i've aged a year this week

It seemed this stranger he had startled in her resting place was entirely unimpressed with him. Perhaps that was to be expected. A rogue had to maintain a certain leave of caution, with no strength at their back. So he didn’t rise to the bait in her cold words. Instead, he simply watched as she rose from the bushes and stood across from him.

Her raised hackles displayed her agitation and her eyes were cold and hard as they took him in. she spoke first, her words breaking the sudden, deafening silence that had fallen between them as each wolf realised the reflection of the other. He let in a long, slow breath. Startled and stilled as he took her in.

When his legs moved, at first it was as if he was old and stiff. He didn’t move towards her, instead he began to prowl, moving to circle this strange, strange wolf. As he unfurled himself and moved his stride evened out, until he was another predator, circling his prey. “You smell like Empire, and bear the markings of my father. But that's not possible, he died with only one child. You are far too old to be the get of my lost offspring. Who are you? Who sent you into my midst?” his voice got colder, filled with mistrust as he circled the woman in the woods.

"Adhara"