Pik, pik, pik, pik, pik. Silence resumed within the darkness behind Enoki's sealed eyelids. Pik, pik, pik, pik, pik the noise came again warranting an idle flick of a single audit to and fro. Dawn had barely began to peek over the horizon and intertwine the first pinkish hued rays of sunlight through the whip like boughs of the willows as the bi toned wolf began to stir, the filtered light slowly illuminating the entrance to her chilled, secluded den. There was something different in the air, in her this morning as the piebald female arose. Ebony limbs sprawled out in front of herself to stretch away the last traces of sleep from the once slumbering body, a salmon tongue uncurling from between parted jowls before a high pitched yawn followed suit. The heat from her breath transforming into a thin cloud of vapor.
A subtle groan of protest passed over leathery lips during the process of rising to all fours, joints feeling more sore than usual that frigid morning. Not much thought was given to the dull and bearable ache, though, its source credited to the kerfuffle of yesterday's tumble into Yvly; or Crystal as the tawny female preferred to be called, when the truth of the matter was that the unique coated woman was feeling the first symptoms of her elder years. What would begin as minor occasional aches today brushed off as a hard days work would begin to gradually grow worst for the aging Timber wolf with each passing year from this point on. Already Enoki's sixth year was rapidly approaching. Slinking out from beneath the tangled roots of an equally mature willow tree it took a few fleeting moments for dark amber irises to adjust to the sudden change in brightness.
Pik, pik, pik, pik, pik. Pik, pik, pik, pik, pik came the nuisance that awoke the Ridge subordinate. Where is that coming from? she grumbled mentally, gaze panning all about in search of the sounds maker. Nothing but blankets of collected snow greeted her eyes, silence ringing in her ears. There were no signs of the others being roused from their dreams yet to mark them of being possible culprits either. Pik, pik, pik, pik, pik it came once more and this time a soft fluttering of wings accompanied it. This caught the attention of Enoki, skull turning to catch a glimpse of the obvious bird that was making the early hour ruckus. Overhead a downy woodpecker flew between the barren branches warranting an exasperated sigh. I was really disturbed by a woodpecker..?
Annoyance began to appear on tired facial features as lithe limbs turned about to pad back towards the warmth and more sleep the dug out hole promised, embodiment collapsing unceremoniously inside with a gruff huff. Her plush ivory dipped tail the only indication the Ashrelle woman resigned inside as it lay partially exposed against the contrasting foreground of the outside snow. Today was not her day.