Azra
Far out, beyond where the breakers crested endlessly and flung themselves ashore, something was bobbing above the waves. It drew nearer to the mainland gradually, almost imperceptibly, but eventually made it's way past the break, and began to fight its way ashore. The thing was a wolf, fur soaking with salt water, a look of grim determination set on her features as she concentrated on her goal: keep your head above water, and reach land..
For too long, she had wandered from one puny island to the next, none of them containing enough of anything to hold her there for long. Azra travelled by instinct, trying to leave behind her homeland and find somewhere worthy of starting fresh, somewhere no one who knew her would ever be likely to follow. When she'd finally seen the great mass of land, writhed in mist and dipping it's roots in the sea, she dared to hope she'd found such a place at last.
Now, if only she could reach it... but just when she began to think her lungs would catch fire, and her limbs lose all sensation, she felt something - firm, solid, blessed ground. Or, well, churning sand. Close enough. Dragging herself from tide's edge, she took a few dogged steps up the beach and collapsed on her side on the hot sand, panting.
What a mess I must look right now, she thought, like a drowned rat... but even as she let her strength recover, her eyes were bright with life. At last, she found herself somewhere that seemed promising. First, she would need to find water, and perhaps something to eat. Then she could get started....
"Speech,"
