowly rising to his feet as so not to cause any aches or pain.

Life without you is just odd...