Keeping Sanity.

[Fable]

Lobo padded through the thick forest, trying anything he could to get his mind off of Yuluku leaving her pack, and the madness that was soon going to reveal itself. He walked against the river, his golden eyes watching as the fish that inhabited it. He gave a slight chuckle as he lowered his head to the water and lapped up a few drinks before sitting down.

The coywolf stared at his reflection. His small body, beady coyote eyes, and those long pointed ears. It seemed like he was more coyote than wolf. The male gave a slight snarl and swiped his paw through the water and then standing. He knew he had to get over it. Coywolf or not, I should think of himself more as a wolf. He lifted his head back and gave a strong howl that echoed through the forest. It gave him a smile and finally he laid down.

He thought about the words the black female had said about the wreaking havoc and such. It disgusted him and he felt lucky that he wasn't around her or those other wolves, but Lobo knew he had to watch his back, just in case. But that wasn't what he wanted anymore. He didn't want to hide, nor run, he just wanted to become a pack mate, and fight those nasty wolves off.

[Crag]

Crag the small black wolf walked along the river. He looked into the river and saw the white stripe running from the top of his head down to his chest, the white ears and the green eyes. He wandered further, the patches of sun causing his flat coat to shimmer almost a blue color. He had been a wanderer most of his life, but decided it was about time to get a pack. He looked up and saw an animal. He couldn't tell if it was a coyote or wolf. He darted to the bushes and slunk forward. He stepped on a branch and stopped. Crag hoped it didn't here him.

[Fable]

Lobo yawned, licking his chops. Its been forever since he'd had a good nights rest. With all the havoc spreading around, who could really sleep these days. He wouldn't be surpirised if he woke up half eaten. Suddenly, the wolf had started to feel uncomfortable. It's way to quiet in this forest. I can't possibly be the only one around here he thought. His long ears picked up the russeling of leaves, and the sounds of paws hitting the grassy/dirt ground. Lobo quickly rose and twisted his small body around, only to bare his canines with flattened ears. The body posture was only in defense, not to attack. With his widened golden eyes, the wolf stared at the bushes from where the strange noises were coming from.

"Come out, and I won't harm you!" it was simply a bluff, only to get the other to show his/her face. Lobo has never really attacked another wolf, or possibly, another carnivore.

[Crag]

Crag stopped, startled at the voice. He crouched. Realizing hiding would be useless he crept forward. He still couldn't tell if it was a wolf or coyote. Thinking hard to find something to say he managed to declare, "I... mean no harm... Who are you?" He cringed expecting to be attacked.

[Fable]

"I... mean no harm... Who are you?"
The canid lowered his head, and slightly raised his tail. This was indeed a great change in Lobo's attitude. He didn't seem nor feel shy any longer, those feelings were shedding away like his winter coat. Lobo let out a snort and licked his incisors, slightly lowering his top lip. He didn't necessarily know who to trust any longer, so why tell the stranger his name. By the scent of this new comer, it was indeed a wolf.

"I'm Lobo," he growled lowly, keeping his guard up, "half coyote, half wolf. And who might you be, oh stranger." The coy swished his bushy tail around, his body tensing up alittle. Lobo watched as the black wolf had crept foward, probably just as nervous as he was. The wolf had a strange appearance, green eyes, and a white stripe, it was strange to him.

[Crag]

Thoughts were raising through crags mind, "oh, he's part coyote part wolf; no wonder I couldn't figure out witch one he was. Well I guess I'd better tell him my name. I'm going to have to be careful, I don't want to make him mad...." He said "My name is... Here he shuffled around nervously. "Is Crag" He continued cringing, but a little less then before.

[Fable]

Soon enough the growling had ceased and his lips lowered. By the looks of the males cringing convinced Lobo that Crag was not a threat...yet. Lobo lowered his tail and sat and studyed the new wolf, not really to the point where he fully trusted him. He noticed that his fur was just as black as the femme leader of the Shinook pack. It made him suspisicous. Could this male be working with those other black wolves? he thought, but he shouldn't assume these things.

"Crag," he repeated the wolf's name back to him "what brings you to these parts of the forests and plains as the havoc reveals itself among the pack and loner lands?" Lobo was calm now, maybe him being calm will make the other male calm down and sit with him.

[Crag]

Crag crept forward and sat down feeling safer now that the other, Lobo, had calmed down... At least he hoped he had. He looked at the coyote-wolf. He figured that he should tell it his history. for some reason Crag felt he could trust Lobo.

"When I was a pup two mountain lions killed my mother while my father was out hunting, they dragged my one of my siblings out of the den and killed him. They eventually left, but not without injuring my sister, my last sibling. I was forced to watch as she slowly died. My father never returned. I have wandered ever since." he announced looking off into the distance.

[Fable]

Lobo listened intently and smiled alittle as the wolf had come to trust him. This made Lobo feel a little more comfortable around Crag. Hearing as his family was killed when he was younger, gave Lobo a feeling sorrow for Crag.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Crag, " he replied, "no one should have to go through such a thing like watching family die before your eyes. Your father left you? Well, maybe he and you will encounter some time again." He tried to cheer him up a bit. It probably isn't easy living with the thought of seeing your family being mauled infront of him.

[Crag]

Crag smiled at Lobo. He liked him which was odd because he was usually very cautious around others. Maybe it was because Lobo was part coyote... Or maybe it was because of some other reason. Either way Crag liked this wolf.

This was all very weird for Crag he had never spoken this much in one sitting. He could feel in the pit of his stomach that there was something wrong beginning to take shape in this land he stumbled into, and things were rapidly changing.

"Thanks... By the way," He said, "You haven't told me your story... Do you feel like sharing it?"

[Fable]

He noticed how comfortable Crag had gotten being with Lobo. This made him smile; maybe being different wasn't a bad thing after all, he just looked at it that way. He shook out his fur and sat back down, giving another yawn, not because he was bored, just because he was tired and hasn't slept for a few days. He nodded after Crag had thanked him, as his pointed ears pricked up after Crag had asked Lobo about his past.

The wolf's golden eyes looked up and he gave a brief sigh then smiled. "When I was but a pup, only a few months old, I've been alone. Just like you, except my family wasn't killed, they just looked down on me for being different....so I left." Lobo looked back at Crag. There wasn't really much to tell, that was basically it. "Say..." Lobo paused, "would you like to travel around with me?" Even though Yuluku didn't really agree to that, which he understood, maybe this wolf would like to.

[Crag]

"Say..." Lobo paused, "would you like to travel around with me?" Crag's eyes lit up. He had been alone since puppy-hood and he would love some company. "Sure!" he answered quickly.

His stomach rumbled. "Wow, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten since..." he paused to think, "Since that carcass I had nearly a month ago. Do you know where any food is, I'm starving."

"Oh and before we go anywhere..." he paused here for dramatic effect, "Is there something happening? I got this weird feeling as soon as I stepped paw in the area..."

[Fable]

Lobo gave a toothy smile of pleasure. Finally, no more lonelyness. This sent sparks up his spine and he yipped and howled with joy. He stopped and stood, regaining his posture and shaking out his fur. He had heard Crags stomach growl and it had also reminded him how hungry he himself was too. Lobo raised his nose to the air and sniffed for any scent of deer, rabbit, mole, etc.
"There's nothing here, but I'm sure we'll find some food somewhere else," he chuckled in reply. He turned to walk out of the forest and looked back at Crag to see if he were coming.

[Crag]

Crag watched as Lobo sniffed the air and announced there was nothing there. Lobo chuckled and began walking. Crag began to sway. He was so happy he wouldn't have to wander alone anymore. No more cold lonely nights! No more hot lonesome days! And no more brutal downpours spent under a rock alone! He would finally have something he hadn't had since he lost his family. Lobo looked back to see if Crag was following. Crag stood up licking his lips thinking of food and then began to wonder where they were going. He began to follow Lobo. "Oh yeah!" Crag exclaimed, "You haven't answered one of my questions... Is there something happening. I have a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that something's going on."

[Fable]

Lobo stopped, lowering his head and heaving a long sigh as he turned back to look at Crag. The thought of the problems now going on on these pack lands angered him. It brought back the images of his dead friend, Takar and had caused his new friend, Yuluku, to leave her pack. Finally the coy spoke.

"I didn't forget to anwser your question...I just do not really want to talk about it. But since you are new to these areas, I shall fore warn you of what is going on." A harsh growl was made, but not at Crag, the subject had just angered him. "The wolves that rule these lands, especially the the four or five black ones, have created a dastardly plot," Lobo began, "they are going to wreak havoc, maybe kill a few wolves, so don't get too comfortable. It could be you that they slaughter...maybe even me. They are planning to over throw these lands and bring back the ruling of Fenris."