Neverwinter Forest all the best cowboys have daddy issues

@Rannoch -

 

The sun was barely inching above the mountaintop in the distance. It was early in the morning and the young girl had found herself growing increasingly restless in the den. When it had been bright enough to see, Lucy had quietly exited the warmth of their resting spot and ventured into the wood as it came to life with the sun. Her lithe form crept through the tangle of brush and she stepped over gnarled roots without a second thought. The layout of Neverwinter Forest was continually growing on her, and she was adapting to be a beast of the wood. 

The dark Blackthorn traipsed a bit further than she normally did, attempting to swallow the fear that bubbled up inside of her. She loathed it - the fear - and she wished that it had never fallen on her, but she knew that she could not live the rest of her life cowering inside of a den. Once, she had been filled with the desire to explore, and she was determined to find that piece of her again. 

The brush rustled ahead of her, and the shadow of a pup dropped low to the earth, pinning her ears flat against her skull. It was a defense mechanism that told her to bare her fangs, and so her dark lips peeled over the ivory teeth and she thrashed her tail against the earth. When a hare emerged from the underbrush, Lucy was struck with a sudden feeling of foolishness. The sky blue of her gaze washed over the prey animal and she swallowed the contempt she felt. 

Unlike Lucy, Rannoch had gotten a full night’s rest. His sleep had not been filed with dreams as they usually were and instead he slept like a rock. It was only as Lucy pulled away from the tangle of Frostfur children that Rannoch stirred. As he opened his eyes for the first time that morning he caught the Blackthorn’s fleeting figure as she slipped from the den. He was quickly able to figure that it was Lucy and not Cypress-- the figure was slim, petite, and lack the bulk that Cypress was slowly beginning to pack on.

Pulling himself from the comforts of a good night’s rest, Rannoch pushed himself onto his paws, shook to rid himself of anything that might had become entwined with his pelt overnight, and then carried himself from his family and into the open.

His eyes, delicate still from just waking, took a moment to adjust as he exited a den. To this, he blinked rapidly as he lingered at the mouth of the den. Aside from them being so delicate there was something else that was happening slowly within his eyes. The first splotches of turquoise were surfacing and his transition from milky blue was beginning to happen. Though he had no idea that this was happening anybody who looked on could see that this change was happening.

Once he was adjusted, Rannoch inhaled heavily in an attempt to catch Lucy’s scent and once he did, he followed the trail dutifully. He felt a need to watch over her, to keep her safe from the monster who had brought her to them. Though she was adjusting quite well and was feeling more and more comfortable amongst the evergreens, Rannoch still kept a close eye on her.

Her trail lead him to a clearing not too far away from the den. Trailing in behind her, Rannoch stepped into the area carefully and let her know he was there with a quiet woof, not wanting to scare away the prey that was before them.