Cassiopeia's View Slow me down two seconds

Up and down the rolling foothills wandered a lone vagabond. His dark nose parted long, yellowed autumn grass as he delved into narrow valleys between cascading rises, then led him up the crests to look out over the flatlands beyond. Each time he reached the top of a hill, the animal would pause, scan the floodplains below for signs of life, then trot on.

There was a colossal lake to the east. A smaller one to the south. The dark tops of trees beyond those. Another forest north of him. At his back, nothing but domineering mountain. From the highest of the foothills he could see the glint of a river winding north into the ochre tapestry of the great unknown. In all of these directions, Black Shuck saw no visible signs of prey.

A shame. He'd come a long way hoping conditions would improve, but they only seemed to get worse, and the hunger continued. The dog continued, too, panting as he surged down the side of another hill.