There was a young ram on a hill, brown eyes watching over the lambs and ewes below as they grazed and chat among themselves. He ran a hand through his brown hair in boredom and sighed. Why was he on duty again?
'Oh that's right; the lazy herder was "stressed out" and needed a couple days off.' The ram thought to himself.
His job was rather boring, he was to only watch over the others of his kind and keep them in line so they don't wander far. And to alert the nearby village of Norende if there was a wolf nearby, looking to get it's maw on one of the livestock. He turned his attention to one of the lambs getting too close to the forest, he rose to his feet and jogged over.
"Til! Til what did I tell you about going near the forest?" The ram crossed his arms over his chest, giving a disapproving look at the younger ram.
"Sorry Tiz. But my ball rolled into the forest!" Tiz looked toward the forest and let out a sigh, turning back to the lamb.
"I'll go get it Til, if something happens, you're in charge, ok, little bro?" The younger brother smiled and nodded, returning to the herd to take over for his brother.
Tiz smiled as he watched the smaller return to the herd and stood proudly, watching over the herd with confidence. He then shook his head with a smile and entered the forest. The ball was important to Til he knew, it was important to them both since it was the last gift from their mother before she was taken from the boys.
Tiz began to reflect on that moment, a pack of wolves snuck into the village under the cover of night, they stormed the livestock's housing and abducted the females. The villagers were too late as the wolves ran off with the ewes and were never caught. Among the taken ewes was Tiz' and Til's mother, leaving their father and the village to care for the young ram and his infant brother. Til played with that ball and treasured it everyday growing up, he never had the chance to see his mother. The only way he knew of his mother were the stories Tiz and his father told him. Tiz returned to reality and found himself further in the woods than he prefered to venture.
"Oh no. Sh-shouldn't be too hard to get back, right?" The ram stuttered, turning around and backtracking as much as he could.
He froze, hearing a snap of a twig behind him. He slowly turned his head, he found nothing but silent shrubbery. Perhaps it was merely his imagination and he resumed walking, he had to return to the herd and his baby brother as soon as possible. He froze again, another snap and the sound of steps halting mere seconds after his. He was being followed, screw the toy! The ram began to run. He would rather not find out as to what might be tailing him, or hunting him for a lack of better words! After a few minutes of running he slowed to a stop, turning behind him and listening for any sign that he was still being followed. Silence befell his ears.
'I must have lost it.' He thought and he turned around, bumping into something, or someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry-!" He paused and looked up from the fur collar his face collided with, a taller male, platinum blond hair curled up and golden eyes staring down at him with a curious expression. Tiz turned his attention to the canine ears, he soon realized who he ran into.
"My, you're pretty far from your herd aren't you?" The male's voice was deep, silky and he sounded like a proper gentleman. He soon backed up and trembled, of all the things he had to run into, it had to be a wolf!
"I believe this is what you came to retrieve?" The wolf held up a silver ball, decorated with a heart band wrapping around it, that was Til's ball!
"Yes, that's mine! I s-suggest you hand it over!" Tiz tried to be brave, he needed to stand his ground.
"Is that so? I believe this actually belongs to a lamb. Either way-" The canine tossed the ball back to the ram, Tiz caught it and was surprised. What was this beast up to? "It isn't mine so you can very well have it back. I do believe you are also lost?" Tiz froze, what was going to happen to him?
"W-what's it to ya?!" Tiz got into a fighting stance, if he was going down, he was going to go down fighting!
This seemed to confuse the wolf, as if the rivalry between livestock and wild dogs never existed to the male.
"I was going to show you back to Norende. You bear the mark of the village and I often pass by. Very lovely women there, strong and independent." The wolf purred the last part, seeming entranced by daydreams of the local women from the village and that threw Tiz off. This wolf is so different compared to the kind he remembered. Was he a wolf?
"Y-you're a wolf… aren't you? Why would you help me?" The canine snapped out of his daydream and seemed confused once more by the ram's question.
"Well why not? You are lost and in need. Plus you have a younger brother don't you? He must be getting worried. Why don't you follow me?"
Tiz didn't buy it and began to kick up dirt behind him, this seemed to unnerve the wolf.
"Wait, hold up now! I speak the truth!" Tiz didn't listen and charged, ramming his head and horns into the male's chest, knocking the wind out of the canine and down to the forest floor. Tiz turned but lost footing and fell as well. He determined he was in better shape than that damned wild dog. The canine sat up, coughing and surprisingly wasn't glaring at Tiz.
"Now that hurt. Is that really any way to thank someone who is trying to help?" Tiz was shocked.
"You're a wolf! Aren't you supposed to be trying to eat me? Maul me?! What are you doing?!"
The male rose to his feet and stood over the ram.
"I am a wolf. Just not the kind your village stereotype us wolves as." He held out his hand, Tiz staring at it with shock. "My name is Ringabel." Tiz was hesitant but he took the canine's hand and was helped up.
"Tiz." The wolf smiled and didn't let go
"The pleasure is mine." He said and pressed a kiss to the back of the ram's hand, earning a blush from the male.
"Hey! I'm not a lady!" Tiz blurted and pulled his hand back,
"Sorry but I couldn't help but find you quite charming, country bumpkins were always quite adorable to me." The canine smirked, his canines showing ever so slightly.
Tiz shuddered, second guessing his decision to trust the canine. The wolf began to walk, his tail swaying behind him slightly.
"Well? Are you coming?" The wolf continued and Tiz followed rather hesitantly.
Why was he trusting a wolf? Why did he even disclose his name? To be honest he didn't have the answers either, but if the wolf was telling the truth, then he would be able to see his baby brother once more. See his father and watch little Til grow into a healthy ram. Tiz resumed following the canine for a while until he could see the end of the forest, beyond the tree line was Norende! Tiz smiled and ran beyond the trees, glad to be home. The herd was long gone, as he expected. He turned to the forest, the canine seemed apprehensive to step over the tree line.
"Uhm. Thank you, I'm sorry about earlier."
"No it's alright. I suppose this is where we part." Ringabel turned to return to the forest.
"Wait, uhm. Will I see you again? Ringabel?" The wolf gave a sort of sad smile upon turning back to Tiz.
"Are you certain that is even a good idea Tiz?" The ram paused,
"I-I want to know you. You helped me after all, so I can see if the herd can come to like you." This surprised the canine and his smile brightened.
"Very well then, it's a date, tomorrow?" The ram smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow Ringabel!" The ram flashed his sweetest smile and ran off back to the village.
The canine was awestruck, he made a companion out of what would have normally been his meal. He too smiled.
"That smile truly was magnificent though. Adorable and beautiful like a blooming flower in spring!" With that, Ringabel returned to the forest, eager for morning to arrive.