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A snowstorm blew in over the mainland of the kawani catching many residents unprepared. Atlas was in his element, feeling the cold against his body was pleasing instead of miserable. It was still falling down around him in snowflake clusters and steadily. His pawed feet sank an inch into the fresh snow leaving behind his mark where ever he walked. The sound of crunching snow followed each step. Currently the storm had relatively calmed, an effect that surely wouldn't last long before another blast of high winds came through. Except for the wind blowing enough to cause wisps of snow off the snowbanks that piled in many areas, it was relatively quiet. Those who were too cold to be out in the storm were bundled up some place safe. He paused in his tracks when a different noise, plant rustling, caught his attention. Glowing eyes traveled over the scene finding mostly trees, shrub and blinding white around him. Amongst the white, a mostly white rabbit popped out of a snow burrow and darted across his vision. Darted back and forth until it disappeared behind a tree. The stallion walked over towards the burrow and moved around it. Stuffing his muzzle into the snow nearby to rummage for roots or low lying plants that could be medicinal in use. He pushed at the spot until he found cold dirt but no plant. Inhaling a breath he tried to sense out which direction to move. Surely around this spot would be something useful to him. Even if it was just a winter edible, it could come in handy.

WC: 266

Had taken a few steps from the burrow, muzzle buried under snow when movement beside him caught him by surprise. The mound exploded and there in the same spot was a dark pawed female. His nose scraped at dirt before his head shot up. He immediately took a step back, eyes widened briefly. A clod of dirt sitting on his snout. Her cute 'boo' made his ears swivel forward towards her. He wasn't expecting another soquili and she was a pretty one too. After the moment of shock, he chuckled "Well that's not something that happens every day. Were you sleeping in the snow?" He asked curiously, taking note of the snow still draped over her back and gradually falling off where she stood. "Or were you lying in stealth to catch an unsuspecting prey?" He joked, of course he wasn't exactly prey but if she was playing around he could be seen as such. Her victim. His long whip like tail flicked over the snow, brushing the top layer to one side from the motion. He lowered partially against the snow as a canine would lower the front half of their body for a pounce. His tail curling behind him. "If you were wanting to play, I am game"

WC: 210

Atlas nodded his head to her statement. He had been in a few banks of snow himself but not usually to sleep in. "Like a pocket. Protects against the cold wind." He agreed. What would be more shocking is finding someone that couldn't handle cold and snow like he did. It didn't make sense to him. From what he could tell so far, she was similiar to him especially if she would taking naps in the otherwise open space. He watched her start to circle then pounce towards him. While he was larger, he moved away quick enough at least to prevent paws touching from closeness. He got back into that playful pose with her. "Alright. You go first." With those words, that long tail of his swooped around to bap her lightly on one of her tails that was in close range. He jumped up off the snow and started to jog away, waiting to see if she would chase or look at him like he was in fact the crazy one. Maybe they both were just wired differently, out there in snowy weather playing games like it was a normal spring day. Should she chase, he kicked up some snow as he picked up pace to keep away but not top speed for the fact he was actually playing and not running for his life. He wanted to be 'caught' as it was the point. The stallion laughed as he ran over the fresh snow, his mane flagging behind his head from the wind.

WC: 256

Atlas looked back to see if she in fact took the playful bait to chase him or if she was staring after him. Usually it entailed the expression that he was crazy. Foal-minded. When he saw her close to him so quickly he bolted, darting out then around her with a chuckle. He hadn't found anyone fun since his actual foalhood. Feeling like a colt again was freeing. His paws kicked up waves of snow like it was water instead, falling a few inches away from his form.

Suddenly he stopped and bowed down again in that goofy dog stance of play. He looked around before feeling a swipe pounce at the fluffy tip of his tail, making him retract it from her like a whip. He bounced and turned himself around, face to his with the mare. "That is mine." He joked, flicking the long appendage back to land on her head. Tendrils of black, fine, hair flopped over between her eyes. "See, doesn't suit you." He continued. In that, she had been touched and thus the tag was returned and he started running again. The stallion ducked behind a tree then dove, ungracefully into a huge snowbank. He managed to tuck his large body in but part of his long tail still stuck out for her to find.

WC: 220

Hid under the snow, not even bothered to make sure everyrhing was in fact hidden. She had probably seen him pile in anyway. He was so amused with himself and his current friend that he had forgotten all about his original task. He had yet to find, and hardly looked for, any herbal plants. So far he hadn't been the best at this self made task. Having found one little plant so far since winter began and had uprooted to a small pot he found left out from some of the humans. It was back at his little spot he sort of called home, safe from snow piles and blizzards.

It wasn't long before he felt the female pounce his tail again and unbyrrowed the male it belonged to. "HAAA!" He would yell to see her fleeing away as quick as she was. Quickly shook the snow off his fur and back before gripping the snow and darting after her. She was faster then he could keep up with, if it was even her best speed. He weaved through some trees and ducked around, trying to move in front of her to catch her. Every so often a dark paw swiped out when she drew close to a tree, to tag her. He kept missing, partially on purpose. Curiousity striking to see what she would do next. They were heading towards more trees, rocks and somewhere under all the snow was a stream or river. He couldn't recall which, just there being water nearby. He watched her hop up onto the boulder, snow falling down steadily that it sometimes obscured vision. It was a sure sign that the storm was working up again but until then the stallion came up from out of nowhere and bopped one of her twin tails with his paw.

WC: 304

Atlas didn't get the response he had hoped for. She wasn't chasing or running to continue their fun game. "Hm" he looked up at the sky with her and now he paid attention to the reason the snow started coming down more. The darkened sky and looming storm made it now impossible to ignore. Not if they both wanted to stay safe. Blazing blue eyes dropped to the mare on the boulder beside him then up again. He didn't really want to believe it. The time had slipped away so quickly as they played. "It's just more snow." He joked at first. The look she gave him showed he should take it more serious. That was hard for him but he nodded and let out a breath like a sigh. "Going home sounds best." He could agree that for comfort and safety, it would be best for her then holeing up in a cave with him, a stranger. The storm could last days.

When she gives her name, he would smile "Wisp. It was a fun game today. Mine is Atlas. After this winter, maybe we could find eachother again. Stay safe friend." He said. Before he left her, he gave one of her tails another playful pat with a paw as he turned from the boulder. Just like their game, he started running in the opposite direction then her. Heading to home was sad in one way but he could recall the memory any time he liked now and that could get him through weeks of storm with a warm heart at the friend he made.. one snowy day.

WC: 270