Forever Luna

Outsider

noun ~ a person who does not belong to a particular group

POLLUX

What was I doing?

Had I lost my mind?

Perhaps.

Probably.

Over the last week, I allowed my body to follow its own lead. My mind wandered aimlessly, focusing on the scents and sounds of nature. In both wolf and human skin, I travelled through many forests. Despite the comfort and warmth of the five-star hotel, I was desperate to get out of the city, and that's how I ended up here.

A stop along the way.

The worn out converse shoe looked worse for wear. Somehow, after five years of bracing the elements, it gripped on tight to the tree branches. Now flush and full of summer leaves, it was hard to spot, but not if you knew where to look.

It was oddly meaningful. The shoe, stuck in the same place, aging and weathering, as the world flourished and changed. It made me frown. I couldn't be the shoe anymore; I had to keep moving.

So why was I here? I could've bypassed this town and gone straight toward Arleybay. Better yet, I could've skipped Arleybay completely and kept going southwest.

My newer Converse trudged through the dry sticks and flush grass as I continued down into the town. I was different now. I was better.

The bright summer day cast the village in a soft hum. The skies were so blue and blinding that I kept my sunglasses perfectly on my face. I would buy a cap, but I despised them. Charlie thinks I am odd for not liking them, but the man wears them himself, so he cannot speak when he is biased. I would rather have a hat that covered my entire head and neck than just my face.

Have you ever had sunburn on the back of your neck?

It's horrid.

The grass turned to stone, and soon I was back in the market square. It was a large village, possibly even a town-if I could spot a church. I never really paid attention last time; too stuck in the mindset of 'I'm going to die'.

My lips quirked as I spotted the café I stole the bag of clothes, the same bistro tables outside. Further down the street was the clothes store, bright and clean in all its glory.

I went to the café first, desperate for a cold drink in this weather. I had spent the past few days in my fur, not wanting to burn too much in the heat. It was hot, and Dion never wanted to stray far from a water source.

The bell above the café door chimed, and my lips quirked. The café was long, the tills and order point directly in front of me as the seats all curved around the side of the room. To the right was a door to the kitchen, with a large blinking camera above the frame. There were a fair few people in here, and the moment I stepped through the doorframe, a lot of eyes fell to me. Keeping my head high, I walked over to the fridges and decided on a fruit drink.

There was also a selection of sandwiches, but I chose to order something hot from the menu. Approaching the till, I lifted my sunglasses to my head so smile warmly at the person serving me. Their name tag read Rosie. She narrowed her blue eyes as I approached and ran them over my appearance almost sceptically. I was wearing the shorts and t-shirt combo I purchased in the city, but this time I had my backpack with me.

"Can I help you?" Rosie wondered snootily.

"The juice, please." I told her, eyes raking over the boards behind her. "Can I sit anywhere?"

"Yeah." She muttered. "You order at the till."

My eyebrow quirked at her odd attitude as I paid her with cash. Waiting for my change, she just placed it on the till side before rolling her eyes and stepping away. I stood, staring down at it with a purse of my lips.