Speech // thought
An inky wet nose lifted into the air, puffing steam around her white and purple maw like a dragon. The hard frozen ground was awful on the pads. She was grateful for her thick winter coat. The herbal stores were going to need to be stretched through the season. The now yearling knew that no new plants would be coming up until a good thaw in the spring.
Alexa raked a few black claws over a spot of ice, just to see how permeable it was. Alas, her efforts only marred the surface of the thick ice coating everything that would not move. Mismatched eyes darted over the ground as she walked. Carefully, carefully, hoping not to slip, hoping not to reveal herself too readily. The trees offered protection from prying eyes, though she had a feeling her brother wouldn't come out this far anyway.
She spied the falls up ahead. Her eyes wandered over the frozen soil to the frozen stream then up the half-frozen waterfall. It was nearly solid except for the trickling and running water feeding the streams under the thick layers on top. How would she find herbs in this? The soil was barely viable to dig through! The roots would be hard to get in this harsh weather!
A shadow shifted and she jumped back with a gasp. They were camouflaged so well in the shadows of soil, cliff edge, and tree!
"Sorry! So-sorry!" She squeaked and hid back behind a tree. How would she dig for herbs if there was a stranger this close!? Who were they? They weren't a Raider, were they? Were they a slaver? Oh gods! She should have brought someone with her!
"Please... Please don't-" She begged with her face pressed into a tree. She didn't know what she was begging them not to do exactly, just don't do anything!
