Ezekiel had never been one to complain. He'd been through quite a bit in the last couple of months, and the only qualms he'd had were when dinner was to be served. He was a boy happy with what he was given, proud of where he came from, and eager to find good in anything that was bad. The Waste was not a particularly handsome location, but Ezekiel still found its cracks and crevices to be beautiful works of art. The child saw it through eyes not expectant but appreciative. The wind, howling through the caves and along the plains was like a symphony to his young ears. He was young and naive and everything was beauty.
Ever since that morning a few days ago, freedom had seemed easier to grasp. His parents, though careful, allowed him to roam around so long as it was not too far away and he was never to leave Inferni lands without being accompanied by someone. An obedient child, Zeke had no reason to disobey. His tiny, dog-like body edged along, his steps awkward and sometimes faulty, but he paid them no mind and continued to move forward, creeping toward whatever lay waiting for him, like a predator to his prey.
His blood-red eyes were transfixed on a figure in the distance. His heart beat quickly, adrenaline pumping. For in his mind, the creature not too far away was not a friend or family member, it was an enemy, meant to be destroyed. The sun beat down strong, the darker parts of his fur absorbing it and causing his tongue to slip away from his mouth on occasion, but he did not let it stop him.
Finally, he grew near and immediately the excited and high alert face he'd had on fell. Disappointment rose to make an appearance and the boy came to a quick halt, taking a seat casually beside the one he'd thought to be an intruder. Instead, it was a young girl who he'd seen on more than one occasion. She was one of them, though her name escaped him. "Hi, he whispered, dark tail wriggling slightly behind him. "Why sad?" he asked the blue-eyed girl, who was clearly not in a very happy state of mind.