Everyone began to cheer. Aleu looked at her clan, they looked happier than she had ever seen them before, and it was hard to believe that she was the reason for that.

            The clan began to settle down.

 

 

 

Sarah: I will say this though, I’m not sure you can do this on your own.

 

 

 

Nima: Yeah. You’ll need some help.

 

 

 

Kori: Someone to help you make decisions.

 

 

 

Sumac: Yeah. (snort) And help you scratch your ears.

 

 

 

            Yak elbowed Sumac in the side.

 

 

 

Sumac: Ow! What?

 

 

 

            Aleu laughed. Even if Sumac was a little slow sometimes, he was still special to Aleu.

 

 

 

Sarah: (smiling) I think what we’re all trying to say is… I think we need an alpha male…

 

 

 

            Aleu looked at everyone. They all smiled at each other, as if they had the same idea. She thought of Niju. Oh, he’d be a great alpha. She thought. She just hoped that they thought the same that she did.

 

 

 

Sarah: You’re thinking it. We’re all thinking it…

 

 

 

            Aleu waited to get a clearer answer to what they were thinking. Her heart began to beat fast.

 

 

 

Sarah: If it’s surely true that he’s changed… than let’s give him a warm welcome…

 

 

 

            Aleu looked at her clan one last time. By the looks on their faces, they all agreed. They all wanted Niju to be their alpha male. Aleu was filled with happiness, overwhelmed with joy.

 

 

 

Sarah: Go get him, Aleu.

 

 

 

Aleu: (approaching Sarah) I hope this is the last time I ask this of you, but take care of them while I’m gone.

 

 

 

Sarah: With pleasure.

 

 

 

            Aleu smiled at Sarah as a sign of deep appreciation. What would I do without her? She thought.

            Aleu jumped off the boat and headed towards the forest, where she was sure she would find Niju, who she hoped would soon to be her alpha male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 49

 

 

 

 

     Niju was heading back to his cave from his walk. He had to clear his head for a while. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the guilt out of his mind. The look of fear on Aleu’s face was planted in his mind. It haunted him so.

            As he slumped through the forest, his heart heavy with sadness of his loss, he began to wonder. Why did this happen... we were so close to becoming whole, then this happened… why… I felt so confident that we were able to be together… how foolish was I… why didn’t I take the time to see the possible negativities… why did I let my heart get in the way of my mind… why didn’t I think that this could have happened… why?

 

 

            Niju began to feel that his apologies, his friendship with Aleu, and his change was all for not. It’s over… it’s all over… He thought.

            Niju was coming up to his cave. He sighed as he approached it, knowing the first thing he would do when he entered it would be collapsing to the floor and falling asleep, not wanting to wake for the rest of his life. He remembered that one time he saw Aleu in his cave… the time she apologized to him for giving him an unpleasant greeting. He remembered the night they spent together in that cave, and snuggled against each other. He remembered the time they sat next to each other and watched the sunset, and the stars. He remembered the time he taught Aleu to catch fish, and the time they played in the mud… but most of all, he remembered the time she first kissed him. That memory, he knew, would never leave his heart.

            He knew that he would never forget Aleu, and how he was certain that she would be the one that he would spend the rest of his life with… the love of his life.

            The cave was only a few feet away now. He turned the corner to enter the cave. He remained slumped over his chest until he came to the entrance way. The first thing he saw when he looked up was his shadow, then, a beautiful wolf dog named Aleu, standing next to it.

            Aleu turned her head slowly when she saw Niju’s shadow on the cave wall. Her heart began to pump with nervousness as she saw him, standing in the entrance way, a puzzled yet slightly happy look on his face. She turned towards Niju and stepped forward.

 

 

 

Aleu: (in a soft voice) Hi, Niju.

 

 

 

Niju: Hello, Aleu…

 

 

 

Aleu: (laughing slightly) Well… this is all too familiar, isn’t it?

 

 

 

Niju: (stepping inside) Yeah… it is.

 

 

 

            There was a short moment of silence. They soon discovered that they couldn’t stand it. They had to talk to each other.

 

 

 

Aleu: Look, Niju. I-

 

 

 

            Niju began to talk at the same time, and stopped.

 

 

 

Niju: You go first.

 

 

 

Aleu: Alright… Niju, I know this must be so hard on you… it is on me as well.

 

 

 

            Aleu waited for Niju to talk. There was no response.

 

 

 

Aleu: Look, I know you feel bad about this, but we can work it out.

 

 

 

            Aleu waited for him to speak. There was still nothing.

 

 

 

Aleu: Niju, please. Talk to me.

 

 

 

Niju: All I have to say is that I’m sorry…

 

 

 

Aleu: Sorry for what?

 

 

 

Niju: Sorry that I let my feelings get in the way of the possibilities.

 

 

 

Aleu: The possibilities of what?

 

 

 

Niju: (in a louder tone) of this happening.

 

 

 

Aleu: Oh, so is that how you take your feelings? Just something that gets in the way?

 

 

 

Niju: No! That’s not what I meant.

 

 

 

            Niju just realized he had been yelling. The two of them calmed down for a moment.

 

 

 

Niju: Aleu, my feelings for you meant everything. They’ve always meant everything-

 

 

 

Aleu: And so have mine… It seemed like everything was going to be alright, then you just-you just run in unexpectedly.

 

 

 

Niju: I couldn’t help myself. I-

 

 

 

Aleu: Then Farris tries to fight you and you throw him across the clearing.

 

 

 

Niju: I didn’t mean to hurt him, I swear! I-I was only trying to-

 

 

 

Aleu: (in a soft tone) to protect me…?

 

 

 

            Niju looked at her in surprise. It’s like she took the words right out of his mouth.

 

 

 

Niju: …yeah.

 

 

 

            A tear formed under Aleu’s eye. It slowly trickled down her face. That tear tortured Niju. He wanted so badly to hold her in his arms and comfort her.

 

 

 

Aleu: …I know…and I hate myself for taking so long to realize it…

 

 

 

            Niju could barely understand. He didn’t know whether to think that they were still able to be together or not.

 

 

 

Aleu: (sniffling) I still love you…

 

 

 

            Aleu ran to Niju and held herself against him. As soon as she touched him, he wrapped his arms around him. She began to cry in his arms. Niju’s heart felt beyond touched. His throat grew heavy, and he wanted to cry with her.

 

 

 

Niju: (with a sigh) Aleu...

 

 

 

            The two lovers held each other tightly, and cried tears of happiness together. They were a part of one another. Neither of them had ever felt so whole in their lives.

 

 

 

Niju: …I love you so much.

 

 

 

            The two of them continued to hold each other, loving the familiar feeling of being in each other’s arms. They had missed each other so, even if it was for a little while. But the two of them felt like they were meant to be, so a little while away felt like forever. But now, they knew that they would never be separated again.

            Niju pulled away and looked

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