Navigation: The Polar Sound

The north seemed...barren, so far anyway. The air seemed still and quiet as he made his way slowly through the fjord, the canyon walls rising up on either side him. He felt small here, even smaller then the island he'd been living on for some time. He had made it here by luck, the bridge that connected Ardens Glacies had begun to melt and he had crossed just in time. Now it was his time to explore the world beyond that island he had washed up on, and so far...this place was incredibly beautiful. He could hear penguins and the occasional seal and walrus, and further in the echoes of what he assumed to be a waterfall. He was walking for a couple of hours at least, though he was going at a slow and leisurely pace. Drawn to the silence and the scenery around him, he failed to notice that rain was looming over him. The sky suddenly grew dark, and before he knew it, the first droplets began to fall. the first one landed right on his nose, and as he looked up it steadily grew to more and more rainfall. Frowning, he wasn't entirely keen on getting wet out here. So he hurried his pace until he found an overhang jutting from the cliff, and it was there he'd take shelter. It was a rather small spot to take cover, at most it would fit maybe two wolves provided they didn't mind not having any personal space, but who else would be out here? He shook out his pelt, shivering a bit as he sat down and watched the rain. It sounded incredibly loud, likely echoing off the walls. Somewhere in the distance, he heard a crash, but it was too far to decipher what it was. Slightly annoyed, he would simply have to wait for the rain to pass before continuing...maybe now would be a good time to rest... "Speech"

The barren north was not an unwelcome place for someone like Eden. Everything was a wonderland if you looked hard enough, she'd decided that what seemed like ages ago. Nothing could get her down-- boundless optimism. It would get annoying if you stuck with her long enough, but for now, she was okay. For now, everything was fresh and new and absolutely untamed... a lot like her. Something lovely rested inside her bones, eyes glimmering brightly. A summer yearling, fresh and untainted by all the things in this world... why was she alone? Who left her out here by herself? Honestly, the child was er... forgive the expression? Raised by wolves. She'd washed up on the shores here a few days ago, and it didn't seem all that bad. Fluffy and warm, sustaining alright off a snowshoe hare here and there, nothing seemed to be wrong. Sure was lonely. Lonely was making her sad, and Eden... well, she's not a fan of that. Silence was not the best environment for a young lady. That, and it looked like rain. Across the polar sound she absolutely raced. That's the thing about being small and light, you get to go nearly as fast as legs can carry you. The chill of the rain wrapped around her shoulders and starting to soak her fur, she set her sights on an overhang, sheltered by cliffs. That was it. That's where she would go. The running made Eden feel alive, and she was... well, she was ready to not be out in the rain. That would be cool. By the time she arrived, panting and soggy, she realized that the spot was already occupied. He was bigger than her, maybe not quite full grown, but an adult. She stopped shy of the overhang, leaving what she thought was a polite distance. Voice ringing like a bell, well, Eden had best at least ask. "Ah, um, excuse me? I'm sorry if you live here but uh... can I come in?" As she spoke, a chill raced down the girl's spine. Coming in from the rain would be nice, but she couldn't bring herself to be rude. That would be uncalled for. Eden

He was far too busy looking at the scenery around him through the pouring rain that he hadn't immediately noticed someone else coming towards him. One would think he would hear the pitter patter of paws racing across snow, but no. His eyes and mind had been focused elsewhere. And as the male huddled in his little shelter with his back to the rock wall, he frowned. Of course, his frown soon went away to be replaced by surprise when someone else decided to barge in. "Ah, um, excuse me? I'm sorry if you live here but uh... can I come in?" He stared in bewilderment, jaw open as he tried to figure out just where the heck she had come from. He hadn't expected anyone else out here, much less with rain falling from the sky. It took him a moment to find his voice, but eventually he did. "Uh, yes of course! Iiii don't actually live here," He chuckled nervously, "I just thought I'd get out of the rain.." He nervously cleared his throat. He wasn't really good at small talk, never really had been. Should he say more? Should he leave it at that? Explain to her why he wanted to stay out of the rain? Sure. Why not make the conversation weirder than the situation? "Uh, some weather huh?" Awkward? probably. "Speak"

She's soaked to the skin and shivering, but her tail wags softly just the same. Eden's outlook on the situation was always positive, even if that made her frustrating. Frankly, it was really the thing that made her the most difficult to deal with-- freakishly optimistic. There was a near brilliance about it, and she has no real boundaries. Eden has in fact, never met a stranger. She would sit here and chatter away happily to anyone who would listen. Innocence, you see, is a dangerous gift. "Hey thanks, it's uh. It's a little wet, yeah!" Of course, her tone rang a with a sing song that implied that the weather wouldn't dampen her spirits. It never would. Nothing could get her down. Eden would continue to tell herself that and live her best life, after all. "I'm Eden by the way... it's nice to meet you," she talks fast. It's a habit that she's been unable to shake, something that no one has ever informed her isn't the easiest thing to listen to. That was okay. "Are you exploring too?" All the questions, all at once. Her brain was working a lot faster than the rest of her. Eden

He couldn't hold the little grin or the small bit of laughter that followed her words. He peered out at the rain, listening to it echo through the sound. "Yeah, pretty wet." He commented. Well, if he we gonna be stuck here with someone else, he might as well make light of the situation, right? Besides, she seemed pretty...nice. And bubbly. And...talkative. Trying to be silent or huddled in his own little corner acting like she wasn't even here wouldn't be an option at all, he was sure. She introduced herself as Eden, and the gangly male turned to look at her. "Jinxx, it's nice to meet you too." He didn't know many others. In fact, asides from the girls he had helped in that avalanche, he didn't know anyone else. Not that he knew them per say, but they were really the only others he had come in contact with. Oh, and some other woman back on that frozen island. Was it just coincidence that all he had met were girls so far? He didn't really think about it until now as he openly and awkwardly stared at this little pastel yearling. Her colors were soft on the eyes, and her eyes were unlike any other color he'd really seen before. It was strange. He was used to eyes of blue, green, and purple. Sometimes red, gold or even brown. But pink? It was certainly different. "Well...I was exploring until it started raining. I take it you're also trying to explore?" What a dumb question. Of course she was! Why else would she be out here in the middle of nowhere?? "Speak"

Eden didn't really know how to hold back. It was the kind of skill your parents taught you, but she well. She didn't have any. She didn't need to have any, she was doing just fine on her own, thank you very much. Or at least, Eden thought so. She was rather convinced of it. Everything was great. There was nothing that could bring her down. "Jinxx! Hi." She tries the name out on her tongue, and then... realizes that would be a strange place to stop. That was alright. She'd try to keep the few manners she knew together for the time being. "The rain is cool, but uh, I think it's too cold? Yeah. I don't think I like the cold all that much. Soggy 'n stuff," Eden was trying to think of things as her mouth was moving, but she wasn't... all that good at it. Conversations were hard. Did adults talk about the weather? Was she an adult? Shoot. She'd get better at this, or something. Either get better or you don't, of course. Still, her tail wagged. "I was trying! I just sorta washed up here, I don't know... where I am, I think? I was trying to figure out what I was exploring, and then I was just sort of doing it!" There was excitement, and she was trying not to be too loud. That was one of the things her parents always told her-- damnit Eden, you're so loud all the time. It was true. She was here, in an enclosed space, trying to be quiet. "I think exploring is the right way to think about it." Eden nods once, as if to finish her thought physically as well. It made sense to her, and that was what mattered. Eden