Shadow of the Day

Evening was approaching, sending long purple shadows over the land. White apple blossoms took on a blue hue, and the humming of bees was quieting as they returned with full... er, appendages, back to their hives. A patch-coated wolf drowsed beneath the wide-spread branches of a plum tree, blinking with mismatched eyes off into the distance. Tyr had managed to catch a rabbit, a rather large meal for a tiny, habitually-starved wolf like himself, and he was feeling pretty pleased with himself. It had been a complete accident when he lost his footing and tumbled off a bank, landing face-to-face with a very startled rabbit. The rabbit had frozen out of shock; Tyr had instinctively snapped at it and chomp, dinner.



With a stomach that was, for once, comfortably full, Tyr was feeling much more optimistic about his decision to finally escape the confines of his family pack and travel all this way. Idly he rolled onto his back, wiggling all four feet int the air like a pup. He liked this place. It made him feel playful; that was a feeling he hadn't had in a long time. Whimsically he wondered if he could start his own pack here, a pack full of misfits and rejects like himself, just eking out an existence together in this beautiful place.



He discarded the idea with a bitter little laugh. Who was he kidding? He didn't want to be around rejects any more than anyone wanted to be around him, and they wouldn't want him either. As a packmate, let alone their leader. Still laying on his back, he tucked his paws in close to his chest, the playful moment ruined. Sure, he could be free of Hroovitnir and his oppressive punishments, but he'd never be free of himself.



"Speech"

Nothing to gain, everything to fear