&& I Return (Sizzle/Anger)

[Action]

Salem
Hate me still?

The great mass of Salem's mangled graying fur came into view. Dipping his maw into the air, he inhaled. No scent turned up in his aging nostrils. Drool dripped off of his fangs. Ever since he had pointed Zuko's sister in the direction of her long lost brother, not a single soul had been around. This was the perfect time for the elderly wolf to ditch this bucket of sand. It was a very barren place. Nothing to be seen but dunes of sand. Clawing his way over another hot sandy dune, he spotted the border to his old territory. It was now his son Thunder's. He was not welcome there. Everyone hated him that lived there, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to go home to his family. To see the ones he loved.

Energy overflowed his body as he bounded across the sand and landed on frost covered ground. Home...Ex-home sweet Ex-home. Rubbing his even tougher pad on the cold ground, he sighed. His pads had endured much and he had gotten the ultimate prize. His pads could withstand anything. They had gone through the nauseating heats of Dunen. The rough hot sand. They were worn through and now nothing hurt his pads. That was even better for an elderly wolf like him.

He went across the small border of old forest that there was between Amareta and Dunen and finally came to the scent border. He inhaled deeply, taking in all of the beautiful scent of the ones he loved. He wanted to go across so badly and he knew that he would. He only hesitated because of his own stench. He smelled horrid. Nothing like the smell of Amareta. The only smell he wanted to have. There was nothing he could do, though other than wait it out until the scent wore off on him...again. Then he dashed across. Unable to keep himself from flying over the sweet border.

He knew that everyone would hate him. He knew he was a traitor. He only wished that the ones that loved him would accept him back into their lives. Inhaling the scent again and again, he cherished the sugary scent of heaven. He had spent these months in hell. He now knew what hell was like and he ain't goin back. Not unless the devil himself known as Xenith came and dragged him away again. He didn't want needless blood to be shed. Not now. Passing by a tree he skid to a stop at a ruined meadow. This dark meadow held his memories. His life. He then passed over to a place he knew would be a good place to rest. Jumping, he landed in an abnormally large hole in the side of a tree that he had found a while back. He landed gently on the pine needles and dried grass. He lay down quietly and his eyelids soon became heavy. They drooped and drooped until he fell into a horrible sleep.

--Start Dream--

The joy filled orbs of a large wolven looked steadily at the love of their life. He grinned, hoping that she would accept him back into her heart. Or at least back into her life. Even if it was as an exile. "Who the h.ll are you and what the h.ll do do you want?" The fierce femme growled at the brujo. He winced, the pain of her words sunk in. "You mean you don't remember me, my love?" His words were covered in pain and agony. He loved her too much for her words to not sink in. "Course I remember you. I hate you. You crushed my dreams and my heart. I'm done with you." Her words stung his heart. His orbs started to tear. "If you won't accept me as a member, than you must accept me as a prisoner." All he had to live for was this girl. That was all he knew. Laying down and bowing his head into the dirt, he did not look up until she had put a heavy chain around his neck. "You'll be a good present for Leader."

[/b] She muttered through the chain. Dragging him, they emerged into the camp. It was not how he remembered it. A large figure stood apon the plane. His shape was beautiful. Nothing but a shadow. His love bowed and spoke. "Leader. Here is the trash you ordered." She said before shoving him forward. The figure lept down from the metal hide-away. He came forward and snorted in his face. "Very nice. Boys! Tie him up." He snorted again and more brujos lept from all directions. They grabbed hold of him and pulled him to a post in the middle of the clearing. They tied him up and beat him. Starved him. Dehydrated him. His last breath.

--End Dream--

Salem jerked awake. His nightmare ringing in his head. There had been no names spoken in the entire dream, yet he knew who every wolf in the d.mn dream was. He shuddered and looked around. He wanted someone to come and find him. So, so badly. It was all he wanted anymore. To be found and for everyone to not hate him. To not think of him as trash. But if they did, he did not mind going through what happened in his dream as long as he was close to the ones he loved. As long as he was relatively close, he was as happy as he could ever be.[/size][/blockquote]

[Bengal Brat]

With the strong, cool breeze came a aroma that Sizzle's nostrils knew quite well; they knew what they were smelling. However, the wolfess herself couldn't comprehend why she was seeming to scent that of her mate, ex or not, Salem, who was the former alpha of these beautiful lands, Amareta Forest. What? Thoughts trailed off as the wind blew yet another massive gust of Salem's obvious scent, despite the fact that it was mingled with the vile stench of Dunen and all of the wolves who chose to live there.

Could it really be that the former alpha had returned? Oh, did Sizzle hope so. Although Salem was old for a wolf and no doubt graying quickly, Sizzle, who was several years younger than he, still had the glossiest pelt in Amareta Forest. It would take a lot to take a wolf with her beautiful looks and turn her into an old and frail old beast of a fem.

The vix bounded gracefully down the hill, going wherever her nose told her to go. She didn't care where she ended up, just so long as she was able to lay eyes on the wolf that she loved more than anything else in the whole entire world just one more time. About halfway down the slope, though, Sizzle stopped in her tracks as if she had suddenly stepped in instant-drying glue and couldn't move even the slightest inch. The pelt of many hues of gray with dull eyes didn't look at all like the wolven who had stolen her heart and then took off running with it only two years or so ago. Two years. Oh, have things changed since Salem took off with Dunen; Thunder was a father, Kaylaminkadot was doing a great job as alphaess, Lightning and Noel had returned, along with Lightning's best friend Jade and her son, Washington, and Sizzle's own child, Wild Fire, was nearly three years old and the most handsome wolf that any fae would ever be privileged enough to lay eyes upon. How much she would have to tell her mate! But... there was only one problem: was that really Salem? He looked defeated and expecting her to beat him to pulp at any moment. Did two years with Xenith finally break the great wolf? Sizzle would only soon find out.

"Salem? Is that really you? SALEM!"

With a loud yip of joy and flick of a tail, the Senior Alphaess of Amareta Forest flew down the rest of the tall, grass-covered hill towards the wolf that she had fallen head over heels in love with oh so long ago. When she finally met him, Sizzle couldn't contain herself any longer and licked his face multiple times before stepping back. The haunted look that had occupied her pools of cinnamon brown for so long had disappeared for a moment in time, but was now returning, but this time, it was different; this time around, it looked as if the vix was almost positive that what she was about to hear come from Salem's maw would break her heart into a million peaces, something that would literally kill her in the end. This is it. He's going to say he was stupid for ever loving me and going to Dunen was the best thing that he could have ever done for him and for Amareta Forest. But... she couldn't help but also think that perhaps what she really wanted him to say would meet her sensitive twin towers; perhaps the still-muscular brujo would apologize for being so foolish and inconsiderate for leaving her and the rest of his pack when they needed him the most, and that he still loved her, no matter what she said, did, or thought. If he would just say that, then Sizzle would be so happy, she wouldn't be able to bear it.

A somewhat awkward silence filled the clearing for a few heartbeats as both wolves tried to figure out what they wanted to say to the other. Salem's expression was unreadable for the most part, as was his mate's. Just say something already... the suspense is killing me. Put me out of my misery so we can go on about our every day lives! No... she needn't think of anything that way; it'll only make her feel even worse in the long run should Salem actually make her worst nightmare come true and tell her off, saying that she's no good and he wishes her dead. Finally, Sizzle opened her mouth and the words just spilled out, even if they just added to the awkwardness between the two love birds.

"Ah... reunited at last. I never thought that this day would come. The day you left, I thought that that was going to be the end of us, but I can see that there's some reason that you came back. Well... things are different now. Jepha is pretty much considered emo because of your absense, Wild Fire is the stud that all fems like, even if he tries not to show off, Thunder is now a father of a beautiful litter, and.... Salem... Noel and Lightning are both back. For good. Lightning brought that snow-white fem with emerald green eyes -- Jade, I think you said her name was -- and her son, Washington. Koba disappeared, and they're here now. The pack is prospering, but it's been missing something... we need you."

[Action]

Startled and now awake thanks to his h.ll of a nightmare, Salem inhaled deeply the scent of Amareta before standing up and stretching his body. The scent of prey. The scent of grass. The scent of cold. The scent of Sizzle. The scent of...wait. Sizzle? His heat skipped an entire beat as he soared out of his hide-away and landed gently. His agile body making no sound at all. He had grown even stronger and fit than before. Smiling, he leaned his muscular frame against a tree. Then he froze. His pelt was a mess and he knew it. It was covered in sand, sweat, and rock. Nothing more than that, but he was still filthy. The heat had sucked away all of his ability to clean himself. He hadn't ever the time. Between scavenging for food and muddy water, he was sound asleep. Not even a hurricane could wake him. No time to cleanse himself. No time to rid himself of his messy pelt in two whole years. He snapped his head backward as he smelled her more and more. She was getting so close. He licked at his pelt more and more trying to get two years worth of filth off of his pelt. The taste was awful. Enough to make you drop dead. The only clean part of him was his head and maw where he had slurped up water. Smelling and hearing his love's footsteps, he licked even more rapidly. "Salem? Is that really you? SALEM!" She called to him from atop the hill. His heart thumping even more readily, he dragged his head away from his filth of a coat and looked at her with a dreamy look in his eye. Smashing his weight onto his renewed rump, he sat down happily. Waiting for her to run down to him. When she finally reached half way down the hill, he jumped up and ran to her, unable to contain himself. Sizzle licked his face a few times before stepping back. He would have readily licked her like h.ll, but his tongue was nasty and she didn't want it all over her. They stood in such an awkward silence. It was extremely uncomfortable for both of the love bugs. Flashing his eyes affectionately, he licked her anyways, his dragon breath going all over her and the place, but he knew that if he didn't care, she wouldn't give a sh.t. "Ah... reunited at last. I never thought that this day would come. The day you left, I thought that that was going to be the end of us, but I can see that there's some reason that you came back. Well... things are different now. Jepha is pretty much considered emo because of your absence, Wild Fire is the stud that all fems like, even if he tries not to show off, Thunder is now a father of a beautiful litter, and.... Salem... Noel and Lightning are both back. For good. Lightning brought that snow-white fem with emerald green eyes -- Jade, I think you said her name was -- and her son, Washington. Koba disappeared, and they're here now. The pack is prospering, but it's been missing something... we need you." Salem listened to his love drone on. But he didn't care. He just loved to listen to her and what was going on in hi...the pack. "No, my love. They were just scared. Just needed reassurance that everything would be okay and to them I am their only reassurance." He said, nuzzling her beautiful neck. His words were not old sounding. Still young and strong. Half like him, half not. He wasn't as young as he could be, but he was still strong and even stronger than he was before. Leaning close to her, he whispered quietly. "I love you." They were such simple small words, but he knew they meant the world to Sizzle. Nuzzling her again, he smiled and licked her across the cheek. Now he was happy. Content.

[/blockquote]

[Bengal Brat]

After what seemed to be much, much longer than an eternity, Sizzle's mate, Salem, finally spoke to her. This was the first time that she had heard his voice in just over two years, and what he said was nothing but music to her ears.

"No, my love. They were just scared. Just needed reassurance that everything would be okay, and to them, I am their only reassurance."

The once so proud and in-control brujo no sounded much older in the ways of wisdom and sure of what he was saying. As much as she knew that he was only trying to seem very modest, Sizzle couldn't help but feel that Salem was also trying to convince both her and himself that Amareta Forest was in good, capable paws now, and that no one needed him around for anything.

Then, before saying anything else, the former alpha of Amareta Forest moved forward and showered his mate with nuzzles, giving her face a few brisk licks as he did so. As bad as his pelt and tongue reeked from two long moonflights of not being cleaned at all, the vix didn't mind at all. She was just so happy that the wolf that she loved more than anyone or anything else in the world was back that he could be a rabid slug of some sort trying to eat her brains. Just as long as they were together again --and for life-- Sizzle was very much content.

"I love you."

The words were whispered so quietly into the fae's sensitive twin towers that she could scarcely hear them, but the lyrics' volume really didn't matter right then and there; they were filled to the brim with meaning and even beyond that.

"No, I love you."

A small, suger-plum type of smile tugged at Sizzle's maw, and her eyes began to burn with such fierce intense love for the wolven before her; her entire face was lit up, never again to look like that depressed, haunted wolfess that she had once been only a few minutes before now. With a slight giggle, though, she spoke again, but this time with some humor.

"Before we do anything else... why don't we go for a swim? I'm sure you'd love to get all of that disgusting sand out of your fur!"

With a broad smile, Sizzle turned and trotted a few feet in the direction of a small bubbling creek, the same place in which Rydan had asked her sister Rage to be his mate and Salem's Betaess so many years ago. However, she didn't get very far before coming to a halt and turning to see if the wolf of her dreams was following.

ooc: awww! so mushy gushy! xD