Ankyra Sound If you've got a dream, don't wait, act. (Got it memorised?)

Returning thread for Slancio and AW for all members of Saltwinter. Mostly for @Caiaphas and @Ondine though

The wind whistled through his head and his heart, liquid silver notes falling upon the ground where his heavy paws hit the ground and the steady beating of his heart. Above the sky was painted a soft rose tinged with fading shades of cream. Far out, beyond the distant horizon, shades of azure and lavander peeked out, announcing the upcoming arrival of the sun. Below the ground was a vast sepia, brilliant sprouts of spring and pine greens surging from the ground. At last the once familiar view of the coast broke out into his vision, the beautiful view he had once enjoyed flooding through him as emotions flowed from his heart.

He had no place here now, of that much he was aware. He had known long ago that returning here was a gamble on his part. From the moment he had stepped out of the territory to make his way back to his origins, Horned Owl Valley, he had in essence, abandoned and betrayed Saltwinter. But as the shrill cry of screech owl had woken him up, and he had seen it flying near the coast, he had not hesitated before leaving. The only owls that roamed near the wilds were of his valley. The screech owl was a bad omen, and they were not coastal owls, and to see one flying along the shoreline was enough for him. 

In the brink of dawn, just like the backdrop he had returned to the grotto as of the current moment, he had left. Stolen away before the first drop of light could change his mind. A soft trail of pawprints were the only indication he had ever been there at all, and he knew they would be washed away before Saltwinter would wake and find him gone. Straight out of teekon itself, he had returned to a land of chaos, his hopeful wishes shattered as he saw that the famine had struck his home too. The lush forest of his former home had been stripped of it's glory, trees bare of the plentiful owls that roosted there.

He chose to stay and rebuild. Helped strengthed the remains of his family before they could survive on their own. The thought of staying tempted him sorely, as he was met with the loving care of his kin. Yet he set out, wandering farther and farther until he had found himself back at Teekon. There was no place for him in these wilds yet except for Saltwinter, and at an ironic twist Saltwinter was where he had no place to be now. So he gambled, with fate and his life, to make the return trip. The days dragged on, and his footsteps grew heavier with his heart. But there he was, fully in view of anybody along the coastline. He was ready to accept whatever was coming, no matter the outcome of the next page in his life.

The first sign of dawn, a royal shade of sunrise, appeared from the faraway horizon. It bursted out from beyond like the emotions in his heart now free from their cage. There was a certain air around him now, as if all the heaviness he carried with him had grown wings and taken to the sky. A gentle ease washed over him, just as the soothing waves lapped onto the shore. He felt softer, lighter than he had been for the past weeks, releasing his burden. Strangely, while his end may only be moments away, and he may never see this view ever again, he felt a small smile come onto his face.

So with the background of the arising sun and pending day, Slancio sat and waited.