A New Journey

The journey had been so very long, so completely arduous. From the frozen north, to the temperate East, in search of a more vibrant land to settle in. The distance alone had been a killer. Miles of land to trek, some leading with dangerous footing and traps at every turn. It was no such journey for someone of weak mind and body. Only a strong willed character could pull it off. Strong willed, or desperate, or maybe even bat shit insane. No matter, survival was a driving factor, and there was just a scarcity of food in the north.

That first step onto soft, damp, earth was a major relief on tired pads. A long sigh escaped his long maw, eyes closing, enjoying the moment of victory. He had made it, finally. Where he made it to, he was unsure, but it sure as hell beat no food, no discernible water source, and the bitter cold. With a sense of giddy excitement, he dug his long claws into the soft dirt, enjoying the give of the ground. For the first time in months, he let his tail wag happily. It was warmer, yes, that would take some getting used to, but lord was it beautiful.

The large male took in the sights before him. Lush green grass, rich, dark soil, the sound of animals going about their business. It was so vibrant, so full of life, and it was music to his perked ears. Heavy paws pushed him forward, caution still with him in this strange land. Eyes and ears were on constant alert. He didn't know who lurked in this land, or owned it. It was best to be on guard for a while, at least until he found a place to settle.

Nose twitched as he took in the scents. It all smelled so fresh, so new and clean. It was a wonderful smell. He wished to roll in it, bask in all it's glory, but he really needed to keeping pressing forward. A water source would be nice. Being near water meant being near prey, and that was a big requirement of his. In the frozen north it was hard to come across very many prey animals, and when you did, it was always something hard to bring down. Though he was very good at hunting, taking down an Elk four times your size was difficult even for the best hunters.

Picking up the pace a bit, Koda continued to explore, eyes taking in every little sight. There were flowers, and tall trees covered in green leaves. Small creatures skittered across the forest floor seeking refuge from his large paws. It only took a little bit of searching for him to find the lake. It was vast and beautiful. With a happy little trot, he headed towards the sandy beach side. It had been years since he had seen sand. Snow had been most of his life. Only as he got older had he decided it was time to branch out. No pack to be attached to, only himself, freedom.

Koda gave a happy leap onto the sand, feeling like a young pup as he pawed at the water playfully. It only took him a minute to feel silly about this. He was an adult for goodness sake. He should be scouting, not playing. Oh what the hell, you only live once! The white pelted male jumped into the water, head on, the refreshing cool hitting him like a gentle breeze. He came up sputtering water, forgetting momentarily that he hadn't swam in such a long time. Paddling back to shore, he flopped down in the wet sand, not caring that it was clinging to his fur in large clumps. For a brief moment, Koda finally felt at ease.

OOC: Alright, my first post, please be gentle, and please feel free to join. ^^