run for the hills

[Winter Seasonal Prompt, Healing - SOLO]

He'd been working fairly hard to try and get himself situated since he'd returned to Boreas, and the strain had taken its toll on the cosmic brute. The sudden deluge of snow from one end of the continent to the other had thrown him for a loop- he knew for a fact this was not a normal winter. He hadn't been able to collect any healthy herbs, and his plans to settle somewhere to the south where a garden could be tended with relative ease? Well, those were certainly on hold now. Tension had been building in his shoulders until he was certain his scowl was a mirror image of his mother's. Now that was what had prompted him to force himself to take a day off. It wasn't like he was going to be stumbling across a miracle today of all days, so why not take the time to relax? A slow, rolling gait propelled the titan through the southern lands that were growing more familiar by the day. He was spending a fair bit of time here, though he wasn't fully certain why. The pale alabaster of his paws blended with the soft snow underfoot as he moved through trees and shrubs in search of the perfect spot to take a load off. He wanted a view, he wanted minimal opportunity for harassment, and he wanted silence. If he could get that, he might set up shop and never leave, at this rate.

He broke through a treeline to find exactly that. The soft chatter of wintering birds in the trees around could hardly be considered a nuisance, and the soft sounds of herd animals grazing somewhere in the rolling plains ahead was just the kind of ambiance he was looking for. A heavy sigh passed through dark nostrils, escaping in a puff of thick mist. He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to ease the tension from them, and felt the kink developing in his neck begin to loosen. Amethyst gaze roved lazily over the soft hills of the gulley, the shapes of plants poking up through the snow that blanketed them. Here it was, a perfect haven just for him. Heavy steps pulled him from the summit of one hill, and through the landscape. He followed the valley as he came upon it, letting the winding shape of the landscape carry him wherever it wanted. With each step he felt a sense of calm rolling along his spine, loosening the taut muscles along his flanks as he breathed the crisp air in, out, and in again. The vaguest hint of floral scents rolled through his nostrils, and he felt himself reassured that the spring would come soon enough. He could gather his herbs again, and plant himself a nice garden. Set up somewhere secluded with his plants, and live a quiet life until he finally kicked the bucket.

He nearly missed the gentle slope rising underfoot, until he found himself peering over the crest of a hill. Below, a few sheep clad in thick dun wool, their pale faces rooting through the snow for good grazing. The ram glared up at him warily, daring him to move. Honestly? He wasn't interested, his shoulders felt blessedly loose for the first time in weeks. He wasn't about to try his luck against an angry ram today. Instead, he lowered himself carefully onto the soft snow. The previously lush grasses beneath the layers of snow offered extra cushion under him. The celestial male turned his hips so his hind legs stretched out in front of him, tail flagging parallel to his spine in the snow. Weight resting on his elbows, he surveyed the landscape some more. The view seemed to go on forever, and he felt impossibly small against the vastness of the world around him. The gulley was softened by the dense snow that covered it, any harsh lines smoothed over by the embrace of winter. It reminded him, in a way, of home. With his parents, when he had no responsibilities beyond not pissing off his mom. Huck a snowball at dad, get facewashed in the cold snow as retaliation, and go back inside with giggles still echoing off the trees. A soft smile crept onto his features, and he let a soft chuckle huff past his lips. Perhaps he needed to rekindle some old bonds, and make friends again. He'd been happier when Valkyrie had been pestering him on a daily basis, whether or not he chose to admit it out loud, or to himself.

When the sun rose tomorrow, he'd try and see if the crazy bitch was still kicking around. She'd found him up north last time he'd been around, perhaps she'd settled there. Failing all else, he supposed he could simply find the nearest pack and ask when they'd last been raided, and if their marauders had been led by a spitfire brunette with the claws and temperament of a wet mountain lion. Even if she kicked the shit out of him, he was beginning to feel like that would be better than stewing in solitude until he died.

-- [WORD COUNT: 857]

The yawn that stretched his powerful jaws apart was less one of exhaustion, than it was a stressed body's attempt to loosen some more muscles. The constant scowling was starting to give him a headache. He beat his tail a few times against the snow, content in his newly minted goal for the season. The small herd of sheep was beginning to move out of sight, warily glancing back at him every few feet to ensure he wasn't following. Well, at least he had a lead on a meal in the next few hours.