In the Shadows

Darkness let its tendrils slip into every corner of the landscape; from every little hole painstakingly dug by tiny critters to the canopy of impossibly large trees reaching for the heavens. An orchestra of bugs and birds rose as the dark thickened, a mixture of songs and voices both familiar and alien to the tawny wolf. It grated on his ears and it was with the curl of a lip he wished they would shut up if only for a span of a rapid breath. The veil of noise had been interesting for a night or two until exhaustion crept into his muscles and all he wanted was to shut his eyes and get some rest.

Walking twilight after twilight, searching for a fresh meal to fill his stomach, had left him drained, although the novel sights and smells were captivating enough to stick around for. At least for a while. The thick, rough-barked trees had left a lasting impression on Viggo as he traversed the impossibly flat terrain at a trot. He had been used to ones he could easily clamp his jaws on and fill his mouth with but these? He couldn't even wrap his own body around them and nip himself in the tail. The coniferous trees of his home-range—vast expanses of fjords, mountains and rugged tundras—had never allowed plants to grown big and tall, sweeping most from their roots with a landslide before they got the chance.

Unceremoniously, the wolf dumped himself between the roots of a particularly gargantuan individual, shifting onto his back, feet in the air, to let his breath even out. The throbbing in his paws slowly ebbed into non-existence. Just a little bit of well-deserved sleep and he would be on his way again. Preferably for a destination far from this forest of giants and noisy neighbours.

Viggo cast a glance to the darkness, taking a quick breath to analyse the air. Nothing worthy of suspicion. For now. He rolled on his side, turning his back to the forest despite the tug in his gut and hair-raising feeling something watched every twitch of his muscles from the dark. Like a predator assessing its prey before pouncing. Creeping closer and closer.

Whatever.

He promptly shut the thought out. If he was fated to die tonight, then so be it. Nothing that could be done about it.

A rustle of leaves snapped his eyes open, the blissful lull of sleep finally taking hold of him knocked from ever strand of fur. His gaze and perked ears monitored every inch of darkness before he thought to use his much more useful sensitive nose. He was not alone.

Viggo rolled and rose, hunching as he waited for whatever creature had foolishly betrayed its location. It had not been the scuttle of a mouse. No, this had been far larger. He narrowed his gaze, the barest sliver of moonlight cascading through the dense canopy not aiding his impaired vision.

He took yet another deep breath but found no whiff of scent on the chilly wind. Not foolish enough to stray upwind, apparently. But neither was he a fool or naïve enough to think the lack of sleep had gotten to him.

Viggo lowered himself to his haunches, raising his head and eyebrows as he shut his eyes. With a hint of patronizing amusement he said, "Let's leave the game of hide and seek to the pups, shall we?"