Freedom awaits if we have the key

Things had not been going so well for me as of late. My parents are absent often, I think they are going to similar areas, they smell like pine and must. Mother constantly seems to be thinking and pacing and is angry whenever father isn’t near now. She is growing frustrated, I can see it as plain as day, but not longer am I her precious child who she dotes on and grooms regularly. She growls at me, snarls and nips when I ask ‘unnecessary questions’ or not do as I’m told. More than once she had broke my skin and caused me to bleed now. I was happy when she told me to get out and go to this… thing, I might not go back, but I know it would make her angry. When father was around it was like things were normal again, but I notice even Aeon slips away more often than not. She doesn’t seem to get as angry with him as she does me, but whatever the case, today I don’t have to worry about mother. I had dreamed of finding my imprint after all, imagined going away with them and having a good time. I love my mom and my dad, but lately things have been a little hard for me to feel that way. I just wanted to please them and make them happy after all, but I also wanted to do my own thing as well.

I go across the lands though, not a single ounce of my troubles or worries appeared on my visage, though if someone got close enough to touch me or look under my fur maybe then they could feel the scabs or see the bruises under there. Until then though I came forward, smiling with bright pink eyes looking expectantly at the mountain as I went around the paths. I didn’t see Aeon on my way here, so I wondered if he would be coming, or if he was off doing his own thing again. Regardless, I smile warmly as I see the group, keeping in my excitement as I look at the group gathered so far.

I had to admit I was… Disappointed at first. I saw the grey flecked boy, but he was flopping around and acting and speaking… odd, surely he couldn’t be my imprint, then I spotted someone similar. No no. Then there was some mouthy boy, who was appalled at dirt… maybe he wouldn’t be so bad, but not he’s getting all distracted by the dirty girl far too much. Another boy that was far too short for me until finally my eyes see another boy off on his own looking rather brooding.

I don’t approach him but I seat myself not far away, I feel curious about him more than the others. How did you know when someone was your imprint? Our eyes weren’t meeting, it looked like he was making an effort to not look at anyone. So I sit my little mottled form down just watching waiting to see if I finally ‘felt’ something.