Walk | Talk | Think He should have been home inside Glaciem, finalizing his decision to jump into whatever fighting for Odette wanted them to have. Miksa had basically made up his mind, but getting the courage to say it, to make it final and certain, was daunting. Was he a fighter? By no means, no. He was far from it, timid and quiet and too uncertain of himself to think he had the strength or cunning to best someone in combat. But his mother had been. She had been strong and brave and led others who wished to better their physical prowess as fighters and defenders, and he hoped that some of that same natural gift and talent might somewhere be within him as well. But saying so aloud to his leader was scary. He was avoiding it, though he knew it was clearly overdue for him to make such a decision, particularly with their numbers so few. He sighed as he traveled along through the still snowy terrain - even in summer it seemed impossible to be without the stubborn white stuff. No, he was not quite ready to tell it yet, and so here he was, padding through the woods that neighbored his home as if extending a patrol further than was necessary though he knew deep down it was just avoidance. Maybe if he spoke to Odette about it, got her encouragement or backing for the decision...but that still involved talking to her and telling her. Why did it all have to be so daunting? Miksa was disappointed with himself, with his timidity, but feeling helpless with it he merely continued to wander about without direction, aimless and lost in thought.

Esarosa had been wandering the lands for a short time now, exploring the region curiously. She knew now that there were others residing here, and she knew that there were packs in claimed lands. She wondered about them all with longing, but unsure of what her future held. She knew she couldn't settle anywhere yet, not until she'd experienced life unchained and free. Roaming in the northern territories, she found her paws cold as she crunched snow under each padfall. This was not something she was used to at this time of year, but it was interesting to explore such a place. So different from the territory she had already covered, where the sun had beat down on her jet black coat ruthlessly. Here, at least there was respite from the warm rays. Her coat was thick and she felt herself adapting well to the climate.

Still, she had sought shelter when her body grew weary from her travels. She found herself in a strange and very unnatural seeming cave - the Northern Mines. The entrance alone provided evidence of human tampering, but it seemed long abandoned. No fresh scent remained - instead, the scents were very stale and had mostly returned to their natural, earthy essence. She was intrigued by the place, wondering to herself if she should explore deeper, but wary also. She decided she would at least wait until she felt rested. As she lay huddled against the great cavern's wall, she dozed in and out of sleep, curling her tail over her paws and nose.

The sound of paws shuffling through snow stirred her slightly, causing her to lift her head with ears perked. Emerald eyes peered from the darkness of the mine's entrance as she spotted a wandering soul. He seemed lost in thought, trailing about aimlessly. She rose to her paws and left the comfort of the cave, exposing herself to the daylight. "Hey!" she called out, wondering if she might startle him a bit, but not taking it an easier as she trotted after him, "Where are you headed? Do you know these lands very well?" She hoped he would pause and talk to her, if only briefly. Something in his expression when she'd seen him pass said he was distracted, but she didn't mind interrupting him if he stayed a while. She didn't even know what he was like, perhaps he wouldn't be friendly at all, but loneliness was causing her to set reason aside.

Walk | Talk | Think Since he was not in his pack's territory, Miksa gave no mind to the scents that he passed as he traveled. He was hardly in a mood to strike up conversation, nor was he really the type to even on a good day, and he doubted anyone would bother approaching him anyway. They were nothing but other travelers continuing about their business, just as he was, and for all he knew they could have been well on their way by the time he noticed their scents anyway. So even though he might have smelled the scent of the other wolf who happened to be nearby he was caught entirely off guard when she called out to him. The silence was broken by the suddenness of her voice, and startled Miksa visibly jumped in place as his paws stopped him, his body tensing as he slowly turned his head to face his caller. Though he possessed a coat that allowed him to more or less blend with the consistent wintry north, this wolf was entirely visible. Her fur was dark, a solid, pitch black, and her eyes were vibrant, green like new spring leaves. She stood out like a sore thumb. "Uh." The young wolf incoherently made a noise as he considered how to answer. What did he answer first? "I'm...not going anywhere." Maybe that was not the best way to answer. And though he lived here, he did not feel like he had done enough exploring to lend him any credit to claiming to know the place. "I'm just walking. My home is nearby and I wanted to get away for a little bit." He stood where he had stopped, looking her way. Would she know of his pack that resided here in the north? Or was she perhaps unfamiliar with this part of the world?

Esarosa giggled as she saw him jump and turn uncertainly toward her, distracted from wherever his thoughts were leading him. When he looked her way, she instantly noticed his stunning electric eyes and the unique markings which made them all the more noticeable. She had never seen a wolf of his appearance. And he seemed to be her age, too, judging by his lanky appearance; it was like he was still growing into his adult frame, as was she. Esa was glad to see he wasn't much older than her. She wasn't interested in meeting with wolves who had authority over her. She waved to him with her tail but looked to the ground for a moment, suddenly a little bashful when his gaze landed on her. She felt so plain in her solid black coat. Then his voice rang out and she looked up at him again. He seemed under pressure, like he didn't know how to answer, and Esa giggle again. It seemed that he was a little shy.

The young she-wolf was delighted to hear that he wasn't going anywhere - that home for him was nearby, but he had needed to get away for a while and was just out for a walk. It was the perfect scenario. "Well, I'm new around here," she stated, blinking her emerald eyes, "I'd been hoping I'd meet someone who knew their way around. If you need a distraction from whatever's bothering you at home, you could always show me around." She hoped he would take the suggestion and not just leave her in the dust. She was bored and didn't want to be alone anymore, at least not for the time being. Now that she'd found him, she wasn't willing to let him go easily. She'd find a way to convince him to hang around for a bit. "And if you haven't got anything better to do, there's a real neat cave over yonder," she said with a tilt of her head in the direction of the mine, "I'm kinda dying to explore it, but it would be better to go with someone." Her tail waved invitingly, hoping he would catch her meaning and agree.

Walk | Talk | Think Huh. He must have said something funny. The girl laughed a little as if to herself when he spoke, and though it made him self conscious - he had not been trying to be funny after all - he merely lowered his yellow eyes and shuffled a little in place, his tan ears splaying slightly atop his head. Well, at least it was not the worst possible first impression he could have made. He could have scared her - although he had absolutely no idea how he might have managed that - or angered her. That, however, seemed much more feasible. Miksa often considered himself too quiet over all, too timid and uncertain about everything. Surely that quality was bound to get on someone's nerves. But thankfully not this girl's. She smiled at him, her whole demeanor friendly and lively, and there was a welcoming quality about her that made the young wolf feel almost at ease and less self conscious than her initial giggles had. As it was, she was not from these parts and was looking for someone to give her a guided tour. Miksa hardly felt qualified for such a task in this particular area. If it had been within Glaciem's borders, he might have considered it and could likely have winged it without too much issue. But here? She was probably more likely to find something interesting on her own than with him taking the reigns. The offer she posed of a distraction was considerably tempting though. Going back home meant giving in and finally telling Odette what it was he wished to pursue, or at least in theory. He was such a chicken at times, he could not even count on his own resolve to go through with it, even now. The girl spoke of a cave nearby, a further distraction by which he could keep himself, and her, occupied, and though it sounded a little iffy he knew she was right about exploring the place alone. "Where is it?" he asked, seeking clarification as he finally moved, drawing himself slowly closer to her as a means of not only agreeing without words to join her on this little adventure she had planned but also to better see this cave she had spoken of.

He was a quiet one for sure, ever so shy. She watched his eyes avert and his ears tilt sheepishly while his paws shuffled. His timid demeanor brought memories of her surrogate brother, Haru, to the forefront. That boy would always fold his ears and avoid eye contact, although he had reason for it, being awkward and clumsy and often ridiculed by his peers. No wolf had more left paws than Haru had; he was a little bit of a disgrace, hard as he tried. Esa had spent much of her childhood teasing and poking fun at him. He always had mother there to protect him, so she hadn't worried about him much anyways. The young man in front of her, however, was much more handsome and striking in appearance; she was dearly beginning to hope that he would agree to explore with her, especially seeing as he didn't seem to have anyplace important to be. Silently he seemed to evaluate his options, and she smiled when he finally let a question come forth, a statement asking for clarification but also confirming his agreement to investigate.

She liked that he seemed thoughtful but not boringly cautious, a part of what made him seem so quiet. He wasn't one to just blurt something out without thinking carefully about what he should say. His words were few, but they were effective, and his body language filled in any missing pieces. As he drew a little closer, Esarosa inched toward him, trying to catch his gaze with her emerald orbs, offering a wolfy grin. "You just passed by it, silly!" she exclaimed in amusement, pointing her tail in the direction of the mine, "It's just back there! I was resting barely inside the entrance when I spotted you go by. Looks like there's a ton of interesting stuff in there, human stuff, but the scents are old and nobody's been there in sooo long. Back home the elders always said to avoid humans at all costs... but I want to know what they were up to in there!" A mischievous looked twinkled in her eyes before she turned away from him, prancing several steps away.

She looked back at him, whisking her tail around. "Well, shall we?" she questioned, smiling at him as she started ahead, back in the direction she'd come from. She didn't even know his name yet, but for some reason it didn't seem to matter. As long as he decided to go through with it, this would be an intriguing adventure worth the time spent. Besides, she could wait to see if he would reveal his name - or anything about himself - which would be all the more interesting when offered instead of requested. And she would hold onto her identity until he inquired, retaining an air of mystery for the time being. It was something she wasn't normally inclined to do, but the male's quiet nature compelled her to remain quiet as well... well, at least to the best of her ability, as she could be quite the talker when she was excited.

Walk | Talk | Think Miksa stopped the second the girl informed him of walking passed the location she had spoken of, blinking in a bit of surprise. Had he really been that unobservant to walk right by it without seeing it? The dark points over his eyes drew together slightly as he turned his head, following the gesture of her tail, to spy the opening of the mining cavern that she spoke of, realizing then that he had indeed begun to walk by it. It seemed like an awfully strange place, definitely something unnatural and rather worrisome for it, but his current company did not seem to see anything at all wrong with it. Maybe she was more of the adventurer type like Shtiya had always been. Maybe his brother would have done better in this setting than Miksa was doing. She spoke of whatever was inside as if she had some prior knowledge to it, but to Miksa's ears it was all gibberish. Humans and human stuff? He could not possibly begin to imagine what she meant, but he could see how excited she grew just at the thought of what might be hidden further in. Yep, she definitely reminded him more and more of Shtiya. He probably would have run right inside without giving any thought to it either. Already she was backing up, scooting closer to the entrance of the tunnel and keeping an eye on him to see if he would follow. There was a little part of Miksa that worried about continuing to go along with her - there was no telling what was inside that cavern, and staying outside of it in the open felt a whole lot safer - but just letting her wander along inside, alone, around things and remnants of creatures that might have been harmful to her seemed even more irresponsible. There was a visible hesitance in his look but it resolved into resignation as he stepped forward, intending to follow her and fall into step when she would lead them.

The young she-wolf giggle again at his surprised response when she informed him that the cave was just behind them a ways. He certainly had been in deep thought while passing by, Esarosa had seen the look on his face. Her surprise came when he did not light up at the idea of exploring human remnants - she was sure that would have sparked some sort of interest, but instead he seemed a little more put off. Still, he wasn't downright refusing, in fact his pawsteps drew him to her. Smiling, she raced away toward the unnaturally shaped cave, glad that he was at least willing to check it out with her. She paused at the entrance just to look it over again, then she scooted inside. The darkness beyond the mine's entrance was overwhelming. She whipped around and faced Miksa. Although he looked like he had made up his mind to tag along, he still seemed a bit worried and hesitant to proceed.

"Looks like it's totally dark in here," she said with a shrug of her shoulders, glancing to the ground with a smirk, "I'm definitely going to check it out!" She let her eyes wander up to his face, watching his expressive features and letting her gaze fix with his for a moment. She whipped around yet again, her tail waving excitedly as she bounded into the pitch darkness. Although daylight flooded from the large cave entrance, the floor slanted gradually down beneath the earth's surface and it became more difficult to see the details of the rocks around them. She spooked slightly when she saw a sharp, shadowy looking object leaning against the mine wall. Eyeing it up, she realized it wasn't moving and it didn't seem threatening, but its lines and edges were unnaturally straight. She approached the object and gave it a sniff - the long straight end was made of wood, old and musty smelling. The sharp end had a coppery smell to it. "Weird," she commented quietly, wondering what humans would have used such a tool for. It looked as though it would be dangerous if whipped around, more dangerous than any wolf's fang. Perhaps this was why the elders had warned so fiercely of them, and they had seen a lot of violence in their day.

She glanced to her companion, wondering how he fared and what he thought of the strange cave. As she wandered forward, she couldn't see much anymore, and her forepaw stubbed painfully into something very hard and sturdy, causing her to draw in a sharp breath. She gritted her teeth and let out a grumble. "Ugh, what was that?" she said out loud. She lowered her nose to take in the scents, noticing more coppery smells and musty wood, shuffling her paws carefully so she could feel the shapes. There were two long, straight bars of metal, with planks of wood lined almost evenly between. She wandered for several steps down the track, nosing past a strange, small hide shaped like a paw. It was like some animal had taken the skin off its paw and left it behind. She brushed by, wondering how far the track went; she paused when she heard a distant, rumbling sound from deep within the mine, like a pile of stones had dropped to the ground. A small clatter of pebbles fell loose from the wall nearby. She glanced behind her, but couldn't see anything, which was slightly unnerving but at the same time thrilling. Still, she was glad she'd entered the cave and spent some time exploring it. "Humans must have made this," she stated, scratching at the edge of the metal track, "Why would they make such a large cave and then just leave it behind?". In the pitch darkness, she couldn't even tell if Miksa was nearby; she was glad she'd found the track, otherwise she might not know which direction she'd come from.

Walk | Talk | Think She was quick to catch on that he would follow, and as she spun to dart off closer to the cavern Miksa picked up his own pace to keep up. Already he could tell this adventure was going to test him in ways he had yet to be tested. He was naturally a quiet individual who kept to himself, but he doubted this girl was going to allow him to follow in absolute silence the entire time they wandered the cave. Nor was he a true adventurer at heart, which meant trying to match her pace was going to be tough. Already she had a lead on him, her dark shape slipping into the cavern while Miksa slowed and cautiously examined everything from just a step inside, his yellow eyes darting every which way as he tried to assess the place. Just as she explained, it was incredibly dark within, full of shadows and who knew what else. Miksa saw a strange and potentially dangerous unknown. His companion saw adventure and potential excitement. She was practically beaming with joy as she all but skipped further inside the mine, and with a much slower step the timid white wolf sighed softly and followed after her. He felt odd in here, confined and nervous, and the deepening shadows only heightened his sense of dread. This could not be a good place, could it? Was something bound to happen to them? And what would he be able to do if something did happen? He had not been trained yet in anything back home to truly be of any type of use to this girl should she need his help. Pessimistic thoughts clouded his mind so thickly that he missed her comment about the object propped against the wall of the cave and only vaguely did he see her shape move in that direction before resuming its forward pace to disappear entirely in the darkness. His tan ears were perked forward, listening to the girl's steps, as he trailed behind and tried not to feel as if that same darkness was slowly swallowing them whole, cutting them off from the bright outside world that he trusted much more than this one. He stayed close, using the girl's scent as well as her movements and spoken remarks to keep her near. Only by her stumbling did he stop himself from doing the same, and he felt along the odd tracks as she did. Though when the tunnel seemed to rumble from within and pebbles fell around them he felt the fur on his neck rise warily. "Maybe it's not safe," he remarked soberly, his yellow eyes struggling to make out anything in the darkness. Maybe there was good reason this place was empty and abandoned.

Miksa's fears and worries, his feelings of dread, became almost tangible as he commented his thoughts on her curious query. Although she had become somewhat nervous, Esarosa tried not to let it show. "I guess that's one possibility," she answered, peering into the darkness as she wondered if they should go further. She didn't want to back out and reveal her slight doubt for having chosen to enter the mysterious cave. However, as a large arachnid scuttled across her toes, she couldn't help but let out a startled yip, leaping backward and smacking into the wall. Beneath her paws she felt loose soil and small stones, not hard-packed like the rest of the cave's floor. This must have fallen from the walls recently, she thought without confirming it out loud. She didn't want to hear that affirmation right now, that the cave was unstable and possibly falling apart around them.

Several more stones clattered to the ground, and before she could determine what was happening, a heaping wave of sand and grit crashed down from the wall. No!" she shrieked futilely, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing herself. Her body was covered before she could react. Panic surged through her as she felt the weight of the earth on top of her, holding her to the ground. She had to get out. She was shrouded in darkness, hardly able to move, her breathing stifled. She was able to scrabble and reach out with her forepaws just enough to loosen some of the soil and small rocks, reaching the surface of the fallen debris. Her eyes were filled with dust; the only indication that she had reached the surface was a small waft of stale cave air hitting her nares. Even so, she could hardly catch her breath with the weight bearing down on her. I have to get out of here! she thought frantically.

She was fortunate that no large stones or boulders had come crashing down, but she still felt utterly trapped. She wondered how the other wolf fared - she hoped he was in better condition than herself. If he couldn't help her, she wasn't sure if she could make it out by herself. Oh please let him be okay! "Help! Help me!" she called out as best she could, "I don't think I can breathe much longer!" She hoped dearly that he had not been buried or struck by anything. If they made it out of this alive, she was sure that the cautious male would hate her for leading him into such a dangerous place. Maybe I should just stayed buried... she thought miserably. But her survival instinct disagreed, urging her to struggle with all her might. Thoughts raced through her mind as she wriggled and flailed, trying her best to loosen herself from the hefty pile of debris.

Walk | Talk | Think Though she had seemed like a headstrong girl, Miksa thought he detected a little bit of wariness edging into her voice as she spoke to him, as if the nervousness that he felt was finally making its way through the darkness and infecting her too. He thought about trying to convince her to turn back, hoping to use that growing wariness to get them back toward safety, but before he could figure out what he wanted to say in order to try it he heard her cry out in a sudden yelp. The noise echoed painfully off the cavern's man-made walls and his tan ears pinned themselves to his skull as he jumped, though it sent his heart racing in a panic. Where was she? Was she okay? What had happened to make her cry out like that? The danger had not quite struck yet though. It was just a second after she had screamed that he felt the cavern shudder slightly, heard the rumble of falling debris, and was assaulted with the smell of dirt and dust. He backed up a few paces, attempting to distance himself from the suffocating cloud that had formed around him, coughing against the harshness of it before his panic returned anew. Where was the girl? He heard scratching, more sounds of skittering rocks, and though he still coughed he moved toward it, finally realizing what had happened when his practically stumbled into the pile of debris that had fallen. On top of the black wolf. "Hey!" he called out anxiously as he heard her moving again and then heard her voice crying out, begging for help. "Hold on!" He was frantic as he began to dig at the mound of dirt and rock in front of him, hardly mindful of how close to her he actually was with his paws as he tried to pry the crumbled cave mix off of her. All the while guilt ate at him, urging him to move faster, to get her out of there. He had known the place was dangerous, had sensed it from the beginning, and now he was paying for his quietness. Or, in actuality, she was. "Hang on," he called out again, wishing desperately that there was more lighting in the cavern. How would he know when he reached her?

Lungs burning, heart pounding and head spinning, Esa struggled feebly beneath the rubble, her rib cage heaving for each breath. Her limbs had begun to feel hot and weak. Just when she was sure she couldn't keep going, she heard a voice. He was out there. He was alive! His voice called to her, it seemed a murmur at first, but as her hope renewed and she felt debris crumble away from her outstretched forepaws, she could hear him more clearly. "Yes, I'm right here!" she sputtered through a mouthful of dirt, "I'll make it... I'll get out." A surge of energy flowed through her paws. She managed a few deeper breaths and kept scrabbling, reaching out to where she could feel his paws pulling away large clumps of sand and rubble. She wriggled desperately to where she felt his claws tearing at the dirt, and found the rubble loosening around her head and neck. Twisting and turning, she felt her body coming free; she drew in a sharp, deep breath as the cool mine air touched her face. Digging her claws in, she pulled herself out from the pile, collapsing on the ground to catch her breath.

She wanted to turn and thank the wolf who had saved her; she was certain that if he hadn't dug in as quickly as he had, she would not have made it out. Yet, her breaths came in gasps, and she was surprised she'd had enough breath to call for help. At last she got to her paws, panting heavily, her limbs weak and unsteady. She had never struggled so hard in her life. Seeking out his scent, she turned toward him. "Th-thank you," she said hoarsely, barely able to find the words, "I... I would have died if you hadn't..." She bit her lip as tears began to flow down her face. The realization of how close she'd come to death was hitting her now, and the adrenaline still pumped through her body, causing her to tremble uncontrollably as her body recovered from the terror of coming near death. A surge of emotions caught in her chest; guilt for having led him here, gratefulness for his bravery in helping her, and a new appreciation for how fragile life was. How in an instance circumstances could change and life could be over.

Esa wanted to move, but her paws remained firmly planted to the ground. She knew they shouldn't stay here, but she couldn't think straight nor convince her paws to move. Which way led to the exit? The air was dusty and thick, and she couldn't catch the scent of fresh air that would come from the cave's entrance. How was she supposed to get out? A new wave of unease washed over her, making her want to crumple to the ground. Her eyes welled over with more tears, feeling helpless just standing there in the dark. She wasn't sure how much more adventure she could take right now. She just wanted to see daylight again. "What do we do now?" she asked through a sob, hoping he was less disoriented than she felt. She felt stupid and tried to straighten up, to stop crying like a lost whelp, but she didn't have the energy to with hold it, so the waterworks just kept flowing.

Walk | Talk | Think The sound of her voice drove the young wolf to keep digging and pulling at the pile of debris before him. Blindly, he worked to free her from the mess that he could only feel and smell in front of him within the darkness, noting the subtle changes in her voice as she spoke that indicated to him how much closer to her he was and how much further he had to go. Fear was mostly overridden by desperation, keeping him in the moment to act and not get distracted by worrying or second guessing. Without knowing just how damaging the crumble of cave wall had been Miksa understood without fully comprehending that every second was precious and could not be wasted. He needed to free her as quickly as possible. At last his reaching paws felt her instead of the rocky mixture that had captured her, and with more care he continued until he heard her shift free and stumble coughing away from the pile of rubble. His ears stood straight and fixed on the sound of her as he turned himself to face her in the darkness, desperately searching for any sign of her that he could see while he listened to the sounds of life coming from her. She's free, he thought to himself, almost succumbing to relief before he realized that they were only partway out of danger. The cavern had just proven itself dangerous and untrustworthy. Getting out and away from the place would likely do them a world of good. Dust and dirt still dulled his sense of smell, but he still drew in quick breaths to try and pinpoint the young black wolf, stepping toward her. He heard shifting and he followed it, using her voice as a guide while she thanked him. It was probably the fright that stole her voice from her and left her phrase unfinished, and he was sure he had detected something like a lump in those spoken words, but comfort was not their first priority, even as he reached her. His nose and muzzle finally found her shoulder, and stepping in close he gently nosed at her neck and tear-streaked cheek. They must have been a mess from the scent of things. Miksa lifted his head as he stood beside the girl and glanced in either direction away from them, attempting to get his bearings after the frightful adventure they had endured. No light, no scent, no real clue as to which direction would lead them to safety, but if he recalled correctly... "This way, come on," he stated quietly, his voice rough and weary as he turned to lend the distressed girl his side. He stepped forward carefully, making sure not to lose her, and did his best to match his pace to hers as he directed their path back toward the cavern's entrance and the relative safety of the woods beyond.

She hardly heard him moving toward her as she sniffled, trying to choke back her futile weeping. A shock went through her body as his muzzle met her shoulder, gently nosing along the fur of her neck until he touched her cheek, wet and stained with tears. She was surprised but yet again grateful to him for this gesture of comfort. Suddenly she felt as though everything would be okay, even though she knew they still had to get out of here. It just wasn't safe. As he stood beside her, trying to determine which direction would take them out of this cave, she felt his closeness and shifted ever so slightly closer. Steadiness entered her shaking body. Her worries lifted, and though still exhausted from her struggle, she felt lighter. She felt like she could breathe. She was sure they would make it out of here. His words, although simple, were compelling; she had learned that he spoke only when necessary, and thus his lyrics were powerful. Her paws uprooted from the ground where she had frozen in place.

He offered his side to her as he set off toward the mine's entrance, and she followed without hesitation. She tried to keep pace with him, longing to breathe in the fresh air and rest in safety. Still, she had to pause now and again as she coughed from the dust, her lungs still burning from the struggle. It seemed as though the cave had settled into quiet stillness, allowing them to break free from the dusky clutches before long without further dangers meeting them. Light emanated from the tunnel just ahead; at last they had made it. Esarosa stumbled forward, never more glad to see the sky and the trees, sunlight glaring off the snow and causing her close her eyes after having been in the complete darkness of the cave. She shook out her coat, sending up a cloud of dust. Then she turned toward the young man who had led her to safety, blinking open her eyes. She could make out his features, seeing the bright coat and dark eye markings; he looked more handsome than before. She smiled at him. Thank goodness he hadn't been harmed, for she didn't know how she would have coped if something bad had happened to him because she had insisted on having him come along. She frowned then and looked to the ground, her ears folding against her head.

"I'm sorry for getting you into that mess," she murmured, ashamed, "I shouldn't have dragged you into it..." She turned away, pawing the ground anxiously. She was at a loss for words, something she wasn't used to. Surely he would be angry, now that they had made it out of the strange, dangerous cave. She couldn't look at him, afraid to see the scorn in his stunning electric eyes. She longed again to feel the comfort that had come so easily through his closeness, to revel in that moment when his gentle touch had sparked something unfamiliar yet thrilling within her. But she knew they would part ways soon; they hadn't even exchanged names and she had almost gotten them both killed. "Well, I should be okay now.." she said, staring at the ground in front of her, "You probably need to get back home. Thank you again, for everything." She knew she would have to find somewhere comfortable to rest after this, but the lands were frigid and she hadn't expected to be so exhausted. She wanted to ask him if he knew of anywhere suitable to rest, but she was too afraid to look at him. Once more she was too uncertain to act, so her paws froze to the ground, leaving her planted on the spot.

Walk | Talk | Think It felt like forever before they reached the end of the unnatural, unstable tunnel, and Miksa could not remember ever feeling so happy to see sunlight. The dark colored girl stepped away from his side, regaining some of her strength, but the moment she left him it felt to the boy that she took his with her. Abruptly, he sat, giving in to the sudden weakness in his legs and just barely keeping himself from falling flat into the snow as he locked his front legs to hold himself upright. His head drooped as he coughed and his bright eyes closed, taking a moment to get his breath back and come to terms with his near death experience. It was nothing compared to what the girl had experienced, but... Thinking of her, he managed to drag his eyes open and his head up so that he could glance her way just as she spoke. She looked as sorry as she sounded, and it only made him feel worse. He turned himself a little where he sat, not yet with strength enough to stand so soon after everything, and sighed. "I didn't think it was safe," he confessed, "I had a bad feeling but I didn't say anything. I should have." He was just as much to blame as she was, if not more so. It could have all been prevented if he had just spoken up first. It was not the best first meeting he could have planned for making a new acquaintance, but already it seemed their adventure was coming to an end. Still looking remorseful, the girl prepared to excuse herself and the Glaciem boy perked his ears with concern. "Where will you go?" She seemed to know that he had a place where he could return, had probably picked it up off of his scent before he had gotten entirely covered in dirt and dust, but he could not recall smelling any such scent on her. In fact, as he considered it, he realized then that he knew nothing about her except for the fact she had nearly died just a moment ago. "I'm Miksa...by the way," he added, voice still a little hoarse but kind in his quiet, timid way.

Esa forced herself to look up when he spoke, seeing neither contempt nor accusation on his face. Instead, he seemed just as miserably apologetic as she was, trying to place the blame on himself. He slumped from exhaustion and she felt awful all over again. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she would never blame him even if he had known the dangers beforehand. Deep within, she had known as well, but her curiosity and craving for adventure and company had overcome her sensibility. For a few moments longer, no words reached her lips. Instead she was stuck staring at him, realizing that maybe he wasn't angry after all... maybe he wouldn't hate her. "Neither of us could have seen that coming," she finally managed to say, then a smile cracked her lips, "It's amazing that we're both alive." She could feel herself bouncing back already, despite her aching muscles. The fresh air soothed her burning lungs, and the fact that he didn't blame her gave her hope. Maybe they could be friends after all of this.

When he asked her where she would go, she could see the concern from the way his ears perked. Her ears flicked uncomfortably. He seemed such a terribly caring wolf, and she wasn't quite sure she deserved it. "Well, I don't really know," she answered honestly, "I've never been here before, but... I left home some moons ago and I've been traveling ever since. I'm sure I'll be able to find something." There hadn't been a night that she'd gone unsheltered, and she knew despite her exhaustion she would find something if she had to. Before she could think more or comment further on her plans, he spoke his name. Esa's expression brightened visibly, a wide smile crossing her face. She had been waiting for him to offer it, and now that he had, she knew they could be friends. She just had to make sure she didn't do anything stupid from now on! "My name's Esarosa," she offered, her jet black tail waving behind her. Glancing at him shyly, she spoke in a low tone, "So, do you... have to be home now? You could help me find a place... I mean, you must know these lands well enough if you're not lost." She grinned at him, hoping he could find the energy to tag along with her just a while longer. Then she added quickly, "Uhm, that is, as long as you're home before dark, right?"

She silenced herself then, trying to give him a chance to answer before she found herself rambling on. She couldn't believe she was already thinking of exploring onward again when the both of them had just narrowly escaped the collapsed mine. But energy filled her paws at the thought exploring further with Miksa, yet she awaited his response, for he may not feel quite as energized as she was.

Walk | Talk | Think There was so much truth in the girl's words that Miksa could only sigh quietly in response. Yes, it was nothing short of a miracle that the both of them had managed to get out of the cave alive and whole. They had come very close - her more so than him - to seeing the end of it, and the timid boy was incredibly grateful that they had been given something like a second chance for being privileged enough to walk away. And maybe next time he would speak up instead of keeping his worries to himself. Maybe next time he would prevent an accident from happening instead of tagging along to see it come to fruition. He liked to hope he would, anyway. As he suspected, she confirmed for him that she had nowhere in particular to go. She was homeless - alone, as he saw it - and had no one to depend on but herself for her survival. As much as he wanted to think the best of her and her ability to take care of herself, he admittedly was a little doubtful after their experience with the mine. Venturing in had been her idea; would she have been able to make it out had she gone in alone and got pinned beneath a pile of rubble? It was uncomfortable, unpleasant to think about, but it was a fact that was hard for him to ignore. She might have seemed confident that she would be fine if left to her own devices, but it was obvious from the look on Miksa's face that he was not so convinced. He would have never imagined that just offering his name would have turned her mood around so fully. The dark colored wolf brightened almost instantly, the life that had bubbled up in her returning to make her green eyes practically sparkle with the energy she housed within her. How did she live like that, he wondered, so full and fearless and bright? He felt awfully dull in comparison, weak and timid and entirely forgettable. But then he had never really thought himself worth noting; it was really just by chance that he had even been put into the company of this girl, Esarosa, and as far as he was concerned it was only because there was no one else there to take her attention away from him that he still had it at all. No matter what he thought of himself, though, Esarosa appeared to be less inclined to leave his company now. She surprised him by asking if he would accompany her further, and for a few seconds he was hesitant. The first adventure with her had been a little more exciting than anything he would have voluntarily signed up for, and he was not altogether sure he was fully recovered from it yet. But the thought of helping her find somewhere to stay the night, seeing with his own eyes that she would be safe, would have surely eased his mind and allowed him to sleep well in turn. Besides, was there anyone back in Glaciem that would truly notice his absence? Those that would - no, only might have were no longer around, and he did not think Odette was giving him the same sort of attention a parent would. Miksa sighed once more, mentally bracing himself as he answered, "I wouldn't say I know them that well. But I can still try to help." With a quick breath, the boy rocked forward and stood, relieved that his legs no longer felt as weak and shaky as they had when they had nearly given out on him after exiting the mine. He was unsure how far they would need to go in order to find a place for his new acquaintance to stay but he hoped he would be able to make it through the whole trip. "Have you already looked anywhere?" he asked, trying to get an idea of where they could begin. Doubling back over territory she had already examined would have been a waste of their time if it had already proven to be useless. He took a step forward before pausing, and stopped to shake the dirt and dust from his fur. Sending bits of it airborne made the smell more prominent again, and very narrowly he avoided a sneeze. Some fun all that was going to be to get out later. "You could maybe even find something closer to my pack's borders," he offered once he was sure the danger of sneezing had passed, "the scent of the pack should keep most others away since they wouldn't want to get in trouble for getting too close." The idea felt rather sound to his own mind, but he left the decision to Esarosa. After all, she was going to be the one staying there, not him.

Esa saw the look on his face when she told him she could find a place to stay, like she had every night. She felt a stab to her pride and independence - he doubted her after seeing how things turned out in the mine. She couldn't blame him. Her ears folded back self-consciously. She'd made a pretty bad impression, shown poor judgement and now he thought she couldn't take care of herself. Then he hesitated at her request to help find a place to stay. He didn't trust her, didn't want to follow her and her bright ideas around. Suddenly she dreaded what he was going to say, but he sighed and agreed to help her. Although he sounded resigned, she still smiled, glad that he would spare some time with her to find her somewhere to stay, despite his exhaustion. "Thank you, I really appreciate it" she said gratefully, her eyes meeting his so he would know she was sincere.

She shook her head when he asked if she'd already been looking. "I haven't really paid attention... I try to go as far as I can each day and I never stay in one place very long," she explained - she hated the monotony of waking to the same scenery every day, "So I don't normally look for anything until the sun is setting, when I need to find somewhere to sleep." Basically, she had no idea if there were any suitable resting spots, and she was used to waiting til the last minute to find something. She wished she had said something different, for her words probably made her seem even less reliable than before.

When Miksa suggested she find somewhere closer to his pack's borders, she tilted her head, ears perked to capture his voice; this was the most he'd said so far, and she was intrigued. She had no idea where his pack was, but it seemed like a good idea. Though she would not be protected by the pack, the scent of their claimed borders might just deter others from coming too close. But Esa was more interested in the idea of being closer to him... then she would know where to find him, and perhaps they would meet again after today. "I think it's a great idea, Miksa," she concurred, emerald eyes gleaming, You'll have to lead the way, of course. Probably a better idea than following me around anyways." She finished her sentence with a giggle, though it was a somewhat serious statement. As she shifted her paws in readiness to follow him, she was reminded of how tired she was - her paws still quivered and her muscles ached. It would be nice to find somewhere to rest, but until then she would push onward.

Walk | Talk | Think After Esarosa explained her typical procedure fore finding a place to spend the night, Miksa was glad that he had already thought up something himself. Waiting until the last minute sounded too much like a gamble, and there was always the chance it would not pay off in the end. He had never been without a home, without a place to return to after deciding whatever he wanted to spend his day doing, and he thought her lifestyle, though freeing, sounded awfully lonely. He might not have had his mom or brother around anymore, but the scents of his pack were a comfort all on their own. He doubt he could ever follow in her footsteps and do what she was currently doing. To his relief, the suggestion he made was taken well and actually chosen over the original plan of simply winging it. Miksa felt better knowing exactly what they could do and where they would be searching, and was comforted more by knowing that, because of her closeness to the pack, the brazen girl would likely be safe. He was a quiet individual by nature, prone to spending more time by himself than around others, and considering everything that they had been through together in just their short time knowing one another he felt closer to Esarosa than he did with many of his own packmates. He was still mostly convinced she needed a little watching over, just in case her curiosity got the better of her again, but she had been willing to go along with his suggestion for the night. Maybe she had more sense in her than their overly exciting cave trip had hinted at. She was all bright smiles and playful giggles, seemingly fully recovered from their initial adventure, and once more the timid boy had to admire her. Buried nearly half to death just a few minutes prior, and here she was, smiling as if nothing had scared her in her life. Her mood must have been infectious; Miksa caught himself smiling back at her in his quiet way, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. Too much change had uprooted him and left him fumbling to regain his footing, and his relationships had suffered for it. But here, in this adventurous girl, he thought he might have found a friend. It was a surprising notion given that he had no friends presently, nor did he know the first thing about making one, but somehow during this adventure he felt like he had. "It's...it's this way," he stated distractedly as he drew his focus back to the task at hand and began to lead the way. His lanky legs turned his body and carried him along through the wintry wood, mindful of the girl who was traveling with him. It felt odd being the one to lead, even if he was the more knowledgeable about the pack's location, and he found himself repeatedly peeking in Esa's direction as if to see that she was still there, still following along with him. Was there anything he could do to make leading her around less...awkward? He was not typically one to pry or ask questions, but he considered it now. What could Miksa say to break the quiet, to make it feel less like he was leading her around and more like they were just walking and talking? "Do...um...do you like it here so far?" he asked after a little thought, figuring it was a relatively safe question and hoping she would see no problem in answering it.

Her emerald gaze upon him, she instantly caught the smile that graced his features; though he was quiet, she could see the genuine happiness in his eyes. He didn't need to say anything to express how he felt. He looked different than before, when he had seemed somewhat tense and certainly unsure of himself. He was finally opening up around her, much more at ease than before. She felt herself blush beneath her dark coat, but she wasn't sure why. Making a friend like this was all new to her. She'd never really cared about how others felt, in fact she had spent most of her life trying to ignore feelings in general. But she'd never met a wolf like him, one so silent and closed off, and to see him smile like that and brighten from his gloomy self delighted her. At last Miksa broke the silence that had formed between them, and she broke her gaze from him, realizing she'd been staring just a few moments too long. He turned to lead her through the woods, and she followed a few paces behind, content for once not to babble on like she normally would.

Her eyes cast over the wintry landscape, trying to memorize what this place looked like, but it all started to look the same. If she ever left this place, she wondered if she would find her way back. She'd never considered returning to a place she'd already explored, but for some reason the thought was in the back of her mind now. So absorbed in her own musings, she hadn't noticed Miksa glancing back at her, and his voice caught her off guard. She hadn't expected him to start a conversation, but she certainly was not opposed to it. She bounded up to his side as she tried to think of an answer to his question. Did she like it here? Her ears flicked. "Well, it's kind of colder than what I'm used to," she began, then gave a bored look to the bare trees surrounding them, "And the scenery is pretty dull, besides that overly interesting cave back there. I mean, it all looks the same, and everything's white. The place in the South that I traveled through was way nicer than this."

She paused then, wondering if there was anything nice she could say about this place. After all, she had met him here. "I guess I didn't make any friends back there, even though it was nicer..." she said, looking at him with a smile, "So this place gets bonus points. I'd rather have a good friend than nice scenery any day, even if it already feels like winter." Suddenly she felt like she was talking to much, and she grew tired of her voice - she wanted to hear him again. "What about you, Miksa?" she posed the question on him, "What do you like about this place? I guess you were born here, right?" She would ask if he'd ever been somewhere warmer, but she could guess that he hadn't gone far from these lands. But she figured he would at least talk about this place and have something good to say, especially if he'd never been anywhere else.