The Scent Of Hope

Evander hurled himself into the unknown with his canine body. His paws pounded against the soft earth, his tail cut through the air like a rudder, and his ears twitched constantly, catching every sound. His nose never stopped working—sniffing the ground, the air, the breeze that carried hundreds of scents. Among them all, he desperately searched for even a trace of the one that would lead him to Harmony.

But Earth did not welcome him gently. Barely had he left the forest clearing when a roar split the night. A monstrous metal beast—a car—slashed through the darkness. Its headlights rushed toward him, blazing like twin tongues of fire. At the last second, Evander leapt out of the way, his paws sliding across the wet grass. The bushes swallowed him whole, a branch tearing across his shoulder. He whimpered but kept running. He could not allow himself to stop.

The stench of fuel lingered in his nose for moments, until it was replaced by the sharp reek of smoke. In the distance he spotted an orange glow—fire. Humans were burning heaps of trash, while nearby feral dogs barked viciously at each other. Evander froze, his ears flattening against his skull. He had to stay invisible. He crawled through the shadows, each pawstep as quiet as a whisper of leaves.

Suddenly—a metallic snap. A trap clamped down, crushing an empty branch just in front of his nose. His heart leapt. Human traps. His legs carried him forward faster than before, as if the earth itself urged him away from danger.

And yet, amid the chaos of smells, something different touched his senses… a fragrance that did not belong to this world. Sweet, warm, almost like the echo of a memory. Harmony. Trembling hope washed over him—he had not lost her. She was here, somewhere, in this strange wilderness.

Evander lifted his head toward the sky, moonlight gleaming in his eyes. From deep within his chest burst a soft but resolute bark—a call. A proclamation to the world that he still stood.

“Harmony…” he whispered inwardly. “I will find you.”

And once more he surged forward—ready to fight through every danger until he reached her.

Evander ran until his lungs burned, but his nose did not falter. Among the hundreds of earthly scents—oil, metal, damp soil, countless animals and humans—he caught that other trace again. Faint, delicate as a brush of wind, yet to him as clear as a sunbeam piercing midnight. Harmony.

His paws dug deeper into the ground as he veered toward the scent. His heart leapt—he was sure it was her. The breeze carried her essence, sweet and radiant, as though the world itself was trying to hide a secret it had accidentally revealed.

But the path was not safe. Before he could reach the edge of the woods, flashing lights appeared ahead. Human machines rumbled, their noises slicing the night. Many vehicles moved back and forth, people carried metal objects that stank of weapons.

Evander froze in the shadows, ears taut, tail half raised. Instinct whispered: “Do not show yourself. Not now.” He crouched lower, his brown fur blending with the earth, nearly invisible in the dark. He watched the humans lift crates and speak to each other, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere—toward that scent pulling him forward.

When the group turned their backs for a moment, Evander seized his chance. He darted between two vehicles, his body swift and silent as a shadow. Every muscle was taut, every pawfall soundless. Harmony’s scent was stronger—somewhere beyond this dangerous cluster of humans.

Then—a deep growl. Two large dogs, chained, their ears pricking as they caught his movement. Evander froze. If they barked, the humans would find him instantly. His heart thundered, but he stayed calm. Lowering his head, ears pressed back, he moved slowly, circling, showing no threat. The dogs snarled for a few breaths… then, as if sensing something familiar within him, they fell silent and sat.

Evander exhaled in relief—and in that moment, her scent struck him again, stronger than ever. His eyes blazed. Harmony was here. Close. Just a few dangerous steps away.

“Hold on, Harmony,” he vowed silently. “I am on your trail.”

And with cautious yet determined steps, he pressed deeper toward the place where the invisible thread—crossing time, space, and now even worlds—was pulling him.

Evander pushed forward, his nose lifted to the air, catching that sweet trace guiding him to Harmony. But his body began to complain. His stomach growled, his paws grew heavy. Earth, this harsh world, cared nothing for his princely status—here, he was only a dog who had to find a way to survive.

Hunger gnawed at him. Every breath carried temptations. The smell of roasted meat drifted from a nearby human settlement. Smoke rose into the night, laced with the intoxicating aroma of food, forcing Evander to swallow saliva. Never before had he felt such need—in his world, he was a prince, always safe, always provided for. Now, he had to think like a wolf in the wild.

He crept closer. Behind a house stood a bin, full of discarded food. The scent of bread, meat, even sweet fruit overwhelmed him. His paws touched the ground softly as he peered over the edge. And there it was—scraps of meat, a bone, crusts of bread.

Tail low, ears back, he leapt closer. Quick, furtive, like a thief in the night, he snatched the bone and some crusts. His teeth sank into them—different from the food of his world, but enough to restore his strength.

Suddenly—voices. Humans! A door creaked open, light spilled across the yard. Evander bolted back into the shadows, the bone still clenched in his jaws. His heart raced, but he did not drop his prize. He ran until he found a quieter spot beneath the trees, where he devoured every morsel before collapsing for a moment of rest.

But even then, he did not forget why he was here. Raising his head, that precious scent struck him again—Harmony. His hunger appeased, his strength renewed, he rose once more. His body shook itself, his tail swayed lightly, and his ears sharpened to the night. And he moved on. Hunger no longer chained him—only one desire drove him now.

To find Harmony.

Days passed. Evander had been in this world longer than a single night. His nose stayed to the air, hunting that fragile yet clear imprint of Harmony. Sometimes it carried strong and close, other times it vanished, mocking his effort. But he never gave up.

Hunger drove him again and again near humans. He stole crusts of bread, scraps of meat from bins, sometimes even a piece of food dropped by a child. But humans were not kind. They chased him with sticks, shouted at him, threw stones. His body remained intact, but his pride—as a prince once respected and safe—was forced to bow each day, to learn survival.

Then the rain came. First a drizzle, then heavier, until water poured from the sky like a waterfall. Evander ran through muddy streets and fields, his brown fur clinging to his body, water dripping from his ears, his tail heavy. He needed shelter.

He found it in an old abandoned barn at the village’s edge. Water still dripped through broken planks, but inside was warmer, drier than outside. He lay on straw that smelled of dust and time, and closed his eyes. For a moment, he thought he heard her voice—Harmony, echoing in his mind: “Find me…”

Every morning he rose before the world awoke and continued his path. His paws were weary, his belly never full, but Harmony’s scent was always there. Sometimes faint as a whisper on the wind, sometimes strong and warm, as though she stood right in front of him.

Sun and rain took turns guiding him. Humans still chased him, but Evander learned to be careful, silent, like a shadow. Every danger made him stronger, every fall taught him endurance.

And then, one evening, as the sky deepened into violet and the moon once again swelled toward fullness, his nose caught her scent closer than ever before. Fresh, strong—so clear that his heart leapt. He knew: she was no longer far.