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So, he lived at a reserve huh? That must've been where injured wild animals were kept, Kiona figured, since she didn't exactly know what one was. "So uh...what was it like there?" she asked. "Were there other wolves there too?" Kiona kinda probed, wanting to know alot more than what she was asking, but didn't want to do be annoying at the same time. Deep down she was eager to know about life inside a reserve, not that she planned on going to one, but she had never really known of such a thing, since sled racing was what she grew up knowing.

How to explain this one..."Well, a reserve is where humans rescue either injured or abandoned young animals to raise them before releasing them again when they're old enough. I don't remember anything before being there, I was too young. I don't think I'll ever find out what happened to them, wether they were killed or abandoned me." But remembering her other question he went on. "There were other wolves, yes, some older, some younger than me. There are some animals that can never be released back into the wild that are there. The humans try to make living as comfortable as possible. Rather sad, but most of them like it or just accept it. Atleast they're still alive."

Kiona nodded. She was pleased to hear that there were humans who cared about animals, even if those humans were only in small numbers. But he still wasn't telling her much... She wondered why? Was he hiding something? What could there possibly be to hide? Nothing, Kiona figured, so why was he keeping conversation so short? This was how she was repaid for trying to befriend someone? Psh! She kept asking, now finding it a challenge. "So tell me about what you DO remember living there. Did you have any friends?" Kiona had never been so determined to get someone to lighten up. She almost surprised herself.

Dartanion now realised that he wasn't being very talkative, and smiled a bit sheepishly. "Ah, I'm sorry, I'm not being very helpful am I? I just got swept off by the memories." Thinking back to her questions he thought a moment before answering. "I did have friends, yes." at that his voice trailed off, and the wolf's eyes had lowered to stare at the ground just ahead of him. "Remember...? I remember it all really..."
~:~Flashback~:~
"Okay puppies, time for dinner! Come on!" Little yips and growls soon filled the room as said puppies clumsily made their way over to the french accented voice. They had come to associate the voice and legs with food. Soon enough a big plate of soft food, a mix of milk and a sort of meaty paste, was put down for them. They had just recently moved from just milk to a mixture. They were being weened now, unknown to them. But not all of the pups got this new meal. Another pup off to the side, smaller and weaker looking yipped and whinned, having a harder time getting to the food. "It's alright little one, I have something special for you..." with that the pup was picked up and his head held gently in a slightly aged hand. Soon enough, he was suckling on a bottle of warm milk.

Kiona added things up in her head and interrupted. "So...you were the runt?" she asked. She couldn't really relate. She was the second-last born. Her younger brother Gus was the runt, and she often picked on him. She didn't mention that in front of Dartanion tho, just in case it might offend him.

Dartanion nodded. "I was. I was still to young to know it though, what it meant."
~:~Flashback~:~
The pup that was being held, who had been found out to the the runt, suckled happily until the human drew the bottle back and rubbed his back until a quiet burp sounded. "You are too cute. I wonder what we'll name you, little one." the said pup didn't understand a word that was being spoken to him, but glanced up at the human with big maroon eyes."You know, one of my favorite old stories was the one about the Three Musketeers. They had it rough too, just like you. Only they had to go against much different matters." Something sparkled in the older woman's eye. "Thats it...I think I'll name you after one of them. I'd always like D’Artagnan, the main character and leader. But we will simplify that for our friends to Dartanion." she smiled, stroking the pup's head, who was growing tired in her lap. "Who knows, maybe you'll grow up to be big and strong too."

So that's how he received his name. Kiona thought to herself. She heard of the story the Three Musketeers before. She thinks she remembers Thomas reading it once upon a time. It was a clever name. That woman must've been pretty bright. She smiled a little bit. "So what happened after that? Did you ever get to fit in?"

"In a way, yes. Being the runt made everything more difficult though. Once I was well enough for the same food as the others, I was always pushed aside, as they were bigger and stronger than me. I was eventually separated from them because I was becoming ill and weak from lack of food. Since at the time I was the only runt there, there wasn't any others that were my age where they put me. It was further back in the reserve, where they kept recovering or new arrivals that weren't very friendly. It was rather lonely. I recovered with the humans' care, but they kept me back there because they were afraid that if they re-introduced me to the other pups, they wouldn't accept me, or bully me again." The large wolf sighed, remembering how lonely it had been back there with no friends. "Then it all changed one day..."
~:~Flashback~:~
They were bringing in a new animal today, the enclosement across from him was being prepared. Dartanion wondered what animal, if it was a wolf, and/or if it was friendly. He didn't have any friends, so maybe this newcomer could be. When they finally brought in the animal, which was being carried in on a couple sheets, the pup couldn't tell what it was until the humans gently set it down in the enclosement and moved away. Still, the bars around their cages limited their viewing of each other (to reduce noise and anxiety). After a few long moments, Dartanion inched closer to the front of the enclosement. "Um...hello?" His young voice tentatively asked. There was some rustling at that from the newcomers cage.

The new wolf heard the voice of another wolf, a little younger than himself, speak. This had better not have been a permanent arrangement. He couldn't stand other wolves or any other animals for that matter. This one was just another wolf to dominate over. Nothing more. And he would let it be known. "So, it looks like you're stuck with me, huh? What, did you fight with them too often? Well, let me tell you, I'm the superior one here. I can beat you just fine without my left arm." he growled. Monologuing was the main source of the wolf's entertainment whenever there was someone in the same room as him. If only those bars weren't there, he'd show this mutt who's boss. He wouldn't ever kill, where's the fun in killing? "What's your name, so that I know how to address you when you're beneath my fangs?"

"Fight?" At such angry words, Dartanion's slightly wagging tail stopped, and his ears went back some in fear. So much for hoping this newcomer was friendly. But atleast it was a wolf..."No, I didn't fight at all...! I-I'm Dartanion..." maybe hoping the anger would pass, he continued good naturedly. "What's yours?" He was still, though more timidly, trying to get a look at the other to see what he looked like.

Well, this was unexpected. Usually whoever the wolf threatened would just not answer him at all or just tell them their name and never speak again. Was something wrong with this wolf? Or was it just not that bothered by his words? "I'm Aramis." he started saying in a tolerable tone of voice. Aramis then shook his head. "And don't you forget it!" Aramis pouted, facing the other side of his cage, not that it mattered; he couldn't see the other wolf anyway. "So what kind of sickness do you have? I won't pick on ill ones." He spat.

Ill? Yes, he had been ill for a while hadn't he...? "I'm not 'ill' anymore, but because I'm so small, I couldn't get any food. They say I'm a runt." What did it mean, being a runt? All he knew of it was that he was smaller and not as strong as the other pups at the reserve. "They took me away from them and brought me here...I get my own food now, but I'm lonely..." His ears drooped. This wolf would not want to be his friend, judging by his behavior and tone of voice. Sighing, Dartanion just laid down, with his head on his paws.

A runt, huh? Aramis never met a runt before. At least, not a live one. When he was born in the wild, his mother said that his younger sister died, and all of the other ones he knew about died too. But Dartanion said he wasn't ill. So why was he here? "Am I... the only sick one here?" Aramis thought out loud. Everyone else here seemed to be so healthy. He even heard all of them were going home soon... Wasn't he going home too? He didn't want to be here anymore. He had no reason to be here as far as Aramis was concerned. Just then Dartanion asked Aramis how he was sick, but his only reply was, "Nothing! Just leave me alone! You're probably gonna go away too! So there's no point in asking questions!" Aramis growled to himself, resting his own head on his arm.

Dartanion shrank back a bit again at the words from the other, said in such a tone. "I'm sorry, I was just asking..." No need to be so mean. Figuring this wolf really just wanted nothing to do with him, much to the pup's sadness once more, he shrank back to the shadows of his enclosement and curled up. Would he ever make friends? If he remained back here, probably not. Why did this have to happen to him? He hadn't asked to be a runt..! Tears welled up in the young wolf's eyes. Shutting them, they rolled down his cheeks to moisten the floor below him.

The next day, Aramis was actually feeling guilty about being mean to Dartanion, who he hadn't even seen before. Why the sudden change of heart? No body treated him nicely before, so why should he be nice to anyone? But Dartanion didn't say anything... he figured it'd be best to apologize. "Um...Dartanion? Um...I'm...er...sorry...about yesterday." There wasn't an answer, so Aramis figured he wasn't even in the cage next to him anymore. He sighed and laid down. Great. The one chance he decides to be nice to someone and they're gone.