Nirvana had decided to travel from the comfort of the eastern lands toward Northern Boreas. If it had been cold before, the temperatures here only seemed to drop further. When the sun set it would be even colder still, and the woman and her companions would need to consider shelter before it took their lives. But with the skies overcast and a dark steely gray, the Mendacium woman felt comfortable in exploring what the north had to offer her. Apart from the crunch of snow that had fallen the night before, she could catch the scents and sounds of something skittering along the snowbanks. Prey should have been hibernating, at least if it was as small as she suspected. Perhaps it was a fox? She had seen those with white coats before. Surely they would enjoy an area such as this.

But the further north Nirvana traveled, the gloomier the skies overhead became. The threat of snow became a sure thing as the first of flakes descended from the heavens. Nirvana gave pause, her red gaze turning skyward as she watched their dance to the earth below. Such a calming sight, beautiful… and the world covered in white as it was, like a blanket, was appealing to her as well. Nirvana had always had an eye for natural beauty, a love for the landmarks and elements. A smile touched the woman’s lips as she pressed on, and, by mid afternoon, she had come to a new land all together.

She could see stone, pale as bone beneath the snow that lay atop it. But as she kept going, she noticed a dip in the earth, and she would hop down, with Thomas riding upon her back, to examine what had once been the bed of a river. Something had caused it to dry up. Nirvana’s ears flicked forward as she sniffed at some nearby stone. Had it been a dam somewhere upstream, perhaps? Boulders blocking the flow? There were many reasons which led to the wash being as it was. A hum left her lips and she would continue picking her way along the riverbed.

What secrets did it have to share with her? All the while the snow began to come down harder, but Nirvana was so enamored with the landscape that she failed to recognize the potential for a blizzard.

------------------------

Word Count: 392 Words
Total Words: 392 / 1,500

"Speech" 'Thought.'

The young wolf was hungry. Near starving. She could have asked for help. Could have asked any of the Armada wolves to share some of their food. Yet, she felt... to be a burden. Why would they want to help her now? After she wandered off and got lost. Not that she had done it on purpose. No. She had been trying to be useful, to be helpful, to be an asset to the pack even if she couldn't talk. But she didn't know the area. Didn't know how to navigate around the northern regions of Boreas and had unfortunately gotten lost. Had almost died too, but had thankfully made it back to the shores of the cove where she had been found. Recovery had been slow going, but she was getting there. Healthy enough to wander north of the col in search of food. Just enough food to get her by.

As she went, the snow had picked up. The wind sent gusts of frozen white flakes into her face. She was lost once more. Turned around and unsure of which way was back, she continued on. Not far ahead of her, she had seen a trail of snow hare. Well, she had thought she had seen a snow hare. What with how the environment changed so quickly, she wasn't so sure anymore. Trying to shield her eyes against the blustery gales, she hunkers down for a moment. Snow blows over her form as it soon buries her. There is a moment of wanting to give up. Of wanting to give in and just let it all end right here and right now. That flicker disappears as soon as it arrives when a frail scent of hare reaches back to her.

Perking up, the girl squints through the haze and sees something up ahead. Yet, that form is larger than a hare, but the fur is as white as the snow surrounding them. Confused, Dee manages to push her way through the ankle-deep snow as the storm begins to pick up again. Closing in on the distance, Dee finally sees that the form is of a wolf. A wolf that she does not recognize, but maybe they know the way back to the col! With how the storm is picking up, dousing her thoroughly to the bone, she is ready to return back to safety. Approaching as fast as her legs can make it through the powder, she tries to let out a bark. What comes out is a strangled noise that makes her sound like a dying bird. Frustrated, Dee doesn't stop until she can nearly touch the stranger. Opening her lips once more, she tries to make a noise, any noise, but nothing comes. Instead, she leans back onto her hind legs and lifts up so that she can wave her front paws around to get the stranger's attention.

wc: 482 = 874/1500

Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

As Nirvana walks, the air around her continues to tug at her coat and find every space beneath her cape to brush over her fur. She feels the cold, recognizes it, but her curiosity of the riverbed encourages her onward as her pink pads crunch over the previous day’s fallen snow. Her breath comes out in short, frosty pants, her tail swishing in thought. The stones, at least what she can make of them, are worn from years under the influence of water. Many of them are smoothed over, a fact she realizes as she brushes a layer of snow off the nearby side of the wash. The effects water could have on stone, an element believed to be unbreakable, is fascinating to the woman. She barely notices the flurries get thicker as they cascade from the heavens. Doesn’t notice how the wind seems to grow even colder, nor that the sky has gone from a light gray to an angry steel. She is absorbed in her work, her favorite hobby now before her. Everything else, even her own safety, is forgotten.

For a time Nirvana is alone, the snow gathering upon the feathers of her cape as she makes her way along slowly. Her paws are starting to tingle from the cold, and just as she blinks, seeming to pull herself out of her focus she becomes aware that she is not alone. Her head turns to the femme waving at her, her head tilted to one side as she regards her. Had the woman said anything? She hadn’t heard her. The whipping wind around them gives an idea of why. Nirvana’s ears fall against her head as she squints her eyes against the flurries. Shit… how careless. “Uh… hey…” She frowns, looking this way and that. There was no way in hell they were going to get through the entire territory in this weather. Although she had seen what appeared to be a den on the other side of the wash.

Her red gaze flicks to the smaller woman. “Thanks for breaking me out of my thoughts. Come on, if we stay out here we’re going to be part of the snow by moonrise.” She turns, traveling to the other side of the wash. It would be near impossible to gauge how far they needed to go with sight… but if she felt her way along she was confident that she’d be able to find the opening. They might even get snowed in but… it would be much warmer there than out here. Hopefully they didn’t need to fight off another predator to use it. She pressed along, prodding with her paw every so often to reassure herself she didn’t miss the entrance. But as she goes, she realizes it is only getting colder. They are running out of time. Maybe the girl has better eyes than her?

“Heyy! So there's a den somewhere along here. But we're going to need to find it quick. Pick up the pace, and don't lag behind!" It could be buried if they keep plodding along like this. Nirvana broke into a run, praying for the best as she started an race against the clock... and the she-wolf that had found her.

------------------------------------

Nirvana vs Dierdra for Race to find shelter from the blizzard
Round 1/?
Age: Over one year
Size: Extra large
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Navigator

------------------------------------

Word Count: 540 Words
Total Word Count: 1,414 Words

"Speech!"

The wolf finally noticed her waving her paws. Already getting too cold for comfort, the girl placed her paws back down and stood up to all four. Her tail wags gently behind her in hello as her head tilts lightly to the side. She listens and then nods with a slight smile even though her teeth are chattering. Being unable to speak really hindered having conversations. Turning to follow after the ivory woman, Dee tried to keep up as best as possible. Her paws plunked down into the snow and pulling them back up was more difficult the farther they went. By this point, she could hardly feel her own toes! Still, she did her best and continued to make her way through the drifting snow as the other woman continued down through the marble wash.

When the other calls back to her about a den, she looks around. Ah, yes, the almost obscured doorway is barely seen through the sheets of snow that fall from the heavens. She nods her head in the direction of the den before picking up her pace to race after the other woman. Kicking up snow and rocks, she was having trouble keeping up. Clumps of ice clung to her fur and with how wet she had gotten since the snow started, she felt dense. Exhaustion filled her as she continued and tried her best to keep up.

wc: idk its met tho/1500

Dierdra vs Nirvana for Race
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1
Size: Large
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Navigator & Intermediate Hunter