the few and the far between

Loneliness was a feeling that all too familiar. It painted every aspect of Bronze's miserable existence, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.The male had walked willingly away from one of the few wolves that had actually seemed to enjoy his company; abandoning those that cared for him was becoming so common that it seemed as though it was a past time of his. As he walked from her, briefly turning to watch the female go, he was sure he felt upset; he was left with a bitter taste in his mouth, and his brown gaze became lackluster as he started blankly ahead of him. He allowed the fog to envelop his massive form, his eyes briefly closing as his paws carried him forward, far away from Rakshra. Darkness fell over him as eyes began to shut, lids fluttering to close and hide his empty stare. Still he took one step after another, knowing the brief blindness was dangerous, but the lack of control he had over his fate felt uplifting, even if only for a moment. He knew he was not in danger, as the air was free from the aroma of strangers.

He wasn't sure how long he walked, but only knew that Rakshra's scent slowly disappeared. Overhead the sun's rays bore down upon his pelt, melting the ice that had seemed to seep into his very core. He had felt warm pressed against Rakshra during the night, but upon leaving her he realized that he was far colder than he had known. But as the sun rose in the clear sky overhead, it warmed the entire land, bringing it to life once again. Even the birds had begun to sing; though rather than sounding joyous, their sounds sounded hollow and fake to Bronze. He could see through the facade of joy that they tried to present to him, and it felt him feeling jaded. It had been so many years since he had embraced the coming of spring with open paws. Rather than representing beauty and new beginnings, it was merely a painful reminder of the things that he had lost.

With great effort would he travel forth, his eyes finally opening. And he was lucky they had, too, for before him lay a vast expanse of land littered with over-sized boulders. Though the land was relatively stable, the rocks that surrounded him on nearly all sides were randomly placed and rather threatening. A sigh escaped his parted jaws as he continued on, looking nearly as lost as he was. Behind his massive frame, his tail hung limp, flicking randomly as he traveled. One step would be placed carefully after another, his pace slow and unsure.

Before long the male found himself turning in a different direction, veering to the right a bit. His aimless wandering left him feeling confused and even a bit distraught. It seemed as though no more than a handful of minutes had passed, but in reality the sun had already begun its descent below the horizon.

It wasn't entirely surprising, for it had been so long since he'd had any real sense of time. It seemed as though he had veered off to the left again, going in the exact direction he'd came. Was he missing Rakshra? Was it guilt that had crept into his being, shaking him to the very core? Was he regretting the way that he'd left her so coldly and without explanation? Either way, as darkness fell over the land, the brute allowed himself to be taken in by the night. He was nearly silent as he walked, the only sounds uttered were the gentle breaths that escaped from his unhinged jaws. The land seemed unfamiliar, though he swore he had turned around completely. Little hesitation was evident in the massive canine's step as he went forward, head hung low to the ground, tail swinging threateningly behind him, daring anyone to cross him.