Only the Good Die Young

The day started out typical for the Saxe boy. He woke up at midmorning, when the sun was high enough to emit some warmth and the bite of the winter chill wasn’t as intense. He quenched his thirst at a nearby stream, caught a fish to fill his belly, and headed out in search of supplies to get him through the winter.

What he hadn’t expected to happen, was the sudden change in weather. Dark, rumbling clouds rolled in on top of him, intercepting all sunlight and casting the territory into an abyss of whirling snow. The wind picked up at an alarming rate, whipping against his pelt with enough force to burry down to his flesh. Each time a gust picked up, it felt like his skin was being torn by the wind. His paws felt frozen, and his usually amethyst coat was cloaked in a layer of powdered snow. He could hardly see in front of him, the visibility only expanding several feet in each direction before dissipating into a white veil.

With a mouth full of herbs, Sephiran walked through the raging winter storm, trying to find shelter anywhere he could. And, after what felt like an eternity of stumbling through the raging storm, he found the haven he was looking for. He slipped into the opening of the cavern with ease, snow falling from his pelt with each stride but it wasn’t enough to break the layer that enveloped him. He didn’t immediately notice the other wolf in the cavern, who happened to be one of the wolves he had been searching for all this time. With the herbs in his mouth and how frozen his face felt, he couldn’t smell Aresenn’s scent either.

After walking several feet into the cavern, Sephiran dropped the herbs onto the ground before turning to examine the area. He heard the chest-rattling cough before he saw the silhouette, which caused him to pivot on his paws to face the presumed stranger. The hair along his nape bristled, shifting some of the snow slightly. But he was still cloaked in it, and appeared to be a large, looming white figure. His eyes took several moments to adjust, and what he saw before him was a site he hadn’t expected.

It was Aresenn.

His jaw nearly dropped in disbelief, ears tipping forward as he stared at the crimson boy, who was lying on the ground with his side against the cavern wall. All he could do was stare at this moment, as he was truly at a loss for words- not that he talked much to begin with.  

644 / 1500 words

"Sephiran Saxe"