Citizen 1164 Lunaris

It was a multitude of things that pulled Lunaris from his slumber, the last dregs of sleep and dreams slipping away as consciousness retook the pale-furred Rexal.

First and foremost, the sun filtering through the shuttered window of his room, sending shafts of fractured light across the floor and walls in a dazzling, nearly blinding display to the young Rexal as he blinked his eyes owlishly, head shaking in an attempt to clear them.

Second to that, it was the lack of sound. On a normal day, Lunaris might wake to the birds singing, or some other sound, but it was quiet. Unnaturally so, for the youngsters ears as he tilted his head, straining to hear anything past his own breathing, but the sounds of the outside world seemed muffled almost.

And lastly, but possibly the most alarming for Lunaris, the chill in the air that seemed to permeate even the layer of blankets that Lunaris had buried himself under the night before.

It was… sharp, even through the warmth, and Lunaris pushed himself up and towards the door, the innate desire for knowledge outweighing much else as his claws scrambled across the floor, hand on the door handle as he pushed it open to step into the crisp morning air.

Lunaris’ breath caught in his throat, a wave of emotion forcing the Rexal to take pause, his step out cut short as he raised his paws, grasping the doorframe.

A blanket of white covered everything: the ground, the trees, even the fenceline and the stack of firewood and tools nearby, pristine and glittering in the golden, early morning sun. Everything was still, almost picture perfect, as if someone had painted a portrait and set it before him.

Lunaris let go of the breath he was holding, a light puff of steam exhaling as he did so, and his eyes widened as he took that first, surprised step into the snow.

The snow crunched under his feet, the sharp chill of ice cold seeping bone deep as he stood for a moment, just taking in the way the sun glinted off the snow-covered hills and crystal-dripped trees.

It was serene in a way Lunaris hadn’t experienced in his young life, not yet, at least, and it showed in the way he stilled, waiting and just watching for one moment, then two.

It seemed like ages before the chill finally sank deep enough for Lunaris to step back, into the warmth of the home and he did so regretfully, with the promise to himself to venture out once he’d warmed up some.

Some time inside, by the warmth of the fire, a cup of tea, and a cloak thrown around his shoulders later, Lunaris found himself hesitating by the door, a haphazard pack thrown over one shoulder, packed with the necessities of a morning in the forest.

He steeled himself, pushing the door open and was once more struck with the beauty of it all, his breath releasing with another stream of mist, much to his delight as he stepped into the warmth of the sun.

The sky was clear, bright, shining blue and Lunaris gave a surprised huff as movement caught his eye, a white-furred hare darting across the yard, black-tipped ears swiveling as it bounded through the snow, leaving a trail behind it.

Lunaris pulled the cloak tighter around himself as he began the walk into the woods, a route already in mind as he wandered towards his thinking place: a small meadow next to a pond, not terribly deep into the woods.

As he walked in the silence, Lunaris glanced around wonder at the strange, snow-filled morning still evident in his gaze, as if committing each and every sight to memory.

All too quickly, the walk was over, and Lunaris let out a soft gasp at how his Thinking Place had changed with the snow. The rock that jutted out over the partially frozen pond was covered in a layer of snow, and he brushed it off before settling his blanket on top to quell some of the chill he knew would remain in the stone.

He settled in, taking a moment to peer into the pond, the fish that often circled the pale waters sluggish with the chill of the ice slowly beginning to cover the surface.

It fractured into shards and with careful claws, he lifted one, letting the sunlight filter through the cracked ice before closing his fingers around it and feeling the ice melt in the warmth of his hand.

That done, he pulled a small notebook and pencil from his pack, settling in to write, though as he stared around, Lunaris found he didn’t know how to describe the emotions, the feelings he felt towards this new experience and instead of putting them to paper, he just let himself be, watching the birds flit through the dappled sunlight, the creatures that ventured to the little pond to drink, and the eventual gentle falling snow that accompanied his venture home.

DrakElias