The itch is back, tickling his paws and nagging his brain until Enki can’t ignore it anymore and he is forced to step away from Insomnia lands in search of new and exciting places. Today, he does not have to travel far, for, in the land that butts up against the gorge that many, including himself call home, he finds a sort of oasis. The work of some once staggeringly large river is found here, and, while it is now dry, its careful craftsmanship can be seen in the winding way that the valley was formed.

While the winter so far has been temperate, the normally vibrate green grass is slowly dulling and clumps of brown and yellow can be seen here and there as he walks. The warm sun hangs around his shoulders as Enki slowly descends the naturally formed slope as he wanders slowly down into the valley, bright blue eyes keen with interest as she scans the land, enthralled with the beauty found just feet from Insomnia borders.

Birds sing happily overhead as a few deer graze on the valley floor, their heads raising to watch the wolf’s approach before lowering once more as they realize that he is no threat to them. Luckily, for these prey animals, they are correct as Enki instead moves toward the lazily winding river that cuts through the land, the water’s sparkling drawing him closer to it.


"Enki Klein"


code & art © skelle 2023

Ah! Delightful! The slender woman thought to herself. Crossing the Barren Dunes was not something she'd like to do again! She barely survived! She had followed the winding old riverbed that had once fed the deluge above ground straight through the dunes. The vision of the lush and wet valley was a sight to behold.

She tiptoed down the slope carefully into the valley. Black paws daintily questing over the ground in search of solid purchase. As she reaches the bottom she sighs deeply as the temperate winter breeze plays with her fur. The water bids her closer and she approaches it just as another does. More large males, she was beginning to grow ever more wary of them now.

She eyes him nervously as she leans down for a drink. Finally quenching her thirst after her dusty desert journey.

As Enki scans the area, the man’s face is filled with a gentle awe. The deer do not fear him and he silently watches them for several minutes, just enjoying being here as he slowly wanders along. His attention then turns to the clear cool waters that lazily wind through the bottom of the valley and he is suddenly aware of the approach of another. Bright blue eyes trail up to the purple woman’s face and a soft, happy smile tugs at his lips as he gently calls out, “Hello! Sorry if I startled you, I am just here exploring.”

The smile he wears is easy, his expression warm and welcoming and he stays back from the water’s edge to allow the stranger time to drink in peace. Blue eyes trail over to where the deer still graze, their ears flicking away flies as they fill their bellies to their hearts content. A rabbit suddenly appears, racing through the long legs of the ungulates as it hurriedly moves about its day. The birds continue to sing above, warbling cries of joy as the flit across the sky toward trees further south.

A cluster of rocks, dark gray against the softer greens, yellows, and browns of the field soon has an occupant as a large weasel-like creature appears and stands. Its nose works as it surveys the day, curious of the inhabitants and Enki can’t help the happy chuckle that spills from his lips. Looking back to the stranger. Ducking his head, a little shyly, he says, “Sorry, this place is just so… beautiful. I bet it is even prettier in the summer time.”

It is an olive branch, an opening to show he does not mean her harm or ill will… and he hopes she understands that.


"Enki Klein"


code & art © skelle 2023

His voice is warm and welcoming! Not at all like the others she had come across. His coat is a soft ermine and his blue eyes are kind. Could she assume they were kind? She hoped.

"C'est vrai"(its true) She agreed in her lilting homeland tongue as she lifted her head from the water, letting droplets return to the ripples below. She looked around at the galavanting fauna surrounding them. She was delighted to see that perhaps many of the creatures probably took refuge in this little oasis during the winter months, so lush and protected it was.

"Zis, place es... Tres beau. I traveled srou ze desert. Zis place iz better." Her accent is thick and trilling. She shook her raven coat to rid it of the desert crust. She pads a little closer to him, curious about his story, his name, and his motives! He seemed nice enough to her!

"Je nom Iris(my name is Iris). ehr... Mai. nom. es. Iris." She tries to introduce herself slowly. She says her name as if it sounded like an "eerie" fog and a barely whispered hiss at the end. 

Something about the shorter, dark furred woman with the spots reminiscent of a raven, makes Enki feel… awkward. Not that she makes him feel that way but he is suddenly acutely aware of just how tall he is and how imposing he might seem. Self-conscious of himself, the pale pink man folds his haunches and comes to sit lightly on the soft grass. The woman speaks in a tongue foreign to him and he simply smiles, somehow knowing her intent while unable to understand the words.

Patiently he listens to her lilting voice and strange, yet wonderful accent, that laces each word, lifting it into something new and wonderful. Tail sweeps the soft fingers of grass behind him as he hears her name, accented in way that makes it feel more exotic. Enki’s smile widens and he dips his head in greeting, saying, “It is a pleasure to meet you Iris.” He tries and fails to duplicate her name with the whispers and in hiss in the right places and he even grimaces at his horrible attempt.

Shoulders scrunch inward as he bashfully says, “My name’s Enki! I am the Wraith of Insomnia. My pack lays just behind here.” A paw lifts, jutting over his shoulder to the gorge behind him, offering a waypoint for her to attach with him.

Bright blue eyes move to the water but he remains still, watching the ripples as drops fall from the girl’s maw and disrupt the gently flowing surface. Flashes of color dart below the crystalline sheen, drawing his gaze to fish that slowly swim along, some fighting against the current while others allow it to push them along. Bright rocks, shinny from years of being tumbled and cleaned, dot the sandy beach edges having been pushed up and out of the bed at some point.

Further down the river, Enki spies some rocks that are larger than the ones normal ones that litter the bottom, their heads poking up above the water line. The water grows turbulent there, knocking into the obstructions as in rushes past to get back to the slow pace it is more accustom to. A shadow from above dips down, wings folding as a golden eagle descends from the sky, talons outstretched as it reaches toward the water, wings beating the air to prevent it from falling into the river.

With the ease of practiced predator, the eagle plucks a large trout from the lazily river, the fish speared on its talons but still attempting to flop away. The dance of life and death, hunter and hunted plays out before his eyes and Enki watches the spectacle in silence.  Rabbits dart hither and tither as the form of the eagle ascends once more, the small prey animals seeking the warrens and tunnels that dwell underground to keep them safe.

With a small shake of his head, the smile grows and he looks back to Iris, softly saying, “This world never ceases to amaze me.” It is true as there is beauty to be found in even the simplest of tasks if one will stop and watch.


"Enki Klein"


code & art © skelle 2023

She smiles at his attempt to mimic the way she says her name,
"A pleazure Enki." She replies with a flick of her tail. She follows his gesture with her wildflower gaze toward the pack of Insomnia, making note of the direction. She felt that if she were to wander into a packland she would bring them trouble.

The playful breeze whispers through her fur and she fills her lungs with the breath of the sky, soothing a tension that had coiled its way into her shoulder blades. Her eyes closed for a moment enjoying the wind as they fell into a comfortable silence. The sound of wings made her fling her eyes open and search for the source. She spotted the eagle just as it made contact with the fish and flew away into the sky. She frowned as she watched the fish coiled in the eagle's talons, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat. The coiled snake of tension in her shoulder blades tightened as watched a flash of light on the slippery trout as the eagle flew out of sight.

She met Enki's gaze as he broke the silence with his awe.
"I feel mush ze same way." She muttered half-heartedly, it had been true not so long ago. Though now she felt the call of those eagles' talons grasping at her throat once more, both dogging her heels and promising her the world.

"Zwas nice to meet you, Enki, and ehnjoy ze silence wit'you." She bid him farewell and dipped her head gracefully as she walked onward.