<><The Shadows of Darkness><>

Though it was daylight out there was still a darkness in the peaceful fields. The wolf, Shadow, was here and brought death wherever he tread. The trees were wailing in their branches and rabbits scurried to their homes. The black wolf growled deep in his throat and kept his head low to the ground in a menacing stance. Since he was born the prophecy of his mark had been fulfilled, he could never love in fear that she would be killed. So he kept to himself so that he did not start to become attached to any particular wolf.

He felt no grief or sorrow but his whole heart felt as empty as a nutshell. That is what pained him the most. He hid himself from love for another reason: He had no heart to love. So even if there were 3 females around him swooning over him, he *couldn't* fall in love, but he could definitely satisfy the females. However along the way he had not come across any female that would even dare become his mate. Sitting down in the middle of the clearing, Shadow raised his head to the sky and howled in torment.

Character sheet:

Danger Awakens

A slight breeze rustled throught he forest. A huge fgure stood at the edge of a river. Danger Awakens sowly touched the top of the water. Instantly it turned to blood. Danger smirked and then pawed at the top to change it back. Danger Awakens turne and wlked throughout the forest. Stoping in tracks to sence a male scent around. She followed it closely. Soon she came across a brute. Sorting and letting a loud growl float out her maw.
She jumped out of the shadows to soon awaken the demon inside of her. Her claws unleashed. Her masculine built body filled with huge mucle popping out of her body. Her muscles let loose, Dangers lips pealed back into a deathly snarl.
Danger circled the brute slowy, she snapped at his legs and growled.
" WHo ar you!?" She spat out stoping and bolting up right. Her claws driving deep intot eh crest of earth making her stay were she was. Her beautiful soft sleak body moved prefectly and so did her mucles under that thin layer of grey coat. She snroted and snaked her head up to let out a triumph howl. Her beautiful howl sending shivers down those who listen spines...

Danger Awakens pic--

Shadow only sat there unafraid of the female as he pounced into the field and began snapping at his heels aggressively. If death should take him so be it, he was created from it and would conquer it. Fear was not known to him. And so as circled him acting, and looking, much like a male he only kept his usual stern expression upon his face. "I am an unwanted and banished soul from the great lord Death himself." His voice was a low tremor similar to the female's howl and the tone was deep and seemed to trail on like an echo in a deep, dark well.

Growing tired of sitting still, Shadow stood and began walking slowly around to stretch his legs. "And who are you?" He asked the female, an eyebrow raised. The darkness of her coat and the evil glint in her eyes reminded him of himself.

Danger Awakens

She snorted and then she watched him walk around to stretch his legs. She snortwed and rolled her eyes. Answering his question. " I am from the underworld. The soul of the dead. My name does not need to be annoused right at this momment." she said in a wise beautiful stunning voice. She growled deep inside her throat. Her tail wraped around her paws. His dark coat, and the evil glit in his eyes took place with hers. She snorted and glared at him. Then, turned away from him and whirled around. Her muscles went loose. If you got into a battle if her the demon would come out, and you will loose...

This female obviously figured she was the upper handed one in this situation. He noted her self confidence and the fact that she was alone. ~The 'tough' ones always lose out...~ He sighed, envying the female. She could love if she wished it, Death had taken that from him. But yet he noticed in her movement and stride that she proud and independent, willing pushing love aside. If only he could grab what she didn't want. But it didn't work that way and Shadow was brought back to reality when she whirled around and began to loosen up. He too had not revealed his name and he figured she wouldn't want to be the first. Besides his name was just a word that people called him by, it was his being that he was revealing for such a thing could not be bound by beastial knowledge and speech.

To break the silence and hopefully the tension, he continued walking but turned his head to face her as he spoke. "My name is Shadow, for that is my domain and my possession. You may use the name as you wish for that is all it is, but do not mock it for I have not the will left within me to rebuke such a thing." After all of these years and things he had seen slowly wore down his earthly spirit. His body was in perfect condition but his soul was wearing down.

He was not one for speech and so, after his muscles began to loosen, Shadow sat down again and looked up at the sky. It revealed his throat, yes, but he would welcome death if it ever came to him. He was studying the free birds flying through the sky. Oh how he wished he could join them. After a few moments he looked back down at the wolf and waited to see if she had any responses.

Danger Awakens

She snorted and spat out the name 'Death' like it meant nothing ot her. " Death, he wouldnt be alive if it wasent for my mother!" She spat out. That beast almost died but my mother safed him. Shouldnt she get any respect. " Shadow hm nice unwished name. I'm Danger Awakens." She said walking closer to him, she stood face-t-face, eye-to-eye and said " don't play your little games, that Death himself won't beable to haddle. I'm alot stronger then i look. You may seem to scare other females, but you do not scare this one." Danger was fearless unlike anyother females.

Since sent from underworld and back on earth, she would not let a male wolf try and get her to love him. Well, that doesnt work out with Danger Awakens. Ether kill or be killed iswhat Danger looks up to. If you can't defend yourself you mean nothing to her, weak is not welcome in her domain.

Shadow met her gaze and they locked eyes. He felt the hate and he radiated it himself. Both were evil, unbeatable, incarnates of the darkness yet they were so different. All she focused on was fighting and proving her worth. He didn't need to prove anything. He knew he was strong, he knew was a great fighter, he knew he always won, he also knew that all that didn't matter. When she spoke he pitied her, whether she liked it or not. "You don't need to act so threatening, if you were a rattled and old female it would make no difference to me. As for my 'little games' do not assume to quickly that I am even playing at all. If I were playing games, I would be the master of the game and would therefore win. But I am not and do not even wish a thing such as that. However if you shall play any games, do know that I am never a direct opponent but a bystander that swoops through at the most precise moment before victory." He did not mind her remarks about Death, for he really cared nothing of his creator. But would definitely not mock him either, he still deserved respect.

The female was only inches from his face and he kept the gaze, not blinking. Still no expression was upon his face or ever would be. Her figure was large, but so was his. He was naturally born with muscle, as a male, and too had increased sense. Females were born to raise pups and be treated with respect, he was born to fight. The day was running down, but he had all the time in the world. He would stand there for months if he had to, it made no difference to him. Why he didn't starve himself he didn't know, but he figured Death would punish him by not allowing that route escape. "If you are done trying to spook me, I would like to go and catch some dinner." It may be a surprise to her, but the way she acted really had no effect on him.

Danger Awakens

She snorted and rolled her eyes. " Your a pest. and im not trying top spook you in any way possible got that!" She spat and walkled passed into the forest. " Dinner my ass!" She spat. She bolted off gone within seconds. She was off in a hunt. HEr hunting instincts kicked in and she was upon a deer only in a matter or moments, driving ehr long snow white dagger into its spine, her claws slicing its throat open. She was feasting upon the deep. Only the carcass and its head was left...

Now it was Shadow's turn to roll his eyes. "Ditto." Then he turned and trod off into the opposite forest. He could nearly 'feel' the creatures life sources and snapped his head to the right. Crouching low Shadow noted the large buck. He would not eat all that meat and would not be staying here. So he passed on. A few moments later he found a wild turkey searching for worms in the ground. It was an easy catch and he dragged the carcass into the clearing so that he could see any wolves coming his way. In a few minutes the meat was gone and all that was left were feathers, bones, talons, and a beak. He took one of the bones and, lying beside his kill, began chewing on it to help clean and sharpen his teeth.

Danger walked through the forest. Her hole body seemed to float. She barely touched the ground as she stalked through the forest. Her crimson eyes looked straight on. Danger Awakens bumped into that male again. snorting with anoyance she threw her crown up and snarled at him. Her claws unleashed and her lips pealed back. " Why did you follow me?!" She spat. Giving out a ruthlesss growl. She then sat back on ehr hauches and watched the males movements. Even thoguh he was hansome and all. Danger had to keep strong for the sake of her mother.

Shadow set down the bone and rolled his eyes as the female approached. "Me follow you? I'm in the middle of this clearing and you assumed I followed you? I went to the east and caught a wild turkey, now I'm back and finishing my meal. I did not follow, but rather avoided you if you must know." The bone he had been chewing had teeth marks throughout it. He turned to face Danger Awakens and sighed. "Why must you always snarl at me. If I wished to attack you I would have the moment we met." He sat up and licked his right paw of blood as he waited for the retaliation of Danger Awakens.

She snorted in response to his first reply. Then pricking ehr ears to ehar him saying something else. " Rather then being nice. Um, i'm not nice if hadent noticed!" she spat. Her fur bristled with anoyance. " Must you always be calm and gentle?" She said being half sarcastic and half for real. She groomed her matted grey fur, to smooth it otu and rid of it from any kind or sudden dirt. Her pelt glistened with beauty after she was bone. Her electric blue blazed into the males. Her claws were leashed back, and she calmed down. Her tail wraped around ehr body. But she was still alert if Shadow would dare attack now.

Shadow finished with his right paw and moved on to his left one, answering between licks. "I am calm and collected, gentle...well you wouldn't know till it was too late." He grinned at his remark and then continued with his grooming. "Why shouldn't I be anyway. I would welcome death if it happened upon me, fear is not in my dictionary. Besides I like unnerving wolves like you." Again he grinned but did not look up at her, not even worried that she may attack. "And why must you always be so judge mental and fierce? You have nothing to prove to me, why irritate me?" He looked up to her to add emphasis and then went back to his grooming, waiting patently for her reply.

Danger snorted. " You wouldn't understand me if i told you." She said. Sighing with an urge to tell him. She smiled up at him fro once in her life.

[Sorry so short ]

Shadow looked up and shook his head. "Oh I've got quite the unusual tale myself, if I may say so. Go ahead and try me, be a nice change in my monotonous day to day routine." He laid down on his stomach and set his head in between his paws as he waited for her story. He hoped she would share it, if not then he was not sure he would tell her his. It would bring back too many painful memories. If I think of it again then I will be driven mad. Only if it was life or death would I open up those stone hard barriers and allow the memories to come flooding back. He thought to himself with an abrupt savagery.

Danger looked up. She sighed deeply. Laying down infront of Shadow, putting her crown up and she spoke softly and warmly. " When i was born, my mother and father were always fighting. My father left, without saying bye to his own daughter, he just left like that." Danger got a brief pause before she went on. " After, 4 years passed. My mother found another mate, Death himself. That is when i was 12 mouths old, and my mother was having a second litter. I didn't like the feeling of my mother being mates wiht Death..." Danger said and looked up to the sky, then said in a low sharp voice. " When i turned 1. Death forced me to mate with him. Death would not stop until i was pregent with him pups. I tired to tell my mother, but she never belived me. So, after awhile Death went on trying to force me, a couple of times i had gotten away. But when i was 2 i had his litter... I killed the litter. Death exciled me for killing pups of his own blood... I didnt care, niether did i care of leaving my mother." Danger said wiht a chuckle but also fury in her words as she spoke. Danger went on with her history. " When i turned 3. I had found my father, who was looking for me all this time, adn i didn't even know." Danger said with a sad tone but still went on. " When my father found me. He had told me, he has been looking for me over 3 1/2 years. With my surprize he taught me the ways of life, Starpack, and the ancient storys of our ancestors." Danger smiled looking at the ground as she spoke. She turned her crown to the sky and stiffened a bit before looking back at Shadow. " He left after i turned 4. LEaving me to take on these challanges that i have to face. 'Till this every day i can sometimes hear my fathers voice int eh wind, calling out my name as if he were with me in the stars." Danger sigfhed, tears rolling down the sides of her cheeks. Sniffling, she turned and wiped her tears on her back leg. Danger looked back at shadow and smiled tears still streamed down her face. " And thats when i foudn you." She said with a warm smile. She clawed her way toward him and put her crown under his neck, nuzzling his with her went nose softly.

Shadow listened with a growing sadness at her tale. He had misjudged her. He didn't interrupt at all as she spoke for he knew she would not continue if he had. So he gave her his undivided attention. By the time she finished it was growing dark, but he felt not a fraction of drowsiness. Her next move surprised him but he did not flinch, allowing her to be comforted by his presence. Then a most miraculous thing happened. A single tear trickled down Shadow's right cheek and fell to the hard ground. His heart was heavy not only of her tale and his, but of the affection she gave him. His heart yearned to love, but it he had been born without the gift. Even after thinking of having a mate and pups and everything romantic in the world, he felt not single tingling of love. "I'm sorry." He choked out, forcing himself to not lost his composure. He was apologizing for not being able to love her back, though it would seem he was only offering her comfort for her corrupt life.

Silence passed over him as finally the barriers of his mind weakened and inklings of memories leaked into his concentration. Dead wolves scattered over the bloodied ground. His family destroyed. In the middle was his stepmother, wide eyed in dead horror of her inhumane fate. And for the first time in his life, Shadow wept. It was not a bawling, like a baby, but a silent weeping. Tears streaked through his fur and he closed his eyes, submitting himself to the sorrow. Some tears fell from his cheeks to Danger's head. Oh why had he been cursed with incapability to love or care for another!

Danger stoped crying. " It's your fault. It could happen to anyone. But i left out some more. But i don't like speaking of it. Its to sad and to dark." She said then seen him start to cry. She sighed and said " Are you ok." She hugged him tightly. She wraped ehr body around his in comfort. She could tell he wanted to comfort her but he couldn't. " You have acurse don't you." She said with tears streaming down her face. Danger sniffled and said in a calm loving voice. She gasped at the thoguht of her grampmas old curse removal spell. Danger thought and jumped up. " Shadow lay down on your side!" She sai dand raced intot eh forest to come back with sprakling water, an aumtumn leaf, and most importantly cobwebs. Danger graped some wood, and put them around Shadow. Then putting the cobwebs and leafs onto the wood. Danger told him what to do. " Alright. Shadow stay still adn go into a deep sleep. Let your body releax and go into a complete lifeless form." She said. Waiting for him to do as she told him.

Shadow was silent for a moment and, looking out into seemingly nothingness, he nodded. "One that is beyond torment." His tear ducts clotted and his cheeks were damp from the moisture. Again he was silent and laid on his stomach for a moment as Danger ran off. She was gone for a while and after a half hour he laid on his side and looked up at the dim stars that were slowly appearing. His family was up there somewhere watching over him, if only he could join them.

Another half hour passed when Danger finally came back from her little scavenger hunt. He looked among her ingredients and looked up at Danger with doubt in his expression. "Is there a reason for cobwebs?" He hated the sticky substance, it took forever to get out of his fur. He raised his head for her to slip on the leaves and then laid back down. He closed his eyes to appease Danger but for a while did not truly go to sleep. Within the hour he reluctantly gave himself up to the void and submersed into the realm of darkness where dreams were reality.

((Would it be alright if it didn't work? I was thinking that he would have to fight Death for his freedom. But he didn't know where to find Death, Danger would have to take him. Is that okay? Also sorry about short post.))

[ Yea i was gonna do the same as you said. Make it not work and take him to death. ]

After danger was done with her indian tradion. she thens sighed with grief and stood. She nudged shadow with her forepaw and said. " get didnt work. I'm sorry. That curse is forbidden to break unless..." She thought for a second and then snorted not even thinking of saying his name. She will NOT go back to him, no matter what Shadow does to her.

[ sorry so short by the way. ]

Shadow laid back on his stomach and finished her sentence. "Unless I confront Death." He searched her face and then sighed. "I know what you have been through and I will not force you to take me. Thank you for trying to help me, but it is a burden that I have carried all my life and thus I will continue to carry till the end of time." He stood up grimly and turned to Danger. "Again I thank you, do not ponder upon what has happened just this moment. It is a matter that you need not fret about, I only wish I could give you what you wanted." Then he began walking away. "It is getting dark, do you wish to accompany me to my den?" It was a question and he realized she may still be worrying about him, so he would offer his company. Anything he could do to help her he would try. But in the end he would go hunt down Death even if all the gods were against him.

Danger sighed and then said. " I'll take your to Death. He won't do anything. If he does he'll wish he was never born. Now come on. She said flicking her tail toward the north. Dnager growled as Shadow was not following. " We don't have time to rest right now. We will rest at Sunningrocks. Don't sas me boy." She said with a snarl but then agian a smirk appeared upon ehr face, and she turned to lead him toward Sunningrocks, which is only a few miles from where Death lives.

Shadow and turned to look at her. He nodded and walked over. For the moment he was silent but then cocked his head to look over at Danger beside him. "There is one thing I require before we leave." His expression went serious and sharp. "You must swear to me that no matter what happens you will not interfere. I understand that you courageous and stronger than most but this is my battle that I must face. Even if I am about to meet Death in his immortal lair, you will not try and save me and you will not attack him. He will defeat you if you do for you will be blinded by rage. You must swear this. If in the end I did not break free of the curse on my own then it will be worse torment then what I am in right now." He never blinked and he never turned his gaze from her, this meant the world to him and he would make sure she would swear to it.

Danger snarled in defence then shook her head. " I understnad where your coming from. But, this is a battle for me also. If you loose i will jump in." Sh said looking VERY serious then most of the time. " I will not loose. I know his weaknesses, and where it hurts the most." she said and then sighed with a snarl. Her eyes becoming a midnight red. " I want him to die beneath my paws!" she roared and then snorted. " But yes i will swear. But if anything happens. And you loose. No promises that i will jump in. And i don't want you to stop me." She said looking at him for a moment then turning back infront of her.

Shadow was getting adgitated with her obvious temper. "Then do not interfere between the two of us while we are fighting. If I fall then you are free from your oath, but only if I fall." He then followed up beside her, wanted to explain to her that the foe they faced was Lord over the Dead for a reason, he wasn't just some immortal evil wolf that picked on others. He gained his title and he had more experience in fighting than Danger and even himself. But he did not say any of this, for it would not register with her. She was angry and hot tempered and it would only be rewarded with sharp words and snarls. So for the remaining time he was silent, preserving his energy for the most important moment of his life.