The dainty brown female wolf ambled her way quietly through the fog-riddled forest of cherry blossoms. The trees appeared to be in full bloom despite it being rather late in the season, this year would no doubt prove vital to the wildlife that inhabited the lands.
The slender female walked cautiously through the tall grass that drug against the fur tuffs along her legs, leaving small specks of evening dew that dampened her short and sleek pelt. Her ears revolving vigilantly around her skull and eyes alert, she silently observed her surroundings. Finally making her way out of the dense sections of the woods, she stepped out from the now scattered trees and walked to the nearby lake that stood as still as rock. As she neared the water she turned and placed her seemingly ordinary metal lantern down a decent ways away from the water itself. Then she proceeded forward after glancing back once at the dimly lit flame from within her lantern as it gave of a fell glow. Bending down ever so slowly, she lapped at the still glass-like water that now rippled at the rhythmic motions of her tongue as she quenched her parched throat from her long since travels. She closed her vividly piercing rust colored eyes that seemed to shone against her coat. She sighed once as she picked up her head just inches from the water to catch her breath. Her ear flickered back sharply as she caught echo of a sound looming from behind her. Raising her head a bit higher to listen cautiously, water dripped from her chin and hit the water with a spattering drop that sounded deafeningly loud. Suddenly, the area fell silent. No wind. No rattling trees. Nothing.

“My lantern!” she gasped with alarm as she realized it was gone. She raced over to where she had left it and noticed the flattened grass where it once sat without motion.

Instantly her thoughts began to reel and panic started to set in once she realized what had happened and at what cost it could mean if she didn’t get it back. She looked from left to right swiftly and saw no apparent evidence of there every having been anyone remotely nearby. Her breathing picked up as her heart began to race. Someone had taken her precious life lantern! The weak flame was like that of her own heartbeat, should it ever burn out she will cease to be. It is in union with her soul that if it burns out, she will immediately succumb to death.
Eyes panicked and ears swiveling like revolving doors, she started dashing through the forest, delving deeper and deeper with each passing second that ticked by unwittingly fast. Suddenly, in her rash form of panic, she stumbled in an unseen hole covered by underbrush and came plundering to the ground. She hit with force and skid with a light thud.

“Aaaah ooommfff!” she exclaimed as she fell.

She wasted no time at all in arising to her hind paws and racing forward. Chest heaving heavily from exertion, she panted and tried to catch her breath with each stride, but it proved futile in attempt to recover her winded breath. Finally she came to a sudden stop, she could run no more. As she looked around the area she then realized she had ran far too deep off course and was in completely unfamiliar territory. Everything down to the scent and ways the soil felt beneath her paw pads felt foreign to her. She stood idly for a brief moment before feeling a dark and eerie presence wash over from behind her. It was very sinister and malicious and caused the ambiance to grow hazy and darkened.

“I’m scared…” she thought to herself as a light chill made her hackles stand on end and her body tremble a bit.

Unexpectedly a tall, evenly built male swiftly pivoted around her dainty stature and stood in front of her with his back to her. Her russet eyes scanning the male warily, then a look of recognition painted along her face and softened her worried expression.

“Remedy,” she all but whispered in a low nearly inaudible tone as she took a breath of relief.

“Just stay behind me, okay? Pain?” he said in a gravelly voice that sounded well guarded and very sure of his own declaration.

Pain nod her head as the two looked on with preparedness as to what lied ahead of them. A hint of worry drew on Pain’s face as a crease marred her forehead. She stood closely behind the firmly planted male, he could feel her warm breath against his shoulder which involuntarily made him shudder once with contentment despite the matter at hand. He reached his large and slender hand paw back to her and grasped hers protectively. She clutched to his hand paw and studied his shoulder and back for a moment as he stood there silently and seemingly lost in his own world of protecting her. She studied his beautiful fur, his lean yet muscular arms made parts of his pelt stand on end. She then looked to his back and perfect trim form, she wanted to trace along his spine briefly but decided now was not the time. She was brought back to reality when she heard the rippling of a deep and low growl that sounded exceedingly threatening. Promptly her head shot up towards Remedy, but she was surprised to see it was him making the deep and frightening snarls of warning to whoever or whatever was out there. His posture was slightly leaned forward and he appeared detached from his own reality for a split second, which was instantly broke when she said his name softly. He cocked his piercingly ice blue eyes back at her and met her eyes which returned his features to stoic.

*snap* a twig cracked ahead of them and their heads shot upward to the new sound. Their eyes wide at the sight befalling them.

-To be continued

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|Tools of the Trade|
-Pen and paper
-Scanner
-Wacom Bamboo Splash Tablet
-Photoshop Elements 6
-No refs used
-Waaayyyyy too many hours
-Tears...yes I cried when I lost the full body image....

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Pain, Image, story and artwork © Black-Heart-Always (dA)
Visit my page on deviantart: http://black-heart-always.deviantart.com/

Please do not use without my written consent.
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