You couldn't kill me if you tried Tel stirred in the early morning hours. The sun had not yet risen, and she had been sleeping after her night patrol. It had been a long, weary day. Her heat season was annoying for one, and another annoyance was the fact that a buck had gotten away from her, slipping free from her grasp with nothing other than luck on his part! It had managed to escape her claws before breaking for the opening in the wall, and in the process, Tel had gotten very dirty and frustrated. She had bathed after that, and when she returned to her den to sleep, things were...fine. She saw some faces when she had gone into her den in the alcove. But this morning, the pack was either sleeping or keeping watch on the walls. She began to stir, suddenly feeling...chilly. Had the fire gone out? Had her blankets slipped off? Or maybe it was snowing enough outside that there was a draft somewhere. Whatever the case, she slowly stirred awake and blearily blinked the sleep from her eyes. Half asleep still, she stumbled to her paws and slipped out of her den, into the main alcove, and out into the night. Not a soul in sight so far, but she was thirsty. Her favorite drinking spot was in the Moor, and knowing the lands like the back of her paw, she made her way there with half-closed eyes, shivering all the while. Why was it so cold all of a sudden? Perhaps it was just the early morning fog...after all, the Moor was known for that. Maybe it was the fact that Winter was drawing closer, that it was just colder than usual. Paws padded along the soft ground until finally, she reached the water. Dropping her head to drink, she didn't notice the fact that her bare skin was open to the elements. Or the fact that her tail fur wasn't dragging on the ground or that the longer fur that draped from her cheeks wasn't touching the water's surface, let alone the fact that her fur was neither a bright beacon nor that it was completely off now that she had finally mastered how to control it. It wasn't until she finished drinking and she wiped the sleep from her eyes, the cold water helping her wake up a little more, that noticed something was wrong. She looked at her reflection in the rippling pool for a moment, pointed ears and snout rippling with the movement of the water. When it stilled, she saw...someone. No...it was...her...? "What..." She rubbed her eyes before looking again, and then she figured it out. She was staring at herself. But...she had no fur. Her face was bare. Gasping, she fell back onto her haunches, startled, and she immediately twisted and turned to find that her once beautifully flowing tail and the celestial fur that adorned her frame was...gone. Panic settled in. And she screamed! Her heart raced and hammered against her chest as she wildly looked around for somewhere to hide! "No no no no no, this isn't happening! How!? What did I eat!? What's wrong with me!?" She frantically searched for something to hide away in, or hide behind...and all there really was were some low bushes and the stones. There was no way she would make it back to her den without someone seeing her! And if she did make it without getting caught by some miracle, what would she do!? Hide in there until her fur hopefully grew back!? What if it was gone forever!? She didn't understand how this happened, nor was she in a stable set of mind to figure it out. Instead, she ran behind one of the stones, using it as a shield from anyone who might be passing by...though she didn't think about how little it would to to help considering her other side was still exposed. All in all, she wasn't exactly in the mindset to think rationally and clearly on what to do. "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

He’d just come off patrol, filled with the contentment of a duty well finished and ready for a few hours nap before taking the pups for a hunting lesson, maybe in making snares. The night had been uneventful, aside from chasing off a trio of coyotes that had decided a firelit black behemoth with long sabers and strange front paws wasn’t something they’d be able to handle between the three of them. They’d fled, and he made note of them to pass on to the next shift. A shriek hit his ears, so full of horror that his hackles shot up, hide prickling painfully. Tel?! Dirt scattered into the air as he bolted toward the sound, opting to vault over the heather and wild lavender as Lyr surged ahead to guide the King through the thick miasma. Ardyn lit into the area he was pretty sure he’d heard her scream from, a vision of wrath and flame, sabered bared and eyes searching for something, only there was nothing. There was no sign of struggle, and he almost wondered if the Long Night and its voices were returning until a sound from the bushes near the base of the standing stones caught his ears and he stilled, head tipping slightly. Lyr lit on the stone above Tel, head cocking to observe the woman, wings fluttering with a surprised croak as the difference registered. Ardyn glanced up at the raven, noting that there was no danger, or Lyr wouldn’t have stayed put. Finally the King peered at the form huddled at the base of the standing stone, then came closer and got a good look at—oh gods. A blank look of shock slackened his features as he took in the state of his friend. Then relief swept over him. Bald he could take. Slaughtered by some trespassing enemy or taken prisoner… No. He couldn’t stand that. He moved to settle beside her if she’d let him, offering his warmth as he turned and dug through one of his pouches for a tightly rolled cloak and offered it to her. “Are you alright?” While it was a lame query, given her state and the screech she’d given, it would open the way for a conversation that might let her work through the shock she’d gotten. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

You couldn't kill me if you tried Panic had settled in. Her heart slammed against her chest and she felt like she was hyperventilating. "Oh gods, oh nononononono...what do I do? What. Do. I. Do!?" She repeated to herself in a whisper as she tried her best to calm down. But dammit it was hard! She was naked! Her beautiful fur was gone! She was far from vain, but this was something completely unexpected! Was it an after-effect of the long night!? Still, after so many seasons, did it continue to haunt her!? She had finally managed to get those voices to go away...only really hearing them in her dreams on occasion, but this!? If she had a paper bag, she would be breathing into it until it burst! This wasn't good, nothing about this was good! She felt like she was going to cry, the tears stinging stormy eyes like a torrential rainfall about to flood the valley. Her lip quivered as she pressed herself against the stone, but it was cold! "Okay...okay okay okay...I just...I have to get back to my den or...a hut or...something without being seen! She drew in a deep breath, a whimper slipping up her throat and past her jaws. She felt like she was going to throw up. The panic and embarrassment that welled up inside were unlike anything she had ever felt before. As she tried to calm down before trying to make a break for it, she heard a familiar croak and froze. She stilled like a statue, back against the cold stone, and slowly, her gaze rose to find Ardyn's raven sitting atop the stone above her. Her heart stopped. And she wanted to melt into the ground right then and there. Then she heard movement. And then she felt like she wanted to die. Without moving an inch, she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the tears stinging again. She shivered from the cold, but she would have rather braved the cold naked and afraid than have had Ardyn find her. But alas, it was already too late for that. She heard him approach, then felt him settle beside her. His warmth would quickly start to seep into her cold, bare flesh. Her lip trembled again. He offered her a cloak, and she was too frozen with embarrassment to take it right away. But then...“Are you alright?” That was the question that broke the camel's back. She wailed, something she had never done before, and the tears began to fall. Despite her extreme embarrassment and fear of the situation, she turned and curled into him, almost as if trying to hide within the long tendrils of his fur. "Noooo!!! I d-don't know w-what happ-ened! My f-fur is g-goooooonnneee!" She said in between sobs and trying to breathe. Why, why of all wolves did he have to find her!? Not only was she in heat, but she was fucking naked! This definitely had to be the worst day of her life! "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

Alright, so definitely not the best question, but it had helped to break the dam as Tel broke into a wail and squeezed into him. He shook out the cloak and tossed it over the both of them then snugged his friend close, letting her cry. She wasn’t a vain woman, but he could absolutely get why she was panicked about literally dropping her fur overnight somehow. He’d seen her the evening before and she’d had all her hair. So, was there a pile of fading hair in her bed furs? Not to mention, winter would be around before long, and keeping warm would be a challenge. Not to mention the damper on her diplomat work and training. Hard for alphas to take you seriously if you were bald and seriously off-kilter about it. “Maybe mom can help you figure out what to do. I think… that for now, we can ask Eramaya for a balm for your skin to keep it from getting chapped by the cold until your hair grows back. And we can make a lined coat to help you stay warm. You can bunk with me overnights, as well. How does that sound?” He tipped back to peer at the woman, head tipped to the side to catch her eyes if she let him. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

You couldn't kill me if you tried She was beside herself, this was a given. She didn't know what happened or why, or how, but she had no idea how to cope and deal with it. Thankfully, Ardyn was here (even though part of her wished he wasn't so she could save herself the embarrassment), but he wasn't laughing or making fun of her predicament. Instead, he suggested things to help her get through it, and for that she was grateful. She was grateful for the warmth of the cloak he had tossed over the both of them and she pressed close to him, taking in the warmth of his body as she tried to regain control of herself. This was the worst possible time for this to happen! Winter was coming soon, how was she going to manage without the natural warmth of her fur!? “Maybe mom can help you figure out what to do. I think… that for now, we can ask Eramaya for a balm for your skin to keep it from getting chapped by the cold until your hair grows back. And we can make a lined coat to help you stay warm. You can bunk with me overnights, as well. How does that sound?” She sniffled as she mulled it over for a brief moment before nodding. If anyone knew what to do, it would be Aurielle and Eramaya. Maybe they'd seen something like this before in their lifetimes...it was a strong possibility, anyway. At the mention of bunking with him at night, she froze. She felt heat rush to her face, and she slowly looked up to find him peeking back at her. Sure, they were the same height, but in her vulnerable position and curled into him for warmth and comfort, she felt significantly smaller. She could say no...but it would be less lonely and much warmer in these trying times. Besides, she didn't think she should be alone during this trying time. Although she had her companions, it simply wouldn't be the same. And besides, what if she went back to her den to find all her fur just scattered all over the furs she slept on!? She was sure she'd break down crying all over again! She slowly nodded. "I-I think I'd like that...it'd be for the best, especially with winter coming up...I could certainly use the company during all of this..." No way in hell was she going to feel comfortable going about her duties looking the way she did... "Speak"

Ardyn Adravendi

It seemed his presence was starting to help her master her emotions enough to think over his suggestions, and he smiled at the nod, nodding in return. He gave her a squeeze, unaware of her reservations. He’d been conditioned to ignore heat cycles in the women around him. Most of the ladies in the pack were related, in any case. He scanned the moor, then glanced down at her, asking, “You up for making it back to the Alcoves? Lyr can guide us around anyone else.” He was pretty sure she wasn’t ready to encounter anyone else of Valhalla yet, at least not until she was bundled up enough not to make the lack of hair immediately noticeable. Once they were back at the Alcoves, he could get her settled and send Lyr off to let someone else know about the coyotes he’d chased off. _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think