Off in the forest past the river was a valley full of flowers and tall grass, and it was beautiful! Many animals lived around this meadow in peace. But then a fierce storm hit, flooding the field and making the animals flee from their homes. Then in the dry season a fierce fire engulfed the area, any survivors were left to fend for themselves. One of these survivors was Monkey D. Luffy, a lamb who had lived near the field. His parents had died long ago so he didn't lose anyone super close to him, just a few friends. His home was destroyed and all he had were the clothes on his back and his hat. His fluffy white ears poked out of the holes on his hat that was given to him by a wolf named Shanks. He also wore a deep red shirt that was a few sizes to big for him and a pair of denim shorts that had some of his mothers wool stitched to the bottom of his pants for warmth. His sandals had completely fallen apart after the fire so he was bare foot at the moment. He wandered through the forest for a few days in search of a good area to stay. He was so thin that the only thing keeping his pants up was a thick piece of rope tied loosely around his waist. His shirt also was becoming a problem since he lost so much weight, it would easily slide off his shoulders as he walked. The forest fire had damaged a fairly large part of the forest that was peaceful and Luffy knew that being a larger herbivore in a small area that would be overpopulated with other creatures was a bad idea. He decided to try his chances in the northern forest. The forest infested with predators and wolves. He trembled at the idea of being eaten but he only planned to skim the edge and eat what he could live in the damaged area were it would be safer.

There it is... Luffy thought, in front of him at about a half of a miles distance stood a lush forest, untouched by the fire. Luffy had tried to stall his trip by eating the patches of dried grass under the ashes. but it was like drinking water, his stomach wasn't empty but he wasn't getting any nutrients. Dammit! Get ahold of yourself! Luffy screamed in his head, if you don't go now, you'll lose more energy and wont be able to run away from a predator if you get spotted! Not to mention the ashes are settling so they will eventually smell me loitering around... He made up his mind and charged in. He quickly found edible food and roots about a few yards in. He coated himself in ash to cover his scent and viciously stuffed his face and while he was chewing threw leaves and flowers onto his laid out shirt. Ok, that should be plenty. He wrapped up his shirt and hid in the bushes assuring no one was around to see him bolt into the dead area. When he was confident he ran back into the ashes, he ran and ran and ran until he reached his new home. It wasn't much considering there was no wood around, but he had managed to fashion a rock wall at the opening of a shallow cave, there was enough room for him to make up a bed of blankets and sheets he saved and a few supplies that were in his emergency bag for the dry season. He dumped the leaves and grass on the table and did a few more trips to the forest and back.

Luffy was lonely, but at least he was eating... he would gather herbs and roots in the forest and would make a trip every month to southern forest to trade. No one dare try to go with Luffy to the Northern forest, they called him crazy and suicidal. This routine of going back and forth continued for a year, Luffy never grew and blamed it for the three months of severe hunger he suffered for stunting his growth. But he had become faster and so much stronger, he was able to take down larger predators if they spotted him and had even taken out two younger wolves. He looked at his food supply, he had a large surplus of herbs that he was drying and was going to go on a trip to trade. He was doing up to three trips a month now, and he always had too much food. He wasn't ungrateful for the food but he felt very upset when he saw the large amount that he saved every week. He knew why he always saved some, in hope that maybe some people from the Southern forest would move and he could help them, make friends, and talk. God, he was always a chatterbox but then suddenly he was alone with no one to talk to. He would talk to the birds and many stuck around for the protection, food, and surplus nesting material that the lamb had to offer.

"UGGGHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!" Luffy was once again making various loud unhappy sounds which alerted all the birds nearby of his presence. Luffy rolled on his bed and eventually shot up into a sitting position, he had a night mare and woke to the empty cave that was his home. A sparrow that he had healed flew over and perched on his head and peeked over the rim of the hat and chirped, "whats wrong?" The sparrow's name was Flit and he had a very large vocabulary for a bird in the northern forest. Flit and his family were bred by a wolf pack to be messengers but during an attack the cage fell and broke and Flit flew off and got injured when he rammed into a tree. Flit was healed but stuck around Luffy so both would have company and also because of the fact that he was fed most of his life by wolves and that meant he didn't know how to find food easily. "Ugh, nothing... just realized I need more ginger root and food before we leave tomorrow." Luffy said to the bird. He forced himself up but had to steady himself as he became very dizzy. He had just gotten over the worst of an allergic reaction to a corn-snake bite. "Stupid snakes and their stupid poison, being all...all...STUPID!" Luffy hated snakes with a burning passion and was scared of them. He would stay home and recuperate more but he needed 1) more food and 2) to get ready for his trip to the southern forest. He stumbled around and set off to the northern forest. He finally reached the edge of the forest with Flit hitching a ride on his hat rim. They went forward, Luffy needed to stop often and sometimes went onto stages of delirium of severe shivering. He coughed and had to sit, Flit practically screeching in his ear to turn around and go home to rest. "Well if I go home empty handed I will have wasted energy and not have enough food to hold me till I get better! Plus! the animals of the southern forest need as many medical roots as possible! I cant go back yet until I at least get some food and medical herbs for myself!" Luffy forced himself up and stumbled further into the forest.

He stopped when he heard heavy rustling. "What was that?" Luffy strained to hear anything but couldn't tell where it came from. He continued to walk as though he shrugged off the sound, but he was on high alert, he was weaker and needed to use his surroundings to his advantage. The rustling happened again and Luffy leapt up and briskly climbed a tree till he was well over the ground. He did this silently and had looped the tree he had climbed to give the appearance of running away. He looked down and saw two very confused wolves, "idiots" he laughed to himself at his victory, but sadly the extra movement was taking its tole and Luffy REALLY needed to throw up. The wolves had left and Luffy was going to make a mad dash for the river so they wouldn't know his location by the smell. But the moment he hit the ground he was attacked and pinned by the taller of the two wolves. The sneered up at Luffy who seemed very frail. They blinked, wait... why was he so weak? But it was to late, the poor wolf holding Luffy up by the shirt had moved Luffy a little to much for the lambs stomach to take and had taken on a load of Luffy's sick. He screamed as he was drenched in vomit. Luffy threw up once more and with the temporary relief found he knocked both wolves out and beat them up pretty badly. He rummaged through their belongings and took some medicine, a water holder and bread out as his reward.

After rinsing out his mouth and drinking a lot of water the lamb walked through the forest before he began to tremble and whimper. He was SO lost, so so sososososososoooooo fucking lost. He curled up and waited for his dizziness to subside. Flit had left to try and figure out which way was home. Luffy had stayed hidden in some tall grass under a tree and was trying to warm up in the sun. He heard footsteps. He curled up even further and pushed himself as far as he could into the tree's trunk. The foot steps were getting closer, closer until Luffy heard the heavy breaths of a wolf trying to find a scent. He closed his eyes, "is this it?" he thought, he couldn't die here! But he was so weak and sickly right now... He held tightly onto the glimmer of hope that the wolf would leave him be, since he was so sick. He lifted his head to peer over the grass but his nose touched another nose. He blinked, he felt so calm for some reason. Luffy stared at the being in front of him. It was a very large male wolf, though all wolves seemed large since he himself was so tiny. The wolf was tan and had blue eyes and blond hair, his ears and tail were a light brown and he wore a blue suit jacket with a white shirt underneath, black pants and a blue top hat on his head. He was very handsome and Luffy could tell that even if he wasn't sick his best bet was to run for his life from this wolf.

Another wave of dizziness and shivers hit Luffy hard. He collapsed and trembled violently all the while staring at the wolf who towered over him standing on all fours, tail twitching and ears perked up. The wolf had dragged Luffy out from his nook in the tree and was then attacked by a furious bird of some sort. It kept pecking at him and he swatted it away. Luffy gasped and reached out for Flit but was lightly pushed to the ground. He felt the cold nose of the wolf rub against his feverish skin and it felt good. "Hmm, a sheep, what a surprise." A smooth, intelligent and deep voice drawled out. Luffy jumped a little and looked up at the wolf that stood on all fours over his tiny body. "I'm lost..." Luffy murmured, not sure why he told the wolf this but felt that it should know. "Hmm, was the little lamb abandoned by his flock?" The wolf smirked down at the sheep in a strangely evil and caring way (if that makes any sense). "No, I was always alone." Luffy stated his words were slow and drowsy. The wolf raised his eyebrow at this and jutted his nose into the crook of Luffy's neck. The lamb struggled but both hands were held above his head by the wolf as he smelled Luffy. The lamb gasped and tried to hold back giggles from the ticklish sensation. "Hmm, indeed you are alone. Ive never seen you here before... Ah, you must be the brave little sheep who moved in from the southern forest to have better food..." Luffy weakly nodded, his eyes half closed and filled with drowsiness. The blond nudged him, "hey, " he cooed gently "it's not fun if you fall asleep." "M' sorry," Luffy whispered, "M' just so~ tired..." Luffy emphasized the "so" by dragging it out. The blond chuckled at this and picked Luffy up and held him in his arms. "So warm..." Luffy smiled to himself at the pleasant feeling. "Is the little lamb sick?" The blond whispered into Luffy's ear, the lamb nodded weakly. "I was trying to get some food and herbs but I was attacked." The wolf held the lamb closer. "I wasn't hurt, but I ran to much and have no energy left..." The blond looked down, "How did you get away in such a state?" "I threw up on them and kicked their asses when they weren't looking!" Luffy smiled up at the blond who had burst into laughter at the idea. "Im Luffy, whats your name?" Luffy whispered, he was barely conscious. "Well, Luffy, Im not sure I should tell you... I'll get attached and feel bad if I eat you..." "S'ok" Luffy murmured, "I like you, you seem nice. Just don't want to be alone... so...alone.." Luffy was almost gone before he heard the wolf say his name was "Sabo." Luffy them blacked out with a small, adorable smile on his face.

The blond wolf named Sabo stared down at his prey. The kid was just SO FUCKING ADORABLE, he couldn't possibly... maybe in another sense...but he couldn't possibly eat the lamb for food. He nuzzled the lamb, he would feed him and love him and snuggle the little kid till he grew up and then they would live together...SHIT. Sabo snapped out of his little dream world and forgot about his brother for a moment there. Ace would certainly find out about the lamb, then the rest of the pack too... SHIT!