Well Isn't That Special

Jynn was full and content. She had finished with a wonderful, brothy egg soup and a cup of mulled wine before settling down in front of one of the bonfires. She scooted as close as she could get without burning herself or singing her coat for the cold weather was not something she was as accustomed to even though her winter coat had grown in. She shivered a bit, fur and mane standing straight up before the warmth of the fire sinked past her coat and into her bones. Ahh… she could happily spend the rest of the night here if the fires kept going. Maybe she could find a pelt to lay on. Jynn got to her feet, regretting turning from the fire and back to the cold but she found a fluffy, gray, sheep skin that was currently unused. Grabbing it she scooted back over to the fire and curled up on the skin to just enjoy the autumn ambience.

Her large ears alerted her to some familiars who explained a custom of reflection and change. They encouraged the wolves there to cast something into the fire, symbolizing what that wolf would like to let go of. It was a curious practice but Jynn decided to give it a go. What would she like to let go of? What did she want to change for the upcoming year? Well the second question was easy. She didn't want to be a lone wanderer anymore. As much as she enjoyed her freedom it was very lonely at times. Even so she debated if she was really ready to join a pack. A wandering band was far more her speed. She had talked with Birna and learned the snow leopard had her own plans for a band. One centered around reindeer. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that knowing reindeer were designed to thrive in colder weather. She'd grown up in grasslands and in the tropical savannah the weather was always temperate. She rarely recalled it getting down to freezing. It wasn't until she was a yearling, when her kind considered themselves mature adults, that she started exploring colder and harsher climates.

There were aspects of herself that she might be willing to change and while her overall freedom wasn't one of them perhaps it would do her well to get outside of her comfort zone. After all, she had managed to venture into the far north to the ice bridge after using her skills to make a coat and booties. Perhaps she could apply such creativity to make herself comfortable in colder climates. And from what she understood they wouldn't be going through snow all the time so it wasn't like she'd be trapped living in feet of snow. Maybe it would be worth giving a try? At least for now. She wasn't having much luck starting her own band and leadership didn't come as naturally to her. Besides if she made it clear that it was temporary and she decided later she didn't want to stay she could always leave. And if she did decide to make the Rangifer band her permanent home she doubted Birna would be dismayed, rather the cat would probably be glad for a steady member. From Jynn had heard she’d been struggling to get a band formed herself. They may as well join forces and see each other succeed. Though it would be interesting to learn if their different styles could mesh.

Ok, time to give up some of her need for personal comfort. She'd tell Birna she'd join the Rangifer Band and then get to work on preparing herself for a colder winter lifestyle. Jynn glanced to the bonfire again. What could she toss in to symbolize her resolution for the next year? She turned to her pack and started digging around, pulling out various odds and ends, none of which quite fit. Eventually though she found a bundle of sweetgrass she'd taken and braided from the Sweetgrass Basin. It had reminded her of the grasslands of home and the warm, temperate whether that remained so constant throughout the year compared to many regions of Boreas and Auster.

Taking the braid she tossed it into the fire, focusing on her plans for the future while the sweet smell of the grass mixed with the smoke and rose up into the sky. Once it was fully gone she put the rest of her items away in her bag and settled once more in front of the fire. She felt a sense of confidence begin to settle in her chest for her future plans. With a little luck it would go well and even if it didn’t it wasn’t necessarily written in stone. She reminded herself that as she watched the smoke from the bonfire spiral deftly into the air before disappearing.