sitting back in his own cage. Still worried for the other, he spoke up. "You alright? How's your head?"
The grey wolf groaned, scratching his head against the wall of the cage. "Yeah...my head just hurts every now and again..." he took a sip of water. They were quiet for the most part, but then Aramis decided to make small talk. "So...Dar...You've never been in a pack before, have ya?"
Shaking his head, then realizing the other couldn't see it, spoke up again. "No, never. This reserve is all I know since I could open my eyes. Have you? You came from the wild after all. Do you remember it at all, what it was like?" He had always been curious about the wild, beyond the reserve.
Aramis closed his eyes and smiled. Aside from the strange wolf being the cause of having one less leg, he loved living in the wild. "Yes, I remember it all. I didn't live for very long as a wild wolf, but I know alot about it." Aramis told the story as he thought about it. His father was Jerome and his mother was Wit, the alphas of a small five-member pack. When he was born, his runt brother died and he was the only one left, so he was to be the future alpha male. The entire pack treated each other with respect, as a family, always looking out for each other, no one ever giving Jerome trouble. Throughout Aramis' puppy hood (though at the time, he was known as Shin) more wolves gained entry to the pack. But "Shin's" favorite past time was when he would watch the pack hunt from afar with his mother. Aramis went into some detail when he came to hunting, but he realized he was rambling and paused.
"But all of that changed when my mom left me by myself in the cave...She felt something was wrong and she went to check things out...one of the new pack members pulled me out by my leg and broke it, so it was only hanging on by some flesh... They chased me, and I got away by falling into the river... And you know the rest."
Dartanion sighed at hearing the story, lying down and laying his head on his crossed paws. "Sounds like it was nice, living with your family and friends. I wish I could find out what it would be like. No cages, but freedom to do whatever I wanted." the wolf couldn't even imagine what it was like, shaking his head. "Was it strange given a different name when you came here? From being called Shin by your pack?" Since the younger wolf had been born and raised at the reserve, he only had one name, that one of the older French women gave him.
Aramis shook his head, but suddenly wondered why because Dartanion couldn't see him. "No," he said. "Everything was pretty strange to me, my name was the least of my problems. Then after a while I got used to it." There was more silence. Aramis felt kind of bad for Dartanion; he had never seen the real outdoor world. Aramis missed it from time to time, but he knew he'd never be able to leave. Then he remembered that throughout his life here, he had seen wolves come and be released into the wild. "You know...it's not too late for you. I think you'll be able to see the wild. I think you'd really like it." Aramis kind of hoped that Dartanion wouldn't leave though...at the same time, he knew he would have a better life out there, rather than in here. Just the same, those thoughts made Aramis miss Dartanion, and he moved closer to his side of the cage, even though they still weren't able to see each other.
Not quite understanding, Dartanion blinked. "What do you mean, it 'not being too late'?" Did Aramis know something he didn't? The wolf knew that wolves and other animals often came through the reserve and were let go, but they mostly came from the wild with injuries or sickness, to be released again when they were better. With him, he was raised here, and didn't know anything about the wild, how to act, or take care of himself. The younger wolf didn't know about packs, how they worked, or anything about them, save for what his brother told him. "I'm not wild..."
"Well...you're still young...you're old enough to take care of yourself. All by yourself." Aramis tried to sound convincing. It was hard to explain that even young wolves that stayed here a while could leave, especially if they interacted with other wolves. He was trying to sound positive too. He thought it was cruel to let a wild animal like themselves live there until they grew too old to function. It wouldn't be a problem for Dartanion; Aramis could tell just by how they played and comparing it to his wild life that he'd be fine in the wild. Aramis didn’t want the focus on the conversation to lead towards his...health, but he was afraid that it was going to head that way anyway.
"That's just it...All my life, up to where I met you of course, I've been alone." He looked to the ground at his paws, swallowing. "And you say I could take care of myself, by myself...but I don't want to be just myself. That, and...I've grown up here, gotten used to it." His voice softened now, a soft smile playing at his muzzle. "And found a brother. Though I tire of the same thing every day here, I don't want to go, knowing that you can't follow. You're the only real family I have. I’m...actually frightened to be on my own, alone. I don't ever want to go through that again. I'd die..." The wolf held back the lump growing in his throat as he poured out his inner most fears and thoughts, but his eyes still misted over.
Aramis sighed sadly. He didn't mean to make him feel bad, he just wanted to make him feel that he didn't have to be here the whole time and that it was possible for him to go out in the wild. He should've known that Dartanion wouldn't want to leave him behind here... "You won't die," he said. "You're going to find a pack to be a part of. And they're going to be just as much of a family to you as you are to me." Aramis knew that Dar would be released. It was just a matter of how long they had to be together until that happened.
"I wouldn't know the first thing about being in a pack. Or even if I was released, knowing I was raised by humans, they would let me even join." He sighed, finally lifting his head. There was also the fact that the younger wolf didn't want to leave his friend and brother here alone. Aramis had no one else either, and if Dartanion were to leave...he'd feel horrible leaving him here for the rest of his life. Maybe there was a way to have Aramis come with him? The tri-colored wolf would stay with him, protect him if necessary.
Aramis put the subject to rest before falling asleep. He wasn't going to argue with Dartanion because he knew he himself was right. Every wolf had a wild side that helps them survive no matter what. At least, in the wild it helped. Anywhere else, he learned it pretty much caused problems... He slumbered frowning.
For the next few days, the two brothers didn't rough-house as much as they did. Most of the time when they spent their outside time together, they'd just lay on each other and rest, just enjoying their company, their family. Both of them were as happy as could be, as long as they could see each other.
Aramis was dreaming... He dreamed that he and Dartanion were running together in a territory much more beautiful than his old one. It was like a wolf Paradise. The grass was green and the only snow around was in the mountains, guarding the two of them from any outside danger. There was a beautiful dark blue lake, with a herd of elk happily drinking from it. Dartanion kept running, while Aramis slowed to a halt. But as soon as Dartanion was out of sight, he went blind. For some reason in his dream, he was blind, and yet seeing terrible, gruesome, needle-like monsters...no...He felt them touching him...hurting him, especially in the back of his head. His legs were numb and couldn't move.
When it was about to rain outside, the grey wolf awoke from his nightmare to an ungodly amount of pain in the back of his head. He woke up after having stressful dreams and just thinking about them again only made his head feel worse. It was when he started falling back asleep, did his body begin to shake more violently than before.
Dartanion had been dozing off contently, his head lying across Aramis' back as they lay together in the sun outside. When the older wolf jolted awake, the younger blinked, shifting a bit. He was about to ask what was wrong when under him, the body began to shake, subtle at first, then got worse. Jerking up, the tri-colored wolf looked down to his brother to see a sight he hated seeing every time it happened. The grey shaded wolf was twitching and shaking, this time more violent than he had ever seen before! "Aramis!" Looking around, Dartanion tried to signal the nearby humans with barks and urgent howls.
Aramis could feel himself being picked up by the humans, who were raising their voices with concern and demand. He didn't get a chance to see Dartanion one last time, and Aramis was afraid that this would be the last time he'd ever see his brother again. The shaking wolf knew deep down that Dar was going to be released into the wild and be happy there. He was going to be stronger and live long enough for the two of them. He just knew it. When Aramis was brought onto the vet's table, he relaxed his eyelids, waiting for death to take him while his seizures remained over some control.
Moments later, the poor wolf felt coldness all around himself. He felt his body again, and the pain in his head was gone... But he could not move. He rested there, relaxing more when he smelled the familiar scent of Dartanion, as if he was nearby. Aramis slowly opened his eyes to see his brother lying right before his very eyes... It was
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