Various events had Borden currently on edge: Raigo’s illness and recovery, Midnight Plateau’s acquisition of new pack members, the sighting of a peculiar white wolf on the Mountain who never seemed to stray from Alexander’s side... Day after day he found himself desperately seeking ways to avoid running into any of them – Alexander, Weldering, Jayseyek, Atiris, Adonia, that white wolf often seen with his superior… As much as he dared, he tried to keep them away, from getting too close if they managed to catch sight of him for even a few moments. He was always “busy,” on-patrol or standing guard, always making excuses that he had no time to talk or even stop for a bit. Currently, he had no intentions of returning to his post, that little snow-covered ledge just a stone’s throw from the pack den.
A late afternoon like this one, consisting of a cloudy sky with no expectations of a snow storm, called for exploration; and, exploration called for further investigating the pieces of Relic Lore he had not yet familiarized himself with. He desperately wanted to check up on Vlarindara and Raigo, but since the duo had been taken care of in the past week and his pack duties never ceased to get the best of him, he instead stayed within range of the Dire Mountain knowing that he wouldn’t have time to visit them without spending the night at their new den. Frustration and aggravation settled in his chest; if it didn’t take a day to traverse the forest, he would have left everything behind in a heartbeat. Walking quietly through the snow, he exhaled in an exasperated manner. From the markers he had identified and passed by only moments ago, he knew if he kept patrolling along his usual path he could stumble into Bramble Falls – a place he had no desire to visit.
Noting his location, he stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, dragging his paws through the prints he had already made. His footfalls were heavy as if he were dragging around a ball-and-chain from one of his hind ankles. Pale gold eyes stared down at the snow in longing; his triangular ears were folded back in thought. After some time, he came to rest alongside a cluster of snow-covered boulders one of which had cracked perfectly down the middle. This simple display of stones was just one of his landmarks that indicated the edge of Midnight Plateau’s terrain.
Idly lowering himself into the snow, he sat and closed his eyes.
A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R
A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B
A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A
A-B-R-A-C-A…
Shaking his head, he let out an annoyed growl; meditating wasn’t helping him clear his head at all. As soon as he became aware of the world around him, his agitation was quick to return. Usually the simple string of letters – which his uncle had taught him to ward off unwanted stress – helped him relax, but he still found himself tense, tired, and utterly bored... All he felt like doing was running – around the territory, up and around the mountain side, or even away from the mountain itself, he didn’t care – as long as he could work out the restlessness in his bones, he could truly be at ease… at peace... with himself.
His need for adventure, for an afternoon without responsibilities, was starting to take hold of him. It had only been a mere week or so since he had last been away, but it was no surprise when he found himself yearning for the company of towering trees, dense hedges, wide fields and hidden glades – anything that sharply contrasted to the cold, hard landscape that embodied Mount Dire’s majestic shape. His front paws slid forward and he reclined onto his stomach, staring vacantly towards the edge of the forest in the distance. His eyes narrowed as he flicked his tail, silently daring anything or anyone to step foot over the invisible territory line he was upholding. Like effluvium from a barrel of toxic waste, his ragged breath escaped his slightly open jowls, all he needed was something to make or break his day.