RE: The stars are unusually bright tonight. Maybe because it's also unusually cold.. brr.
Mako felt like he'd slept for centuries, but it was still dark all around him as he opened his eyes. He wasn't even sure what had woken him at first, and he tried with little success to fall back asleep. Until he realized it was nature's call and he'd never fall asleep if he tried to hold it all the rest of the long night. Mako managed to extract himself from the dogpile his little family had made for warmth, careful to not step on any paws or noses on his way out of the small cave.
Fuck it was cold out here! Mako's teeth were chattering so hard he thought they might vibrate straight out of his skull. The boy gingerly picked his way down the little goat track. His breath instantly fogged before him in a mist, and he danced from paw to paw over the snow and rocks so that his toes didn't have to stay in contact with the ground for longer than necessary. He only tripped once; he was finally getting the hang of climbing up and down this oversized rock.
Once on flat ground he put his snout to the ground, snuffing about for the appropriate spot. His nose lead him to a rather well-used rock. He circled around, sniffing at all the scents left behind by his packmates. The most recent of which was that big male with the ugly mug. The shark smirked, turning himself abreast with the rock as he gallantly lifted his leg. With great gusto he covered the stone with his own eau de toilette, it so cold out he was surprised it didn't freeze before it hit the ground. He admired his handiwork with an appreciative nose. This was his rock now, at least for the night.