A year passed since his near-death experience. A year full of learning, growing, and moving onward. Also a year full of discovering that he really did have emotions. That he could feel turmoil, rage, sadness, depression, grief, and even empathy and love. Not in the way that he thought he ever would, but in a way, he understood his mother a little bit better now. He could see why she did the things that she did and how it all made sense. There was no going back anyway to ask her. She was gone for good now. Nearly every day, that tinge of overwhelming grief would try to drown him. And nearly every day, he had to fight back and push it back down. Meeting her in that dream place had helped, but had also made him miss her more. Oh, how he wanted so badly to see her again. Ghoul strikes out at the weeping willow branches as he passes through them. His large paws squelch in the mud as he steps over the small streams. Frustration blazes across his face as his shoulders hunch and hackles rise. Why were the branches so low here? Why were they always in his damn way? A growl rumbles in him as he glances around. How anyone wanted to be here was beyond him. Initially, he had been trailing behind an injured doe. Hunting helped clear his mind and keep him busy. After getting a cramp in one of his legs, he had to slow down and begin tracking the deer all over again. Soon, he lost the scent in one of the many twisting creeks that wound through the willows. Cursing under his breath, he continues to prowl through the shadows after the doe.

Raka had never stepped foot into this territory before, but the moment she did she was impressed with the wide sweeping branches of these trees. She was accustomed to trees that stretched upwards, not across. She moved slowly through them, trying not to let her horns catch on the low-hanging branches. After all, she might lose her precious gems if that were to happen.

That meant her pace was a slow one, and she didn’t get far through the territory before she caught the sound of movement. Hearing the shuffling step of a creature through the willows, she turned in curiosity to get a better look. There, she found a deer with an injured leg, dragging it slowly behind her. That looked to her like an easy meal, and she crouched down in preparation for pouncing.


"Speech"

Once he is able to pick the scent back up, another one catches his attention. This time it isn't one of deer, but of wolf. Freezing, he searches the shadows. Lowering his body, he prepares himself to defend what was his own. He had been the one to track the deer and he wasn't going to let anyone take that from him. Keeping his focus on the doe's scent trail, Ghoul followed it with one ear on the rustle of the other nearby. If he was quick enough, he would be able to take the doe down before the other wolf even noticed. Prowling forward, the bulk of his muscle rippling beneath pale fur, he drew near the doe. Her injury to the leg was worse than expected. How she was even walking through this mucky area amazed him. Just as the doe heard a twig snap beneath his paws, he pounced. Hurling himself forward, Ghoul made his move toward the doe. Paws hit the ground as his legs stretched out to close the distance. Launching into the air, he lands upon the doe's good hindquarter to keep her from running off.