"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent eu velit id arcu ullamcorper lobortis nec eu tellus." 'Duis massa sapien, porttitor ac porttitor pulvinar, sagittis ut lectus.'

Snow laid thick on the ground and a foot deep. Aksel was bounding through the snow as best as his little legs would carry him. The pup paused and scented the air. Aksel was in the process of climbing a mountain to try and get a bead on where in the heck he'd managed to wander off to. He wouldn't admit it but he was hopelessly lost. The pup had woken up from his nap and once again had taken to sneaking off. He told himself he didn't feel guilty but he'd never meant to be away this long and was sure is father would worry, especially now that Acadia was so sick.


Aksel carried on in his journey but he was getting cold and his feet were starting to hurt. He paused as he noticed something else stirring in the trees next to him. A large fluffy creature?. a large? spiny creature. Head quirked to the side as he made the only decision he could. Run right for it!


Talk, Think

Buried beneath the snow, Warja slept. She wasn't aware that there was snow piled on top of her. When she'd drifted off to sleep she'd been above the snow, nestled in a stomped down, Warja-shaped crescent. Slowly, so slowly it hadn't disturbed her, flakes began to fall and cover her. Before long all that remained was the end of her nose kept bare by her breath and her ears, which were just high enough to escape the coating.


The groaning of nearby snow finally managed to rouse the youngling. Her ears pricked, gently pushing at the snow that threatened them at their bases, and then her eyes opened. Bewildered, Warja's head popped out of the snow and she squinted at the too sharp light that accosted her. It took her a moment to realize what had happened, but when it sunk in, a faint, amused smile pulled up the corners of her mouth. Atop her head and trailing down her nose was a small mound of snow.


She blinked into the snowshine, gazing around her at the endless, glistening white. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the form of another, the young wolf's dark pelt standing out sharply. She watched him for a moment, still groggy from sleep. He appeared to be running after something and so her eyes drifted out in front of him, searching for the thing he was chasing. When they fixed on the creature, her eyes narrowed. Chasing one of those didn't seem very wise. Although it wasn't her business, she called out anyway, "Hey!"


talk, think

Bounding toward the strange spiny rodent (porcupine) he stopped short as a call alerted his attention to another wolf. Sliding to a halt he turned to see who had called, it certainly didn't sound like his father or any of his uncles. He turned to see another girl?. ugh? more girls. Why was it always girls? His siblings were girls, his cousins were girls. He was drowning in GIRLS! He stared at the stranger.


"Hey yourself beautiful stranger!" Yup... a chip off the old block. "What are you all covered in snow for?" Spiny creature forgotten for the moment he scampered over the girl. "And what are you doing all the way out here? Don't you know there's? demons and things? You're lucky I'm here to help protect you." Yep, that was right that's what was out here. He almost said bears but caught himself. Bears slept all winter and he was smart enough to know that. Eager to make an impression he puffed out his chest to look as brave as he possibly could.


Talk, Think

"Hey yourself beautiful stranger!" Both ears flicked back irritably. She was much too sleepy at the moment for compliments. The boy pranced over, far too cheerful for Warja's current mood, and began bombarding her with questions. Sitting up slowly, the young wolf stretched, her blanket of snow falling away in large patches. "I fell asleep and it snowed while I slept." His next question/statement combo made her eyebrows lift. "I live here," she stated flatly, then, because she just felt like it, she said, "There are no demons here. Only monsters, but we have a truce. Which," She paused for emphasis, "You aren't part of, so it's you who's lucky I'm here." There. She wanted to know what he had to say to that. Her eyes drifted to the porcupine and a seed of mischief took root in her chest. "See that thing over there?" She tipped her head in porky's direction. "Do you know what that is?" The porcupine continued on its merry way, all but oblivious to the two small wolves as it rooted through the snow. It knew they were no threat. No one was dumb enough to seriously mess with such a creature. Speaking - - Thinking

Aksel frowned at the slow moving pup. It was like talking to a big hairy turtle who just blinked and stared at him. It was daytime! Time to be up! She spoke of monsters and he let out a laugh. "HA! I'm not afraid of monsters. You're talking to Aksel Frost, son of Loki and nephew of Thor and Baldur, heroes of old." He poofed out his chest and tried to look impressive but the girl didn't seem to be the least bit impressed. He frowned. What made her so special? "Who are you anyway?"


Do you know what that is?"


Aksel followed her gaze to stare at the creature for a moment. "Obviously I know what it is? it's? a Giant Pokey Rat." He nodded. Yup that was what it was now. A sudden thought occurred to him and he turned back to the older girl. "So what are you doing all the way out here? Ain't cha got a family or something?"


Talk, Think

Warja, not one to ever waken with a cheery disposition, remained unimpressed by Aksel's list of relations. She had no idea who those wolves were, so his enthused chest puffing was met with a sarcastic Riiight," and an equally impressed expression on her sleepy features. Well, it didn't appear she was going to head back to lala land anytime soon, so Warja stood up and shook her coat out before once again taking a seat. Somehow the snow had managed to insulate her and keep her warm, and without it, the young wolf was chilled. A few flakes clung stubbornly to her coat, but for the most part it was gone. Much to her surprise, Warja felt almost naked without it, like it had been second skin that she'd just thrown away. She shivered, gazing flicking once to the porcupine to mark its progress before returning her gaze to the boy. He didn't appear fazed by her talk of monsters, so that game was out the window, but maybe she could turn the porcupine into something. "My name's Warja." She took a deep breath, then, "And you should be, at the very least, wary, of the monsters up here. That thing over there?" She jerked her head in the direction of the porcupine, "Is called a porcupine and it's one of the worst monsters we have up here. It has poison in its quills and if you get stuck by one it follows you until you die. Then it drags your body back to its lair and eats you." She sniffed, gaze returning to the porcupine that was minding its own business, hurting nothing but the plant life it called food. "I'm a monster hunter. Been following that porcupine for awhile now." Warja's eyes returned to the boy. "I had family, but it's dangerous up here, Aksel, so next time you see one of those, walk the other way." There. Maybe that would finally get his attention. Speaking - - Thinking

Will you recognize me

In the flashing light?

Aksel once again took to frowning at the girl. She wasn't very nice either. It suddenly occurred to him he'd never met a boy his age. Only girls! Always girls! Why were there so many girls?! And why were they always pissy? He shuddered lightly as the wind picked up. Was it going to snow again? Mismatched eyes glared up at the sky, trying to discern weather patters he was too young to really understand.


The girl spoke and introduced herself as Warja. She explained that the thing was a porcupine. He made a face as she described it. "Yuck!" Eyes widened suddenly as she explained she was a monster hunter. "But? so your'e a monster hunter huh? Well then what are we waiting for let's hunt it!" He was off like a shot after the porcupine. All he had to do was stay away from the sharp end right? And it wasn't to fast? And if he had a hunter with him he was safe, right? He wanted to see her kill the thing. "Come on! How do you kill it?" Aksel bounded around to the front of the thing and it froze, hair and quills standing on end. Aksel's own hackles raised as he stared at it. It had HUGE teeth. Uh oh...


"Speech"

I try to keep my heart beat

but I can't get it right