Mountain of Dire Time to dig up your grave

TW: This thread will involve the unearthing of wolf remains & potentially an epileptic seizure.
RE: "You see an unknown arctic wolf burying something afar. They wink at you before the wind picks up and obscures them in a cloud of snow. When it clears, they've vanished without a trace. What did they leave behind?!"

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The mountain was as unforgiving as they remembered, piles of snow and ice, blown into miniature storms that whipped their face with painful stings. To most wolves, it surely must seem a God’s forsaken place, but not to the witch. In fact, they had never felt closer to the higher power guiding them than they did on the peak – the brutality of its nature a mirror of The God’s cold, unforgiving authority. It would take time and effort, carving out a life here, but the one-eyed prophet was determined to do so, or die trying.   Walking along the perilous mountain roads, paying careful attention to where they put every paw, Apolline had no particular destination, simply letting impulse guide their path. Pareyl’s pack had yet to fully take form, as he awaited the right moment for their first sacrifice, and the witch eagerly awaited The God’s sign, spending hours wandering like this, turning over their recent dreams, searching for meaning.   One figure that had been recurrent lately, was a pale wolf of small stature, their face always obscured yet something about them made Apolline feel safe and peaceful. Whatever it meant, they were sure it was a message from The God – and so, when the winding trails let them down into a protected dip between two peaks and they caught sight of a white wolf up ahead, they felt their heart jump into their throat.   Without pause, the prophet hurried forwards, single eye narrowed against the whirling snow; This is it! Whoever this pale figure was, whatever it was, it was meant for Apolline. Thoughts ”Speech”

dawnthieves, nalina24 & TinusDream

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The teen was wholly unsure about how she felt about the mountain in the winter. The icy wind tore at her snout, its vicious bite leaving it stinging just about all the time. Stormy blue eyes had never seen so much snow. Her first winter was within the forest, the canopy sheltering them from much of the powder. There was no canopy now though to shield them. Just cold unforgiving space for the wind to run wild. Though if she were honest, Cyn didnt mind a bit of pain. This though, was a different kind. One she still hadn't decided on.

Red-tinted paws moved about the narrow path she decided to travel as nimble as if she had lived amongst the cliffs her whole life. She scowled at her limbs, the red near gone almost blending them into the snow. This was not acceptable, but until the god's showed Paeryl a sign she was stuck having to resort to using prey...which had become very scarce. An annoyed grumble left her chest as she pressed on. Until the sign came they were to pull their weight. Her talents lied in scouting in the meantime.

A familiar scent crossed her path that sent her ears pressing forwards atop her head. Familiar yet not wholly. one of Felyx's recruits, the witch she called herself. Remembering that collecting kernels of information was higher on her priority list. So she followed the other wolf until they came into sight. She let out a chuff to alert the other just as she saw what the tawny woman was looking at. A unsolid white figure of a wolf that seemed to be made of snow...how curious.

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As the witch rushed ahead, a snowy whirl enveloped the white wolf, obscuring the already translucent silhouette. Just before it vanished entirely in the flurry, the figure suddenly looked up from where it had been working at the ground, seeming to meet Apolline’s gaze for a second, winking one pale brown eye. Then it was gone, become one with the storm around them.   Still, the witch did not stop moving until they were right on top of where the snow-wolf had been, intensely focused on the snow, though it appeared untouched. They only looked up when the erratic winds brought the scent of someone else to their nostrils, herd jerking up to turn that same, intense gaze on the yearling; Cynder… Quiet and reclusive, but nevertheless one of the God’s chosen, through Paeryl, and Felyx’s sister which earned her further grace in the witch’s eye.   “Did you see that?” they called, golden-brown eye narrowing at the girl; Was it real…? Apolline had never had a waking vision before, and yet, they were starting to feel that tingle at the back of their mind. If anything had ever seemed like a message from the God, this did, and even as they awaited the answer, the witch’s attention returned to their feet. “I think she was digging…” they mumbled to themselves, scraping probingly at the frozen ground; Could something be buried here? Something sacred. Thoughts ”Speech”

dawnthieves, nalina24 & TinusDream

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The snowy figure looked up from where it had been looking at the ground toward the russet colored female. It winked just before a flurry of snow swept it away without a trace. Cynder's blue grey eyes blinked as if it would rewind what she just saw. Apple was already moving, coming upon the spot were it was almost instantly before realizing the yearling was with them. "Did you see that?" they called, their eye narrowing at the girl. Had she not been stunned Cyn would've growled at the other for the glare.

Were the god's real? Was Paeryl not just some loon?

The tawny yearling shook her whole body to dislodge the snow that had collected as well as the shock that held her. When she stopped her cool unfazed mask slipped back into place as she approached the witch. Weighing on how to respond with each step. Did she say that she saw a wolf, or just a flurry of snow. "What did you see?" she finally decided on. Decided to see what exactly the other had seen and go from there. To decide how to collect the most information that she could.

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The witch’s heartbeat was speeding up in their chest, breathing becoming faster too as every sense opened to their surroundings, taking in the mountain until it filled their every fiber. The tingling in their mind became ever more present, even as their intention was distracted by Cynder’s arrival.   The yearling’s face, usually so carefully folded into sullen indifference, stared in obvious astonishment for a moment, before she seemed to shake herself out of it. But the brief awe was all Apolline needed to confirm their conviction; A vision! The god of the mountain had sent them a vision, and it had to mean something important!   Turning their attention back to the marked spot, the witch barely registered Cynder’s approach, nor her question. Apolline studied the snow carefully, golden gaze tracing every inch, looking for signs. “A messenger…” They murmured, to themselves as much as in answer to the russet girl, now standing at their side. The pale wolf had been haunting the prophets dreams for days, trying to lead them to something; it has to be here…! Finally looking back to the russet girl, eye now opened wide and intense, the witch announced fervently: “We must dig!” Thoughts ”Speech”

dawnthieves, nalina24 & TinusDream

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The wind whipped at her agouti fur as she approached the witch who had turned her attention back to the snow-covered ground. Despite her attempted at shaking the shock from herself it still had a grip on her. Otherwise the other’s blatant disregard for her approach would have grated on her very thin patience. The yearling’s thoughts swirled too much to give a reaction. The golden witch muttered a response that was more to herself than to Cyn. A short snort blew a billow of air from her nose visible from the temperature difference. “Whatever.” She huffed to herself.

Cynder’s own blue grey gaze searched along side the single golden orb of Apolline. Nothing seemed out of place to her and if she was on her own the tawny girl would have shrugged and moved on. The witch was not going to do that though. Her sudden declaration that they had to dig startled Cynder. Her hackles instantly rose as she simultaneously jumped into a defensive position. Her head lowered and tail rose out of instinct, ready to kill or be killed. A couple of beats passed before she growled “If you want to keep that other eye of yours I wouldn’t suggest doing that again.” Keeping the glower in her features her body language smoothed out and waited for the witch to do something.

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Every hair on the witch’s body stood on end, tail sticking straight out behind them and ears pointed. Single, seeing eye stared, unwavering, at Cynder, its blind partner seeming to do the same, and their breathing was quick and shallow. It was like their every fiber was poised, waiting for what came next - whatever was about to happen was of utmost significance, they were sure.   The younger girl’s reaction, though unexpected, did little to unsettle Apolline’s fervor, the threat rolling right off their back like rain. They remained still, not a whisker moving until Cynder visibly relaxed, only then did one corner of the witch’s mouth lift in the shadow of a smile. “If The God wills it, I am happy to make the sacrifice,” they said, just a touch of sarcasm lacing their voice – though it was the truth, they rather preferred it didn’t happen, at least just then; “But right now, I do believe our goal is buried underneath this snow, or are you denying that you saw the white wolf too?” One brow cocked pointedly, gaze never leaving the tawny yearling, though their tail had swept down into a less challenging position, swaying in an almost teasing manner; What will it be? Thoughts ”Speech”

dawnthieves, nalina24 & TinusDream

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Surprises and sudden movements were not something Cynder liked. Her and Lyx’s sudden abduction and his attack flashed in her mind. Nope, not a fan. Once it became clear the witch wasn’t going to attack the sandy yearling relaxed a bit. She was still coiled tightly inside but relaxed enough to continue the interaction. Her glower was interrupted with an eye roll at the other’s reply. ”If The God wills it..” blah blah Apolline really took Pae and his gods seriously. Though after what they just saw was it really all crap?

Her creamy muzzle wrinkled to show a flash of teeth at the smirk and whisp of sarcasm. She grumbled at their pointed question. No, she couldn’t deny it but she sure wasn’t gonna admit that to the other tawny wolf. Stormy blue eyes maintained eye contact for a brief moment before looking away in a silent admission.