I am the broken one

It was surreal, this wolf in the desert sands who spoke to him like he was normal, like his life held sanity, his accent familiar, even if his tone was not. When the snake made itself known in the ruff of his coat, the pup didn't even flinch, desensitized to any more anomalies from this stranger. When it spoke and called him food, he was forced to close his eyes, fighting the waves of a memory
"stop now, little Dusk child. Do you see the way the grass waves and parts, as though something small and long moves through it?" He stopped and looked where his mother indicated, and caught the scent of something green and scaly in the undergrowth. "Is it dangerous, mumma? Will it eat me?" "No, my silly rascal, it’s much too small to eat a wolf, even my silly little Dusk child. He would much rather munch on rodents, like mice. He won’t disturb you if you dont disturb him" her paw lightly touched the underside of his jaw, nudging his head upwards "always look ahead--"


And the vision faded, leaving him with a heavy throat and eyes misted with emotion. Oh yes, that was what her laughter had sounded like.
He looked up at the wolf that sheltered him, saw the concern etched in his expression, and the snake that accompanied the wolf, that had reminded him of his mother. Perhaps he could find it in him to spare a few words for this stranger. Not many, mind you, and his voice was rusty from lack of use. "The monsters aren't in the desert sir, they are in the forest." It wasn’t dangerous here, not without the monster in the form of a wolf. The creature that had taken her from him. This man has asked his name, and that was harder to give. Too many memories where attached to that name. But it was also something his mother had given, and he would cherish every gift from her.
"Astraios, sir" his voice was growing fainter, and this one was hardly above a whisper.