Half Measures
Mar 5, 2015 13:30:58 GMT -5
Post by »Vexation on Mar 5, 2015 13:30:58 GMT -5
HOLD THE HAND OF YOUR BEST FRIEND
LOOK INTO THEIR EYES
LOOK INTO THEIR EYES
In the absence of maintenance the foliage of the estate had long become unruly, the hedgerows large and wild, gnarly weeds growing in close proximity to the flowering bushes, tarnishing their beauty. Thorny plants choked up on the fence line, vines entwining through the holes to send creepers up high and creating a dense curtain that screened the grounds from the land outside. Once carefully manicured lawns had become mini forests of towering grass stalks and pokey leaves, hindering any who sought to walk about the property. They tugged at the Collie's coat as he moved, tearing fur free from his hide and leaving him with burrs and bits of seed pods.
Clouds raced across the blue sky, sending the land from glaring sun to dull gray shadow moment by moment. Little snow remained except for where it was tucked into the folds of the earth, where the sun did not easily warm. The soil was spongy from the melt off and his paws sunk in places, mud sucking at his limbs where he came across a patch of dirt already trod on by wandering feet. The air was cool but not cold, and though vapor curled from his nostrils the day was a good one, promising the coming warmth of late spring and later, summer. The winter had been long and harsh and his spirits soared along with the fair weather.
High above, almost beyond sight, his eagle soared, a tiny dark speck against the alternating gray and blue, following the dog's progress around the Blackwell property and no doubt keeping an eye out for likely prey. Omegus could hear an smell them, the musk of small warm bodies and the subtle shifting of leaves and dirt beneath the quick moment of tiny paws. He half fancied hunting them, but his attention was on the surrounding land, casting his eyes about for questionable canines. He was beyond Kekoa's territory but near enough to warrant a home patrol, which he often did even when not on duty.
It had become harder for him of late to use his spare time for relaxation, having grown restless with the slow passage of cold days. He yearned for the tangle of the forest, for the sparse mountains beyond, but responsibility kept him close to the city. Harder, too, had become his tolerance of others, even those he considered friends, or at the least his comrades. Something was tugging at his heart, a thing he could not put a name to but that had created a barrier between him and his fellows. Idle chatter vexed him, and idle feet dug beneath his skin until it was a physical annoyance.
It kept him almost constantly on the move, if not through the city than around the grounds, but even his solo wandering was beginning to not be enough to still the wildness that had grown steadily inside him. A living thing that put pressure on his mind and body, urging him on to places unknown. It brought with it frustration, for he could not simply leave the place in which he had so long called home. Eventually, though, either it or he would have to give.
Air burst from his nose in a mini explosion of fog that cleansed his scent receptacles and allowed for new odors to enter. He savored the crisp smell of the early morning air, his eyes tracing the line of the overgrown fence he followed, but his gaze drifted to the mountains in the distance every few moments, the sight - and feel - of them like the call of a long lost love.THEN WATCH THEM DRIFT AWAY
Nisa