FicWad

Chapter 1: Puppy Days

“Naki… Naki! Where are you?” Cerise glanced up and around, rosy eyes searching the magnificently green blades of grass which reached up to his chest. “Why do you insist on playing this terrible game?”

Naki giggled from his crouched position amongst the tall grass, he was going to jump out and scare his friend as he came closer but a blue butterfly fluttered in front of him, distracting him with the way its pretty wings glinted in the sun light. He rose up from his spot, entranced by the way the small creature danced in the air.

“There you are! What on earth are you doing on the ground? Only commoners get on the ground Naki.”

Naki watched for a few more seconds as the butterfly fluttered around before turning back to Cerise with a broad smile, “don’t be silly Cerise, we play on the ground all the time! Does that make you a commoner?”

“Hey,” Cerise came over to playfully flick Naki’s ear, “I am still your prince you know, and just because we’re friends doesn’t mean you can go around calling me a commoner.”

Naki playfully pounced on Cerise’s back, leaning his chin on his friends shoulder decked in expensive clothes, “Oh yes your royal conceitedness, I will never insult thee again!” He gently nipped Cerise one the ear then took off running, “tag! You’re it!”

“H… Hey! Naki you cheater, get back here!”

ooOOooOOoo

Off in the distance, two tall figures watched from a balcony overlooking one of the lush fields that made up the courtyard which surrounded their huge manor. One leaned over the thick brick of the edge of the balcony’s railing and watched the two which looked even smaller in the distance, play together. He was a tall fellow with long black hair that trailed down his arm and eyes they were blue as ice, wearing a small smirk upon his lips.

“Cerise plays with that boy a lot, he’s the son of Lord Phillius’ new wife isn’t he?” Leoin looked over to his side, pale pink hair trailing over his shoulder. “Why are you looking at him so intently?”

“I don’t know,” Sega said with his eyes still trained on the two playing in the field, “I’ve never noticed him before but they play together often. He looks… interesting don’t you think?”

“Hmm yes he has unique coloring for sure, his hair is silver, and I’ve never seen such a coloring in my life.” He glanced over and smiled at his older brother, “that’s saying a lot seeing as our family line has one of the most unique coloring.”

“Hm, I’m suddenly intrigued by him, Cerise seems to enjoy his company a lot. He behaves less like an old man around him.”

“Hehe yes it’s true, he’s so intent on pleasing father being the youngest that forgets to be a child. It’s good he’s found decent company who isn’t intimidated by his status.”

“Cerise! Come here will you, and bring your friend!” The sudden loud call came from Sega as he rose from his lean, tall and lithe statue towering over his brother. “I think we should meet him don’t you?”

Leoin smirked, “no not really but you seem to have some unusual interest in something new like always so I’ll go along with it.”

***

“Ah! Oh no, my brothers are calling us…”

“Us? Why are the Princes calling me? What did you do Cerise? I’m not allowed to get away with mayhem like you are,” Naki glanced up at the high balcony where two figures stood and swallowed, “I’m not ready to meet your brothers, they are so regal and royal… it’s scary!”

“Well what am I then,” Cerise said with an offended look as he dust blades of grass off of his expensive clothing, “common and rough?”

“It’s not that,” Naki said ruffling his silvery strands, “you’re just… not as royal and regal.”

“You’re so flattering!” Cerise grabbed the hand of his friend and began to lead him through the grass, “come on silly, Sega gets grumpy easily.”

“Which one is Sega? Your eldest brother right?”

“What… Naki, how can you not know the names of your Princes? Do you care nothing for pack politics?”

“I’m twelve! What do I need to know about politics?”

Cerise glanced back at his oblivious friend, “your step father is the head of our fighting ranks… and isn’t your mother nobility from some other pack? How can you not care about politics? Your whole life involves politics!”

“Urgh you don’t have to remind me,” Naki said sourly as they finally reached the paved path which led up to the back door of the massive manor. Ahead of them the two brothers waited patiently at the door’s entrance which had two very large guards posted at its side, both bowed to the Cerise approaching.

“Cerise, it’s rude of you to have company over and not introduce him to your family members.”

“You already met him doofus,” Cerise said out of the corner of his mouth before he was in ear shot, “my apologies brother! This is Naki, son of Phillius of The Field. Naki, this is my brother Sega and Leoin.”

“We’ve met before at my mother’s wedding but hello again,” Naki said shyly from behind Cerise.

Cerise turned and nudged him with an elbow in the side before darting his eyes to his older brothers. Naki cocked his head in confusion at his friend and Cerise rolled his eyes, “bow you idiot. These are princes you’re talking to!”

“Oh yeah right,” Naki gave a curt bow to them both, “my apologies Prince Sega, Prince Leoin.”

Leoin gave a slight chuckle, “he has some nerve this one, forgetting to bow to the royal family.”

“Leoin be nice, he’s a kid, I’m sure you’ll have many one day.” Sega stepped away from the door, “come in you two and have some snacks.”

Cerise quirked a fine brow at his brother but shrugged off his weird suspicion before grabbing Naki’s hand and leading him inside. Sega was never nice… to anyone. He and Leoin were close but he was the typical bossy older brother towards Cerise. Then again, Naki did have an effect on people. The other young kids around at first picked on him, but each quickly grew to like the gentle speaking young boy and now he had far more friends than Cerise had and he lived with the Field pack his entire life. Then again most of the children were taught to show him respect and not cross boundaries by trying to befriend him. It was a rather lonely existence at his age but Naki didn’t care from square one that he was the son of the King.

“Cerise,” Sega said with a smile that didn’t fit his angular face, “has Naki seen the castle before? No, then you go ahead, I’ll show him around.” He nodded towards the house because he knew Cerise would not argue with him.

“Come on brat, let’s go start some tea.”

“No one likes tea but you Leoin,” Cerise said with a slight pout as he was ushered down the hall, “I’m still young, don’t try to steal away my milk and cookie days.”

“Um…” Naki stood there smiling slightly, a bit confused at why the eldest brother was giving him a tour of their home.

“Don’t be shy,” Sega encouraged glancing down at the much shorter male, “you have such a long tail Naki and your hair is a unique color that I’ve never seen before, where did you come from if I may ask?”

Sega began to move down the large tan and white halls decked in rich cloth and shiny trinkets. “I um, I’m not sure, mom says we come from the Forest lands that’s why we have such odd coloring. She says the Forest Pack is really secretive so it’s no wonder we look odd to everyone.”

Sega slowed his pace so the inquisitive young boy could take his time and look upon whatever interested him which was everything so far. His long tail swished happily from side to side and stuck up and out when he seemed to not understand something he was seeing.

“That’s a human piece from a very old artist. They had odd obsessions with nude women and small naked children back then.”

“What are those things on her chest… and where’s her, well you know, how does she go potty?”

Sega snickered lightly before shaking his head, “those are question better left for your mother, let’s explore the rest of the castle.” He placed a gentle hand against the young boy’s back, “The Forest pack was it? You were very young when you came here, do you have any memories of your homeland? The Forest pack is indeed secretive and they don’t an alliance with us so I’d love some insight about them.”

Naki shook his head, “I don’t remember anything really, momma and I were always inside of our home, it was a nice home and we had a little staff but I didn’t get to leave the back courtyard. I didn’t get to see anyone other than momma and the staff so I don’t know what color others in the Forest had.”

He paused at two large wooden doors with the emblem of a wolf on the front. “What’s in here?”

“Grown up stuff,” Sega said curtly before leaning down so that he and Naki were face to face, “your eyes… they are so different. Your pupils are so light…”

Naki blushed, stepping back and looking away shyly. “I know, I’m weird looking, people tell me all the time.” He glanced up as Sega closed the distance again, taking a lock of his shiny hair between his fingers.

“No,” Sega whispered with his eye locked onto Naki’s, “you’re unearthly, beautiful, and no one should tell you otherwise.”

Naki ducked his head in embarrassment, “ah but I’m a boy! Boys can’t be beautiful.”

Sega again chuckled before patting Naki on the head, “boys can be beautiful and you shouldn’t forget that… Now, about those snacks?”

ooOOooOOoo

“Bye Cerise! It was an honor to meet you Prince Sega! I have to get home before I get in trouble.” He waved goodbye to the two standing at the door as he began to run home because the sun was setting and he was supposed to be home by then.

He ran past a little shop, not bothering to look at it, missing the person which had been watching he and Sega roam the courtyards together just prior. Gold eyes glared angrily at the retreating back before narrowing in disgust.

They didn’t live far, the people he was forced to call a family, it seemed that Lord Phillius and the King were the best of friends, he’d often here other kids speak of his father in awe, of his battle prowess and his close knit relationship to the leader of the pack himself. It was even said that if anything were to happen to the King, until Lord Sega was able to prove himself worthy of taking over the thrown, Phillius would be the new Leader by default.

Naki scoffed to himself as he finally reached the walkway of his current home, no one on the outside must have knew the man well then. He was a cold man, his expression was always blank or angry, Naki had never seen any other variation in the seven years he’d lived with his new family. Perhaps to his mother the man showed a different face, maybe once or twice he caught a different look in the man’s eyes when he stared at Naki’s mother, but to him the giant of a man was nothing but a mean tyrant. His word was law in the home, even to his own sons and while he’d never given the man reason to punish him, he had seen the results on the two older more mischievous boys he called step-brothers. He didn’t understand what intuition was but he did know that something about the man just felt mean and he kept his distance… not that it matter since his step-father rarely said three words to him in passing. He knew even at his young age, that the man would never see him as a real son and had no plans of ever behaving as a father to him. It wasn’t something Naki could say he missed since he did not know his real father.

He slowed even more as he reached the steps of the manor, he wasn’t looking forward to going inside… Lately his mother was always locked away in a forbidden part of the manor, always with her husband as they both eagerly awaited the coming baby. He sighed, he felt excited about being a big brother but lately his mother’s attention was focused on everything but him and a new baby probably meant splitting the small fraction of time he got with her in half.

He was startled out of his thoughts as he was rudely bumped in passing, nearly falling to the ground from the rough encounter. He steadied himself, glancing up in anger because that as extremely rude of whomever it was but his hot air quickly deflated as he saw the much taller and bigger Aiden turn his head, atop with a golden mop of hair, and glared daggers at him. Naki swallowed, both of his brothers were jerks. Lately Rafeo paid him no attention, he was older now so it seemed like the bullying wasn’t something that interested him anymore but Aiden was still as mean as ever if not meaner. If he disliked anyone the most out of his family it was Aiden who tormented him any chance he got.

“Jerk,” Naki mumbled as he followed at a suitable distance as he followed his step brother who had hit a growth spurt out of nowhere, as if he getting any bigger was a help to Naki.

“I heard that you useless excuse of a life, you better watch yourself, I’m a man now and my senses are much stronger than a worm like you.”

Naki grit his teeth but said nothing, Aiden’s words could be meaner but he learned to let them go in and out of his head, he was too old to cry over mean words and bullying anymore.

Inside the manor was warm, the small staff they employed were busy with their work. One of the maids quickly bustled him down the hall so he could wash up for dinner which made the house smell of freshly cooked meats and sides. He passed Rafeo who had his nose deep in a book, ever the scholar that he was, and the other gave no indication of noticing him so he did not bother to greet the other with faux enthusiasm. Further down he could hear footsteps that could only belong to his mother being weighed down by her stomach and he instantly perked up, ears pointed high atop his head, tail springing up to life, swishing about happily.

“Momma,” he called out enthusiastically, running the rest of the way to gently wrap her in a hug.

“Well hello my little moon child, where have you been today? You smell like grass and dirt.” His mother leaned down to plant a gentle kiss atop his head, her long blue hair trailing down and flowing around them in elegant swooping curls. His mother had always told him that he had his father’s coloring but he wished he had hers, her hair was the blue of the sky, or perhaps the blue of a pond, either way it was as if nature touched it itself and he was always in awe of it.

“I’ve been at the castle with Cerise… ah the youngest prince! I met Prince Sega and Prince Leoin today. Prince Sega is very nice and tall! Prince Leoin is a bit mean and prickly but he’s very smart and well-bred.”

“You should only speak well of the direct decedents of one of our great ancestors, the royal family is to be directed as such as at all times, never in the familiar unless directly granted the permission. Really Naki you should know this by now or does your schooling teach you nothing.”

Naki stiffened at the voice, dislodging himself from his mother to give a courteous bow to his step father who had emerged from somewhere down the long hall. “Good even Lord Phillius.” He could hear his mother sigh softly, she’d asked him on many occasions to call the man father but even thinking of speaking the word to his step father left a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“He’s still young Phillius, he and the young prince seem to be getting along well, perhaps he doesn’t mind being addressed familiarly,” his mother chimed in giving him a warm smile.

“The young prince is still a brat and familiarity does not cave way to proper noble procedures.” Phillius stood behind his mother, waiting for her to continue down the hall to the dining room.

“My apologies Lord Phillius,” Naki said in a tone not too apologetic. He would still call Cerise by his name because Cerise didn’t like being called prince all the time so his step father could just cram his noble none sense back down his throat. “Momma tomorrow the shops won’t be too busy since it’s a hunting day, could you and I go into town tomorrow for new clothing? I am getting taller,” he said proudly, “and growing out of my clothing.”

“Your mother is getting close to her delivery date and the hectic atmosphere of the town’s shopping center is not a place for her right now. You need to be more considerate of your mother’s condition.”

“I am being considerate,” he said defensively out of impulse, “I’ve watched the center for days trying to figure out the best time and day to go so there won’t be a lot of people around to stress her and I want to spend time with my mother because you are always hogging her.”

“Naki!” His mother gave him a shocked looked and a frown came to her normally serene face, “you apologize to your father this instant. I understand you want to spend time with me, but behaving like a rude child will not make that happen.”

“He is not my father,” Naki nearly yelled in anger just as Aiden came rearing around the corner, “and those are not my brothers! All you care about is them and that stupid baby and not once have you come to say goodnight to me before bed in a long time, and not once have we taken walks together in the courtyards, and you didn’t even remember my birthday this year until the very last hour because you’ve been so busy with something that’s not even here yet!”

The sting to his cheek was a surprise to both of them it seemed. His mother had never hit him before and they both seemed to realize the fact as he stared at her in disbelief and she stared back at him with a mirrored look. Tears quickly filled her emotional eyes as she drew her hand away as if it burned and rushed off back down the hall. He stood there, unaware at what to do but the feeling of angry eyes boring into him made him glance up.

“Leave my presence boy before I do something much worse than slap you, and don’t you dare show your face at the dinner table.”

The words weren’t a yell but the tone and the way in which they said sent a shiver down his spine. He flinched when the man quickly turned away to follow his upset mother. A snickering down the hall made him glance up, his lashes wet because he couldn’t help the hurt feeling of being smacked by his mother that he loved so much from showing.

“You’re so stupid!” The laugh that followed was mean and he ducked his head as Aiden approached him and poked him in the forehead, “look at you, you’re pathetic and you’re such a crybaby. Who makes their own mother cry? She probably doesn’t even want you anymore! Is that how it was with your father too? Did he take one look at your ugly face and know you would be an embarrassment to his name?” Another cold burst of laughter came from the other’s mouth, “you’re such a brat, always wailing about hating us. Well guess what punk, we don’t want you here either. My father hates you, he’s even told us that he wishes your mother left you behind and you know what… I heard her agree.” His hair was roughly grabbed and he tried to hide his quivering face as Aiden forced him to look him in the eye, “how sad is your life that even your mother wishes you didn’t exist.”

He was meanly pushed aside, bumping into the other side of the hallways as his ears plastered to his head and his tail wrapped comfortingly around his body. He wouldn’t cry… he wouldn’t give the other the satisfaction of crying but the words hurt him. Could it be true? Could his mother really not want him anymore? He’d ask before why he didn’t have a father and she’d told him that the man had not wanted them but she loved him most of all and he was all she needed. Could it be now that no one wanted him?

Long lashes cast dark shadows over orbs glistening with suppressed tears and he rushed to his room, slamming the door and locking it, throwing himself upon his couch to sob silently into the pillows. Why was he surrounded by such terribly mean people? Perhaps he could go and live with Cerise… except Cerise was a prince and he didn’t think that’s how things worked with the royal family of Packs. Perhaps he could return home but… where was his home? He could never think of a place or remember any Forest, only a little house and a little staff… How hard could it be though, to find a Forest? He’d seen maps, the Mountain lay to the East of the Field, and the Meadows laid to the West and beyond that was the Forest. He was young, he had energy, and the trip couldn’t be that long…

Rising to a sit he wiped his wet eyes and made a rash decision. If no one wanted him here then he wouldn’t be a burden to anyone. He didn’t want to stay somewhere only to be hated. Grabbing a small bag he stuffed his favorite cover inside and went to his window. He’d find food and water on the road. He may have been small but he was smart and fast. He glanced back at the door one last time, “fine… I’ll leave here and won’t ever come back. I’ll find someone who wants me!”

With that he pushed open the heavy window, the cool air of the night rushing against his skin. The air smelled of rain but he didn’t care, he was leaving this place and nothing would stop him. He jumped to the ledge and as he took the leap out, his body pulled the invisible, ancient strands which surrounded their little pocket of the world, allowing his body to shift into a regal little wolf, his pelt the color of the gleaming moonlight shining in the light of the manor. With a final urge forward, he began to run, unaware of golden eyes watching him from above; he ran and ran until he could no longer see the town and could no longer feel the sadness in his chest urging him to go back.