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The Lone Wolf
“...You ever think about a period in your life you wish you could forget?”
“Something you know was completely your own doing, and you can’t deny you were at fault for it…”
“...Yeah…that’s the story of my life…I know…I can’t excuse what I did…all I cared about was getting paid for my services…and to show that I was the best damn pilot to fly the skies…little did I know it’d be my undoing.”
Wolf sighed and blew out a puff of smoke, wisping away in the cold air as he stood over the balcony. He looked down; the city lights shone below him, along with the cars passing to and fro along the streets. The lupine took another swig of his cigarette and continued with his thoughts.
“Would you look at that…Wolf O’Donnell throwing himself a pity party…how far have I fallen from grace that I’m at this point…well, if you can even call it grace at that…brought up by a turbulent childhood…raised in the streets and fought for survival…and when I finally got to show off to all those low-grade cadets…I still wasn’t the best…cuz someone else was…”
Wolf thought back to his days in the academy…everyone talked about the eye in the skies…the great James McCloud, as if he were some legend…that meant little to Wolf at the time, it was merely another obstacle to prove his superiority…little did he know the domino effect that would set him on…
“Pride’s always been my weakness…if anything, I’m surprised I’m not dead cuz of it…and it was way too easy to feed…all someone needed to do was say the right words, and I’d be on that faster than you could say General Pepper…lookit where that got me…left with only a handful of paychecks and on the run from a government who wanted my head…least we managed to bunk down in Sargasso in the aftermath…I don’t give Leon enough credit for sticking by me all that time…”
Wolf let out another puff as he thought back to the chameleon. True, most would hardly associate with someone who had rather…unsettling mannerisms, but Wolf was one of the few who truly understood the way Leon operated. The reptile was reserved to say the least, but he was skilled in his craft…and personality-wise, Wolf found him both bemusing and a good confidant when there was no one else to turn to. Even Panther had proven to be amicable, in spite of his rather theatrical mannerisms.
“Lord knows his ass has been gettin’ around…still…even when I’m down to three…it’s better than nothing…so…how is it, the scourge of the skies, found himself sittin’ in the same space as his so-called rival for life…your guess is as good as mine…well, it is my guess…”
Wolf looked back to the door to the balcony…he thought about Fox…he thought about the Aparoid Invasion…and despite how the tabloids had published it, he also thought back to the Angulars…truthfully speaking, he hadn’t actually expected the vulpine to speak on his behalf to getting his name cleared along with his comrades, especially since he could see the looks from the Cornerian officials.
“...Man, that pup surprises me sometimes…one might think he’s crazy for sticking his neck out like that for us…and to an extent, they’d be right…then again, better him getting me out of trouble than letting those pencil pushers decide my fate…which would probably be dancing on my grave…that’s the life of a rogue for ya’...I guess…I owe McCloud one for that…for all this.”
“Contemplating the meaning of life once again?”
Wolf looked back. Fox was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a neutral expression on his face.
“...I see you’re still up”, remarked Wolf.
“Not surprising, you weren’t beside me”, said Fox, “What’s gotten you out here?”
“Just…thinking is all”, murmured Wolf.
“You seem to be doing that quite a bit lately”, replied Fox, “Hmm…least I know Wolf O’Donnell has some introspection about himself.”
“Pfft, ya’ know I’m not just a shallow husk”, snorted Wolf, “Then again, that’s probably how I appear to most people.”
“I thought you didn’t let that get to you…I remember you waving it off not too long ago when I was out here”, said Fox.
“I mean…I don’t really give a damn if people dislike me, it’s expected with someone of my record, it’s more…knowing that you’re the one who spared me when you’ve got the most reason to hate me”, murmured Wolf.
“...I contend with the fact that you’ve got a checkered past, you’ve done some pretty horrible things in your time, and that can’t be undone”, Fox stated plainly, before his tone softened, “At the same time…you’re not just a vicious, bloodthirsty beast…I know you’ve got a moral code…and even I wouldn’t sentence you to a life of suffering…”
Wolf looked back down at the streets below him…he sighed, “Ya’ know…life would prolly be easier if ya’ didn’t have me to burden you…after all, it’d help maintain that squeaky clean image people expect from Lylat’s Golden Boy.”
“I’m a mercenary. I would take any job so long as it paid well…not that I’d stoop as low as to accept contracts from complete sociopaths, but still”, replied Fox, “The point is that I knew there was potential in you…and what a surprise, I was actually swept off my feet by what I saw.”
“Hmmhmmhmm, well, you know me, Wolf O’Donnell always aims to impress”, smirked the lupine.
“Ah, I see that handsome grin’s back a comeback”, smiled Fox.
“...Well, if anyone was gonna get me outta this mood, it’d be you”, replied Wolf. Fox took a step forward, and placed a paw on the lupine’s
“Trust me when I say…you’re not a burden, Wolf”, murmured the vulpine, “Because I’ve seen it for myself…and if anyone wants to think I’m a loony for letting you stay with me…well, that’s their problem.”
“Hrmmmm…”, Wolf hummed, “I see someone’s got some bite to them…pup…AHEM…Fox?”
“Yes?”
“...Thank you.”
Fox smiled as he put a paw around Wolf’s scarred eye…the lupine took the initiative to press his muzzle against the vulpine’s, to which Fox returned in earnest. They held onto the position for a few seconds before withdrawing for breath.
“Feel better?”
“...You could say that.”
“Right…now, come back to bed”, Fox remarked coyly, “Can’t have you all on your lonesome out here.”
“You got a sharp tongue there, don’t you, Foxy?”, Wolf smirked back before he slung his arm around Fox’s waist as he led them back into the apartment.
Wolf sighed as he lay on the mattress next to Fox. He leaned over to press his muzzle against the top of the vulpine’s head, hearing a pleasant purr in return.
“Ya’ know…for everything I’ve been through…I’d say I’m lucky to have this one by my side…”