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Description
Many of the paving stones underfoot had been worn away, crumbled or masked by a carpet of soft moss. As Selene and Altair cautiously approached the stone archway, Altair shook himself.

"This place looks like it's been abandoned forever," he remarked.

Selene nodded. "Father says it's thousands of years old."

"It looks like a tomb. What's in there?"

"Books."

"That's it? No old bones or anything?"

Selene rolled her eyes. Ever since Altair had arrived in the territory with her brother several months ago, she'd been trying to understand her new friend. Boisterous and awkward, Altair was still unused to his new home, and his talk of the 'city' he had come from was mysterious to her.

"Nope. Just books. Do you read?"

Altair cocked his head at Selene. "You mean human words? I know a few," he said proudly. "So how did they all get here? The books, I mean."

Selene's blue eyes flickered about the ruins. "Father told me that a long time ago, before our ancestors lived here in this valley, they lived far away in a kingdom of men. We were their allies."

"Allies? With humans?"

Staring at the ground, Selene said, "In those days, Father says, the men and wolves of that land were strong partners."

The gray wolf stared back up at the ancient archway. There were symbols carved in it that were only just visible; weathering and growth had taken their toll. "So what happened then? Something must have gone wrong."

"Father wouldn't tell me, but in the end our people fled north, to this valley. With us came the books."

"Huh." Altair snorted loudly, the sound echoing eerily.

"I could teach you," Selene said suddenly.

"Huh?" Another round of echoes rang around the archway.

"I could...teach you to read, if you'd like," she offered shyly. "Father taught me, and is...well..."

Altair turned and looked at Selene. "I'd...I'd like that," he murmured finally.

----

Two pictures uploaded in one day...whew.

I haven't really shown Selene and Altair as kids, so here they are. I was also trying for that beast of a thing known as foreshortening. I even cheated a little by putting them slightly out of focus. Heh.

I do have most of a story puzzled out about this clan's history, but I didn't want to put too many words into Selene's mouth. Needless to say, her ancestors had some misfortunes, and her father probably hasn't told her the whole story yet, as she's still rather young here.

Description
Many of the paving stones underfoot had been worn away, crumbled or masked by a carpet of soft moss. As Selene and Altair cautiously approached the stone archway, Altair shook himself.

"This place looks like it's been abandoned forever," he remarked.

Selene nodded. "Father says it's thousands of years old."

"It looks like a tomb. What's in there?"

"Books."

"That's it? No old bones or anything?"

Selene rolled her eyes. Ever since Altair had arrived in the territory with her brother several months ago, she'd been trying to understand her new friend. Boisterous and awkward, Altair was still unused to his new home, and his talk of the 'city' he had come from was mysterious to her.

"Nope. Just books. Do you read?"

Altair cocked his head at Selene. "You mean human words? I know a few," he said proudly. "So how did they all get here? The books, I mean."

Selene's blue eyes flickered about the ruins. "Father told me that a long time ago, before our ancestors lived here in this valley, they lived far away in a kingdom of men. We were their allies."

"Allies? With humans?"

Staring at the ground, Selene said, "In those days, Father says, the men and wolves of that land were strong partners."

The gray wolf stared back up at the ancient archway. There were symbols carved in it that were only just visible; weathering and growth had taken their toll. "So what happened then? Something must have gone wrong."

"Father wouldn't tell me, but in the end our people fled north, to this valley. With us came the books."

"Huh." Altair snorted loudly, the sound echoing eerily.

"I could teach you," Selene said suddenly.

"Huh?" Another round of echoes rang around the archway.

"I could...teach you to read, if you'd like," she offered shyly. "Father taught me, and is...well..."

Altair turned and looked at Selene. "I'd...I'd like that," he murmured finally.

----

Two pictures uploaded in one day...whew.

I haven't really shown Selene and Altair as kids, so here they are. I was also trying for that beast of a thing known as foreshortening. I even cheated a little by putting them slightly out of focus. Heh.

I do have most of a story puzzled out about this clan's history, but I didn't want to put too many words into Selene's mouth. Needless to say, her ancestors had some misfortunes, and her father probably hasn't told her the whole story yet, as she's still rather young here.