Inside the Embers

Two

Naine POV

They HAD to be one of the fallen. But, didn't they go extinct before I was born? How is this one still living? Heh, I think they're about MY AGE.

That's it, I HAVE to meet them!

"Hi" I said quietly.
"Wh-who goes there!? I'm not sc-scared!"
"Really? I can see you cowering."
"Where are you? You must be even more scared than I, since you're h-hiding and all..."
"You don't want to see me. I'll scare you."
"No you won't, you're probably just from another village, or something. Right..?"
"I guess so. Hey, weird question but..."
Awkward silence followed. I must gather my courage! "*sigh* are you a...human?" I saw him pale, did I say something...wrong?"
"No. Way. An animal...th-that...speaks English..?!"
"Pfft, how else would I communicate?"
"I was always taught that...ah!"
"See, I knew you'd be scared. I should just-"
"No." Huh? What's this? I turned to face him. "Stay. Please? I...I'm sorry that I screamed. I wasn't prepared to see a...an animal speaking...speaking at all, and, heh. English of all languages! Why English?" I didn't realize at first, he was asking me the question. "And seriously? A wolf? I never thought I'd see anything but humans in my life! Potatoes and worms are one thing, but a full grown WOLF?!"
"Heh, I'm not an adult yet. In human years, I'm only eighteen. I'm still a youngster!"
"To humans, eighteen is the first year of adulthood. Or, it was. Back when things were 'normal'..."
We sat in silence. Nothing seemed abnormal to us, we were born years, decades after it had started.