Ethan
The forest stretched endlessly before me, bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun. The crisp early morning air bit at my fur as I ran, the rhythmic thud of my paws against the earth grounding me as I pushed myself harder, faster. I needed this run. I needed the clarity that came with it, the focus it gave me as I prepared for what might come next.
When I reached the pack’s border, I slowed to a stop, my breath misting in the cool air. The scents of pine and damp earth surrounded me, but I kept my senses sharp, alert for any sign of movement. I shifted back to human form, the familiar crack and stretch of my bones a brief but familiar pain. Reaching into the hollow of a nearby tree, I pulled out the clothes I’d stashed earlier and quickly dressed.
I didn’t have to wait long. A fa
