The Face of Loneliness

Tuscany had always been alone. Even when she was young, as a pup she had lost her family to a grinder. They had managed to keep her safe but suffered wounds they wouldn't survive. She was just old enough to survive on her own though not easily. She was all alone and had barely begun to learn the world.

As she carried on in solitude, her bitter loneliness slowly consumed her. She was depressed, lonely, and over all a very eeyore like toskal. She had no friends, and was starving most of the time. She struggled to catch food and learn proper hunting methods. She found water okay and stayed by the source. She often heard sounds at night and would begin sobbing unable to contain her fear it could be another grinner.

Tuscany never in her life thought she'd survive, let alone make it to adulthood. She never thought she'd see another face again, that wasn't the deadly teeth of a monster. He heart dropped when she heard the calling. Someone was looking for her parents. Their bones were still where she had left them, the pup unable to lift their bodies and bury them.

She ran to the voices. Ran to safety...only to find nothing. No voices, no footprints, no sign of anything toskal. She let out a miserable little cry. Hoping if anyone had truly been here they'd hear her...they'd come for her. But there was only silence and pain.

She couldn't bring herself to leave that spot. She was so sure she heard someone. Could it have truly all been in her head? She cried daily her loneliness threatening to destroy her. She was so lost in her own grief she missed the sound of cracking sticks growing near until it was right behind her. She whipped around to see the face of teeth and hunger. And she ran.