Ouroboros Spine swima

For @Keyni

Dragomir rose with the birds, cracking a wide yawn between two long stretches before loping out toward the lake. The sky was still a pastel wash of pink and orange, while the sun remained concealed behind the mountains. Thin clouds skated by overhead, but the temperature was pleasant despite the breeze.

He yawned several more times while he walked, limbering up his muscles so that when he reached the edge of the water, his blood burned warm under his dark coat. There were still chunks of ice gathered around the shoreline, but he sifted past those with a searching nose hovering an inch over the water's surface.

No fish so close to shore. He huffed a disappointed sigh and began to slosh into the freezing water, shivering as he went.