Since the Wolf King had passed and the Flock rejected him, Chirin had accepted that he would be alone. It was better that way, he told himself. Sure it was lonely, but he had no one else to lose. He mourned his Mother and he mourned her murderer as he would a father. He didn’t need any more grief and though he lacked companionship he did come to find peace.
Then, Chirin heard the howl sound from further up the mountain. It shocked him out of his daily routine of sleeping, grazing, and hunting without killing that he went through to keep his wits sharp. At first his heart had leapt as he had, for a moment, forgot that a strange wolf would never view him as kin. Still, he found some comfort knowing there was at least another nearby.
Just a few days after that, Chirin saw a goat down in the field below his den and nowhere near the farm in which he was born. A wild goat, then. He didn’t approach, as goats were close enough to sheep to know that he was no longer truly either. Chirin may have been a ram once, but his lifestyle had warped his shape too much.
When he saw a wolf outnin daylight hunting the goat, and the goat for some unfathomable reason run toward, instead of away, Chirin feared that maybe his solitude had finally driven him mad. Wolves and sheep were both social creatures. Clearly living alone wasn’t being kind to his mind so he left the cliff he watched from to clear his head and lay down for a while.
Chirin happened upon the goat quite by accident. He had been chasing down a squirrel that had strayed too far from the trees. He had no intention to kill, only to catch, but was quickly distrupted when the small goat began to run right next to him, struggling to keep up.
“Hello there!” The goat bleated, and the friendly tone stopped Chirin in his tracks, his sharp hooves digging trenches in the grass from the force of his halt.
“Hello?” He brayed back, his voice almost hurting him to use since he hadn’t spoken in seasons.
“I didn’t know there were other goats out here. I’m Mei!”
“Uh…Chirin.” Chirin answered.
Chirin may have been too warped to look like much of a sheep anymore, but he supposed he could pass for a large goat if one ignored the curl of his wool and how his horns curved a strange way.
“I saw you caught by a wolf a while ago.” Chirin pointed out, perhaps a bit awkwardly. “You must be very strong to have escaped.”
Mei shuffled his hooves awkwardly, and Chirin could see in his face that the goat was trying to come to a decision with himself. He wondered if his own face had ever been so easy to read. Finally, Mei thought it alright to admit what he had been thinking of.
“That was Gabu. I didn’t need to escape. He’s my best friend.”
“Oh.” Chirin deflated slightly, not even sure why.
Mei didn’t really know where to take the conversation with an answer like that, so he just smiled. “Well, it was nice meeting you! Gabu’s and my den is just down that way,” Mei pointed toward the east, “Under a little hill. Gabu won’t bother the farm so don’t worry about him.”
“Why would I worry about the farm?” Chirin scoffed, still holding onto bitterness at the ewes who feared him.
Mei took a step back, intimidated by the harsh tone. “I’m sorry. The bell… I just assumed.”
Chirin took a breath. “I apologize, I… I haven’t been welcomed to the farm since the Wolf King took me in.” Normally Chirin wouldn’t have admitted to such a thing, but if this little goat was friends with a wolf he supposed there was no harm in sharing common ground.
Mei’s eyes widened in awe, then he looked around warily. Chirin could easily guess what he was looking for.
“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry.” Mei said softly, surprising Chirin yet again. “If… If you ever need company you can come visit us! I’ll let Gabu know too.”
Chirin, despite himself, smiled. “I may hold you to that.”
