Word count: 1,077 // +10 points
Please pardon the length. It seems I got carried away when I found my muse again XD
He was relieved when Naniko said she would accept the gifts, and he visibly sighed happily. He took a moment to appreciate the fine necklace wrapped around her neck when she offered a glance at it, and he smiled sweetly as he made quick mention of how lovely it was. He looked then to the gifts in his hands and made sure to wrap them carefully together before he set them aside for the Angela to take back when she felt she was ready.
“Thank you for your kind words,” he said as he sat down in front of her. “I am finding it easier to navigate the Caverns nowadays, although I still get lost every now and again.”
He laughed lightly, remembering how misplaced he had felt when he decided to try and take a tour of the tunnels by himself. He’d been gone for hours, and only when he felt like he would be lost to the Caverns forever did he finally manage to make his way back to his den. That had certainly been a long day. However, the amusement the memory provided him faded quickly, and he soon reminded himself of the task at hand. His face fell into a grim state, and his body slouched into itself as he tried to find the strength to dig up what he’d tried to bury for so long.
“I have one last promise to fulfill to you before you leave today,” he said quietly. “You gave me your story, and it is high time I tell you mine.”
Alduin’s eyes fell away from Naniko, for he was too ashamed of the tale he was able to tell. Perhaps she had heard worse, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she would think differently of him after today was all said and done. Whatever the outcome, he would have at least kept his promise to her—that was what was important right now. So he took a deep breath and pulled those painful memories out of their hiding place.
“A few months back,” he started. Hesitation caught hold of his tongue for a while, but he forced the words out despite the pain it brought to his heart. “A few months back my parents and I were out on an after-dinner stroll. It was the middle of winter, but the aurora was out in full force. I still remember the greens and purples that danced in that black, starless sky. Their performance was the most beautiful thing I have yet seen.”
He took a staggered breath and remembered the happier times. After a moment, he continued. His eyes lifted to look into Naniko’s, but his gaze made him appear as if he were miles away.
“The cold of that winter’s bite was unusually painful, even for Alaska. The animals were scarce, and no one’s belly was ever full. The summer before had not been kind, either. The lack of vegetation and prey to hunt prevented many of the hibernators to remain awake, and most, if not all, were extremely prone to violence if something crossed their path.”
Alduin shuddered. Nothing about this was easy for him to recall, and he knew he was only delaying the inevitable with his chatter. The wolf shook his head slowly as if to rid himself of the horrors, but try as he might, they would not stay away.
“We didn’t get far in our walk. My excitement for the aurora had sparked a bit of interest in a nearby grizzly bear and her single cub. She was upon us in a matter of seconds. With our eyes trained on the banner above, we never noticed her beforehand. We were sluggish, having just finished our holiday meal to celebrate the winter solstice. I never thought any of us stood a chance, but my parents were strong enough to protect me—even if it was for but a split second.”
He rubbed his left shoulder fondly, closing his eyes and turning his nose into thinner fur.
“I was out in front when she attacked. Too stunned by the ferocity of her roar and the speed at which she carried herself, I could do nothing but watch as my death approached me. It was then that I felt the terrible pain of razor teeth sinking into the upper part of my left arm. I don’t imagine I’ve ever felt more terrified in my entire life.”
He managed a smile as his hand wandered to the pouch at his neck. His fingers caressed the velvet bag as if it would break at the lightest of touches.
“It was my mother and father’s jaws that had wrapped around me, though. They threw me down into the snow and forced the bear away from me, screaming for me to run. My mother told me not to look back, and I couldn’t find it within myself to disobey. The cries and screams and bloodthirsty growls were too much for me to take, and my eyes had already seen too much blood and flesh strewn about the ground at my feet.”
He began to rock back and forth, his arms cradling his legs close to his shivering body. The memory was becoming too much to bear, and he knew if he didn’t end the tale soon, Naniko would be faced with a very difficult situation.
“So I ran. Their final cries echoed in my ears for months. The journey wasn’t easy, and I found myself to be the poster child for mental instability as I tried to get as far away from home as I could. My stomach rejected food more often than not, and water was difficult to find. I stopped only when my legs buckled underneath me, and my eyes could no longer focus on the road ahead. I hoped to die, but it seemed the spirits had other plans for my wretched soul. So it came to be that you found me at your borders, and life started anew. I am eternally grateful.”
He sighed, shaking his head furiously as he tried to forget everything now. It was over—finally over. He could rest. Alduin said no more, but at least regained his composure and forced a smile onto his lips for someone’s sake. For his or his Angela’s, he wasn’t certain, but it was there, and something about it stirred a strange calmness in the beast. For now, everything would be ok.
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