Áskell bounded through the snow with a stick in his mouth. His magpie, Kári, took to the skies above as the young wolf worked his way down the eastern side of Mount Volkan and to the river below. He'd turn a year old in spring and he just couldn't wait. With that milestone would come a lot more freedom and in his mind he'd be basically a grown up and could do whatever he wanted. He also planned to talk to their leader about being a warrior. He was sure he was strong enough! Áskell set the stick down and bent his head at the river to drink before gazing out across the band of water. The narrower parts of the river were frozen over though the water still ran underneath. It was almost like a bridge. Áskell eyed the ice for a moment then tested it with his paw. When it didn't crack he took another step and then another. He took a moment to grab his stick and then started working his way across to see what lay on the other side. All was well until he was half way across. That's when he heard the first crack. Uh oh… he looked down to see the fine, spider web lines radiating out from his paw. He took a step back but that cracked to. Well, shit… "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ruin didn't patrol nor did she really ever go out of her way to pull her weight in the pack. She probably ought to since she'd be a yearling next season, pretty much an adult except in the ways that counted, but still she just didn't feel like it. No one had ever really scolded her over it either, or called her out on her bone idleness so as far as she was concerned everything was kosher. She was free to plot and scheme till her hearts content, gaze set on the horizon as she barely managed to subdue her itchy paws. She wandered through the Thicket and pushed through the bushes till land met the rushing flow of the rapids.

Abaven had been struck by a cold snap, resulting in parts of the river freezing over. She was light enough on her paws that crossing over never really was a problem for her but the same couldn't be said for what's his face...Askell over there. She padded closer, in no hurry as her head tilted a little to the side as she observed. The ice cracked and splintered beneath his weight, cobwebbing with every shift of his weight.

She could reach out and try to help him...but she could also not.

"Sucks to be you today, huh Áskell ?"

Haiku’s least favorite place in the pack lands was the ticket. You couldn’t see very far and he was so big that his fur often caught in the thorns and branches that hung low over the paths. Rhyme reminded him that made it all the better as a defensive position and that he should do his best to learn the trails and paths. So he would. He walked swiftly through the snow, often getting caught on said brambles.

After he’d decided his skin had enough of the abuse Haiku made his way to the edge of the river. His passive paws leaving prints through the cold snow that covered Abaven. Thankful for and cursing the thick coat he had, it kept him warm but now his pelt was full of torn sticks and bits of nature. No matter how much he shook they stayed. With a heavy sigh he gave up, just in time to see Ruin and the boy on the ice.

Curious he loped forward his blue and lavender eyes spying the cracks in the ice from Askell’s paws. He must not have been brought up around the river. Lesson number one was don’t go in the river, flowing or frozen. ”Why are you on the water?” Haiku called out, just as helpful as Ruin but with opposite intentions. Haiku would have already leapt to the other boy’s aid, but his massive weight wouldn’t help either of them out there.

Áskell shifted the stick in his jaws as he carefully slid all four paws back underneath himself. Ok, he could figure this out. While he worked out what to do he soon realized he had an audience as the girl from the forest, Ruin, appeared at the opposite end of the ice bridge with what looked like a much larger version of her. Oh great… there were two of them. Ruin made a sassy comment and he longed to stick his tongue out at her. "Haaa..haaa…" he said, his mouth still around the stick which he was quickly considering just discarding. This was hard enough as it was. At the boy's question Áskell released the stick, deciding it was more hindrance than help. "I'm just exploring, I wanted to see what was over here. Why are you guys here?" Áskell carefully bent his elbows, winching at the crack of the ice until he had his forearms down on the ice. Ok, ok, so far so good. Now how to get his ass down. If he could spread his weight out then maybe… He managed to get himself down on his belly, splaying his hind legs out behind him as he started sliding toward the other end. There were fewer cracks now. He scooted the stick as he went. "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think