Word count: 518 // +5 points
Set on the beach of the Serene Sands, high noon.
Form: Luperci
He had been busy since returning from his hunt, and instead of heading directly to the Angela like he had intended he had put his catch in the cold storage area. He was sure that Naniko had better things to do after the pack meeting than be bothered by the trivial matter of him bringing in food to the family. He was supposed to be doing that anyway. This one time, however, he figured he should tell her. After all, he had a debt to repay and he intended on making sure she knew he’d made good on his promise.
Before leaving his den, Alduin gathered the skin of the fallen elk and its hooves that he’d carved into the rough shape of wolves. He wasn’t the best at it, but he thought they looked decent enough to present to Naniko as a second gift. Though he wasn’t entirely fond of his creations, he hated leaving any part of his prey unused. He stared at the little wolves that were so still and lifeless and sighed heavily, trying his best to prevent any tears from forming on the edges of his eyes. It appeared that, subconsciously, he had carved the hooves to look like his parents had in their natural forms. He shook his head, ridding himself of the past once again.
Pressing on, he stepped out of his den and made his way out of the caves. The sun was high in the sky, and the day was far too beautiful to meet indoors. For a moment he paused to take in the fresh air, and then continued his way to the beach. He hated to go so close to the edges of Anathema’s territory, but he’d heard the beach was quiet and secluded. He would need as much of that as he could find if Naniko were able to make it. He intended on “spilling his guts”, essentially. He promised his tale to her eventually and now was as good a time as any. Well, not the whole story, but at least the reason why she’d found him nearly on his death bed at her borders.
When he finally reached the Serene Sands, Alduin sat himself at the edge of the land where the waters lapped gently at the sand. There was no roar of the ocean, just the occasional cry of a seagull. For a moment, he lost himself in the size and beauty of the waters—it was something he couldn’t have enjoyed back in Alaska. A smile touched his lips briefly, but it faded as he remembered the task at hand. It was going to be a long day.
Almost reluctantly, he lifted his head to the sky as he loosed his summoning call. As it always did, his voice carried gently on the wind. The melody was sweet and kind to the ears, but self-loathing and regret snaked its way into his song. Hard as he tried, he couldn’t stop it from poisoning the air. How shameful, he thought as the call began to fade from existence. It appears that I am…pathetic.
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