fear is the little death that brings total obliteration

The night air was cold, the breath fogging from Ronan's lips as he exhaled. What felt like endless nothingness stretched out before him, sand dunes rising and falling like ocean waves. This was what he'd always imagined the end to look like, no sense of being or even landmarks to situate himself- on the edge looking in, he knew few wolves ventured out in this direction for a reason. That it was far safer to skirt around, avoid the literal death trap and extend the journey by a few days or so.

Sand. Coarse and rough and it got everywhere, right between his toes, rubbing against the inside of his claw sheaths. He made a face, pacing along the summit of the dune, greenery behind him and nothingness ahead. At least the sky was nice out here, splashes of colours and shining bright stars- not a view he was familiar with back in the city. Or what was left of the city anyway. Something was wrong with the air back there, foggy and polluted, clear nights a rarity. But here?

Well, he could see the constellations for starters, not that he knew their names.