Neva treaded silently along the base of the mountains she had recently crossed. Her paws were silent against the snow covered base. Her dark coat could almost blend with the barren tees, however she was not so pure as to have the honor of sporting a coat of ivory. A fact that had always appealed to her own curious nature. 

She would pause to drink from a small creek. Barely noticeable had she not been looking. The cold liquid graced her lips, stroking and slaking the thirst that plagued her. She shivered as she slowly lifted her head, running her tongue across her muzzle to clean away any such remaining pesky water droplets. Vibrant yellow irises would rake across the surrounding terrain. Searching for any resident wolves. When she saw nothing she made her way forth once again. The silence that palpitated the air, was comforting. It meant she was alone. After another mile of traveling she would seek out a high set rock, which poised at the base of the mountains she had crossed. She had heard stories of it, but today she would enter these lands with an open mind. At 4 years old, nothing could surprise the woman anymore. She had been through the gates of hell and exited the other side, by the will of mother nature.

Lowering herself to her belly she would gaze into the sky. Her mind turning to her mentor, Freya. A twinge of sadness would pierce her breast and she would offer a bow toward the high mooned sky. 

If you are listening mother, please send Freya my love and respects. she would think. As if to answer her prayer, a star streaked across the sky. A smile would gently take the womans maw, before another would streak across. Then another, and another. She would rise to her paws, eyes fixated upon the beautiful, array before her. Stars, seemed to fall like rain. The cocophany of colors forming a gorgeous painting of hues across the void of time and space.

Make a wish, little Disa, you never know when mother nature will answer your prayers. Freya had told her the first time she had seen a shooting star. Closing her eyes, the she-wolf would put her heart into her wish. 
"Mother, if you would be so kind as to grant me good fortune, upon entrance into your lands, it is my wish to serve as your sword, and wash the tainted from your humble terrain." she would open her eyes and smile. A feeling of energy basked across the woman. Leaping forth unto expertly positioned paws, Neva would take off running, allowing her legs to guide her to where she needed to be.

It was her second venture into the Submerged woods, an area that had captured her attention the first time she had seen it. She returned now with some vague, and dangerous idea of getting samples of the roots she could see deep beneath the surface. She didn’t know how old they where. But the fact that there was still greenery down there, hinted that their properties might still be viable. Always keen to add to her herb collection, and her knowledge, she had known from the moment she had seen the forest submerged beneath a layer of ice, that she wanted a sample. With spring came warmer season, and the ice would be softer and easier to dig beneath, if it didn’t break beneath her entirely. She had some idea of the dangerous of ice, but not a complete knowledge, so she didn’t yet know what she was getting into. The idea of being trapped in sub-freezing temperature, a hard layer of ice above her head, and no way out… she shuddered, tossing the idea from her thoughts. No, she would be careful. That wouldn’t happen to her. Before she could make her way to the ice, a star would flitter across the sky, then another, and another. She paused, one paw partly raised as her eye lifted upwards, following their curved passage against the sky. Beautiful. She had never seen anything like it. It took time for her to tear her gaze from the sky, and when she did she heard the sound of paw-steps against the damp grass, someone was running. She paused again as she considered the direction of the sound. It was getting louder, whoever the wolf was, they would stumble across her soon. ""