The evening had finally arrived for the Clan, the howl was beginning to reach full capacity. Eight had been shooting the breeze with Zen, Mingo, Darriel and Grunt along with their friends - some other Omegas he had only just now become acquainted with. He sat and enjoyed the company for the better part of an hour by now as the moon continued to bathe the landscape in its heavy glow, reflecting off of each rock, dancing and flickering on each blade of grass below when the wind passed over.
It wasn't until choruses of howling began all over and became more and more noticeable that the group stopped conversing all at once and took note.
Zen turned to Eight and grinned,
"Well, it appears as though the conviviality has begun, my friend." Zen's light gray fur shone in the light from the moon as he patted Eight on the back, "It won't be much longer now."
Eight blinked and looked around. Every other wolf was in mid howl.
"What, You mean this ain't it?" He asked, raising his voice over a few of the closer parties.
Zen chuckled lightly and answered back, much in the same raised fashion,
"My, no! Everyone's warming up, eh? To make ready!" Zen scanned around for a moment, "No, my compatriot, things are hardly beginning. It will come to be placid again briefly before the real merriment and levity truly begins."
Eight stared in amazement for a few moments as each voice rang out as a shooting beam of volume into the sky. Each call, every cry out a pure example of harmony and articulation. He was moved, his chest ached out in a sense of joy, his eyes could have easily found tears. If he had not already found his seat, surely his feet would leave him.
All around him was the utterance of a song that, until now, was unsung to him. He had never heard such beauty.
Just then, he was caught off guard as a tone rang out just behind him, full and intense. His head spun around to see Zen, standing in full stance, head shot into the air in his own vocalization.
Eight was caught off guard once more as Grunt sent up his own deep, booming howl, followed by his brother, then little Mingo and eventually joined by the others.
At one moment, the entire hillside rang out long and loudly as one booming entity until there was nothing Eight could do against the sounds ringing through his ears. He found his voice, then slowly, his feet and took one deep breath of his own and let loose with a resonant outcry of his own.
It cracked briefly at first, but with more air pushed from his lungs, it settled through and became one with the rest of the pack.
Everyone rang out, calling to the stars above, letting the very heavens aware of their existence.
For one brief moment, the world slowed. Eight was now a part of something larger than himself. He found one of the things he had been looking for all this time. He belonged, for however briefly.
Eight cracked his eyes as his own breath became thinner, his howl lowering and finding his lungs exasperated.
He ceased his call, as the rest of the pack did slowly, one by one until there was silence for a moment. Calm. Quiet. Muted. Eight simply stood in awe of the spectacle, lost in the moment, panting from excitement and loss of breath.
He felt another pat on his back and turned his head to meet Zen.
"Thats pretty good, old friend." Zen stated calmly and quietly.
Eight simply stood there for moments passed as more and more of the wolves began to chatter again all around him.
He was at a loss for a bit. But once he caught his breath and found his voice again, he turned to Zen, eyes wide with remembrance of why his visit to the howling rock wasn't completed yet.
"Have you seen your sister?" Eight asked blunt and to the point. His mind was scattered a little and still in awe, thinking of anything else, including tact was beyond him at this point.
Zen simply smiled and motioned with his paw,
"She went on walkabout a while ago. Its likely you'll locate her on the easterly side of the rocks."
Eight wasted little time, he patted Zen on one shoulder and uttered,
"Thanks partner." and parted from the group.
He trailed along, following the path up the cliff sides for a few moments before he noticed a small off-shot trail, likely it was rarely used, hell it was barely noticeable even in the brightness of the night.
He carefully moved down the small trail, it was loose and gravely and his paws seemed apt to slip here and there. He made sure to find his footing with each step he took. On this side of the Mesa, there was no other wolf save for himself, and hopefully one other.
Behind him, he could hear one or two howls spaced out, other wolves still in practice while the time was nearing.
Before him, the trail bent around and became narrower, the edge coming closer to him, if it weren't so well lit, he'd have guessed that this is where the trail stopped.
He carefully began to make his way around the bend when he was stopped dead in his tracks.
His ears perked, his fur bristled and stood on end, every joint in his body froze as yet another howl rang out from just ahead of him.
He didn't even need to guess from where it emanated, it was the voice of Lilac. And a beautiful voice at that.
It was smooth and silky, it carried with it the sound of strength and confidence edged with soft kindness.
Eight gathered his thoughts and paced slowly around. She came into view now and his legs went shaky.
She finished her howl and sat, staring outward on the cliff edge at the world below them. The moonlight reflected off her white fur causing her to positively glow.
Eight stopped once again, his mouth open slightly and heart pounding heavily while his eyes affixed to this visage, this angel before him.
It seemed the world could end just then and somehow, he knew he would be just fine.
He began one paw forward, quietly and slowly, feeling nothing beneath his paws. He had one goal now, and everything else had been erased from existence.
It wasn't until choruses of howling began all over and became more and more noticeable that the group stopped conversing all at once and took note.
Zen turned to Eight and grinned,
"Well, it appears as though the conviviality has begun, my friend." Zen's light gray fur shone in the light from the moon as he patted Eight on the back, "It won't be much longer now."
Eight blinked and looked around. Every other wolf was in mid howl.
"What, You mean this ain't it?" He asked, raising his voice over a few of the closer parties.
Zen chuckled lightly and answered back, much in the same raised fashion,
"My, no! Everyone's warming up, eh? To make ready!" Zen scanned around for a moment, "No, my compatriot, things are hardly beginning. It will come to be placid again briefly before the real merriment and levity truly begins."
Eight stared in amazement for a few moments as each voice rang out as a shooting beam of volume into the sky. Each call, every cry out a pure example of harmony and articulation. He was moved, his chest ached out in a sense of joy, his eyes could have easily found tears. If he had not already found his seat, surely his feet would leave him.
All around him was the utterance of a song that, until now, was unsung to him. He had never heard such beauty.
Just then, he was caught off guard as a tone rang out just behind him, full and intense. His head spun around to see Zen, standing in full stance, head shot into the air in his own vocalization.
Eight was caught off guard once more as Grunt sent up his own deep, booming howl, followed by his brother, then little Mingo and eventually joined by the others.
At one moment, the entire hillside rang out long and loudly as one booming entity until there was nothing Eight could do against the sounds ringing through his ears. He found his voice, then slowly, his feet and took one deep breath of his own and let loose with a resonant outcry of his own.
It cracked briefly at first, but with more air pushed from his lungs, it settled through and became one with the rest of the pack.
Everyone rang out, calling to the stars above, letting the very heavens aware of their existence.
For one brief moment, the world slowed. Eight was now a part of something larger than himself. He found one of the things he had been looking for all this time. He belonged, for however briefly.
Eight cracked his eyes as his own breath became thinner, his howl lowering and finding his lungs exasperated.
He ceased his call, as the rest of the pack did slowly, one by one until there was silence for a moment. Calm. Quiet. Muted. Eight simply stood in awe of the spectacle, lost in the moment, panting from excitement and loss of breath.
He felt another pat on his back and turned his head to meet Zen.
"Thats pretty good, old friend." Zen stated calmly and quietly.
Eight simply stood there for moments passed as more and more of the wolves began to chatter again all around him.
He was at a loss for a bit. But once he caught his breath and found his voice again, he turned to Zen, eyes wide with remembrance of why his visit to the howling rock wasn't completed yet.
"Have you seen your sister?" Eight asked blunt and to the point. His mind was scattered a little and still in awe, thinking of anything else, including tact was beyond him at this point.
Zen simply smiled and motioned with his paw,
"She went on walkabout a while ago. Its likely you'll locate her on the easterly side of the rocks."
Eight wasted little time, he patted Zen on one shoulder and uttered,
"Thanks partner." and parted from the group.
He trailed along, following the path up the cliff sides for a few moments before he noticed a small off-shot trail, likely it was rarely used, hell it was barely noticeable even in the brightness of the night.
He carefully moved down the small trail, it was loose and gravely and his paws seemed apt to slip here and there. He made sure to find his footing with each step he took. On this side of the Mesa, there was no other wolf save for himself, and hopefully one other.
Behind him, he could hear one or two howls spaced out, other wolves still in practice while the time was nearing.
Before him, the trail bent around and became narrower, the edge coming closer to him, if it weren't so well lit, he'd have guessed that this is where the trail stopped.
He carefully began to make his way around the bend when he was stopped dead in his tracks.
His ears perked, his fur bristled and stood on end, every joint in his body froze as yet another howl rang out from just ahead of him.
He didn't even need to guess from where it emanated, it was the voice of Lilac. And a beautiful voice at that.
It was smooth and silky, it carried with it the sound of strength and confidence edged with soft kindness.
Eight gathered his thoughts and paced slowly around. She came into view now and his legs went shaky.
She finished her howl and sat, staring outward on the cliff edge at the world below them. The moonlight reflected off her white fur causing her to positively glow.
Eight stopped once again, his mouth open slightly and heart pounding heavily while his eyes affixed to this visage, this angel before him.
It seemed the world could end just then and somehow, he knew he would be just fine.
He began one paw forward, quietly and slowly, feeling nothing beneath his paws. He had one goal now, and everything else had been erased from existence.
