The haggard looking male trotted along as usual, his large-looking paws in contrast to his body that had grown kind of skinny leaving large, smeared tracks in the mud behind him. Roxxa wasn't entirely sure how he had ended up getting caught in rain...it was supposed to be summer, and he hadn't really seen so much rain in summer before; either way- here it was. The traveller was tired, but he was alright, all in all. It was his way of life, it had nearly always been his way of life, and Roxxa was simply pleased to be alive following the recent events.
Sure, he had made it hard in these new lands, and had not had much contact with others. He was lost from current events or politics, and although he had been a wanderer long as he could remember, he was still good for some gossip and a bit of conversation now and again, and it had taken a bit of a toll on him, not being able to keep up with his old habits. As an reasonably skilled hunter, at least he hadn't gone hungry on his own. He had been in close calls, and he had been in fights, and the dark-furred male felt, and looked, older than he was.
As the rains faded into nothingness, leaving behind just a chill breeze in their wake, the sun had sneakily been fading along the horizon over the last few hours of his trail, and now the moon was slowly beginning to rise in its place, little pin pricks of light that he knew to be stars were appearing all over as well.
The weak-looking wolf stopped in his tracks to examine such a fine sky, his breath becoming steadily more opaque against the moments. There was a smile spread across his features, and he let his tongue loll, enjoying the feel of the cooling air against it. It had been a rather long day, if he thought back on it. But it was a good day. Every day was a good day that he was alive, Roxxa thought to himself.
"I am alive, I am doing what I love to do..." He said out loud, quietly, and to himself- at first. It felt so redeeming to say it. What use was there in misery when one could simply be happy for one's own fact that they were here to begin with! The dark-furred male seated himself with his gaze set on the moon, and as the light of it caught off the lighter colors of his fur and gave them a sort of glow, Roxxa again called out:
"I am a free and happy wolf!" He wiggled a bit in place, unable to contain his happiness and excitement. It had been a long time since he had done this, and there had not been many opportunities for it lately, or where he had wandered in the old lands. He hated to give away his position as a vagabond, but sometimes a wolf had to do what a wolf had to do.
In his joy of the freedom to be, and the gratefulness for his survival, Roxxa threw his head back and released a powerful howl to the moon, to the skies, to the new land- Tolas! It felt unusual, this burst of energy that the night had given him. Perhaps it had simply been too long since Roxxa let go and just enjoyed the moment. Perhaps now, there was no so much need to fight for survival, as the new world settled, and those within it followed suit. He could get used to this life, just as he had the previous, and for that was a reason to rejoice!
After he spent a long while howling his praise to the skies, Roxxa shook himself, freeing himself of the worry of the moment, looking forward to the future. His lament had been cleansing, and he felt lighter. As he began back into movement, he took a long moment to stretch and gaze about. For now, he would scout a comfortable place to sleep beneath this star-speckled sky. Trusting of the world around him while he slumbered.
********
The traveller awoke the next morning, dew on his coat in the cool of morning, the sun just barely peeking the horizon. He felt refreshed, still. His weary body felt a little bit stronger, and he was happy. A huge smile spread across his muzzle as he rose, stretching again as he had the night before, and as he gazed about once again, he saw no fresh tracks in what remained of the mud from the last day's raining. Roxxa shrugged to himself, and raised to his paws, shaking the dew from his coat- or what he could. It would be another good day today, he thought to himself. It was what he needed to continue on, if he was going to make his way here again. He must try not to look back on the past, and would simply survive, as before.
It was a moment of clarity within an unsure beginning, and for now Roxxa felt nearly like his old self. He took his time to get going, watching the sun rise for a while, drinking from a pond close by, and sitting and listening to the lands around him. A single sound distracted him, and it was the gurgling in his own stomach, begging for something to eat.
The dark-furred wolf set himself to hunting, tilting his nose into the air to try and catch any sort of prey-smell. A nice meal would be the perfect start to such a clear new day, he thought, as he set off toward the woods, his footfalls silent as he disappeared into the trees.
