Here's to history, and new beginnings.

Howling at the moon was never something Bastian enjoyed; however, that didn't mean he never did it. Sometimes it was a fitting method of expressing himself, and allowed him a proper venue for venting. Yet he reserved the action for those feelings of sadness, and anger, rather than happiness, or joy.

All things considered, tonight was one of those times when the howling seemed more than fitting, and pack territory had been the first place he'd thought of visiting for the occasion. Had he remained on his home land, he knew his activity would have disturbed his animals too much.

Thus Bastian had come to the Andre Tree for several reasons. He'd heard bits about it, and wanted to see it for himself, plus he wanted to present an offering. Trying to find ways to fit into his pack meant he had to learn more about his were heritage, and the Andre Tree belonged to that. Looking at all the gifts brought before him, he was touched by the simpleness of some, and the obvious sentimentality of others. He now hesitated before pulling his own gift out of his pockets, hoping it wasn't too trivial.

His fingers found the tiny object, and removed it from his jeans, transferring it to the palm of his hand, watching the light of the full moon play along its edges. The tiny white beads, strung together to spell ROMALLO, with blue beads interspersed among the letters, was the most symbolic item he had in his possession. The baby bracelet had been the only item he had taken with him after leaving his birthplace for the last time. Why he grabbed it, he hadn't known at the time, but now figured there must have been a tiny part of him that knew this was where it belonged.

He felt it appropriate that knowing what the bracelet meant, or didn't mean, he should bring it here, today. By leaving it at the Andre Tree, Bastian was in effect casting off his human past, and worthless family history, and embracing his future.

Finding one of the smaller branches, Bastian slipped the bracelet over the end, and slid it down to where a twig with leaves protruded. The position of the branch, and the length the bracelet had dropped down would prevent it from falling of. That is unless a hurricane, or tornado were to hit the tree, anyway.

Smirking he still found it nearly impossible that such a tiny object had once circled his rather large wrist. Further thought of such things no longer caused him pain. He had long since made peace with the fact that his family was that in name only. He had financial wealth because of them, and because of his own ingenuity and desires had built upon that wealth. Aside from that, some old school records, and his last name, there was nothing in Italy any longer that indicated he had ever been. He still loved his native homeland, and would always carry a small part of it in his heart, but that was it.

Now was the time to start anew. Truly.

He spent several minutes at the tree, more in thought about the past and future than anything else. Anyone seeing him from afar might have thought he was performing some sort of ritual, and in a sense he was. Casting off the old, while looking forward to the new, Bastian felt the need to howl subside. That is until he remembered the pain his present held for him.

Images of Reign, and that other man, flashed before his eyes, and he felt both the anger and sadness well up inside him all over again. Having found them on the beach that night, in quite the cozy embrace, Bastian felt his body begin to change. Shifting in anger was commonplace for the Italian, and he no longer felt bad about it. The mere changes in his body during the change helped dispel a tremendous amount of energy, also taking a lot of his anger with it. Sadness was much more difficult to disperse, but since that wasn't what he was feeling tonight, it didn't matter.

At first he wondered if he was angry because Reign was with another man, or if it had more to do with the prospects of her actually 'being' with another man. The thought and image angered him even more so because their own relationship had stalled. Their last date had been wonderful...or he had thought so anyway...even if it had ended with them parting ways, and yet again not consummating their reconnection. The promises of future closeness seemed to remain, and he had had hope. But all that was pretty much dashed after seeing her with 'him' on the beach.

Rationally...well, Bastian was tired of being rational. Damnit, he had explained everything to her, and given her time to accept what he'd said, yet she seemed no closer to acknowledging him into her life again, as more than a friend, than she had after they had again met up in Nachton, or barely so. He couldn't continue on like this indefinitely, no matter what he told her. He wanted her back, not only as a friend, but as a lover as well, and groveling at her feet for the next undetermined amount of time was not how he wanted their relationship to proceed.

Now on four legs, Bastian bolted forward in an all out run. He had headed toward a small bluff, and made it there in less than a minute. Poised at the edge he held his head high, and wailed.

God but that felt good.