My pack: each with a coat of different shades, each member with a different strength; we were our own alphas until it faded that surreal day. Daylight is beautiful, so precious and incomparable, demons lurking, gaping even; at the turn of events come nightfall.

“What a fool tis I, curse it if I could take back every nestle and mean of affection and do differently I would."

Hunting alone is never natural, once part of a hunt with strengths to cover his faults, looking out for the pack's greater good—simply dancing with the colors of the wind. Him against the world, both Silver and Black etched into his coat, eyes the color of the purest sparkle of light, soul turned cold from gradual isolation.

“No big deal, nothing but a commonality now—a feeling I have come to welcome, 'she' keeps me company. Go forth, never backward keep your wits alive."

What has become of the influential and loyal young canid who was ever full of life, emotion, and love; is nothing more than broken and shattered, pieces that heal but fall apart again with more visible cracks? Crossing her, a sheila with power beyond my own, with fire amidst her soul accompanied by pain in her heart.

“Ah, I solely reminisce of that bitter sweetness, that particular sun-down, our pack yipping and yowling as we assembled; finally ending as I barked my ailments in a dignifiedly and still found myself walking away bitten."

The days turned into weeks and months grew longer and as the wolf fled for his life; tail between his legs. Evenings listened to his howls and the sharper sounds of lonesomeness as days were spent hunting or scavenging for anyone willing to share a meal with banishment.

"Dearest Diana, hear my pleas; you once accompanied us in the hunt, fair game fleeing as sudden flashes of silvery gray and black; with you leading our splurge. Wherefore art thou dearest Diana?"

One morning, at the brink of dawn, there he was, my old pack brother, a link fortified since our time as cubs, this he thought glaring at his old friend.

“What are you doing here? Why now? I yipped."

“Time has changed," brown fur said. "Brothers since cubs don't venture alone for long, come back, we need to talk."

"What would that resolve? What purpose would that have other than perusing my faults and making me look as though the villain and you the victim?" I uttered.

"You see, that's what you do wrong, that's what we all notice and try to let you in on. You are nothing but defensive."

"You would think so, instead of coming to an understanding; knowing me as being full of joy and inner thought. That raises my scruff when needed; why all of a sudden things changed? What happened to those days of play fighting and protecting one another?"

“Everything is fine now, let's gather at Wolf's Den and convene with the oth—“

“No! That is a fault I see; a fault jumbled with acts of pride that form a hubris that will be your downfall if ye seek no retribution from. Pride afflicts us all dearest brother, yet the proudest always deny the need of repentance."

“It seems you haven't changed a bit old friend not even a sliver to offer the pack for redemption. Pride. You speak of pride as if solely a thought from your bullish head of yours; as if the pride you suffer from is not more inexplicable than of others."

“Wrong again. It seems you overshot your reasoning when it was purely poisoned with prideful vigor in pointing out my personal hubris of refusing to apologize for how I feel, or the simple fact that I yearn to be understood and respected as the rest of the pack. If living on my own is the sole embodiment of surviving in this savage world, then so be it; there would be crooked smiles and cloaked eyes preaching friendship under false pretenses like once before“

“I just don't get it…where do you learn to speak like this? It makes sense but—“

“But you always draw air from the rest of the pack; their involvement is another reason for me not to back down and to shine a light on many situations."

Turning his back, the battle-worn canid walked away feeling paired emotions of loss and invigorating courage. "It was great," the newfound liberated wolf howled. "Our memories will run through my thoughts until the hunt is over--I do not expect the pack to understand. No more will venom flow inside; instead, I reach the version that terrifying Mars intended and the graceful hunt with Diana.