Pynk [ONC 2020 Shortlist]

Chapter One - Arrival

Moongarde.

Capital city of Sylvera, Luna's creation.

Felicity traced the silvery letters with a claw, smiling slightly in relief. Her shoulders relaxed as she raised her gaze from the wooden sign and scanned the area around her. It had been a long moon of preparations and travel, but she'd finally made it. To salvation. Escape.

A gentle breeze swept through her fur. It was dyed a darker pink at the moment, with a tinge of purple. That had seemed like the best shade for a long journey.

With a final nod to the glittering words, she placed her aching paw past the sign, onto smoothed-over grass. Somehow, the path felt different to the one on the other side. It was special somehow, almost magical.

There was a reason why they called Moongarde the first settlement.

She took a few more steps, completely entering the city. The sun glimmered, illuminating the straw rooftops with a sparkling gold-yellow. It was perfect.

Perfect for a wolf who wants to escape her past.

But before she could move any further forward, a voice barked in her direction. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Tensed, Felicity whipped around, searching for the source. A tight knot curled in her chest. The last thing she wanted to do was get in trouble on her moving day.

A scowling wolf marched out of a small hut beside her, flashing green-tinged fangs as he approached. His paws, squat and burly, matched the grass in colour. A laced cloth was draped over his back, reading Watchwolf. Hesitantly, Felicity stepped backwards, quite afraid of his poisonous glare.

His gaze swept over her. "Oh great. Another ditzy Glitterwylf," he growled, not attempting to hide the mutter from her. "Clearance?"

"Oh, sorry. I'd forgotten," she stuttered out, fumbling hurriedly for the travelling pouch slung around her chest. She grabbed the small card that her old town's prophet had given her, as a way to prove her right to be there. It contained a simple note detailing her identity, and her licence to move location.

The guard snatched the card from her roughly, almost snapping it in two. He grunted. "Where are you from, Glitterwylf?"

Something stirred in her stomach in response to his uncaring tone. It bubbled, threatening to rise into her throat. She pressed it down again. No. Stay happy. Stay Felicity.

Forcing a smile, she answered, "Up in Borealton."

The Toxiwylf's eyes flicked upwards for a moment, mild interest sparking within. "The front of the war, huh?" He opened his jaw, as if to ask another question, but then seemed to think better of it. Shaking his head, he looked back down to the card. "And why are you relocating?"

The smile fell, her snout drooping downwards a little. "Personal reasons," she stated, keeping her voice even.

"Which are?" His head tilted to the side. At her hesitation, he smirked, before clicking his glare back into place. "I'm security, Glitterwylf. Spit it out."

Felicity's gaze dropped to the ground, staring at her pink paws. "I... lost someone in the war. I guess I had to get away." Her claws shifted uncomfortably.

Above her, the guard chuckled, his glare subsiding as if it had been nothing more than a little joke, for his own amusement. He seemed rather delighted by her display of grief. The twisting in her stomach flared a little more. "Ah, well. Seems fine. Enjoy your stay," he told her, tossing the card to the ground in front of her and turning away. His green tail flicked dismissively in her direction.