Written by Kurohane Ookami.
He was what most would call an introverted child.
His slate grey eyes and dark wavy hair grew deeper in color as he grew older, his hawkish features filling out into smoky lines and charcoal shadows.
He was a lone wolf, and he knew it.
Until college, at least.
He met another lone wolf, a gentle woman with long russet curls and bright blue eyes.
Her name was Anya.
They struggled through college together, Anya pursuing her dream of photography while he chased his own of being a graphic novelist.
It was a long three years, but they got there.
And then their Pack expanded with the arrival of their daughter, Lilynette.
He was enthralled by his daughter. How tiny and perfect she was with her unique violet eyes and the green tinted blond hair.
Suddenly, everything was right.
They bought a simple one story home in a quiet neighborhood, trees lining the road on either side.
It wasn't much at first, but it blossomed into something that was truly theirs. Photographs began filling up the empty shelves, pictures that Anya would sneak in whenever he fell asleep with Lilynette in his arms, or when he would sleep next to her on the floor.
And then there were pictures that he had taken, pages from his sketchbooks that had been framed and hung proudly on the walls. His first graphic novel was a month away from publication, and Anya couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments.
Eventually, another development was added on to their one way street, the momentary excitement dying down as everything settled.
And that was when tragedy struck.
Anya was diagnosed with a form of cancer that she had inherited from her mother's side of the family, and in a period of two years, she fought for her life.
Chemotherapy, treatments, and taking care of Lilynette finally began to show on his face, deep lines tattooed in his forehead and dark bags under his eyes.
Anya was into her second year of treatment when she died.
Lilynette was barely two and a half years old when she lost her mother, and he was thrust back into the loneliness he hadn't known since he was a child. Abandoned, unwanted.
But this time he had Lilynette.
She was his light, his star, and he clung to her like a lifeline.
Over several months, the pain dulled as Lilynette grew, changing from an infant to a toddler, her eyes wide and bright with curiosity.
He threw himself back into his work, publishing his newest graphic novel shortly before Lilynette's third Birthday. Titled 'The Curiosity of One's Self', it told the story of his life. How he had met Anya, and the journey that had made him who he was today.
He was a stay at home father, and he personally wouldn't have it any other way.
There had been rumors of a killer roaming the streets of their small town, and he had taken precautions against it by purchasing a gun and getting a license for it. Among other things, he purchased extra locks for the windows and doors, taking great care to set them where his curious toddler couldn't reach.
Satisfied with his work, life went on.
It was a balmy night, about seven, and Lilynette was fussing, so he lifted her into his careful and warm embrace to walk around the house, hoping to lull her to sleep.
There was a knock at the door.
Sighing, he paced over, distracted by Lilynette's fidgeting, and unlocked the door.
It slammed open, jarring him off balance and flying to the floor. He automatically rolled, protecting Lilynette the best he could, and tried to sit up, dazed.
His eyes locked with a tall male, and automatic dread pooled in his stomach. He held Lilynette closer to his chest, praying that she wouldn't make a sound, knowing that this man meant danger.
Lilynette took one look at the stranger in their home and burst into loud wails.
The gun fired.
He hit the floor, a bullet through his forehead, Lilynette falling next to him.
Another bullet fired, and then there was silence.
'Anya Demetrius
Gentle Mother, Beloved Daughter.'
'Coyote Starrk
Father and Son. Loving and Loved.'
'Lilynette Starrk
Loved and Blessed Daughter.'