The male walked and walked and walked, his pads were sore from the rocky paths and he ached for a place to rest where he wouldn't have to worry about where his next meal would come from. The heavy winter had just turned into a heated spring and he was pretty much just a sack of skin and bones from starvation. He had managed to find a couple different sp[to to stop and drink, but he could never stay for long as either enemy wolves or a lack of food would force him to keep moving. He ducted behind a large bush at the sight of a young cream colored female padding in his direction. "Who are you!? Show yourself!" She demanded, crouching just enough to get the point across that she was not a force to be reckoned with. "Look, I mean no harm. I'm simply a loner who longs for a pack to call my own. The name's whatever you want, it doesn't matter. You probably won't ever see me again anyway." "Well hello! I'm SacredMoon of SacredPack, we are rather small and could definitely use a new member if you'd be interested in joining our mess of a pack. I'm sure you'd make a great scout since you have the experience." "I'd love that!"
Many long seasons later:
"Hello young one, don't you look excited to learn!" A mostly grey colored adolescent with a noticeable sparkle tinting her gorgeous eyes had to hold herself from running ahead of her mentor, PineStep the scout. "Yes! I've wanted to become a scout since I opened my eyes! I'm so happy to have the opportunity to learn with you!" The aging male smiled and kept walking. He quickened his pace just enough to let the young female let out some of her excitement. She laughed at every bird and chased every squirrel up the nearest tree as she trotted along the path that had been weathered into the ground from seasons of taking the same path. They were heading to an area quite close to where their pack was, the grasslands. It was a perfect spot for an apprentices first trip. "You know, young one, I won't be doing this job forever. I set the paths that run from our pack to surrounding territories, but you fill follow into my footsteps to the edge of those paths to begin pathing your own. You will discover new territories that I wouldn't have ever known about. I may never know about them. Perhaps you will lead the pack to a new home. But know that even if my old pads are too weak to carry me by yourside the whole way there, if my aching body is finally laid to rest in the ground I've trekked my whole life before you take those first steps, I will always be watching you with pride. You are the wolf that I, with faith in you and your abilities, will have trained."
Many more seasons later:
Fern stood tall with pride next to her mentor, the now adult wolf had proven herself responsible and willing to learn. "Fern, you will now be known to the pack as FernPath and from this day one you will scout the sourounding territories well. May your pads carry you home after every long journey." The leader announced. "FernPath, I like the ring of it!" PineStep have his apprentice a gentle nudge and smiled to himself. "Thank you for teaching me everything you know!" FernParh replied before rushing over to SacredMoon. PineStep watched as she thanked and dipped her head to the leader.
Even more seasons later:
The aged wolf laid on his side breathing in and out steadily. He was so exhausted he couldn't stand, not like he wanted to anyway though. Everything about his old body was sore and weak. FernPath came to greet him. "Hello, dear mentor, how are you feeling this day?" She said as she walked over to him. "Oh the same as yesterday, however I would like to get some time alone. Take care, Fern." FernPath dipped her head to the wolf who had taught her everything about her job. "You as well." She said, stepping out of the den. PineStep closed his eyes.
