*~Under the Stars~*

[acumen]

A gentle breeze brushed against Acumen’s face as she gazed towards the heavens. The autumn night was crisp and clear, the sky illuminated by the light of a million stars. Brilliant streaks of light shot across the atmosphere, only adding to the enchanting sight of the cosmos above. Acumen has the intense desire to reach up and stroke the sky; she imagined it rippling away from the point of contact like a blanket of glistening water. Gingerly, she reared onto her hind legs, and extended her forepaws upwards. Nothing happened, of course. Coming back down to Earth, she turned suddenly and began back down the plateau.

The rock was gently brushed with silver dust from the stars; Acumen’s paws seemed to stir up the sparkling powder with each step. Trotting now, she began to scale down the shelf of the plateau's side. She continued down the staircase of rocks until she finally touched the dew-covered grass, recoiling slightly from its cold and damp feeling on her paws. She slowed to a gradual halt, closed her eyes and lifted her nose to the sky, inhaling deeply. Acumen couldn’t help but smile at the stars when she opened her eyes again, and she flopped down onto the grass. It was still warm enough to sleep outside of a shelter, but not by much. Autumn was fast approaching; the days were slowly becoming shorter and shorter. She would miss the warm summer months, Acumen hated the cold. But if cold weather meant glorious nights like this, maybe she would be able to stand it.

Alone, Acumen wandered to the foot of a large oak tree, whose leaves were already changing color. A lake was visible nearby, its glass surface dotted with light from above. Sighing, she lowered herself to the ground, curling up into a warm, fluffy ball. It wasn’t long before she was lulled into a dreamless sleep by the gentle swaying of the leaves above.

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[Bassharmony]

Carter trotted along, feet moving in a business-like rhythm as she made her way toward one of the many lochs that graced Lux'arumque's territory. Above, the sky was alight, light some gigantic cathedral's roof, spangled with tiny, still fires that glittered like ice.

She drew in a breath, relishing in the slight bite it held. Autumn was her favorite season, and the freshness the air held heartened her some. She was far from sleep on this night, and felt she might as well be doing something. Thus here she was - patrolling the pack's borders. It was a task she'd taken upon herself less often since she'd become betess, but she still tried to find time to do it occasionally, especially on nights like this. All was quiet, and her service to the pack doubled as a peaceful walk, alone under the stars.

As she moved along, her thoughts wandered as well. She'd always felt as if Lux'arumque were her home, and she'd never considered that someday she wouldn't fit here. But, as she'd grown out of her youth, her coat had transformed from silver to simple grey. Her pack had yet to turn her out, but she didn't know the new alphess as well as she'd have liked, and her position her seemed tenuous. A heavy sigh escaped from the she-wolf's lips, and she paused, sitting in the grass and dew for a moment. She'd give her own life for her pack in a heartbeat, but lately her path had been unclear. She was aware that her presence within Lux was sending ripples of discontent throughout all of Istlamyth, and she often wondered whether they'd be better of if she left them. Still, any threat remained hidden in the shadows, and she refused to desert the only home she'd ever known for a reason as weak as that.

Lifting her form again, she continued on her way, swirling violet eyes penetrating the darkness and drinking in the cool, silver-blue beauty of the moorlands bathed in starlight. A few yards on, and a scent caught her attention. The alphess, Acumen, was nearby, and Carter eventually spied her beneath one of the few trees in the area. She was plainly asleep, or else pretending to be, and Carter elected not to disturb her, instead continuing on her way and swinging around the tree to give the alphess a respectful berth.

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[acumen]

A golden doe with silver flecks of color on her back approached the loch, nervously glancing around. Quickly, she dipped her head to the water, breaking the shimmering glass surface and sending out waves of disturbance. It was very early morning, still a few hours before the sun would rise. Acumen had been sleeping on and off for three hours or so under the oak tree; with something on the back of her mind. She awoke again now, spotting the Lux doe. Motionless, Acumen watched the graceful creature drink and then bound off as it caught her scent. With a slight yawn, Acumen rose from the smashed grass where she had lain, still warm with her body heat. Shaking a few leaves from her fur, she trotted towards the lake.

Acumen took a delicate sip of the icy water, and it smacked her stomach like a fist. Muttering something about hating the cold, she walked slowly away from the lake, sniffing the air. The betess, Carter, had passed by not too long before; her scent was still fresh. The trail made a wide arc around where Acumen had slept. Smiling at the thought, she followed the scent, now fully awake.

Acumen came upon the betess, who was wide awake and trotting briskly around the edges of the Lux territory. The wind was blowing in Acumen’s face, so she knew she had not yet been detected by Carter. After getting within a hundred feet or so, Acumen barked softly to alert Carter of her presence. Trotting up to the betess, Acumen said in a gentle, but firm tone, “Carter, I need to discuss something with you.” The betess looked slightly worried, but complied. Leading her back up the plateau, Acumen sat down and looked over the young female, at her non-spectrum coat, and her entrancing violet eyes. Turning to the stars, she said quietly, “Carter, you are an important part of this pack. You show obvious dedication, and pride of your status. I can tell that something troubles you, though. And I know what it is.” Acumen turned back to Carter, with a piercing stare. Her eyes softened suddenly, as she said, “Carter, you were born into the Lux’aramque. You were born with a silver pelt. You know both of these things. What you don’t know, is that I will not force you to leave. I have considered this, and am sure of my decision. You are a vital part of the Lux’aramque, and I will leave it to be your decision to stay, or leave for the K’Dunvar. You have my blessing; know you are an extremely rare exception.” With this, Acumen turned back to the stars, a slight breeze ruffling her fur. A smile crossed her face, and she knew she had made the right choice, if not the smartest one. The fact was that Acumen was too kind a soul to banish such a vibrant, dedicated wolf as Carter.

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