Days passed in a blur. Some had fresh snow fall, others not, yet others icy rain and sleet, covering the ground in ice. Kyrios couldn't tell them apart. But every day, no matter the weather, he would walk the river, north or south, finding comfort in its relentless flow. He hardly felt the cold, his pelt having grown long and thick, almost overnight, at least it felt that way. His lanky, scrawny silhouette had become fluffy, almost fat-looking, and his tail and ears had grown so bushy that they felt heavy to move. Trying though, he studied his reflection in a frozen puddle, wrinkling his nose at what he saw; He looked like @Atropos, the new fur paler and with less black than his summer coat, making the coral tones stand out clearer, as well as the gold of his eyes. The glazed over image was wonky, morphed by the uneven spots of the ice, it seemed more right in a way. The pup stuck his tongue out at it, swiveling to drag his paws along further. He'd left Hearthwood behind by now, but the river kept going, untouched by the borders set by wolves.
Normally he would walk until the sun told him it was midday, and then turn back, simple as that. He knew the routine, didn't even really need the light any longer, he just felt when it was time. But today, as he neared the spot where he would have to stop, there was a knot in his stomach, he wanted to keep going, out into the world beyond Kingsfall, follow the river as far as it went, and then beyond. Out there somewhere was @Bennet, his little sister having to handle it all with only her mother for support; And Kjors… Hopefully they had found the dragon so he could keep them safe. In a way he envied her, on the adventure of her lifetime, without him. Mostly he worried, feared what might happen to her without a pack, without him to look after her. But back at home – a place so familiar he could walk it in darkness and never slip, even on the muddiest bank – At home was Atty, and she needed looking after too. And there was their father, no less loved by his son despite the anger he still harbored towards the divider of their family.
It was such entranced in thought, that Kyrios almost walked right into the stranger. In the last moment he noticed her, just another step or two ahead, and skidded to a halt. A shewolf, certainly not of Hearthwood, but carrying the scent of many on her coat, a pack of strangers. She was a lithe wolf, already a bit smaller than the pup who'd recently entered a growth-spurt, with a darker pelt, marked by reddish hues and a cream underbelly. Narrowing his golden eyes, the lad took half a step back, putting a more comfortable space between them while he looked her over, noting the scar, just under remarkable blue eyes. She might very well recognize his mother in him, despite the washed out coat and darker eyes. He on the other paw had never even known his dam, let alone her lover. So all he did was mutter an apology: "Oh, uhm… Sorry."
Word count: 549
”Speech” Thoughts
Sex: Female
