Sundara Sheyar

'Dara could sense that winter's end was near, but so far, the snow seemed to be sticking around with a white-knuckled grip. Well-traveled as she was, she could almost envision these lands as they likely were during the warmer months: soggy, warm, humid even, with the churning of water tailing every other sound to echo through the isle. Fertile, possibly, from the moist ground, but also sandy and clumpy. The skies were likely either blue or overcast with no in-between, offering great contrast even against the foaming blue tides. But instead, all she could see, for as far as she could see, was white. White above, white below, and the white of the water as it lapped against the shore. Even the ocean seemed paler.

She stopped for a moment, closing her eyes and sampling the salty air...partly to give her poor eyesight a break from bright surroundings.

"Speech"

word count: 148

Going out into the world on her own had always been a terrifying thing for Acciona since she was a child. Maybe not always, there had been a brief period of time when she was young, before she knew what secret horrors the world hid that she had snuck away from her mothers den and past pack borders. That was when Kyros found her, and took her. It had been winter then, too, and somehow, despite all the time that had passed, it felt like nothing had changed. She was still small, and defenseless. Her legs were still too short to easily navigate the dense snow that seemed to refuse to melt despite how late into the season it was. At least the gloomy skies above felt familiar, even if that familiarity wasn’t exactly a good feeling.

She trudged across the island, determined to familiarize herself with the lands near the Armada. Even with Kyros and Enno dead, and the bounty on her head effectively nullified, she’d been too scared to go very far, or familiarize herself with any of her pack mates. She had hoped that waiting until closer to spring might make the trip easier, but alas, that seemed to not be the case. She wasn’t an expert, but she felt as though this winter was a bit colder than most.

She shook off the strange thoughts and feelings lingering in the back of her mind, instead focusing on the large paw prints she suddenly noticed in the snow. She wasn’t alone out here. Once upon a time, she would have turned and fled back to the Armada where she knew she would be safe, but there wasn’t much left for her to have reason to fear anymore. She followed the tracks until she saw a large red woman with her head tipped to the sky. She didn’t approach at first, watching from a distance to try and get a feel for the woman. If she turned out to be hostile, Acciona’s small legs would be at a large disadvantage, and a quick escape would be almost impossible, thanks to the damn snow.

Words: 355

"Speech."

Sundara Sheyar

The burning sensation slowly faded from Sundara's eyes, which threatened to spill over with tears in a desperate attempt to soothe themselves while they were momentarily shielded by the frigid air. Fortunately, she managed to keep her eyes tame, preferring not to see her facial fur dampened and encrusted with ice. Snow was certainly pretty, but the longer winter drew on, the easier she felt it was to grow sick of it. It was reflective, monotonous, and disorienting in the large amounts that tended to accumulate. It wasn't kind to any part of her, whether her pelt or her eyes.

But at least she was equipped to navigate it. A scent, delicate and somehow vaguely familiar (it seemed they had a mutual acquaintance), wafted past her nostrils as she stood there, alerting her to the presence of another. Ears perking, 'Dara opened her eyes and desensitized them with a swift blink before bringing her refreshed vision down upon an earthen woman in the distance. So small, she was, that she looked almost comical standing amidst the powder, but the larger femme knew that she hardly looked typical herself. 'Dara stood there for a moment, tilting her head in anticipation of words or an approach, but when the stranger's apprehension persisted, she decided to be the one to coax her out of her shell.

"What, do I really look so imposing?" she said through a chuckle, turning slowly to face the stranger. Snow crunched loudly under her towering form. "I would say I'm offended, but truly I'm flattered." After all, what was there to dislike about having a figure that made others--potentially including unfavorable company--stop in their tracks? "Afternoon, stranger. My name is Sundara. And you?"

"Speech"

word count: 272