Sands of time....(Kodi)

[$*CrazyHick*$]

I took a walk around the world to
Ease my troubled mind
I left my body laying somewhere
In the sands of time
I watched the world float to the dark
Side of the moon
I feel there is nothing I can do, yeah

I watched the world float to the
Dark side of the moon
After all I knew it had to be something
To do with you
I really don't mind what happens now and then
As long as you'll be my friend at the end

Mirage

The day had gone by and soon so did months and then years. Seasons came and seasons went turning soon into two years. The little six month pup had been raised well into a strong lethal tool of speed and endurance. Soul had raised her well even thought she still carried some of her pup traits. Soul had grown on her she stilll didnt consider him a father but more of a friend who took care of her. The little female was put in place out her by Soul for her first hunt of the summer. Today would be the day she would hunt real prey no anymore rodent but 'real' prey. She rolled her eyes like she didnt know he babied her so much it annoyied her gosh just cause he raised didnt mean she was still a pup she was a grown wolfess more than capable of handling herself. Hearing the hooves of the stag approaching Mirage settled low to the ground hiding her form.

The stag came over the hill with Soul on his heels. Mirage perked her harks and waited like he told her till the last possible moment. Then when she felt the click in her mind she bolted from her hiding spot paws and claws digging up various amounts of dirt and other debris. She was quick and the deer barely noticed her as she came up to his side making him swerve towards Soul. She growled and snapped at the heels avoiding the hooves and whatever else the deer threw at her. She lunged then climbing up onto the back of the deer with steady paws thought it was a rocky ride and she deer tripped sending her flying over the antlers. She got up little pale shaking her body getting air back in her lungs alittle stunned and then went back to the stag who seemed to have broken its leg better put it out of his misery. With that Mirage delivered the final blow.

If I go crazy then will you still
Call me Superman
If I'm alive and well, will you be
There holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with
My superhuman might
Kryptonite

You called me strong, you called me weak
But your secrets I will keep
You took for granted all the times I
Never let you down
You stumbled in and bumped your head, if
Not for me then you would be dead
I picked you up and put you back
On solid ground

If I go crazy then will you still
Call me Superman
If I'm alive and well will you be
There holding my hand
I'll keep you by my side with my
Superhuman might
Kryptonite

[<3Kodi]

The sound of Soul's heavy breathing accompanied the beat of deer hooves while he chased after the stag. Weaving through trees and springing over growths of various plants, Soul herded the animal toward where he had left his young charge, Mirage. She had been badgering him for weeks about her first hunt rather then just chasing rodents. He considered rabbits actual prey but apparently Mirage hadn't agreed so he'd given in. Besides, over the past few weeks she had shown great promise as a huntress and the ivory brujo couldn't help but feel pride at her growth. Still, she made him feel very old sometimes, knowing the young whelp he had taken in wasn't a whelp anymore but a fully grown fae whom someday another male would whoo and take away to a pack.

As he chased the stag, Soul shoved the thought away, his stormy gaze somber as he snapped at the heels of the deer to drive it toward his hunting companion. As Mirage sprang forward from her hiding place, Soul fell back. This was Mirage's hunt, her first real kill. Soul hadn't put any fang marks on the buck to ensure the victory was completely Mirage's. So, as she began to down the stag, Soul stopped running and watched, head raised and harks perked remembering when he himself had chased a stag and downed it for the whelp while she watched. Funny how times changed.

Letting out a soft snort, Soul sat back on his haunches and waited, his mind troubled and his eyes clouded. As he saw the deer go down, the male rose to his paws and loped lazily toward Mirage, watching her give the final blow. A small smile curled on his maw at the sight of her first official kill. As he approached her, the brute came to a stop in a patch of warm sunlight, the light catching the three silver scars cut across his handsome muzzle after nasty run in with a cougar.

"Well done whelp" Soul barked, a glint of pride in his eyes. The elder wolf smirked. "Well, guess I can't call you that anymore." Pausing, Soul inclined his head to Mirage. "Good hunt Mirage."

[$*CrazyHick*$]

MIrage barked playfully at the old fart. She knew he was still young but he acted like he was old as dirt so she did her best to keep him young. She tilted her head at him calling he w help and frowned and when he said Mirage she beamed up at him rasping her tongue over his maw. She grinned and then tugged on his ear playfully letting it go bark and wave her banner playfully dinner could wait play couldnt. "Come on silly goose you know you wanna play with me" she said with a big ol cheesy grin on her features. She bounded playfully about him he acted old but he was young real young like she was. He still got around good so he wasnt a geezer yet. She snickered at that thought "come on now you dont want me to call you names now do you" she said. She popped back up bounding towards him tackling and then laying on him lazily. She sighed "your comfy" she giggled then she liked to keep him yound and by granny he got his exercise that for sure.

[<3Kodi]

Soul knew full well he was still fairly young, but not like Mirage thought he was young. By all rights he could have raised several litters of pups had he found a mate at the usual age. But he had put all his energy into finding his brother and then into raising Mirage. Mirage took a lot out of him with all her pranks and tendencies for trouble. In the end raising her had probably taken ten years off his life but...Soul didn't regret it. He did regret however, that her energy hadn't diminished in two years. Shaking his ear out of the fem's grasp, Soul heaved a heavy sigh at the youngster. Still acting like a pup. Boy oh boy.

"There are a few choice names I could think of" Soul barked acidly, eyeing the younger wolfess bouncing all around him.

One glance in the opposite direction of the pup and she took advantage. He had thought he'd caught sight of something but it was probably a squirrel. Before Soul could look back at Mirage, the younger wolf sprang at him. Soul let out a surprised yelp but couldn't get away in time. He hit the ground with a soft thud and the wind was forced from his lungs by Mirage's weight settled on his side, her head on his shoulder. The big brute flicked his ears and eyed his ward, thumping his tail in a steady beat as she "snuggled" his thick fur courteous of his father whom had been an Arctic wolf. Mirage had always been a snuggler, always telling him how "comfy" his fur was and after meals with a swollen belly she'd had a tendency to call him fat when she was in the mood from him to chase her all around the forest.

"If you don't mind" Soul barked shortly, sitting up and sending his charge tumbling. Rising to his paws, Soul shook out his white fur. The white brujo looked over at the more colorful fem. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about Mirage if you think you can sit still for a minute."

Soul had been debating for a while about taking Mirage to one of the wolf packs that lived around the loner lands. She was a bright wolf that would probably flourish around her own kind. She was two years old and had just made her first deer kill. Most made theirs at a year. Maybe she needed to be around more wolves then just him? It wasn't like he was exactly Mr. Social but still, he would give her option if she would listen to it. Not to mention hormones would probably start kicking in for her soon enough, drawing her in to a pack life, potential family life. He might as well give her the choice.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

" A few names huh I can think of more than a few" she grinned. She was all relaxed one minute then the next thing she knew he rolled her off of him. She hit the ground with a lazy thump pulling herself up and shaking her peltage sneezing shortly after when the dust from her fur filled her nasal passages. Oh great he was oh so serious now and Mirages face was still agrin but it so turned to something grim her eyes meeting his with question. She nodded simply "yea I guess I can spare some of my energy for you to speak to me" she said plopping down on her haunches though it looked like she would need bolts and chains to keep it there. She looked at him softly and wondered what he wanted to speak to her about. Speaking of hormones they had already kicked in she was two and was more than irritated by her scent which had become abnormally higher than usual. She shook the thought from her head "what is it you wanted to speak to me about Soul" she asked curiously her harks perked in interest though t here was still worry in her eyes.

[<3Kodi]

Soul couldn't quite meet Mirage's gaze so instead he looked off into the trees as if seeing beyond the horizon. His tail thumped once or twice on the ground as he summoned up the courage to make his offer and choosing his words carefully. "Mirage, you've probably smelled the packland borders a few times over the past few months because we've been getting closer to them then usual. I don't go near them often because it leads to trouble for wolves like me, that don't want a pack. It's just easier to stay away but...you're old enough to make your own choice." Soul blinked and forced himself to turn his gaze to Mirage's big brown eyes that used to beg him to let her stay up all night or go off alone for a little while. It usually worked simply because he was a sorry sucker for big eyes. "We're near the packlands now and if you want to be among other wolves then I can take you to the borders, show you the way."

The other didn't mention he wouldn't be going with Mirage to the pack. He was sure she'd figure that out on her own. Soul had once had a family though he had never told Mirage a lot about them, just that he'd had one but never why he'd left or why he didn't find another one. Soul couldn't take up another pack because it felt like he was leaving his old family behind and that was something he couldn't do. Still, that didn't mean he had to hold Mirage to the life of a loner if she thought a pack life would make her happier. More option in males then just him was ideal for a fae her age and she could find friends among the pack wolves rather then just wander around with him. He didn't talk a lot but he had indulged her as a pup with her silly games and pranks. To him that didn't seem like enough.

He'd been raised on pack values, loyalty and protecting each other but he remembered his parents offering him the same choice he gave Mirage, the choice to go or stay. It was typical of wolves to leave their family packs and go make their own or join another. Soul had chosen to stay but shortly after been an undertaker for his own kin. So now, he was more or less doing what his parents had only the one he was offering freedom to wasn't his bloodkin but rather, adopted or fostered.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

Mirage eyes glazed over what was going through this geezers mind. She wasnt going to leave him she knew he was a loner and they had been together for two year and she was not planning on breaking that either. Her eyes probed his for answers yet she knew this was all her decision no one elses. She growled low as she thought and thought and sooon her body began to pace back and forth back and forth. She snorted then looked at him "I'm staying here with you" she said softly. She knew that was the right answer she had one of those gut feels and smile. "You do want me around dont you" she asked curiously hoping his answer would be yes she wouldnt like it to much if he said no. She didnt want pack life she liked it just fine with him and her like it had been for awhile these years. She hoped it would always be this way with just him and her.

[<3Kodi]

The older male was careful to keep his gaze neutral as his charge probed him for answers as if trying to make him choose her path. He had to fight to keep a straight face. It wasn't his place to choose. He'd been alone before and if Mirage left, well, he'd just have to get used to a cold den again. That was just how it was. Stormy blue eyes followed the smaller fem as she paced restlessly and he couldn't keep the worry from beginning to weigh on his heart. Had he made his parents this nervous when he'd had to make his decision? He hoped not, that would just be another guilt-trip to add to the growing list.

At last Mirage stopped, looked him dead in the eye and voiced her reply. It felt like a ten ton boulder had been lifted out of his ribcage leaving him feeling as light as a feather. It was rewarding to hear Mirage's reply, to think he had raised her right, given her no need to feel the call of a pack or the need for company from another. It was...fulfilling to think his company was all she needed. A smile curled his darkened lips as the brute rose to his paws. Padding over to the stag, Soul tore off a hunk of the hide and tossed it at Mirage, a playful glint in his blue eyes.

"If I didn't want you around whelp, I would have left you a long time ago" he barked easily. It was the honest truth. Unlike his own parents, he had had the option of whether or not to raise Mirage.

Snapping up a morsel of deer meat, Soul swallowed and studied his young charge. "Just wanted to make sure you knew you didn't have to be alone, you could go to be with others. The option is always there."

Bowing his head the to the kill, Soul started to rip off some of the meat though he kept his ears perked. Two years had told him that if his eyes couldn't be on Mirage, keep his ears open.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

Mirage grinned " I knew it you ol softy" she said with ease. She caught the hide he threw at her and merely dropped it to go to the juicy part of the deer. She dug into the flesh enjoying the taste which was mouth watering and savory was the meat. It slid down her throat like sweet water and she ate and ate till her content. "Im not going anywhere" Mirage said with a grin she would be that thorn in his side for the rest of his life. She snickered and licked her bloodied chop. She layed out on the grassy ground sighing with her large belly. She was fat and feeling very lazy her energy depleted for now but it would be back shortly. She had bottomless energy however Soul didnt he gave out within an hour complaining he was gonna have a heat stroke. She grinned well if he didnt have all that fur that wouldnt be a proble. She looked over to him he was a close friend who had raised her and she was glad for it if he hadnt she wouldnt be here and if she wasnt here would he still be so lonely probably he wasnt very social that for sure.

[<3Kodi]

When Mirage began to eat, Soul relaxed. At least with her not more then two feet away it was a little easier to keep track of the fuzzball that was intent on being his shadow for the rest of his days. Finishing his meal, Soul stepped away from the deer, swiping his tongue around his lips to clean the blood off. Laying down, Soul felt quite content and looked almost like a cat lounging in the sun. Soul's stormy blue eyes began to droop closed, lulled by the whisper of the wind, the warm sunlight and the fact that Mirage was quiet for once. Sleep claimed the brute, washing over him like black waves upon the shore.

For all the summertime contentedness, Soul's dreams were never content. As he dropped off to sleep the male became restless. His head would turn, his ears twitch, tail thump and his paws kick at the ground. His lips would curl back in silent snarls, muscles moving under his pelt but he was always silent. Soul wouldn't whine or snarl in his sleep, at least not since he'd met Mirage. Early on he had become highly aware of Mirage, aware of the need for silence in his nightmares to keep from scaring Mirage when she'd been young. After a while it was habit. He would move and twitch when his nightmares were particularly violent but otherwise was as still as any other wolf during his dreaming times.

As he laid in the sun however, Soul continued to twitch, flicking his paws and curling his lips to snarl at his invisible enemies. In his mind's eye the white wolf saw a faceless black wolf looming over his brother's body, fangs bloody red. In the dream Soul sprang at the attacker only to find ten others biting and clawing him. Long black fangs lunged at his throat. With a loud snarl Soul sat bolt upright, flanks heaving and already scrambling to his paws looking around for some sort of danger, his blue eyes wild and still somewhat glazed with sleep.

Chasing off the remains of his nightmares as he sat back heavily and looking around for Mirage, hoping she was still napping or had maybe run off somewhere to play while he'd napped. He didn't like the idea of her finding out about his constant nightmares. Maybe after two years of sleeping with a twitchy male she was used to him moving around in his sleep and wrote it off as restlessness?

Sliding his front legs forward in a sphinx pose, Soul put his head down and laid one of his paws over his muzzle, hiding his eyes from the sun and just hoping Mirage was still asleep on the other side of the stag.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

Mirage had merely went into a light sleep little things woke her up. Even the scuttling of leaves and the noise of rabbit crunching on leave. Every little detail affected her and she loved it she loved life and being in it with the wolf she cared about Soul. Little Mirage stretched her head up with a loud yawn her pink tongue curling up at the end and a grunt almost like following suit. She pulled herself up and shook her peltage and went about her business first getting a drink of water and then to wake mister Soul up oh how fun this would be his old lazy butt still hadnt played with her today. She felt restless and wanted to play she may be grown however she was still a pup and everyone knew it. For crying out loud she still chased around the freaking butterflies and of course lets dont forget about the grasshoppers and whatever else creepy crawly she could find.

She soon began her trek back to Soul who was having adoubly a fidgety sleep like always. So she came around him however her little game didnt last long he seemed to wake up and that encourage her to tackle him he seemed to be off guard at the moment. He figured her a little buddle of problems since she had been a pup she probably had been but she kept the grey hairs out of his fur so it was a good thing. She began to crawl towards him silently stalking and before he probably knew it she was on him with a loud playful growl once again she laid on him because he was comfy and when you a big playful pup you like to play with things fluffy Soul was a magnet to her playfulness good and bad for him.

[<3Kodi]

Soul started out of his sleep with a slight jump as he felt a sudden weight on him. Blinking his eyes open and removing his paw from his face the white male blinked several times before he could process that, as he should have expected, Mirage was laying on him snuggling his fur again. Soul sighed softly, somethings would never change. Mirage was a snuggler and liked his thick fur. Well, at least she'd always have one reason to come back, for his fur if nothing else. Soul let out a mock groan of protest to the playful pup and rolled over so Mirage ended up sitting on his stomach. The bigger wolf batted lightly at Mirage's muzzle with one of his big clawed-paws and looked up at her with a curious expression.

"Are you ever going to grow out of all this puppy energy or am I destined to be run around until my legs fall off till the day I die?" Soul complained, lightly trying to push Mirage off but not really putting any effort into it.

It was better then when she'd been little and had tackled him in his sleep when he slept too late. Then she had crawled all over like a caterpillar, kicking him in the gut until he woke up, stepping on his muzzle and pulling his ears. Oh he had come to dread mornings just as much as his own dreams. It had made him more of an early riser in any case just to avoid her rough morning wake ups. At least now all she could really do was lay on him or pull his ears or step on his muzzle, not crawl all over then run away before he could catch her.

"Get off you great fluffball or my fur won't be so fluffy with you flattening me out" Soul barked, pushing at Mirage's muzzle and struggling to try and stand up or wriggle out from under his young charge. When would Mirage start acting like a mature wolf? Soul had no idea but he couldn't wait. He was feeling the woes of the single parent a little, trapped with just Mirage as company but he wouldn't have it any other way really, he just needed to breathe. Rolling over had been a bad idea as he now knew since Mirage was sitting on his belly and he couldn't quite pull in a deep breath.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

She laughed "you know as well as I do that you like my energy maybe not in the mornings but you like it nevertheless" she said with a grin. She looked at him with his comment "oh please now your calling me fat jeez all you had to do was say please Mirage your big ol butt is squishing the air out of me" she said with a grin and then slid off of him and shook her peltage. "Get up its time for your exercise you didnt play with me awhile ago so nows the time you slept off your meal" she said waving her banner. Mirage didnt want to mature she rather likes being puppyish but she couldnt help it. Probably she will be like Soul when she gets older grumpy and still a little puppyish. Her brown eyes were watching his movement he didnt seem to be budging at the least that old bum.

She growled playfully and then tackled him again nipping at his ears and then jumping away with a bark that seemed to say play with me or else. Soul probably knew it meant play with me or I will pester you for the rest of your life. Her banner was waving her pink tongue panting up and down her eyes excited she was recharged and ready for action. She was just a big puppy but when she started acting mature how would Soul react to that would he simply be in pure shock or wouldnt know what to do with a lazy Mirage she wouldnt be the same or would she. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head and then went into a sneezing fit making her turn her back on Soul which gave him a large opening.

[<3Kodi]

Over the years with Mirage, Soul had learned to be patient. Patient when she wouldn't go to sleep, patient when she ran off without asking. Really he should get a metal or something for as patient as he's learned to be but Soul was still a humble wolf. In any case, all that patience made him good at handling his hyped up little charge. Shaking his ears out of her grasp, Soul rolled away from the pup to escape her nips and attempted tackles. Rolling onto his belly, Soul propelled himself to his paws to keep give Mirage some illusion that he might be considering playing with her. Looking over at Mirage, Soul's stormy eyes lit up with a mischevious glint that could mean only one thing. When Mirage sneezed, Soul made his move.

Springing toward Mirage, Soul tackled the fae though as always he was weary of the power he put in the jump so he wouldn't crush her or something. Whether she liked it or not he was still bigger and older then she was so he could hurt her if he didn't watch it. Still, the jump was enough to take them both off their paws. Soul snapped his jaws playfully at Mirage's scruff before rolling away from the pup. Springing to his paws as soon as his rolling momentum stopped, Soul whisked his tail high and let out a soft playful howling bark.

Turning away, Soul started to run toward the trees, leading the way into one of Mirage's favorite games, tag. He just barely reached the trees when the wind changed. Glancing over his shoulder for Mirage, Soul whipped around to look in front of him again just in time to see a flash of sterling. With a yelp, Soul stiffened his legs, sending clippings of grass and dust all over as he tried to stop. He closed his eyes, braced for impact only to stop. When he opened his eyes he found himself nearly nose to nose with a slender and small sterling silver fae with molten gold eyes and a surprised expression.

"Um..." Soul started, his eyes wide with surprise. "Sorry?"

The fae, Eveningstar, let out a bark of laughter and took a step back to put some distance between her and Soul. "Did I interrupt something?" she asked, her bright eyes laughing as she looked over Soul's shoulder for Mirage.

[$*CrazyHick*$]

Sure get her while she wasnt paying attention. He was so evil soemtimes in a good way. She felt his impact and rolled with him growling softly as he felt his teeth on her scruff he knew she didnt like that so what. The he took off running and Mirage waited for her little fit to be over. Sure enough when she looked up she saw something in the trees odd color thats for sure soemthing she had never seen before. She started her chase paws digging up earth and watched as Soul looked back towards her only to put on the breaks. MIrage picked up her speed sliding to halt next to Soul hackles raised. Her lips raised not sure whether or not be aggressive or simply pass by didnt look dangerous what was it so instead she wagged her tail/ "what are you" she asked curiously tilting her head to the side looking at the horse "your not a deer unless your a completely new type of species what is she mister soul" she said sounding so rude and puppy like hell she was curious might as well tell her what this being was. She looked up at the color which was odd something she rarely saw or better yet never saw unless it was on a wolf.