"Time. It's a funny thing. Humans are always referring to clocks when they talk about time. They think that by creating hours, minutes and seconds that they have mastered the dimension that is time. Truth is, time has no form - it has no hours, minutes or seconds. Humans just like feeling in control I suppose," I looked down on the Young Ones who all stared up at me with wide, blue eyes.
"What about us?" Breathed one, the others nodded.
I smiled, "We do not need to worry about time. We do not make appointments, we do not try and fight what cannot be fought and we certainly do not abide by human laws!" A ripple of 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' gave added affect.

I enjoyed talking to them about a variety of different things from reality to mythical creatures such as humans. When they Mature though, I reflected upon sadly, they will no longer care about my say on things. When they Mature - I will no longer be around.

"Enough Arrouena, do not fill their heads with pointless things," A voice like grinding stones growled in my ear. I turned to see my daughter glaring at me with eyes as cold and colourless as ice. The moon insignia oh her forehead glowed angrily, pulsing silver-blue.
Like the others, she had Matured and cared little for the stories that used to entertain her as a Young One. Little Blizzard was long gone, in her place was this creature before me.

That was what was to become of the Young Ones. Cold, heartless. Their appearances would reflect that. When they Mature, their black markings would fade and the cream fur would drain away into silver. Their carefree, light-blue eyes would fade away to grey or - in my daughter's unusual case - turn completely devoid of colour altogether.
"Ah, but when you were a Young One blizzard, you were the one that listened more intently than the rest," I retorted.
Blizzard snorted, choosing to ignore my last comment, "If we have no care, or any need, for time then why do you waste it reflecting upon the olden days?"
I sighed, giving her the satisfaction of defeat. She rumbled smugly and ushered the Young Ones away, slowly padding along behind them. She quickened her pace when she heard my shuffling pawsteps as I stood up to follow her. I was not as agile as I used to be, and soon lagged behind.
Desperately I called out to her, "It is not time I waste, I have no use for time nor it with me. What I reflect upon are the Forgotten Memories!"
Blizzard froze, then spun around snarling, "Why waste what little life you have left on things that will never be again? What happened, happened and there's nothing you can do about it!"
"If we had dealt with things differently... even after, if you all had listened to the teachings of I and the others before me so you involved yourself in things other than the pack. The way it was before the..." I cried, choking on the last words that had caused me so much pain.
My daughter circled around me, those careless eyes boring into mine, which are filled with exasperation.
"Your time is long forgotten. I don't regret any of what happened. I thus declare you as an outcast and are never to return to these parts of the forest ever again!" Blizzard snarled angrily.
I shook my head and took a step forward, "It is not I who is the outsider - it is you and all the other Matured! Can you not see what your selfishness has done? Our ancestors would not have wanted this! This will be your downfall!"
Blizzard howled in anger and lunged, I dodged out of the way as fast as I could - but not fast enough. Her claws caught my shoulder and ripped through fur and muscle. Landing behind me, she prowled around to face me - fur and blood caught in between her claws.
Wincing with pain, I looked at her with despair, "Why?" I croaked. She spat, turned around and swaggered away.
Two guards stalked down the small hill towards me, parting to let their leader past. They growled threateningly at me. Knowing full well what they were about to do, I spun and fled into the woods despite my shoulder screaming in protest. They gave chase.

I didn't stop running, even well after the two guards had stopped at their territory line. On the horizon the golden sun started to nestle down for the night while the silver moon glared at me while it awoke.
When I could run no more, I collapsed by the Lake of Solitude and drifted into agonized sleep as the others howled at the moon ceremoniously before leaving their main territory to hunt while a few remained to nurse the Young Ones.

As the leering moon reached the highest point in the night sky, I was awoken suddenly by a disturbance in the lake. I raised my head and stared over the smooth surface. I slanted my eyes... Yes! There it was again. A slight ripple, as if a fish had hit the surface. But I knew better - nothing lived in this Lake since...
Standing carefully, ensuring no weight was put onto my injured shoulder, I limped into the lukewarm water. As it reached shoulder height I winced as it stroked my raw shoulder. I reached the spot of the disturbance, half-swimming half-standing.
I looked down at my reflection to realise, with a start, that I was not alone. A golden creature stood beside me, I looked around seeing no creature in sight. This beast was in the water.
"How is this possible?" I whispered, this creature looked exactly like my kind except its eyes were yellow and its fur as gold as the sun insignia on its forehead.
"You have been loyal. More loyal than any of my descendants have been," A low rumble, almost like a purr, reverberated inside my head. An ancient wisdom echoed in its words, yet eternal sadness filled its sombre eyes, "Once Creatures of the Sun, you now belong to what you and the others used to shun the sight of. The silver moon. It brings selfishness to the once pure hearts of our kind and greed to their once welcoming eyes. Show them the truth, bring them out of shadow. Make them Remember the Forgotten Memories."
"Wait!" I cried as the water rippled and the creature slowly faded away, "I don't understand! How do I show them? What do I show them?"
I recieved no answer. I didn't expect to.

I turned to go back to shore when I collapsed into spasms as the pain in my shoulder amplified until I could not stand it any longer. A long scream tore from me as coldness seeped from the wound like blood. As the pain reached its climax warmth slowly replaced it as if a creature of the sun had laid down beside me.
My muzzle dipped under the water, which rushed down my throat. I had lost the will to fight back and darkness prevailed...

When I awoke in the morning, the sun's warmth caressed my half submerged body in the Lake of Solitude. Strange, since the sun scorched me terribly on any other day.
Realising my last memory was one of drowning, I sprung to my feet to note that I was by the edge of the shore, in the shallows. I spat out the remaining water in my mouth and shook my fur, numbly acknowledging that the pain in my shoulder had one.
I bent down to drink, thinking that it was - maybe not ironic, but I had been drowning in water and now I needed a drink as I was thirsty. I opened my mouth, extended my tongue down into the water...... and ground to a halt.
A Creature of the Sun stared at me with blazing eyes as bright as the morning sun itself. On its forehead glowed a sun insignia. The Creature's yellow eyes stared into mine with bewilderment, mouth open to lap up the lake water and quench its thirst.
The next thing it did surprised me again. My reflection (I think it was anyway) winked. It actually winked! From somewhere in my mind an ancient voice whispered to me. It showed me a horrific scene that filled me with rage.

I knew what I had to do.