Birthday Plans [North of Moscow]

[Nox]

After several hours walking in circles leaving a trail and looking for tracks. Or that was what he was setting up to do. Whatever critter he was hunting would leave something and he'd have to find it. There are none to be found but it was what he'd do if he were really hunting.

Nox set up camp which was just a fire and a rabbit snare away from the fire. He sat down with a can of beans, bread and cheese and a pot of coffee for his first meal in the woods. It was the first meal of any hunt. Aurora would always complain.

The horde was oddly quiet as he sat in the silence of the woods. The crickets weren't chirping yet, but the birds sang softly in the trees. He sat still in the silence and the animals appeared. Nox smiled softly as he watched them scurry and scamper around. It was nice being alone in a familiar yet strange woods. This was far more home than any place he'd been since leaving the states -- except in Raffe's arms. But Nox tried not to think about it. He pushed the memories away. This was about living without him now. Running away wasn't always what he did, but in this instance it felt the only thing to do. He needed to get away to be alone -- to find himself in all this mess in his head. He wasn't just the guy in love with Raffe. He wasn't a bouncer or a fighter. He wasn't some piece of slag left on the road. He was Atharim. But he wasn't. He wasn't even that anymore.

The next day and night pretty much went the same.

When the darkness settled in the woods earlier than in most places Nox wasn't suprised when wolves howled in the distance. He moved in closer to the fire and laid out his sleeping bag. It had been a long time since he'd slept under the stars. At least he'd not be cold as he wrapped the power around him and tied off the weave so it'd stay warm all night long. It also served as a shelter if it rained.

It was new even for him.

In the darkness a figure stirred. Nox kept his eyes shut and listened with power enhanced ears. His sense of smell was also better holding the power. Nox smiled when he recognized the scent, but he still wove a shield of air around himself. Better safe than sorry.