I will smother you just to feel your touch

For once in his life, since his father's death, Aureus was in a good mood. He hummed to himself as he slipped through the Avian Estuary. Moments ago the sun had burst free from the clouds and was shining down warm on his back. It felt so good. Not to mention he was enjoying the odd light sensation that had settled over his body after a strange drink a raccoon had given to him. He knew better than to accept questionable drinks from strange animals, especially the masked kind, but his recent view of life had been along the lines of 'fuck it'. Aureus was tired of pain, he was tired of sorrow. He was allowed to have a little fun.

Life was bustling around him despite the scars that still remained from the volcano. Birds flew about in the air, singing and calling. He had spied a heron and pair of swans on his journey so far and even some fish and a few turtles. There were clear patches of water, the spring rains having washed much of the ash away but there were still occasional goopy black piles.

Settling down in front of the draped limbs of a weeping willow Aureus stretched out to bask in the sun a little longer. When night fell he could retreat under the willow for a little privacy and what he hoped would be a good night's sleep.