I Won't Take The Easy Road [Kore]

Spring is finally in full-swing and the flowers are in bloom in Fern Gulley. Kore moves through the frequent flowers but barely seems to notice the word around him. These days, he feels like he is hardly alive and barely clings to existence as he moves from land to land in search of his missing sibling. Time passes but he does not notice it as the man cloaked in galaxies moves like a wraith through the living world.

When his body is hungry, he feeds and when he is thirsty, he waters it, but beyond that, he hardly notices himself. Kore’s pads are now covered with thick calluses and his coat is losing its brilliant sheen but again he does not see it… or care. His muscles are toned and he is lean but, Kore is tired. It is not just from all the physical exertion but from the emotional toll of wandering in search of his brother and finding little to no signs of him.

Exhaustion is his constant companion these days as hopelessness begins to settle on his shoulders like a heavy, suffocating blanket. Dull eyes scan the land without seeing the beauty around him. Kore is so detached from reality that, as steps toward some marigolds, he does not see the maned wolf that is working to remove some. It isn’t until he is almost on top of her that he realizes there is someone else here.

Paws pull him backward so that he does not slam into her and he blinks several times as he tries to get his muddled brain to work. Ears slick back in embarrassment as he dips his head in apology and says, “Sorry. Wasn’t paying attention.” The words are a murmur and, as Kore finally stops, he feels the pull of exhaustion he has been ignoring. When was the last time he had slept? Yesterday? The day before? Time is foreign concept to the man locked in worry and fear.


"Kore Regni"