Fallen from Grace

Deteste was unsure how he had wandered so far away from the borders of his home but he did understand that the yearning need to escape from Laxago's pressing needs and morose mood had been sated and now a subtle sense of guilt began to well within his conscience. His walk had been long and, for the post mart, thoughtless. Only now did he pause to take in the steep stone faces of the cavern he had wandered into. A cool stream of water flowed beside him and he paused to serve his dry throat. The water, black in the shade of the cliff walls, echoed and splashed loudly within the narrow ravine. Not interested in delving deeper into the crevice Deteste turned directly around and walked until the land flattened and then altogether evened out into a grassy, pine-like wood. The vagabond realized he had wandered rather far from home, for the land of the Ludicael was nearly tropical and although he had made it this far in such quick time he was unsure, now that he was mostly aware of his self and actions, that he would be home again until sundown. And immediately upon his arrival it would be necessary to find game for Laxago who could not feed herself.


Guilt and responsibility began to weigh on his mood and although Deteste did not necessarily need to cough he did. The sound was the epitome of how he felt. The way home brought Deteste to the midst of the verdant green forest in which his ebony pelt was almost seamlessly unnoticeable in the deep shade of the tall tree's canopies. The tall grasses beneath him bent and pressed with the cadence of his step. Deteste had only began to notice a shortening of the grasses when he suddenly stumbled upon an clearing of the forest where sat a wolf the color of ash. Out of instinct, De found himself calculating the odds of battle between the two of them. He had had to travel long to find a pack that would accept he and Laxago and he did not expect to find much more kindness than he had already found. Deciding it would be best not to startle his unintended company, Deteste spoke with a friendly but guarded timbre, "Ho there, stranger." I offered a curt nod once his attention was drawn but made no move to come nearer.