Somber Reflection

Walk | Talk | Think

The sounds of the creek that wandered past soothed the peacefully resting hunter, her lithe and petite frame stretched languidly upon its right side just on the creek's bank. Her cheek lay cushioned by her forearm, eyes closed as she basked in the stillness, the quiet. Not always did she get moments like this, where she could just simply laze about and not even feel guilty about shirking responsibility or ignoring her pack mates. More often than not, and more so recently, she was kept on her toes trying to keep the pack's store of readily available meals stocked. But feeling as if enough had been gathered already she was taking a day to herself, and after the events revealed at the pack meeting it seemed needed.

She hardly wished to think about it, but the thought rose unbidden. Liberty may still have remained in the pack, but they had lost the newly ranked Alpha, Gideon, in the process. And having seen Chrysanthe's state from her own fights, Ashtoreth worried about the repercussions that might eventually take place because of the happenings during those battles. It had seemed like nothing but a trivial fight at first; now it felt considerably more serious.

A shadow was cast over her, along with a sudden chill, as the warmth of the sunlight vanished behind clouds, the full brunt of the autumn air hitting her where she rested. Opening her two-toned eyes, the grey wolf let her gaze fix itself on a point in the creek, watching as the water rippled and sang as it followed its path, blissfully ignorant of the troubles to plague the pack that shared residency with it. A little it reminded her of her first day upon these lands, the creek having provided shelter for her then too, and it made her suddenly wish for Leon to appear. He had made things better then; he could do it again now.

Ashtoreth drew her legs close, curling herself tight as if against the chill though the sun had already come back out from behind its cloud. It had been a subconscious gesture, meant to keep away the worries that had unexpectedly turned her fun, lazy time into one of somber reflection. But it was not enough. With a rush of air that left her muzzle in a sigh, the little hunter pushed herself to her paws and wasted no time in beginning to walk alongside the creek, hoping the movement might help to clear her mind. She tried to focus on the water, its quiet lull, and squinted her eyes as she glanced skyward. So sunny and bright, even with the colder season right around the corner. But would it take a different form this time, a threat from the wintry north?

She really hoped not.