Chapter 26 Raphael

• The misty forest canopy blocked the afternoon sun, which was now at its lowest point, and cast an eerie light over the trees and the ground, which glittered like polished black obsidian. Shadows stretched long and sinuous as they snaked their way between trees, hiding behind rocks and bushes and even the barest hint of a fallen leaf. It took several minutes for the thick blanket to fade away, leaving a patchwork of color in its wake. The sky above the forest remained a clear azure with a few puffy white clouds floating slowly overhead, but beyond the treetops, the world had become a vast array of shades of grey, from deep cobalt blue to pale grey, to dull brown. This gave everything a strange, hazy sheen, making it appear all the more unreal and dreamlike. In the distance, the tops of small hills poked up through the fog, barely visible against the backdrop of the landscape.
• It wasn't until the wind picked up that the leaves started dancing, swaying gracefully back and forth, almost as if they were trying to pull the trees themselves into a dance. A gust swept across the forest floor, carrying with it a faint scent that reminded him of home. The forest was alive with the sounds of nature. Birds sang from the treetops, squirrels raced across branches and dropped acorns down to others below, foxes barked and chased each other in the underbrush nearby, and insects buzzed around, searching for a mate or prey to satisfy their hunger. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. His senses were overwhelmed by the smells and the sounds and the sensations surrounding him. He let them wash over him and then breathed out, opening his eyes again. For a few seconds, he stood there, listening, watching the forest unfold around him. Then he turned to look at the house, which lay hidden in the depths of the forest. He couldn't see the building from where he stood, but he knew it was there just the same, despite how far away the house itself seemed. The sound of twigs snapping underfoot as he moved forward to his previous destination.
• The day seemed perfect to welcome a youngling. He couldn't wait to see what his son would look like, he hoped he took most of the Lycan's features, that way it wouldn't be difficult to introduce father and son when the time is right. He smiled to himself as his mind wandered back to the afternoon he got the news he had so desperately waited to hear.