A thin deposit of fresh snow had fallen across the area overnight. Old trails and scents were erased, but the snowfall also left behind a new blank page to collect the signs and tracks of any recent passersby.
Stella had shaken off the cold of the night and pulled herself to her feet early, early enough to get out and check if there were any fresh tracks to be found. She was less concerned with prey today, though the yearling girl would certainly not pass up the chance to secure a meal if the opportunity arose. Basic survival and filling caches was always a concern, especially in the winter. But she was far more concerned with the missing Cove members, and their kin visiting from the chasm. Young and old faces that may be in need of help. She pushed her searches in a different direction each day, trying to not disappear too far off herself but fearing she was not doing enough all the same. She tried to remind herself she'd gone off at similar time last year, but being on this end of things, that was hardly any consolation to her worries. She'd been a few months older then, and the season being less demanding and a little more experience could make all the difference. Still, anything could happen - her Pa had all the strength and experience in the world and it didn't matter in the end.
Recently it felt as if everything had been spinning out of control for the Vuesain and those around her. She wanted to find everyone else she could and tell them all to stay put, stay safe, to stop letting bad things happen, but that would probably be just as useful as telling the sky to stop dumping snow on them. So instead she hauled herself over a fallen tree trunk, searching the view on the other side for anything of note.
This morning, however, the snow had no new stories to tell. She let out a huff of frustration in spite of herself, the sound louder than she'd intended in the stillness and quiet of the morning.