Who Ya Gonna Call?

As the time fast approaches for the brothers to celebrate their first birthday, Ricin finds himself withdrawing into himself more and more. A sadness clings to him and refuses to be shaken, no matter how much the blue pup tries. Sad eyes quietly inspect his own reflection in a small puddle of water, the rain creating small ripples on the surface he stares into. Carefully, he traces the lines of his face, finding them marred with the sorrow he feels in his heart. It is the rainy season in Auster and the weather only seems to add to his already depressed state. Sure, the air is warm and so is the rain but the clouds obscure the sun and, with it, his joy. So, the unhappy pup had decided to find a secret place where he can sit and contemplate life without worrying anyone else.

The reflection shows how much he has grown… physically at least. Ricin is almost at a towering height with his long gangly legs and athletic build giving the boy the appearance of dancer… he is all muscles and lean. Since joining the band with Manea and her family, the brothers have had a steady supply of food and the blue pup is grateful to not have hunger pangs anymore. The thicker fur on neck spikes up and, as it gets to closer to his head, grows longer and longer until the patch between his ears spikes up and curls over, flopping into his crimson eyes and needs to be tossed back constantly. In his crimson gaze, the boy finds his shattered world, and sees how he is trying to piece back together… slowly.

With a sigh, Ricin turns his eyes away from the pool, sighing at the sight of his pitiful self. The rain hits his fur, causing it stick and poke out in odd shaped tufts here and there. Pushing off the ground, the pup stands and gives his coat a vicious shake, preparing to head back to the bands dens. He had traveled out toward the shore line, finding the cluster of trees and rocks that mark his secret area. Now turns back in the direction of home and starts the short journey back. The rain has soaked the ground, making it more mud than actual earth. Paws squish through the muck, slipping every now and then but he is quick to recover. Ricin finds the small hill that marks the turn and he puts the mound of dirt to his back and walks on.

A low rumble makes Ricin slow, looking down at the ground to see small pebbles skittering and jumping as if they have a mind of their own. Coming to a stop, he listens as the rumble builds, eventually reaching a deafening crescendo and the pup turns in horror to find the hill is following him. Fear takes over his brain and Ricin runs as fast as he can, dodging trees and bushes, trying to find a rock large enough to ride out the mudslide on. Everything is a blur, the noises drowning out everything expect his own rapid heartbeat. Somehow, he finds a large rock and manages to scramble up on top, hunkering down to cover his ears and squeeze his eyes shut until the slide ends. It seems to take forever but, when the sound finally settles, Ricin blinks his eyes open to look over the devastation.

Huge piles of muck litter the landscape, filled with uprooted trees, bushes, and jagged rocks. Ricin’s heart sinks as he realizes he is stranded with no way to safely leave his rocky perch. Tilting his head back, Ricin releases a pleading howl, asking for someone to find him and help him get away from the horrible mudslide. When he is done, the blue pup lowers his head and looks out over the expanse, hoping against hope that hope that help will arrive soon and he can go home to Chade and the band.


Post WC: 663
Total WC: 663
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