The Beginning of the End {closed}
Sept 26, 2018 13:41:47 GMT -5
Post by Meds on Sept 26, 2018 13:41:47 GMT -5
Kanga, Manaaki;
"Kanga, don't," Manaaki's voice came out of the quiet darkness. His words were kind, but firm. The moon was shining over the Bleak Bluffs territory, and the two massive males were moving through the sparse growth with a quiet ease. The summer sun had dried out the dirt, so the ground was solid. Manaaki had just noticed, however, that Kanga had turned toward the Outer Reaches and was gazing at it in the darkness.
"Don't what?" Kanga asked, the silver-ringed eyes marked for his brother stuck on the border in the distance.
"Don't worry about that pack any longer, brother. I've watched you torture yourself over it for years. Stay by my side. There is nothing for you in that land." Manaaki's voice was a calm and ever-constant tide against the unsteady waters of Kanga's mind. The russet brother turned and fixed his twin with a hard look. Kanga knew he was right. His mind had been full of darkness for his entire life, it was true—but something about Midnight Silence awakened it, it seemed. There was a deep sense of both curiosity and fear associated with it. He felt he could do great things within such a pack—but great did not always mean good...
Silver in the darkness, Manaaki trotted closer to his brother.
"Stick with me, kid." A heavy bunt, from older to younger, head against shoulder.
Kanga offered a half-smile, then turned away from Midnight Silence. It didn't do to dwell on such things, Manaaki had the right of it. And he didn't want to. But Kanga didn't think he could let it go when the evil pack was so close at hand. Such opportunity—or doom—was hard to ignore. However, like always, Manaaki seemed to be thinking the same thing, in that it would be better to have some distance. He gave a deep sigh, which Kanga knew to mean that he understood.
The Valley had been the twins' home for many, many moons. They had arrived young, stupid (in some cases), and full of hope. In many ways, their hope had been fulfilled. Both had ranked within their pack, both had made something, more or less, of themselves.
But Manaaki had his own reasons for wanting to leave, as much as Kanga did. His thoughts traveled to a certain Betess who, at one point in time, Manaaki could have seen himself with. It had been new, unsure, even frightening, yet it had been a chance that he had been willing to take. But throughout a series of business-like encounters and let-downs, one after the other, Manaaki now felt that his mind, too, could be better used if it were focused elsewhere. There was no sense dwelling on the past an could-have-beens. But what did that mean, exactly?
Kanga and Manaaki were comfortable, there in the valley—but both twins found themselves wondering if there wasn't more for them somewhere else. More action. More adventure. They were not so old as all that, yet—there were plenty more adventures to be had for wolves such as them.
"You're awfully quiet," Kanga remarked as they moved through the unclaimed territory, making a play on a life-long running joke that Manaaki was the 'boring' twin. Manaaki flashed his large teeth at his brother.
"You should try it sometime."
Kanga laughed, the sound like booming thunder, then gazed North from the Bleak Bluffs.
"What do you think's out there, Manaaki?" He asked suddenly, his eyes alight. Manaaki turned, his own eyes—the mirror of his brother's—focusing into the distance.
"Nothing we haven't encountered before, I'm sure."
Kanga smiled.
"Shall we find out?"
Then without another word and together as one, just as they went through life, the two massive giants dipped their heads and began a long moonlit journey, leaving the Valley behind.
-Fade out-
"Kanga, don't," Manaaki's voice came out of the quiet darkness. His words were kind, but firm. The moon was shining over the Bleak Bluffs territory, and the two massive males were moving through the sparse growth with a quiet ease. The summer sun had dried out the dirt, so the ground was solid. Manaaki had just noticed, however, that Kanga had turned toward the Outer Reaches and was gazing at it in the darkness.
"Don't what?" Kanga asked, the silver-ringed eyes marked for his brother stuck on the border in the distance.
"Don't worry about that pack any longer, brother. I've watched you torture yourself over it for years. Stay by my side. There is nothing for you in that land." Manaaki's voice was a calm and ever-constant tide against the unsteady waters of Kanga's mind. The russet brother turned and fixed his twin with a hard look. Kanga knew he was right. His mind had been full of darkness for his entire life, it was true—but something about Midnight Silence awakened it, it seemed. There was a deep sense of both curiosity and fear associated with it. He felt he could do great things within such a pack—but great did not always mean good...
Silver in the darkness, Manaaki trotted closer to his brother.
"Stick with me, kid." A heavy bunt, from older to younger, head against shoulder.
Kanga offered a half-smile, then turned away from Midnight Silence. It didn't do to dwell on such things, Manaaki had the right of it. And he didn't want to. But Kanga didn't think he could let it go when the evil pack was so close at hand. Such opportunity—or doom—was hard to ignore. However, like always, Manaaki seemed to be thinking the same thing, in that it would be better to have some distance. He gave a deep sigh, which Kanga knew to mean that he understood.
The Valley had been the twins' home for many, many moons. They had arrived young, stupid (in some cases), and full of hope. In many ways, their hope had been fulfilled. Both had ranked within their pack, both had made something, more or less, of themselves.
But Manaaki had his own reasons for wanting to leave, as much as Kanga did. His thoughts traveled to a certain Betess who, at one point in time, Manaaki could have seen himself with. It had been new, unsure, even frightening, yet it had been a chance that he had been willing to take. But throughout a series of business-like encounters and let-downs, one after the other, Manaaki now felt that his mind, too, could be better used if it were focused elsewhere. There was no sense dwelling on the past an could-have-beens. But what did that mean, exactly?
Kanga and Manaaki were comfortable, there in the valley—but both twins found themselves wondering if there wasn't more for them somewhere else. More action. More adventure. They were not so old as all that, yet—there were plenty more adventures to be had for wolves such as them.
"You're awfully quiet," Kanga remarked as they moved through the unclaimed territory, making a play on a life-long running joke that Manaaki was the 'boring' twin. Manaaki flashed his large teeth at his brother.
"You should try it sometime."
Kanga laughed, the sound like booming thunder, then gazed North from the Bleak Bluffs.
"What do you think's out there, Manaaki?" He asked suddenly, his eyes alight. Manaaki turned, his own eyes—the mirror of his brother's—focusing into the distance.
"Nothing we haven't encountered before, I'm sure."
Kanga smiled.
"Shall we find out?"
Then without another word and together as one, just as they went through life, the two massive giants dipped their heads and began a long moonlit journey, leaving the Valley behind.
-Fade out-
