Burning the stars

The young man frowned and wrapped himself up warmly against the bitter cold of the snow storm, if he didn’t meet someone in this desolate place soon, then well, he might as well lie down and die right there. Suddenly he heard the crunching of footsteps, someone friendly he hoped, someone who could help him. There were other sounds too, rustling in the bushes, panting, he hoped it wasn’t wolves. There was a slight hill in front of him and at the top appeared a young man, surrounded by a pack of wolves. How he wished he had taken some sort of weapon with him, but he had been told time and time again that it would be a very unwise thing to do while travelling in these parts of the world.

“Who are you? What is your business in these lands?”

“My name is Orion and I carry an urgent message for the King.” The man came closer; he had bluish black hair and clear bright blue eyes. Like all men in these parts he wore no beard and was dressed in furs. The wolves kept their distance, but it still made Orion nervous. As the man came nearer, Orion noticed that it was more of a boy then a man. He may have been tall and lean but his face was young, softly cut and that was also when he noticed the pair of twitching ears on top of his head. He had heard of these “shifters” they could change into human form or animals though their human form would always carry a trait of the animal they were. The boy watched him closely; Orion wished that he’d at least introduce himself. He felt suddenly faint; his legs wouldn’t hold him up any longer. It was as if the cold had bitten itself into his bones. He couldn’t stop himself from falling forward and as his eyes closed he just prayed that the boy would help him.

The boy poked the man named Orion with a finger after he had collapsed. What an odd looking man he thought, his ears twitched back and forth as one of his wolves came forward. It made a low sound pulling the boy’s attention back to itself.

“Blaze…that man may be a threat. Get away from him.”

“He doesn’t look like a threat and he has a message for father.” The boy’s tail beat against the snow causing little dusts of it to rise up. He sniffed. “He doesn’t smell threatening. I think he’s hurt we should take him back to father.”

“Listen to me Blaze, it is dangerous in times of war….”

“There is no war here,” the boy chewed his full bottom lip, “I think he’s hurt. I’ll carry him back.” Blaze unwrapped one of the furs covering his torso and wrapped Orion in it. He picked him up surprised at how light he was. A soft smile crossed his face.

“You really shouldn’t Blaze.”

“Shut up Syaoran, I can make my own decisions.”

“You’re papa wont like it.”

“My papa will understand.”

“Not if you’re hurt.” A low growl escaped Blaze, making the other wolf draw back to the pack. Again he looked down at the man in his arms. His skin was darker, a light shade of brown, dark lashes rested on cheeks that had paled in comparison to the rest of his skin. A mop of messy blond hair topped his head. Blaze was sure that he had never, never seen anyone who looked like that. A little flutter started in his chest but he tamped it down. He couldn’t afford to let strange thoughts invade his mind not when he had a precious burden to bear. Had he just thought his burden was precious? Hell he’d only known Orion for a few minutes. He smiled. Still, there was something about this man that had him absolutely fascinated.

Orion moaned, causing Blaze to pull him even closer to his own chest. He was getting worried. Surely he shouldn’t have such a low body temperature. He quickened his steps, he knew his wolf form could run faster but then Orion would be bumped about too much and he wasn’t too sure how he would attach him to his back. His human form was still faster then normal humans though. The snow blew up behind him and he knew that Syaoran and his pack had stayed in the forest, so didn’t worry about them following him. The castle came into view, its dark towers looming ominously to anyone who hadn’t grown up there; to Blaze it was the welcome call of home. However as he neared the castles entrance he could see the towering form of his papa waiting. Blaze slowed down his steps, not too keen to get home quickly now, until he remembered why he was rushing home in the first place. Orion; as if noticing that Blaze had thought about him, turned in his arms, murmured something and pressed his face into Blaze’s chest.

“Blaze.” The voice was smooth and quiet, which as Blaze knew meant that his papa was angry, very angry. Blaze’s tail pulled itself between his legs.

“Yes papa?”

“Where were you?” Again there was the dangerously smooth calm voice. Blaze hoped he wasn’t in for a spanking. His papa’s eyes suddenly focused on Orion. “What is that?”

“That’s Orion.” A stern disapproving look made him wince. “I discovered him on our lands and before you start papa he didn’t try to hurt me. He has a message for father and then he just collapsed he’s very cold papa.”

“Get him to the healers Blaze. And then I want to see you in your room.” Blaze felt his ears drop down against him hair.

“Yes papa.” With that his papa turned his back on him and stalked back inside. Blaze wondered when he’d actually start listening to his papa or at least learn to leave the castle without his papa noticing. With a sigh he carried Orion inside and into the healers’ quarters of the castle. He didn’t want to anger his papa further, so with a worried glance at the still unconscious Orion he left and made his way up to his room.

“What did you think you were doing Blaze? How many times must I tell you?”

“But papa nothing happened.”

“It might.” His papa’s ears were flat against his head now.

“I’m not a baby anymore.” His own tail was lashing back and forth; his papa was treating him like a child.

“You’re still a cub and my cub at that. And the war rages far to close to my liking.”

“But papa…”

“Don’t but me Blaze! You are the son of the king and you are also a shifter. What do you think would happen if one of those….those haters….those you know what’s wandered onto our land.”

“I’m stronger then them papa.”

“You never know Blaze, if they catch you by surprise.”

“Syaoran and his pack were with me.”

“Syaoran should have known better. And then you bring that man,” he said man if it was a piece of dirt under his shoe, “here. Let us hope you didn’t bring the war upon us.”

“You’re paranoid papa.”

“Not paranoid little one just worried about my only cub.” His papa’s blue eyes softened and he was drawn into a big embrace. “Don’t do that again please Blaze, times are getting more dangerous. I just want you protected.”

“Alright papa, I promise.” He snuggled close, glad that the earful he had got from his papa this time hadn’t been as bad as usual. “Argh papa!” A chuckle from his papa made him frown as the top of his head and ears were licked and cleaned. How he hated it, didn’t his papa know that he bathed quite regularly and had no need for tongue hygiene? Plus he wanted to get back and check if Orion was awake already. A pleasant warmth started to spread through his body as he thought about seeing the man again. Relaxing and humouring his papa in his cleaning attempts, he knew he would get out faster that way.