eyes... It was then he realized he was not dead and inside his cage, but he still felt less alive than ever.
He managed to groan out, "Dar...how are...you in here...?" Aramis could feel himself slipping. Deep down he was afraid to die, and letting tears fall showed this, but he wanted to stay strong for Dartanion. He didn't want to leave him at all, even though he knew it was going to happen. He just didn't want Dartanion to see him like this, in this poor, weakening state.
The fear that had washed over Dartanion at seeing his best friend and brother get carried away from him once again seemed to be worse this time. It was like in the back of his mind, the wolf knew something was going to change. Right then he just wanted to be with the other, and started pacing the pen door, barking and howling. After what seemed like forever, he was allowed in, and put inside his own cage, where the tri-colored wolf set to pacing around, making himself sick with worry. After another time, the doors opened and his brother was carried to his cage, much to the younger wolf's relief. But something just didn't seem right this time...The humans were talking in hushed voices, and Dartanion was surprised to see his door being opened. Looking out, he saw that Aramis' cage was open as well, and immediately the wolf ran inside to the other. The gray wolf didn't move, but seemed to sense him, and opened his eyes with a groan, further worrying him.
"Yes, I'm here. The humans let me in..." The sinking feeling in his stomach got worse as he saw the tears trail down his brother's face. Dartanion laid down right against him, lowering his head to the other. "You're alright now...right?"
The older wolf stayed silent, but was still awake. His eyes looked away from the younger one because that was the only thing he could really move right now. He didn't want to give Dar the truth; no matter how much they'd both know about it already. Looking at his face now would be even sadder than the first time he upset him. When Aramis spoke again, his voice cracked. “I just...want you to know that...I'd glad...we met...and that...we're brothers...okay?" The two of them could talk for a while, but Aramis refused to die until that Dartanion said he was going to be alright without him. He knew he would be…he just wanted to hear it, just to be assured.
What was Aramis saying? Why was he saying these things? In his heart, though he was not about to admit or accept it, he knew. The wolf's ears went back sadly, and he laid his head down across the other's body, blinking back the moisture that was forming. "Me too. I don't know if I'd have survived alone without you..." The younger wolf was sure he wouldn't have, at his age, with no one to be with. Aramis was truly a savior in his life. And now that same presence was being taken from him? He shut his eyes tight, pressing his face into the gray wolf's fur. Why didn't Aramis get up now? The seizure was over, and he was alright now...No, the younger knew Aramis wasn't alright. Was he ready? Ready to go on without his brother? He had survived because of his three-legged companion. Could it continue without him...?
Aramis could tell that Dartanion was more scared than he was. He felt terrible that he had to leave so soon. He was worse at finding words of comfort, he always was... but then he remembered what his mother told him. That the spirits of those who passed on still stayed with those that didn't, whenever they felt lonely or sad or lost. "I wouldn't have lived...this long...without you either... But even when I'm gone... I'll be with you...in spirit..." Time was drawing near, and the grey wolf couldn't feel himself getting any better. He finally had to ask after a moment of silence: "You're...gonna be alright...alright?" The tri-colored wolf sniffed, and forced himself to nod, even if he wanted to deny everything happening right now. Aramis took one last look at Dartanion, before closing his eyes for the last time. Two drops of tears managed to escape and fall down Aramis' face.
He felt it when it happened. Aramis' chest stopped moving, and his body relaxed...Dartanion couldn't hold back the grief filled sob that escaped him. His brother was gone. The other was never going to open his eyes again, or draw another breath. The two of them would never scuffle outside, or relax together, even just chat comfortably from across their cages. Tears rolled down the wolf's face as he cried over the still body of his best friend. And even when he was scared, Aramis had wanted to comfort and reassure him that everything would be all right. That he would be all right without him. Dartanion wasn't sure what to think about the future. For now, he just stayed where he was with his friend, grieving and letting out the pain. Only time would tell if his spirit would survive without the guiding presence of Aramis.
Once it had been declared by the humans that Aramis was dead, they gave Dartanion a few minutes before they took the grey wolf's body away. Once Aramis' body was gone, Dartanion stayed in his cage, letting the tears fall, gasping for tiny breaths of air. When a man came in to lead Dar back into his own cage, he was still crying, but not as much. The man pet Dartanion on the head in a comforting way, but then left him alone for the rest of the evening.
The wolf's only company now was his thoughts and memories. He thought about when he and Aramis first saw each other outside, how happy they were that day... and the day they touched and played for the first time was even better than that. He missed Aramis so much right now, and continued the same all the way into his dreams. There he continued to see his friend, and like Aramis' dream, they ran through the forest together, laughing and playing like they always had. Dar had very few nightmares because his dreams would mostly consist of Aramis and that's where he was happiest...when he was dreaming. When he was awake, he grew depressed, because Aramis was not there and would never be there again.
For a good while after Aramis passed on, Dartanion was depressed. He barely ate, or moved around much at all. When he was out in the pen outside, he just stayed by the door and lay down. When he was inside he stayed in the back of his cage, in the shadowed corner. The wolf just moped around not knowing what to do with himself anymore. There was no one to talk to, to keep him company...not anymore.
One day though, Dartanion looked up from his place in his cage when the door opened. The humans were standing there looking at him. One of them had a leash. What were they going to do? Was he going somewhere? One of them, a female, came in and kneeled down by the tri-colored wolf, reaching out to stroke his head.
"You ready to go out and live a new life as a real wolf? Huh Dar?" she smiled, looping the thick leather leash around his neck before standing. The wolf stood slowly, and followed the woman out to the front of the reserve. There was a truck waiting just outside, it's back doors open to reveal a large crate. The woman holding his leash brought him over an had him jump in. "It's a long trip, but you'll be alright." Another human came up, wearing a long white coat, this time a man.
"Alright Dar, here we go. Don't worry, you'll be sleeping most of the way there..." The young wolf looked at the thing the man was holding. He was used to having shots, so just stayed where he was as he was injected with a sedative. Within a few minutes he was sleeping, and they were on their way.
Dartanion woke up and before he knew it, he realized he was outside, in the wild, without the humans, and without any way to get back. He was still a bit drowsy, but he lifted himself up and trudged forward, at least to try and find some water. He was still sad about Aramis, though he knew that being sad forever would do him no good now. Without even trying, but for most of the day, Dartanion made it to a large, yet shallow river and took a long, quiet drink there. He opened his eyes as he was drinking, and saw shadows on the surface of the water across the stream. He paused and raised his head warily. It was a wolf pack.
Surprised, the tri-colored wolf startled a bit at their presence, ears going erect, his maroon eyes widening. Swallowing nervously, he didn't know what to do accept stare. The pack leader, a huge black wolf with bright golden eyes, moved forward towards him, looking curious. Inwardly, Dartanion was just as curious, but not knowing what to do, not wanting to mess up, stayed still. The other wolf stared back at him another moment, before smiling softly.
"No need to be afraid, sorry for startling you. Are you alone? Where is your pack?" At that, the maroon-eyed wolf's ears drooped slightly, and he sighed.
"I don't belong to any pack." glancing a moment at the other wolves behind the black alpha, he saw they looked curious as well. Not angry, not threatening. Friendly actually. It surprised him more. "I'm sorry if I'm in your territory, I'm not...from here." But the large wolf before him didn't look angry either, his smile remaining.
As Cheveyo continued to smile at the stranger wolf, he realized that he seemed to take a liking to him. He looked at his silver, blue-eyed mate, Olathe, and winked, then looking back at the stranger. He seemed like a nice wolf, and he shouldn't be wandering around by himself. Also, he didn't smell dangerous, even though the scent of humans was on him. They must've left him here…
"Well, would you like to be a part of one?" said the black wolf. Dartanion's eyes widened. Would
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