A new beginning

Electra had slept since last noon. Feeling much better and refreshed she let out a huge yawn and arched back in a luxurios stretch. She went back to the pool she had found and drank her fill. She lay on a rock beside the pool for a while enjoying the warm sun on her winter gray fur. A pleasant breeze srung up and she cought the scent of deer on the wind. Her mouth watered at the smell, and her stomach growled, reminding her how hungry she was. Letting out another yawn, she went off in search of prey.[b]

Yukon, in search for something to satisfy his stomach, dashed after a rabbit bounding past the dense woods. He added another final burst of energy to finally catch his prey, and leaped at the hopping rabbit. Yukon's teeth sank into the flesh of his meal, and savoring the taste, prepared to dig in... When something caught his eye. Yukon placed the dead rabbit on the ground. Then he crouched down to the ground, with his ears pulled back and his eyes narrowed. There was a shape moving past the dense and thick trees. It appeared to be... another wolf. "Back off," Yukon snarled. "This is MY lunch."

Electra was following the deer scent, all her senses trained on the smell. "Back off," a voice snarled. "This is MY lunch." Electra froze at the sound of the voice. Winter gray ears located the speaker. It was a male, light gray, with a jagged black stripe from his right ear to his left leg, and yellow eyes. His body was hunched over a rabbit, freshly killed. His maw was contorted in a snarl, showing his fearsome white teeth. "I have no intrest in your rabbit stranger." the beautiful fae told him. "My name is Electra and you are actually on my territory right now," she added matter-of-factly. I am looking for more wolves to join my pack, Shadow pack. Perhaps you could join me and we could rule this territory together. Electra added. She hoped he would accept her offer, as she would be pleased to have some company after her long period of isolation. It would also be helpful to have a strong male to help with intruders. This brute was very attractive, in fact Electra had felt drawn to him when she first saw him. She remained were she was though, ignoring her urge to move closer to him. Electra laughed inwardly at her desires. Why, she didn't even know the brute's name and she had already taken a liking to him? The fae sat and waited for an answer from the male, her ears alert and expression friendly, betraying in her ice blue gaze none of her strange new feelings.

Yukon eased for a moment. Pack? he thought. No, no, I couldn't... he shifted. On the other hand, he'd always wanted to join a pack - and rule it? Oh, that had been one of his greatest dreams. Hestitating, Yukon silently debated over if he should accept the invitation to the pack. Ever since he was a young pup, he'd wanted to have followers of his own... But no. He didn't even even know who this wolf was; he'd never seen her before. But the idea of being part of a pack - he could even have a decent meal for once. Yukon didn't know the territory as well as the wolves that had been here since birth. He had only just come here recently. His tail drooped a bit, no more parallel to the earth below him. Maybe it was worth a try, Yukon thought, staring hard into the ice-blue eyes of the wolf that called herself Electra. She was winter gray on most of her body. At least that was appealing. Yukon swayed, being very active. He hated staying still. Finally, he bowed his head. "I am Yukon," he said. "Will you accept me into your Shadow Pack?"

Electra saw the males posture ease after she had finished speaking, his maw no longer in a snarl. He shifted slightly, obviously in thought. The fae waited patienly for his response. His pale yellow eyes were locked onto Electra's own ones of frigid blue. She chuckled mirthlessly to herself. In her old home many males found it difficult to look into her intidiating eyes. It made them uncomfortable. She had found that if she looked at some wolf intensly enough, they would immediatly stop what they were doing and come, even if their backs was to her. This male was diffrent though, he looked straight into them, hard. He was swaying from side to side now. He obviuosly didn't like standing still, and probably didn't have much patience. Electra herself would get antsy after to long, but this brute was bursting eith enegry and if she hadn't asked him a question, he would have been here to the lagoon in a flash. He bowed his head to her respectfully, a good move if he were to accept Electa's kind offer. "I am Yukon" the handsome gray brute finally replied. "Will you accept me into your Shadow Pack?"

Electra waited a moment before she replied, "I see no reason why not, Yukon. Welcome to Shadow Pack." in a friendly tone. She rose and bekconed Yukon to follow her. " Come let me, show you the territory." Electra walked briskly on ahead of the male, not looking back to see if he was following her.

Yukon waited impateiently for Electra's answer, his swaying became tense. Every second felt like a minute - oh, this was probably a big joke. Nonetheless, to his surprise, she siad, "I see no reason why not, Yukon. Welcome to the Shadow Pack." After beckoning him to follow her, she added, "Come let me show you the territory." The female walked vigorously in front of Yukon, not watching if he was following her. Needless to say, Yukon persued Electra. At first he walked slowly, cautiously, but soon he was strutting heartily beside her. Studying the female wolf for the first time, Yukon noticed that she had a white muzzle, chest, belly and paws besides the dull wintery gray of the rest of her body. Electra's tail was held high, when his was drooping in a relaxed manner - she must be a proud wolf as the leader of this Shadow Pack, that he was now a member of. Shadow was just what Yukon would use to describe these woods, with the dense trees and thick undergrowth that cast shadows among the forest floor, where the two wolves were walking on at that moment... Yukon was surprised any sun got in at all. This was so unlike the sparse woods of the Frozen Forest, where he had been raised. Attempting to start a conversation with Electra, Yukon asked: "So, how long have you been here?"

Electra heard Yukon's pawsteps as he followed her. His pace was cautious at first, but his pace soon quickened and he was waling beside her. She felt his yellow gaze sweep across her slender frame quickly before he posed her with a question. "So, how long have you been here?" Yukon asked her. "Oh, not very long. Just long enough to know my territory." Electra told him honestly. "How long have you been here?" she asked curiously. She was waiting for his response when she heard the sutble sound of the waterfall growing louder. " Up ahead is the lagoon. It's got a waterfall that flows down from uphill." Electra told Yukon. She had just finished speaking when the waterfall and lagoon came into view.

Yukon was about to answer Electra's question when he heard the roar of some rushing water... Could there possibly be a waterfall nearby? Then Electra explained, "Up ahead is the lagoon. It's got a waterfall that flows down from uphill." Sure enough, they soon reached a clearing where a beautiful azure lagoon sparkled in the sunlight of the clearing. Farther ahead was a fair waterfall, the source of the (now quite loud) hurtling water. Yukon's tongue lolled out of his mouth while he basked in the warm sunlight, for a while oblivious that Electra was nearby. But Yukon couldn't let go of his energetic habits, and leaped into the cool water of the lagoon. He bounded along the shore, but settled when he saw that Electra was watching him. Yukon lowered his gaze to his paws."Oh," he mumbled, now embarrased. "Sorry."

Electra saw Yukon's expression change. His tongue lolled out the side of his maw as he basked in the warm sunlight. She watched him with amusement as he leaped into the lagoon and ran across the shore. Electra could tell Yukon had forgotten she was there, or else he wouldn't have been acting so silly. She let him have his bit of merriment; he obviously had tons of energy. Yukon stopped his splashing when he remembered he was not alone. He looked up at Electra before lowering his yellow gaze to the water. "Oh,"[b] Yukon mumbled; now with an embarrassed look on his handsome face. [b]"Sorry."

"It's ok." said Electra, chuckling, as she padded up to him. "Come on, I'll show you where the den is." She headed away from the lagoon, this time glancing back at Yukon once, with a gentle smile on her face; before continuing on. Electra was sure she liked the male now. He was friendly and energetic. She was sure they would get along nicely.

"It's okay," Electra laughed. Yukon's gaze rose from the muddy water under him to Electra. He resolved never to forget anyone's presence again. "Come on, I'll show you where the den is," Electra said, once she had come up to him. She walked away from the lagoon back into the forest. This time she looked back to Yukon, a warm smile creeping across her face, and he let his eyes sweep over her before their eyes locked again, as they had when they first met. There was something about those icy blue eyes that drove him crazy - Electra was probably used to other wolves looking away from her eyes. Yukon hoped that he and the fae would get along adequately. Electra looked away and trotted back into the depths of the Dense Woods. Of course, Yukon followed. Suddenly, there was a low rumble. The Electra's head swung around. Yukon chuckled nervously, "Oh. That was my stomach. I'm rather hungry, if you don't mind." He sniffed the air and he caught a whiff of deer scent. The wolf creeped deeper into the woods, towards the smell. His body was low, but his tail wagged lightly anyway. Once again, Yukon had forgotten Electra's presence in spite of his decision...

Electra could hear Yukon coming after her. When she had glanced back at him before, she saw his eyes sweep over her. Soft yellow eyes had met icy blue eyes for a moment, and that had feeling crept up in Electra’s heart again. She had forced the feeling away again, trying to keep her thoughts calm and clear. Electra was trotting through the forest when she heard a low rumble. She froze; it was uncomfortably nearby. Her ears swiveled to catch it. She swung her head around to Yukon, wondering if he had heard it too; It had come from his direction. ”Oh. That was my stomach. I’m rather hungry, if you don’t mind.” Yukon said, chuckling nervously.

Electra thought back to when she met Yukon. He hadn’t had time to eat yet. The thought of food reminded Electra that she hadn’t eaten yet his morning either. Yukon was sniffing the air, checking for any prey-scent. He was creeping into the forest, his body low to the ground. Electra sniffed the air herself, and caught the scent of deer. That was probably what Yukon was after. Electra fell into a stealthy gait and followed Yukon. He would probably need some help with this deer. Its scent could be a buck, but she couldn’t be totally sure until she saw it. Electra slid into a stealthy gait, and came up alongside Yukon. Then Electra saw it. It was a buck deer, a big one too. It was grazing, and it's back was turned to them.

Perfect, Electra thought. She turned to her head to Yukon. He looked back at her, he had seen it too. Electra nodded at him once before stalking into position; Yukon would know what to do. Electra stalked off to the south-east; off to the right of the buck, not broad side. When she got there she dropped into a crouch, and checked to see if Yukon was in position.

Yukon's mouth watered as the scent of deer drew closer - possibly buck, he couldn't tell. Finally, it came into view... A fully grown buck, grazing with it's back to them. Yukon was only half aware of Electra beside him. She stalked off in the south-east direction, a bit off the right of the male deer. Electra crouched among the underbrush and glanced at Yukon, probably to see if he was in position. He stealthily creeped along to the opposite side of the buck so he was nearly parallel to Electra. Yukon trembled from trying to keep still, and shuffled around. Suddenly, the buck's head shot up abruptly, dropping the grass from its mouth. It had sensed them. No time to waste, thought Yukon hastily. He glimpsed Electra already darting towards its vulnerable throat, so he pounced at its calf to keep it from running away. The buck deer tried escaping, but wasn't quick enough for the two wolves. The young wolf's canine teeth sank into the flesh of the buck, and its tense muscles eased.

Electra saw Yukon slip into position. As soon as he got there Electra darted out and went for the buck's throat. She was vuagely aware of Yukon dashing out towards the deer's hindquarters. Electra bit down harder into the deer's throat. She could taste the deer's life blood leaking into her mouth. She relished to taste. Soon the buck lay still. Electra looked at Yukon once before tearing into the soft belly of the deer. the intestines she rejected but set devouring everything else. Yukon came and joined her quickly. Soon the pair had eaten their fill. The deer was nought but a skeleton now. Electra looked back at Yukon, her jaws matted with blood. She swiped her tougne across her lips a few times before she spoke. "You did well Yukon." she said. "At least we know we won't go hungry" the fae added jokingly. She stopped speaking and focused on getting the blood off her face.

Satisfied, Yukon stretched out next to the practically bare skeleton of the buck. Now that his hunger was quenched, he could think straight again. Rays of sunlight beat down on the two wolves in the small clearing. Several minutes silently passed with Yukon and Electra there. Suddenly he hopped up, wagging his tail. "So," Yukon reminded, "you were showing me where the den is." Electra's ears perked up and she said, "Oh, of course." They both trotted deeper into the woods, her leading and him following.

Electra had finished cleaning her muzzle. She lay beside the deer skeleton, watching Yukon. He hopped up suddenly saying, "So, you were showing me where the den is." Electra's ears perked up. She had forgotten about the dens. "Oh, of course." she told Yukon. Electra padded deeper into the woods. She could hear Yukon following her. Soon they arrived at the place Electra had slept. Breaking through a thorn barrier she said to the brute "Well here it is" as soon as Yukon had pushed through the thorns. She had taken some time the day before to explore the camp. It was expertly made by some wolves long gone, the alpha's den separated from the others , and another den, probably the nursery, was well protected by thorns. Electra looked skyward, and, to her surprise, saw the crimson sky of the sunset from the west. Electra turned to Yukon saying "It's getting kind of late isn't it?" She stretched and let out a loud yawn. "Well, I'm going to turn in now." With that Electra slid inside the den, exhausted.

Yukon followed Electra through the woods. The fae broke through a barrier of thorns, and Yukon followed. "Well her it is" Electra said. The camp was nice, expertly made by some wolves who apparently were now long gone. The alpha's den was discrete from the others, and another one - possibly the nursery - was cosseted protectively by thorns. After looking upwards, Electra stretched and yawned, "It's getting kind of late isn't it? Well, I'm going to turn in now." She slid inside the alpha den, obviously exhausted. Yukon took a moment to examine the camp. Hmmm, he thought. It must have been isolated for some time, with only Electra remaining. Yukon wondered about why she was alone with no other members. Was there somne catastrophe? Or was she an outcast of some sort? He snorted. His mind must have been fogged up by the late hours. Peering up at the blood-red sky, Yukon decided to also rest. Thinking that it would be disrespectful to go in the alpha's den without knowing his real rank, the wolf shuffled towards another one. Before going in, Yukon hesitated. There was something about Electra... As if he had seen her before... Known her... Too tired to think, Yukon plopped down on the ground and let his tongue loll out. Almost instantly, he fell asleep.

Electra had slept well last night, better than she had in a long time. She had been up know for quite some time. The fae thought about waking Yukon but decided against it. It was a peaceful morning, birds chirruping thier morning song to the forest. She couldn't stop her thoughts from drifting to Yukon. His deep voice seemed oddly familiar to her. How could anything about him seem familiar to me? the fae wondered. I've only just met him. But still she could not help feeling like she knew him, like they had met before. It was a very strange thing, how her emotions could come unravled like this, and over some male she had only met the day before. Any further thought was stopped when Yukon emerged from the den he had chosen. "hello" she said to him cheerfully. hi his deep voice replied. " I had only just shown you the main parts of the territory yesterday." Electra told him. "We can do a quick run through of the rest if you want" the fae added. She scanned over Yukon once swiftly. Electra just couldn't get rid of the notion that she knew this brute from somewhere, but she couldn't remember where.

Coming out from his den, Yukon heard Electra say "Hello." "Hi," he groggily replied. "I had only just shown you the main parts of the territory yesterday," said Electra. "We can do a quick run through the rest if you want." "Sure," replied Yukon. Together they trotted off past the Alpha's den, the rest of the dens and the nursery. Quickly, Yukon squinted at the fae to see if he could remember her again. He was surprised that she was looking at him, too. Yukon saw her ice blue eyes again, and he suddenly tripped over his feet. IT WAS HER, he thought. "Electra!" he exclaimed at her, who looked rather startled. "It's ME, YUKON! Don't you remember? I was... Oh, I was always the energetic, happy-go-lucky one that you called the Hyper Rabbit and you were the sourpuss and I called you the Dead Fish and-" "SOURPUSS? DEAD FISH?" Electra cut Yukon off. Suddenly, her eyes widened. The two wolves laughed and danced around the forest floor, finally remembering each other. "We were best friends..." "Remember that time when we got in trouble by..." All of their puphood memories came flooding back to them. Yukon felt a spark ignite in his body.

"Sure" Yukon replied. Electra trooted off past the Alphas den, with Yukon right behind her. Electra turned her head to look at Yukon again, trying to figure out where she knew him from. To Electra's surprise, Yukon was looking at her too. Yukon tripped over his feet suddenly, and after regaining his footing the brute looked at her exclaiming, "Electra!" His sudden outburst startled Electra for a moment. Yukon then added, with his tail wagging, "It's ME YUKON! Don't you remember? I was... Oh, I was always the energetic happy-go-lucky one that you called the Hyper Rabbit and you were the sourpuss and I called you the Dead Fish and-" "SOURPUSS? DEAD FISH?" Electra cut him off offended. Then the fae's eyes widened with recognition. Electra laughed and danced around with Yukon, finnaly remebering him. "We were best friends," Yukon told her. "Remeber that time when we got in trouble by.." Electra was to happy to hear the rest. All her puppyhood memories came flodding back to her. The feeling deep in Electra's heart rose up again, and this time it didn't make her feel strange or silly. She didn't worry about the feeling now. She remebered Yukon now. Now she had a friend.