Jingle. Jingle. Clink. Clink.
The bracelets on his legs tinkled together in musical sounds as he trotted over the earth. His legs were long, and although he was only a year old, well-muscled as well. His pelt was a pure blue-white with rainbow splatters across his back, okapi markings striped up his legs. He was a rather bright fellow, someone who would stand out in this forest rather than blend in. But he was smiling; that was something.
He'd departed from Windfall less than two weeks ago. He'd not met another wolf since. He missed Aydie, his foster mother, terribly. He'd spent his entire puppy-and-teenhood at the beta's side. He even found himself missing the alpha male, Crush.
Ho hum. He'd find someone, eventually.
---
He blended in. Backus didn't let the off white and blue markings from blending into the night time. He was just waking up, though. Those mismatched eyes blinking blearily to the sounds of something metalic a ways away. It was annoying, but not the most terrible sound in the world.
The three year old male stretched himself out fully as he rose to his paws, hearing pops from his joints as he did. Everytime he heard that popping noise, he knew he was getting old. Shaking his head, the big male pushed himself out of his cave and into the grass, kicking up all sorts of bugs. A grin appeared on his face and, in puppy like pleasure, his jaws snapped at the flying insects, not managing to catch anything. Which was fine. Backus really didn't want to eat bugs right now anyway.
He trotted towards the watering place he'd settled a ways from and listened there. The jingling was getting closer to this area. With his ears back at that thought, he lapped at the water, cooling his parched throat. Though it was so cold it sent a shiver through the male as it went to his belly. He could feel it moving the whole way down.
---
He blended in so well that Impulse didn't see him. The splatterpunk was headed towards the river, the smell of water intoxicating to him. The bangled male moved easily, happily, his body loose and free. His tail was low between his thighs and his head was held high but not too high.
Impulse's heartbeat sped up at the scent of the new male. He froze, joints locking. His head ducked down, dipping, searching around with his eyes. There, a black wolf. With two-colored eyes. Impulse offered him a little smile, creeping forwards. "Um... Hello," he said with a sheepish grin.
---
His head tilted to one side at that voice and looked up. The male'd come from a different way than he'd thought he would. Oh, well. He sniffed at the other male for a moment, trying to figure out if he was going to attack or not. Lucky, he seemed like a nice guy, what with the smile and everything. Inclining his head in a small nod, Backus returned the greeting, voice rumbling like usual. "Hello, young friend." The way he said it didn't sound insulting. Just making an observation. "....You seem thirsty... Come. I don't own it.."
---
He stood, lowering himself down to the ground under the stranger's strange gaze. An omega. Don't hurt me, he seemed to plead. Although...he didn't seem to be on the attack. Impulse slowly stood and nodded shortly, headed to the river's edge. It was wonderful as he lapped up the clear running water, taking in all the sights. His tail tip wiggled with happiness. "Thank you!" he beamed, sitting down once he'd had his fill. He looked coyly at the stranger. "I'm...Impulse," he admitted softly, carefully, watching the other for a reaction. "I hail from a pack called Windfall."
---
"Backus.... I don't..... have a pack. ...that I remember," he murmured softly, watching the other male. He was so.. submissive, it seemed. Ah, well. The bright male just leeked of happiness, and it was a good change of pace. He'd been bickering with Juniper, who lived near here. The only time they ever crossed paths was at this watering place. He hummed slightly and got comfortable where he was, front paws dipping in the water. Not like he cared. Right now, Backus' mind was telling him, his body was screaming, for him to take time to know others. Try to settle into the stream of things, try to settle down period.
---
Impulse wagged his tail, which whooshed the earth with each sway. He was a happy wolf; he always had been. That was part of the reason Aydie had taken him in and that he earned respect from Crunch and Moody.
"No pack?" he echoed, relaxing enough to look away from him, gazing up at the sky. "I left my pack to find someone..." His ears pricked. "Perhaps... Perhaps you've heard of a wolf called Bipolar?"
---
He shook his head slowly and sighed. "Afraid not, my friend. You're only one of a handful of wolves I've met." With an apologetic look, the male yawned widely and chuckled. "Mm. I ...don't have anything to leave. Most wolves get angry when I tell them I don't have a pack. Or sad. I'm glad you didn't do either."
---
He took a deep breath as Backus-- such a strange name for the wolf -- said he knew not of Bipolar. But his smile didn't waver. That was okay. He would find her. The cuffs on his ears jingled as he shook his head. "Why would I get angry? Lone wolves aren't bad?" His head tilted to one side.
---
Shoulders shrugging, the elder gave a sad sort of smile. "No idea. I've met one loner, and I don't care much for him. Which reminds me, don't go west. You'd run into him... .and he's not very ....Ahm. Nice, I guess." With a little chuckle, Backus got up again and stretched once again, legs sticking out. "I wish I could help you.... I've never heard of your pack. Is this... other wolf from it?"
---
Impulse smiled, but his eyes didn't connect to that smile as he watched the older wolf's sadness. It made him sad as well. "West?" His head tilted to one side, not unlike a puppy. "Okay..." Bad wolves were bad. He'd stay away from west... "But..." What if he knew where Bipolar was? He shook his head. "My pack's not very well know," he admitted softly. "Bipolar...was...from it." Was... before she killed her daughter and got exiled. "It's been a few years."
----
He nodded at the explination and then sighed softly. Pack wolves made Backus uneasy and anxioius, like he was supposed to be apart of it. Like he was supposed to feel the connection that came with a pack. How he wished he could. There wasn't a pack who'd accept him. His standards were high and he'd already declined the Tomkin pack. Those unmatching eyes stared down at the water that his paws were dipped in and then tried to pull himself out of his downward smile. "I'm assuming she's very close to you if you're searching for her."
---
"Close..." He gave a sharp laugh, strange to come out of such a soft-toned wolf. His muzzle twisted up briefly. He would find Bipolar... And... And then? He growled. She would pay for making Aydie so sad, his Aydie... If he had a mean bone in his body, he'd give her a piece of his young mind. Luckily for him, he would find that Bipolar was nothing but a lowly omega. A smile returned to his face. "No. Not close. She was my...foster mother's daughter. She did something...unspeakable. And got exiled from her pack. My pack. I have to find out the truth...if she killed her own daughter or not..."
---
So that was the whole situation. He had an inkling of what the unspeakable was. Or a couple of good ideas, anyway. With a small nod, he blinked at the last sentence. How could anyone ...kill their own pups? Their own blood? He couldn't phathom that. Still, he wasn't asking questions. It didn't suit this brightly colored male. Not at all. So he'd change the subject. "My new friend.... Where did you get the bands around your legs?"
---
Impulse looked almost sad, almost forlorn as he watched the cogs in Backus's mind spin as he put 2 and 2 together. He gave a wistful smile, taking a sigh. Then he turned his head, looking down at the now-quiet charms looped around his paws. They were simple bangles, forged of two-leg metal and they chimed when they clinked together. A true smile replaced the old one. "When I was young...I was a little...rambunctious. It took me away from home more often than not." He gave a small laugh. "I got caught by the two-legs. Or rather, two-leg pups. They thought it would be fun to dress me up." And Impulse, ever the quiet lover, had allowed it, like a pet dog might.
---
He gave a smile at that and a soft laugh trickled forward with a shake of his head. "The last time I got near the two legs was to save a she-wolf from death. I got attacked by those stupid .....dogs. Lots of blood, but her mate and I saved her in time. ...Don't know what happened to the two of them."
---
"The two-legs are dangerous, yes," he agreed soulfully. "But their pups usually are not. I've never met a two-leg pup to harm another. At least..." Not the young ones, anyway. The older ones liked to throw stones. "I don't like their hounds..." He shivered slightly and his eyes widened. "They hear me comin' with these here bangles. Were they your friends?"
---
He shrugged his shoulders with a snort. "I called them that for a short time, but I've yet to run into them again. Maybe fate will bring the three of us together again. I've never known what a friend is, really. I'm to much of a loner, I suppose. Or that's... what someone whispered to me a long, long time ago.." Who it was, he couldn't remember, but that's what he heard.
---
Impulse frowned. No friends? Who would say that to him? "That's not too friendly of them," he said, ears laying back for a moment. No one had ever said such negative things to Impulse; No, Aydie had done her best to keep his spirits up, always high-flying, even if Moody was indeed huffy, even he didn't act out against the pup. They had raised him as their own. He smiled. "I'll be your friend if you want?"
---
"Aye... I think I'd like that, Impulse.... A friend in such good spirits seems to be a good thing." The elder gave a laugh again and sighed heavily. It was relieving, in a way, to have a true friend. "....Can I accompany you on your journy to find this she-wolf? ...Maybe.... to be.... part of your pack?" He longed to know what the pack life was like. Maybe he'd find someone to settle down with, as well.
---
Impulse's tail began to thrash the ground, grass brushing back and forth in beat with his heart and he just grinned. Company! Oh, he'd been traveling alone, for how long? It would be wonderful to have company! "Of course!" he barked, then paused, thoughtful. "I don't know if I'm returning to Windfall any time soon, however." And Crush wasn't eager to trust newcomers. But... "Perhaps we can find another pack?" He smiled. "Who knows, maybe if we find Bipolar, she'll know of one!"
---
Sound reasonable enough. He knew he could trusth this male. It just seemed like he could just from talking like this with him. It was wonderful to actually conerse with someone. Maybe he could learn some mannerisms about meeting new wolves, anyway. "Alright then, Impulse. I'll be your friend and travelling companion until we find her."
---
He pranced to his paws, lithe and quick like silver, dancing around the bigger wolf. Side by side, it was obvious Impulse was younger. Perhaps this was good. Maybe traveling with a seasoned male, he would have little more trouble with rogues. He flashed a grin. "Onwards, then!" he crowed. This day could only get better.
{Fin}
