Spring's Dawning [Amore]

[Phantom]

Morning was coming on fast. Light was drifting up from the line of the distant horizon, melting away the stars. The moon, full and bright, was laying low in the west, fading as Fenris rose higher and higher. The cool spring air felt clean and pure, and it seemed to be chasing away the long, cold winter days.

Phantom's yellow eyes glittered as she woke. She stood and stretched her long, lean body, yawning with pleasure. Smiling, she Co-Drappa stood proudly on the rocky outcrop. It was her favorite place in the Territories. Here, one could gaze over the entire valley, and marvel at the beautiful view of the eastern sky.

Wagging her tail, she lifted her head and howled, welcoming Fenris and bidding Tor farewell for the day.

[Amore]

Sunlight streamed through the bare branches, beating down upon Amore´s slender face. Under its harsh glare, the pearly Hybrid´s azure orbs blinked open, then almost immediately queezed shut again, creating a barrier against the spring sun. It had been a year since Amore had been born, and she was unsued to the harsh light of the springtime Fenris, preffering Autumn and Summer sunlight, which was a great deal warmer and subtler. Blinded, the slender faemme quickly got to her paws and opened her eyes again, the eye of Fenris blocked out by an over-shadoiwng branch, a relief for Amore. The familiar howl of the Koran Co. Drappa, Phantom, also one of Amore´s friends, beckoned the yearling from the alcove among the roots in which she had slept the night before.

Reluctantly, the lazy Hybrid launched herself forward in a steady lope, cruising through the area of Koran territory that stood between her and Phantom. After what seemed like forever, Amore scented the Co. Drappa´s scent, strong and fresh, yet twisted by the wind, and she followed it questioningly, criss-crossing across the forest until she could sight the ebony faemme´s back and head. Yipping in almost cubbish delight, Amore launched herself forward and mock attacked Phantom, practicing the fighting skills she had been taught by playing with cubs, both dog and wolf, when she was younger. Nippng at Phantom´s aud, she growled slightly and pawed at her tail before darting aay again, continuing this play for a few moments before giving it up and coming to stnd before Phantom, azure orbs shining.

[Phantom]

Phantom curled her lips into a grin as Amore bounded up to her. The young hybrid was one of the newest additions to Koran, full of strength and potential, but untrusted by many because of her "tainted" bloodline.

"Hey, easy now!" the Beta laughed as Amore nipped at her ears. She shook her scruffy fur, and looked down kindly at the youngster. Now she would get to know this varg better, something she had wanted to do when she was accepted as a Koran varg. Hybrid or not, Amore was still a wild varg and deserved the same respect as others.

"So, how are you liking Koran so far, Amore?"

[Amore]

"I am loving my time here, Phantom," Amore answered truthfully, leaning forward to give the Co. Drappa's aud a playful nip - something she would not dare do to Tarkah. Thinking of the snowy Drappa saddened the pearly Hybrid, thinking of hwo she could sense Tarkah's unprovoked mistrust against her. Of course, she hid it well, but the orbs betray many things, and so Amore could read Tarkah's true feelings about the ivory faemme. "But..." She growled, reluctant to reveal her sadness at the reserved Drappa. "I feel that Tarkah does not like me. She respects me for being behaivng well with the Pack and my feelings...but she still hates my heritage - something which can never be helped. For even when my bones lie bleached on the barren ground, they shall still be thsoe of a Hybrid."

((Writer's Block.))

[Phantom]

Phantom wagged her tail delightedly as Amore told her that she loved being in Koran. But her expression softened as Amore spoke of the arctic Drappa.

"Tarkah doesn't hate you, Amore. She's scared, that's all." Phantom said softly. "We all have a right to fear Man's hounds. My mother and father were killed by hunting dogs. Those creatures who worship and obey Man like a Dragga. I don't know why, but perhaps they see something about Man that we cannot."

She shook her head, clearing the thought. "Well, Tarkah and the rest of Koran have all been hunted by dogs. Last winter, the entire pack of Frecne was pursued by a group of hunters. Those who survived fled to our packlands. Tarkah welcomed them at once, because their Dragga was her brother. We helped them, but they led the humans and their dogs here. We could not fight, so we had to run. I had the duty of guiding the cubs to the mountains where it was safe, while Tarkah and the others tried to lead the dogs away from the packlands...."

"I never asked what exactly happened that day, but only Tarkah and a few of our warriors returned. I know that the hunting pack killed them. But what was left of Frecne disappeared. We've never seen them since."

She sighed, sadly, and gazed down at the cub. Her bright yellow eyes were clouded with sorrow. "I think Tarkah has been treating you harshly because you carry the blood of the creatures that have taken much from her. Have taken much from us all. It's her own, unconscious way of letting out her anger and grief."

[Amore]

"Yet you do not despise my heritage out of fear," Amore's growl was bitter, and she met Phantom's eyes as she spoke. Even as she listened to such a terrible tale, she could not help but feel the lack of justice of the predjudice against Hybrids. Of course, a Dog was another amtter, but if a Hybrid chose to live wwith the Varg, surely they are true to that side of them and not that of the servant of Man? "Your tale is saddening, and I mourn for the lost members of Frecne," She began, the bitterness leaving her voice. "But they are not as bad as they seem. I myself was brought up among my Mother's family and I know that they did hunt wolves with Men, though I was too young to truly understand. Hounds such as my Mother, Perra, follow Man because, though he seems to wish to destroy Nature, he shows kindness to them, true pure kindness and love and companionship. He tolerated the Dogs that were not so fond of him and snappy by nature - such as my Aunt Tora - but he still treasured them. The truth is, they have not experienced freedom. Of course, they have rung half-wild in the hunts, free of boundaries and leads, but not what I have chosen. Man provides them with food, a good place to sleep, warmth, and frees them of the harshness of the wilderness. In return, they do his will. For them, it is how the world works. You cannot blame them when they ahve not known of any other existence - the way of life for them is the only thing that they know." As she spoke, Amore knew that it was true. The hounds had been taught to be indifferent to wolves, to chase them and even kill them, but that was all that they had ever known. But of course, they were intelligent enough to see beyond this, they just did not have access to such knowledge. They were prisoners, but wilfull prisoners. "My Mother saw beyond this, and fell for Cabbron, my Father. She had access to the spirit of the Putnar, and because of this she found it in ehr heart to think of wolves as true sentient species. She even fell in love with my Fahter, Cabbron. And my Father was wise enough to have a grasp of the reasons behind the hounds actions against wolves - he understood my Mother and loved her. I am the product of such a love, and I am not ashamed," Breaking off, Amore sat down, as if she were too tired to carry on with her explanation. "I am only hurt when I meet those who hate me for my heritage and not for myself."

[Phantom]

"No, I not despise your heritage at all, Amore," Phantom replied quietly. "True, I am not fond of hounds, as all wolves, but there is no reason to blame innocent half vargs who have done nothing wrong at all."

As Amore began her story, Phantom gave her full attention to the young hybrid, pricking her ears as Amore told of man's strange friendship, and power, over Dogs. The Beta felt a glimmer of understanding in the youngster's words. It seemed that Amore's hardships have giving her a wisdom that few vargs her age possessed.

"Of course you shouldn't be ashamed!" Phantom snorted approvingly. "You should never hate what you are. It's good to see you know that. Your mother may have been a hound, but it takes one hell of a dog to grasp the freedom of the varg. I'm sure Tor and Fenris are very proud of her, as you are."

Amore then broke off and uttered her final sentence, she seemed emotionally exhausted. Phantom nuzzled her softly, giving her a comforting lick on the muzzle. "I know, I know it hurts. You aren't alone. There are many hybrids, and pure vargs too, who are constantly treated unfairly. I was one of them, and I still am."

She looked down thoughtfully at the cub. "Have you ever heard of Lydair, the Ge-rad healer? She is a great medicine wolf, and she is the Beta, too. And, Amore..." she smiled as she spoke, "she is also a Hybrid, just as you are."

//BTW, Happy birthday Amore!! Hope you've had great year! *hug*//

[Amore]

((*Huggles* Thank you, Phantom!))

"Aye, she was definantly a special hound," Amore agreed, thinking of her Mother, her pure white fur, her serious blue eyes, ehr sense of right and wrong, and of course her passionate love for Cabbron. When the Men ahd moved camp, Perra had been distraught, and it was only Amore who could pick up the pieces of her broken heart. It was that that had planted the first seed of hatred for Man, and the pearly Hybrid had left before it had grown or died within Perra. Her Mother's current present was uncertain to Amore, and it pained her when she thought of the husky. The mention of Lydair stirred memories in the youth's mind, dispelling the mist that clouded so many of her early memories as a young cub. Lydair...a cobalt Hybrid faemme who she had met the same day as Kop and Drathlic. "Yes, I know Lydair," Amore growled, remembering her feelings towards the faemme. "Lets say, we didn't part good friends when we first met back when I was very young."

((So so sorry, I have writer's block.))