Author's Notes: I felt the need to write something for fall, it's possibly my favorite season and since I wrote something for summer… Here it is, a symbolic piece from me to you. I hope you enjoy. ^_^

Wolf

By Ichigo Morino (10.7.03)

Red and orange and yellow. Swirling. Blue and gray and silver. Floating above.

Silence. Peace.

The park was golden, speckled with the red of spiraling leaves, splotched with the gray of pavement and deep mahogany of benches. An occasional squirrel poked its rotund head from amidst the myriad of gold, blinking curious eyes and scurrying back just as quickly.

The patches of sky seemed like bursts of silvery blue. The air smelled of leaves and fall and earth.

Her eyes caught every movement, every minute detail. Her nose recognized every leaf, every tree, every animal, and every grain of earth. She smelled the fall. She was aware of everything around her. And she walked alone.

The park was empty on such a pleasant fall afternoon. A beautiful park brimming with life and vigor and the spirit of fall. But empty. Only she walked it. And she enjoyed this. She was not one for company.

She was known as Fujiwara Zakuro, but here, amidst the trees and leaves and animals, here, in her nature, she was called wolf.

She felt no need to think then, no need to form thoughts. Only to walk, to smell, to see, to observe, and to feel. Creatures would watch her from afar, seeing a beautiful wolf with coat gleaming and eyes shining. They would hide when she neared, however, because she was a wolf, because she was a lone wolf and she howled like one.

A single bird sat perched upon a branch. From that very branch, one orange leaf hung, swaying in the cool breeze but not quite ready to let go. The bird chirped, its melodious call capturing Zakuro's attention.

The wolf girl turned, just enough to glimpse at the bird but no more. She did not stop, but she slowed. The bird took to the air.

Against the breeze and in order to keep up with Zakuro's gait, the small bird had to flap its wings vigorously. It would catch up to Zakuro eventually. Both the bird and Zakuro knew this. Then it would land on the girl's shoulder and perch contentedly. Zakuro wouldn't mind. Zakuro walked alone, but she wouldn't mind.

And the air smelled of fall.

~ Owari ~