Dreams of Paradise

Maggot had traveled northeast, attempting to return to lands she was more familiar with. The sands of the dunes were far too hot, and the young wolf had barely survived. The girl was weak, the usual anxious look in her eyes dulled. The faint scent of water had dragged the last bit of energy out of the young wolf and she was quickly sprinting towards the source.

Some time had passed, and the she-wolf found the river in sight, but the scent of other canines had deterred her. Noticing the scent faded downriver, she hastily moved south. The last thing the young woman wanted was to meet more canines.

Eventually, the scent of other wolves had faded some, though it was still prominent in the area. Her damaged hearing had paved the way for the young wolf to hone her scent of smell. Maggot made her way to the edge of the river, carefully scanning the opposite shore where the smell of others remained. She noted the land was quite beautiful, with large trees and gently waving grass.

Maggot eagerly lapped up the cool water, the stiffness in her muscles becoming more apparent. The young woman moved to lounge in the water, the cool waves lapping gently at her sides. She considered resting here, and the thought of rest seemed to exhaust her more. Maggot knew this was not the best place to rest, with others of her kind so close, but the ache of her muscles was too much to bear.

She languidly stood to move off the shore and plop down in a thicker patch of grass. She stared pointedly at the opposite shoreline, assuring herself that she was safe. Her eyelids slowly moved to close, and the birds lulled her into a light sleep.