Chapter I
Paragon was now on his own. He had been abandoned by his pack and was alone for the first time in his life. He knew the area well so he did not fear his surroundings. But to be alone with no comfort, no warmth on cold nights, and worst of all, no chance for a mate. It saddened him, but he would go on in search of what he had lost.
The mid-simmer night was warn and the moon was full. It would be easy for him to hunt. Paragon was not the strongest or fastest of the pack, but all the others knew he was the keenest. He always seemed to know where the prey would be, or where man had set its traps. This would his strongest asset, and he smiled in-spite of his short comings.
As he walked the deer path searching for the fawn he had scented earlier, a new smell filled his nostrils. It seemed human, but not the man scent. The scent was softer, sweeter. Something he had never encountered before. Slowly he crept through the bushes and saw a figure that resembled a man, but something was different. In Paragon's language there was no word for what he say. This figure was smooth and lithe. I resembled a man but there where differences. A lack of hair on the face and chest. The chest it's self full and round. There where no defining muscles just smooth flesh. He wasn't sure what to think at the moment, but he could not stop looking at this marvelous creature.
As Paragon watched the manlike creature, it slowly walked into the nearby stream. Without hesitation it slipped under the surface and disappeared. Moments later it reappeared and stepped out of the water. Paragon marveled at the way the water droplets glistened on the creatures flesh in the moonlight. As the creature turned it seemed to notice him and it took a step back. Paragon was not sure what to do. His instincts said run, but something deeper inside demanded that he step into the clearing.
Paragon took a chance and slowly stepped into the clearing. He could see the fear in the creature's eyes but it did not run. It stood there looking at him almost the exact same way he had been looking at it. Behind the fear it seemed to marvel at him as well. It looked directly into his eyes.
The creature took a step towards him, and for the first time in his life Paragon felt a tinge of apprehension. This time he thought he might run, but he stood his ground. As it approached him, it began to speak a language he could not understand. It sounded like the man tongue, but softer. It was soother and gentle. Paragon took a step closer, and the creature reached out to him. He smelled the air and it was sweet to him, but there was something else, a slightly deeper musky scent mixed with the sweetness. This scent was familiar to him. It was the scent the she-wolves carried when they were in season. How was this possible? This was no she-wolf. Now Paragon was confused, he didn't know what to do. At that moment he did turn and run, leaving the creature staring.
As he ran Paragon's head began to clear, and he put the experience behind him. He began his hunt for the fawn once again, but it was to late. Dinner had found safe haven. As night fell into dawn Paragon began searching for a place to bed for the day. Daytime was no place for a wolf to be, especially one that was alone. Paragon found a fallen tree that had left a nice den at the base of the trunk. This would be a safe place for the day. It would also give him someplace to think about last night's encounter.
Chapter II
The woman could not believe what she was seeing. She had gone to the stream to bathe in the moonlight, but now all she could do was just stand there in disbelief. The wolf had been so magnificent. Those golden eyes, the moonlight reflecting off the silver tips of its black fur. She had never seen a more beautiful creature. How it had approached her fearlessly. Wow it seemed to look at her in wonder. The amusing way it cocked its head when she finally gathered the courage to speak, as if trying to understand her. The only thing she was having trouble understanding was the way lit was looking at her when she had first spotted it. It seemed to have a deep interest, not that of a hunter, but more of curiosity and wonder. Then its face seemed to change and it just ran off. Why?
She had been shunned from tribe, but was still allowed to dwell on the outskirts of the camp. Though she knew why, she still could not understand the problem. Why should she be forced take a man? Especially one that would mistreat her and use her for his own needs and desires without any thought of hers. It was unfair and she would never take such a man. Yes, she knew that when her father and made the arrangement for the binding it would bring the two tribes together, but that man was vile, how could her father do this?
At the bonding ceremony she could not even look at her father. He was not angry with her, he knew what kind of a man her new husband would be. He was a vile man. Even before the ceremony , that creature had tried to take her. During the bonding ceremony she cried and that creature just sneered. Behind the tears she had planned her escape. That night she would run into the forest and never return.
It had not gone as she had planned. After the bonding he took her to his hut and tied her to the center post. What was she going to do? He would use her any way he saw fit. She was forbidden to visit her family or friends, and soon she thought she would die. Bitter sweet as it was, fortune would soon change her life.
Three days after the binding, the men of the village where called to a war party. They were going to take the horses from a rival tribe. During the battle the woman's husband had been fatally wounded. When the men returned to camp and her husband was into the hut he demanded she tend to him. She smiled and responded, "would demand I tend your needs, when would you tend mine?" With his dying breath he scorned her, even in death a curse like that is never removed.
Though she had been scorned, her father would never allow banishment. She would have to live outside the tribe, but not without its protection. She loved him for that. Though she could not enter the village, her friends and family could still come to her, and she would still have protection. She was a free woman. Through binding she may be allowed back into the village, but this time it would be of her own choosing.
Chapter III
Paragon slept remembering the scent of the creature he had seen the night before. It was intoxicating and exciting. As night fell he awoke in a manner that he was not accustomed to. He was engorged with desire and did not know why. As he stood and stretched he thought about last night and wondered if he might see the creature again. What foolish thought was this? But, what if?
The woman began to walk the path that she took every night down to the stream for her bath. It had been nearly twenty suns since her "husband" had died, and she still felt dirty from him. The night air and the cool water did seem to help, but the filth of that man. As she walked the path she began to wonder about the wolf she had seen. Would it return? If it did, would it run again? She hoped that if it did return, it would stay, maybe even give her a chance to touch it. What foolish thought was this? But, what if?
Paragon had begun his hunt, and after two squirrels and a rabbit he was feeling quite content. He loped around the deer trails enjoying the warm summer night when that scent filled his nostrils again. Could it be? Or was he just remembering the night before? Regardless, he couldn't resist, he had to look and see if the creature had returned. As he returned to the clearing the scent was so strong he knew it was not his imagination. It was the creature again. This time he did not even try to hide himself. He stepped out into the clearing just as the creature was emerging from the water.
As the woman stepped out of the stream and looked up, she saw it. It was the wolf. She could barely believe what she was seeing. The golden eyes, the black fur with the silver tips. Without hesitation she began to walk toward it, unafraid, almost happily. What was she doing? She didn't know, but it felt natural. She walked straight to the wolf and held her palm to its nose. It sniffed cautiously then licked her palm. As she drew her hand back she could see dark droplets on her fingertips. She knew what it was immediately, blood. This did not frighten her. She knew that wolves would hunt at night, and this one had recently fed.
As the creature approached him Paragon knew immediately that it did not fear him. The way it walked to him, it seemed almost happy. It showed him its paw and he had sniffed it and tasted the warm flesh. This was strange for such a frail looking creature. The creature had seen the blood on its paw from his earlier kill. Other creatures would either run from the sight or smell of blood, or be ready to fight for food. This one seemed almost disinterested.
The creature spoke to him in that strange tongue that he didn't understand, but it was soothing to hear. But how could he understand her? He then remembered a story he had heard from an ancient pack member. The story told that a wolf could speak with other creatures without using a voice, but thought. Was this possible? He had to try. But the story had said it was a very special talent, and is rarely possessed by wolves, and even more rare in other creatures.
Paragon had to try. But what to say if it were possible? He focused, and the only thing he could think to say was "What are you?" The creature stumbled back and fell. The look of shock on its face almost sent him running. What happened? Had it heard him?
The creature got back on its feet and turned as if looking for something. Paragon knew that he was the only one there. The creature looked at him and spoke in that tongue in what seemed to be surprise and misunderstanding. All he could do was cock his head at the language he did not understand. He tried again. "What are you?" This time the creature was looking right at him, its eyes widening in disbelief. It did understand him.
Once she had seen the blood on her fingertips the woman felt at ease. Knowing that it had just fed, she spoke to the wolf saying " I know you have recently fed, and I know I need not fear you." All the wolf did was cock it's head as if trying to understand. Then in a loud thundering voice that seemed to come from everywhere she heard the words "what are you?" It scared her so badly she had fallen backwards. As she got back to her feet she looked all around, but all she saw was the wolf. Then she heard the words again. This time she was looking right at the wolf, and knew they had come from it. But how? Was this some kind of magic?
She looked at the wolf and asked if it had spoke to her. The wolf just cocked its head. No, this was not possible. Was it? She then recalled a story her grandmother had told her. That is some there is the ability to speak to others with thought. Grandmother said nothing of animals.
The woman cleared her mind. If it was possible to speak without voice she would try. But with a wolf? She answered the wolf's question. "I am Silth." As she spoke with her mind the wolf seemed in pain. Its ears folded back and its neck twisted in a violent manner. It seemed her mind's voice was as loud to it as the wolf's had been to her. She calmed herself and tried again. "I am Silth." This time the wolf did not seem in pain, but looked straight into her eyes, and she knew he understood.
When the creature spoke to him in his mind the voice was so loud he thought he might pass out. Then it spoke again and it was the soothing sounds like the ones it made when it used its language.
