Silverlight Shadows
Alphas
Zubeia, October 19, 2020, at 6:35 AM
Lore
May 10, 2021 - Zubeia opened her eyes, squinting through the harsh sunlight that beat down upon her leafy den. She stretched, then padded out, brushing aside a few dry branches. Her ears flattened at the sight of her pack, though it was no surprise. Pups and adolescents, usually wide-eyed and playful, were slouched in the shadows of their den in an effort to keep cool. There was no movement- every wolf sat still, hoping to conserve what energy they had left. The hunters were returning, bearing no prey, their paw steps stirring up dust from the dry, cracked ground. Zubeia's pack was suffering. The endless heat and lack of rain had brought tragedy upon tragedy. Leaves had fallen and dried up as if autumn had come early. Harsh rays of sunlight beat through the leafless branches, drying up what rivulets were left. More pups had died of heatstroke than anything else. Zubeia sighed. With the streams and rivers run dry, the wolves relied on licking up the morning dew; but with the sun coming up earlier and earlier each day as summer went on, soon there wouldn't be any dew left. The sun would burn it up before the wolves could have a chance. Zubeia narrowed her eyes, making up her mind. She would take her pack and leave the deciduous forest in search of water. Though it pained her to leave her home behind, her wolves would continue to suffer if they stayed. Zubeia bounded out of the shade and into the harsh sunlight. Despite the heat, she raised her tail and lifted her chin, then let out a resonant howl that echoed through the leafless trees. Slowly, wolves padded out from the shadows of their dens to stand in front of their Alpha. They took what materials they could and left the deciduous trees behind. With the scouters' knowledge and the protection of the hunters, Zubeia led her pack to a lush, green land filled with the sound of trickling water and the sweet scent of water lilies. Small islets of land parted the rivers into a dozen tumbling streams, shimmering like a million stars as they cascaded down into pools. A dense canopy overlooked the creeks, and bushels of cattails lined the banks. Sweet birdsong echoed through the trees, followed by the occasional quack as a duck surfaced from the water. Now a new sound parted the air; joyful howls as the wolves rejoiced in their new home, where water was plentiful, and prey was many. No longer would they bake under the relentless sun, in the riparian woodlands.
One night, a lone female wolf wandered through a thick deciduous forest. Stranded without a pack, she had been searching alone for a place she could settle for many moons.
Now, she halted and raised her head to scan the trees surrounding her, ears pricked, her sharp blue eyes glinting in the moonlight. Shadows beckoned from every corner, moonlight filtering through the dense cover of leaves above and dancing across the forest floor. Birdsong echoed eerily from the trees around her, and the occasional breeze whistled through the leafy branches and ruffled her howlite fur. Somehow, it felt like home.
Suddenly, she froze. Some bushes were rustling ahead of her, but there was no breeze. Something was moving- something alive. She instantly crouched, ready to attack or flee, a growl rumbling in the back of her throat.
"No need to be afraid," a voice rumbled from the shadows. A moment later, a bluish-grey wolf emerged from the leaves. Her stance was passive, and the lone wolf instinctively relaxed. The wolf would not harm her.
The wolf dipped her head. "What are you called?"
The lone wolf paused. She had not had a name for many moons. To her, being nameless had felt appropriate as a wandering, packless loner. But, she had always known something was missing. She had thought finding a home would fill in the emptiness inside her, but as she stood there, she realized she needed something more.
She raised her head, locking gazes with the other wolf. "I am Zubeia."
Warmth bubbled up inside of her as she said aloud the name she had been withholding from herself for many winters, the sensation spreading across her back, her limbs, her tail, and her entire body until she thrummed with energy.
It was the energy released in a wagging tail and joyful bark after a successful hunt, and the exhilarating thrill of the chase; it was the soft, cold kiss of the first snows, and the shimmering of water droplets scattered across the springtime leaves like defiant stars against the newborn sky; it was the primordial instincts that drove her soul and the souls of her ancestors to howl when the sun does not turn a glaring eye, her nose brushing the stars as she closed her eyes to gaze, with her inner eye, upon the dark side of the moon.
Her name seemed right. Her name felt right. It defined her in a way being nameless never had.
The wolf dipped her head, and Zubeia knew she had made the right decision.
"I am Tala. I'm here to show you the way."
Silverlight Shadows
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