Throughout the season he had obeyed his mother’s orders. He stayed in the freelands, even sticking close to Sen, his mother’s laidback Imprint. It was not until the spring started to thaw the earth that he started to feel impatient with the lack of word from his family. He understood the reasons behind it, Avtandil was not one to let things simply slip by. At last, his patience expired and he set on a trail, any trail. Even ones that would lead him nowhere.

Time outside the comfort and safety of a pack had made his already lean body chiseled and thin. His bones did not show under a thin layer of fat, but each movement coiled with his growing strength under his skin. He had his nose to the ground, searching for a scent that had been stale even before the winter season. Soft growls of frustration issued from his lips as his paws pounded along the trails. At least until a howl was issued into the air.

Avtandil paused for a moment and listened to the nuances of the call. A party? A dance? His ears pressed back in confusion. It was different from what most would have called for, a break from reality it seemed. In fact, the call seemed to suggest that was exactly what it was. His head tilted slightly, a sly smile dancing on his lips, a wicked glimmer of humor glinting in his eyes for possibly the first time. He could be someone different for a day.

In route he rolled in cold mud, feeling it dry into his fur. He even stuck his face into the much, covering himself with a mask that took away everything about who he was and the scent of the nowhere he was coming from. The shadow and mist young man had become dressed in a suit of dashing mud. For the first time in seasons, he laughed as he ran, the reality of life being left in the mud behind him.

On the shallow sloped of the mountains, where the trees met the hills he saw the lovely masked dancer. With a shrug to himself he jumped up to move with her. His body matching her movements as easily as he could. Dancing did not come naturally to him, but after a few missteps and some awkward laughing, he learned just move. The girl’s carefree attitude was infectious, he made the choice to follow her down the path of not caring. At least for today.