her heaven is only half alive i fell asleep in his, but he could not breathe in mine The lake was too cold to swim in, but Jendayi was never one to throw such an opportunity away. The water was always inviting—it allowed her some distant escape, a blissful drawback to the days of her youth spent in places much warmer, thick swamps ruled by the glorious self-proclaimed swamp Queen, Jendayi’s self-proclaimed mother (although some other distant relative) who taught her all she’d ever known: to ignore the shackles of culture and instead revel in all the world had to offer. To learn through experience, to not tie herself to one place for longer than she needed to. Eventually, Jendayi had left, and had found herself here, in this land where she knew not the pathway home. Everywhere was home, now; it was a thought that made things easier to forget, and eventually, Jendayi lost most of her past identity. The life of a nomad had its ideals and pleasantries, but so far north brought with it smaller and well-hidden prey, and Jendayi was simply not powerful enough to trek through the billows of snow that reached far over her head. She soon abandoned the mountain and headed south, and it was there where she discovered the vast lake. The humid sun above cast a blistering shine upon the shallows, but with the winter came the frost, and much of it had long frozen over. Jendayi thought to break the ice simply to submerge herself—it was the coldest water, after all, that woke her up the best, but the ice had soon proven far too thick to break, as if it had been this way for years. Once the wintry maiden had tired herself out, she resolved to laying along the banks. Here, the wind was not as harsh as it had been in the higher altitudes, and the clear skies a fickle promise that perhaps it would last—the snowstorms the night before had nearly thrown her off the mountain, and the cliffsides above her ached with heavy snow, the sound of thunderous rapor terrifying in the dead of night when avalanches assaulted the other side of the mountain. It was dangerous, but Jendayi had never lived in fear of danger. It was what made her feel alive. She had long consigned herself to some sort of half-sleep, her eyes fluttering against the harshness of the sun’s brightness on the lake, awakened only by its intensity. But it felt so nice on her back—the thickness of her winter coat strong enough now to keep most of the chill out, and the warming rays of the sun and the brief humidity in the air allowing her a lukewarm presence, if only just. An almost wolfish purr exhaled from her mouth, a girlish sigh escaping in the form of a thick vapor, before she buried her nose in the snow. Her tail curled around her hocks, and she sprawled out on her side, half-hidden in the alcove of a small rock laden with snow, leaving her lower half in the shade, and upper half in the sun. Forget the water, she thought, watching the frozen lake sit vastly before her, this was truly peaceful.

code & art by lynx

For Kai, things had been looking up lately. Not that they had ever been terribly bad before - but he'd been in extremely high spirits since heading to the north. First he'd met his cousin, and then a lovely woman named Aggie that allegedly had been taken in by his family's tribe when she was young. Being around kindred souls had left him feeling refreshed and reinvigorated with even more joy for life and whatever adventures it might hold for him in the future. He couldn't help but feel as though the north was somehow home. Even the bitter chill of the wind ruffling through his thick coat felt comforting rather than threatening - and he couldn't begin to explain how serene he felt when he first heard the howl of the winds sweeping through the tall mountain peaks. This was just.. home. Not this lake, not even this section of the north, but all of it. Being here simply felt right; there was no denying it any longer. Of course, as much as the life of a completely mountain-faring wolf suited him, he had always been restless, never staying in one place for long - and prey was scarce up there, anyway, especially at this time of year. Wolves were even scarcer, too. He'd noticed only a particular sort of creature really made their homes here, especially in the harsher seasons, and while he was independent to the core, Kai was also a social wolf.. being alone only suited him for so long. So when he caught the scent of a passerby, his interest was immediately piqued, and slowly he navigated across the low terrain, over thick ice and even thicker piles of snow until he saw her. She wasn't that easy to spot, curled against a rock, with her pale coat blending in slightly against the snow. A boyish grin pulled at his lips as he eyed her, lying quite peacefully in the snow. It was a relaxing sort of afternoon, quiet and relatively warm with the sun beating down on your back - but relaxing could also be quite boring and as Kai crept closer, his mind spun with ideas. Perhaps she'd be receptive to his presence.. and perhaps not.. but he had only seen good things come from his interactions lately, and he wasn't one to shy away from the possibility of a good conversation. He crouched slightly as he moved, making a great effort to be quiet and hopefully go unnoticed by her. Kai's brows furrowed in concentration as he angled himself closer, trying to be as quiet as his oversized paws would allow. He moved until he found an especially soft patch of snow, and with one great sweep he scooped it up with his paw and sent a nice spray of snow flying in her direction. He hoped she might find the sudden rain of snow amusing, but he knew it wasn't the best way to greet someone, so he straightened and teetered on the pads of his paws as if ready to head away if she was less-than-pleased with his antics.

 

her heaven is only half alive i fell asleep in his, but he could not breathe in mine She’d yet to truly meet many other souls here, for with the north brought desolation and scarcity. Only the hardest-faring wolves could survive, and oftentimes they too fled south during the thickest of winters. This season was not wrought with famine and treacherous weathers as much as it may have been in more historic eras, but neither was this one kind. Jendayi almost entertained the idea that there were no permanent residents here—and that the only souls she did see where passersby, just like her. Solitude, unlike Kai, however, was something Jendayi craved. It allowed her the peace of her own study and exploration, and did not fetter her to a company she’d have to entertain—and even further, did not have to worry about. Even a stoic creature such as herself had a very soft heart, and often Jendayi found those few companions who did join her for excursions were victim to her constant nitpicking. She’d never wanted to be responsible for the safety of another. It was perhaps why she had detached herself so much. It is within her own thoughts (and lack of sleep catching up to her in the worst of ways) that causes Kai’s presence to slip from her notice. She appears almost sleeping, if not restlessly, twisting and turning with each position growing uncomfortable and desperate for the sun’s reach. Her own noisy shuffling distracts her, and her nose had long grown cold and numb from the snow. She did not often let her guard down, but she had grown too comfortable in a land where nothing had yet tried to kill her—and it would cost her, even now. All was warm and dry one moment, and then the next, there was a sheer smack of frost against her pelt that caused her to yelp, to wrench her head in a fervent whiplash, golden gaze wide and wild like a frightened doe. Quick was the small woman to her paws, spurning up the loose snow fallen all around her. Tendrils of wintry fur were disheveled and covered in the alabaster powder, the aftermath of Kai’s trick evident all across her messy, lithe frame. “Spirits!” she curses, lips baring over teeth in a startled half-snarl. Her gaze quickly finds the perpetrator, and while her fur is raised about her plush nape and her teeth are bared and glinting in the sharp sunlight, she is otherwise unaggressive. Jendayi was merely taken by surprise (and figured, perhaps, if he was not attacking her now, he’d no intention of killing her—or worse).  I was sleeping, she wanted to say, but instead kept herself silenced. She did not know this man, and despite his clever and self-satisfied demeanor she did not want to trust this was all just a jest. She’d been taught to be skeptical, if anything, and more often than not flight would win over fight, given her small size and stature, and general lack of protective capability. He was much larger—but he was also alone. She considered these things, if only to potect herself. A single paw stepped backward, and between them she created more space; that was, until one more step back brought her onto the frozen lake, and the sudden shift from firm to slippery terrain caused Jendayi to lose her balance, and fall into the snowbank beside her with a loud cry. Damnit! she thought, quickly fighting away the snow in an attempt to get back on her paws, now I must look terrible. She was used to the mud, the earth, the thick gnarled roots of the mangroves and the deep-settled mud. The winter was unkind to her, and the north did not resonate nearly as well with Jendayi as it did for the man before her (and it most certainly showed).

code & art by lynx

The truth was, Kai wasn't totally sure how he would react to such a rude awakening. Perhaps he might be irritated that his nap was ruined, and that his space had been impeded upon, but he thought he might be amusedore than anything, and wonder who dared disturb him. He generally wasn't ever bothered by changes in his plans or in the sudden arrival of others.. and he found himself hoping this white-furred female might be as receptive to his company as he would be to hers. It was hard to tell from this distance if she was truly asleep or merely lounging, but as soon as she reacted to him it became suddenly obvious that she been asleep. She reacted jerkily to his antics, whipping her head to find him behind her, flailing a bit comically as she jerked upright. Kai, perhaps not so good-naturedly, let a loud laugh fall from parted lips. The sound was accompanied by a snort, and was more playfully friendly than anything else. Despite his laughter, he feigned a look of confusion. "What, am I bothering you?" Came his first words to her, forcing a look of bewilderment to touch his boyish features as he took a slow stride closer. He was a touch wary, eyeing her snarling expression carefully - he was in no mood for a fight and if she truly was upset about what he'd done, he'd gladly leave her to her own devices. While he wasn't afraid of her.. she was much smaller, after all.. he also wasn't one to be bothered fighting over most things, especially ones he wasn't at all invested in. Instead of remarking anything else, she was quiet, moving to step away from him. It appeared like she wanted to do it more gracefully than she managed, and be stifled another bout of laughter as she fell over. "I didn't think I'd get you so.. frazzled," he searched for the right word, grinning when he finally found it. He kept his distance, watching as she tried to gain her composure, though to him she looked a tad bit defeated. "My bad. Was just trying to have a bit of fun. You're welcome to join me, if you want." If as though to prove his words, he took a few ambling steps to the side, to the slick surface of the lake - pushing off and sliding slightly away from her on the ice.

 

her heaven is only half alive i fell asleep in his, but he could not breathe in mine Quick was Jendayi to regather her composure and lift herself onto her paws once more. Her fluster quickly subsided and the shock of his presence (and the sheer cold of the snow against her face) was subdued. He laughed, and Jendayi felt exasperated. It wasn’t the sort of introduction she had ever imagined herself giving, and it had undoubtedly scarred the usually-calm first impression she would usually give. She thought, humorously, that perhaps it would be a different experience if she at first appeared more light-hearted and lively than her usual steeled nature. Despite his almost ill-natured words his tone was more friendly, and Jendayi allowed her frayed fur to settle, and her gaze to become less intense, less harsh. What, am I bothering you? he asks, and she replies with a soft and simple:  “No.” She said nothing other than that, knowing if she desperately tried to give some form of explanation, some you just scared me, that’s all, it would be some lost cause perhaps simply to subdue the fact she had most certainly embarrassed herself. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks, and the overwhelming urge to avert her gaze from him. Damnit. He did not allow for the silence to linger long, and for once, Jendayi was grateful for it. Where before she may have felt more expended having to listen and respond to more questions, she instead welcomed the sound of his voice to distract her from her own festering thoughts. The expense of her solitude often led to a terrible self-image, and the wounds that were created when she was less-than-graceful only deepend since her interactions were so few and far between. In short, the longer she made herself to be some frightened doe, the longer she felt her heart hammer against her chest in the worst of ways. He seems to play on this, and it further stirs the birdwings of her heart to flutter. She steels herself, and where a younger her may have retorted offensively, she manages to keep her voice even. “I did not expect to be ambushed,” she responds nonchalantly, her choice of words purposeful. She does not reply to his second statement, and instead watches carefully as he masterfully pushes himself onto the lake, ice sliding under well-controlled paws, keeping him upright and stationary. Jendayi realized, perhaps childishly: she wanted that. Cautiously, a single paw poked toward the ice. Her limbs were trembling, the shock of her first fall still resonating through her. A single claw clicked against the ice, and as soon as the pad reached it, the sudden shift of terrain and lack of friction caused it to slip, caused her to quickly retract it back. Golden gaze found Kai once more, before returning to the firm black sheet below. She let go of the breath she’d been holding, and pressed her paw against it—firmer, this time, her claws arching out to grab ahold of it as best as she could. This time, it held, and after a few moments of testing its strength she placed the other front paw on the ice. Eventually, she was on it in its entirety, her lips curving into a saccharine and maidenly smile, some hidden triumph unfurling like a kindling fire in her breast—I did it.

code & art by lynx

Kai didn't focus too much on her reaction. All he knew was that she seemed flustered, first annoyed, but her expression slowly softened as she seemed to realize it was all in good fun rather than done out of malice. He gave little thought to the fact that she might not normally be someone prone to being startled - he was mostly amused by her reaction, letting out a soft chuckle as she responds to his question with a simple, 'No.' "Ah, good! I'd hate to be a pest," he assured her, but the playfulness audible in his tones said otherwise. He wasn't exactly uncomfortable with silence, but he figured he'd offer a decent first impression instead of letting her sit all frazzled and distraught. Her next statement, less bristling than he expected, made his grin broaden. "Nor did I expect to be doing any ambushing, but here we are. There's no turning back now!" It seemed his own words amused him even further, and he found his tail waving gently behind him. It was hard to keep his silver stare from fixing on her as he slid onto the ice, perplexed by her demeanor. Instead of being downright upset, or nonchalant, she wavered somewhere in between.. a middle ground that perplexed Kai, since it was somewhere he rarely found himself. He was usually quite chipper and exuberant himself, rarely bothered by most things, but the things that did bother him bothered him truly and deeply. He watched as she tested the ice herself, and he decided that she couldn't be all that upset with him if she hadn't either ran, or tried to run him off yet. She was playing along with his antics, which was definitely pleasing to him. "Don't worry, this lake is long since frozen over. You won't fall through." Or perhaps her wariness wasn't caused by that, but by the slickness of the ice? Who knew - he sure didn't. Wondering if she'd dare to slide like he did, he pushed off again, sliding across the sheet of ice with ease, a few more feet away now. "My name's Kai, by the way. Figure I owe you that, at least, for interrupting your nap." He chuckled, a bit more friendly now rather than teasing, as he raised a brow and assessed her. He owed her nothing, not really, but it sounded nice and he was generally a friendly fellow - especially in the company of a wolf as pretty as this was. That certainly didn't hurt his cause.

her heaven is only half alive i fell asleep in his, but he could not breathe in mine Don’t worry, he reassures, and Jendayi feels her heart flutter in her chest; as if his words fettered her paws to the ground, Jendayi was finally able to stable herself upon the ice, and slowly she slid across the frozen blackwater, the gray sky reflected underneath endless onyx and blue. It wasn’t the falling through that bothered Jendayi as it was the slipping and falling on. A sharp pain still radiated in her hip where she had fallen once before, and while her fur was thick and protective the ice was also hard and nearly unbreakable, and it did not provide any sort of comfort to break her fall. She watched with careful golden eyes as Kai expertly pushed off the ice once more, and an almost childlike glint kindled in her gaze, yes, that, I want that. She wanted to do as he did—to glide effortlessly and elegantly across the frozen expanse. The ice felt like cold pinpricks under her paws, but her adrenaline was so spiked there was certainly enough heat in her legs to combat the cold. My name’s Kai, by the way. His voice caught her off-guard, and quickly the blissful reverie snapped away. Her gaze sought his once more, and an almost breathless smile curled onto her mouth. “Jendayi,” she responds in her usual manner, short and concise yet pleasant. Steadily, she takes a step toward him, but quick was her temporary grace ruined when her paw made contact with the slippery surface, and suddenly, Jendayi was slipped along the ice once more. A fearful oofh! exhaled from her lips, and only just barely was the white maiden able to catch herself, at the expense of her legs spreading awkwardly, unable to pick themselves back up into a more proper position. “H-how do you walk on this?” she asked breathlessly, her words breaking the breaths of her pants. Jendayi had always figured herself a surefooted creature, able to scale rough mountaintops and slip through deserts without getting lost or trapped in the quicksands. But never had she encountered something like this before—never had she trudged through a lake that was hard-frozen over, and not just shallow and sloshy water, filled with chunks of ice yet still fluid. She dares not try to move once more, her form visibly shaking from the shock of the unpredictable falls and unsure footing, and the sudden chill in the air that curled around them. Still, the day was beautiful—and it was hard to hate such a wonderful thing. If anything, she was simply flustered.

code & art by lynx

Kai isn’t able to figure out exactly what this stranger is thinking, or feeling - her initial reaction was irritated, and then surprised, and now.. well, he couldn’t place it. Not that he was trying terribly hard; he was no expert at reading others and didn’t pretend to see emotions where there were none. The not knowing didn’t bother him though, either, but he swore he saw interest in her stare and something akin to envy, which only fueled his antics. Much like his father, though he lacked the tusks that seemed to bring him so much attention in these lands, he enjoyed the attention of strangers, and found himself exhilarated by being in the spotlight much of the time. ”Jendayi!” The man exclaimed when she finally offered her name, beaming across the ice at her. His obvious glee only heightened when he caught sight of her heading toward him, taking another slow step on the ice and watching as her paw slipped. She steadied herself, instead of falling to the ground, and he found himself chuckling. His laughter was all good-natured, of course. There was no harm in faltering - it was better to try something new than not try at all, and she hadn’t even fallen yet, so in his mind she was doing terrific even if she didn’t feel quite so confident in herself. Her question had him chuckling all over again, shaking his head a bit.  ”It’s all just practice, really,” he admitted, using his weight to jerk his head to the side and to rotate slightly on the ice, away from her, before twisting back around. His movements are alarmingly graceful for a beast of his size, moving like a well-oiled machine, his motions practiced and concise.  ”Though I suppose my bloodline might play a role, too. My ancestors all wolves who prefer the mountains. I’d bet that you’d kick my ass in a swimming contest, though.” The water had never honestly appealing to him, and he looked far less pretty swimming than he did ice-skating, he would bet anything on that. He had a sudden idea, and half-slid half-padded closer to her and plopped down easily on the ice beside her. ”Here, try pushing yourself around me. Just lean in toward me a bit. If you do fall, landing on me should be softer than on ice, or at least soften the fall,” he explained cheerfully, peering up at her and wondering if she’d find his idea acceptable or not. At least it was a bit safer, if not a bit chilly for him - already he felt the cold seeping into his pelt, but he’d survive, and find somewhere dryer and warmer to seek shelter later and unthaw.

her heaven is only half alive i fell asleep in his, but he could not breathe in mine Jendayi was stoic, but she was not cold-shouldered. His humor eventually began to wear down the stoic barrier she had long erected, and her walls began to tumble down, to reveal a gentle softness underneath. A part of Jendayi she did not know she had long missed. A small smile took form on her saccharine lips, and a giggle tailed the end of his exclamation of her name. Yes, that is me, she seemed to want to say, I am Jendayi. The name felt much better in a lighter tone, she decided. It did not carry such a heavy weight when it was spoken in lighter terms—it did not seem like the prison it once had. Practice, he says, and Jendayi nods. It had taken her far too long to learn how to hunt and fend for herself to realize not all things came naturally. She had long accepted where her strengths were and where they were not, and accepted his words with some kind grace, something unusual for her age (but Jendayi was forced to mature early on, having been on her own for so long). Practice, then, she decides, and as he speaks she begins to move and stabilize her legs in many manners, until she finally found her balance. Her claws unfurled into the ice, and kept her steadied enough to stay upright. He makes mentions of his bloodline, and immediately the small smile forming on Jendayi’s lips falls just a little. The thought of family always hurt her, and although prideful of where once she came she felt the overwhelming desire to still push it all away. She could hide what she could, but always would Jendayi be a creature of the forest—of lush greenery and thick-woven canopies, bright golden light flittering through dancing leaves and pine needles. She resembled the deer, the long-legged and pale-furred wolves of the evergreens. She was not meant for wintry climates, but it was perhaps her favorite place so far. She had spent much of her time in the north now, and had long grown to love the endless white; it distracted her from her thoughts of home. It is only his mention of swimming that takes her away from her thoughts of the past; one thing Jendayi had learned since she had let it all behind was that she very much loved the water, no matter how cold, or harsh, it was. “I might take you up on that challenge, so that you might see me in my element, rather than this awkward mess,” she admitted boldly, her clever grin returning. He ambled his way closer to her, but this time, Jendayi was not spooked by his approach. She watched him with almost curious eyes, her golden gaze searching the pale frost of his own. His suggestion prompted a small quirk of her brow, the idea of falling onto him more daunting than the heat that rose in her cheeks at their closeness. Jendayi had always welcomed touch (perhaps far more than most other wolves) but having been separated from it so long spurned a new heat in her. “Uhm…okay,” she responded softly, the hesitance in her tone clear in her movements as well. Although light, Jendayi would still be a weight to bare if she’d fallen onto him, so she starts smoothly and slowly. Her shoulder braces against his own, and while she places no weight on him (save for the few times she loses her footing, and she must), she slowly begins to amble across the ice at his side. It is much easier, she decides silently. Her legs remained wobbly and unsure, but the protection of his presence makes it that much easier.

code & art by lynx

Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of off victory as her expression began to slowly but steadily soften; stony exterior being slowly etched away like a boulder might be worn away by the wind. Only this change was happening in a matter of moments, rather than over tens or hundreds of years, thank goodness for that, since he wasn't sure he had quite so much time. At least it seems like she agrees with his words, or is pretending to agree - maybe just to be polite? though she doesn't exactly strike him as the type to do anything to be polite - but either way, it's good enough for him. He doesn't make a big deal of things as she starts to move across the ice, cautiously but slowly growing a bit bolder with each slow step. Her expression faltered at his comment about swimming - shit, maybe she wasn't a fan? Ah well, he'd be happy to skip a swimming contest, if that was the case! After a moment though, she affirmed that she'd like to take him up on his offer, his own wide grin reappearing. "It's on, then!" He agreed exuberantly, deciding that if he found her again he'd hold her to that promise. "I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing me flopping around like a fish out of water, too," he added, furrowing his brow at the thought. Swimming wasn't the worst thing he could imagine doing, and he'd be happy to make a fool out of himself at Jendayi's expense. If he'd learned one thing so far in life, it was that he always enjoyed seeing others smile and laugh.. so long as he was laughing right along with them, of course. She didn't seem completely opposed to his idea and he beamed up at her, almost proud at his suggestion. She seemed to want to dance across the ice as he had, but was worried about falling.. and this solved both problems! He lifts his head to follow her as she starts to move around him, shoulder pressing into his own as she starts her first circle. Her posture is growing more confident - not quite as unsteady as the first time he'd encouraged her to walk out on the ice. "I'm sorry for tossing snow at you, by the way. Earlier, I mean," Kai says finally. Earlier he had sort of implied that he'd felt bad, but he'd mostly been alarmed at her own reaction. Now, though? He liked her, and didn't want her to think he was all that terrible.