Story by Dream Web
Edit by parsonkid1
I Miss You
Today was a normal day for the wolves living in Jasper Park. They did the usual, hunting, eating, playing around with each other. But if you looked closely enough, you would notice that there was something… different.
The valley, howling rock, and dens were still the same. But the wolves were not the same. No. It was the next generation.
"Where's the elder Humphrey?" one wolf standing at the entrance of the main den was asking his comrade.
"I don't know. Why?" That wolf said, scratching his ear.
"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering." he replied, and got to his paws. It was time to hunt.
Not far outside of Jasper park was the graveyard. Wolves seldom came here, but today there was an old male wolf walking alone on his way to the graveyard. Humphrey's dark grey colored fur was thin and bleak.
He was now fourteen years old. He was very old for a wolf. Wolves seldom reached such an old age. In fact, he was so old, he was the only one left from his generation.
He slowly walked to one special grave. It was a small hillock covered by vines with yellow flowers. The gravestone was engraved with a precious name…
Kate.
"I'm here to see you… Kate" he said with his aged voice. He was no longer choppy and humorous. Not many things were the same when Kate left.
"I know you can't answer me." Humphrey said with sorrow. "But I know you can hear me."
He would never forget that fateful night…
Ten Years Ago
Humphrey had been running almost nonstop for a day. His feet were in bad shape because of so much running. The pain in his feet was almost unbearable, but he wished that it could be more painful than it was. For some reason, pain pushed him to hurry.
He was on his way home. He had been out for a particular herb. The herb now was in his mouth and he absolutely had to get back in time.
He kept running, knowing that he couldn't stop. If he stopped, then he would not be able to keep running at this speed.
He looked around the forest and found that he was finally in their territory now.
Please. Don't be late, he thought, almost completely dazed and running straight to the den where the love of his life was.
"Eve... I'm back!" Humphrey shouted, rushing into the den.
Eve didn't answer. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, and she threw Humphrey a glance, feeling really sorry.
"Humphrey?" a weak, hoarse voice called.
"Kate?" Humphrey asked, shaking his head. What he saw brought pain and sorrow to his heart.
Kate was lying on the ground. Her fur was drenched with sweat. Her beautiful eyes had lost the jubilant gleam in them that was always there. Her belly was huge. That was the problem.
Kate had been in labor for two days.
"Oh Humphrey, I thought I wouldn't see you again." she said smoothly, as if though she wasn't in pain.
"What are you waiting for? The herb's here!" Humphrey shouted at Eve. "Do something!" he begged.
The others in the den were looking at Kate and Humphrey with deep pity. They all knew what was going to happen. Some female wolves like Lilly were already weeping.
"Sorry, there's nothing I can do. It's too late..." oddly enough, Eve wasn't throwing an angry fit like she always did. Instead, she had tears in her eyes.
"Why? The herb is here!" he cried, throwing the plant at Eve.
"Sorry," Eve said, avoiding the plant. Then, she went outside to mourn.
The others followed her. They couldn't bear what was happening. But, they had to let them say goodbye
Humphrey was frozen to the spot. He now knew what was going to happen. He knew that now there was nothing he could do for his mate. But, he had given it everything he had to save her. Unfortunately, it was not enough.
"Hu...mphrey" Kate said weakly. The only reason she had the strength to live only a little while longer was her desire to speak with Humphrey one last time.
"Yes, Kate." Humphrey immediately answered. He was afraid that Kate would die before they could say anything more.
"It seems… that my time has come." Kate said. She could feel her life slipping away, along with it, all the pain that she was enduring.
"No, Kate!" Humphrey yelled, tears running down his face. "You can't leave me like this."
"I'm… so sorry Humphrey." Kate whispered. "But promise me one thing. Promise me you will live on bravely. And… promise me you won't forget me…" Kate uttered as she closed her eyes. She was really tired and needed to rest.
"Don't say that Kate! Stay with me! Stay with me!" he said pushing Kate with his muzzle, but she didn't answer.
He kept pushing and shaking her, trying to wake her up. But all of this was useless. There was nothing he could do to ever wake her up again.
"I promise Kate. I promise…" he said… crying his eyes out, his heart filled to the brim with pain and sorrow.
Now
"It's been ten years Kate. Can you believe it? Ten years since you left..." Humphrey said to the gravestone, lying down next to it.
"If Lilly and Garth are there with you now, tell them that their grandson is ruling well. Oh, and tell Salty that his son just became a father two days ago." He laughed when he imagined the look on Salty's face if he heard of this.
"You know what? I kind of envy you now." Humphrey said. "You don't suffer the effects of age." He said, waving his paw.
"And... you don't have to see me tired and old." the smile on his face vanishing. Soon, all that remained was sorrow.
"And tell Hutch that his… never mind." he said, stopping his stupid report. "I just wanted to say... I miss you, Kate. I miss you so much."
A single tear fell to the ground. This was the first time he cried since the funeral. He kept his promise to stay brave, but his life was almost over. After Kate died, there was nothing worth crying about, anyway.
He cried, venting the emotions he kept bottled up deep inside him for ten years.
Then he heard it. He heard the voice that spoke to him every night in his dreams.
...Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep...
"Kate?" he asked, looking around the graveyard trying to find the source of the song.
He also couldn't see very well. Time had taken away his good eyesight, but he knew that something had to be over there…
...I am a thousand winds that blow...
"Kate, is that you?" Humphrey asked, getting to his feet. He stared in the direction where he thought the song was coming from.
He felt something… different. It felt unusually easy to stand up.
...I am the diamond glints on snow...
Slowly Humphrey's vision grew clearer and clearer. Finally, he saw the wolf who was signing to him. She had golden, tan fur, and beautiful eyes.
…Kate.
This is the rewrite chapter of this story. And honestly this story is my favorite of all my work. So enjoy and review.
EDITED AT 2012-11-8 12:50 pm time zone = +8
