Favorite Dish of the River

Living the life of a rogue wolf, barely on the cusp of teenage-dom, was a difficult one. It is never easy being truly alone, distant from family, no creature to call friend, no safe place to call home. Rayios did not complain. He had his honor in-tact, as any wolf should. Every sunrise he witnesses is another testament to his will and determination, something he especially took silent pride in.

The sun had risen hours ago, and the boy found himself once more pursuing a quick meal. The farther east he headed, the less animals he saw. It was a subtle difference; the trees were quieter, the sounds of creatures scuttling amongst the undergrowth less common. The land lacked the full vibrancy of autumn, as if something terrible had robbed it of its health. Maybe this part of the world had terrible summer droughts. Maybe the land was always like this.

Either way, even the fish were scarce as the boy idled by the river in wait of lunch. He had been following this river for quite some time now, enjoying the taste of the difficult to catch walleye. It always made his day, getting the chance to eat a walleye, the best part being that he always gets first dibs on it, free to feast until the scavengers become too abundant.

There were no walleye in the river--at least not that he could see--but there were definitely fish. They mostly kept to the center of the river, forcing Ray to balance on the few stepping stones he could find in order to safely get closer. Closer to the river, the waters were wilder, light sprays of water flying droplets onto the ends of his woolly pelt. The rocks were slick and smoothened by the tide, but this was not his first time having to balance on stone rivers, and he stuck carefully to what he knew.

But the fish remained too far...he had to get closer, had to stretch a bit, move to the edge. The rocks were so sparse that Rayios could barely balance on two at a time, but he was so close. If he could stretch a little more, he could rwach out for one of the fish loosely with the rest of the school, and score himself a meal. Now, that's it...a little more...almost there...so close to food...

It happens in an instant; the angle he has upon the rocks is too diagonal, too lopsided. His left backpaw slips out from underneath him so fast, slicing part of his pad in the process, and without the support of one of the main pillars of balance, the rest of him falls too. This part of the river is not that deep, but the suddenness of the fall still does not give him any time to land with any sort of grace. The left side of his head, near his cheek, hits a rock under the current. Though the water lessens most of the blow, it's still a direct fall onto a rock, and there's likely to be a bruise forming on his cheek later the day.

In fact, there's already reddening, parts of the first layering of skin becoming irritated from the scrape. Rayios makes his fall, then moves to regain his balance, finding all four legs under him (more or less) before searching for something above water to grab onto. He decides it best to stay in the water and wade/walk, reaching out for rocks to take him closer towards the more calmer edges of the river. When he's had that accomplished, he walks back onto the shore and shakes his pelt, then allows himself a moment to check for damage.

Alright. Annoying cut on his back left pawpad. Some stinging on his left cheek...