alone together [C/KAT]

[»KINDLE ♫]

The junkyard represented his mental state at the moment if he thought about it. It was cluttered with useless things, just like his mind was littered with useless thoughts. Though to the thief side of Garrett's mind, it was a treasure trove of glorious things. He quickly slipped in through the gap in the fence he'd come across, avoiding the shards of broken glass littering the ground as he began to search for things that he could take back to the new stash he'd started. It was pitifully small at the moment, having only a pretty shell and a sparkling human-trinket he'd found on the outskirts of the city. He wanted more to fill it up with, but all the good stuff was in the heart of the city, somewhere a wolf like him would definitely not fit in. He'd be caught and taken somewhere quicker than he'd be able to find something even worth looking at. The Junkyard was the safest place that was still near enough the city to have some things that were at least of a little bit of value.

Climbing over a hill of scrap, something shining in the distance caught his amber eyes and Garrett almost slid down the hill in anticipation to get to it. Reaching the site of the sparkle, he could see the thing he was looking for had been partially submerged in dirt and other debris, leaving him the hard task of digging it out. Sighing a little at the extra effort, the wolf started to dig around the shining object, staining his white paws a less than pleasant murky brown.

[Zantalia]

 

Zantalia had lived in the Youngling Forest for most of her life, but the sorrows she had faced there had pushed her farther and farther away from it.  The pain of Fang's loss, the pain of her families' deaths, everything that could strike her down, did.  Now Zali roamed the outskirts of the city, hoping to one day find someplace she could settle and start all over again, find a new life, find someone to fill the place in her heart left torn open and bleeding at having Fang so rudely ripped away from her life

and from deep in her heart.  

The seventy-seven pound, twenty-nine inch tall, long, silky pelted Mexican she-wolf felt tears burning at the backs of her pale golden eyes, but Zali would not let them fall, she couldn't show that weakness, Fang wouldn't have wanted her too.  Lifting her head, Zali shook her frame and paced forward again, she didn't know where she was going, and she didn't know why, she just let her broken heart lead her onward.  The she-wolf sighed and then she found herself facing a chain-link fence.  Zali paused and tilted her head as she peered through the fence at the mountains of...stuff.  What was this human place?  Zali wondered as she cautiously lifted the loose fence with her nose and stepped cautiously through the fence.  

Being right side blind was a slight hindrance to the she wolf, but, Zali had learned to live with it long ago and her other senses were slightly sharper.  That was why, when she was inside the fence she stopped and looked to her left, a soft scrabbling had captured her ears.  Her interest piqued, Zali cautiously and silently crept around a pile of stuff, spotting a shiny piece of something, she made sure she did not set it moving and alert the other ahead of her of her presence...not just yet.  She wanted to observe for the time being, before her stood another wolf, snow-dyed and focused on getting something out of the earth.    

Curious again, Zali crept a little closer to the other, taking a lungful of the air, the scent emanating off the snowy wolf was definitely masculine.  He didn't look much older than she herself was.  His breed was slightly different though.  Never-the-less...Zali crept closer and then she clipped a shard of metal with a paw and a soft yip of pain slipped free of her jaws and Zali knew her jig was up.  She stepped into view then sat down as her pale golden gaze fell upon the snowy male.  Well, he knew she was there, migh as well speak right?  "Hey there stranger, what's that you're after?"  Her lyrics were soft, gentle and sweet and she tipped her head a little to the side for a moment as she tipped her ears toward him and waited.  



Word Count: 480  
"Speaking" 
Listening 

[»KINDLE ♫]

The more he dug the more revealed itself of the mysterious piece of shiny stuff that was buried in the disgusting earth. It seemed to be quite big and looked like a box, though it was made of silver that was still shiny despite being submerged in earth. As the dirt fell away from the front of the box, Garrett could see intricate patterns on the silver surface, lined with gold to make the box seem even more beautiful. The were dents spotted around the face of the box, which the wolf knew from experience had once contained gems of sorts to add to the beauty of the trinket. His eyes sparkled with his find, his mind so entranced by the object that he didn't even hear the small yelp beside him. Instead, his head only jerked up when he felt the presence of the girl right next to him and he skittered backwards a few steps in surprise.

He stayed in his startled position for a few moments of quick breathing before righting himself again, keeping the distance between them. Though she didn't look much of a threat there was still a chance she could want to rip his head off for his find. He knew she'd seen it was there; she'd even asked about the box in the rubbish. Still, there was a chance he could push off his find like it was nothing to stop her from trying to run off with it. The white wolf wandered back to his find, casually knocking the pile so dirt would fall down over it again and hopefully mask it from her view.

"Oh that? It was nothing, just some rubbish that I thought looked valuable." He flashed her a quick smile hoping she'd forget about it and he could leave without any others trying to talk to him. If there was another here now, he'd rather find somewhere to rest and come back the next day. He really didn't want another wolf trailing around after him, especially when his mood was quite low with the loss of Alya still hanging heavily on it.

[Zantalia]

A soft chuckle slipped free as she watched the white male skitter back away from her, he hadn't heard her yelp then.  Zali watched him as he took a few quick breaths as he stayed frozen like a deer in headlights.  Then he seemed to regain some composure and answered her question as he re-buried the find.  Oh that?  It was nothing, just some rubbish I thought looked valuable.  Was he afraid she was going to steal it?  A second gentle chuckle slipped free as she looked at the male as she stood and then repositioned herself, turning her good left eye toward him.  

She saw his quick smile and she thought she sensed that he didn't want to talk anymore but never-the-less, she needed a few friends so she spoke again, "Well, I wasn't gonna take it you silly male.  I was just curious.  I don't make a point of taking others' things.  I'm called Zantalia, Zali for short."  She murmured and shook her head a little.  The box was a pretty valuable object, Zali had captured a good glimpse of it.  Silver and gold, with pocks for gems.  Zali shook her head again and continued to peer at the white male.  Then she realized there was something off about the male before her.  What had happened to him that he seemed to exude sorrow?  

Zali was curious again and she continued watching the snowy male before her.  He was a rather interesting creature, Zali wanted to know more and said as much, "What's your tag stranger?"  She asked and tipped her ears forward and waited again.  She had a feeling that this was gonna take a while, this ivory brute didn't seem to want her there, he was trying to push her away.  Oh no, this could not happen, Zali wanted friends and she wanted someone that she could curl up with, just like she used to do with Fang.  Fang...the thought drew her momentarily back to her own sorrows and the pain showed in her body and eyes.  

Zali lowered her head and shook a little with the strength of her unshed tears, but she regained herself and looked back up as she put a smile on her lips again, she would not cry over the loss of her brother years ago.  Zali peered at him and waited, her ears tipped forth toward him.  She wasn't gonna let this one get away that easily...oh no, Zali wanted him as a friend.  She would sit here as long as she could to make it so.  She was rather stubborn on things like this.  Her pale golden eyes were bright, from both her unshed tears and her willingness to stay right here before this male.  

Her mind made up, Zantalia got comfortable.  The more he tried to push her away, the more she would be made to want to stay close.  She lay down in the earth and turned her pale golden gaze up toward him as she rested her head on her forelegs.  This snowy male was intriguing, Zali wondered about him, she wanted to keep him as a friend, Great Mother Moon knew Zali could use them.  She was not a very good Lone Wolf...she needed other wolves about her, she needed to have the safety of the Pack life, needed the company, the strength, she needed to hear a heartbeat once more, though it would not be the one she really wanted.  


Words: 579
"Speaking" 
Listening
  

    

[»KINDLE ♫]

At the chuckle from the female, Garrett's ears lowered in embarrassment as did his head, though it didn't stop his fiery eyes from glaring at her a little. He didn't like to be belittled by others and, really, he shouldn't have even been caught by her. That soul fact alone made him already in a less than good mood, added on with the regret he was feeling for Alya made him a bit of a touchy canine. Still, he tried to be polite and courteous like a gentleman should, which is what he always did when faced with social situations he couldn't escape. His ears perked once again when the female seemed to turn a particular eye towards him; perhaps her sight wasn't as good in the other? Whilst she didn't seem like any threat, the white wolf couldn't help but think he could use that to his advantage if it ever came to it. Looking at her now though, it didn't seem like it was going to come to that any time soon.

"I- Uh. Yeah?" Garrett fumbled through his words as he tried to find a reply. Her words had startled him a little. 'I don't make a point of taking others' things.' Well, that was certainly the opposite to him. He didn't say anything though, keeping himself firmly planted between the object and the girl. It was the most valuable thing he'd seen in a while and he was going to fight to the death for it if he had to. Well maybe not to the death... More likely until she snarled at him and he ran away like a coward. A fly buzzed past the wolf's ear, causing him to flick it irritably as he wondered why there was an insect out so early in the bad weather. The thought offered a momentary distraction, causing his eyes to look away from the stranger as she gazed at him. It didn't make him feel any less uncomfortable though and he shivered a bit under her gaze, wanting nothing more than to grab the box and run.

"Oh- I'm sorry, what?" Again, he'd been distracted and missed her question, causing him even more embarrassment and his ears drew back along with his body. He seemed to perk up attention-wise again when the girl, Zali she'd told him, seemed to crumple back herself. He stepped forward a little, slightly unsure what to do as he'd never been good in situations like this. She brought a smile back onto her face as quickly as it had gone, causing Garrett to raise his eyebrows slightly as he stepped back once again. Seeing her get comfortable, he relaxed his own posture a little but didn't lower himself to the ground, rather standing upright still but a lot more relaxed than he was before. Mentally, at least. His mind was still a jumble of thoughts yet to be cleaned up.

[Zantalia]

Zali's eyes drifted to the snowy male again as her ears tipped his way, I-uh.  Yeah?  Zali hid her smile and her chuckle from the male as she heard his fumblings.  Then she realized her lyrics had startled him, and she had to keep herself from bursting out with laughter.  Her ears switched back and forth a few moments and then pointed at the male again as she realized he was still blocking her from the box.  She shook her head back and forth a little and then lifted her pale golden gaze to the snow dyed brute before her.  

He was worried that she was still going to want to steal it from him.  Zali's ears switched as his lyrics found them again and she let the words fill her mind, Oh-I'm sorry, what?  He'd been distracted...again.  "I asked you what your name was silly."  Zali told him as she lifted her head and looked to him with a kind smile.  He was just as awkward as she was around others.  A tumbling of stuff spooked Zali and she was on her paws and spun away from the male with a snarl and when she saw it was just the stuff falling she smoothed herself out again and turned back to look at the male again.  

"Sorry about that.  I made the mistake of letting my guard down one too many times, any sound and I feel I need to fight off something...something threatening me again."  Zali murmured and turned to look at the tumbled pile of stuff and then turned to gaze at the snowy male again.  She was still not letting him see the sweetest part of her, she didn't trust him with that broken piece of her just yet, but she was taking steps down the right path to friendship anyways.  She shifted and then sat back down facing him again.  Where else would they go too in this junkyard?  Would she and this snowy male become friends?  Or not?  Well, she'd just have to wait and see.  


Word Count: 344
"Speaking" 
Listening  

   

[»KINDLE ♫]

The girl seemed to still be giving him awkward looks as he stood there and the more he watched the more he understood. She obviously saw he was still guarding the box, even after she'd promised that she had no intentions to take it, and was affected by his vigilant guarding in some way. He wasn't really sure what to do though as he was still quite protective of his find, though if he stayed like this she could get a little suspicious. He decided to relax a little, stepping away slightly from the box but keeping close enough to make a move if he had to. Luckily, they were distracted away from the topic of his find and instead moved onto proper conversation again.

"Oh- er, Garrett." He flashed her a quick but still slightly awkward smile as he introduced himself, trying to get whatever social skills he had left going before this meeting go even more awkward. It had already had a rough start and didn't seem to be picking up, though that was probably his fault as he hadn't made any real attempt at talking yet. There was still time to change that though and she seemed nice enough. Suddenly, his thoughts were shattered by a snarl and a large cluttering, both coming from the direction of the girl. The snowy male immediately skittered backwards, ears pressed flat against his head and a whine pushing its way out of his throats. His mind was swamped by memories of the night he lost Alya, triggered by the one snarl that echoed into his memories and became the snarl of his only true friend's murderer. Taking deep breathes, Garrett kept his eyes focused on the ground as he tried to stop the memories and hold back the tears, body lowered almost to the floor in the foetal position. He shook a little with the effort, all thoughts of the girl completely gone until she spoke again.

Her words made sense to him, especially the part about letting her guard down one to many times, though he couldn't find it in him to reply. He simply stayed there on the ground, shaking occasionally as he tried his hardest to stop the memories resurfacing.

[Zantalia]

Zali flipped her ears toward the snowy male as he sidled a short distance from his find and gazed at her.  He still wasn't gonna give up his find.  A half smile found Zali's lips as her ears swallowed the male's words, Oh-er Garrett.  Before she responded, Zali caught his smile and then the tumbling of junk had distracted her.  As she snarled and faced it, in her flattened ears she had heard the skittering of Garrett's claws and his whine and immediately she was sorry she had done what she had which was why, when she turned back she immediately apologized to the shaking shivering mass.  She felt so bad that she had dropped to the ground too and whimpered softly and apologetically as she moved a fraction of an inch closer to him.

As Garrett lay shaking before her, Zali parted her jaws and spoke gently as she peered at the snowy male with her pale golden eyes, "Garrett?  What are you fighting with over there?  What's set you to shaking?"  Zali asked softly, she was genuinely curious, she wanted to learn all she could of Garrett, what had made him the way he was, what she could do to help him out, what he could do to help her out.  She lay on the ground, her head resting on her paws as her pale golden gaze watched him, for any signs that he was coming back from his shaking, any sign that he was going to answer her.  Resting she gazed across the span of dirt between them, her own shakes slowly abating and taking their time doing it.  Garrett looked so sad there across the way that Zali crawled another fraction of an inch closer.  

Her eyes and ears tipped right toward him as she waited, letting her own shakes and shivers slough off her beautiful frame as she regained a bit more composure and lifted her head to peer more easily at Garrett.  Her smile slowly returned and she parted her jaws again as she spoke once more, "I want to help you Garrett...if you'll let me."  Zali told him as she lay there across from him, the treasure forgotten as their awkwardness grew and spread out, wrapping them in a fog of uncertainty and loss and genuine pathetic-ness.  Zali didn't like the thought, but she didn't have much she could do about it either.  With a final soft sigh, her own shivers and uncertainty vanished and she sat up as she continued to gaze non-threateningly and sympathetically toward Garrett as she awaited his responses to what she had told him.  



Word Count: 437 
"Speaking" 
Listening 

      

[»KINDLE ♫]

He could hear her apologies. Every word she said broke into his mind and everyone felt like a stab to the heart. He'd apologised after Alya had gone. He'd always thought he was saying sorry to her and apologising for his own cowardice but the more he did it, the less sure he was of why he was doing it. The more he said sorry the less it meant to him until it was just an empty word he realised was supposed to make people feel better. It didn't make people feel better though, at least not him. No matter how many times he spoke that word it wouldn't bring Alya back. Nothing would bring her back, let alone a silly little word, and that was why the female's apologies hurt so bad. They weren't real, no matter how sincere they sounded, and no one else's were either.

The girl spoke again, proper words that perhaps would do more than hurt him, and he listened though he stayed in his previous position on the floor. His jaws opened as if to reply but only a squeak was let out before he continued with his shaking, mouth clamping shut so hard he was sure his teeth would shatter. It was funny, you'd think that someone dealing with so much pain and wanting to release it whenever they could would spill everything at a chance like this, though Garrett wasn't one of those people. Instead he opened his fiery eyes, blinking back the soreness and taking a deep breath that brought on another wave of shakes. The wolf felt the girl move closer and his fur prickled with the anticipated contact, though she didn't come any closer to him. His fur still stayed on end, unsure about whether he wanted someone he didn't really know that close.

She was silent for a bit longer before he heard he words again but this words provoked a response, "Help me? You want to help me? No one can help me except for her and she's gone. Don't pretend you know what I'm going through." His words were almost snarled out, which was very unlike him as he barely ever raised his voice enough to growl, let alone say them with the anger he just had. He didn't mean to be angry, she was only just trying to fix him, and yet the fire had turned into an inferno inside him just at her words. He blinked, opening his mouth again to apologise before stopping himself. What's been said can never be taken back and saying sorry wasn't going to ease the pain he probably caused her. So he closed his mouth once more, sitting up only slightly with his shoulders hunched forward and head down.

[Zantalia]

Zali watched as the snowy male continued to huddle low and shake.  His jaws were clamped solidly together as he continued to shake, then she caught his fur rise as she remembered her last phrase as it had slipped between them in the air.  With a jolt of realization, Zali heard him snap a response to her and she lifted her head and peered across at him as her ears ate his sharp lyrics, Help me? You want to help me? No one can help me except for her and she's gone. Don't pretend you know what I'm going through.  Her jaws fell open briefly before her own hackles bristled and she stood facing the male, her jaws clamped shut for a few moments as her own eyes flashed.  

"No one can help you but her?  Garrett she isn't coming home...she never will.  Don't pretend I know what your going through?  Dam**t Garrett!  I've lost someone close to ME too!!!"  She snarled and spun on her heel and padded a few steps away from the snowy male and stopped.  As she faced away from him, a soft whimper slipped free.  "I lost the only wolf who knew I was not born dead.  I lost my big brother Fang to an attack from a rival pack, we were only THREE...three damn years old, we'd ONLY just become adults!  He DIED in my arms Garrett."  ZAli snapped and turned her head back to gaze at him her pale golden eyes bright with still unshed tears.  "Don't EVER try to tell me I don't KNOW what you're going through Garrett.  I know EXACTLY what you're going through...exactly."  Her lyrics were low and she turned back to face Garrett.  Her hackles slowly beginning to smooth back over her frame.  

She faced him, her pale golden gaze continuing to brighten with her tears...tears she still fought to keep back because Fang would not want her to cry.  "He brought me back to life Garrett and in the attack I..." she swallowed hard, "...I failed him and I failed my entire family, because I was too much of a coward to fight.  Only Fang's yelp made me come back and become the best fighter I had ever been...and ever would be.  That attack, blinded my right side Garrett.  And I still couldn't save Fang."  She fell silent then and sat back down across from Garrett and dropped her head low as a fresh round of shaking rippled quickly over her frame and vanished as she raised her head and peered again at Garrett waiting for his response to her shouting back at him.  




Word Count: 443 
"Speaking" 
Listening 

[»KINDLE ♫]

The poor boy was lost. Lost in his own mind and emotions. Stuck in a swirling maze that seemed to change itself after every corner. He was trapped and he wanted out. Every time he'd looked for an escape from the web of despair, he'd just managed to get himself stuck even tighter. Speaking to others would bet he sensible way out and he knew that, though he didn't like to talk. Most had assumed it was because he didn't want to drag them into the same locked cage that didn't have a key but really, it was because he knew the didn't understand. They didn't know what is was like to have their heart torn out and splayed out in front of them, force to watch as it's slowly cut, smashed and ripped until there is nothing left but pieces that don't seem to fit together. He'd thought that none of them ever understood his feelings, not even the ones that tried harder than most to get closer, but he'd been wrong.

Looking up at the girl that had started all of this, Garrett couldn't help but frown. He wasn't angry at her, not any more at least, but was more confused and angry with himself. He watched as she violently swung around, stomping off before she spoke again, facing away from him. His amber eyes stared hard at her back, his body still hunched but his head raised. She poured out everything to him, every little detail that he knew were too genuine to make up. He'd never doubted her in the first place, merely doubted her intentions for trying to be friendly because he'd never once shown signs of responding with his own gestures. Ever since she'd spoken to him first, she'd been nothing but friendly and comforting and what had he done? He'd pushed her away, tried to keep her as far away as possible and then snapped at her in such a way that would offend even the nicest of people. His walls immediately broke down and his body crumpled forward, his eyes becoming blurry as he rose to his paws. The wolf stood there a few moments, watching the girl as she came to sit back down in front of him, before almost throwing himself at her and pressing his head hard against her shoulder.

"You do understand." The broken boy wanted to scream all that had happened to him at the top of his lungs, to smash all of his walls down and never rebuild them and yet those were the only words he could summon. It seemed the final defences on his heart would take a lot more to break, but for now he'd gotten close to opening up than he'd ever done before. A slight whine was let out as he stayed close to the girl, the weight that had been sat on his shoulders for as long as he could remember finally letting go. It'd be back, he knew, but all that mattered to him was that it was bit there at that moment.

[Zantalia]

As she sat down she saw Garrett stand and before she really knew what was going on, Garrett was a white blur, flying right toward her.  Zali's ears lowered a little and she prepared to step back, afraid that he was going to attack her, but to her shock and surprise and awe, he simply pressed his head hard against her shoulder.  She let out a soft breath she didn't know she had sucked in and held and as her ears shifted forward and up they caught his fur muffled words, You do understand.  Zali couldn't help it, a soft chuckle slipped free of her jaws.  

Then, with a smile she nudged Garrett and nipped gently at his shoulder as his whine slipped free.  "Yes...I do Garret.  I've never let that information slip free Garrett.  I trust that I can have faith that you will keep it to yourself...I don't want the whole world to know my failure...not yet...not til I can prove to myself that I am not as miserable a failure.  Can I trust you with that Garrett?"  Zali asked as she rested her forehead against his.  She didn't think that truth would ever have been drawn out from deep within her.  But something about this white male...perhaps a deep seated connection between them had brought it forth.  Well, whatever had done it, Zali already felt lighter.  

Without that burden, Zali felt she could breathe the tiniest bit easier, her breaths didn't seem as constricted in her throat as they had before.  With another smile, she lifted her head and gazed upon Garrett with a deeper fondness then she'd ever shown to anyone before...well, anyone besides Fang, Fang had gotten that same fondness from her, if not a little bit deeper.  It was a good feeling.  Where would their friendship lead to?  What would become of Garrett and Zantalia, the two broken and beaten wolves that had found one another in the city junkyard?  A second, lighter chuckle slipped free at that thought and her ears tipped to Garrett waiting.  



Word Count: 348 
"Speaking" 
Listening