Blizzard, no more apologizing… You didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s nothing to apologize for!” Rallan explained, smiling warmly to his new acquaintance, “And by the way, my name’s Rallan… It’s a pleasure to meet you, Blizzard…”

“It’s my pleasure, really…” Blizzard said back, obviously a little shy and embarrassed for getting caught spying on him, “So how long are you going to be here, Mr. Rallan?” Rallan laughed softly once again.

“I’m not sure, Blizzard… and please, just call me Rallan… That ‘Mr.’ or ‘Master’ stuff is a little new to me and I’m not sure I like being considered of a ‘higher rank,’ if it be called that…” Rallan replied, “And Blizzard, you don’t have to act so embarrassed, you did nothing wrong… Just take a deep breath and calm down…”

Blizzard did as he was told to and took a deep inhale, holding it for a moment, then slowly letting it out. Almost immediately, the white wolf seemed to calm down completely, his ice-blue eyes no longer holding the nervousness they previously did. Rallan smiled and patted Blizzard on his shoulder.

“There we go… Feeling any bit better?” Rallan asked softly, locking gazes with Blizzard.

“Yeah, a bit… Thanks Mr. Ra- I mean, Rallan…” Blizzard said softly, both wolves standing up and walking over the ice bridge to the central spire, “So, Rallan, if you don’t mind my asking, how did you find us out here?” Rallan sighed softly, then answered the wolf’s question.

“Well Blizzard, I’m… ah, how would you say it? A traveler of sorts…” Rallan explained calmly as the two kept on walking side-by-side, “I stumbled across this while I was out on my travels and then I met Fantasy out in the snow… Ocean and his soldiers jumped me and then I was taken here… Frost seemed to like me a lot and made me the royal guest of honor for as long as I wanted to stay… I don’t know if it was just a turn of fortune for me or if I have a guardian angel looking out over me!”

The two wolves walked around for a while, becoming more and more trusting of one another. Over the hours, Blizzard began to seem a little nervous whenever Rallan asked something about Fantasy. Taking note of this, Rallan decided to find out what was going on.

“Hey Blizz, is something wrong?” he asked calmly, “You can tell me… I’m not gonna tell anyone…”

“I… I’m not sure if I can fully trust you…” Blizzard said bashfully, looking away from Rallan.

“Blizzard, trust me… I’ve kept plenty of secrets- some I’m never about to admit even on pain of death…” Rallan replied, “Trust me… You can do that…”

“Well… Alright… It’s Fantasy… I- kinda, sorta have a crush on her… I have for the longest time…” Blizzard admitted, looking back to Rallan, “But I just get so flustered and I don’t know how to get her to like me!” Rallan thought to himself for a moment, then smiled at Blizzard.

“I’ll see what I can do to help you, Blizzard… You can count on me…” Rallan pledged, patting the Arctic wolf on his shoulder. Blizzard looked completely astounded.

“Y-you would?! Why would you do something like that for me?” Blizzard asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Because you’ve been so friendly to me here, Blizzard and I’m sure we’ll be great friends…” Rallan answered, smiling widely as the two walked back up the ice spire, “I’ll help you out, Blizz… Just give me some time…”

“Thanks a lot Rallan… That really means a lot to me…” Blizzard said. Just then, Ocean ran up to them and bowed his head to Rallan.

“Master Rallan, Lord Frost has requested your presence in the Royal Chamber…” Ocean stated, then glanced at Blizzard, “… Just your presence… Effective immediately…” Rallan sighed softly, then smiled at Blizzard.

“I guess we’ll just have to continue this conversation later… I’ll see you later, Blizzard… Take care!” Rallan said before following Ocean toward the north bridge. Blizzard gave a parting smile to Rallan, then sighed once he was gone and proceeded to walk down the ramp of the spire.

“So, what is this meeting with me and Frost all about?” Rallan asked Ocean.

“I do not know… Lord Frost simply sent me to fetch you for him, stating that it was immediate… Nothing more, nothing less…” Ocean replied, his lack of emotional tone the same as ever, “Here we are… Remember, he is the Alpha. Show him the utmost respect you possibly can…”

Ocean and Rallan then walked through the archway and into the Royal Chamber. Frost sat on his perch, Fantasy sitting on a slightly lower one next to him. When the two wolves walked in, Fantasy’s face lit up at the sight of Rallan. Frost smiled as his Beta and his guest approached, both bowing their heads respectfully.

“Good morning Rallan! I trust you slept well last night,” Frost said, beaming joyfully, “I bet you’re wondering why I summoned you here, aren’t you?” Rallan smiled back and nodded slightly.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much the major question running through my mind right now…” Rallan replied, “So may I ask what the reason is for my requested attendance?”

“Well Rallan, I wanted to offer you something… Something I know you’ll jump for joy over, but you probably won’t accept it at first, so I’ll be forced to continue to pester you until you eventually give in and accept it…” Frost stated with a chuckle, getting one from Rallan as well, “Rallan, I want you to stay here; to live your life as a member of the Icicle Pack!”

Rallan’s mouth dropped open and his golden eyes widened in surprise. He stumbled backward and almost fell, but kept himself up right. He couldn’t believe this! This wolf who’d known him for a day apparently trusted his morals and virtues well enough to offer him a permanent home; a new life with a new start! Frost chuckled and jumped down, walking up to Rallan slowly.

“So Rallan, what do you say to that?” Frost asked, “And please don’t say ‘no’…”

“Frost… I… You… This is…” Rallan stuttered, unable to find any words at the moment to suit how he felt right now, “Frost, I can’t believe you’re giving me this chance… After the life I’ve had, I’d gladly take up that offer in a heartbeat, but… I-I just can’t… It wouldn’t be right of me to simply try to start over again… I wasn’t raised to give up on the life I made for myself…”

“Then don’t…” Frost said, plain and simple, “Don’t give up on that life… I’m not rushing you to make a decision… Take your time on this… Until then, enjoy what we have to offer… I’m not going to press you into a sudden choice… I’ll let you decide for yourself…”

“Thank you, Frost… May I be dismissed now? I’d really like to look around your fabulous home…” Rallan asked. Frost nodded slowly.

“Of course Rallan! You don’t need to ask it of me! You’re free to come and go as you please!” Frost replied, nodding to Fantasy, “Fantasy can show you about, if you’d like…”

“Oh, I’d be delighted to!” Fantasy exclaimed, quickly jumping down and trotting up to Rallan’s side, giving him a warm smile, “Come on! There’s so much to see and such little time!”

Fantasy quickly led Rallan away, almost literally dragging him along. Frost laughed as he watched the two leave. Ocean approached him and sat beside his Alpha.

“Lord Frost, I do not believe that this is such a wise decision to offer him such a gift…” Ocean said in a hushed tone, “We don’t know much about him or his past… We don’t know what he did or if he ever broke any laws of a pack before… I think we should find out a little more about him first…”

“Ocean, you know you’re my brother and you know I respect you, but I know what it’s like to be the eldest of a litter and have to leave their home for the good of their pack… Did you know that had Dad not passed away, I would have had to leave you and Darkice forever?” Frost said, giving Ocean a look of disapproval, “I know you’re very cautious and alert, Ocean… That’s why you’re the Beta… But believe me, brother… If something is wrong with Rallan, then we’ll find out about it… But for now, he will be treated as a guest of honor and respected as innocent until proven guilty… Understood?”

“Crystal clearly, brother… I apologize for defying your command… Your word is law, after all…” Ocean replied coolly, “I’ll keep an eye on his as well as look for links to his past- see if we can find out anything about him… Permission to be dismissed?”

“Permission granted, Ocean…” Frost said and watched as his brother walked away.

            For six months, Rallan stayed and resided within the sanctity of the Icicle Pack. However, whenever questioned about staying as a permanent resident or about his past, he politely refused to answer. Fantasy had become quite smitten with the wolf and Blizzard had become a good friend of his. Yet no matter who asked him, Rallan would never answer a single question about why he was forced to leave the Lylrite Pack or what precisely happened on the night his father was murdered. To everyone of the Icicle Pack, Rallan was a welcome addition, but an enigmatic persona.

On the night of his second birthday, Rallan celebrated with the others with a smile, but still refused Frost’s gift of a new home. He seemed happy and content- until it came to the yearly anniversary of his father’s murder. Rallan spent the whole day in self-solitary-confinement inside his room, requesting that no one visit him for any reason whatsoever. Everyone worried about Rallan, for he seemed to be suffering from something that he would never tell anyone.

Finally, spring came, but outside it was still the endless winter. Fantasy was certain that she loved Rallan; she cold feel it inside of her. Over the months, he’d given her enough information and insight into his life that she was able to conclude that he was right for her and vice