I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

The sun was starting it's climb downward as Natha scaled the gray rocks into the gorge. It was still green with the remnants of summer. Small shrubs and pines stubbornly grew in the rocky soil and already she could feel the wind. It whipped at her fur in ebbs and flow. Natha paused between the two walls of stone that opened down into the gorge. "Well, it certainly is windy. Let's see what else we can find here." She strode ahead, entering the strange circular gorge. "I wonder what gave it this weird shape."

In addition to exploration Natha kept an eye out on the weather. Sheets of gray clouds were starting to move in. The stretched over the top of the sun but the light still managed to pierce through them, at least for now. They might have to find a place to shelter but hopefully the clouds would just move through before rain or some other precipitation began to fall. Well, maybe. She squinted at the sky again.

Wolves were not as agile as felines, that much was clear. He had heard tales of how they could scale sheer cliff faces, but it wasn't until now that Lyulf realized just how true this statement was. The hill gradually turned into a rocky cliff, something that Natha limbered up with little to no effort at all. Standing at the bottom, he watched the scene unfold for a moment. Sure, this was no mountain, but she still moved with a grace that was lost on his more lumbering steps. Once he had stared long enough, he took his own path through the gale. It didn't take too long for the winds to sweep over the two of him, the bitter bite of the north cutting into his coat. The male was glad that he had a thicker coat than most, not feeling it as much as some would have. His ears strained to hear his companion in front of him, her voice nearly lost in it all. He could only nod at her suggestion, squeezing himself between the narrow rock walls to enter the belly of the gorge. Wiggling through, he finally broke through the other side. Lyulf realized that the winds beyond the wall was a mere taste of what was trapped inside. It was as if they were standing on the lip of a bowl, any breeze that came in got trapped up in it, whistling through any crack in the stones. He was distracted by it all, wonder colouring his features, that he didn't notice the clouds starting to form above. It wasn't until he saw the lynx looking up that he followed her gaze, his ears falling flat against his skull. That looked like rain, being trapped in here wouldn't be the most ideal area if they got caught in a storm. "Should we look for some kind of shelter along the wall? Just in case?" He suggested, not wanting to seem too worried. At this time of year, it could very well be rain rather than snow, but still not something that he wanted to be trapped in in a land that he knew nothing about. Besides, Natha had mentioned some rare herbs that grew here, and while he was no healer, he was still curious enough to want to go and check it out. Perhaps that could come after a hunt for a den, there had to be something in here that the wind carved out. After all, if it had been able to cut through stone that thick to create an entrance like that, there had to be a cavern wide enough for the two of them.

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Natha worked her way a bit farther into the basin and she wondered if the wind was always this bad or it was just because rain looked to be moving in. She scanned the dark again, taking note of their size. They mostly seemed to be sheets and she didn't see any sign that any of them were growing taller which was a good sign. She didn't care to try weathering a thunderstorm. She didn't know which way the wind was blowing though for sure. It seemed the wind got caught in the gorge and whipped around along the walls. The storm could be moving in any direction.

Natha turned to Lyulf and nodded. "That's a good idea. I can't tell for sure which way the storm is moving but I don't really want to get wet." She began moving down along the southern wall and not too far south she came upon a cave entrance. "Huh, there might be quite a few caves in the area we can shelter in if we have to."That one at least they could mark. She continued working her way, bracing herself against the wind before pausing between two cave entrances, one to the east of her and one to the west. "Want to keep going? It looks like there's a forest to the south that should be promising."

As they made their way along the path, Lyulf braced himself against the power of the wind. It tore through his coat, twisting his mauve fur every which way. It was different than any type of winds he had experienced before, something almost felt more... angry with it. Swallowing the thought, he turned to listen for Natha as he suggested shelter, warily looking up at the clouds. It would be hard to find something away from the weather here, he felt like most caves would only collect the trapped air if they were flush with the rest of the basin. Ears pulled back in thought, nodding in agreement when the lynx said she didn't want to get soaked. In this type of weather, it would be a sure way to catch a cold - or worse. Lyulf's nostrils flared as he peeked into each cavern that his companion pointed out, feeling the brush of winds whip around the hole in the wall. His thought seemed to be right, the wind cut though everything that it could, which was honestly how the basin was probably created in the first place. His emerald gaze pulled towards the wooded area that Natha suggested, expression lighting up at the idea. "The trees would most likely cut down on the wind that reached any caves there, it would probably be a lot more safe than anything in those rock walls," He called, hoping that she could hear him. To add to his words he stepped onward, toeing the edge of the rocky face. He dared to peek below, his stomach dropping heavily as he realized just how high up they were. Heights didn't usually bother him, but with the mix of the angry wind, it felt like more of a sure fire that he could fall to his death. Best not think about that, not at this time. Licking at his dry lips, Lyulf lifted his head to look forward instead, keeping his gaze on the wooded area ahead, taking one last look at the skies.

I'd rather be dead than live a lie
BURN THE WHITE FLAG!

Natha continued to pick her way along the edge of the gorge, her ears pinned back to her head. She was starting to think that the herbs would not be worth dealing with this wind. Heck, she wasn't even a healer. If she found something neat she still wouldn't have any idea how to use it. Her eyes turned skyward to the darkening clouds. They were swollen and bulging and she saw a shock of lightning dart between a pair of clouds. "Ok, sounds good to me. Let's find some shelter."

They moved into a more wooded area full of all sorts of interesting plants but it was at that moment that Natha felt a drop of water. She shook her head. "Oh, ick! It's raining." Her eyes scanned the area for another cave entrance when she spied one. Natha immediately made a beeline for the cave, racing into it as the rain began to really start falling. She shook out her coat and peered out of the shallow cave. "Well, we can wait it out here. What do you think about retiring for the night and continuing on tomorrow? I'm thinking of heading north to see the glaciers if you're interested."

As soon as their paws touched the plush forest ground, the rain started. He couldn't help but grin in amusement as the cat freaked out at the feeling, darting off like an arrow before he could take off after her. Lyulf didn't mind the feel of it, his steps a lot slower as he pressed through the little wooded area. He could see how it made such a good area, if one didn't mind the wind that even here pressed against his back. Herbs be damned though, it was no time now to explore. As if hearing his thoughts, the clouds opened up more, enough to hurry his pace. Nostrils flared as he darted after the lynx into the cave, letting out a breath of relief as the winds died down within the belly of the cavern. Looks like the trees really did block out most of it all... Shaking out his coat - a fair distance from Natha so that he wouldn't soak her, he turned her way when she mentioned calling it a night. It had already been a long day, they had played with the lights in the ice, nearly been blown up by a geyser, found cave paintings, and then were battered by the winds of the gorge. Ly hadn't thought of it before, but now that she mentioned it, he could feel the weariness in his muscles. To say it had been an eventful day was an understatement... but he didn't want it to end. Panic fluttered in his chest for a moment, thinking that his fun with Natha was about to expire. That's when she went on though, saying that he could come with her again tomorrow if he wished it. Lyulf's tail picked up behind him, wagging a few times in obvious excitement, albeit more muted than most. "That sounds-" a yawn broke up his words, chuckling at himself as his jaws shut again, "wonderful. Goodnight, Natha," He said, some fondness for the feline leaking into his words. Without much more resistance, Lyulf flopped to the stone ground below him, curling up, resting his head on his paws. His emerald gaze looked out of the cave entrance, watching the rain fall across the gorge. It was enough to lull him into a peaceful sleep, the days activities wearing him right now. -exit via sleep-