Life isn't always what you think it'd be

(Thoughts Speech)

Quinn gently returned his brother's nuzzling, he knew that his brother was asking him to be careful, and so spoke "I will, don't worry." as he turned to listen to his dearest Eirnan as she spoke back to him. He smiled as she gave him her agreement, with the embellishment he loved, it was childish, yes, but so what? As she continued, he gave her a soft look of care and understanding, hoping that she wouldn't worry too much about him. "Of course love, you know I'll be safe, the last thing I'd want is for you to have to see me hurt." He spoke with confidence, but try as he might, the gnawing doubt in his head about the situation simply couldn't be pushed away, and it was all he could do to keep from grimacing at the idea that he might not be uninjured by this whole ordeal.

As the trio turned to go in their own directions, Quinn looked back at his family, admiring them as they walked off. echoing in his head he could hear his father's words of anger "And their blood will be on YOUR conscience!" and he growled under his breath with determination, he had to lead, and that meant he had to learn how to... fast.

The tawny male's paws were frigid against the icy rocks and snow, and he stepped lightly, to keep from breaking anything underneath him, his heartbeat quickening with every step he took, until finally he heard his mate call out that she saw a thawing in the south. "About how far do you think?" he shouted back. However, in his excitement over the idea that they might be getting to warmer weather, he forgot to look where he was going, and his paw slipped on an ice-covered rock and sent him tumbling downhill, a crack of ice sounded as he smacked into sheets of it that weren't supported by anything solid, and behind them he heard the distinct sound of running water after he regained his composure. He stood up to check if he was right, and shouted with joy as he saw that he was, but no sooner had he celebrated, than he noticed where he was. He was far from the shore of the lake, and he guessed that he must have slid out there when he fell.

He gulped and looked at his paws, seeing tiny little cracks form at the ends of his claws, and praying that they wouldn't get bigger.

"Oh dear..." He spoke, giving his brother and mate the most fearful look he'd had in a long time.