A Starless Night.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

The hollow wind brushed past her cheeks, toying with her thin, soft black hair while the cool moon light settled on her delicate cheeks. Every tiny movement would make her divert her attention from her objective. Every leaf that crackled, every puddle that rippled, every unsuspecting flower which was crushed under a neglectful foot would remind her of her old home, of the forest she had spent the past hundred and so years.

It was a substantial change. Not only emotionally, but physically as well. Her entire life she had been hiding from humans, and now, here she was, one of them. An equal. Even so, as she walked through the crowds of people at the arena, she felt like a loner. Being a loner was definately nothing new to her... she had been one for many, many years. However, there was just something different about being a lone wolf in a human territory. She felt as if she was the last wolf on earth, even though the mountains she made her new home on were surrounded by the creatures... they were no where near as smart or powerful as the ones she had known from the Forgotten Forest. Infact, these wolves just seemed down right...stupid. Just a bunch of wild animals.

There were a few exceptions. She had discovered a few smarter wolves deeper within the woods, further from the mountains. She could hear them talking, laughing... it made her long for that kind of a life. Occasionally, she would take the form of her wolf self, or one she had previously been before, but she would never stray too close to the secret wolf pack, nor was she finding herself any closer to the humans she had grown to know.

Humans. They truly were odd creatures. They could walk past another without even wondering who that person was. Did they let just anybody join them? Were these cities nothing like a pack? No, these people lived their own lives. They didn't dare worry about anything else. Still, she couldn't help but find herself chatting to anyone she passed by, or atleast getting their name. Though she wasn't very sociable, it would be hard to adjust to a life where you didn't know if the people around you were safe or dangerous.

The first time she was asked for her name, she nearly panicked. For some reason, giving out her true identity frightened her, as if telling them that her name was Shinrin would reviel that she had been a wolf for over a hundred years. Instead, she remembered a name she had heard, and used that instead. "Salena." She told them. When they had asked for a last name, and in her panic, she replied "Wolf." And so her name had stuck as Salena Wolfe.

Little by little she was getting used to the fact that she was completly starting over. Everything she once had... an amazing mate, an adorable daughter, loving sisters, and a safe home... all that was gone now. Everyone she once new was dead. She knew that it was for the best, starting over... but it was a hard thing to do, especially because her memories were all that she had left of those very short happy days before Sabaku ruined her.

It hadn't been the first time she tried to start over. She had tried many times... after being abandonded as a cub in fear of her and her sisters powers, she tried to start a new life, and she joined a pack. She had watched its members from a far, keeping a careful eye on the Alpha. He proved to be brave, strong... and she could see the secret chamber of caring that was hidden behind his many walls. After a while, she just... fell in love.

The only problem was, she couldn't climb out of the love hole. After being wolfnapped numerous times, the love of her life, the Alpha her leader, and short time mate just couldn't trust her anymore, and she couldn't blame him. She tried too many times to win him back, but it was obvious that it was impossible.

And then she was given another chance when a scrawny, elderly wolf started her over with a new life as Mori. Leaving all that she was behind, Shinrin, then Mori, bumped into her ex lover, and the memories flowed back. It seemed like it would have worked... but in the end, she failed.

That had cost her one of her three lives. The second would be lost in the struggle against her over powerful sister, Sabaku. And the third was lost in order to save her old mate, whom she was still completly, and utterly in love with. She had travelled so far to find him... had bled so much, ached so much, cried so much... and he was in no way happy with her, even after she gave her last life to him.

Luckily, her dying sisters gave up their own lives to her, and the magic within them not only kept her alive, but it kept her from aging. When she had given her deceased love her own life, she had given him the eternal life as well. She truly thought that she would be saving them both... instead, she made things worse.

She was truly broken hearted then. It felt like so long ago, almost as if the memories were nothing but dreams. Infact, occasionally, she would wonder if she had truly been human all along, and that her wolf life was nothing but a fantasy she had created in her mind. And then she would revisit those feelings of love, and she knew that it couldn't have been a lie.

This was her last chance. At life atleast, at a happy life. Finally, she was away from all that could hurt her. She really was starting over from scratch... and nothing could send her back to her old home. That was her ultimate goal... to forget that she was ever Shinrin, and start anew as Salena.

She even thought she had found love again.

It was odd really, falling in love with a human. Her whole life she had been attracted to wolves, and now all of a sudden, she had these feelings for the humans she knew too. OFcourse, she would often have to look in a mirror to remind herself that she was indeed human, and that a human liking other humans was completly natural.

His name was Eric, and they hit it off pretty well at first. It was her first date, but he walked her through it. Then, one day, her memories came rushing back to her.

"I'm sorry Eric, but... I just can't do this anymore." The young man frowned, shaking his head a bit. "Do.. what?" Salena sighed. "This... I just can't do it. Eric, I told you that I have loved before... the problem is, even though it was so long ago, I still have those memories. Its as if I can still feel him laying beside me..." The dark haired boy frowned even more. "Back... in your other life?" Salena nodded, for she had told him all about who she was before.

"If you had rather live with a memory of a fantasy... then go ahead. Nothing is stopping you. HAve fun chasing your lover boy down. Crazy fuck."

She never heard from him again. It was heart breaking. Not because he called her crazy, not because she was alone again... but because she could feel the pain that she inflicted in his heart. She hated that. More than anything, she hated to hurt people. For a while after that, she just slunk away into the shadows, becoming her once more timid, shy, and scared self, like she had been more than a hundred years ago, before she even met the charming alpha that would later become her mate.

Occasionally, she would talk. She would help out those who needed help, and she still tried to hang out with the friends she had learned to love, but it was hard. With every step she made, she feared hurting them, and that killed their relationships. Slowly but surely, she had some how made a complete circle. Now she felt like a scared little pup again, having just been abandoned from her mother... Only this time, there were no sisters, no pack, no Kaige to help her gain her strength back. She was alone.

"I always liked the view we get from the moon here..." She whispered to a nearby fox. "Its almost as beautiful as the one back where I came from." She let out a heavy sigh and stood up from the old rotten log she had been sitting on. "Good bye, friend. If I don't come back tomarrow night, please tell the moon I Said thank you."

She turned down the old rocky path and hiked herself back down to the city. Walking past the occasional building and home, she couldn't help but feel the earie silence. She was almost the only one walking these streets at night. Almost.

['Colio]

"Quit calling me," a low male voice spoke into the night breaking the silence that had wrapped itself around the small city like a blanket securely tucked around an infant. Even though he spoke quietly, his voice carried quite a ways down the street, but that was only due to the fact no one else was around. It was like a ghost town around here once the stars twinkled and the full moon smiled in the blackened sky. Though his voice could be heard when he spoke, his footsteps could not as he walked with a brisk stride down the deserted street. He moved in such a way it was almost inhuman and in a way, it was because of what he used to be. No one knew this though. It was a secret he would keep with him for eternity.

"I don't even know how you got my number," the voice continued on, irritation making a presence in its tone. "What part of QUIT CALLING ME don't you understand?" The voice was louder now, the owner speaking to the person on the other end as if they had a bad signal and couldn't hear what he was saying. "Does me NOT answering your calls or messages not tell you I DON'T want to speak to you or see you? How about quit calling me?" The man talking paused for a moment as he listened to what was being said on the other line. His pace had slowed down some as he continued down the street until he came to a complete stop, covering his face with his free hand in exasperation. "Really? I thought it was as clear as day that I have absolutely NO interest in speaking to you or seeing you." There was another pause and then a maddening laugh filled the dark street. "Yes, I realize I am talking to you right now. No, shut up and listen. I'm talking to you right now because I want you to get it through that thick skull of yours that I do not want to have any contact with you. At all. Ever. Now listen to me, alright? Shut up and listen. I know that's hard for you to do, but try it out." There was a moment of silent as the man took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He shook his head and kicked at the ground, clearly frustrated but trying not to let it get to him. "Leave. Me. Alone. If you do not listen this time...," his voice had gotten lower, barely above a whisper but still somehow audible with a frightening tone to it. "I will find you. I will hunt you down. I won't kill you, but I'll make you wish you were dead." It was obvious he meant business. Nowhere in his voice did it sound like he was joking, and he wasn't. The person on the other end screamed a stream of obscenities and the line went dead, the conversation over.

It was a side that he rarely ever showed since becoming human, but there were times were he just couldn't help it. Although he controlled it as best he could, he would slip up every so often. The human race never ceased to amaze Kaige. Their stupidity was mind boggling. He really didn't understand how they managed to survive through the day. Very rarely did he come across someone who was intelligent and knew what they were doing or what they were talking about. It didn't give him any hope though. He wasn't very optimistic when it came to people. Just like his wolf life, he was beginning to detest his human life. He would never win.

Although he may have hated his previous life, at least he had had some sort of companionship. He had someone to talk to. There was usually someone around he knew. Here, though, he was on his own. He knew no one. He was a social outcast. A loner. A nobody. He didn't really care anymore; he had grown used to it. Sometimes, though, just sometimes he found himself wishing he had someone to keep him company. Maybe not all of the time, but just some of the time. Even those who hated people needed some sort of companionship. Then again, he wasn't really trying. He kept to himself and minded his own business. If anyone was to blame for his partial loneliness, it was him.

With a low sigh, he moved from his frozen state in the street and continued on. He glanced up at the sky briefly, the moonlight hitting his emerald green eyes just right so the golden specks were illuminated with them. He found himself deep in though about his past, but he didn't want to dwell on it. The past was in the past and there was nothing he could do or say to change anything about it. He shook his head to himself causing a strand of his shoulder length golden hair to fall across his face and he pushed it away in irritation. The city was empty at night just like he was, only he was empty all the time. The solitary life was something he knew too well.

[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

The irratated voice echoed into Salena's ears, and she began to watch the man from a far. He obviously had no idea that she was there. Without the proper sense of smell, it was impossible. She ceased her walking and turned around, listening in to the man's conversations. She had seen him before, walking the streets at night... A loner, just like herself.

Her curiousity had her wanting to go talk to the man, but her lack of trust in others held her back. Still, as the man walked, he came closer to her, still unaware that she even exsisted. It was a simple decision.. walk away, or stand there. And yet it was such a tough decision to Salena. She tried to weigh in the consequences.

He was obviously an angry man... Somebody would would threaten a guy over the phone just for being annoying? Someone who would threaten so harshly? Just saying hello might piss him off enough to harm her. And yet, she in no way felt threatened by the man. Infact, he only made her laugh. She had remembered an equally angry face, and to finally see something just a little familiar.. it was calming.

Ceasing her laughter, she walked up to him, cautiously, carefully, slowly. It was night after all, and if he turned out to be a psycho, there would be no one to help. "I destroyed mine weeks ago." She pulled out a mangled cellular phone, the battery pack hanging out of it, the screen shattered, and many buttons misplaced. "It really does get annoying, doesn't it?"

Though the city was an old fashioned city, and had hardly any of the newer technologies within its borders, cell phones were a key item for any resident, especially for the guards and warriors. Most of the cell phones came from a seperate city, but recently, there had been cell phone companies being built on the mountain as well. Many were both excited, and scared that it would change the city completly.

Salena didn't really care. She didn't much feel a part of the city anyway. If it changed too drastically, she would just leave. Maybe she would even go life in the woods by herself. She had done it as a wolf for years, it would probably be easier as a human.

"Thank you for breaking the nightly silence." Salena showed a phony smile, putting the destroyed piece of plastic away. "I just don't understand why people would sleep when the moon is up." She lifted her eyes to the white orb in the sky. "Its easier to look at than the sun, thats for sure."

['Colio]

Kaige hadn't known someone else was in the area, being too lost in the previous conversation to have even noticed or cared, but he couldn't say he wasn't surprised. There had to be at least one other night walker, right? He looked at the girl with a rather dull expression masking the irritation that once showed and shrugged as if he didn't care. "Only when some girl trying to stalk you continues to call, maybe," he replied rather blandly as if he didn't really care to talk to the person in front of him which, in all reality, he really didn't. He was at the point now where he just wanted to retreat back to his little home, the only place where he could have time to himself. But at the same time, he wanted someone to talk to. It was really a love/hate sort of relationship he had going on the subject of him being social.

He listened to the girl ramble on, half paying attention and half not. His emerald gaze wandered down the deserted streets and thoughts from a previous life began to swim through his mind and his attention was slowly going elsewhere. He mumbled an "Mmhm." in reply to what she was saying, clearly not paying attention anymore. For all he knew, she could have said she just killed someone and bathed in their blood. He glanced at her briefly and looked away, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought as something struck him. This girl reminded him of someone he once knew, someone from his previous life. He snorted quietly and shook his head to himself, shoving his rough hands into the pockets of his jeans. That was a long time ago and none of it mattered anymore.

"This conversation is great and all," he spoke when she finished, a hint of dry sarcasm in his voice, "but I have some things I need to take care of," he said, plastering a fake toothy smile on his face. He really didn't have anything else to do. There hadn't been any work for him to do in weeks and there was nothing at his home that could keep his interest for longer than a couple of hours. He didn't know why he was trying to get away. Perhaps it was just the fact that he was socially awkward, or maybe it was a bunch of things. Things from a long time ago he would rather forget than remember, but he was cursed.

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[∴♪WolfurChickϗ]

Salena frowned for a brief moment. She really felt that this man's presence was very similar to one she had back at home. It was slightly comforting. It wasn't much similar, not that she could tell already, but still, she was curious to know who this stranger was who walked the streets at night. Some things to take care of? She snorted to herself. A common, curtious human way to say "Stay away from me, crazy fuck."

Her ears twitched, and she felt herself missing the much longer, furier versions she once had. Humans hardly showed emotion through their features... something Salena couldn't stand. It was harder to tell if somebody was lying. It was also hard to tell what they were really thinking. Humans kept to themselves too much, hiding away their emotions... apparently, this human wasn't much different. She had at first felt that maybe there was a difference... but that idea was slowly escaping her mind.

"Excuse me." She finally spoke up. "You are the oddest thing I have seen in this village so far... and yet you keep your eyes away from me like I am a disease. Atleast show me SOME curtesy... if you are going to say something to me, tell me the truth. I may be a stranger to you, but that doesn't mean I deserve to be lied to. Call me crazy, call me down right insane, I don't care. If you mean to say to me "Get the hell away you crazy fuck..." Then just say it. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard it, and it won't be the last."

The bag she was holding over her shoulder slipped down onto her arm, and a children's book fell from its opened zipper. Quickly, she bent over and thrust it into her bag, grumbling, and slung the bag over her shoulder. "Damn things always give me trouble..." She mumbled to herself, then looked at the stranger once more. Maybe he wasn't anything like the company she had back at home. He didn't lie, atleast, not that she could tell.

"If you don't mind me saying... being lone forever just isn't healthy. I hope you find someone to talk to." She looked down at the ground and frowned. She wished SHE had someone to talk to. The truth was, no matter how hard she tried to fit in with these humans, they just wouldn't exept her. She was weird to them. The way she showed all of her emotions like an open book, the odd way she walked sometimes, the often stutter or mumble in her speech... it was different. Humans didn't like different.

She walked away a bit from the man, then stopped on one foot and twirled around. "If you feel a certain way... angry, sad, happy... show it. It doesn't hurt, and its easier than lying. I mean... you might as well. A person just can't help the way they feel... they shouldn't hide it." She smiled softly, catching the bag from slipping again.

She couldn't help but feel like she was being akward... stumbling around with her bag like a clutz, stuttering occasionally, and going on and on without stop... It was something she couldn't help. Ever since she had given up on a life for herself, she made it her mission to help others. Even if it was just a sentence of advice... she didn't want anyone else ever feeling the way she had.

It was funny really... most of what she had learned, she learned from her first mate, the love of her life(she had another mate, but he died shortly after concieving a cub, and she never felt as if she truly loved him, but he came close). She had a short time with him, but he taught her a lot. She glanced down, then looked back up, almost expecting the man to be gone.

"If you have as much time on your pa...hands as I do, then why rush away from people who are willing to talk? Even if it is only for a moment... its better than doing nothing." She shrugged. "I watch the moon fade in from the sky each night down by the creek. If you are ever as bored as I am." Then she turned, not expecting much, and began to walk away.