Muddy River — The Shape of Dreams

Spring faded into early Summer as the days passed. The wet rainy season turned into warm humidity and then to dry heat. Today was a particularly sweltering day, despite still being early in the season. The midday sun hung overhead in a clear sky and the unusually warm air was thick and humid. Seeking relief from the warmth, Caedwyn had trekked into the grasslands, moving into a dry river valley. At the lowest point, a shallow river made its way across the landscape. Its shores were wide and caked with mud and dry dirt. Coming down to the banks, Caedwyn carefully made his way out across the expanse of mud, watching each step to ensure safe footing. The mud was thick and sticky and after examining the terrain for a moment, Caedwyn lowered himself down into the mud, allowing his legs and belly to sink into the cool, dampness of the mud. He laid, legs stretched out comfortably in front of him, watching the gentle flow of the river move in front of him. Over two months had passed since Caedwyn had spoken to Enya about forming a home here… about forming a pack. As much as Caedwyn hated to part ways, he needed to gather information if he was truly going to make a home worthy of their ideals; worthy of their aspirations and those they hoped to reunite with. So Caedwyn had set off to explore the continent, returning every week to make sure Enya had not disappeared. Sometimes he would find her directly, but others he simply caught her scent and moved on, knowing she was still nearby. In that time he’d met many of the inhabitants of this land. Some of them were hospitable. Others not so much. His most recent journey had been to the mountains in the northeast. He’d finally managed to scout the area to his liking and now it was time to return again. This time, he hoped he’d have time to speak more at length with Enya. His journeys had given him plenty of time for thoughts of the future, thoughts of their pack, and now it was time for things to begin.