King Elk Forest bittersweet

for @Grace :)

 

when he'd left home to venture out into the big wide world; when he'd left his mother's warm embrace, and his siblings's protective gaze; when he'd left to follow in the pawsteps of his idol: nicolas, he hadn't expected to find himself lost and alone, with nowhere to go, and no purpose at all. in a twisted manner, archer was amused to find himself in this predicament: stranded and alone, but he also felt a slight bit panicked, as he wasn't used to this sort of situation. soon, however, he began to feel resigned, and with that, he began forming a vague plan of action in his head. with winter coming, it was clear that the dewinter needed to join a pack, but he was unsure of which pack to join, and if he was being completely honest, he wasn't quite sure how to join a pack.

nevertheless, archer knew that it was something he had to do. and so, when he picked himself up and found his way down the mountainside, he knew what his next move would be. what he did not anticipate, however, was how hard it would be to join a pack. he lingered by the edges of many a pack's borders, wondering if it would be the right place for him, wondering if he would fit in. several times, archer found himself inching away, then turning away completely and leaving. 
to say he was ashamed would be an understatement. all his life, archer told himself he was courageous and brave, now, he wasn't so sure. because, right now, he was a coward and a craven, and he knew it.
and so he lingered in a forest, unsure of what to do next. his countenance was impassive and unfathomable, concealing the inner fear and nervousness he felt seeded deep inside him, and as he inhaled sharply, he forced his idle thoughts to the side of his mind and once again, began forming a plan. except this time, this time, archer was going to follow through with it, and he would not fall prey to his petty fears. as far as the dewinter was concerned, he was too young to die.