Serenity [Semper, Tori]

Some kind of public official -- the little boy had no idea who it was -- had come to his father's ranch early that morning in search of something his father wouldn't tell him about. His father had made his thoughts known when he told the little blonde boy, in as calm of words he could, expressed that it "would not be wise for Shadow to stay there" while the man examined the ranch. As saddened as Shadow was, he knew better than to argue; but as he headed off into the cow pasture, his father called out: "Don't stay in with the cows --... please!"

Shadow lingered around with the calfs for a while, playing with them and stroking their course fur, giving some of them handfuls of grass before venturing off past the fence (he was sure to get through the fence quickly because of the shadows underneath it). He didn't want to leave the cows; they were the only ones who seemed to like him for who he was and not worry about his abnormal fear of shadows. None of them ever barked at him and told him how much of an embarrassment he was. From the fence, he hadn't the slightest idea where to go, so he began wandering.

Since it was a sunny day, Shadow was sure to steer clear of the shadows on the ground that reached out to him in the gentle breeze, sending shivers of panic down his spine each time the darkness came close to his feet. He would jump away, nimble on his feet, only to become too close to another shadow and recoil back. He began running, determined to get away from the dark minions of the bushes around him and headed straight for the trees.

Shadow didn't know what made him not afraid of tree shadows, but it was just something about the way the canopy reached over like a shield that comforted him; that is why each time his father's embarrassment of him drove him to tears, the little boy would head straight for either the cows or the trees. They were his only safe havens.

Reaching a tree by the edge of the District, the blonde made a bee line for the base of it, sitting down in the dirt at its base. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapped his arms tightly around his legs, and rested his head on his knees. His father hadn't given him a time to be back, so as far as he knew, he could stay there all day.