The Winter Den

Elysia lifted her paw, shaking snow from her pads. She had never been a fan of snow. She was small - abnormally so - and she got cold easily. A shiver wracked her body as she stood. She shook herself, shedding droplets of melted snow from her bracken pelt. She looked around. Various members of the pack were milling around the den area, but none that she wished to speak with or really even knew. She had been accepted, she was one of them, but at the same time she felt like a seperate pack all to herself. Silently, her footsteps crunching in the snow, Elysia slipped into the trees.

She walked silently, her tail swishing against her back legs. She glanced around, trying to take in everything at once. She wondered if Pallatsera had been here, her silvery white fur blending in with the snow. The thought made Elysia's ears droop. She came to a small clearer area. The snow made scents difficult to find. She didnt notice Soran under a piine a short distance away. She crossed to a sycamore, walking in circles in an attempt to rid the ground of some of the snow.

She laid down, resting her head on her paws. She shivered again, mumbling about snow under her breath. Her eyes fluttered shut, her nose buried deep in her paws and her tail curled around her muzzle. She shivered, slowly falling asleep. Snow continued to fall, piling in helter skelter piles as Elysia continued to shiver.

Kanae shuffled her paws. The silence that stretched between them was very awkward. Many times over, Kanae had to stop herself from going to Ninja and brushing her muzzle against his. He did not belong to her, he could belong to another fae in the pack someday. It would be easier that way. Dagger would forever haunt Kanae; a life with Ninja would be impossible.

In order to end the silence, she picked the thyme in her mouth. She devoured it quickly and gagged slightly on the bitter taste.

"Thank you again, Silver." She smiled at the pretty she-wolf.

"I am," Kanae replied. "But it's slightly difficult for a wolf like me to make friends; I'm almost alone here, to a degree."

She tilted her head at a quizzical angle, her eyes full of curiosity when she noticed that Silver's own green orbs were shining. Snow flakes began to cover Kanae's back, but she paid no attention to it.

Kanae couldn't help but turn her attention to the sound of approaching pawsteps. She knew exactly who was there. Her eyes warmed instantly when they saw Ninja and her expression softened.

Maiara walked slowly into the familiar densite, her paws frozen and lethargic. Her soft fur was frosted and tipped with ice. The journey had been long, as it always was, but had gone smoothly, and without issues. Although she wondered why Rune had chosen the familiar densite over the place in his past that had brought him such trepidation, she knew that eventually the memory would resurface and become inescapable. Until then however, she took a deep breath of biting winter air, and allowed herself to be at peace. The reclusive densite wasn't only a place of shelter during the year's colder months, but also a promise of many weeks of relaxation, play, and high spirits in the pack. It was during the winter months that new friendships would form, and wolves would pair and mate. It had been pushed to the back of her mind with all the duties of making a trip to a different densite, but now with little responsibilty to restrain her wandering mind, she pondered a quiet thought that had been whispering to her for some months. She padded over to the mighty trunk of a fallen oak, slicked slightly with snow, and leapt up onto it. Digging her claws into the ice as she landed, the female made a careful circle in place, and sat, wrapping her tail over her cold paws. From here she could see the pack arriving, resting, and interacting with each other. Every moment, choices were being made. Choices to sleep, or to speak with friends; to flirt or to sit alone, enjoying the silence that came with snow. Her ears flicked to the different conversations, hearing bits and pieces of sentences, the fragments of these choices. Here she was, the alpha female of a strong and amazing pack, with close friends, and a mate whom she couldn't love more than she did; how could she want anything more than that? It would be selfish of her to ask for anything more. But still a part of her whispered. There was nothing dark about it, but still she felt guilty. From her perch she watched the members of the pack decide one path over another, which words to say, and which to keep within them, but the once choice which she could not see from where she sat, was her own.

Kira's icy gaze wandered to Silver and a small group around her and with a smile she stood quickly, bounding over to them as snow coated her legs. She slowed only as she neared merely feet from them and walked forward. She smiled warmly, her gaze flickering to each of them as she listened to the conversation, not wanting to interrupt.

((lame, but I really need to start posting more in rp Dx))

Soran glanced beside him as Spirit emerged from the snow to sit beside him, mimicking his pose to keep in what little body temperature they were giving off. He felt a grin sliding across his muzzle at her question and moved to shake out his thick winter coat again. “At least for a little while.” He replied, looking at the iridescent flakes of the snow. In truth, the delta preferred the cold over the humidity brought on by summer months, but the sudden drastic change while they were traveling had overwhelmed him; and he felt himself shifting around constantly to keep warm.

Spirit felt a smile pull at her muzzle at Soran's reply. "Well that's good I was afraid you'd be hiding underneath here forever." She rolled her eyes with mock sarcasm. Her gaze turned back out at the snow, many of it had already been trodden upon by the pack, turning it's once smooth, crystal like surface into a fluffy marshmallow mess. Spirit kneaded her paws upon the earth below them. She itched to go out and explore the area around the densite; after all she'd never been to this place before, especially not with the pack. To them this was like a second home, actually it kind of was... but it was all new to her and the promise of an adventure captivated her imagination. Her blue gaze brighten as her imagination soared. Spirit turned back to Soran, "Though I must admit, the bitter wind is never really welcomed."

As soon as the fourth wolf showed up near the group, Kanae let loose a low growl that seemed mixed with a growl. This was too much! Her pristine white pelt bristled with uncertainty as she felt herself loosing control. Blackness came to the edges of her vision and she shook her head in a struggle to free herself. This internal conflict was far to powerful for her to take on.

She turned tail and ran. Snow lifted from under her paws; showering the world behind her. With each step she took, she kicked up more snow. Kanae still felt the heaviness of her shutting down process holding onto her; she ran even faster. Her long legs began to scream for a rest after a mile and a half.

Finally, she allowed herself to stop. Panting heavily, Kanae looked at the area around her. It was unknown and a snow was beginning to fall; covering her tracks. She did not wish to return to the pack, not now. Kanae knew that all the wolves there would see her as a weak link in the pack's survival. Therefore, if she went back they would surely drive her out. It was best that she left on her own terms.

Ninja's masculine face flickered in Kanae's mind. From his handsome snout to his caring eyes, she could envision him perfectly. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head to the sky and mourned.

(Note: Kanae didn't howl!)

Elysia's eyes flew open. Insomnia had knocked her heavily to the ground and she yelped with surprise, but she was on her paws in an instant. A spot on her side throbbed. She reacted without thinking. She fell into a crouch, her eyes narrowing and her lip curling above her teeth. Her tail lashed against her back legs, her breathing hard and muscles tense. She looked to her would-be-attacker, recognizing Insomnia. Her muscles relaxed and she straightened. She shook the melting snow from her pelt, trying to keep herself from shivering. She glanced apologetically to Insomnia.

She mumbled quietly under her breath. "I'm sorry, I didnt recognize you." She figured they were even now. Him crashing into her and her preparing to attack him. She had been close too. She was defensive naturally, she had had to be during all her travels. She didnt have anyone watching her back so she watched it herself. She shook the snow off her paws, shaking her fur again. It was wet, the piles of snow Insomnia had kicked onto her hadn't helped either. She was chilled to the bone as well, and she could no longer keep her body from being wracked by violent shivers.

She glanced around, wondering for how long she had been asleep and what she might have missed. Soft voices came from under a nearby pine. Elysia peered, seeing a female she couldnt name (Silver) and the ever elusive Soran. He had been right there and she hadn't noticed. She wouldnt have had the courage to go talk to him anyways. She glanced around, Ninja and Kanae werent too far off - though moments later Kanae let out some growls and took off sprinting into the undergrowth. Elysia's ears perked curiously, though her glance strayed back to Insomnia.

Kanae stood in the open, her eyes still closed and her head still lifted towards the sky. Snow continued to fall from the sky and upon her back, but she paid it no heed. The she-wolf finally opened her eyes after an hour of mourning. With a heaviness in her heart, she glanced back at the way she came but since the tracks were gone, there was a slim chance of her finding the pack again.

Sighing, she went and laid beneath a huge spruce tree, using its enormous branches as a cover.

Ninja heard a growl come from Kanae's throat. Then he watched her leave and go out of sight. He tilted his head, and figured it was nothing bad. The brute made his attention go back to the others.

(Lame,)

The snarl had long faded from Elysia's lips. She too stepped away from Insomnia, shifting her paws awkwardly. She glanced towards the den, swiftly shaking her head. She was no mother, no life stirred within her belly and no doting mate padded alongside her. She had no business in the den. The others of the pack survived, as would she as she had before. Her ears perked, hearing Mahina's approach. Elysia had learned Mahina's name by word of mouth, though knew nothing of the she-wolf herself. Elysia glanced at her paws, dipping her head in greeting. She glanced back to Insomnia, choosing not to make a reply. She didnt have a reply to make.

She didnt know either of these wolves. She didnt know anyone at all. It was times like these that Elysia questioned just what she was doing here. The reasons Derek had presented didnt seem important anymore. Elysia wasnt used to a pack, especially such a big one. She wasn't like Pallatsera, she didn't have everything under control. She just stepped from one mess into the next, closing her eyes and hoping against hope that she had stepped right. Elysia looked between Insomnia and Mahina. It would be inexcusably rude to say nothing at all.

She tensed her muscles in a sad attempt to keep from shivering. Going to the den was giving up and admitting weakness. "Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm just fine." She gave a small smile, clenching her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering. She tilted her head to Mahina. "And how are you today?"

Kira jumped slightly in suprise as Amethyst tackled her sister. "Indeed it has" she laughed in response, her tail wagging rapidly and a warm smile upon her muzzle. She shook her pelt free of the falling snow that had clung to her coat in the mere seconds she had stood there. Her smile faded as she heard Kanae's growl, her ears flattening as the female took off. Her attention turned to Ninja and she smiled once more, happy that he hadn't decided to sprint away as well.