Shadow Mountain Vhenan Aravel

for @Varian

He picked his way through the uneven terrain with the careful steps of someone who trusted his body but not the ground beneath him. The earth here could turn treacherous in an instant, the loose rocks lurking like tricksters among the sturdy ones. His paws slipped once, stones scattering noisily down the slope, but Fenrith only huffed a quiet laugh to himself, shaking the frost-dusted fur along his spine.

Fenrith paused at the edge of a copse, nose twitching as the cool breeze brought him the faintest hints of life. Small prey, no doubt—rabbits, voles, maybe a squirrel or two scrambling through the underbrush.

The air here was clean and crisp, free of the noise and strain that weighed so many other places down. He took another step forward, lope slower now.