A new start or the beginning of the end?

Tough. So tough. Just this first climb up along this marble valley was taking it out of him. Breathless. His feet slipping on the pebbles on the ground. Two steps forward one step back. If every part of this land was like this he would not last more than a few days. Foolish. There had been time to scout out the route, assess the dangers. But no he had pressed on. He'd first thought of it as bravery - but perhaps it was merely arrogance, that most unattractive of qualities that comes with experience.

Another danger of exposing a wolf with a pampered existence to a new land like this was his laziness of sense. In his old life food had been presented to him, as a mark of respect. He no longer needed his senses. Everything was surface. There was no deep thought as to how his situation worked for him. It just did, there had been no use for senses. So his senses had declined. The sharpness of youth - gone. No appreciation of scent. No noticing the subtle changes that would alert him to prey. A deadly failing in a land like this.

Deadly. It was only when it was way to late that he noticed he was being watched. Contact. So this land was not uninhabited. A white and black wolf, a young one by the looks. Young and strong.

He needed to overcome his arrogant instinct. A young wolf here was not his subordinate. Not in any way. Here he was the one that was helpless, this young wolf could be the help needed that could mean avoidance of death. Why then did the idea of begging for help sicken him. He could not do it.

He decided to stand his ground. Not in an aggressive pose, but not in a welcoming one either. Perhaps if he retained some dignity the wolf might be persuaded to share some prey with him. It still left him open to the risk the wolf might attack - he was too weak to fight. But perhaps humility might have been better, maybe the wolf will now turn and run.