[Flashback] I can do this, right?

[Zuri]

24 of Spring 510 AV This was a bad idea, she knew it deep inside but as Zuri ran she pushed away that sliver of reason and just kept running, her paws barely brushing the grass covered ground, to forget her problems Zuri let herself be absorbed by the joy of running. The wind against her face, its rough tugging at her brindled fur, her heart lept in unison with her steps, surely there could be no greater joy than this? The smells she could pick up, earth still wet from a spring shower, flowers, animals and even the scent of a water source up ahead, she marveled at the large trees towering above her covering out most of the sun. In Syliras the buildings stretched high but no where close to the trees surrounding her now, weren't this this forest called Bronze Woods? Zuri wasn't sure and she didn't care all that mattered now was her freedom. But was it really freedom she wondered as she slowed to a trot, aware that she could reach much further if she kept a slower but steady pace. Despite her parents obvious fear and unease against their own daughter Zuri missed them, even as her parents were poor they kept Zuri safe, warm and always fed, now that she thought back maybe her parents on some level feared to leave her hungry in case she'd start eating them. Ridiculous of course, Zuri would never hurt her parents but no matter how much she tried to show them that her father never took her to play or told her nighttime stories and her mother could never hold back a shiver whenever Zuri hugged her and neither parent would make a move unless Zuri initiated it. Maybe it wasn't their intention, it probably wasn't seeing as they could have thrown her out or given her away but they didn't, and that was what kept Zuri from hating them. Zuri had one other sign of her mothers affection, a braid with colored threads wrapped around a piece of leather, Zuri had it braided into her hair and when in wolf form it dangled from behind her left ear. Her mother had made that braid when she was expecting Zuri and even when she gave birth to a kelvic Zuri's mother still gave her that braid, it wasn't much but Zuri treasured that single token of love dearly. But she still left them, Zuri couldn't bear staying in a home with people who shied back from her touch and even if she was only a year old, though her human form looked to be around fifteen, she would be able to survive by herself. Leaving home though was the hardest she'd ever done and she didn't tell her parents, she just kept walking through Syliras as if on a walk and when she passed the gates Zuri shifted to her wolf form, leaving her clothes on the ground, and from there she ran away from her past. Zuri didn't dare loose touch with humanity thoguh, yet she couldn't bear to stay near Syliras, sure she was heading north away from her familiar surroundings but she made sure to have the road in hearing distance. Stopping to drink some cool water form a puddle she pushed those thoughts away, she was free if she decided that she was and that was the only important point. Well maybe not the only important point Zuri thought as her stomach rumbled loudly, she had eaten breakfast but the running and anxiety had made her hungry faster than she had anticipated. Lowering her head to the ground she tried to find a scent, any kind of prey would do, though preferably a smaller one. Zuri had never hunted for real before, as a cub she'd hunted rats and mice in her parents house but she only did it when she was alone and that wasn't often. Finding a promising trail of a rabbit she carefully followed the animals trail, trying very hard not to break any sticks or make any kind of noise to alert others to her prescence. The rabbit sat by a tree nibbling at a bush of some kind, Zuri lowered hersefl to the ground and crept forth, every move meticously slow so to minimize the sound, so far it was her lucky day as the rabbit didn't sense her. Judging that she was close enough Zuri tightened every muscle in her body and lept forward, throwing herself at the rabbit, in the last minute the small animal pricked its ears up, looked around to see Zuri and dashed away over the forest floor with a hungry wolf leaping after. Zuri ran for all she was worth, her muscles strained to keep up with the rabbits sharp turns and she jumped over small bushes and fallen trees but eventually she had to see her meal bound off into the forest. Panting heavily Zuri stood looking after the animal her head low in defeat, so much for beginners luck.

[Zuri]

Water splashed around Zuri, clinging to the tips of her fur and glittered in the sun as she jumped through the stream playfully trying to hit her reflection with her large paws. Any fish she could have tried to catch was long since scared away from the wolf's happy game off tag but for once Zuri had forgotten her hunger and just enjoyed being alive, she was young and strong and right now she felt like she could take on everything the world could throw at her. Stopping in the middle of the stream Zuri lowered her muzzle to the cool water and drank deeply, enjoying the fresh refreshing taste, she eventually trotted out of the water and shook herself so water drops flew in all directions. Time to find herself some food before she got so hungry that her energy would deplete making it harder to hunt. Raising her head Zuri tried to find some scents, any scents but nothing, determined as she was to not leave the safety of the road she probably hindered herself as most larger prey would keep away from humans and roads. Though she promptly ignored that voice of reason and headed for the road instead of away from it, if she could not hunt then maybe she could find other means of feeding herself. Seeing the road empty Zuri decided that it was safe to walk on it and she started sniffing around for any new scents she found one quite quick and so she started trotting north. Barely an hour later Zuri caught the smell of fire, her first instincts was to run but her human side kept her fright in check and she soon realised that the fire was quite small and no threat. The delicious smell of grilled meat came blowing towards her as well almost making Zuri forget all her cautiousness, stopping herself before she rushed head over heels, or paws, to the resting family she snuck into the woods instead. Blending into the shadows among the trees she was practically invisible to the humans poor eyesight and almost non-existent sense of smell. The older woman, probably the mother had taken of the large chunk of meat, placing it on a plate before turning her back to it, Zuri couldn't see what the woman did but saw her chance as no one guarded the meat, among wolves that was a sign that no one wanted the meat anymore. Her human side was well aware that the woman was not giving up her food but she didn't care what her human knowledge said anymore, she was a wolf and now she had an opportunity to feed. Makin a huge leap she landed by the plate and grabbed the meat with her strong jaws and just as a large man walked around the carriage she turned on one paw and leapt back into the woods running at full speed until she no longer could hear any footsteps or curses being shouted at her. Dropping the chunk of meat she quickly tore it to pieces and gulped them down barely giving herself time to chew, her animal side that became more and more prominent as she got used to the wilds would have preferred raw meat, it was juicier and had a nice taste of blood as seasoning but she didn't complain over her dinner, it was large enough to satisfy her hunger for at least another day or two.

[Zuri]

As the sun rose into a bright blue sky accompanied with a chilly breeze keeping Zuri cool even with her thick grey fur she missed her safe home in Syliras deeply today. She was homesick and felt like a pup trying to survive before turning into a juvenile, she had survived on a stolen piece of meat and small rodents and it had been enough so far but she came further away from Syliras by the day, she needed energy to keep up her pace. The scent of deer came wafting towards her but Zuri lacked the skill to catch it on her own and her life in human form made her all the more open to a low self esteem, originating in her young age and inexperience. Anyhow Zuri kept past the inviting, musky scent and concentrated on the forest floor and the rabbit trail she'd found, leafs tickled her sensitive nose as she swept over the ground, the smell of rabbit became stronger, and by that more recent it was. Zuri imagined the taste, how her strong jaws would clasp over the small animal's back and crush it's spine, and then the warm meat was hers. Rabbits were so much better in Zuri's opinion, hares were quite large but wiry and had more muscles than meat while rabbits were round and tasty and not quite so terrifying to hunt. She shuddered slightly at the memory of her first time hunting a hare, it was before she left and was only a half grown pup, a young Zuri had just happened upon a surprised hare, and her try to catch it was quickly forgotten as the cornered hare punched her before making an escape leaving a dumbfounded Zuri with a sore nose. After that she avoided hares, even though she was now older. Twitching her ears Zuri picked up faint sounds of small paws lightly pounding the ground, slowly as if the rabbit had slowed down now instead of running. Making an effort to keep her paws tread lightly Zuri stalked closer, alert on every sound and change in scent. The hardest obstacle presented itself as a bush, impossible to get through without sound and while easy to jump over would delay her attack on the rabbit. Crouching down close to the ground Zuri kept close watch through the bush, her amber eyes able to see the rabbit's behind through the leaves, it's tail low and not flashed for danger. Tensing all her muscles Zuri gathered herself for a leap and pounded over the bush landing close to her prey, the rabbit froze in fear before turning to run but that split second was enough for Zuri to take that extra step and seize the rabbit in powerful jaws, a low cracking noise and then it was over and the small animal hung limp from the wolf's jaws. A strong impulse to howl in joy over her successful hunt and to gather her pack to her caught in her throat, she had no pack and to howl when alone drew other predators to her. In only a few bites the meal was gone and Zuri licked the warm blood from her muzzle, the meal tasted all that better when she had caught it herself.