Dishonoured 🌿 Book 2.5

Sentimental

Aidan's lungs seared with cold on each inhalation. Frigid air nipped his skin. The stone under his rear was sharper than he had anticipated, but the discomfort was key, he reminded himself often. He had done this hundreds of times before, he could manage one more.

The last time he had subjected himself to such trying meditation, it had been midwinter as well, nearly one year ago. He had thought it best to meet with Sam when his patience had been tested and proven; after all, he had no idea what, or who, to expect. Had she been volatile, dangerous, he liked to think he would have had the means to handle it, one way or another.

Was he ever glad to find her to be perfectly reasonable.

Though it had been a long time, the process of compartmentalising the aches and stings was now second-nature. Soon they became nothing more than observations. His stress, concerns, blights, went on hold. They could all wait until later.

Shortly after, Aidan slipped into the peace of meditation, so not even the worst winds could bother him. Time slipped away in a haze of old memories that he simply allowed to flow past him, even when he was tempted to recoil. Even having experienced these memories a thousand times over, they continued to haunt him.

When he surfaced once more, it was to brilliant sunshine bathing him through the bare canopy. The thick overcast of the early morning was barely visible in the distance. Aidan stretched his shoulders with a groan, and a curious fox went scampering for the safety of the shrubs. His spine gave a series of satisfying pops as he rose from his boulder perch. By the sun, it was around one in the afternoon. He still had a few hours until Sam's shift would be over.

After another deep stretch, Aidan added his pants to the stack of clothes and lowered himself to all fours in the snow. The position, and the bite of snow was as familiar to him as his morning routine. He couldn't begin to count the number of times he had undergone this transformation. As the first ripple crossed his skin, he took a deep breath and shut his eyes.

No one would describe the change as pleasant, but it was a pain he was well used to. In minutes, Aidan was shaking out his fur and getting to his feet. Sometimes it took longer, if he was tired or had shifted recently, but he was often the first one finished. On his own, though, he had no one to wait around for, so he stretched deeply and left at a trot.

Aidan wasn't worried about running into anything unwelcome, but he was aware nonetheless. The last thing he needed was to wake a hibernating bear. It had been hours since he had breakfast, and his stomach was rumbling. With any luck, he would come across the trail of a deer, or perhaps some arctic hares. He hoped for a deer, more. The chase never got old.

It felt good to stretch his legs, especially after that much time with his legs crossed. His muscles sang harder as he ran. He pushed himself, welcoming the familiar thrill.

Aidan skidded to a sudden halt and doubled back to the trail he had crossed, nose to the ground. A buck. Its footprints were easy to follow in the powdery snow. Aidan moved fast, but with enough care to remain stealthy. A mature buck could do some serious damage to him if he was careless.

Aidan wasn't far behind, it seemed. The musk grew stronger with each step. Hunger battled his patience and lost. Caution was more important. He was on his own, for once; no one around to stop him from getting gored.

Sparkling eyes went wide as he approached. Aidan had considered slowing, trying to surprise it, but it was young. He had nothing to worry about. It had barely enough time to rise from grazing to its full height before Aidan was upon it. Fangs pierced flesh with as much resistance as an overripe fruit, blood flooding his mouth. Even hasty, his aim was true. It gurgled softly in the snow in the brief moments before passing.