4/7/2025, 6:53 PM
For the longest time, he felt as if his paws had been merely wandering aimlessly...and perhaps it has been the case. Fehrduin knew he'd been avoiding others, maybe by intention or maybe by mere coincidence. The scent of others had been around in places but it wasn't a matter the bulky male had felt necessary to concern himself over... nor to seek out. He'd been left alone and in some ways, it was...peaceful.
With stilled paws, Fehrduin halted, his gaze following a thin tendril of green mist. Unusual...The thought of turning back crossed his mind. He wasn't familiar with these lands, nor this place, sticking to traveling in hidden spots, observing rather than partaking. This however...this sent the fur along the ridge of his back standing. He felt alert. Turning around as swiftly as his bulky frame would allow, Fehrduin felt his jaws part ever so slightly. The mist was everywhere. Without him realizing, it had enclosed all around him, sticking to his fur. It felt about as equivalent to sinking into a bog, struggling to prevent oneself from going under. An unnatural feeling rushed into him, one he hadn't felt since his days as a small pup, requiring the protection of adults...he wanted to flee. He felt like....prey.
One large gulp of air as the shock of such an emotion awakened in his senses, Fehrduin hacked instantly at the attempt to breath. He dropped his head low as several deep coughs left him, his body convulsing from the effort as his eyes burned, and salty water poured from the rims. Raising a paw, he tried to wipe it away, lowering further to even go so far as to rub his head against the marshy earth, the wet moss, anything he could somewhat identify... In an instant, he paused. There was...a voice. Lifting his head, squinting and attempting to clear his blurred vision through the tears threatening to spill over, Fehrduin strained his ears. He hadn't misheard again, had he?
A couple steps back...
Just one more... the wolf in his dark mossy shades and bright orange sides, halts.
Something about this was oddly...familiar. Dismissing the thought instantly, Fehrduin felt his desire to flee ebbing away. Slipping his body as if the mist itself was gently coaxing him forward with a soft touch and a tender whisper. Beckoning as calmly as a mother but just as strict as one too.
This was more than just a voice. It filled his entire being in some way. Demanding even, that he persist, continuing, tempting him to defy every instinct in him that would tell him to flee. Continue! You must continue!
Fehrduin wheezes, barely able to scent anything now beyond what he assumed was the smell of this strange mist. He'd seen many things in his life and years. It gives and takes and repeats on an endless cycle of peace and pain. He'd been at peace...maybe now it was time to accept the challenge of pain. Another cough as he recalled a brief memory that flitted past his vision about as a quickly as a swallow swooping down for an insect. Standing up straight, Fehrduin levels his body before raising his head, looking ahead. His entire life had turned around in an instant. One he could not explain. He remembered wandering into the swamps he knew so well and next thing he knew, he had rounded a new bend and was flooded with new smells. He'd heard of such stories before from home, but had only believed them to be as out of reach as the very sparkle of the stars far above. As the thought entered his mind, he glanced up as if some part of him would see the stars. Only green lay there...and darkness. Shadows his unclear vision could no longer identify.
If this was to be his final rest, he thought, then maybe it was how it was to be. He'd pursue this, at least as far as this strange air would allow him to go. Fehrduin snorted through his noise in an attempt to stifle another cough. One paw after another, he continued forward. His tail remained low, his ears pinned back, his body stiff with tension but he headed forward anyway. This wasn't the time to fight back as far as Fehrduin felt. He'd answer this demanding call and do as he'd always done and listen. If things turned for the worse...well, he supposed to deal with it as it came. Either way, he had a feeling he wasn't as alone as he had felt moments prior. The least he could do was see where this led. Either way, it felt that if he ran, the result would be worse. Against his fleeing instincts, Fehrduin pushed ahead and headed deeper into the unknown, gritting his teeth against the assault on his senses.
With stilled paws, Fehrduin halted, his gaze following a thin tendril of green mist. Unusual...The thought of turning back crossed his mind. He wasn't familiar with these lands, nor this place, sticking to traveling in hidden spots, observing rather than partaking. This however...this sent the fur along the ridge of his back standing. He felt alert. Turning around as swiftly as his bulky frame would allow, Fehrduin felt his jaws part ever so slightly. The mist was everywhere. Without him realizing, it had enclosed all around him, sticking to his fur. It felt about as equivalent to sinking into a bog, struggling to prevent oneself from going under. An unnatural feeling rushed into him, one he hadn't felt since his days as a small pup, requiring the protection of adults...he wanted to flee. He felt like....prey.
One large gulp of air as the shock of such an emotion awakened in his senses, Fehrduin hacked instantly at the attempt to breath. He dropped his head low as several deep coughs left him, his body convulsing from the effort as his eyes burned, and salty water poured from the rims. Raising a paw, he tried to wipe it away, lowering further to even go so far as to rub his head against the marshy earth, the wet moss, anything he could somewhat identify... In an instant, he paused. There was...a voice. Lifting his head, squinting and attempting to clear his blurred vision through the tears threatening to spill over, Fehrduin strained his ears. He hadn't misheard again, had he?
A couple steps back...
Just one more... the wolf in his dark mossy shades and bright orange sides, halts.
Something about this was oddly...familiar. Dismissing the thought instantly, Fehrduin felt his desire to flee ebbing away. Slipping his body as if the mist itself was gently coaxing him forward with a soft touch and a tender whisper. Beckoning as calmly as a mother but just as strict as one too.
This was more than just a voice. It filled his entire being in some way. Demanding even, that he persist, continuing, tempting him to defy every instinct in him that would tell him to flee. Continue! You must continue!
Fehrduin wheezes, barely able to scent anything now beyond what he assumed was the smell of this strange mist. He'd seen many things in his life and years. It gives and takes and repeats on an endless cycle of peace and pain. He'd been at peace...maybe now it was time to accept the challenge of pain. Another cough as he recalled a brief memory that flitted past his vision about as a quickly as a swallow swooping down for an insect. Standing up straight, Fehrduin levels his body before raising his head, looking ahead. His entire life had turned around in an instant. One he could not explain. He remembered wandering into the swamps he knew so well and next thing he knew, he had rounded a new bend and was flooded with new smells. He'd heard of such stories before from home, but had only believed them to be as out of reach as the very sparkle of the stars far above. As the thought entered his mind, he glanced up as if some part of him would see the stars. Only green lay there...and darkness. Shadows his unclear vision could no longer identify.
If this was to be his final rest, he thought, then maybe it was how it was to be. He'd pursue this, at least as far as this strange air would allow him to go. Fehrduin snorted through his noise in an attempt to stifle another cough. One paw after another, he continued forward. His tail remained low, his ears pinned back, his body stiff with tension but he headed forward anyway. This wasn't the time to fight back as far as Fehrduin felt. He'd answer this demanding call and do as he'd always done and listen. If things turned for the worse...well, he supposed to deal with it as it came. Either way, he had a feeling he wasn't as alone as he had felt moments prior. The least he could do was see where this led. Either way, it felt that if he ran, the result would be worse. Against his fleeing instincts, Fehrduin pushed ahead and headed deeper into the unknown, gritting his teeth against the assault on his senses.