?? ?Ithurial timmidly stepped through the snow, silently. This place so cold was her new home as of afew days ago. She didn't know how long ago, she'd been asleep most of the time. Mentaly exausted from the trauma and unable to fully rest due to horrific nightmares about that horrible demon comming back to tear her apart and eat her too. He nose hung low to the ground and her muscles were tense from the cold, stress had taken a toll on her small frail body thus reducing her to skin and bones.? ?? ? She lifted her eyes enough to see a white rabbit looking at her, it too looked petrified with fear and frozen in its tracks. She didn't want to eat, she just didn't feel like it so soon after the insedent. She just laid down and managed to coax it closer. She liked the look of it's fur. Reminded her of her mother's soft and creamy white with afew splotches of tans and grey. Soon the rabit realized how close it was to a predator and ran away, leaving the yearling alone once more.? ?? ? This cold world was her new home, but it didn't feel like home. Most the other wolves scared her to death, especialy the white ones. Her tail remained tucked between her legs at every noise and she never spoke above a quiet wisper. She never looked anyone in the eyes ever again, and all confidance was crushed out of the young wolf that day she lost her mother. Speak,

~*~ Paws springing in the pine-needle dotted snow, a little black and white pup was making her way along the worn down game trails. Every often she'd sneak off to the side and start digging where she thought she smelled a warm pocket. One never knew the interesting herbs and plants that could be found even in the middle of winter. There were places in Glaciem - much like this one - where the roots of the mountains made valleys, and the trees grew so tall and strong that much of the wind and cold was blocked out. Holly bushes grew thickly here, but Orica knew those to be poisonous - especially to small wolves like herself. She kept away from those and searched for other signs of life. So far, however, the best she'd come up with were juniper berries. But! The day was still young, and there was still lots out there to explore. As she skipped along, a little half-hummed melody began to take shape in her head and was soon sent out into the chilly air. "Oooooooh I wish I were a bumbly-bee So cute, and fat, and stripedy To dance on flower petals bright all day long, in the summ-er light uh-huh hmmm hmmm hmmm hee dee de da do da do da leedddle leedle de dah dah dum dummy dum da do doo do Better move quick or I'll sting you!" Orica popped out of a break in the bushes, juniper greens still clinging to her fur. That was when she saw the other wolf - a yearling, with a rather sad look to her. But Orica cocked her head, trying to figure out who she was - most of the small wolves around here were her siblings or cousins. Oh! She remembered now! "You're Ithy-something-something aren't you?!" She beamed. "Daddy brought you back to join the pack. Do you remember me? I'm Orica!" ~*~

Ithurial jumped sky high when she heard rustling in the bushes. Her heart felt as of it'd pound out of her chest. Her mind playing tricks on her. The big white moster from before was back to slaughter her too.She tucked her tail between her legs backinb up untill her rear hit a tree behind her. This was it. This was the end. She flinched but when nothing happened she opened her golden eyes again to see a little black and white pup witch juniper berries all over her pelt. The little calico wolf let out a sigh of relif calming down alittle. Her tail hung loosely behind her once more as she eased off the tree. "Oh, Ithurial. she corrected quietly. Noticing the juniper leaves tangled up in the pups fur. "um.. Youve got alittle- uh here ill get it." She gently pulled the twigs from the pups pelt, careful no to tangle further then blowinb the loose leaves from her back. "there." ? Speak,

~*~ Orica's eyes flew open in, well, not quite alarm but in surprise. The yearling looked like it could've taken flight. So shocked was the little pup, that she didn't even think to look behind her to see if something scary was there. None of her siblings would ever have done something like what this carmel-candy colored fae was doing. If Orica had come out and surprised them, if anything, they would've pounced her. Certainly they wouldn't have shied away. But then, the fact that there were lots of different types of wolves was still just barely illuding her little mind. Her six-month-old philosophy was that somewhere, somehow, just about all wolves were related (not a surprising thought given her family tree) and so she could treat every wolf as a friend. When the Ithy-something girl gave her name - Ithurial, Orica dipped her head as she'd been taught. "That's very pretty!" she squeaked. (She'd always loved her own name for how cute and pretty it was) But that squeak turned to a giggle as Ithurial moved forward and brushed her nose in Orica's pelt to get all the bits of twigs and berries out of her fur. "Thanks," she chuckled, not that she minded being covered in the stuff. She thought it smelled nice and spicy. "I'm alwready learning to be a healer," came a happy announcement. She straightened up in her pawprints and curled up her big husky's tail. "When I grow up I'ma going tah save wolves and fix 'em all up! What about you? What'll you be?" ~*~

Ithurial giggled at the pup's antics. She loved pups they were always so cute and innocent. Well... The few pups shed ever met were. ?Sat back on her haunches, her tail wagging alittle. "My mama said it was an angel's name. But she never explained much more about it. she dipped her head back to the puppy. Thought to her future ambitions came to mind. She didn't know ehat she wanted to do at all. " I don't really know what i want to do when i grow up. I'm a bit of a wimp so warriors off the list. Elk, deer and things like that scare me so I can't hunt. And blood makes me queezy so healings out too." she giggled. "I like children though. Babysitter maybe?" She shrugged. Speak,

~*~ Too much of a wimp for being a warrior? Well Orica didn't know about that, but she did understand the part about the big prey. She'd watched some hunts already and boy were those things intense. But still, they were both gonna get a little bit bigger right? Well Orica more than Ithurial. They could stand up to those things. And blood? What was so scary about that? Blood was cool! Orica held her mouth though and quickly enough her imagination fastened on the idea of being a pupsitter. "Oh that'd be fun! Like a den mother? You could take care of everyone that Daddy rescues! But if you're gonna be dah one who has to watch Cross and Creed and dem...." she lowered her voice to a special whisper "You should be careful, they like to sneak out when no one's looking. Very naughty." She shook her head with a perfect imitation of her mother's sigh. "But you're a whole year old already, right? You could start training! All we haff to do is find Daddy and ask!" She pawed at the big fae's shoulder playfully. "Come on! He was back by the den!" ~*~

Sometimes taking care of her litter was difficult. There was something to be said for how much work it took to keep track of three playful puppies who wanted nothing more than to explore the world. And maybe they would be safe, here in Glaciem's lands, but there had been a wolf lost on these lands not too long ago. Asheni. Their leader healer. And it was only recently they had found another healer. Soleil, previously of Valhalla. Ocena rolled the name around her brain thoughtfully as she padded along, nostrils flaring as she picked up the scent of Orica. A fond smile crossed the mother's features as her pace picked up slightly and she headed in the direction that Orica had wandered not so long ago. She didn't mind her children exploring the territory of Glaciem, but it worried her when they had no one watching over them. They would not go the way of Asheni, whose murderer still had not been caught. Though Ocena didn't doubt that he would be, and she didn't envy the wolf's lot when Gargoyle got his fangs into the other's hide. That was not a fate that she would wish on any wolf but a murderer, one who had destroyed the safety that they felt within their territory. Ears twitching slightly, Ocena padded through the underbrush and was confronted by an amusing sight. Her young daughter with her bright gaze conversing joyously with a female who looked to be about a year old. This was the one that Gargoyle had taken in as a sheltered wolf, wasn't it? Ocena couldn't remember the female's name, but her one good eye ascertained swiftly that she was no threat to her daughter. Tension melted from Ocena's frame as soon as she realized that. "You're not much less naughty than Crusade's children, Orica." Ocena's voice was fond as she leaned down to nuzzle the pup that was almost her spitting image, before turning a smile on the yearling. "Hello, there. My name's Ocena!" Her tail flicked idly behind her as she eyed the young female curiously. Speech

Ithurial's ears perked up when she heard someone comming through the bushes. He heart nearly exploded. She felt as if she'd fall over in fear. The second she saw Oceana's white paw step through she flinched. oh no. Hes back. Not this again! Not him. Anything but him she thought to herself. She ducked her head down, her tail going between her legs in pure agony.? Sweet relif flooded through her once more when she realized that just the oaw was white. The incomming wolf looked nothing like sixx. Thank god. A blush of embarassment crossed her muzzle at her over-reaction. ?But hey, her reaction was quite justifyable. She considered white wolves dangerous now.? The black and white female showed herself in the clearing. She shirked downwards, afraid that she may be angry at her. Some mothers were very protective of their pups, so much so that if another wolf even spoke to them they could bank on being chased down and mauled.? Words of kindness surprized Ithurial. She regained a more relaxed stance but was still on her toes in case she needed to run. She'd never met this female so she was a bit weary of her. "I'm Ithurial. Nice to meet you. " She gave a nervous smile, her legs trembling with the urge to run. Speak,

~*~ "Mommy!!!" Orica yapped out as she saw her mother came in through the break in the trees. Out of the litter it was Orica who took after the female the most. She had her coloring, and her eyes- well , one of her eyes, and perhaps there was alot of her mother's personality in there too. Though Orica liked beating on her siblings and cousins, she was gentle enough to feel very bad when someone actually got her. And she preferred patching wounds to making them. As soon as Orica saw her mother she was changing direction, flinging herself over and trying to bury herself in Ocena's soft white belly fur. She was about to make an introduction herself, but Ithurial was able to handle it. Barely. Orica couldn't figure out why the girl was so scared. She was acting more like a pup than Orica herself was. "Momma, this is my new friend. She wants to be a pupsitter when she grows and we were gonna talk to Daddy about lessons!" Wait for it... "-And what do you mean I'm as bad as dem?!" ~*~