He was stumbling through the fog. He’d been running for hours… Days? His whole body was aching, heart beating too loud and fast in his ears. No matter how far he went, or where he turned his eyes, all he saw was white. But he had to keep going, he had to find them! Desperately gasping, he veered his head left and right, narrowing silver-grey eyes to look through the fog, but to no avail. He didn’t know where he was or how he’d gotten there, but it didn’t matter, all that mattered was finding Sita and the kids!

 

At first, when the Estuary wolves had started disappearing, Vasco hadn’t panicked. He figured there was a logical explanation, and honestly, he hadn’t really cared too much; until the children vanished. Though they were well into their second year, the Halex still thought of them as pups. His pups. Whether they knew it or not, Vasco was looking out for them and he was gonna find them now! If only he could get out of this blasted fog. The tawny wolf broke into a run again, ignoring his aching paws. Parting his lips, he shouted for his family.

 

“Sita!” Vasco’s eyes blinked open, pain shooting through his raw throat as the noise attempted to escape it; coming out more as a croak than a shout. Dazed and confused, he lifted his head from where it rested against the snow, a wave of dizziness washing over him. What was going on? Where am I? As his surroundings blurred into focus, a sickening fear filled Vasco’s stomach. He did not recognize anything, not that there was much to recognize – all around him the land was open and barren, snow stretching as far as his eyes could reach in all directions. With increasing desperation, he struggled to his feet, stretching his neck to try and catch a glimpse of any landmark, just the smallest thing to tell him where he was. Finding nothing, he did the only thing he could, raising his head and howling for his pack; If there’s anyone left…

Word Count: 348

Thoughts ”Speech”

 

His mouth remained open even as the sound of his voice died, muzzle lowering to once more give him a view over the devastatingly empty land. He was gasping heavily, the fear clear in every fiber of his being. He had no memory of this place or how he’d gotten here, no idea which way to go to find familiar land once more. With his heavy breaths, his nose was filled with the scents of this foreign land, strange, unfamiliar smells of grassland herds and dry cold clouded his mind as he desperately searched for even the feintest hint of the ocean; Nothing…!

 

But then, a scent he recognized hit, almost like a physical blow. It wasn’t intimately familiar, yet it was one no wolf would ever mistake: the scent of other wolves; And blood! Vasco’s head jerked in the direction of the wind, eyes narrowing to see clearly over the brightness of the endless snow. At first, he saw nothing, and the panic tightened in his throat, pulse loud in his ears. But then he spotted a blur of movement, the deep maroon of drying blood standing out starkly against the white backdrop.

 

With his heart in his throat, Vasco ran to intercept this apparent responder to his frantic call. As he drew near, he called out through hectic breath, voice shrill with terror; “Are you okay? What happened?” He had many more questions, but it seemed too immoral to overwhelm a potentially injured stranger with his own panicked agenda. It was only after the words had left his lips that he came close enough to spot the rabbit and realize his error.

Word Count: 274

Thoughts ”Speech”

 

Her reaction to his approach was entirely perplexing; tossing her kill and hungering down as if to face a frontal attack. Of course, his mad dash towards her might have been interpreted as such, if it hadn’t been for his hysteric question; However stupid… Vasco dug his own heels in, coming to a halt a couple of lengths from the stranger, still gasping for breath – more from his deep-rooted panic than the short run. Silver eyes darted from the woman’s bloody fur to the dead rabbit, then back up to her bared teeth, brain registering all too slowly what was going on.

 

It was like his thoughts were moving through thick mud, his head still full of that terrible dense fog that had stolen his family. It took painfully long just to register the simple characteristics of the strange female; About equal to him in size, similarly pale fur, though marred with the blood of her prey. She was crouched clearly defensively, calling him out shrilly. We both seem to be freaking out… Some detached voice noted in the back of his mind, but the rest of him had no time to react before she continued.

 

Vasco blinked, brows furrowing in confusion; Call them off? That apathetic part of him was starting to wonder if perhaps she wasn’t right in the head, but his conscious mind was stuck on the phrasing of her frantic demand; Call them… Call…! And finally, after what must have been at least a minute of silence, he realized what she was talking about; “No I… I called for me! I’m lost, I’m just looking for my family!” The words slipped out before his slow-working mind had time to vet them, a ring of desperation hanging on them, betraying the panic still galloping in his chest. “Please,” he added, giving up any pretense of control; “I need to find them!”

Word Count: 314

Thoughts ”Speech”

 

He had no presence to restrain himself and keep his emotions in check like he usually would. Instead it all just came pouring out, clear in every fiber of his body. It was very likely that this stranger thought him completely insane, but he hardly cared. His heart was threatening to burst out of his chest, and it didn’t get better with the pale woman’s answer; No one? For DAYS?!

 

It couldn’t be! He couldn’t possibly be that far from the Estuary; Can I? While the shewolf seemed to have calmed down somewhat, Vasco was only growing more distressed, eyes roaming wildly over the empty expanse, desperately searching for proof that she was lying. But there was nothing.

 

A small, frustrated growl escaped him as he shook his head, shimmering grey gaze returning to the stranger. “No, that…” he gasped, anger and distress mixing in his voice; “It can’t be, I haven’t…” He trailed off, gaze drifting again as he licked his lips nervously. He’d been about to say he hadn’t run that far before he realized he didn’t actually know that; How did I get here? All he could remember was that damn fog; And before that...?

 

It hit him like a lightning strike, actually making him physically jump – definitely amping up that crazy factor – eyes widening and ears perking up. Everyone had disappeared! Vanished from their homeland without trace; And now it’s happened to me! Paradoxically enough, the revelation shot a ray of light through his misery, hope lightening his heart; if this was true, surely it meant his family was around here somewhere.

 

With this fresh fervor, Vasco returned his full attention to the stranger, voice eager and rushed as he asked: “How about loners? Anyone who… acted like me?” He chuckled a little at the acknowledgment of his erratic behavior, shrugging lightly in apology; “Others who’d gotten lost or were looking for someone? Or perhaps anyone by the name Valle?” The questions flowed from his mouth like meltwater in spring, each one almost tumbling over the previous in his hurry to ask them all. But he was certain, he was on the right track! I’ll find you Sita, I swear I will!

Word Count: 366

Thoughts ”Speech”

 

Caught up in his excitement, it took the pale man way too long to register the woman’s warning signs. Only as he paused for breath, did he realize that she had retreated from him, and as her icy voice dismissed his questions, it cut through his daze enough to make him focus fully on her face. Vasco’s eager ears folded back in apprehension, lids fluttering at the intense air of warning radiating off her every fiber. His own tail curled underneath him, head and shoulders lowering instinctively.

 

He could hardly blame her for being frightened, he had been acting like a lunatic, even if the insult still stung him a bit. But how was she to understand what he had been through, what he was still going through. Vasco slumped, head lolling even lower. He might be a step closer to reuniting with his family, but it was a small step, and one of possibly a thousand yet.

 

“I am sorry,” he said, keeping his voice low and careful, eyes fixed on her paws now, rather than anywhere near her face. Hopefully, he could deescalate the situation, at least enough to convince her she didn’t need to fight him. But if not, he wanted to be ready for an attack. Keeping his submissive posture, lower than hers - a feat made harder by her small stature – he continued to speak slowly, doing all he could, not to give her any more reason to worry; “I didn’t mean to…” He paused, letting out a small sigh. Trying to explain was pointless and would probably just make her think him even more crazy than she already did. Instead, he settled for a final question: “I’ll leave you alone just… Can you tell me where you’ve been? So I know there’s no use searching in that direction?” I was an innocent enough request; Right…? Although the stranger certainly didn’t seem in a mood to be helpful.

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Thoughts ”Speech”