The week leading up to the moon was always the worst. Kieran became moody. His body ached, and he was tired constantly, but he tried his best not to let that get in the way of the work he had to do. There were dragons to look after, and he didn't really like disrupting his daily routine. He was not someone who was going to let his affliction rule him, so he powered through his life, even when he'd much rather curl up in bed and sleep.
Which was why he was out on the trails, putting one foot in front of the other on his daily jog. It was a slog of a run, but he was doing it nonetheless. Plus, this helped him learn the reserve grounds. He'd been running different trails every day since he'd arrived, getting familiar with the land, and where everything was located. It was the best way that he knew to get acquainted with his new surroundings. He took in each smell, each sound, and commited them to memory. Another couple of weeks, and he'd know this place better than the back of his own hand.
There were rarely people out and about this early, which was why he was more than a little surprised to run across a girl and her dog. He wasn't surprised that the dog started growling at him - most dogs (and cats, for that matter) tended to dislike him, thanks to his once a month shift into White Fang. Stopping a fair distance from them, Kieran side eyed the dog for a moment, before turning his attention to the girl.
She was the last person he expected to see here. It had been damn near a decade since he'd seen her last, but hers was a face that Kieran would never forget. Ash Anson. Holy hell. "I didn't think there was anyone else crazy enough to be out running this early."