I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Evening was setting in, the sun finally breaking through the dark clouds to cast its hazy, amber light across the territory. The light struck the ice coated cathedral, reflecting and glinting off its sharp spires. More 'Hooman' work if she wasn't mistaken. Natha worked her way through the snow. The season and been unusually cool thanks to the volcano. That coupled with how far north she was meant that the snow had not melted this summer. Not that she was sure it ever did. It wasn't normal for her to be this far north but she had decided to get a good overview of the territories she'd likely spend most of her time in when not traveling with the gang.

She gazed about her. Most of the land was bleak and desolate but perhaps there was something of interest near the cathedral itself. Her coat fluffed up for warmth and she approached the main entrance looming somberly above her. A glittering shield of ice covered it.

Call it a wild hair, but Thistle had felt uncommonly drawn to wander as of late. Her paws carried her north, north, as far north as north would go, until she found herself here. The land was barren and frigid for the most part. The snow and ice were perpetual; whether they melted or not even during a warm summer she could not say. She had passed several small spires of ice along the way, paltry congregations built up over eons, born of the gusting and perpetual wind, but nothing quite like what she stood before now. It soared above her, brilliant an imposing, a beacon amongst an otherwise bereft landscape. Well she'd done it, right? Gone as far north as she could go. All that was left was to turn south again. Maybe she would take up the same objective but in the opposing direction. Wander until her paws were raw, spending each day enveloped in mindless humdrum, one paw in front of another in front of another... Perhaps. But it seemed like a waste of time to see this monumental colossus only to turn tail. Thistle put her nose to the ground and began her investigation. Bitter cold and snow was all she got, for the most part. There was a wiff of old dung, ages old probably, and the occasional scent of the sea. Nothing unexpected at all, until... Huh. Well that smelled like a carnivore fo some sort. It didn't sing to her the way most plant-eaters did, but it also was no fox or bear or bird. What on earth? Curious as she was, and so worn out that she had no sense whatsoever of self-preservation, Thistle pressed on. The small figure she stumbled upon was still certainly no fox or bear or bird, but upon cresting a low drift and setting eyes on the creature, Thistle was forced to blink and ruminate for a moment for she could put a name to it. A Lynx, of course. Obviously. Thistle had never crossed paths with one, much less traded words, as she understood them to be solitary and refined. They were scarcely known to her homeland and she herself being a young wolf thought them cagey and cynical based on word-of-mouth. But there before her, lo and behold, doubtless undergoing her own investigations of the grand ice structure dominating the landscape was indeed a lynx. Thistle wavered a moment. "Oi!" she called out, before she realized the exclamation had left her mouth. "Are you native here?" Thistle didn't know much about the small felines or their habits but at the very least she might be able to beg knowledge of hunting grounds nearby. Might as well get a meal in before she began her southerly trek. What was the harm? Besides, she was in fine form as it was, so there didn't seem to be much danger in it. Famous last words, but she would stand by them for now. "Speech"

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Natha worked her way around the strange, icy spires. She really didn't know what to make of it and she shuddered to imagine what kind of power these Hoomans had that they could turn stone into such grotesque shapes. In her mind she imagined them to be featherless bird-demons. She didn't know if that was accurate or not and she didn't particularly care. As she turned the corner she spied what might have been the entrance. The door was unhinged, hanging just slightly ajar but she wasn't able to go in and take a look as the entire entrance was encased in solid ice.

Her tufted ears twitched. If she wasn't mistaken that sounded like something moving out in the snow. But who else was crazy enough to be all the way up here? As far as she could tell there was no wildlife and nothing of particular value. A voice called out and she glanced over at a wolf. Ah, yes. She should have figured. Wolves were everywhere these days.

Natha gracefully shook her head. "No, not of this territory anyway. I was merely wandering through and wanted to see what this unholy shape was. What of yourself?"

The feline didn't seem overly surprised to see her, nor did she become aggressive or fearful, which was good. Some cats seemed more civil than others, not that Thistle had met many, but enough for her to draw her own uneducated conclusions. As she paced a few lengths closer, the pale shewolf found herself wondering what on earth had brought the creature here. Hunting was sparse, but she supposed that it might be easier for someone a bit smaller, a bit lighter on their feet. Checking out the ice was once thing, but it was a hell of a journey to get to this place. Eh, she decided at last. None of her business. "Ah. It is rather spectacular. I don't mean to disturb you, I've been wandering through the area myself, just enjoying the clear air." Thistle looked around them. It was pristene. This far north and west the snow was unmarred by the ash that had befallen the rest of the realm. Thistle could almost pretend the eruption had never happened. "I was just curious, have you passed any dangers in the region? And not that I want to infringe on your own hunting, but any signs of prey? I try to keep my wits about me." If the feline had anything worthwhile to offer she would be surprised, and surprised further if she chose to share with a strange wolf. Thistle wasn't quite sure how to act around the lynx. Wolves were easy enough for her to read, but she found cats... challenging. It was hard to understand their moods, pick up extra details their facial expressions might offer. In her experience it was best to keep things clear cut and succinct. Worst case scenario the cat gets pissed and tries to run her off, and Thistle could deal with that. Sure, the other female had daggers affixed to her paws but Thistle still had a longer stride and a better sprint. It didn't hurt to try. "Speech"

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

The sun was shifting, its light reflecting off a strange stone arch that didn't seem to connect to anything. Natha wondered if it was connected to some strange set of rituals. She supposed if she stood at a certain angle she could watch the sun set right through the arch. "It's alright, you aren't disturbing me. I'm merely trying to get a grasp of these strange lands. My name is Natha." The only thing that had led her this far north was curiosity and now with her curiosity sated she was ready to start moving farther south.

"I have seen no signs of prey nor of predators. I don't think much lives here and its no surprise. I think I shall head southeast to the frozen field then onto the gorge. You're certainly welcome to join me if you'd like to get a bit of travel in. Or do you have a pack that is expecting your return?" She knew wolves tended to live in groups. It was the only way they could hunt effectively. A cat had no such problem.

Thistle decided that the lynx had an almost serene calmness about her. It was definitely a knee jerk decision, based on very little fact and only a few moments of being in her presence, but it was enough for her to roll with. She felt a bit of ease surround her as the cat replied and offered her name. Natha, hmm? Thistle wasn't sure why but it suited her. It seemed that the cat was a wanderer, a traveler much like herself. "It's good to meet you, Natha. I'm Thistle. " The cat would go on to say that there hadn't been anything worrying so far in her journey, which took a bit of a weight off of Thistle's shoulders. The last thing she wanted to run into up here was a polar bear or some similarly gnarly beastie. It seem seem fairly desolate so far. Natha would go on to lay out her travel plans, and even go so far as to invite Thistle along. Her brows lifted, and Thistle sat back on her haunches. Huh. Well, she hadn't seen that coming. She felt a mix of emotion, one part suspicion and one part surprise, dusted in with some intrigue and curiosity and leaning towards acceptance. It would be nice to have a companion, perhaps to help find food or maybe to find help if she fell ill or fell down... ya know, a crevasse or something. Still, Thistle couldn't find it in herself to accept such an offer on a whim. "No, no pack. I fancy myself a bit of a nomad actually. I didn't have many plans myself past this point, except to turn southward again. I'm as eager to see those places you've named as any other." She wavered a moment, picking her words carefully. "It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, it would certainly make things easier, but why? You hardly know me. I could be a psychopath or something." Or you could, she thought but left unsaid. "Speech"

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Natha grinned as the woman introduced herself as Thistle. It was a quaint, simple, yet descriptive name. The wind was starting to pick up a bit and Natha's fur fluffed just slightly against the wind. Thistle was a curiosity as far as wolves went. She had no pack and fancied herself more of a nomad. She seemed wary and careful as she answered Natha's question but the cat could see the logic in her words.

Natha laughed and then winked at the wolf. "Call me arrogant but I feel confident I could out run you. Besides, two sets of eyes are better than one. I don't fancy running into a polar bear on my travels."