Camping With the Boys

Xairo shivered as an icy breeze ruffled his fur, chilling him to the bone. He couldn’t help but cast a glance toward Zagan and Ludo, to see if the cold cut them as deep as it had him. But of course, he didn’t want to seem weak in front of his brothers. Xairo trudged onward through the frosty night, determined not to let his brothers see how the bitter cold affected him. His paws felt numb and clumsy as they crunched through the icy grass. Until he could take it no more. “We should set up camp- or at least stop for a rest.” He growled through gritted teeth- more or less to keep his teeth from chattering. It was a shame to stop now, with home being just a territory away. But if they didn’t find warmth now, he was certain that he’d freeze solid.

Xairo scanned their surroundings, his sharp green eyes searching for anything that could provide shelter from the biting cold. A cluster of pine trees caught his attention, their dense boughs promising a respite from the wind.

"Over there," he barked, nodding his head towards the grove. Without waiting for his brothers' agreement, Xairo charged forward, his paws kicking up small puffs of snow as he ran. As they reached the trees, Xairo began to paw at the ground, scraping away the snow to create a shallow depression. "Help me gather some pine needles and branches," Xairo instructed, his voice muffled by the mouthful of foliage he had already collected. "We can use them to make a bed and insulate ourselves.”

266 words.
"Xairo Saxe"