Ice Shards

A movement of darkness in the driving snow turned the young woman’s head and she studied the figure through the veils of both mane and blizzard from over her own hip. He was dark, but his eyes were the main feature that piqued some measure of curiosity in her. Ink black in their entirety. It was difficult to discern where sclera ended and irises began.

He seemed undecided for a moment, before he called out, inquiring her identity. She shifted to face him fully, paws wreathed in blue light as she answered, “I am Aurielle, Spirit of Valhalla. And you?”

Her voice was its usual silk and velvet mezzosoprano, lilting in its accent and unhindered by anxiety. Whatever the storm in her heart might be doing, an utter stranger would see very little of that turmoil.

She didn’t move toward the man, maintaining a distance and letting him decide if he wished to approach. If he chose to charge for some odd reason, she would be well prepared by the time he reached her. However, it was a silent, hulking white form looming suddenly behind the man like a ghoul that sent her suddenly bounding forward.

“Watch out behind you!”

What was it with the bears these years, really? A huge polar bear growled as the slim white wolf whipped past the dark male in flashes of light, leaping and slashing her canines efficiently for the paw that was raised to swipe at the man. She drew blood and a furious bellow, and the bear’s full attention. Good. It would give the stranger time to react.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think