|Kennel|Twenty (20)
|Name|Gypsy
|Breed|Mackenzie Tundra Wolf
(Canis lupus mackenzii)|Age|Three (3)
(Approx. 24 in human years)|Why do you want this animal? What will you do for this animal?|How can I put my love of Gypsy into words? I get attached to characters easily, yes, but it's rare that I get this attached to a character. She fit herself into a hole I didn't know existed in my story, and she stole my heart with te tragic story she had to tell. The story below is only a fraction only the one she told me, and I hope I will get the chance to get her story out to the world through art, writing, and love.
|Personailty|Her personality is complex beyond words. Therefore, she would like to show you who she is through her actions, thoughts, and words in the story below...her story.
|Dislikes|Disloyalty
Heat
Lonliness
Betrayal
War
|Likes|Family
Cold
Loyalty
Friendship
|Mate|Kiewjo|Song|The Noose by A Perfect Circle
|History/Background|How did we get this way? How did my world crumble like the melting ice?
No. The question is not how; the question is why. Why did the gods feel the need to take you? My friend. My confidant. I never had the chance to say sorry. I never had the chance to tell you what I really thought.
Now...now it’s too late. You can’t make amends with the dead.
| Two and One Half Seasons Ago |
I followed my father eagerly though the deepening snow. I had not traveled this far north before. Then again, I was still a pup. I was surprised my father was letting me come along. Mother hadn't liked the idea, but Father insisted, and, as alpha, his word was law.
So, I followed my father, playfully diving into snowbanks, laughing and squealing, much to my father's amusement.
"You'd think you hadn't seen snow before, little one," my father chuckled. I looked up at him, beaming as only a pup could.
"But there's so
much snow, daddy! These piles are bigger than mountains!" I squealed, bouncing into a "mountain" of snow once more. My father chuckled.
"Mountains, huh? Then that would make me...the mountain monster! Rarrgh!" he pounced on the bank I was hiding in, gently play fighting with me, making me squeal with laughter.
"Not the mountain monster!"
"Looks like you could use some help, little one," a warm voice responded to my cries. My father stood and greeted the other male, and that's when I saw him. Hiding shyly behind his father, was the wolf who would change the world.
| Present |
"Gypsy!" I looked up as the panicked voice neared. I knew the voice, and I knew the wolf to whom it belonged. I wasn't expecting, however, to see the beaten and bloodied version of that wolf. I stood, worry in my eyes as my mate's colleague stumbled towards me; his jagged movements being scrutinized by the rest of the pack, made up of females and pups.
"Haddix! What...happened?"
"Eyktan...and...oh, Tiresia, Gypsy. They're dead. They're all dead," he collapsed before me, shuddering, in both shock and pain. I heard gasps and whines from the wolves around us, but they sounded so far away. It couldn’t be true, what he was saying. All...dead?
“Please, Haddix, my friend, explain. What happened?” I laid down beside him, nosing him, trying to rouse him from the nightmare world he had seemingly descended into. He raised his head to look me in the eye, and I felt my heart freeze as if it were on ice; the fear and pain deep in his eyes burrowed even deeper into my heart.
“Eyktan found a...a traitor...and you know our laws, Gypsy...traitors must be publicly executed. We just didn’t know the traitor wouldn’t be the only one executed...he killed them all...only a few, like myself, escaped. No one’s coming home, Gypsy.”
I felt numb. One thought crossed my mind, “Haddix...what about...?”
He lowered his head, and I received my answer. No words were necessary, but they were spoken none-the-less.
“I’m sorry...he’s not coming back.”
| Two Seasons Ago |
“I’m going to be a general one day! My father just told me!” my friend bounced up to me as our fathers looked on in amusement. I cocked my head, raising an eyebrow, both at the comment and at the other pup following him. He turned, grinning at his reluctant friend, before grinning at me.
“Gypsy, meet my friend Haddix. Haddix, meet Gypsy!” Haddix smiled shyly, looking curiously skittish, the complete opposite of how our mutual friend was acting. I smiled back, approaching him.
“Hello, Haddix!”
“Hi...” he whispered, looking so shy.
“Guuuuuuys! Did you hear me? I’m going to be a general!” my friend made himself known once again, bouncing around us in a circle, beaming almost as much as the sun.
“A general of what?” I asked, wrinkling my nose; I hadn’t heard of any generals and I hadn’t hear of why they were needed.
“The wolf army, duh! You know, the warriors that protect all wolves from bad guys?”
“No...but it sounds cool! Can I be a general, too?” I looked excited; I wanted to help protect wolves. However, all I received was a laugh in response. “What’s so funny?”
“Girls can’t be generals! That’s just silly!” my friend laughed, on his back, paws in the air.
“And why not?” I demanded, angry. How dare he tell me I couldn’t be a general!
“Because it is wolf law, my daughter,” I father spoke from behind me. I looked up at him sullenly. “I do not agree with it either, but, it is part of our laws.”
“Though, maybe, one day, a female will lead wolves to battle; that female may even be you, little one,” my friend’s father smiled, catching the determination in my look. Haddix grinned.
“I think you’d make a good general, Gypsy.”
“One day, I’ll be a general...
and an alpha, both! You’ll see!” I stood proud, smirking at my glaring friend, hearing Haddix yip happily in the background. One day, I would.
| Present |
As soon as Haddix had recovered, we headed south. Haddix was adamant that Eyktan would find us if we stayed where we were. He wasn’t clear on how Eyktan knew about us, and that made me worry. I had a feeling it had to do with my mate...but I didn’t know how.
“Mother?” a soft voice broke my spell as we travelled; I was leading, with Haddix beside me, and now, my son in between us.
“Yes, little one?” I asked kindly, smiling a smile I didn’t feel.
“Where are we going?” I looked at Haddix, unsure of the answer myself. Haddix smiled down at the pup.
“South, child. I have friends who are going to help us.”
“Help us with what? What’s going on?” that was the question, wasn’t it? No one seemed to know what was going on lately, especially with the Leopard Lord’s “mood swings,” as Haddix lovingly called it.
“There is an evil leopard who wants to hurt our kind, little one. We are trying to get away from him, so he won’t hurt us.”
“Oh...”
“Don’t be scared, though, pup. We’ll protect you. I promise.”
I smiled, watching him with my son. He would make a great father one day, I knew it. Though, he may never find a mate...
| One and a Half Seasons Ago |
“Gypsy...may I speak with you?” Haddix asked quietly, wandering towards my betrothed and I as we cuddled together. I smiled warmly at him; he had become my closest friend, beside my mate, of course. I licked my mate’s muzzle lovingly, before rising, following the fidgeting wolf.
He led me away from my mate, up to the crest of a hill. The same hill from seasons past, where we played as pups. He sat, as did I; I watched him, he watched the rising stars. I knew I had to wait; he only spoke when he felt it time. Twilight had arrived before he spoke.
“I worry, sometimes, Gypsy. I worry that my secret...might tear us apart.”
“Nothing could, Haddix. You’re my closest friend...my brother in spirit. Please, tell me what hurts you; maybe I can help,” I murmured, nosing him gently. He looked back at me, his eyes sad and pained.
“I’m afraid of losing you,” he whispered, nuzzling me gently. I smiled kindly, trying to reassure.
“You won’t lose me, Haddix. I promise.”
“I...I’ve been hiding, Gypsy, but...I can’t much longer. Your mating day is near, and...I wanted you to know before then,” he hesitated, letting out the most heartbroken whine I had ever heard; a whine that broke my heart, “I love you.”
I watched him, my eyes showing my confusion, and he lowered his head. It took me a few moments before I understood. He loved me, not as a sister, as I believed, but as a mate would love another. I backed away slightly, watching him, shaking my head.
“I...Haddix...you know I can’t. You know I love-”
“I know. I know you don’t love me. I...I understand that. I just...I wanted you to know.”
I lowered my head, murmuring, “I...I need to go...”
“I’m sorry, Gypsy...I didn’t want this to happen...”
I moved away, heading back towards my mate, stopping for a second before looking back at his broken form, “Maybe, if, Tiresia forbid, something where to happen to him...we could be together. But...not while he’s living. I won’t do that to him.”
| Present |
Silently, I rested on a hill above my meager pack. We were much farther south than I expected, and the heat was tiring us all. We were tundra wolves for a reason.
“Are you alright, my friend?” Haddix asked softly as he laid down beside me, smiling softly. I raised my head to smile lightly back.
“I’m just thinking...about...well, you wouldn’t want to hear about it.”
“Try me,” he said, raising an eyebrow, paws crossed before him. I paused before speaking softly, “I’m just thinking about the other packs that lost their males. The alphas with no mates, the pups with no fathers...especially the traitor’s family. How must they feel? Their mate, their father...started a genocide. How can you live knowing that?”
Haddix lowered his head. Moments passed before he spoke.
“I was the one that reported the traitor. I...I had been fed all my life to do such things, but it killed me to do so. He was like my brother...and I betrayed him. I forced him to his death. It hurts me everyday, because I know I hurt his mate...I know I caused his pups to grow without a father. I was a fool,” he voice cracked as he refrained from breaking down; my heart ached for him.
“Was he someone I knew, Haddix?” I asked softly, nosing him gently, “Who was the traitor?”
As soon as his broken voice replied, I wished I hadn’t asked.
“Oh, Gypsy...Kiewjo...the traitor was Kiewjo.”
| One Season Ago |
“I have to go, my mate,” Kiewjo murmured to me, nuzzling me gently. He had just spoken with a messenger, something I had dreaded. It meant only one thing: he was being called to war, “Haddix, the warriors and I must go.”
“Why? What’s going on?” I asked softly, not wanting him, nor Haddix to leave. I loved them both; I couldn’t lose them.
“Our Lord is summoning the warriors to honor the alliance he has with the Leopard Lord. I don’t want to leave you, but I have no choice.”
“I understand, Kiewjo...just...please, be safe. Come home to me. And make sure Haddix is with you.”
“I will, my love. Protect our pups, and our home. Now is your time to be a general,” he smiled teasingly as I nipped his ear playfully. He would never let me forget that, “Goodbye, Gypsy. I will see you again in a few suns. I swear to you.”
I never saw him again.
| Present |
“You...you betrayed him...after I made him swear to protect you. You betrayed him!” I was furious. And he knew it. I stood above him, my eyes dancing with the fire of my anger; he cowered, his eyes sad.
“Gypsy, please...I was a fool...”
“A fool? That’s putting it mildly. He was not the traitor. You were. You betrayed the very ties that bound us all. For what? What did you hope to gain? Me? You killed him to be with me?”
“No...”
“Get out of my sight, Haddix. I do not want to see you again. May the gods punish your traitorous spirit.”
He was gone by morning.
| Two Months Later |
We had joined with a rebel band of beasts not long after I cast Haddix out. I didn’t need to explain why he was gone; they heard my anger that night. Haddix was not spoken of again.
Now, I was a general for this ragtag army. We were quite proficient in ambushing small gangs of leopards, but now, we were in over our heads, and were oblivious to it. I didn't know it, but a band of Leopards was hidden from our view. We were the ones about to be ambushed.
"Forward slowly, troops. Be silent," I whispered. I was crouched. Along with the "soldiers" I commanded, "Ready... attack!"
Roars and howls filled the air as we kept out. However, we were not expecting the band to double in size, easily overtaking us. We fought as hard as we could, and were doing well. They hadn't expected a group like this to font so hard. I was pleased.
That was, until a massive paw slammed me to the ground, claws ripping open my flesh. I looked up at the furious leopard, mentally saying my goodbyes. I closed my eyes.
A roar and a howl later I was free. My eyes snapped open, and a sight so confusing filled my vision. Haddix, latched onto the roaring beast; Haddix's friends, helping us push back the force. I watched in horror as Haddix fought, knowing deep in my heart, it was a battle he wasn't going to win.
I was right.
The wolf was thrown into a tree with a sickening thud, and agonized yelp echoing throughout the forest. I jumped up, as much as my injured body could allow. I collapsed beside him, whining.
"Haddix..."
"Gyp...sy...I'm...sorry..."
I never got to tell him goodbye, nor did I get to say I'm sorry as well. It's too late now.
After all, you can't make amends with the dead.
|Other|Please ignore any typos in the last half...my iPod hates me. XD
Also, sorry to whomever judges Gypsy. Yay, wordwalls! 8D