calm and cold

This had to be the worst snowstorm he had ever seen, without a damned doubt. Icy winds whipped all around the dark one, and if that was not unpleasant enough, heavy, blinding snowfall made it impossible to see much of anything beyond a few steps past his nose. He had a vague idea of where he was, but the storm made keeping any kind of solid direction damn near impossible. Jethro was cold. Snow and ice had stuck to his coat long ago, and he could feel his reserves dwindling with each passing moment. But, the dark one did not feel panicked, not for his own sake, anyway.

Instead, his thoughts extended to the rest of his pack. He hoped they were faring better than he. Especially, the children and two packmates nobody had seen for quite some time now. Specifically, his first friend, Nori. Wherever she had gone, he hoped she was alright. He was the last one to judge, but Jet knew now how she must’ve felt when he had left initially, and it was not a particularly nice feeling.

He was not sure if he’d ever see her, or anyone again though if he didn’t find some kind of shelter. Only the obscure forms of nearby trees and boulders were visible around him through the white-out, but perhaps that would be enough. Pushing onward, the dark one picked out the silhouette of a toppled evergreen resting over a sizable stone and worked his way toward it, crawling beneath to use the makeshift shelter as a wind block. Jet dug at the snow and frozen ground there, painstakingly working to carve out a makeshift den for himself.

By the time he felt it deep enough, his already frozen paws were cut and bleeding, but at least Jet was able to wriggle inside of the space. Here, he could get out of the wind and immediate snowfall. And by tucking all of his limbs up close to his torso, began to feel warmth returning to his body. And with little else to do, he resolved to settle in and tend to his injured feet.  

RE for anyone interested - Sanguine Cove, a howling, keening blizzard blasts your territory, making it both hazardous and uncomfortable to be out in the open.

The snowstorm was the worst Nash had ever seen, and it seemed to be going on forever. He didn't want to go out into he howling winds and air so cold he felt as if his nose would fall off within moments. He was more glad than ever that Chan had agreed to stay with the pack for the winter; if this was the precedent, no wolf should be alone.

It was with that in mind that he dragged himself from his cozy hideaway and ventured into the blinding fray to make sure everyone else was sheltered and safe. The last thing they needed was for someone to get lost and wander off a ridge somewhere. He moved slowly, keeping track of where he'd been and the dim shapes that loomed around him. Visibility was almost zero. Every time he opened his mouth to call out, the wind sucks the breath from his lungs and he had to shudder on. He really hoped no one was here and his journey had been in vain; better for him to be sure everyone else was safe.

Finally Nash stumbled, and looking down he realized there were other tracks in the snow, quickly disappearing under the storm's aggression. He couldn't make out exactly who the scent belonged to, but there was a scent there. Nash took a deep, slow breath, and forced a call. "Hello?"

Moment by moment, bit by bit, the sensation of feeling and warmth started to return to his frozen ears and nose. It started with that uncomfortable, prickly sensation, although that was far preferable to.. losing feeling in them entirely. The bleeding in his paws, too, began to ease as he tended them, although in place of the bleeding, Jethro felt the stinging pain of each cut. But it was better than freezing.

He didn’t suppose it would take long for the heavy snowfall to bury him in this hole completely, which.. might not actually be a bad thing. At least he’d be insulated against the cold and wind. Completely alone, but safe. With exhaustion setting in, sleep became more tempting with each passing moment. A muffled call, though, that sounded an awful lot like someone calling out for help almost instantly brought worry. Thankfully, though, for him to hear it must’ve meant whoever it was could not be too far.

”Here!” Jet called back, scrambling to gather his tired limbs beneath him, and upon doing so, to crawl through the mound of snow that’d already started to compile outside his makeshift den. ”Come here!” He called again, squinting against the icy wind. He hoped to pick out some kind of movement or hear some sort of response to his call that could point him the right way, if he had to venture back out there.

The response was quick to come, and Nash immediately recognized the voice: Jethro. He headed his direction, hoping the other man hadn't gotten lost wandering in the blizzard. The guardian was confident he could lead him back to the community den if he needed, but if Jet had found himself shelter it would be best to leave him be.

The other man's dark form only appeared when Nash was nearly on top of him. "Oh!" he said, halting so he didn't collapse the pile of snow around him. "Are you alright?" At least Jet had managed to find somewhere to hole up for a bit. It was small, and Nash wondered if he'd dug it himself or if a drift had piled up to create the haven.

Several moments passed by where Jethro feared whoever was out there might not’ve heard him, and that he’d have to venture back out into this mess. But, thankfully, a familiar dark figure complete with bright green eyes emerged from the whipping snow and winds, peering at him curiously.

The other, though snowcovered and probably cold, looked to be fairing decently well otherwise, and was quick to inquire as to whether Jethro was alright. A fact that spoke volumes to his character, which Jet already held in pretty high regard. It continued to amaze him, how kind everyone was, here.

”Yah, I’m good. You alright, too?” Nash was the one still wandering around in the storm, and that was a little bit concerning. ”I don’t mind sharin’, if you don’t.” A not-so-subtle invitation to share the shelter if the other desired. Jet half hoped the other would agree, for he wasn’t certain his conscience would allow him to settle back in if his packmate ventured back out alone.

To his relief, Jethro was quick to answer, and Nash nodded in return. "I'm good; I just wanted to make sure everyone's safe and no one's gotten lost in the storm." It was his job, after all, to look after the members of his pack - even if he was protecting them from the weather.

For a moment he considered declining Jethro's invitation to join him in his small shelter; there was still a whole pack to check on. But Nash was cold and the wind was howling in his ears, and wouldn't it be foolish if he himself were to fall into trouble in the storm when checking on everyone else? It wouldn't be a bad idea to tuck away for a bit, thaw his paws, and then set out again in a bit.

"Thank you," he said, slowly squeezing in beside his mirror image, trying to give him time and room to get settled again before squishing into the space.

The other was quick to provide assurance as to the state of his wellbeing, while also stating that he’d been out to make sure everyone was safe. A noble ambition, and one he could do little more than offer a nod to, at first. It also made Jethro think maybe Nash wasn’t going to want to share the shelter.

For a few moments, he mentally prepared himself to venture back out there again, but thankfully the other did agree by offering his thanks, with Jet waved off with a wry grin and a small shrug. ”Yah. Glad you’re alright, too.”

Although the space would be tight, what this place lacked in that was more than made up for by the added warmth of an added body as each of them settled in. Maybe there really was a positive side to the whole den-sharing thing.

”Did.. ya find anyone else out there, so far? Or am I the first?” Jet questioned tentatively, uncertain what answer he’d prefer. If Nash hadn’t seen anyone, he’d like to assume that meant the others were safe - but that couldn’t be known for sure.

The howling wind faded a little as the pair wedged themselves in the small den, and with both of them sharing their body heat it warmed up fast. Nash couldn't help a small sigh of relief as his nose and toes thawed. He offered a small laugh at the mention that Jet was glad he was alright. "Me too. I was a little worried I was going to get lost, myself," Nash admitted, shaking his head. "Maybe venturing out wasn't the best idea; as much as I'd like to keep anyone from getting lost in the first place, I can't help anyone if I get lost too."

Nash took a second to pick a chunk of ice from between his toes; the absence of its cold on his exposed pads was an immediate relief. He looked up at Jet's question. "I haven't been out long; you're the first. I can't imagine the pups would have gone out in this kind of weather, and I know their parents wouldn't allow them to if they're together. I might just hide here with you until it calms down a little, if that's okay?" He asked, not wanting to insert himself into the man's space and make assumptions about how welcome he really was.

The other let out a soft laugh, a sign which, along with his spoken verbal confirmation, assured Jethro that his packmate was indeed alright. He flashed the other a wry grin, nodding to the second part of the cove guardian’s statement, which pretty much echoed the thoughts Jet had been contemplating, earlier.

”True that,” he murmured, noting how the other had taken a moment to tend to his paws as well, removing a bit of ice from them.

For better or worse, the guardian also confirmed Jet had been the first he’d found. He seemed to believe, as well, that the others would be smart enough to sort things out for themselves one way or another. But it lead up to another question, one that was polite and wholly unnecessary. ”I’d.. like trust that the others will know what t’do, too. So you can stay as long as ya like, or need.”

Which, hopefully, would be for at least a little while longer. But in the event his packmate did not intend to stay for very long, though, ”Just know that if or when you do go back out, I’m goin’ too. I.. know you probably don’t need it.. but, you’re more important, and I’d feel like shit if something happened.” Which, it probably wouldn’t, and he did not want or intend to insult the other man’s pride or ability with that statement. But, if it something did happen, Jet wasn’t sure he’d want to face the pack, especially Chan or Moonshadow, knowing he’d let their family member go back out into this storm alone.

(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2022, 10:37 PM by Jethro.)

Nash noted Jet's wry grin, and returned it in a flash. He reassured knowing the other dark man shared his opinion of the others; it was less likely to be his selfish desires to stay tucked away in a warm den with a friend rather than venture out into the storm once again. He was even more relieved that he had permission to do so and smiled as he gave his thanks. "I appreciate it. It's certainly wild out there." he shot a dark glance at the stormy entrance to the small crevasse they'd taken shelter in.

He shook his head at Jet's offer. "I don't plan on going out again for a while, but thank you; two pairs of eyes are better than one, and we'd be less likely to get lost if there were two of us keeping track of where we were going and where we'd been." He had noticed the pattern that those who got lost were usually on their own. "That being said, I don't see the benefit for the two of us to risk it at the moment; anyone with half a brain is going to find somewhere to hunker down as soon as possible. I like to think that everyone else in this pack has more than half a brain." He let out a short laugh at his own expense; he'd been stupid enough to head out in the first place, after all.