Snippets

The Wolf

Hungry carved the wolves sides into a neat image of skin pressed ribs.

 Its eyes, once alive and golden, were faded and dull. 

Mighty paws that once chased prey now laid numbly on cold dirt. 

Teeth bared, its lips were drawn back with a feral expression of panic.

Its tail tucked, the shadow that loomed over it cautiously extended a hand. The shadow's form was loose and despite its appearance it gave a sense of calming sorrow. 

The wolf backed up further before crying out, "I do not wish to leave! I have lands to see! Stars to watch!"

The shadow, silent as ever, tilted its head but did not speak. 

The wolf was desperate, "I wish for more than this, please!"

The shadow paused, before withdrawing its hand, then its own voice echoed out, "You ask for a second chance, but do you dare ask the price? Do you wish to hunt endlessly for nothing that is here? To break yourself even more for something you had long lost in the past?"

The wolf did not speak for a long time, they could barely breathe. But when they did, it was barely a whisper, "I don't care for prices, I am alone. I know only myself and have since the forest died. I know they won't come back, but I don't want to go. Please." 

The shadow stepped closer once more, yet the wolf stayed strong, "You ask for time. Time for what though? You have explained there is nothing for you here, then why?"

The wolf bowed their head, "I do not wish to merely vanish, I do not wish to let the ground consume me. I want time, but I know that it is useless."

The shadow seemed to sigh, leaning closer to the wolf, "This is the issue. Nothing ceases you foolish creature. This world will die one day, this universe, yet there will still be something. I do not know what awaits you, but that is for you to discover. Will you leave now?"

The wolf winced, "How do I know you don't lie? How do I know I will see others that have long gone before me? I was once told when young, that the ancestors watched over us, that gods gave us places in the star, but I can barely see them now. I see clouded blurs, I am in pain, but I am also scared."

The shadow was almost resting their hand on the wolf's head now, but the wolf noticed what they were doing before painfully stumbling back. The figure stopped once more, "You have to leave eventually, if not for your own curiosity, then why not for these others you had known? You can't cling to what is no longer here." 

The wolf bowed their head once more in silence. They gazed up at the shadow with fear still glistening in their eyes before closing them, "Ok. Take me now, or take me never."