Rest at Last -open-

Quote:Exhaustion no longer claimed the heavily coated she-wolf, though her legs still complained against her continued travel. She had given up on her trek hours before to rest, slipping soundlessly and swiftly into sleep, and at long last she had risen, still in unfamiliar territory. Mercianne had thought in those first few fleeting moments of consciousness, before she had even opened her eyes, that it might have all been one horrible dream. The lands had no been ravaged by volcanoes, the Glaciem territory was still snugly set between its mountains, and life as she knew it was still continuing. But as she opened her deep, dark brown eyes, she realized her folly. It had all happened. And she was alone for it.

Where she had lost the pack, she was uncertain. They had tried to stay together, and she had done her best not to let those nameless faces get away from her, but in the chaos of retreat the inevitable happened. She had lost her way, driven merely by instinct, and she had run for her life in order not to be swallowed up like their home.

This place she found herself in, this semi-tropical, wintery paradise was nothing like the cold and chilling tundras and snow fields that she was accustomed to. Even with the winter and snow, the weather did not seem to reach the sort of chills here she expected, and as she moved, head and tail low and ears tucked nervously to her head, she felt herself begin to pant. A thin coating of ash covered her creamy white fur, tickled at the edge of one eye, but she paid no attention to it. There would be time enough later to tend to her appearance and physical comfort. Now, finding her pack, or at least shelter and safety, was her main priority.

The sight of the waterfall had seemed promising. Water was a necessity, especially in these unfamiliar lands, and sticking close to it meant the possibility of being drawn toward others seeking the respite the waterfall offered. If she waited, she could be rewarded by meeting a native to these lands, or even possibly a fellow refugee from her own pack.

Paws still complaining with each step, Mercianne meandered alongside the waterfall, occasionally drifting further into the densely wooded area beside it and then curving back toward the water. She had deviated from her path beside the falls when she glanced to her right and saw from the corner of her eye the resting figure of a wolf beneath a tree. The unexpected sight was enough to frighten the already nervous wolf, causing her to jump visibly in place and for the yip she might otherwise have released to catch in her throat. She sunk quickly into a submissive crouch, her brown eyes fixing themselves on the ground before the other wolf, and bit her lip to keep herself from whimpering. "I'm sorry," she hastily called in a voice just above a whisper, "I didn't...know someone was here."

-- mercianne

OOC: Hope you don't mind me dropping Merci here. c: Wanted her somewhere out of her comfort zone, and this place seemed good.