The Bracken Woods light my way

Firefly had always been a little different. Among his pack, wolves were expected to be strong, calm, and steady like the towering oak trees that dotted their forest. But Firefly, with his bright red-brown coat and a heart that burned with energy, was more like the flickering fireflies that danced on warm summer evenings. He couldn’t help but chase after every new sight, sound, or smell—his curiosity often leading him into trouble.

But today was different. Today, the tradition he’d been raised with was calling him forward. The sun had just begun to set and Firefly had stood at the entrance to the forest. His heart raced with excitement, but there was also a knot of fear in his chest. It was the day of his Journey of the Second Winter—the day he would leave the pack and set off on his own.

The elders had gathered to give him their blessings, their voices steady and full of wisdom, but Firefly barely heard them over the thundering of his own pulse. His parents stood close by, their eyes filled with pride and sadness, the same emotions mirrored in his own chest. He had always been the youngest, the one who had a million questions, the one who never quite fit in the way the older wolves did. But now, the time had come to prove himself.

"You’ve learned everything we could teach you, Firefly," his mother had said, the nickname she gave him because of his bright, restless energy. "Now it’s time to find your path, your story, and let the world shape you."

And so, with a final, lingering glance at his pack, Firefly turned and padded away from the pack. The sun dipped below the horizon as he trotted through the forest, leaving the familiar behind. The forest was alive with the sounds of night creatures—crickets, rustling leaves, the distant howl of another pack—but Firefly felt strangely alone. The weight of the world was suddenly heavier than he had imagined.