A small shadowy creature stands within the newly sprung tall grasses along the edge of Asteraia. She is quiet, she is still, and she stays that way for a long time. Stunning emerald hues, rimmed with a cold touch of sapphire, stare at the beginning of the Encora Woodlands. Even though she turned one she is still so much like an innocent puppy, so very curious and in awe at the world, and yet she is cautious. She is not afraid, because she does not know what fear feels like. It wasn’t because she had nothing to fear, but because she was born from two creatures that didn’t have an ounce of fear in them – so why would she feel such a thing? She is cautious because she is uncertain about the lands outside of the fields. Only once did she venture out and that was when she was much smaller and she went to the valley to chase the colorful fragile flying things. Yes, she went with Brother, with Provider and the she-wolf that was red and brown. Within the Valley there were others like her and not like her. They were loud, they were quick, and she was so very uncertain of them. They were not quiet and watchful, like her, but there was one she liked. Pretty Eyes. He spoke and although she didn’t understand everything he said, he was still, he was quiet – and he was kind to her. He was...different...like her and not like her.

At such a young and tender age she was told that there were wolves that wished to harm and wolves that did not wish to harm. She understood that within the fields she was safe, but outside the fields she was taking risk. Risk was something she did, but very rarely, but this particular risk was new – it was exciting. So, she stands there at the border, her dark and twisted mind ensnaring each thought and then rushing to the next one, her mind racing and chasing these fleeting thoughts – desperate to know! To understand and come to a decision. The process so difficult with the voices that slithered in her mind. The voice of the Provider warning her that crossing the line might be dangerous, but a softer more confident voice hissing at her that all would be well. She did not know what this outcome would be, she did not know if crossing the invisible line would be a good thing or a bad thing. Yet with each thought, and with the voices persuading her to choose one direction over the other, she became more and more frustrated. An irritated growl rumbled in her throat and that terrifying, yet still adorable, sound seemed to have stirred a rabbit from its hiding spot, as it darted straight past her and into the inviting field that laid between the woodlands and her home. All thoughts of whether to cross the line or not had suddenly faded away, all that mattered now was to catch the creature that hops away.

Without a sound she leapt upwards and ran after the tawny creature with the fluffy white cotton tail, using its white appendage as her target, as her dark paws slammed into the tough terrain. Her charcoal thick fur shines almost like an inky black, with the silver trimmings appearing on her form like stars, as she runs underneath the bright sun. It didn’t take long for her to catch the hopper, her front paws holding onto the creature, as she dives her muzzle into the back of the rabbits’ neck. Piercing her ivories into its neck, killing the creature, she instantly flops down and begins to dig into her meal. Halfway done with her meal she lifts her head and turns around to see the tall stalks of the familiar grass of home and she notices she is far away, she crossed the invisible line...and nothing bad happened. In fact she got food! Food was always a good thing! Bloodstained lips turned upwards into a smile as her dark tail sways side to side in a happy manner as she turns her focus back around to the rabbit, starting to gnaw on the ribs, content to continue to finish her meal. After all the world was okay to her, she was munching on a rabbit, what else could she possibly need in this world right now?