FSE

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Chapter 7

Harvy giggled nervously as she walked down the street with Gar. "Wow...what a meal that was huh?" Gar grinned back at her. "I take it you are not reffering to the hamburgers." Harvy giggled again. "No. Sorry my mom kinda freaked out on you." Gar laughed kind heartedly. "She is a very endearing woman. I can certainly see where you get it from." Harvy blushed. "T-thanks Gar..." She cleared her throat and straightened up. "Seriously though i've never seen her act that way before. She REALLY likes you." Gar grinned inquisitively. "Oh?" Harvy nodded. "Definately. I haven't seen her blush like that since she was still with my dad..." She trailed off with a sad smile. Gar nodded in understanding and did not probe the apparently tender subject.

Harvy quickly shook her head and shot Gar a giddy smile. "So! Where are we headed Gar?" He smiled back. "If it is agreeable I thought I might show you the park." Harvy positively beamed with excitement. "You have a PARK here?! In the middle of the desert?!" Gar chuckled as he noticed her tail wagging like an excited pup. Harvy noticed as well and quickly stopped as a blush made itself known and her ears flattened. "I doubt it is what you are expecting, but it is truly a magical place..." Harvy nodded in awe and smiled brighly again. "Lead the way good sir!" Gar chuckled and gently grabbed her paw, guiding her off the path and into the desert sands. Harvy blushed feircely as she followed.

After several minutes of silent hiking Gar came to a sudden stop. Harvy nearly collided into him, blushing yet again as she realized she'd been staring at his talon clasped around her paw the whole time they had been walking. She tore her eyes away from the flustering sight and followed Gar's gaze, letting out a gasp of shock. This was most definately NOT the kind of park she had thought it would be. Before the two teenaged totems was an endless sea of shining white sand, gleaming beneath the deep blue of the desert sky. Dunes littered the landscape like gentle waves in a calm sea. Stones of crimson shades and exotic shapes dotted the area in a sort of natural rock garden. Chuckling lightly at Harvy's dazed expression, Gar gently tugged at her paw, urging her forward. He brought the speechless wolf up to a large stone which stood nearly two stories high.

Gar pointed at the stone, indicating an intricate maze of deep holes, tunnels, caverns, and reliefs which greatly resembled a miniature city carved in stone. He gently lay a talon upon it and brought up Harvy's paw to do the same. Harvy was so entranced that she jumped slightly when Gar spoke. "These stones have been here since time immemorial...even before first man in earth that was..." Harvy gasped in total awe as Gar continued. "They've been carved by desert winds over thousands of years..." He gestured to the city-like relief before them. "An ancient human tribe once called this region home...back in earth that was...they were called the Navajo...they believed these stones were home to ancient spirits and these were their villages." Harvy gazed in wide eyed wonder. "...Wow...it's beautiful Gar..." As she said this her eyes met his. Gar smiled gently, tenderly, and Harvy quickly turned away as she began to get lost in his eyes once more. She fought off a blush and quickly hugged him. Gar accepted with only the slightest twitch. "Thank you for showing me this Gar...It's amazing." Gar smiled warmly as he gently stroked her head fur. "You are most welcome...'Dire Wolf.' "

Harvy couldn't help but giggle at the endearing nickname he used only for her. Quickly becoming aware of the rather...intimate...moment, she quickly removed herself from Gar, her ears flattening. Gar just looked at her with an unfazed smile. Harvy glanced around nervously. "S-so uh...where to next?" Gar offered his talon which Harvy nervously accepted. "On ancient winds the raven flies, his mind adrift in newborn skies. No set path nor destined goal, forever more the nomad soul..." Gar finished with a grin and a wink before guiding Harvy onward. With flattened ears and a fierce heat in her face Harvy briefly wondered if a day would come when she would finally be able to be around Gar without blushing like an idiot...

The day was truly a pleasant one. Gar showed Harvy around the town pointing out trivial things such as the best market places and conveniance stores, the local library, and of course his favorite book store. Harvy REALLY enjoyed that one. It was a small modest shop front that housed a monumental collection of ancient texts, many as old as earth that was. Unable to help herself, Harvy had left with a bag of several books which Gar graciously paid for despite her rather vehement protests. As they walked down the sidewalk beneath the slowly setting evening sun Harvy let out a contented sigh. "Wow...thank you SO MUCH Gar! This was the best day i've had in like...FOREVER!" Gar chuckled lightly. "I am very pleased to have been of service."

Harvy smiled with the giddiness of a happy child, her tail wagging excitedly. Gar took note of this uncouncious habit and chuckled lightly at the cute display. Just then, an idea crossed his mind. He grinned and turned to face Harvy who stopped walking and looked up at him with slight nervousness. "Umm...what's up Gar?" He took a step closer making Harvy's heart beat a bit faster. "There is one more sight I wish for you to see before we part ways...if you so desire." Harvy gulped and nodded dumbly. Once again Gar offered his talon which she nervously accepted.

Harvy eventually noticed that Gar was leading her back to the same park they had stopped at earlier that day. She quirked an eyebrow in question but remained silent. Gar just grinned knowingly and led her to the top of a very tall sand dune. He gestured for her to sit down and she nervously did so. Gar took a seat beside her and began counting down. "ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one...now..." As he finished Harvy gasped in awe. The sun slowly sank below the horizon, setting the desert sky ablaze in a dazzling and truly mystifying display of orange, red and gold, clouds swirling like liquid in shades of brilliant pink. Harvy was silent, rendered completely speechless by the overwhelming beauty. Uncounciously she grabbed Gar's talon giving it a gentle squeeze, eliciting a contented sigh from him as they enjoyed the ethereal wonder together.

The pair walked in a comfortable and contented silence as the days events replayed through Harvy's mind. She was in total awe of Gar. He was such an incredible person and she felt overwhelming thanks for Gaea at having had the honor of meeting him. She prayed they would be friends forever. They stopped outside of Harvy's house. Harvy glanced around nervously before deciding to break the now awkward silence. "Um...thanks again for everything Gar...today was incredible..." Gar grinned graciously. "Not at all. It was a pleasure." Harvy smiled warmly. "Umm...would you like to come in? I'm sure my mom would love to say goodnight." He looked away with a sad smile. "I am truly very sorry. I would love to but I fear I must return home soon." Harvy nodded in understanding. "Oh...yeah...of course." She quickly hugged him. "Well good night Gar. Thanks again. Hey maybe I can meet your dad sometime!" Her smile faded when she noticed his distant expression. He simply nodded and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Well...good night then...'Dire Wolf.' " Harvy nodded and watched him as he left. After a moment she sighed and went inside. Harvy was quickly cornered by her mother who was grinning like a maniac. Gulping nervously, Harvy treaded forward. "What's up mom?" The older wolf beamed at her daughter. "Well? How was your day honey?" Harvy grinned sincerely. "It was great! Gar took me to this beautiful park! There were sand dunes and lot's of really big red rocks and they had these really pretty carvings in them that he said were created by thousands of years of desert winds and he told me a story about a human tribe from earth that was and how they believed the rocks were home to spirits and I saw the most BEAUTIFUL sunset EVER and..." Harvy trailed off as she noticed her mother's giddy ear to ear grin. She realized she'd gotten a bit TOO excited in her answer and flattened her ears.

Her mother then took notice of her bag which held several old books, her eybrow raising in silent question. Harvy sighed. "Gar showed me this really cool book store that sells antique books. I really liked these and he kinda bought them for me...even though I begged him not too..." The older wolf took on a mischievous glint in her eye. "Oh? Well wasn't that sweet of him? That boy is SUCH a gentleman! So polite, so charming, so HANDSOME..." Harvy groaned before gasping in realization. "Mom...you don't think there's something...going on...between me and Gar...do you?" The older wolf chuckled mischievously. "You mean there isn't?" Harvy blushed several shades of red and layed her ears FLAT againt her skull. "MOM!" The older wolf just kept chuckling, and wiggled her brows suggestively.

Harvy honestly thought she might die from embarassment for a moment. "MOM! Come on! We're FRIENDS! We just met two days ago! Besides he isn't even canine!" The older wolf's laughter trailed off. "But he IS a breathtaking young man is he not?" Harvy face pawed. "Oh honey I was just teasing you." Harvy sighed in a mixture of relief and annoyance. "Why do you always have to tease me like that mom?" The older wolf looked at her daughter like she'd just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Because it's funny." Harvy face pawed again before cracking a slight smile. She quickly kissed her mother on the cheek before heading for her room. "Goodnight mom...I'm tired..." The older wolf smiled warmly. "Goodnight sweety! I KNOW you'll have pleasant dreams!" The older wolf heard her daughter trip, followed by a hushed curse. "MOM!" She laughed quietly to herself before preparing for bed as well.

Gar sighed as he entered his trailer. He frowned when he noticed the vacant couch. A quick glance confirmed his note was no longer taped to the door. He absently ruffled his head feathers with a talon and made his way to his room. Collapsing on his bed with a grunt, he replayed Harvy's words in his head. Hey maybe I can meet your dad sometime! He groaned slightly and buried his feathered head in his pillow. He knew it was only natural for Harvy to be curious about his home life since he'd already met her mother, but he'd hoped to somehow avoid what he knew was inevitable. He did not want her to feel any more sadness for him. Grunting in exhaustian he sat himself up and clumsily stripped off his vest, hurling it towards the hamper which it missed by a foot. He absently pondered the new direction his life had so suddenly taken as sleep assaulted his senses and he drifted off into uncounciousness.