Moving with expert precision, the shadow stalked through Relic Lore, searching for something he had not seen yet. The young assassin was constantly thirsty—and the only thing that quenched this particular thirst was to discover more of the lands he called home. No matter how far he would venture Greer always made sure he returned home. His littermates were both missing and the last thing he wanted to do was make his mother worry even more, especially when she had a new brood to take care of.

As always, he had left before the sun started to make its climb. The air was crisp with the arrival of fall; dew clung to his dark fur as he streaked through the trees. As comforting as the cooler temperatures were, it also meant that winter would be on its way soon. The thought sent a shiver down his spine and a grimace to fall upon his dark lips as he ran. Snow was not something the shadow was particularly fond of—the nasty substance had almost claimed his life last year. He was smarter and more observant now than he had been as a pup, but the snow was still … annoying.

Once the sound of water reached his ears Greer’s course changed—he had always been fascinated by all the watering holes of Relic Lore. A favourite spot that the boy often frequented was the lagoon and its still, shimmering surface.

It did not take long for the shadow to close the distance between himself and the water source. His long legs carried him quickly through the foliage until there was a break in the trees. The falls thundered before him as he approached the small pool, his mercury eyes widening as the water sprayed his dark coat. It was nothing like the serene atmosphere the lagoon provided, but it still offered its own unique tranquility (even with all the noise). Ignoring the fact that others could be lurking nearby, the shadow folded his hindquarters against the ground, almost transfixed by the rushing water before him. 

Transfixed by the rushing water the slender shadow remained seated a few tails lengths away from the water’s edge with wide eyes as he observed his new surroundings. The further he went from the comforting canopy of willow branches the deeper his wanderlust became; it was almost impossible for the deer-legged smudge to remain behind pack borders. As much as he wanted to appease his mother and say that all his exploration was due to his desire to become a pack scout, Greer knew that he was seeking something more. However, the thought of leaving was what held him back—as well as the impeding winter months, which nearly took his life the previous year. It was a frustrating feeling—it left his chest tight and his head foggy. He felt trapped, and it was a feeling that Greer did not like.

Another feeling that the youth did not like was the feeling of being watched. It made his skin crawl and his paranoia rear its ugly head. A frown cut deep across his lips as an ear flicked back toward a sound within the foliage behind him—he was no longer alone. Despite his mind screaming at him to flee, the boy remained where he was, his brows twitching at the thought of a conversation brewing.

Without further delay, the stranger called out, asking who he was. Did it matter, he wanted to ask, as his tongue lay heavy in his mouth. However, as much as he wanted to be quick and sharp with his voice, the shadow prince was not that wolf. He was calm and collected, his tongue only holding the truth (in short, broken bursts). “Greer is nobody,” he responded in a soft voice with a careful shrug, his mercury gaze searching for the alabaster female. “Who girl?” He asked, returning the question to the asker with raised brows. The ball had returned to her court, and Greer wanted nothing to do with it.

At first, Greer had been embarrassed by his speech impediment. He knew it was from his own doing and the lack of socializing he had done as a child, but he had never bothered to fix it. The only way to strengthen his speech was to talk more and that was the exact opposite of what the silent shadow wanted. After he came to terms with his broken way of speaking, the smudge had grown to like it and didn’t want to change the way he spoke. It didn’t mean he was any less intelligent – his mind was constantly racing, filled with ‘what ifs’ and ‘how comes’ – if anything, it meant that he could get his speaking over quicker. The shadow prince hated hearing his voice longer than it was needed for. The silence was always so much better…

Aurora. It was a pretty name, soft and delicate just like her appearance. It suited her. Keeping his thoughts to himself, he nodded in agreement to her a comment about their meeting. While his lips remained tightly shut the girl began speaking once more, noting that she had not seen him around before. He shrugged lightly, his silver gaze falling away from her soft features and landing on the falling water. He was always searching for new areas to explore – as much as he loved the willows, the shadow was hungry for more (and perhaps another place to call home… after winter, of course). “Greer south of here,” he responded coolly as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Not stench. It is home,” he added with a lop-sided smirk falling onto his dark lips. “Rora have stench. What stench?” The boy was constantly giving those he encountered nicknames. Often those he crossed paths with had names with way too many syllables, which meant more time wasted on his words – something the shadow did not like. 

It was always the same—for the most part. The strangers he encountered would always appear defensive at first, despite filling the air with questions. Once they realized that Greer was uninterested in conversation they grew more comfortable around him as their curiosity grew and their questions increased. The thin shadow always tried to make himself appear … undesirable, to put it simply. Confrontations with strangers were the last thing on his priority list and were to generally be avoided. Of course, in a place that was overrun with wolves, that was impossible most days. He tried to be as civil as possible without coming across rude as he tried to end the encounter as quickly as possible. He was a get in and out kind of guy—say what was required and then evacuate. Sometimes he ended up lingering longer than he normally would be comfortable with, but there were a few wolves he had crossed paths with that he didn’t completely hate.

With his soft, silver gaze he observed her quietly as she finally met his eyes; the action immediately relaxed him. He understood that hierarchy was important within packs—even sometimes between rivaling packs—but Greer despised bringing rank into his encounters away from pack borders, especially with those who he was close in age to.

Her voice broke him away from his thoughts once more as she acknowledged her comment about her stench. With his head cocked slightly, the boy listened patiently as she explained herself, mentioning that she had separated from her family. Had their separation been by choice, or by accident? Why wasn’t she looking for them? Perplexed, he kept his lips tight as she posed another question, her voice hanging in the air between them. “Greer look for peace. Look for quiet. Greer not like loud pack most days. Too much go on. He responded with a nonchalant shrug as a crease cut across his maw. Especially with the younglings… it was always so loud, which bothered the selective mute. “Also, Greer look for new. Greer sometime think about new home. Sometime. Greer still not sure.” Another shrug, another frown. He had already said too much… now it was time to dial it back once more.

The more comfortable the pale girl became the more relaxed the shadow prince was. There was no doubt that he possessed an… eerie appearance, with his obsidian fur and long, spindly legs, which caused those he encountered to feel anxious in his presence. However, it was remarkable how quickly wolves threw down their guard once he began conversing with them—even with his broken speech and few words, they still felt at ease around him. Which was a good thing… right?

For them, perhaps. For Greer, not so much.

Their anxiety levels decreased while their comfort increased—they always wanted to linger; always wanted to converse a little longer and learn more about him. All that stupid junk that Greer wanted no part of. The boy knew that his quiet demeanour drew others in, but he did not know how to act any other way—there was not a mean bone in his entire body. He was quiet, polite, and reserved; being anything but that would be wrong.

Once again her voice offered as a distraction, gently pulling him away from his thoughts as he allowed his silver gaze to fall onto her once more. His lips tightened at the comment; his brows narrowed. A wave of sympathy went through him as he realized that some were not so lucky to be surrounded by (most of) their family. However, it wasn’t always good. “Family not always good. Too many—Greer always stay away.” Especially with the change of power in Willow Ridge, the shadow prince was not fond of staying inside the borders. He pretended he was out scouting, searching for those scouring along the edge of their territory for trespassers or possible recruits. More often than not, he was simply exploring—or, ‘scouting’ for a new place to call home.

The girl’s question came as a surprise to the prince. He had not yet been asked why it was taking him to long to leave the Ridge. A soft frown creased his maw as he averted his gaze, dove grey pools focused on the ground beneath him. “Complicated,” he started softly, unsure of how much information to give away. “Pack based on family—Mother’s family. Don’t want to abandon. Especially mom. Feel… guilty? But, Greer want to be selfish.” He paused, sucking in air through his teeth as his soft gaze found its way to Rora once more. “Greer… Greer want to see more. Home never felt like home. Always feel trapped.” Another pause, this time paired with a tilt of his head as he observed the pretty girl before him. “What of Rora? Where Rora go? And want?” It was her turn—he was speaking far too much, and he hated every second of it.