★ Follow the Fireflies

Maverick didn't often find his way down to the southern continent, especially not alone. Wanderlust had gotten the better of him though, and after going a bit stir crazy roaming the same familiar lands in Ashen, he felt the itch to get out and go explore somewhere new. His paws led him south over the Bifröst to the austral continent, and once down there, a cluster of oddly colored fireflies caught his attention. Curious, Maverick began to move towards them, but every time he got close, the cluster of lightning bugs would dart away, as if leading him somewhere. The bugs had his curiosity, but now they had his attention. The dire wolf followed the bugs further south until they darted into a large cave, just as two other dire wolves approached as well, seeming to follow the bugs as well.

Approaching the other two, he greeted the strangers with a nod. "Hey, you see those fireflies too?" he asked, then looked down into the dark of the cave, still seeing their multicolored glow from within. "Well, I guess beauty before youth this time." With a sly smirk, Maverick took the first step into the cave and descended in after them. What was the worst that could happen?

"Maverick"