Phoenix Maplewood cut me down to my roots

For @Deidra

It was dusk. The last few flickers of sunlight glimmered in colours of hot pink, orange and red along the far horizon. The light cast the forest in a deep fiery glow, making it seem as if the maple and birch trees which towered overhead were set ablaze with the sun's ethereal fire. Beneath the sunlit canopy, the woodland was dark and quiet. Only a few small creatures stirred in the undergrowth as they settled into their dens to sleep, with the sound of a few birds who sung them an evening lullaby.

Niall stalked between the labyrinth of trees slowly, taking it all in. The scent of the forest was rich with life and the male was keen to explore it and discover what treasures it had to offer. The ground felt damp beneath his paws. It had rained recently, and the last few drops of rainfall could be heard dripping from the forest foliage through the clamour of birdsong. The honeyed wolf closed his silver eyes for a moment to enjoy the sound and inhaled the earthy scent which surrounded him. 

He cast his gaze to the ground, his attention flickering from one shadow to the next. In a place like this, Niall was sure to find something.