Secluded Spring Angst on the planks

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She had been tracking a herd of caribou when she fell prey to the feeling of thirst. She'd thought the pains in her stomach had been from hunger, but perhaps she'd been wrong- it was impossible to tell, and the longer she went without food the less patience she had. While snow lay in a thick blanket all around her, it would not do. Others might have been satisfied to simply scoop up a mouthful, allow it to melt and hen carry on, Felicity would not be contented so easily. And so she scoped out a divot in the countryside, indicative that either a stream or a river had carved its way through the sloping hills and made her way toward it at a purposeful trot.

Dried vines crackled and snapped apart as she pushed her way through a thicket, grimacing and muttering to herself as bits of dried leaves tangled their way into her fur. Such an inconvenience- and if there was anything she could hunt down in the area, it would now know that she was there. Eventually, she pulled herself free from the tangle of thin, brown vines and found the streambed where the water was frozen.

She dithered this way and that, until she found a place where the ice showed through the snow, and she could see the water bubbling below the surface. The ice was thick enough that it held her weight without a single complaint which really should have told her that for one as fine-boned as her, it would be impenetrable. But she began to paw away at it, until she realized that did no good. Her next step was to pounce- trying to slam her little front paws down on the ice with enough force to crack it, but it would not yield. And with each pounce she huffed and puffed, and eventually began to yip in frustration every time she pounded the ice, only to see it would not give in to her demands.

(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2021, 07:40 PM by Felicity.)

Neo had gotten himself turned around while crossing the mountains. One morning he'd been able to see the plains in the distance below the mountains. The next day it was forest below him. He worried just how far off he was now. How much extra time the crossing of the mountains had added to his travels. Then again he wasn't actually sure where he'd crossed them the first time he was here. Back then he'd had help from a local pack wolf. Now he just wished he'd paid more attention back then. But he hadn't so he'd been forced to try and cross them using the tails used by other animals. This had of crouse let him cross rather safely but deer and goats rarely took the quickest path when they graised.

So now after a few days on rocky slopes with the wind howling in his ears. He was at the foot of the mountain the ground soft and covered in snow that crackled under his paws. The snow was mostly undisturbed and showed no signs of larger predators. Which he was thankful for, the last thing he wanted was to run into a gang of coyotes or a bear. However, the sound of branches snapping did reach his ears and for a moment he paused and looked around. Had he missed something? Surely not. There were no lingering scents in the air, no signs of a pack or gang of predators. Perhaps he should get a move on and get out of this area just in case. Even if he didn't know the forest around him he knew he wasn't that far from his goal. He'd keep heading west and maybe backtrack east for a while and if he was lucky he'd find the orchard.  

Moving forward in a light trot he heard the strange noise but ignored it determined to avoid a confrontation with whatever lingered nearby. At least until wolfish yips followed along with the odd sound. Someone was nearby? But that sound... it didn't sound like they were in pain but also wasn't a cry of joy. Neo didn't hesitate for long before he changed direction towards the sound. As much as he needed to find his sister he didn't wanna leave someone who sounded like they were in trouble.

As he pushed through the leafless bushes and scrubs he found himself by the shore of a lake. Just a bit ahead of him a dark-colored yearling was out on the ice seemingly attempting to break it. The blond Hervok allowed a short woof to leave his lips as he halted and waited for her to see him. He didn't wanna spook her and risk a confrontation, but if she needed help he wouldn't just walk away. "You need help miss?"

Neo Hervok

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(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2021, 03:33 PM by Neo.)

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After every few emphatic pounces she would stop to scrabble furiously at the ice with her paws, though her dull claws only served to make the surface of the ice somewhat cloudy, to the point where it was difficult to see the water again. She continued to pounce and pound away at the spot, emitting her high-pitched yips in contempt and frustration until she finally tossed her head back to shake out some of the stiffness that'd begun to settle into her shoulders in time to see another wolf approaching. She received his greeting with a slight snort, and a narrowing of her eyes. Her feud with the ice would have to wait; she did not like the idea that someone had seen her acting so foolishly. She probably looked like a coyote, with those little pounces she'd done- and she certainly wasn't in the mood to be called coyote-like.

But he'd definitely seen her- and now he came toward her with a calm sway to his gait, nothing threatening to his posture even though he dwarfed her in frame. Through a patch of light he padded, revealing the glint of blonde fur that marbled across his back in a way that made Felicity mildly jealous. She'd always wished she'd been blonde, rather than dark, with reddish accents. He offered assistance and she huffed slightly. She didn't like that he implied that she needed help. No, she would only take help when she demanded it, because she was not a helpless creature. And so- she would demand it.

"The ice. I need you to break a hole in it." She said, as she stepped back to the snowy bank, where she could sit, curl her tail about her somewhat sore paws, and wait for him to obey her request.

(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2021, 07:38 PM by Felicity.)

His greeting is met with a snort.

The blond Hervok isn't quite sure how to take this. Part of him wants to remind her she's talking to someone her senior but he also aware they are both roughs. Neither have any superiority over the other and life alone especially during the colder months is hard. So he would be the older wolf the one who behaved properly against her young chaos.  With that in mind, he dipped his head and wagged his tail in neutral friendliness. The she-wolf seemed young likely not more than just a yearling if even that. He felt bad for her, felt worried she was all alone so small so young. Like he and Nia had been alone and young.

The young wolf huffed but seemingly accepted his help and he nods his head. She needs the ice broken and with her small frame, she could be pounding away at the surface all day to no avail. Neo watched her step back and sit down her posture appearing composed and refind to him.  Perhaps she had been born into a pack and chosen to disperse? He found it odd she seemed too young to chose to leave. The blond Hervok set into motion moving past her onto the ice his larger frame testing the ice as he stood. It didn't give way and for a moment he wonders if he'd even be able to break it. Then he pulls himself from the ice his front paws hovering in the air for a second before he slams them down into the surface with as much force as he can muster. The impact sends a sharp spike of pain through his front legs and into his shoulders. He isn't hurt his body just complains from the sudden hit and he grunts for a moment before doing it again.

It takes him a few tries before the sound of the ice makes him stop and has him looking down at the scratched surface under his paws. Almost there, at least he hopes so as he once again rises to hit the ice. It takes another few hits before the frozen surface gives way and his paws are sent into the frozen water. It's cold, weary cold. Neo is quick to pull himself free of the water and ice backing up until he is back at the bank. He looks towards the brown yearling with a soft smile on his lips "There be careful not to get wet the waters freezing" he offers as he starts licking his paws trying to dry them and warm his paw pads.

Neo Hervok

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Without any complaint, he moved in to take her place on the ice and she found herself silently pleased with his obedience. He might make a suitable squire for her- at least until her family found her, anyway. She watched as he collected himself and then pounced at the ice, and it made a much different sound in response to his weight than it had to hers, and she was impressed. Potentially even charmed. While he didn't crack the ice on his first attempt, she could have sworn she'd seen the entire surface of the stream bow down a little bit beneath his show of will and might. After a few more strikes, he'd managed to crack the surface, plunging forward following his momentum which brought him through the ice and into the water. Fortunately, the hole it too small, and the stream too shallow for it to present any risk of grabbing hold of him and carrying him beneath the ledge.

She was pleased further when he drew back, and offered her the right to drink first, even with a friendly smile on his lips. Her mood brightened significantly, to have found someone who knew how to treat nobility without having to be ordered around. So she moved forward with a graceful prowl and came to the edge of the gap in the ice. "Very well done," She purred. It wasn't exactly a thank you, but it wasn't in her nature to thank others for a service they were expected to provide. A compliment was generally hard-earned, and she felt as though her compliment had been more than gracious enough. She heeded his warning and crouched, gingerly, to drink from the waters. It was very cold- no wonder the ice had frozen so thick- but she was also very thirsty, and lapped it up without a moment of hesitation.

But after only a few sips, she felt an ache at the back of her mouth- at the very roof of it, she thought- that spread up and through her jaw and into what felt like her entire brain and eye cavities. "AhhhhhHHHHHHHH!" She complained, skittering backwards, her jaws hanging open, a few little water droplets dripping from her whiskers. She came to a halt in a crouch, her eyes squinted shut but watering at the corners as she felt the throbbing intensify from her brainfreeze. "Owwwowwwowwww-" She moaned, before she rediscovered just enough of her dignity to shout "DON'T LOOK AT ME!" pre-emptively before she continued to moan and whine, covering her muzzle with both of her paws as she begged for the cold, sudden shock of brainfreeze to subside. How humiliating.

(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2021, 07:42 PM by Felicity. Edit Reason: chuckin' in me table! )

In all honesty, Neo hadn't let her drink first out of chivalry. No, he'd just wanted to rid his legs off the cold water from the stream. He could always drink later and he'd rather ensure his health and limbs over lapping up a few mouthfuls of water. No to mention water at this temperature wasn't the most comfortable thing to drink. It was simply just too cold unless you intended to drink slowly drop for drop.

The Hervok huffed happily in response to her words. A compliment as far as he could tell and he was happy to accept it. He'd done quite well bashing through the ice providing them with a spot to drink, even if the water wasn't at an optimal temperature. Neo wasn't really paying attention to her as she drank he was far more focused on licking his legs dry and trying to warm his poor paw pads. However, when a sudden shirk echoed from her he snapped his head back up towards her watching her skitter around with a strange expression on her face. Worry flooded him as he watched her whine and moan seeming to be almost in pain. Had the water been stale? Contaminated? Fear flushed through his mind as he whined worried and jumped to his feet heading towards her despite her outburst.

"What happened are you hurt?" he asked as he went closer towards her head hung low and ears pinned back eye filed with worry. He wasn't a healer if the water had been bad he wouldn't know what to do. His tail twitched nervously behind him as his eyes followed her face trying to catch her eyes to determine if she was in pain. "I don't know medicine... what should I do?" he asked confused worried and unsure... Neo was no healer, he was a guardian a protector, not a herbalist... but what were the chances she would know? He didn't wanna see her hurt or worse die because of him... he should have cheeked the water... The blond Hervok didn't even realize he'd licked off the same water when he dried his legs.

Neo Hervok

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You smell the remains of an elk nearby. Enjoy your feast! +10 Health

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The throbbing pain behind her eyes was almost unbearable, but what irked her the most perhaps was how horrible she must have looked. She had lost every ounce of her composure when the pain had struck, creeping in through the nerves at the roof of her mouth which had recoiled at the water's cool touch. She moaned in agony, pathetically huddled against the ground with her forepaws over her muzzle to hide the pained expression on her face. "Just stayawayfromme!" She pleaded. She was a pitiful, wretched mess- though just as the pain seemed to reach the very edge of her threshold, it began to fade away. The kind wolf admitted he knew no medicines but she shook her head from side to side beneath her paws for a moment. The pain receded, leaving behind little more than a mild, dull ache in her temple.

Still, that didn't free her of the shame of having been seen in such a pitiful state. With a soft sniff, she lifted herself into a seated position, avoiding eye contact for several moments while she lifted one forepaw and daintily rubbed at her temple. "Ohh, what misery," She complained, pouting still in the aftermath of having made such an atrocious scene in front of a stranger. But if she couldn't be the elegant, poised heiress she was, she could just as easily play the fainting princess. This angle often got her the right kind of attention as well.

Her expression was still slightly pained, though Felicity knew how to look pretty while still expressing any emotion. Even if she was furious, she tried to at least look bedazzling at the same time. So she fit a tremble to her lip, and a light tremor to her shoulders as she finally gazed up at him with sad, puppy-dog eyes. "I fear...I might be a bit faint. I've been travelling for miles, and I...I haven't eaten hardly at all..." She said. She was making excuses for herself- but also trying to make hints. Usually, when she stated how she felt, wolves simply took the hint and did things for her. She was quite accustomed to having everything she needed provided for her- and the sheltered young heiress would go on to assume the same treatment might be resumed by all others she met.

(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2021, 08:44 PM by Felicity.)

Neo felt helpless watching her huddled together on the ground her face hidden by her paws. Should he try and keep her warm? He knew that if this was really bad being huddled down into the snow likely wasn't helping her. But her constant begging for him to stay away made him worry she might lash out if he tried to help her keep warm. Besides he was a stranger to her and her to him. Though it appeared whatever it was passed as the brown girl rose to a sitting position a paw hovering on her face. Was she okay? had it passed already?

Neo watched her worry shining deep in his eyes. His almost crouched frame lingered in its position before he relaxed a bit and sat down. He was still watching the girl as if she would drop into another fit of pain any second. She complained and he regarded her with some worry and curiosity. She seemed okay now, did that mean she wouldn't drop dead? Maybe? She'd seemed strong enough before she started drinking. Wait drinking... she'd been basically running a mile trying to break the ice open and then she gulped down ice-cold water. Hadn't his mentor once told him not to drink ice water or eat snow right after a training session or long border run? Neo had followed his advice and had never had a brain freeze before. And he was weary happy to have followed it as he did not wanna experience whatever had just happened to the young girl.

The Blond Hervok felt somewhat relieved and saddened as she explained part of her situation. She'd been traveling for a while and had been having trouble hunting. Surely that would make any wolf more likely to get sick from ice water or working on the ice. Neo felt bad for her and offered her a sad comforting smile. "I'm sorry to hear" he offered a worried look traced her frame as she kept shivering. "How about we work together to hunt when you've recovered from whatever that was?" he offered. He was weary certain she'd be fine soon, she'd seen determined and capable when she'd struggled with the ice. So if they worked together when she caught her breath surly they could fill her stomach. And his... Neo wasn't exactly lightly build so hunting wasn't his strong suit. But she seemed light and speedy if she chased he could ambush... yes that would make a great plan. "I can offer you help to get your warmth back if you need it. After that, we can hunt. A simple chase and ambush tactic should work well for the two of us" he offered as he watched her waiting to see what she would say... and potentially still being slightly worried that the cold fit wasn't over...

Neo Hervok

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