Post by Azoto on Aug 10, 2011 16:24:59 GMT -5
Night.
Day.
Night.
Day.
Night.
Day.
After a while they had all run together, and Anoki ran with them, ears drooping by the time the sun was high overhead for what he thought was maybe the third sun high in a row. He didn't even know where he was anymore, except that he wasn't where the cat, the bird, and the snarling hairy beast were.
He was tired, so very tired, of moving. And hungry. And scared, far too scared to stop moving, not even to eat a bit of grass, or dirt, or anything else he might find. If he stopped they might find him, they might catch up.
He was afraid of going back in that hole now.
Bad things waited in that hole.
And so he kept moving, though now he was feeling dizzy. He had found the lake, and kept moving. He had found a waterfall, and then smooth land. He had found a river, and remembering the river his mom had shown him once, he had started following it, thinking maybe he could find home again.
And now he was walking in trees. Many trees. He had never seen this many trees before.
And he was dizzy, and hungry, and tired. His paws hurt-- the cracked pads had begun bleeding again from all his moving. His claws were worn from running in rocky terrain.
He lifted his head, now looking from his feet, which he had been watching for the last... sun up now, as he looked around. There was large fallen tree ahead, covered over in moss.
Subconsciously, his paws shifted, and his path diverted.. he was coming closer to the log now. In his half-aware sight he could see.. something ahead, something waiting for him at the log.
His ears twitched, and his tail suddenly started a weary wag as he came closer, the something becoming more visible, and more recognizable.
His mother was there.. If she was there, then everything would be okay. He didn't pick up pace, he didn't rush. And when he reached the log, he whines at his mum, for as soon as he arrived, she was gone.
But her scent lingered on the wind, and he knew it was here that he could stop running.
Anoki collapsed in the lee of the log.
For the first time, in many days, Anoki slept.
Day.
Night.
Day.
Night.
Day.
After a while they had all run together, and Anoki ran with them, ears drooping by the time the sun was high overhead for what he thought was maybe the third sun high in a row. He didn't even know where he was anymore, except that he wasn't where the cat, the bird, and the snarling hairy beast were.
He was tired, so very tired, of moving. And hungry. And scared, far too scared to stop moving, not even to eat a bit of grass, or dirt, or anything else he might find. If he stopped they might find him, they might catch up.
He was afraid of going back in that hole now.
Bad things waited in that hole.
And so he kept moving, though now he was feeling dizzy. He had found the lake, and kept moving. He had found a waterfall, and then smooth land. He had found a river, and remembering the river his mom had shown him once, he had started following it, thinking maybe he could find home again.
And now he was walking in trees. Many trees. He had never seen this many trees before.
And he was dizzy, and hungry, and tired. His paws hurt-- the cracked pads had begun bleeding again from all his moving. His claws were worn from running in rocky terrain.
He lifted his head, now looking from his feet, which he had been watching for the last... sun up now, as he looked around. There was large fallen tree ahead, covered over in moss.
Subconsciously, his paws shifted, and his path diverted.. he was coming closer to the log now. In his half-aware sight he could see.. something ahead, something waiting for him at the log.
His ears twitched, and his tail suddenly started a weary wag as he came closer, the something becoming more visible, and more recognizable.
His mother was there.. If she was there, then everything would be okay. He didn't pick up pace, he didn't rush. And when he reached the log, he whines at his mum, for as soon as he arrived, she was gone.
But her scent lingered on the wind, and he knew it was here that he could stop running.
Anoki collapsed in the lee of the log.
For the first time, in many days, Anoki slept.