The pressure of winter in the air was palpable. It was heard in the snaps of twigs weighed down by ice and snow. It was seen in the great flying snow-devils that whipped around the landscape like tiny turbulent tornadoes over the stark white earth. Even the tree trunks were white with frost as the wind plastered them with snow crystals. Winter's pressure was even scented in the thin air. It's scent was that of pine broken by the wind and heavy ice, and of a crispness that comes only during the cold season. However' winter could not be tasted. For the cold was tasteless only biting the wolf who dared to stand alone against nature's freezer.
The only sense that overrode any of the others and spoke of the frozen season's might was touch. Everything could feel the cold, hard, yet soft winter.
Hard as frost in the earth, and ice in the rivers, lakes, creeks, and waterfalls. Yes, even the falls of lore were frozen in winters clutch.
Soft as the new snow falling onto the land; soft like the chill breeze calling your name promising fun in the endless expanse of white.
This winter was anything but fun. As the silver she wolf had experienced for herself. The cold season that should have brought easy hunts and fun for her pups to romp in had turned fierce.
Narimé found herself roaming around needlessly and weakly through the old trails in the snow. Most of the trails had been made by either Minka, Inali, Ash, or herself. None had the look or scent of deer upon them. Not that Nari thought she would find a trail with deer scent. A long time had passed since even one good prey item had come anywhere near her borders. She had all but lost hope at finding anything to eat for herself.
All of Whisper Caverns's pack wolves were thinning. Their bodies turning inwards as the cold season sapped them of their precious energy. Even the pups were feeling starvation. Though they had to be the most well fed wolves within the caverns. If any food was found it went to them. Or at least that was what Nari thought was happening. Narimé would rather see herself and friends starve before seeing her own children die before her.
Hell if things continued on like they were the whole pack would be icicles inside their cavern tomb.
"Green earth wakes to the golden rays of the sun. One half cloaked by shadow, one half spying the light. Those who welcome the glittering light, fear the night. Those who welcome the blanketed night, fear the light. Each surviving their own stories on green earths might. Let the dark skies dance with the warmth of a billion souls,and when the sun rises those souls will disappear waiting for the night to come again. When the night comes a second time those bright souls will search the earth for the fallen, and lead those poor spirits to the nether world where they too will become the ebony night. Green earth wakes to the golden rays of the sun. One half cloaked by shadow, one half spying the light. Those who welcome the glittering light, fear the night. Those who welcome the blanketed night, fear the light. Each surviving their own stories on green earths might. And the rain falls on me... When the souls of the departed shed their tears, It is for those who had not yet taken the journey to the deep darkness. Those tears in turn provide life to those in the land of the living. So the rain falls..." The silver wolf's faint voice sang the song that had been sung to her as a tiny pup. A song she could remember, but the face of the real mother who had sang it Nari could not recall.
When will the golden sun come back to warm our land? She thought quietly missing the warmth of sunlight upon her fur during the warmer months. The only thing the young mother could feel was the chill right down to her bones.