[ WP ] In the canine world , humans are celestial beings who live for more than 500 years at a time . The caretaker of you and the past seven generations of your family will die soon .

We have kept the faith -- the Two love, the Two forgive, the Two do not forget, and the Two will return. 
 
 Legend says the Two... they would appear -- to teach us things -- about themselves, who we are, where we came from, and what we can become. 
 
 Legend says that they shaped us and brought us out if the wild darkness -- but none are alive who can recall those ancient days. 
 
 Legend says that there were always the Two -- the Man and Woman Immortal. 
 
 We are not like them and our days are numbered -- after 80 summers we reach the end of our paths and pass east to greet the rising sun on a great, warm field with our kin. Our lives are a spark in the face of the roaring fire of the Two. 
 
 Today, after 2000 years, we behold the Them as they arrive in light and thunder -- though it is written of them that they are wise and kind, we are afraid. 
 
 With kindness, the greet the eldest of us -- none alive have seen them but the Legends are true -- the Two tower over us, giant beings who walk like us but are furless -- white eyed -- and small nosed -- nearly featureless faces with small ears and only a small patch of long, silver hair on their heads. 
 
 In booming voices the bestow praise and remind us to keep the tenants. They bless pups and the village. 
 
 After a time -- and with sadness -- they tell us that they are leaving, and they will not be returning. They say we must journey to find them. Across the seas and gulfs of time and the endless sky -- we do not know what they mean. 
 
 They depart leaving the Wisdom -- there is light and terrible thunder -- and we are afraid. 
 
 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - 
 
 Millennia ago, my ancestors finally resolved to set peace upon our native world of Den and looked to space. We left to expand, to explore -- and as we did -- at the furthest reaches of our territory -- we discovered a unique world. 
 
 We had discovered many Uman ruins before -- ruins all, dead. There were those that likened the Umans to the Gods in our ancient history -- an absurd idea liable get one banished or worse. 
 
 This world was active. Our ship was greeted -- understood before we ever hailed the orb which greeted us. We followed the orb to a pristine citadel -- a design we had seen many times. 
 
 We left the ship -- the air was pleasant and cool -- and we were greeted by another, smaller orb which beckoned us forward with pleasant, inviting tones and smells. 
 
 The hallways were enormous -- wide and tall -- with large doors many times our height. 
 
 The end of a hall opened to a large room with impossibly high ceilings -- and at the end of the room, on a large dais, lay a living Uman. 
 
 She beckoned to us -- calling us with calming words in the Language. 
 
 I approached. She turned her head to me -- white eyes -- silver hair -- was this a dream? We had, all of us, some knowledge of the Legend. But it was a myth! 
 
 She was dying -- she was the last. It was important that we met. She remembered our people and seemed to be fulfilled knowing that we had found Her. 
 
 She looked at me -- her huge, but gentle hand stroking the side of my face in the way of a mother. 
 
 With great effort - she rose from the dais. She appeared young -- but timeworn -- and seemed to diminish as she rose. 
 
 She explained with great authority something she called the Cycle -- which predated them and of which they had been a part, and how important it was that we take the place of the Humans in the Known Galaxies as caretakers. We were not prepared for this and some of us, even the most learned explorers among us, stood in stunned silence. 
 
 She faded -- and with what seemed like a final burst of existence reminded us to love, to forgive, but not forget, and no matter how far our journey takes us from home, to always return. 
 
 With a final sigh and a soft smile -- she faded and simply vanished leaving nothing but dancing blue shards of light slowly drifting and fading away. 
 
 

