A loner's call.

The Test

                        Ferrum

Yet again we were running.

Full speed.

Over ragged rocks, through thick and thin snow, across the shallow end on the stream we resided by.

My wolf went as far as to mask her scent with mudd. Rolling in it, kicking mudd into the air around her. It was caked to her by the time she was finished.

She carried on past small and large hills, away from the forest we called home and toward a crashing waterfall on the cliffs that met a mountain.

She hardly made it there when a howl filled the air. It screamed confidence and power. And told us he was coming.

Scrurry up the rocks and into a small indent of stones behind the cascading liquid my wolf hid. Making sure to remain quiet just incase he indeed found her... She was praying he did.

Mintues past as we continued to wait in silence. Occasionally we heard frustrated howl in the distance but they seemed to grow closer.

I enjoyed the agony he was feeling in not being able to finish us. I was happy that my wolf mad it so hard on him.

I admit... spending time with him wasn't what I wanted. But with the more time that pasted I was beginning to like it.

For the longest time there was always a spot in my chest that felt empty, it was alonging for something... someone now that I think of it. This invisible force was constantly pulling me in one direction. That was why I never settled down. Until now. Since the show of the black wolf my heart felt whole, the longing disappeared and I felt alive.

'That was what we both were missing.' My wolf whispered.

I had always known she wanted her other half. I did too at one point. But more time passed and I began to see that I would never find him in the end. Killing the hope that grew within me I gave up. Then again... some part of me never did.

I'm glad it didn't in someway.

I didn't know who this other person was... how they lived and what their pack was like. He'd want me to join. I knew that for a fact. I couldn't though. Being rogue for so long has made me never want to be in one. I yearned for companionship, yes, but it was never a constant thing. Yearning to have a mate was something different entirely... you wanted to be love, have someone to have eyes for you and you only. To have that touch with them that never seemed to grow old, sparks that never died down. A need for them that could never be satisfied...

I wanted that. Badly now.

I wished it didn't happen so fast. Just after a day of seeing him my hardened thought of not wanting someone shattered into a million pieces, they crumbled within me and then faded away.

My wolf chimed in.'Then give it a chance. Let him be what we both want... what we both need. He is the only one who can fill that spot.'

'I know.' I mumbled to her in thought. '...One chance. One chance to see if he can make me... us happy. Truly happy. If not we move on.' We agreed to that just before we were interrupted by him.

He'd found us. I didn't know how long it had taken him but I was delighted he had. It worried me that I thought that. The What If's began to pile on thick.

What if this was just a moment of weakness for him. The mate bond changing who he really was just for the time being.

What if  he already had someone in his pack... someone who filled his time and thought she was his choosen one. Someone he had grown to be happy with, cared for... loved. That last part had a lump forming in my throat.

What if  it was only the wolf part of me he liked. The human side quickly being discarded and he rejects me.

What if, what if, what if.

In my own thoughts I didn't notice that he had came closer. Inspecting my wolf's matted fur that was once a bright sandy color. He had a wolfish grin about him, he seemed happy. Happy that she made it so difficult on him to find us, happy that he had found us.

By the looks of him he could have gone through hell. This midnight shape that stood before me had twigs and dirt batted throughout it. Mudd and snow clung to the long fleece and was just as matted as ours.

I chuckled. My wolf did her own squeak of a laugh at the sight.

The black figure in front of us tilted his skull in favor of his right side, his silhouette was outlined by the shine of the moon. It was dark. It took my wolf a while to get here but it seemed to take him a lot longer to find us.

With him taking a few steps toward us my beast stood from her laying position on the cold floor of the small cave. She shook her pelt, some small pieces of dried mudd flying off her in every direction. She walked to him and they nuzzled each other. Purring and growling their rapture.

A warm tongue darted out to lick my wolf's muzzle, she allowed it for a minute or so before she followed suit. Her wet tongue gliding over his dirty muzzle, licking off the small spots visible to her in the darkness of the cavern. They sat there cleaning each other's faces... not bothering to touch the matted fur of their bodies. My wolf let it be known a quick swim would be needed. I accepted that with open arms. Tongues wouldn't work too well to get through that thick mess.

I was happy.

My wolf was very happy.

And they seemed happy too.