Wolf-Shifter

Dancing among the Stars 25

Namid heard the slight rumble of thunder and sighed, "Please be safe, Rak." She made up her mind and grabbed a black, silk scarf. Wrapping it around her neck and smoothing the dusk-blue gown she wore, she slipped outside to the rain.

With the rain falling in soft drops, Namid walked through the gardens, admiring the flowers around her. "So much has happened, and for this to suddenly pop out of nowhere…"

Arms suddenly snaked around her waist, and an all-to-familiar voice whispered in her ear, "Is it surprising, my dancer?"

Namid whirled around and gasped as a memorable pair of violet eyes gazed at her. "Rak!" she cried, flinging her arms around him in a tight hug. "Oh gods, it's been so long…"

Rak smiled. "Too long."

Namid laughed, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, "La'have'peraine."

We have aged.

"That doesn't change a thing." Rak replied.

"Time does," she reminded him, brushing a hand over his cheek. "And it has passed quickly."

"I hear you have a daughter." He remarked.

"And you, a son." She whispered, not knowing why her body didn't respond to his touch the way it used to.

Both then stopped, not knowing what to say, what to do to bridge the time that had passed. Then the realization hit Namid like an arrow to the heart: They were no longer foolish, smitten children but full-fledged adults with duties and families. They came from different paths now and could not forsake any of it to rekindle the love they once felt.

Namid took a deep breath, "I—I've missed you."

Rakab touched her cheek and felt a bitter sting of remorse. "I'm sorry." He finally said after a long pause.

Namid turned away; feeling tears in her eyes, and began to sing softly. "The moon sings to us, of echoed dreams and lost times." "I listen and I see things we have known, things we will lose."

Rakab touched her arm lightly, "To be able to love you tonight, would be my only wish, to see you every day is all I desire…"

Namid turned to him, the rain running down her cheeks. "Is this is true love under the moonlight?"

Rakab gazed at her, the gown clinging to her curvaceous form and a smile twitched at his mouth, "I will love you always, even if it isn't true love anymore." He leaned in to kiss her but she placed a hand on his chest, slightly pushing him away.

"Too much time has passed, Rak." She murmured softly, regretting every word.

Suddenly a memory flashed in her mind…

Namid nodded, "If I do bear him a child someday, or become queen of Wyvern's Court after Oliza…I want you to know this…"

Rakab leaned in to hear, as Namid's voice had gotten quiet. "I love you. Always have always will, I speak the truth…and if that won't convince you." She took the collar of his shirt, bringing him closer, and kissed him slowly and fiercely, "I hope this will…"

Rak looked speechless but, slowly, nodded in understanding. "I see." "So we're back to this?"

A flashback tormented him as he gazed at Namid, searching her eyes:

"Partly," he admitted, "T'was mine."

Namid clenched her fists, "You killed innocents for me."

"Listen Namid..." Rak brushed her arm and Namid growled, eyes flashing.

"Don't you 'Listen Namid' me, stranger. You're not the Rakab I once knew..." Namid could feel tears at her eyes as her friend's gaze penetrated her.

"Look, I'm a thief now, you are a noble, a princess even! Do you think I'd kill you if I were your best friend?" Rak challenged.

"No." Namid whispered, seeing the battle of emotions in his eyes, "You wouldn't."

"Please my LeonNamid, accept my fidelity... the fidelity of a thief."

"I'm not sure I can." Namid replied, turning away from his haunting gaze, "After all--"

"After all what?" "I was going to come back, I was dreaming of this day, Namid..." "Dreaming of coming back to a free world."

"A free world...a free clan?" Namid sighed softly, "Rak...everyone has their own battles to fight...I have my duty and you have yours."

"I suppose." Namid answered.

"What does this mean for us, then?" Rak replied, asking the same question he had asked years ago.

This time Namid didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know."

"Do we just drift apart again?" Rakab's voice was quiet and his violet eyes were sad. "Never to see each other?"

"Only fate may answer." Namid replied, "Tell me what your heart tells you."

"My heart is telling me to move on, to go back home to the Lupine."

"Then go," Namid's eyes were streaming tears, "Go!" She pushed him backward, "You have a choice and you have freedom, just go!"

"But it's also telling me," Rakab took her hand, "To not let go."

Namid sniffed and turned away, "I—I'm acting childish, just ignore me and…"—she cleared her throat— "and be on your way."

"How can I ignore you, Namid?" Rak replied, "You've stunned me all these years, and I am amazed at how much courage you have. I've loved you all this time." "Now you're telling me to back off? To leave?"

"Yes." Namid then nodded but gasped as Rak pulled her closer to him and kissed her slowly and passionately. He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes as the rain poured, pleasantly chilling his skin, "I wasn't going to leave without a taste of you on my lips. " he smiled wryly and, slowly, his arms dropped from Namid's waist, to his sides.

He turned, casting a fleeting glance back at her, before walking down the path and disappearing into the light mist. He wasn't, however, planning to give up this easily, he was a thief after all.

Namid's mind screamed for her to run after him, yet her feet stayed rooted to the spot, tears and rain spilling down her cheeks. Her hand reached out but closed on air and she felt her bottled up emotion finally break.

The young princess felt so cold to the bone without his warmth and she welcomed the numbness that embraced her body, watching as her best friend and one-time lover left her. She collapsed to her knees in sobs, the rain falling down in torrents, slapping her face and the wind whipping at her scarf. The young she-wolf watched as the wind finally caught the scarf and sent it blowing away to the direction that Rak had walked.

Raising her head to the sky, she closed her eyes and fell into a nearby puddle, not caring if she was wet, and cold. The only thing she felt was a numbness that throbbed in her stomach and chest and a rage of thoughts that she submersed herself in, forgetting everything else around her.

She then heard a long howl in the distance and felt her throat close up with emotion, willing herself not to answer to Rakab's calling. She forced back a wave of sadness and closed her eyes as a sob escaped her throat.

After a moment, Namid opened her eyes, "No longer will I dance along memories." She whispered, bitterly, raising her head to the skies again. "You told me to heal his heart!" she screamed to her goddess, "Told me to love him!" Another sob escaped her and she forced it back. "Why must I forsake everything I've fallen? "For this rage!" she shook her head and hit the ground with her clenched fist. "Please…help me choose the right path, Great Mother. I've been a horrible mother to Rose and I want to change my ways…"

She felt dead, her loyalties torn.

But it had been done.

It was over.