Sanguine Cove Nightmares follow you home

RE: Sanguine Cove, high winds have caused a snow drift at the opening of your pack den.
1/3 morning, misty, -16C. All welcome to SC members with a special shoutout to @Leo

Since her unfortunate escapade months before, Diantha had been far quieter and more reluctant to stray too far from the den. She didn't see much of her siblings - and hadn't seen anything of them the last couple days. She was okay with this; she was trying to build her own confidence again. She was getting close to simply marching outside the borders and challenging the world again, to show it she wasn't afraid anymore and look how big she'd grown.

She hadn't yet, though.

It was a slow morning. Di didn't mind the snow so much, but it was still cold and she wasn't in a hurry to wake up and step outside. She was nice and warm and cozy curled up in the darkness of the earth; she could delay a little longer. Finally wakefulness found her and she could no longer force herself to remain in dreams. She rose and stretched as much as she could within the den's confines. It was darker than it should be - unless she'd slept far longer than she thought. Upon reaching the den entrance, however, she discovered why: snow had all but blocked her in. A small sliver of light peeked in through a gap between the top of the snow drift and the den roof.

Memories of being stuck in that hole months prior danced in her minds and despite her efforts go grow braver Di's heart sped up and she couldn't help a low, panicked whine.

(This post was last modified: Jan 03, 2023, 08:24 PM by Diantha.)

I'm on thin ice, might as well dance across

There hadn't been much in the way of prey lately, but this morning Stella had managed to snag a scraggly rabbit. It would be enough to feed a hungry belly for another day, to keep them warm and growing. She was returning to cache it near the den, and just marveling at the way the landscape changed so quickly in the back of her mind. From heat and drought, through everything the autumn had held for them, to the ice and snow of winter, the cove and surrounding landscape were ever-changing. Overnight, wind and snow had sculpted the landscape anew, making such a familiar place feel untouched again. She wasn't sure she liked it, but she had to admit it was beautiful.

She was just noticing that there were no fresh prints here yet this morning. Perhaps it wasn't cause for worry, it was early enough, and her younger kin were growing more independent. Except these days Stella did worry, all too often.

That was when she heard Diantha's voice. The older Vuesain girl dropped the rabbit, straining to hear where the sound had come from. Di sounded scared. Was she trapped? The mouth of the den was right around here wasn't it? There was a lot of snow piled up. "Dia, that you? Can you hear me?" Stella tried to keep her own voice calm as she started to sniff and scratch at the deep drift.

The smell here was different than in the other hole she'd been stuck in. This place smelled comforting, like her mom and her pack and even the lingering scent of her missing siblings. It was supposed to be safe, and that made it all the more terrifying. She scratched at the snow, trying to think through the fog of fear of the best way to dig out without burying herself further.

Stella's muffled voice called out to her and Di paused, unsure if she'd made it up or not. "Stella?" she shouted. "Stella I'm stuck! I'm stuck! Help me!" her voice grew more desperate with each word and she started sobbing again, scrabbling uselessly at the sealed den entrance.

I'm on thin ice, might as well dance across

Stella focused on Diantha's voice and scent, trying to keep her own voice steady. She could hear her sister shouting from behind the drift of snow piled up at the den's entrance.

"It's okay, I'm right here," she sniffed around the drift, digging here and there, finding it was even deeper than it looked at first. "Are you alone in there?"

"Just keep talkin' to me, can you do that?" she figured that if Dia was safe in the den, with air to breathe, then as long as they stayed calm they would have time to dig her out. But she could hear the worry turning to panic, and she whined gently in return. Lowering on her belly, she inched up the pile of snow and pushed her head up toward the gap at the top.

Stella was very close. Her voice was muffled but it was on the other side of the snowdrift. It soothed Diantha, but not enough for her to stop digging. "I'm scared!" she sobbed as she scratched at the frozen gate. She sniffed and looked around, just double checking before answering her sister. "Yes, I'm alone," she said, her scratching slowing. She was growing tired all of a sudden and she just wanted to be out.

She didn't know what to say when asked, but she tried to talk to help. "I don't like tight spaces," she said. "I don't like being alone in small dens and being trapped in the dark and not being able to get out. I don't wanna be in here anymore!" Maybe she would just stop sleeping in the den altogether and find somewhere sheltered she could sleep where she wouldn't be able to get trapped.

I'm on thin ice, might as well dance across

From the top, she could get her nose through the small space, but her footing was anything but stable, wanting to slide back down the frozen slope. She pushed her muzzle in, scrabbling at the snow with her paws.

Diantha was doing her best to keep talking to Stella, but she could hear the panic building.

"It's okay, it's okay," Stella answered. She tried to keep Di calm as she began to scratch and paw at the snow. Hoping to keep herself from panic, too. That her sister was alone in there was good and bad; at least her air wouldn't be limited but it was certainly more scary for her that way, too. "Let's play a game. Do you see my nose yet? Can you climb up here?" She had no idea if there as a slope or sheer wall of ice on the other side or anything in between. But if Di could see Stella's nose then maybe she wouldn't feel so alone. And if she could get up to the top of the snow pile, maybe they could dig together. Otherwise Stella would have to wriggle in there herself and figure something out, quickly.

She continued to scrape and scratch at the snow, her paws beginning to sting from the ice as she set her muscles into the task. But it was beginning to give way, bit by bit.

Stella remained a calm force, talking loudly enough to be heard through the snow but not shouting. Di could hear the scratching of her claws on the harder snow at the bottom, and her nose snuffling around the top between words. The pup made herself take a breath, blinking furiously through the tears as she tried to focus. Play a game. Di didn't want to play a game right now. She was scared and tired and cold and didn't want to be in here, but if playing a game would help her get out faster...

"Okay," she sniffled, crawling back towards the small ray of light at the top of the mound of snow. Stella was definitely louder up here, but it was enough for the trapped girl. "I can hear you better here," she said, "and I can see your shadow, but I can't see you yet.