Máscara De Los Lobos De Fuego

Brian awoke with a groan, someone shaking him back into consciousness. He slowly cracked an eye open, taking in the familiar sight of the hut he shared with Muzen. His body felt like it was made of lead, an overwhelming desire to return to sleep filling his fuzzy thoughts. For whatever reason, he hadn’t slept well. Just as he was about to chance trying to sleep again, the hand that his groggy mind finally figured out was Muzen’s was not having any of that.

“Brian, wake up,” Muzen’s voice insisted. “We must prepare for the festival today.”

“Go away, Muzen...” Brian replied, pulling the covers over his head. “Lemme sleep...” he pleaded with a whine, hoping to get some sympathy points.

Even without looking, Brian could tell Muzen was rolling his eyes. “Fine, you can rest a little while longer.” There was a shuffling beneath the covers and Brian’s side suddenly felt much colder. “But no cuddles for you. I have to don ceremonial armor. You’ll have your own ceremonial garb to wear now.”

Brian grumbled a few incoherent words at him and curled up into a tight ball within the covers. “Sleep now, sacred dressup later,” he muttered. The sound of Muzen chuckling caught his ears, and soon Brian found himself alone. He settled in the best he could relaxing his mind and drifting towards the fringes of consciousness.

After he figured a few minutes passed, he rolled out from the blankets and stretched out to his feet. Once he felt a few satisfying pops in his joints he opened his eyes again. The hut greeted him, as it always did, the place he had come to know as home. The place had come to comfort him. Knowing that he had found someone to make him feel like one of the tribe helped make it feel like home. After one last look around and a deep breath, Brian stepped out of the hut to find Muzen.

Trying to ignore how tired his body was, Brian greeted the various wolves he came across. Most were wearing their finest clothes and jewelry, and all had painted their bodies for the day’s events. He knew he’d have to ask the elder help him paint the proper patterns into his fur. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to that part; any time spent around the elder usually devolved into getting urged to start having kids.

“She’s persistent, I’ll give her that...” Deciding to buck up and head there first, Brian made his way to the elders hut. His hunch paid off, as he found the elder and Muzen in an animated conversation.

“We can hold a proper festival at last,” the elder commented, helping Muzen adjust a headdress sitting atop Muzen’s head. When she was done, she swatted the larger wolf upside the head. “If you weren’t so picky about your mate, we could’ve done it sooner.”

“What’s this about a proper festival?” Brian asked, making his presence known. “Is the chief’s mate really that important for this kind of thing?”

Muzen turned to Brian, smiling brightly as his tail slowly started to wag. He stepped over to his mate, carefully giving him a hug to avoid smudging the paint patterns adorning his body. “Yes, there is a ceremony we hold at the end of the festival. The chief and his mate perform a dance of sorts, symbolizing the ushering in of the bright future of our tribe.”

Brian rolled his eyes, returning Muzen’s hug. “And I wasn’t informed of this dance before hand because...?”

“Because you’d try to weasel your way out of it,” the elder snapped, grabbing a bowl of white paint. “Nothing but excuses of nonsense like not being able to dance.” She dipped a small brush into the paint, motioning for Brian and Muzen to separate.

“Hey, I can dance,” Brian huffed as he pulled away from Muzen. Readying himself for more torment, Brian moved over to the elder. “I can dance really well, ya old bag.”

The elder let out a dry chuckle, carefully applying paint to Brian’s arm. “Good, then you should have no problem doing your part in the ceremony. It truly is an honor to take part in it; el Sabio Lobo will be watching you two. It’s even said that he offers blessings to couples that impress him.”

“Lemme guess; he gives them lots and lots of pups,” Brian responded, watching the elder work with gusto. “I’d be so appreciative if he granted me that.”

“That is one potential boon,” the elder admitted, humming softly as she created intricate patterns along Brian’s body. “Some have claimed long, happy relationships and others with greater wisdom.”

“Those sounds much better...” Brian muttered, keeping himself as still as possible. The patterns themselves were easy on the eyes, and if he stared at them too long, they'd almost seem to move.

“El Sabio Lobo will give you what you need,” the elder offered, slowly kneeling down to apply paint to Brian’s legs. “At least, that is my belief.” She let out a quick chuckle. “Just remember that what you need and what you want aren’t always one and the same.” Making sure to get under Brian’s skirt, the elder finally finished with her painting. “Now come, we need to get you dressed properly.”

Brian sighed, resigning himself to following the elder further into her hut. “Is the ceremonial outfit at least comfortable?”

“Must you complain about everything?” the elder asked, giving him an annoyed look. “You sound like an old dog. Perhaps we should be naming you elder, hm?”

Brian snorted, smiling down at the elder. “Of course I gotta complain about everything, it’s my other job beside teaching and fishing. And I am older at heart seeing as I was nearly fifty before getting turned into a young bitch.” He scratched his chin, being careful of the fresh paint. “Guess I had to trade my manly bits for youth.”

The elder rolled her eyes, raising to her paws. She flicked Brian on the nose. “Then perhaps you should leave the elderly behavior to me then?” Turning away, she lifted up a small box. “Now, disrobe so we can get you properly dressed.”

Brian nodded, carefully shimmying out of his skirt. He didn’t bother with modesty, it’s not like Muzen and the elder hadn’t seen him naked before. His shirt was next, continuing to be mindful of the body paint. Watching in interest, he let the elder ease him into the ceremonial clothing. Much of it was adorned with gems and other decorative stones. The material was a cream color, and actually felt rather nice against his fur. The skirt was more colorful, a deep green with a sash that sat around his waist. The sash had several colorful feathers hanging off of it.

Brian looked between Muzen and the elder. “How do I look?” He had to lean down some, trying not to twitch his ear too much as the elder began to attach earrings. They were fairly simple, polished obsidian hanging off short chains. “Pretty good, right?”

Muzen smiled brightly. “You look perfect. As always, you will be the most stunning bitch in attendance.” He stepped over, holding his arm out to Brian. “Ready to enjoy the festival?”

“Of course I am!” Brian smiled, stepping forward after the elder finished his look with his own headdress. “I’ve been waiting for a long time!”

The pair stepped out of the hut arm in arm, earning a few looks from the other villagers as they walked towards the rows of stalls that were set up. Various games and events had been set up, most having more than a few pups crowding them. Brian smiled when he saw one of his students win one of the games, the vendor handing him a sapphire as big as his head. The pup had to wrestle with his friends for a few moments before eventually coming to an agreement on how to split it.

“That gem vein couldn’t have come at a better time,” Muzen commented, watching the group of pups run off. “Makes the games that much more exciting for the young ones. What better price is there than some tasty gems, to share with your friends?”

Brian smiled and gave Muzen’s arm a squeeze. “Are you gonna try and win a prize for me?” He shot Muzen a pout. “I’ve never eaten a gem before.” His act was rewarded with a chuckle from Muzen.

“You don’t have to play up to me, Brian.” Muzen’s smile grew and he poked Brian’s nose. “Besides, you have arms don’t you? Maybe we should try and win each other prizes, hm?”

Brian’s smile widened and his tail started to wag slowly. “I think I like the sound of that, make a contest out of the games. Should we make some terms? Unless you’re too scared~?”

Muzen scoffed at Brian’s taunt, a smirk spreading across the larger wolf’s muzzle. “I am the farthest thing from scared. Go ahead, name whatever terms you like. Just don’t complain when you lose.”

“Alright there.” Looking up at Muzen, Brian held his hand out. “First one to win the other three prizes wins. Deal?”

Muzen took Brian’s hand and gave it a quick shake. “I hope you’re hungry, I’m about to win you a ton of gems.” He pulled away from Brian, striding over to one of the stalls. The game looked just like a ring toss that could be found at any fair, theme park or carnival. The vendor handed Muzen a few rings and he easily made his first throw. “Off to a good start.”

Brian huffed, quickly finding a stall of his own. This one looked like a shooting gallery, though one with a small bow and arrow instead of a rifle of some kind. He took the bow and nocked one of the arrows as he narrowed his eyes at the target. Pulling the arrow back, he let it go sending it at the target. The arrow sailed in the air for a split second before sinking into the second ring from the center. He nodded in slight satisfaction, a small smile spreading across his lips. He nocked the next arrow, taking careful aim in hopes of hitting the bullseye.

Letting the arrow fly, he let out a small cheer as the arrow embedded into the bullseye. “Alright, tied up with Muz, I can totally beat him.”

Brian took his prize, a large opal that sparkled with every color of the rainbow. He quickly found a place to stash his newfound prize and turned his attention to the rest of the stalls. His eyes darted around, knowing he’d have to be quick if he wanted to catch up to Muzen.

“What next?” he asked himself, moving down the row of stalls, biting his lip in thought.

He eventually found something that piqued his interest. One stall had a series of pots stacked up and offered a ball to knock them over. Nodding at the wolf running it, he grabbed a ball, taking aim the stack of pots. He squinted his eyes and let the tip of his tongue stick out of the corner of his mouth. He positioned himself like a pitcher and threw the ball at the stack of pots with everything he had. With a thunk, the stack of pots clattered to the ground. Brian pumped his fist, his tail wagging behind him as the stall runner handed him a ruby for his prize.

Brian stashed his second prize with the first and headed out to find a final game. He went down the row of stalls, frowning as nothing seemed to jump out at him.

“Come on, come on. I can’t let Muz beat me,” Brian mumbled to himself, glancing back and forth. “I gotta show him how good I am at festival games.”

His eyes lit up when he saw a stall running a dart game. He rubbed his hands together as he approached it, his confidence peaking. He then politely asked the stall runner for a few darts and took careful aim. Taking his arm back, he threw it forward, aiming at the bullseye. It only took a split second before the dart made its mark, landing just outside the center ring. He clicked his tongue in disappointment before taking aim with the next dart. He made sure to take his time and steady his breathing, doing everything he could to ensure a perfect shot. He let the dart fly, his eyes widening in surprise when it just barely made it into the bullseye. A giddy grin spread across his face as he was given his prize, a large sapphire.

Brian’s tail wagged a mile a minute as he turned from the stall and started to look for Muzen. After a few minutes of searching, he found Muzen attempting to land a ball into a sideways tub.

Brian couldn’t resist stepping up behind Muzen and stand on his tiptoes to get as close as he could to the larger wolf’s ear. “Guess who lost~?” he whispered, a wicked grin on his muzzle.

Muzen jumped, whirling around with wide eyes. “Damnit, Brian! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” After a moment, he relaxed. “Good job, Brian, we’ll figure out your winnings later.”

Brian laughed, pulling Muzen into a hug and pulled out one of the gems he had won. “Alright ya scaredy cat,” he teased. “But for now we’ve got some gems to share.” Opening his mouth, he tossed a gem in, gingerly biting down on it.

Muzen smiled, taking a bite of his own. “I cannot argue with that plan.”

Brian let the gem sit on his tongue, getting a good feeling for the taste. Somehow, it tasted sweet, almost like a naturally occurring candy. “Holy crap, that’s actually really good.” It didn’t take long for him to finish the rest.

His shoulders rising and falling in mirth, Muzen licked Brian's nose. "What? Did you think it was going to taste like dirt?"

“I dunno, never thought about eating these things back home,” Brian said, weakly trying to push the wolf off him. "Closest we got was rock candy."

“What’s rock candy?” Muzen questioned, tilting his head and pulling away from Brian’s nose. “Rocks and gems are very different. We only over licked rocks long ago when we lacked food.”

Shaking his head, Brian smiled. "Rock candy is just a crystalized sugar, usually just colored though it sometimes has flavor added to it."

Muzen looked at him with a quizzical expression. “What is ‘shu-gar’?” he asked, trying the word out.

Brian's ears folded to his head for a moment as he tried to think. "It's something harvested from some plants that you can add to foods to make them taste sweeter."

“Perhaps we can trade for some with one of the pony tribes?” Muzen suggested,

Scratching his chin, Brian hummed in thought. "I don't think sugarcane grows in this part of the world. Sorry to bring it up only to leave you high and dry."

Patting his head, Muzen began to steer Brian through the crowd. "Nonsense, Brian. You're scratching at fleas where there are none."

Rolling his eyes, Brian lightly slugged the wolf in the side. "Try raising two daughters, you learn to have your worry sense pushed to full throttle. And I do NOT have fleas, thank you very much."

Muzen grinned wide in response. "I'm quite aware, I check you thoroughly every night." Scratching Brian's ear, he no little amusement in his frown. "Come on, let us enjoy the festivities."

"Alright, jerk," Brian replied, pouting.

The pair continued to walk around the festival, watching others enjoy themselves and snacking on their gem haul. The day slowly wore on until the sun hung low in the sky. Brian caught himself almost referring to Muzen by his former wife's name. The nostalgia of taking his family to the fair weighed down on him, bringing forth a melancholy he always ignored. Trying to shake it off, he sidled up closer to Muzen.

"Something wrong?" Muzen scratched Brian's ear, his head cocked to the side.

Looking up, Brian gave a small smile. "Sorry, just thought about my old home is all."

"Thinking of leaving me, are you?" A soft growl passed Muzen's lips, even as he licked Brian's nose. "I don't think so. You're staying right here with me."

Brian chuckled, putting his arm around Muzen's side. "Oh no, I don't want to be the captive of such a brute!" Gasping dramatically, he put his free hand to his forehead. "Whatever shall I do?"

Somehow, Muzen kept a straight face and answered with, "There's nothing you can do but be my mate and bear my pups. Litter after litter until the village is too big for even the jungle to contain them all."

Snorting, Brian burst out laughing. "Oh come on! What is it with everyone and kids? Don't 5’5you know, kids kinda suck. So many needs and so much money. You sure you want them?"

"Kids suck, says the teacher to the village pups," Muzen pointed out, poking the smaller wolf's nose. "You'll have to explain the word usage." One of the more intriguing aspects of Brian were the phrases and idioms that happened to pass his lips.

Brian chuckled, amused by the reaction. “Sorry, forgot you don’t have the same slang and idioms as back home. You treat me so much like any other villager that it slips my mind sometimes. Sucks can be used in a few ways, though in this context it would mean unpleasant.”

"Speaking of pups, I heard the elder approved of your idea for the festival." Muzen started to guide him again, this time to the village center.

“I’m glad,” Brian replied, his smile growing. “It should be interesting to say the least. The pups were all really excited about it.”

While he had been hesitant to introduce the idea, it wasn’t that far off from some of the traditions they practiced. Brian wasn’t sure who liked the idea more, the mothers or the pups. Of course, the elder reigned in any outlandish suggestions, but the sewing circle took to the concept with gusto. Though that wasn't saying much, with gusto seemed to be the only way that group knew how to do things.

As they approached the center of the village, Brian could see a few wolves working on three unlit bonfires. One tall one in the middle with two smaller ones flanking it off to the side. Crude benches were carved from fallen trees and arranged around the fires. Wolves were already there, excited murmuring filling the air.

“We’ve got quite a crowd,” Muzen commented, taking a seat on the closest bench. “I hope the pups aren’t too anxious.”

"The elder and I worked with them," Brian assured, sidling up close to him. "All that's left is to hope they took our advice to heart." Resting his head on Muzen’s shoulder, Brian stared towards the bonfires and awaited the show.

It didn't take long for the fires to be lit and the rest of the village to file in. Once the flames rose up mightily into the evening air, the pups of the village marched out in front of them. They were a bit awkward, with only a few taking to the art of acting. Each of them were dressed in costumes depicting various heroes and gods that the tribes held and their fur was painted with various symbols.

Brian couldn't help but think about the school plays that his young daughters had been in long ago. He imagined them onstage now, perfectly congruent with the pups around them. A wistful smile cracked his lips and a silent prayer wished the two safety.

The fantasy kept him riveted, nostalgia hanging over him like a cozy blanket. The legend was one of the wolf hero that learned the techniques for hunting and trapping game from the gods. It wouldn’t win any awards back on Earth, but everyone in the village seemed to love it all the same.

As quickly as it came, the nostalgia left replaced by a strange detachment from the world. Sound muted into warbles and colors began to bleed together. A massive wolf rose up from behind the fire pits, eyes gleaming like sapphires. His first reaction was to think that something in the gems he ate was making him hallucinate. He shut his eyes tight, hoping to ride out the altered state without incident.

He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that the creature stood before him. Moments paused with nothing but the warped speech of the pups reaching his ears. “Just don’t look at it, don’t acknowledge it and this won’t be like Wayne’s bachelor party,” he muttered, his hands going to the back of his head.

“¿Por qué te cubres los ojos, rojo?”

Brian blinked, instantly recognizing that his hallucination was speaking Spanish. That didn’t put
his worries at ease, but he still snuck a glance at the imposing figure. The wolf towered over him, though their true height was hard to gauge due to everything else around him blurring together. It was as if the wolf was commanding him to look at them and them alone through their sheer presence.

It peered down at him quizzically but pleased that he had acknowledged him.

Getting a better look at the wolf, Brian could tell that they were indeed male, the shape of his snout and broad build giving him away. “Uh, hi hallucination wolf?” he said weakly.

“Te has adaptado bien, Rojo. Me complace que compartas tu visión con mi familia.”

“Okay, so this hallucination is patting me on the back, better than the last time I tripped for sure,” Brian noted, righting himself in his seat. “Um, gracias.”

“Te he visto desde que te pusiste la máscara, roja. Tu vida en el pueblo me llena de orgullo.” Lowering his head, the wolf stared into Brian’s eyes. “Un regalo para ti, Rojo. Mis ojos serán tus ojos. Mi conocimiento, tu conocimiento.”

Suddenly, visions flashed before Brian, images bleeding together at a breakneck pace. It was overwhelming and he could feel his brain strain from the ordeal.

“Úsalo bien, rojo. Te estaré viendo.”

As quickly as the wolf had appeared, he was gone and the sounds of the other villagers returned in full force. Brian fell back out of his seat, his body spasming. A cry from Muzen cut the play short, bringing most of the adults rushing to his side. He didn’t even feel himself being lifted as the world around him went dark.