Chinook Coulee Polka Dot, See Through

Azra shrugged. It didn't seem like it was about comfort, to him, just about making sure this nice stranger lady didn't get sick. Her whole body was nearly taken over by a shiver and immediately he wrapped himself around her and pressed close. His thick, cloudy coat mixed against her forest of browns and he could feel the dampness against him. However, instead of letting that chill him he found himself heating rapidly from the embarrassment. Now what? Was he supposed to rub her paws or was this sufficient? Hard to say. Azra considered that maybe they should get out of the snow...

"Hmmm...." he considered both of the wolves he had met. But she didn't mention Saga by name and that was the only name he had. "Maybe? I met a young boy but he didn't tell me his name. He was dark and small and passionate, with brown eyes. He was looking for the ocean?" Since he was so close to Sita now he had to crane his neck quite awkwardly to gauge her expression. Did this sound like Andrey, Xulia, or Viorel?

Supposed it was, then. His coat was thicker than hers and, while he didn't suck up all the damp, she immediately felt warmer. Her toes spread in the snow and she full-body shivered again. Not as violently as before, though. Good. Very kind of him, both of them strangers to each other. Sita would set her trepidations aside and settle loosely into the offering. Of course, if Azra made any sudden moves...

Dark and small and brown-eyed. Sita's blue eyes shifted, her head cocking at an angle to get a better look at him. They were wide in a way that would convey a very deep emotion. Excitement? Mingled with sadness? But the kind of sadness one feels when they've gotten news, good news, that they simply cannot believe. "That sounds like my son, Andrey. Where did you see him? Is he OK?" She wanted to ask if he mentioned her, if he missed her...And where were Xulia and Viorel?

currently travelling with walleye

She still shivered against him, lightly, and he observed this with tension in his body—unsure if he should move closer or just stay where he was, which was really quite close enough considering he only knew her name and the names of her children. That was not to say being bundled up against another wolf in a way he had not for quite some time was uncomfortable or unpleasant. Having her next to him was drinking from the cold river beside them: chilling and yet... it watered his body and refreshed him. But the questions it came with, constantly racing around his head as his nose began to twitch and burn and he wondered if he lifted up his paw to scratch the itch if it would startle Sita.

Now he was staring at her with his neck pinched and muzzle pressed down to his throat as she tilted her head back to look at him. Her eyes quivered with an emotion that he understood but could not, for the life of him, name. Andrey. Azra was not a mother, he had never borne children; so he could only stare back at her—up, at her, really, as she was so much taller—August lake eyes full of feeling. He lightly prodded the air with his muzzle, "North of here the river leads to an old forest of red ferns. He was looking for the ocean. He seemed..." Momentarily he hesitated. He didn't want to make things sound dire, but Andrey hadn't exactly seemed okay. "Stressed but healthy."

"He said he had been dropped on the western side of the mountain in a burnt forest."

Sita listened, rapt, excited. Still cold, but less so. Still, she shivered at some unfelt breeze. The muscles beneath her skin twitched. Though only moments ticked by, the discomfort of the situation (and position) began to fade. He was the keeper of news that made them close now. He would be dragged into her life whether he liked it or not. Because undoubtedly they would see each other again, and the news would be passed on.

Follow the river to the red ferns. She held this in her mind. It was important. Not just to find him, but for her own map of this strange place. Stressed. Healthy. Words she wanted to hear. Words that she felt. Deeply. Was there something worse than stress? Hm. Sita licked her lips anxiously. "How long ago was this? Do you think he may still be on this side of the mountain?" Traversing a mountain seemed foolish and she had just allied with Walleye. Ah well.

currently travelling with walleye

"Uuuuahhhh...mmm..." How long ago had it been? He couldn't remember exactly. Before he had run into Marian. Azra felt a little guilty that he could not come up with an exact answer. "Couple weeks, maybe? I couldn't really say. He didn't seem like he was gunna stay put, very restless." Since Andrey hadn't mentioned that he had been dropped with his siblings Azra could not have known that he would have returned to the other side of the mountain for them. It just seemed like the dark boy would have kept moving, possibly in search of the sea.

"But seeing as this side is pretty empty I think maybe he would have been better off on the west? Idunno..." Helplessness tugged at the corner of his mouth as he shrugged a "sorry". He felt so awful and mostly useless to these stolen wolves that had arrived in his homeland. They all had so many questions and he could only attempt a few answers.

Of course Sita would have appreciated more information. But when you start with absolutely nothing, anything is something. To hear that it been a number of weeks was discouraging, but good enough to know. It seemed wise to cross the mountain, even if it would be a greatly unpleasant journey in the freezing weather. If Andrey had been dropped west, then perhaps his siblings had too. Finding them there seemed likely.

Hopefully Andrey hadn't crossed the mountain alone.

"I appreciate what you have to give," she shook her head at his shrug. "It seems as though west is my next destination." Her eyes turned in the direction of the mountain. There was definitely a conversation she'd need to have with Walleye first.

currently travelling with walleye

Azra shrugged again, apprehensive to imagine this woman going over the mountain onto the very chaotic west side. He had never been, obviously, but neither had his father. The Donata wolves were eastern stock. His mother, on the other hand, had seen a lot: the mountains, the west, everywhere, and her stories as a kid had left him deeply nervous about the number of packs and the drama. On top of that, they were in the dead of winter. "You'll have to be careful if that's your goal. If it weren't your kids... I'd honestly say wait until spring."

Wait anyway...

"The mountains aren't as steep the farther south you go. It's more manageable. There are tunnels as well, if you're lucky enough to spot them." There was no way to give her an accurate description of the tunnel's entrance. Azra wasn't even sure he'd be able to find it again on his own. "Then they end up north and you can go around, at least that's what I hear. I haven't been up that far."

The directions were so loose that it only strengthened his sense of uselessness. Sita probably would have been able to figure out going south or north on her own. Or, sure, she was healthy. She could just go straight over. "Say, I could accompany you if you'd like? I have a travel companion, Marian, but she'd probably be interested in tagging along. It's not like we've anything else to do right now."

Sita was beginning to warm up a bit and she shifted her shoulders gently, to not assault him with her bones. He had done a wonderful job acting as blanket, but she had to unstiffen her joints a bit. Sita let out a slight sigh as he went on. Waiting until spring probably was the wiser choice. But there was so much time between now and then. Too much. She wouldn't allow herself to glower at the statement, only revealing the vague emotion of some kind of disappointment? with the sigh. Because he went on with some helpful mountain tips, which was better than "wait it out".

She listened intently, making small tips with her head as he spoke. The tunnels seemed interesting. But probably too much of a risk to try and seek out. Seemed more like a thing to do in spring time. Or summer. If she was even still here. His offer was surprising. Now she was on the other side of charity. However, this was valuable to her. Help was always welcome. And perhaps it would stretch beyond just a journey over the mountain. Sita smiled. "I'd appreciate that, you and your friend. You seem to know more about this area than I do."

currently travelling with walleye

wrap this up here? we can start another thread after the marian+azra one progresses enough, or possibly marian+azra will walk to sita in their current one xD we'll see

Awkwardly—so as not to jostle, disturb, or touch Sita unnecessarily—Azra got to his feet. "Great! I'll discuss with Marian and we'll let you know!" Azra was smiling widely. Already he started to feel a lot lighter, unburdened by his feelings of helplessness. He could do something, help someone. Sita didn't need to just wander off hoping to make it around the mountain on her own. What he didn't realize—because he was just a dumb boy in the end—was that they were really cutting it close to the time of the year that the female wolves would start to go into heat, which might have some... interesting consequences. No, he was blissfully unaware.

"I'm sure I'm pretty rusty, I didn't travel too far as a kid, but what I don't know I'll make up for in stories to pass the time." Eagerly he was already turning away, hoping to go find Marian. One leg hanging in the air, he twisted his neck so that he could see her over his shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow? I'll let you know either way."