Your CS Pet Pairs? :3 (NEW THREAD!)

[the d]

Rick x Kate
If anyone guesses where I got this couple from gets a virtual high five and a virtual cookie :3

[Luke Skywalker]

{f} Del'torra - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Caumestro {m}

I have no earthly idea why or how, but I immensely adore this pairing. <333 I'll come up with a story or poem later.

[Inatae]

Rayzah-----Stand Alone----Lucia




Evening Star-----Lucia----Scorio

[Tammanae]

I am going to have a fail moment at a Harry Potter pairing. Not sure if it's going to be understandable, but here goes. X3



James and Lily

... and well, they did always say Harry looks just like daddy. X3

Aaaaah!! <3<3 Yesss~!! The one you chose for James is just perfect =D Mind if I use?

Thank you. XD

And sure. ^^ I just got in the mood with all of the Harry Potter coupling going on earlier. X3

[Mirza]

–bounces up and down–

I finished the next part of my story, Incantation: I doubt that anyone will remember the pairing, though, because I posted it way back, on the original thread. Here it is, though. :3

Is'tia ♀ && Daseno ♂

Part I
"Teach me." she begs, trying not to let a whine creep into her voice and destroy the bits of respect that she had carefully founded in him. Or perhaps it was only her imagination; did he ever listen to her properly when she was talking about her ideas? Or even--but no. He wasn't as calloused as she was making him out to be, never in a thousand years! Even though everyone in the village prefers to avoid him, Is'tia had found that his inner-self was so...so...beautiful. And he was so talented, too. His craft was unmatched by anyone. And surely, he would teach her, and then, she would--

"No...I'd rather not."

She feels her dreams crash down as quickly as a bird felled by an arrow plummets to the cold earth. She looks up at him, avoiding his ruby eyes and instead looking at the myriad of black and red designs that grace his shoulder. "But...but I can-"

"I said no, Is'tia." he says firmly, tilting his head and looking at her curiously. What an insistent one. Still, he had been the same not so long ago, when he had plagued the fire dragon of the Ishta mountains for her secrets. And here was someone else, doing the same...should he bend? He looks around his small workshop, which is crammed to the gils with assorted supplies. Matches litter the tables, and books of all sizes and conditions rise up from the floor in towers. Tufts of cotton and other flammable objects are scattered around the floor along side an unhealthy amount of dirt that has collected from about a year of neglect. The single lamp that casts the room in a warm glow is cracked, and wax is leaking out onto the shelf that it's on... At any rate, he certainly needs someone to clean up the place...and she's been following him around for months, bugging him. Perhaps this would be a good way to get rid of her permanently..."Hm...you know what?"

"What?" there she goes again, her hopes rising like a kite on a spring breeze.

"I think I could use an apprentice, you know, to carry on with my work once I'm dead." he shouldn't mention the cleaning part--he'll make it look like he thought that she assumed that it would be a part of the deal. He grins at the way she meets his eyes, and then looks away again.

"T-that would be wonderful!" she whispers. "Thank you so much, Speaker of Fire--"

"Oh please," he says, lifting his head up at the use of his proper title. "You can just call me Daseno while you're my apprentice."

xoxoxo

Being Daseno's apprentice wasn't at all what she had expected. In fact, if someone had seen her, they would have sworn that she was just his maid. All she did was clean, organize huge volumes of books, and buy new materials for Daseno. Oh, and once he asked her to cook him something, but that didn't turn out too well. The aroma of burnt fish had lingered in the small house for days. Sometimes, before she caught herself, she felt a stab of resentment at her mentor: while she was scrubbing floors he was lounging on his chair, immersed in a book. But then she felt guilty, for after all, he was giving her a chance that she had wished for her entire life.

Daseno, on the other hand, was actually rather pleased. So far, he had his entire home cleaned up and had managed to dance around the subject of teaching his 'apprentice' any actual magic. All it had cost him was just a small room and some extra food. Of course, sooner or later she would get tired of this little game and leave, and he wouldn't have a servant anymore. But still...at least he had time to study. He was almost on the brink of discovering a new incantation; there were notes about one in his books that would supposably turn someone's soul to ashes. As he flipped the weathered page of the huge book that lay before him, he became aware of a presence hovering over his shoulder. He sighs.

"What?" he says bluntly, turning around and facing his apprentice. As usual, she ducks away, not meeting his eyes.

"I was just wondering if you would be able to teach me something..." she says, a red-rimmed ear flicking back nervously. "Nothing big or anything, just...something."

"...did you finish tiling the roof?" he asks after a moment's hesitation.

"Yes."

"The parlor is swept?"

"Yes.

"The kitchen has been scrubbed?"

"Yes, I finished that just an hour ago."

"The bookshelves? The floors? The food has been set out for me to prepare?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. Oh, and I added a bit of cilantro to the sauce for the chicken." she was rather pleased with herself; she had finished everything he had cared to ask her and even had done a bit extra.

Cilantro... he groans inwardly, closing his eyes and raising his head to the heavens. Well, not directly, as the ceiling was in the way. He hopes that she'll leave, scurry off to somewhere else into the house and leave him and his secrets alone. But apparently, the girl can't take a hint. "Fine!" he snaps, trying to ignore her look of delight. Daseno wheels around and snatches a book from his desk. He shoves it into her waiting jaws. "Fine! Go on and read that book. If you don't understand it on the first try, don't come back.

She runs off to her room, her paws pounding on the wooden floors, her heart pumping with happiness. Is'tia tosses herself onto the small bed, ignores it's groan of protest, and delicately noses the book into place before her. For a moment, the black and red wolf merely gazes at it with misty violet eyes. This is the moment where she will become...become...become something great. She flips it open, and begins to read.

Part II
She learned quickly. Everything she read, she practically absorbed within minutes without having to puzzle over the concepts too long. Is'tia was also extraordinarily adept at working the actual magic; unlike most novices, any flame or spark that she managed to create was in her control at all times, and the biggest thing that she had burnt was the corner of the book (she had accidentally lost her focus, and a spark strayed from the candle onto the page). Even Daseno, however reluctant, was impressed. He never admitted it, but she had learned faster than him. And she hadn't even burned the house down yet, like he had.

A week passed, and things were settling into a rhythm. Is'tia would wake at the crack of dawn and do all of the chores that needed to be done. If she happened to be too loud, Daseno would wake up, growl to himself, drag himself out of his room to snap at his apprentice, and then go back to bed for another hour or so. They would then eat breakfast (after Daseno had woken up again) and then their studies would begin. Daseno would bury himself in the library, delving into the ancient books that he had so carefully collected, trying to rediscover the incantation for turning souls to ashes. Is'tia would go to her room, read, practice a bit until she mastered the lesson she set up for herself, and if she finished the book, she would then go to Daseno for a new one.

Often times, the two of them would become to engrossed in learning this archaic branch of magic that they would inadvertently end up skipping meals, only noticing when the light outside the window was radiant with the sunset. Everything, however, was perfect. Is'tia was achieving her dream, and Daseno didn't have to worry about his house becoming horribly messy.

It's a pity that it couldn't remain that way.

Their troubles began with a knock on the door.

It was a loud knock, one that made Daseno jump and knock his oldest book to the floor. His ruby eyes narrowed angrily as he swooped down to pick the book up and tenderly place it back on his crowded desk. The book was undamaged, which was a surprise, as it had fallen on top of another stack of books, then slid its way to the ground. Whoever was at the door knocked again, even louder.

"I'll get it!"

Is'tia's voice sounded from her room, and then there was a clattering of paws as a red-black blur swept past the open door of Daseno's study.

"No, wait!" Daseno snarled, carefully picking his way through the piles of books to get to the door. "It's probably some stupid villager, wanting me to fix their bloody lamp or something..."

There was another knock, almost shaking the walls. Then, as he tripped over his only copy of Ignis Anima, he heard the door creak open, and a cheery little voice chirping, "Hello sir, how can I help you?"

"Ignore her, I'm coming, I'm coming!" shouted Daseno, snarling in anger as he stumbled into the hallway. He raced to the doorway, tripping numerous times over small boxes of matches and piles of candles. Daseno pushed Is'tia aside, ignoring her little hurt gasp of astonishment, and looked through the open door. A burly draft horse was standing in the doorway, an irritated look on his bay and black face.

"Hello, I'm Das–"

"I know how you are," sniffed the horse, lifting his head up a few inches, peering at the wolf with narrowed amber eyes. "And I'm from the village council."

A sinking feeling overwhelmed Daseno. The village council? This wasn't good, not good at all...out of the corner of his eye he noticed Is'tia's angular face at his side. Her amethyst eyes darted away from his, just as he noticed that she was studying his face, as though she knew every thought that ran through his mind. He had never really noticed her eyes; they were like a flame, a brilliant violet flame that flickered warmly in a lamp, radiating it's light...

"Yes?" said Daseno, shaking his head slightly and redirecting his gaze to the horse, who seemed to be an envoy of the council.

"Well, the council has decided that you are a hazard to the community."

"What?" he gasped, his jaws agape. "A hazard? Why on earth would they say that? I'm the only one who knows the fine branch of fire–"

"–And," the horse continued on, unruffled by Daseno's outburst. "You have neglected to pay your bills and your taxes for the past...what was it? The past six months?"

This, of course, was true. He hadn't bothered to pay because, well...just because! But wait, apparently there was more:

"And accordingly, the council has decided that you should leave the village immediately."

"Why?" Is'tia said with the advent of Daseno's sudden silence. "I mean, couldn't he just pay his debts and stay?"

The horse snorted, swishing his long ebony tail. "No," he said in a patient, almost bored tone. "He cannot pay his debts in time. I hardly think that he has enough gold to pay in a week's time?" he lifted a hoof and flicked it towards the decrepit brick home.

"What if I repaid the village via my art?" said Daseno, letting a whine slip into his voice. "Normally, I would make the lot of you pay, but I would do anything that you wanted for free."

"Oh really? You would do that?"

Daseno's heart lifted; there was a way out of this, there definitely was. Ah hah! He would finally be able to flaunt his talents, finally would receive the notice that he deserved!

"Well, too bad. You are to leave immediately. Pack up your vital goods, and leave. The same goes with you, miss. You left the orphanage, and signed documents stating that you were now under Daseno's care."

"But, what about all of my things?" whispered Daseno, "All of my books, and supplies..."

"I thought that we would get to that." a smug grin crept over the horse's face. "Your belongings will be distributed in the village to those who need them."

"But I can count on my paw the number of citizens here that can actually read!" he replied, shooting a glance at Is'tia. Now that he thought of it, how had she learned to read? "No one would want my books, so if I could only have an hour or so to pack them up–"

"Sorry. Can't do; council's orders."

"But what will you do with them!?"

"Burn them. There are lots of families in the village that need extra kindling in order to make it through the winter."

A choked sob wrenched it's way out of Deseno's throat. The world seemed to spin as the draft's words resounded in his mind. His precious books, his magnificent collection of such a rare branch of magic...burnt to a crisp in a blazing fire? How horrible; the irony made him sick to his stomach...

Is'tia staggered to one side as Daseno's limp form toppled over onto her flank. Carefully, trying to ignore the horse's quiet chuckles, she let him slide to the ground, not really knowing what else to do. He lay there for a moment, his breathing ragged. She hoped that it was just the shock of having to loose his books, and not some medical condition that had remained dormant for all this time. Inhaling once, she looked up at the horse, who nodded and began to trot off.

"You have fifteen minutes to pack," he whinnied over his shoulder. Is'tia nodded in response, and looked down at Daseno. She shouldn't stand here, staring wistfully at him like this, she should be packing, racing around the house to collect as many books as she could before the time was up. But...he was so vulnerable here, so peaceful. At any rate, he wasn't snapping at her to stop making such a racket.

He shifted, making the swirling red-black patterns in his fur ripple like a flag in an evening breeze. Is'tia blinked, and then scurried inside, lest he wake and notice that she had been standing there that entire time.

xoxoxo

They watched as a team of foul-mouthed sled dogs dragged the remainder of Daseno's possessions to the village centre. The scruffy band of dogs were straining at their harnesses, swears flying out of their mouth along with strings of saliva. They insisted on taking all of it out in one haul, but apparently, they didn't realize how many heavy books Daseno had collected through the years.

No one seemed to notice how all of this was effecting Daseno. No one aside from Is'tia, that is. She stood by his side, occasionally sneaking glances at his somber face. His features were hard, hard as a diamond. She had expected him to break down sobbing or at least shed a tear (for after all, he had fainted earlier), but he remained as stoic as she had ever seen him. He kept his head high, retaining his pride even as they were escorted out of the village boundaries with their travois packed with as many books as they could carry.

They didn't speak as they traveled through the darkening country-side. Is'tia desperately wanted to, to break this silence that prickled at her mind like a hive of buzzing bees, but...she couldn't force herself to open her mouth and utter a single word. They walked on a small dirt path for fifteen minutes, until Daseno stopped abruptly.

"We're turning back."

Is'tia blinked in surprise, actually looking at him. He was faced forwards, staring at a point in the distance.

"Why?" she asked, shrugging off her half of the harness that bound them both to the travois. "We should stop here, and sleep."

"No, we're not going to stop here."

"...why?"

He turned to her, his eyes glinting in the half-light. She ducked her head as usual, avoiding his gaze. He didn't speak for a moment, but when he did, the ice in his voice shook her to the bone;

"We are going to burn that village to the ground."

[Vell]

Dre ♂ & Seltie ♀

I've always thought these two would be a nice couple.

[Fluffmuffler]

Nicholas (M) ---------------------------------------- Noel (F)

Thought they looked cute together ^A^

(They have collars on, Refresh if they don't show up :3)

[Selcouth]

@Quill: My God, that was fantastic! :D
You have such a fluid writing style, and painted a picture in my head without much purple prose, if any. Awesome, awesome, awesome.
I usually imagine the animals as human out of force of habit, but you've done such a good job adding in the little details {the saliva from the sled dogs, "whinnying", the flicking of tails, so on} that it all seemed very believable, in a sort of fairytale way, that I couldn't help but read it as such. That's not easy to do, so kudos! <3
I hope you write more soon!

[iPawki]

Quill: Beautiful pairing, beautiful story. <3

{f} Del'torra - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Caumestro {m}

I have no earthly idea why or how, but I immensely adore this pairing. <333 I'll come up with a story or poem later.

Strangely, they go very well together. ;]

[~Storm*Night~]

–bounces up and down–

I finished the next part of my story, Incantation: I doubt that anyone will remember the pairing, though, because I posted it way back, on the original thread. Here it is, though. :3

Is'tia ♀ && Daseno ♂

Part I
"Teach me." she begs, trying not to let a whine creep into her voice and destroy the bits of respect that she had carefully founded in him. Or perhaps it was only her imagination; did he ever listen to her properly when she was talking about her ideas? Or even--but no. He wasn't as calloused as she was making him out to be, never in a thousand years! Even though everyone in the village prefers to avoid him, Is'tia had found that his inner-self was so...so...beautiful. And he was so talented, too. His craft was unmatched by anyone. And surely, he would teach her, and then, she would--

"No...I'd rather not."

She feels her dreams crash down as quickly as a bird felled by an arrow plummets to the cold earth. She looks up at him, avoiding his ruby eyes and instead looking at the myriad of black and red designs that grace his shoulder. "But...but I can-"

"I said no, Is'tia." he says firmly, tilting his head and looking at her curiously. What an insistent one. Still, he had been the same not so long ago, when he had plagued the fire dragon of the Ishta mountains for her secrets. And here was someone else, doing the same...should he bend? He looks around his small workshop, which is crammed to the gils with assorted supplies. Matches litter the tables, and books of all sizes and conditions rise up from the floor in towers. Tufts of cotton and other flammable objects are scattered around the floor along side an unhealthy amount of dirt that has collected from about a year of neglect. The single lamp that casts the room in a warm glow is cracked, and wax is leaking out onto the shelf that it's on... At any rate, he certainly needs someone to clean up the place...and she's been following him around for months, bugging him. Perhaps this would be a good way to get rid of her permanently..."Hm...you know what?"

"What?" there she goes again, her hopes rising like a kite on a spring breeze.

"I think I could use an apprentice, you know, to carry on with my work once I'm dead." he shouldn't mention the cleaning part--he'll make it look like he thought that she assumed that it would be a part of the deal. He grins at the way she meets his eyes, and then looks away again.

"T-that would be wonderful!" she whispers. "Thank you so much, Speaker of Fire--"

"Oh please," he says, lifting his head up at the use of his proper title. "You can just call me Daseno while you're my apprentice."

xoxoxo

Being Daseno's apprentice wasn't at all what she had expected. In fact, if someone had seen her, they would have sworn that she was just his maid. All she did was clean, organize huge volumes of books, and buy new materials for Daseno. Oh, and once he asked her to cook him something, but that didn't turn out too well. The aroma of burnt fish had lingered in the small house for days. Sometimes, before she caught herself, she felt a stab of resentment at her mentor: while she was scrubbing floors he was lounging on his chair, immersed in a book. But then she felt guilty, for after all, he was giving her a chance that she had wished for her entire life.

Daseno, on the other hand, was actually rather pleased. So far, he had his entire home cleaned up and had managed to dance around the subject of teaching his 'apprentice' any actual magic. All it had cost him was just a small room and some extra food. Of course, sooner or later she would get tired of this little game and leave, and he wouldn't have a servant anymore. But still...at least he had time to study. He was almost on the brink of discovering a new incantation; there were notes about one in his books that would supposably turn someone's soul to ashes. As he flipped the weathered page of the huge book that lay before him, he became aware of a presence hovering over his shoulder. He sighs.

"What?" he says bluntly, turning around and facing his apprentice. As usual, she ducks away, not meeting his eyes.

"I was just wondering if you would be able to teach me something..." she says, a red-rimmed ear flicking back nervously. "Nothing big or anything, just...something."

"...did you finish tiling the roof?" he asks after a moment's hesitation.

"Yes."

"The parlor is swept?"

"Yes.

"The kitchen has been scrubbed?"

"Yes, I finished that just an hour ago."

"The bookshelves? The floors? The food has been set out for me to prepare?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. Oh, and I added a bit of cilantro to the sauce for the chicken." she was rather pleased with herself; she had finished everything he had cared to ask her and even had done a bit extra.

Cilantro... he groans inwardly, closing his eyes and raising his head to the heavens. Well, not directly, as the ceiling was in the way. He hopes that she'll leave, scurry off to somewhere else into the house and leave him and his secrets alone. But apparently, the girl can't take a hint. "Fine!" he snaps, trying to ignore her look of delight. Daseno wheels around and snatches a book from his desk. He shoves it into her waiting jaws. "Fine! Go on and read that book. If you don't understand it on the first try, don't come back.

She runs off to her room, her paws pounding on the wooden floors, her heart pumping with happiness. Is'tia tosses herself onto the small bed, ignores it's groan of protest, and delicately noses the book into place before her. For a moment, the black and red wolf merely gazes at it with misty violet eyes. This is the moment where she will become...become...become something great. She flips it open, and begins to read.

Part II
She learned quickly. Everything she read, she practically absorbed within minutes without having to puzzle over the concepts too long. Is'tia was also extraordinarily adept at working the actual magic; unlike most novices, any flame or spark that she managed to create was in her control at all times, and the biggest thing that she had burnt was the corner of the book (she had accidentally lost her focus, and a spark strayed from the candle onto the page). Even Daseno, however reluctant, was impressed. He never admitted it, but she had learned faster than him. And she hadn't even burned the house down yet, like he had.

A week passed, and things were settling into a rhythm. Is'tia would wake at the crack of dawn and do all of the chores that needed to be done. If she happened to be too loud, Daseno would wake up, growl to himself, drag himself out of his room to snap at his apprentice, and then go back to bed for another hour or so. They would then eat breakfast (after Daseno had woken up again) and then their studies would begin. Daseno would bury himself in the library, delving into the ancient books that he had so carefully collected, trying to rediscover the incantation for turning souls to ashes. Is'tia would go to her room, read, practice a bit until she mastered the lesson she set up for herself, and if she finished the book, she would then go to Daseno for a new one.

Often times, the two of them would become to engrossed in learning this archaic branch of magic that they would inadvertently end up skipping meals, only noticing when the light outside the window was radiant with the sunset. Everything, however, was perfect. Is'tia was achieving her dream, and Daseno didn't have to worry about his house becoming horribly messy.

It's a pity that it couldn't remain that way.

Their troubles began with a knock on the door.

It was a loud knock, one that made Daseno jump and knock his oldest book to the floor. His ruby eyes narrowed angrily as he swooped down to pick the book up and tenderly place it back on his crowded desk. The book was undamaged, which was a surprise, as it had fallen on top of another stack of books, then slid its way to the ground. Whoever was at the door knocked again, even louder.

"I'll get it!"

Is'tia's voice sounded from her room, and then there was a clattering of paws as a red-black blur swept past the open door of Daseno's study.

"No, wait!" Daseno snarled, carefully picking his way through the piles of books to get to the door. "It's probably some stupid villager, wanting me to fix their bloody lamp or something..."

There was another knock, almost shaking the walls. Then, as he tripped over his only copy of Ignis Anima, he heard the door creak open, and a cheery little voice chirping, "Hello sir, how can I help you?"

"Ignore her, I'm coming, I'm coming!" shouted Daseno, snarling in anger as he stumbled into the hallway. He raced to the doorway, tripping numerous times over small boxes of matches and piles of candles. Daseno pushed Is'tia aside, ignoring her little hurt gasp of astonishment, and looked through the open door. A burly draft horse was standing in the doorway, an irritated look on his bay and black face.

"Hello, I'm Das–"

"I know how you are," sniffed the horse, lifting his head up a few inches, peering at the wolf with narrowed amber eyes. "And I'm from the village council."

A sinking feeling overwhelmed Daseno. The village council? This wasn't good, not good at all...out of the corner of his eye he noticed Is'tia's angular face at his side. Her amethyst eyes darted away from his, just as he noticed that she was studying his face, as though she knew every thought that ran through his mind. He had never really noticed her eyes; they were like a flame, a brilliant violet flame that flickered warmly in a lamp, radiating it's light...

"Yes?" said Daseno, shaking his head slightly and redirecting his gaze to the horse, who seemed to be an envoy of the council.

"Well, the council has decided that you are a hazard to the community."

"What?" he gasped, his jaws agape. "A hazard? Why on earth would they say that? I'm the only one who knows the fine branch of fire–"

"–And," the horse continued on, unruffled by Daseno's outburst. "You have neglected to pay your bills and your taxes for the past...what was it? The past six months?"

This, of course, was true. He hadn't bothered to pay because, well...just because! But wait, apparently there was more:

"And accordingly, the council has decided that you should leave the village immediately."

"Why?" Is'tia said with the advent of Daseno's sudden silence. "I mean, couldn't he just pay his debts and stay?"

The horse snorted, swishing his long ebony tail. "No," he said in a patient, almost bored tone. "He cannot pay his debts in time. I hardly think that he has enough gold to pay in a week's time?" he lifted a hoof and flicked it towards the decrepit brick home.

"What if I repaid the village via my art?" said Daseno, letting a whine slip into his voice. "Normally, I would make the lot of you pay, but I would do anything that you wanted for free."

"Oh really? You would do that?"

Daseno's heart lifted; there was a way out of this, there definitely was. Ah hah! He would finally be able to flaunt his talents, finally would receive the notice that he deserved!

"Well, too bad. You are to leave immediately. Pack up your vital goods, and leave. The same goes with you, miss. You left the orphanage, and signed documents stating that you were now under Daseno's care."

"But, what about all of my things?" whispered Daseno, "All of my books, and supplies..."

"I thought that we would get to that." a smug grin crept over the horse's face. "Your belongings will be distributed in the village to those who need them."

"But I can count on my paw the number of citizens here that can actually read!" he replied, shooting a glance at Is'tia. Now that he thought of it, how had she learned to read? "No one would want my books, so if I could only have an hour or so to pack them up–"

"Sorry. Can't do; council's orders."

"But what will you do with them!?"

"Burn them. There are lots of families in the village that need extra kindling in order to make it through the winter."

A choked sob wrenched it's way out of Deseno's throat. The world seemed to spin as the draft's words resounded in his mind. His precious books, his magnificent collection of such a rare branch of magic...burnt to a crisp in a blazing fire? How horrible; the irony made him sick to his stomach...

Is'tia staggered to one side as Daseno's limp form toppled over onto her flank. Carefully, trying to ignore the horse's quiet chuckles, she let him slide to the ground, not really knowing what else to do. He lay there for a moment, his breathing ragged. She hoped that it was just the shock of having to loose his books, and not some medical condition that had remained dormant for all this time. Inhaling once, she looked up at the horse, who nodded and began to trot off.

"You have fifteen minutes to pack," he whinnied over his shoulder. Is'tia nodded in response, and looked down at Daseno. She shouldn't stand here, staring wistfully at him like this, she should be packing, racing around the house to collect as many books as she could before the time was up. But...he was so vulnerable here, so peaceful. At any rate, he wasn't snapping at her to stop making such a racket.

He shifted, making the swirling red-black patterns in his fur ripple like a flag in an evening breeze. Is'tia blinked, and then scurried inside, lest he wake and notice that she had been standing there that entire time.

xoxoxo

They watched as a team of foul-mouthed sled dogs dragged the remainder of Daseno's possessions to the village centre. The scruffy band of dogs were straining at their harnesses, swears flying out of their mouth along with strings of saliva. They insisted on taking all of it out in one haul, but apparently, they didn't realize how many heavy books Daseno had collected through the years.

No one seemed to notice how all of this was effecting Daseno. No one aside from Is'tia, that is. She stood by his side, occasionally sneaking glances at his somber face. His features were hard, hard as a diamond. She had expected him to break down sobbing or at least shed a tear (for after all, he had fainted earlier), but he remained as stoic as she had ever seen him. He kept his head high, retaining his pride even as they were escorted out of the village boundaries with their travois packed with as many books as they could carry.

They didn't speak as they traveled through the darkening country-side. Is'tia desperately wanted to, to break this silence that prickled at her mind like a hive of buzzing bees, but...she couldn't force herself to open her mouth and utter a single word. They walked on a small dirt path for fifteen minutes, until Daseno stopped abruptly.

"We're turning back."

Is'tia blinked in surprise, actually looking at him. He was faced forwards, staring at a point in the distance.

"Why?" she asked, shrugging off her half of the harness that bound them both to the travois. "We should stop here, and sleep."

"No, we're not going to stop here."

"...why?"

He turned to her, his eyes glinting in the half-light. She ducked her head as usual, avoiding his gaze. He didn't speak for a moment, but when he did, the ice in his voice shook her to the bone;

"We are going to burn that village to the ground."

I write stories and I admit that that is wonderful XD Congrats! You have to PM me the other half!Please?