Windsong Fjord flowers in your hair

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

Nadine allowed the soft shudder to run down her spine as the winds bellowed around her, knocking tufts of her thick fur in every which direction as she squinted in an effort to not end up in an endless state of blinking from the way it bit at her irises. She knew the harsh realities of winter… but somehow facing them without a pack made them more daunting. It wasn’t as if she was a stranger. The pack she and her mother had stayed with had been smaller, and they had struggled to get by. Nadine had helped as much as she could to keep them afloat, and she knew that her mother had as well.

But this was different as the hunger gnawed angrily at her stomach, a frown almost permanently etched on her features despite the way she constantly reminded herself that she would soon find both food and shelter… just as she hoped to find Cyran, or her mother… or Lillia. The thought of her twin brought a pang to her heart. They had been two peas in a pod from a young age… she thought for sure she’d have found her by now, but she supposed she did have a several month-long head start.

She just hoped that her sister was okay. She could see the crowning of the mountains in the distance, her eyes lingering on them before she looked down to her feet, and the frozen stream that stood in her way. She wondered, briefly, if the ice were thick enough for her to cross safely, even daring to place a paw against it to see if it would budge. To her chagrin, it quickly cracked at less than half her weight, giving her all the answer she needed. She would sigh softly at this revelation, looking around for another way to get towards the rising terrain.

(This post was last modified: Dec 28, 2023, 02:28 AM by Nadine.)

They weren't making near as much progress as Magg hoped for, but she felt it was all the more proof that her plan was the right choice. If it was this difficult for her to traverse mostly-even ground, how could she expect to get herself back to the Cove? Sure, Mother could come to her, but where would she stay while she healed? Where would be safe? Paradise Falls. They were the answer, she felt it in her bones.

Where the mountain ended, tundra began. Right? The ground had been inclining, but gently enough she could hope it was just another hill. Trusting that @Galen was never too far, she decided to find out now rather than put it off with rest. The final few yards were the most difficult, and her gut told her what he eyes couldn't yet see as she scaled them. Out of breath, aching all along her whole body, she whined gruffly with frustration while looking down at a ravine. It might as well have been the world's deepest trench, utterly untraversable for her.

Her brown eyes were drawn to movement, heart hoping for prey. Instead she saw, a stranger? Her hackles stood up and her lips began to raise. The last time she'd given the time of day to a wolf she hadn't known, they had nearly killed her.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

The gentle thudding that Nadine was quickly able to identify as paws crunching against the snow pulled her away from her predicament, a frown on her features as the woman came into view who was around her age, her hackles raising and her lip matching it. It caused Nadine’s eyes to widen slightly, surprised by the sudden aggressive reaction… she supposed she should not be. She had seen similar from others along her venture… she supposed she simply did not understand the sudden need to turn to aggression.

“Easy. Easy.” She offered, a gentle voice carrying over as her tail wagged hesitantly from side to side, her head dipping slightly as if to show that she meant the other no harm. There would be no need for any kind of violence. “I come in peace… just a traveler on her own.” She wondered briefly if perhaps the woman might have information that could help her in her search for… well, anyone… her mother, Cyran, Lillia… she would take any of their comforting and familiar faces at this point.

“Are you okay?” She would ask, her head tilting to the side with genuine concern radiating off of her, her eyes watching carefully the way the girl moved… she did not look okay, even if she was the one snarling. She did not imagine the woman would want to fight any more than she did… but then, she always thought that about others.

(This post was last modified: Dec 28, 2023, 02:44 AM by Nadine.)

The words might have riled Magg further, but the girl's demeanor truly did seem to glow with innocence. It was most likely she was a benign presence, but of course the Eastfall-Slayer was not about to drop her guard completely. She stayed where she was, with the high ground and a 180-degree escape route. Still, her fur did flatten and her teeth returned to being tucked neatly behind dark lips.

'Are you okay?'

Not at all, but she hesitated to give the stranger an answer. Admitting to weakness was not something she liked to do, even with familiar faces.

"I'm fine," she decided on, a little white lie that could be passed off as etiquette by a convincing tongue.

"You should stay off the ice."

The sight of Sephrina's frozen body flashed through her mind, along with the sharp edges of the hole she'd fallen through and the stench of bear.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

Nadine observed the subtle shift in Magg's posture, the acknowledgment that perhaps her initial defensive stance was unnecessary. The air between them held a tension, a delicate balance of caution and curiosity. As Magg declared herself fine, Nadine couldn't help but sense an underlying vulnerability, a reluctance to unveil the true extent of her struggles. Wolves, even without packs, shared an unspoken understanding of the hardships that marked their solitary existence.

The advice to stay off the ice resonated with Nadine, a cautionary note that hinted at the dangers hidden beneath the seemingly solid surface. She nodded appreciatively, a silent acknowledgment of the shared experience, as her tail continued its hesitant wag.

"Thank you for the warning," Nadine replied, her voice soft yet carrying a genuine warmth. "I've learned the hard way about the unforgiving nature of frozen landscapes. It's a bitter lesson, but it sharpens one's instincts."

The silence lingered momentarily, a subtle invitation for Magg to share more if she wished. Nadine, driven by a desire for connection in this desolate journey, sought common ground with her fellow traveler. Her eyes conveyed a mix of empathy and understanding, a silent assurance that vulnerability wouldn't be met with judgment.

"I'm Nadine," she introduced herself, breaking the quietude. "A lone wanderer in search of someone proving elusive to me. Perhaps our paths crossed for a reason. Perhaps you know them? Ava? Lillia? Or Cyran?"

She spoke rather properly, perhaps a natural diplomat. The kind of tepid spirit that would do well back home. This stranger was on a mission though. Magg's mind swum in options, all to pursue what she wanted. There was no compassion, even if she could greatly sympathize with searching for someone.

"Magg," she gave in return.

"No, I don't. There's packs nearby though, maybe they've run into them?"

Perhaps this could be her way of getting word to her parents quicker...

(This post was last modified: Feb 07, 2024, 02:32 AM by Magg.)

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

She had always prided herself in the way in which she spoke. It spoke to her nature and the way that her mother had raised her. She had learned much when she had been out with her mother in Cyran’s pack. She’d sat in on pretty much all of the negotiations and asked questions about how and why things were said after the fact as well.

Magg was the name. It was nice, pretty… and seemingly very fitting for the girl in front of her.

“Perhaps… I will have to continue my search for them… they are my family, and we got separated.” She would not delve into the how or why, even if asked, because it was too personal for her to share beyond that with a stranger.

Looking for family, no less. Magg's heart might have went out to her if she weren't in such a dire situation herself. A small frown tugged at her lips again, and she looked southward toward the mountain range her pack called home. Thinking for a moment before speaking again.

"My parents lead our pack there, and they've helped others like you before. If you go there, tell them where I am, they'll lend you a scout to visit the other packs with and search for your family."

Not at all a promise she could actually make on her own, but this girl didn't need to know that. As long as word got back to her parents, she would deal with whatever consequences the lie brought after. It would be worth it to save them from harm.

give me your heart

and i'll give you my soul

to just feel a little piece of heaven

She raised a brow towards her as she mentioned her parents… she also mentioned mentioning where she was. Did Magg herself not intend to return? Perhaps she could not? Her heart went out to the young woman, of that she was certain. And the offer she provided was enticing. If her family were in the area, they might be able to help them find her.

“Where are they located? I could make a venture up there in order to alert them of your location.” she made no mention of the promise the girl made. She knew the woman did not have such authority, but perhaps Nadine could appeal to them herself for help if the girl seemed confident they might fulfill such a request.

The other girl seemed to bite, giving Magg glimpse of hope. Of course, it was dangerous to send someone up the mountain alone, especially when they had never traveled the path before. She could be gambling with this other yearling's very life, and honestly? There wasn't any guilt for it. In her almond eyes, it was a fair trade given the threat that existed to her family.

"Stay along the back, but go around the largest peek. That's Mount Dire. Keep going straight down the middle and you'll eventually hit a valley. The Cove is along the western bank of the large lake in the center. You have to make sure to stay centered, or you can miss it entirely."

Once one got down into the valley's forests, it could be easy to lose their location relative to the valley walls, thus the body of water's moniker.

"Tell them I'll be in Paradise Falls."