He walks through the forests with Neri, the hound shining bright, and whispers beautiful songs to the trees, as all is cloaked in darkness.

Hushed songs escape from a great black beak as the candles around flare to life in blue light and beautiful words. A quiet midnight breeze softly touches the flames. It is singing along, and so are the trees. Soft footsteps leave no marks in the snow, but the candlewax melts and drips and leaves little dents in the white blanket.

The trees sigh great happy breaths into the cold air, enjoying the melodies that echo through their branches. They dread the moment the sun rises again and wish for time to stand still, if only just for a moment. It refuses, and before long the distant horizon bathes in bright red light.

The branches and roots reach out to the singer, as if to hold him and keep him with them, but his soft steps carry him further along the winter path. The songs fade as the sky gets lighter, and soon nothing is left of the music but shimmering memories. The trees sigh again, of sadness this time, and eagerly await the next time the moon rises full.

The name Svaldifari is taken from Norse mythology, perhaps meaning "unlucky traveler". It is Odin's horse. Read more about him here! I chose the name before I wrote his backstory, so at present it has no special meaning relating to the character.

This character is part of the closed species Taums.