No way home

The way home would forever be lost to him. This new land that had only ever been a stopping point was now a place he would have to put down roots. Find a place for himself. He was not a wolf who placed down roots easily, accustomed to the life of a traveller. Raised by a family that moved often, and spent more time at sea then on land. Raiders. Pillagers. Occasionally, rapists and murderers. The young wolf had seen it all, and had a certain expectation now for the way of the world. The strong took, and he was not feeling particularly strong.

As he moved stealthily away from the hot pools, He tried to form a plan. Moving slowly and carefully, taking note of his surroundings. It was likely he would need to make his way back here again. Surely, once Kratos had freed himself from his current predicament, he would come looking for his cousin. He would come back here.

He had daylight left to burn, and he planned to use it wisely. He scouted out water that was considered drinkable, and took a small sip. Making note of its location, before moving further on. Food, water, shelter. Those were his primary concerns. Or at least, they would have been, if it wasn’t for the bear that interrupted it all. A deep rumble reverberated through the ground beneath his paws. Trembling leaves and rustling branches heralded the approach of a colossal creature. One that was moving rapidly through the low shrubs and colourful leaf fall. A stray thought noted how the bottom leaves had faded and wilted away, but those on top brought plenty of colour to the grassy land.

He had little time to fully take in the scenery. The bear saw him, and changed its path accordingly. Zeroing in on the small, lost and abandoned child. Panicking, Strai turned and bolted, his instincts pushing him to flee. He was a lone child, small and insignificant beneath a beast such as this one. Not enough to escape its notice, but enough to be powerless against it.

He sprinted through the forest, his paws pounding the earth and rustling fallen leaves as he weaved between trees and leapt over fallen logs. Slick with moss, and too small to slow the approach of his enemy. The bear's heavy footsteps echoed behind him, growing louder with each passing moment. As the young wolf ran, he realised that his only chance of survival lay in his agility and speed. He was a young wolf, but much of his life had been spent on the move. He knew he couldn't outrun the bear in a straight line, so he veered away from the clear cut gaps between the beautiful redbud trees. His lack of knowledge of the terrain was costly, as he sought narrow gaps and sharp turns, a desperate need to find just enough to slow the bear's approach drove him.

With each turn, Strai's determination blazed brighter. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, pushing his small body to its limits. The forest around him became a blur as he raced on, his senses hyper-focused on the task at hand. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Strai threw himself in the small opening of a broken tree. He skidded to a halt, almost smashing into the bark against the other side. His chest heaving as he gulped in much-needed air. His muscles burned, and his legs quivered both from the mad dash and the sudden stop. He listened intently, his ears straining to hear any sign of the pursuing bear over the roaring of his heart. The forest remained eerily silent, and gradually, the realisation sank in that he had managed to elude the beast.
As the sun made its slow approach across the sky, casting a warm, golden afternoon glow through the cracks, Stai took a moment to catch his breath. His body still felt hyper alert, but his breaths had finally slowed. The encounter had been too close for comfort, and he was hyper-aware of all the consequences of injury here. He had no healers, no home. If he was injured, there was no one to fix him. He would need to approach this world with caution, and he was not entirely certain he had the patience for that.

Slowly, and with great caution, he poked his head out of the hollowed tree that had sheltered him. His nose flared with the effort of breathing in the scents. But all he could scent was the dampness of the fallen leaves, and the briskness of the bark. He neither heard nor scented any sign of the danger. He pulled himself fully free, and took a few more steps into the redbud nook. He had no intention of lingering, however. This place was not one he could call home.

"Speech"