Pastel Highlands Don't let go yet

Life was rough. Between Matos, Nori and himself, the family was able to scrounge up enough food, but only just, and every day was getting colder. Once the herds split up, they would need to travel further to hunt, and they’d need more bodies to take down bigger prey – Jessamy was about old enough – but he didn’t like the idea, too much risk; Nash would have waited until spring…. Of course he wasn’t here now, and it was up to Leo to make the decision.

He wanted to take that role, an older brother to both Matos and Sam, having walked in their father’s footsteps, ever since he took over from Aleister – as leader and father to the Vuesain heir. And Leo ached to be worthy of them both, to take on that responsibility with similar zeal. He wanted to carry on their legacy, build the new home that Nash and Aquene had wanted, but not at the cost of everyone’s safety; No more death! His first priority was Sam, and he would choose whatever was best for her; As soon as I find out what that is…

This deep in thought, Leo had wandered north, out of the forest and into the hills, a bleak landscape of rolling waves dusted in snow, the uniform white broken only by the prints left by other travelers. One such set drew his attention, relatively fresh marks of a lone deer, walking with a notable limp – he couldn’t afford to pass up such an opportunity. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only predator on the trail.

Whether the bear had taken down the injured doe itself, or scared off whatever other hungry predator had was impossible to tell. In fact, Leo did not have time to assess anything about the situation – coming from upwind, he was taken entirely by disadvantage – by the time he spotted the beast, it already had his scent in its nostrils, turned from its prey to charge this latest rival and protect its meal at all costs; Shit!

”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de &
Twimperology @DA

Jessamy didn't like being left alone. For the last several months she'd wished she could be alone without someone running to find her - ahem, her parents - but now she wanted nothing more than for one of them to come find her, chide her for wandering off, and herd her back toward their chosen den. A couple times now she'd thought she'd heard them, her mother's voice drifting on the wind calling her name, her father's low laugh in the brush as wandered by. She missed them, missed them so much her chest ached and it wouldn't go away. She didn't know how to handle it. It hadn't been like this when Sari had gone away. Jessamy hadn't really known her littermate, hadn't really understood what her absence meant until long after the chance to feel sad passsed.

Now she knew.

So she didn't like to be left alone. What if when she came back, her brothers were gone too? Her cousin cold upon the ground? Their large family had become so small so quickly. Sam missed her nieces, missed her sister, missed her parents. She just wanted everything to go back to the way it was supposed to be.

She knew she shouldn't have, but she followed Leo when he went out. He was upwind of her, so she could quietly pad a short distance behind and her scent blew away from him. She didn't want to get into any trouble, but she didn't want to be alone either. If Leo disappeared, she was determined to go with him. Sam was proud of herself, staying aware of the wind and doing her best to walk far enough away and at the right angle to her eldest brother to remain downwind.

The smell of the bear was new. Something that made her lip curl, her fur stand on end, and by the time it hit her she could see it charging Leo. Sam knew she was too small to help, knew there was nothing she could do against something so large and furious and that everybody would be angry with her for trying - so instead of leaping to her brother's defense, she screamed. "Leo! Look out!" and then spun on her heels and sprinted back the way she'd come, back toward home, howling for @Matos and @Nori and hoping they were close enough to hear.

i want to turn you loose

watch you bloom