Secret gardens

The wind kissed my cheeks and the grass danced through my toes. I grabbed at passing dandelion tufts and looked in wonder at the world around me.

A flash of red.

“Daddy!” A soft giggle escaped.

Standing before her small frame was a wolf. Reddish brown in color, proud in his stance. Rich brown eyes poured into her blue ones. The girl, too young to recognize the emotion swirling in his gaze, smiled happily and reached for him. As small finger tips had barely brushed the fur on his legs he became alert.

The light pitter patter of feet reached their sensitive ears. Crawling her way up the rock wall, from the east side of the dense forrest, came a girl. Her legs kicked and squirmed trying to maneuver the large stones stacked neatly around the perimeter of their potato fields. She had skin that appeared golden in the suns rays. Her hair had far surpassed her small stature, but it was braided beautifully so it wouldnt drag on the ground - or catch on rocks.

From behind the girl, a lean man appeared from the oak trees. He was tall and proud. His skin was rich with color and history. Scars littered his arms and back telling a tale that refused to leave his solemn lips. The smallest of smiles graced his face at his daughters struggle. He leaned in close to her ear and she stilled. With a look of new determination she thrust her small legs and cleared the troublesome rock wall. The mans lips tipped up, but only slightly, at the little girls triumph. His attention then drifted past the field and up the hill where the wolf stood.

As the two newcomers approached, the reddish wolf took another form. The transition was quick and practiced. Fur shrank back and canines receeded into a much smaller mouth. Soon, his light skin was being licked by the suns rays, and no one batted an eye at his nudity as he stood. Glee lit up blue eyes as the blonde began to descend the incline toward her friend.

“Dyami!” Screamed the blonde.

“Aesha!”

The two greeted each other and immediately began a wrestling match in the soft grass. Limbs were everywhere and laughter filled the open air.

“Beta Edun.” A greeting came in a deep baritone from the, now nude, man.

The stoic expression never left Edun’s face.

Edun pounded his fist to his chest. His long braid swinging over his shoulder as he bowed deeply to his Alpha.

“Come. There is much to discuss.” The Alpha said as he began striding through the fields with purpose.

They made their way to the quaint red brick home quickly, with long legs making the men both over six feet tall. Typical of male wolf shifters. They confidently left their pups to their playing. Their innocence shown in their lack of awareness of their fathers movements.

The Alpha turned to look back at his young daughter, with his Betas offspring, galavanting on the hill. The sight of it captured him for a few moments..

The red sun rising behind them would have been dramatic and beautiful if my mind wasn’t already tainted by the color red. Red was the color of my enemies. Red was the blood on my hands. Beauty was trivial and short lived but blood, death…that inevitable red awaits us all. The only truth in this world.

In his thoughts he sensed the man behind him pause to take in the sight as well.

“They have no idea what awaits them beyond that horizon. We must prepare, Alpha.”

Without another word the men disappeared into the small cabin they had been approaching. The two pups bounded and leaped, throughly enjoying the nature surrounding them. They had no cares and paid no mind to the shift in the wind. Their young ears not yet ready for what was to transpire in the brick farmhouse just below. They tumbled and rolled in the thick grass, enjoying the way the dandelions puffed at their gallavanting, and floated away on the summers breeze. With no idea what Fate would hand them..