it can also be read here.
___________________________________________________________________________
He opened his sleepy, bright eyes, stretching and yawning. A new day, a new journey.

He sneaked into the isolated alcove where the puppies of the pack slept, making sure all were accounted for, just as he did every morning. None were missing, and they all slept soundly. He padded, like a ghost, over to his own little ones - his heirs. One rolled over and whimpered softly at him in her sleep. He smiled and nuzzled her before slipping out silently, then running outside. A bright new day, a brand new adventure away from his large extended family.

But he'd be back soon. He shook the sleepiness from his legs and ran up one of the larger cherry trees surrounding the entrance to his cave, avoiding the thorns of the climbing roses adorning them. He settled down there, in the warm sun. Sure, the peaceful life was far less exciting compared to a life of thrilled fighting and endless battles - but it was also much safer. And now he had a family to care for, a family of other creatures who had come to him to escape their own strife and pain. He even had real children now, and he had to be around to take care of them for a long time.

Still, he wasn't whole. The females of his pack adored him, and the males respected him, but he was still missing something. It was something even a life of fighting and pain had given him. He wasn't truly in love with the mothers of his puppies, but they were close enough.

Still, every day he went out to search for someone he could truly love - someone who could understand him and his feelings. No luck so far, but every day, he drew in more creatures who wanted to be spirited away from fighting and pain. That, he figured, made his search worth it. He could help others while on his own quest. Still, it was a mere consolation prize.

He leaped over rivers and waded through lakes, riding the winds over mountains in his search. He swept another three puppies from the storm of war, protecting them like the parents they no longer had, but could still remember. At the end of the day, he brought them back and introduced them to the pack. They were accepted, of course, anyone was accepted into his pack.

It grew dark outside, and everyone, now well-fed, settled down around their bonfire to sleep. He leaped to the rock shelf that he slept on, high above the others, and curled up in his bed of soft, dry grass. But he didn't sleep until all the others were softly floating through their dreams. Only then did he choose to slip into soft, silent darkness.

But it wasn't silent. A song, like a lullaby, drifted through the emptiness of his mind. The emptiness started to take form - first as a sea far below him, then a cliff over the water, and just beneath his paws.

And she appeared, beside him, glowing and red, reflecting the moon and stars above them. They lay down beside each other, whispering sweet nothings to each other, muttering promises they longed to keep. They talked of everything and nothing, riddles and toys and old legends of dark places.

But mostly they talked of being together. They talked of the day they would finally meet, and be able to be close and have pups of their own. This was what motivated them, day after day, to keep searching for each other.

Someday they would be together. They swore it before daylight tore them from each other every night.

She opened her eyes to the sun rising over the glittering ocean. She shook the sea salt out of her shining red coat with splats of color and stretched. She was alone, and had no pack. She was searching for him and only him. She swam over the ocean and sprinted through forests, calling for him, wishing she knew his name. They never asked for each other names. She always noted before she fell asleep that she would have to ask him.

But she never did. His presence took all thought from her, cleansed her and made her feel warm and full. He was the one who would bring light to her life. As she strode under a waterfall, she noticed how dark it was getting. She settled in the cave behind the cascading water to sleep.

And she drifted into darkness. She always brought him to where she was in their dreams. The waterfall formed, and the cave behind it.

And there he was, his thick black coat shining even in the darkness, her dark knight. He strode to her, regal and strong, with an air of great royalty. They settled down to talk, as every night. This time, it was his tales. She clung to his every word like a lifeline or a child before bedtime, riveted to his stories of his adventures, his battles, his family, his search. She was his captive audience and knew all his old tales now, as well as relishing his new chronicles. Still, the deep ring of his voice kept her anchored from floating away in despair. She didn't ever want to have to wake up and be parted from his soothing presence.

Then it was her turn. She told him stories of the beautiful places she had been, the powerful beings she had met, and promised him that someday, someday soon, she'd take him to see these places and beings. And he promised her to finally give her wandering heart rest and a home to grow warm and close to him. They loved each other so dearly, and they were both willing to do anything for the other - as a matter of fact, they already had.

Once again, daylight began to spawn. They promised again that someday they would meet. As the perfect orange glow lit the sky, she remembered.

"Tell me your name!!"

She opened her eyes and could have sworn in the whispering waterfall in front of her, she could feel a wind come through and whisper to her.

"Levanter..."