lay with me my dear, in the evening clear

A thick morning haze rose from the river, clinging to the dark pines. Watery sunlight dribbled through the boughs of the trees, slow moving gnats filtering through the beams in swarms. A lone wolf padded quietly along the riverside, his head hung low and wary, his pale coat near-glowing when he passed through the patches of misty light.

This land was still unfamiliar to Coast and he felt it prudent to proceed with a certain level of caution. The riverbank held the same jumble of scents as the valley he had passed through, giving him the idea that this was not an area claimed by packs. He had avoided the territories that held a more cohesive scent marking, as he was as of yet unsure how friendly the groups here might be. In his travels, Coast had become acquainted with unwelcoming alphas and the gnashing teeth of their followers. His rear flank, adorned with a faint scar, trembled at the memory of a beta’s angry fangs. He did not want a repeat event.

The river moved sluggishly, low and heady with the clear scent of summer. Coast paused his aimless plodding and took a few steps onto the rocky beach that lined the water. He could easily see to the other shore, also thick with trees, and his heart panged with a longing for the endless waters of the ocean. The quiet trickle of the current was nothing compared to the crash and roar of dark waves. He did not regret his decision to leave…and yet. Coast lowered his rear slowly to the shore, gaze lingering thoughtfully on tendrils of algae caught on the riverbed.

i'll be dreaming in, my paper pale skin