[FIN] Amid the Falling Snow [Yosha no nai/Rue]

[Painted Moose]

RP Prompt

Wintertime in the Kawani is in full swing, and February is no exception! A strong snowstorm and cold front has blown into the lands, blanketing much of the land in white. Some areas have completely been overwhelmed by snow--and places that are typically warmer or never see the stuff have also been covered in the white stuff.

How is your Soquili handling this snowstorm? Were they caught unaware? Are they experiencing snow for the first time, or are they used to it? What do they do now that they're living in a winter wonderland?

Yosha feral ll Rue feral

[Total Post Count: 2,052]

 

[Painted Moose]

Yesterday’s snowstorm had been one of the harshest he’d had to withstand while being in the Kawani lands. The ferocity of the winds had cut straight through his thick fur and chilled the wolf walker down to his core. He’d tried to keep the pack together, sometimes only by sets of coordinated howls but eventually even his voice was drowned out by the winds. By the time the sun dropped, and the snow turned to sleet he had no choice but to seek shelter.

Under early morning light Nai pulled himself out of the little cave he’d hunkered down in. Normally the nocturnal beast would have been sleeping, but he had goals for the day. Goals that snow up to his hocks wouldn’t keep him from. Ice hung heavy from the trees above and despite the thick layer of it all around him snow kept falling from on high. There was no point in walking in his wolf form; despite his sheer size he would have had more trouble trying to traverse the land.

Right now all he needed was a quick snack.

[WC for Nai: 183]  

[Sabra Knight]

Even if it had been one of the harshest snows of the season, Rue was delighted by the falling snow and ice. The walker who preferred her feral form had simply hunkered down in a nearby den she had recently claimed for herself, the thick coils of winter ivy and sturdy stone walls protecting her from most of the bitter storm. While she enjoyed most of the seasons, hunting for small prey in the aftermath of a blizzard was a delightful experience. While no longer outright malevolent the female preferred to stay away from other soquili because of her past and staying as a fox was her choice, something she enjoyed as she started patrolling around the deep snows in search of prey.

Her ears flicked forward as she sensed movement and prepared to jump straight into a deep drift of snow after something small like a vole.

[wc:148]  

[Painted Moose]

Shifting into his feral form, the wolf shook some of the chill from his fur and ferreted out a few scent trails. While nothing substantial really came to him there was one that stood out. A fox, but also…not. Stomach growling from a night without a decent meal and all the calories he’d had to burn just to stay warm, Nai didn’t pause to give it too much thought. His fur blended with the dead brush around him and gave the walker just the edge he needed to get close enough to see the fox in question jumping after it’s prey.

He hunkered down, belly pressing flat into the snow in preparation of his attack when a howl from the south caught his attention. Where there was first only one long, searching howl there soon were others. His pack was waking and there were more alive than he’d though! On impulse he tossed his head back and joined. Spirits, how had they survived that mess? He needed to get back to them but...wouldn't it be better if he had a quick snack, first?

[183]  

[Sabra Knight]

Rue jumped headfirst into the snowdrift and came back triumphantly with a plump vole in her maw. Crimson blood trailed down her snout as she had bit a little too hard into the prey, the creature’s width a bit more than anticipated for what she normally found in other areas during winter months. A good find. She mused happily with her tail swaying behind her as she emerged from the snows and climbed her way back towards the surface. Shaking her body so that the snow clinging to her fur scattered around her, Rue found herself pausing as sudden howls filled the air. Tension made her body freeze and slowly the fox found herself turning to find a wolf nearby. Yet, even with the stench of prey lingering from her recent catch the fox could sense that it was not a completely wild wolf. Like her it appeared that this creature had another form and a mind sharper than your typical hunter. The realization made her put her guard up as she slowly took a few steps back, her prize clutched tightly in her mouth.

Did she make a break for it? Based on the howls it seemed a whole pack was nearby which made the fox feel skittish. It was her feral instinct to run away, to avoid fighting when she had already secured a meal but it was her actual spirit that found itself curious about the creature before her. She did not want any trouble but if she ran wouldn’t it just begin a chase? Was he actually feral or did he have some of his senses that weren’t completely twisted like others? Rue took another step back before spitting out the vole so that she could stand above it protectively. “There’s plenty more in the area.” She growled with her golden gaze narrowed towards the wolf, hunkering down to pick the vole up again so that she could sprint if the wolf truly was feral and up to no good.



[wc:336]
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

Ah, so he was correct. Another walker. Even if she hadn’t given him any other clues the gemstone that was affixed to her forehead was all he needed to know what he was dealing with. Just like her instincts that warned her to take her prey and run, his were screaming at him to kill her. He’d already alerted his pack to where he was and soon enough they would come to him en masse. On his own she might give him trouble, but against a horde? They could eat well if he deemed her worth it.

If the fox had chosen to run he would have instantly gave chase, but the fact that she didn’t gave him pause. He’d never really seen another walker act that happy before and it was such an odd sight that Nai found himself perplexed. “I’m hungry, but not for the vole.” As he spoke the words rumbled through his chest, picking up tones that clearly didn’t belong to those of this world.

“That charm – is that what makes you act that way?”

[179]  

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

At least the wolf was being honest. Rue would have been amused if her prey and her life weren’t in danger. The fox wanted to skitter back, dash through the snow and hopefully lose the bigger animal in the thick forest around her but logic kept her in place. She had to stand her ground if she wanted to increase her chances of survival here and thankfully it seemed that the wolf was actually willing to talk. Recognizing him as another walker did not completely ease her apprehensions but it did allow her to calm down a smidge and once more she found herself letting go of her prey to address the stranger.

“The charm?” She repeated before the familiar coolness of the stone sought her attention. It had become such a natural part of her that the strangeness had been pushed to the far corners of her mind as portions of her sanity slowly returned since its presence in her life. Now that the wolf had pointed it out the fox felt the presence again, her feral nature snapping at the invisible chains while her spirit hugged the energy from the stone with relief. Even if she was plagued by nightmares and guilt the fox was still thankful that she had regained her senses or whatever shreds had remained. “It helped me.” She finally answered before studying the wolf, a glint catching her gaze. “You’ve been charmed as well then?” Rue tilted her head with curiosity. “You haven’t tried to rip my throat out yet so is that not strange to you?” If he kept behaving she could also point him towards that flock of wild sheep she had seen earlier. Surely that would be more appealing to a pack of wolves than eating a lone fox.



[298]
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

Nai opened his maw and closed it with a furrow of his brow. "That...is odd, but I'm not charmed. I don't have it like you do." The urge to hurt her was still there which was why he was still in position to strike. If she so much as twitched the wrong way the wolf was prepared to barrel through the snow and snatch her spine in his fangs. The scent of blood on her maw kept the fur on the back of his neck bristled and his eyes never looked away.

"I save my prey for the pack. They'll be hungry after waiting out this storm." Those under his care had his full attention. He always waited for them to eat first, even when he was at his hungriest and that...that wasn't something he'd always done.

What had he started caring for them? Instead of simply using the pack to further his machinations? At what point had had started worrying about whether they'd survived the ice or not? When had he started using his larger frame to block the winds from the mouth of the caves they stayed in?

It was frustrating and frustration made the walker angry.

[199]  

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

“Are you certain about that?” Rue replied as she kept still. If she could just walk up to him and check on that glint she had spotted earlier in the sunlight things would be simple, but this was a wolf she was dealing with. A hungry one at that. The fox made a face as she listened to his words. When she wasn’t charmed the very idea of others was far from her mind unless they were to be used for her benefit in some way. Didn’t most walkers feel like that so why would an uncharmed wolf care about saving his prey for others, even his pack?

It just didn’t make sense if he was truly feral without a charm.

Was she stubborn enough to argue with a wolf? Perhaps. Shrewd enough to get his focus on a charm instead of wanting to eat her? Most definitely. “You placed your pack before your own needs and I saw a glint upon your back. I would reconsider if you have been charmed.” She explained slowly as she sat on her haunches. “Since you are so concerned about a pack I doubt one little fox will be very filling for them. Why not try the herd of sheep I saw earlier? I can point you in that direction if you leave me alone with my own meal.”

[226]
 

[Painted Moose]

Sabra Knight

5/5

No, he really wasn't. He hadn't seen any sort of charm or gem on his fur when he'd woken up and there was no way the wolf was going to take his eyes off her to check. For all he knew it was a clever trick to buy her some time. The howls had started back up in earnest and they were getting closer by the moment. Nai wouldn't be surprised if they'd already spotted him, stark as his fur was against the pure white snow.

A herd would be more filling for cold, empty bellies than a scrawny fox. "Lead the way, but if it's a trick I'll snap your legs and warm my fangs with your insides."

[119]
 

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

[5/5]

Rue made a face as if to say mmhmm but she didn't say anything else on the topic since he avoided the confirmation. If the wolf was charmed then he was surely in denial but maybe as time passed the warmth of its energies would slowly awaken his senses, making him finally accept the truth. As it was she didn't want to waste time, not when she had no guarantee his pack would be as willing to cooperate with her.

"Fair enough. Don't expect a conversation since I'd like to enjoy my vole in quiet once we find the herd." She would leave right away then, her pale body blending in easily with the snowy background. While others perhaps struggled with the bitter weather, Rue was happy and eager to enjoy the snow once she got rid of the bigger predators lingering nearby. Now to find those sheep. And like that she picked up her vole and started to lead the way through the hills where she could leave the wolf with his new targets.

[181]