let it go

Gentle, her paws fell upon the snow, leaving print after print in succession. Gentle, she commanded herself in mother's voice, the word echoing in her brain. Gentle was not the avalanche that lost her from her family, nor was it the snowstorm that preceded it, nor was it the small pack she had attempted to join in an effort to stay alive. Gentle was not the world, not at all, and yet she could not get those two syllables to quit ringing in her ears.

Her teeth ground one against another, pressing her dark lips into a thin line as she carried on against the wind. Ever since she left that odd group of wolves Quick had been traveling north, though the north seemed to resist her arrival. The snow fall was light, but persistent, and with every relentless minute she felt her inner flame flickering out of existence. She was cold, and tired, and hardly resembled the princess she'd so long been. Each step turned her heart more and more to stone and she did almost humor herself into falling beneath the weight, allowing her body to be covered by the endless winter - but only for a second, until her mother's voice crept from the darkness within and whispered, gentle, once more.

As irritated as she was even with the memory of her mother (who truly, she missed beyond compare) the pale wolf couldn't help but obey. And so she lifted one leg, then the other, repeated the pattern and somehow, ended up here - wherever that was. All she knew was she was far, far from where she'd woken up post-avalanche and her legs were burning, from cold or from use, and begging for a rest. Relishing a pause she lifted her dark nose to test the air for the water she had been following, picking out the scent of ice from the snow's interference. Much to her muscles' dismay she continued on, for she was close, and the sooner she found that water the easier it would be to find shelter.

Moments later she found the source: a lagoon coated in ice and hidden by the flurries. A faint glow cast off its delicate surface, drawing the Arctic-blooded female closer and closer until her black-padded toes pressed against the frosted surface. There was nothing beyond the vast pool of water, just whiteness for as far as she could see. This was no place for a lost girl, royal or not, but here she was anyway... and there was nothing she could do about it. The wind howled in her white ears, drowning out the chorus of her past. Perhaps it was her mother's voice that roused her, but it was she who carried her body, and mother wasn't around any more. Brows lowering in a frown she sat at the ice's edge, curiously meeting her pale-eyed reflection, and contemplated if she wanted to continue on this way: lost, aimless, and gentle.

. quicksilver

A frown was almost always stitched onto Semananti's face, it made her appear tougher than she knew she was. She was perfectly aware and she was comfortable with it. Her amber eyes had a cold gaze to them and she felt her legs start to ache. She was turning into Skana it seemed, and she was only half the older woman's age. As a runner, Semananti knew what she was doing. She was scouting out the lagoon. The lagoon where Guiness, who was one of her only friends, had saved her life. It was the lagoon that she had first found back shortly after she found Elettra and the pack. The girl had become mellow and monotone since she was last at the lagoon. Now it was just a frozen over piece of water.

She loved everything about the Ridge and her life there, but things had changed her personality, her number one goal was still to serve Artemis and all the other Greek gods and goddesses, but she felt like she was stumbling out of place. She couldn't quite put her paw on what was different, but something was indeed different. The scars that permanently etched into her fur and skin were stung by the bitter wind. It was freezing out, and she would love to simply return to the pack den, but that wasn't going to happen. Sema wasn't one to budge when it came to getting her job done when she wanted to do it. Going out in the middle of winter helped to shape the stamina and endurance that she often hid during spring, summer, and fall.

At first she had not seen the white wolf, but when she did, she immediately took caution in what she did. "Hello." She called out with force, she was one to be awkward in social situations so she wasn't too sure how to react. After all, she was known for two things; scouting and killing. But killing didn't happen so often when she was in the Ridge. Only before and when she had gone on absence once.

How different it was to look at herself now. There was a hollow quality to her face which gave her anxiety to see the rest of her body, wondering if there were bones jutting from her sides like some sort of mutated monster rather than the graceful beauty she had needed to be. With a grimace she continued her inspection, silver eyes roving her distorted reflection on the ice's surface. Angry. Why did she look so angry? Perhaps it was because she was squinting against the snow fall. Or perhaps she just was - though anger is an undesirable quality in a lady, the voice reminded her.

The blustering winds had disguised the stranger's approach, so when the word cut through the snow storm to reach her white ears it felt not unlike a sneak attack. Bristling with shock the Arctic female rose from her seat and spun on her heels to face an adversary. Her ears flattened against her skull, jaws parting to flash her teeth for only a reckless moment before she managed to remind herself to behave. There was no fight she could win here, and so she had to deny her pounding heart the defenses it wanted to take. No point baring teeth that hadn't seen meat in weeks.

She swallowed the feelings of helplessness in her chest, though the icy pinch of fear continued to course through her veins, and picked out the earthen-hued wolf between snowflakes. From the distance she could not see the scars marring the older wolf's face - probably for the better. Quick was scared enough as it was, though she would much deny the fact. Her tail waved uncertainly by her heels, her fur in a jagged disarray along her spine as she tempted the follicles to relax out of an earlier aggression. She had learned to dominate those beneath her, but she had learned to submit to those above as well, and the snowy female did what she could to remember her training.

She humored the idea of running. Since the sudden arrival of another she couldn't help but imagine the worst of conflicts on its way, and that was something she was not equipped to deal with. Her hind claws gripped the icy edge of the lagoon where she stood and she realized there was no where to go. It was an act of defiance, then, that she pushed open her fear-cemented jaws and called out somewhat limply, "Who's there?"

. quicksilver

Look Out!

A fight broke out between two male mountain goats. Hunt Opportunity

Sorry this took so long to get up

Semananti Whurshire Sema observed the female like she always had, holding the frown on her face. Frowing is good for you. you exercise more muscles than smiling. She told herself with a devious plan. The plan however, was interrupted by the scent of food. This food... it would be helpful come winter, and when the female asked who was there, Semananti forced a smile on her muzzle and tried to talk nicely. "Semananti of Willow Ridge is 'who is there'." She replied coolly and nonchalantly. The scent of mountain goat grew stronger and while Sema wanted to hunt it, she wasn't very good with hunts. This was knowledge that she had shared with Elettra and Kasai alone, no other wolf. The food would be good for the pack, but she couldn't bring it down alone. She would be crazy to ask for a loners help, she barely knew her, but it wasn't a first either. She took a deep breathe and spoke again. "I've been tracking a mountain goat, I hadn't realized I can carried out this far and it is too far away to call for my pack. Would you mind helping me bring it down? I assure you that you will get your fill. Huntresses honor." She explained her situation to the female, though she had not actually been tracking the deer. This wolf did not need to know about the small fib that she had told. The fact was that she was offering to hunt with the female and she would give her some food as an exchange for her effort. They told me I could be anything, so I became a Huntress of Artemis and a servant of the Ridge...

No need to apologize! :)

The gaze that sought her beneath that ruddy furrowed brow was hardened, matching the coldness within Quick's own. Surprisingly she gave over her identity without qualm, the move of either a proud or stupid wolf - and Quick had no reason to believe this Semananti girl to be stupid. Fearing her lack of manners might be her downfall, the pallid girl held her tongue. The restless air between them remained silent not much longer. As a scent rolled in not too far from them - two scents, even - the other wolf was quick to explain it and even quicker to propose a bargain.

She could smell the other girl's prey trail and had no reason to believe she was lying about tracking it. Her huntress' honor, on the other paw, was something the silver-eyed girl remained skeptical of. She could very well use her help and take all the spoils, and there would be nothing for Quick to do about it. The lone wolf paled in comparison to her would-be hunting partner. But the possibility of her telling the truth in such a trying winter was too risky to ignore. With the constant snowfall it was harder to track scents and trails disappeared in an instant. Quick eyed Semananti, her decision made.

"On your honor," she agreed, and turned her body toward the oncoming scent. However, since the trail was the Ridge wolf's to begin with, she made no move to take up the pursuit first. Whenever the tawny wolf made a move, she would follow. In the mean time, she reduced their chances of error with a miniature survey. "Would you chase, or lunge?" The arctic-blood had no problem with either, though her lanky build suggested she was a better runner than fighter. When push came to shove - as it certainly had - she would do any job that was needed, and gladly.

. quicksilver

Semananti Whurshire Semananti gave the question some thought before answering with a whole-hearted tone. "I lunge." She responded swiftly. "I'll circle around and hide in the blind spots. You can decide when it starts since you will chase." She said, almost taking command of the situation, her eyes studied the surroundings as she snaked through the trees by the lagoon, wading through the snow and never taking her eyes off the prey once she could see the goat. Silence is key, silence is everything. These are traits needed for a hunt. She told herself rather confidently, her eyes focused on the enemy, the goat. She gets her fill, but the rest goes to Willow Ridge. She told herself, having no intention of going back on her deal. Once she was in position she waited to see the chase begin. She looked at Quick and waited, waited for the right time. Her scarred pelt blending in as best she could make it with the snow and surroundings. The day was cold and frigid, but it should be expected for winter. Semananti was cold, but not to the point of shivering. She thought back to some of the 'glory days' as she called them. This was, of course, when she had been with the other huntresses. They had all roamed the land and all had been happy, until that damned Damayanti, the leader, had left and had a mate. That was the worst offense to her, a Huntress of Aretmis detests the presence of men. Lest we forget

Quick took no offense to the wolf's authoritative tone. Hunts worked better with a strong command and she preferred harmony over dissonance. The reins were better handed to someone else than her, someone who could promise on a hunter's honor like Semananti. With a nod of approval from the snowy-coated female she moved away, swift but quietly-placed steps taking her down the trail to their prey.

The female froze once the warring goats were in sight, too wrapped up in their testosterone-fueled display to notice the wolves. The winter winds quieted for a moment, concealing the two she-wolves' positions. Silver eyes sought her hunting partner's position, locating it quickly, having little confidence that the wind would remain so kind to them for long. It hid their locations now, but in an instant it could sweep along the closeness of their scents and they would both be out a meal. The area surrounding the lagoon was incredibly open. The goats could run any way they pleased, and Quick feared that they wouldn't have the strength to give chase for forever with just the two of them. Her approach would have to be perfect to corral one, hopefully both, toward the tawny wolf if they wanted to eat today.

Adrenaline surged in her veins, muscles tightening with anticipation. That was enough hesitating. The time was now. In silence she ripped from her position, charging opposite of Semananti's position to try and force the goats that way. They noticed her at once, but it was her snarl that distinguished her from a snow storm and sent them into panic. The goats fled in the same direction, though the smaller of the two seemed uncertain of his course of action. Regardless of Semananti's action Quick kept up the pursuit. They would feel her hot breath on their heels. She'd soon taste their sweet blood on her tongue.

. quicksilver

Semananti watched as Quick rushed the goats for all they had and a smile caught her muzzle. She waited for the time when they would attempt to pass her before she lunged full force at them. She leapt at the, aiming to perhaps give them a bump... no, she aimed for the kill. She attempted to jump and grab onto the necks of one of the goats. She felt the blood rush into her mouth as the goat started to fall to the ground. She had hit the neck, and she had bitten between the first and second invertebrate on the spine. Her eyes held a fire in them, a passion for the larger hunts where she could be of use. When she was alone, she scavenged, but no more. She would eat her fill tonight.

When it fell, the other got away from her, but the one goat alone would give them both a good fill. She released the neck and licked her lips. "A promise is a promise. Please, take your fill first." She allowed the girl who had helped near the deer to take her fill. The rest would go to Sema and eventually Willow Ridge. "Ya got a nice Hunters build to ya. Tell me, why aren't you in a pack? Its winter." She asked the female. "Also, I never caught yer name." She was catching some weird voice disease. She wasn't talking like her proper and normal self. She hoped it would end soon. Semananti didn't want to talk like that.

The sound of the outside world zeroed out into silence as she watched the hunt end in slow motion. Her paws pounded against the ground, spraying snow behind her. Semananti lunged, a tawny missile shooting from behind the snow. One goat leaped away, sprinted away, desperate to flee the scene. The other balked, and died. The wolf's teeth closed in around its neck. Quick had never been able to read the eyes of prey but she imagined the light of hope dying out like a candle in the wind, flickering to nothing as blood ran red down its white neck.

Time returned to normal. She skidded to a halt where Semananti released her hold. The smile upon the arctic wolf's face matched the pride of the hunter's eyes. Quick wasted no time following the female's invitation to eat. She hadn't been able to in some time, and now she certainly would. She struggled to hear Semananti's words over the taste of meat as her canines tore into the flesh of the downed goat. The heat of the kill was always so much more satisfying in the winter, if not for any other reason than she felt like they were defying death. The frost nipped at her toes and the wind made her eyes water - but the warmth of the dead brought back her morale, every time.

Swallowing what had ended up being more than she could chew (literally) she looked up from the feast, tongue snaking from her mouth to lick the blood of her nose. Her white fur was stained pink from the meal, looking a bit more funny than it did savage, but Quick could care less as long as her belly was full. "I'm Quicksilver. Quick, for short," she began, not hesitant to name herself after this wolf had helped her. The other question was harder to answer discretely. She replied, "I've been traveling. Hence, no pack."

. quicksilver