Verdant Pastures beneath a Sky Aglow

[K'arnae]

The day was drawing to a close, and still there was little progress to show for it. The weathered paws bled from the wear and strain, but the pain once felt became numb and unremarkable. A body made tall and heavy, bequeathed with the radiance of autumn and soft gold, had sunken within itself by the belly and jolly, suffering from the lacking sustenance needed to make it full. Vivid colors had come to dull just as the red-orange blaze was near doused by the coming of the velvet night. But as the body lumbered on, so did the spark of the sun cling to the sky, defiant against the inevitable end of its life. Resilient until it was irreversibly snuffed.

Starvation had brought her to the brink of death time and again, but like the stubborn reed against the vicious summer wind, she stood still and prevailed, taking hold of what nourishment she could find to keep her. But she could feel it in her body now, pressed against the snow laden slope of the meadows; a blot of molten hues upon the pristine white. Her life force was dwindling...her night coming without the splendor of the stars to grant it beauty. It was cold and dull...an abyss that only the light of her eyes could stave.

But it was coming. With every breath of her tired lungs she could feel it. The call of the night in her ear as a whisper.

[Twi]

Zarius didn't usually travel this far away from Oak Leaf River territory, but today he thought he needed a "break". Alot of things were going in in his pack. a few new litters were born. even though Zarius had nothing against pups, there were a lot of them at camp. He had wanted to find a life long companion and maybe give her pups, but he thought that he would be pushing the pack too far and they wouldn't be able to provide for all the new mouths. But he just put thoses thoughts away.

Just as the male got farther and fartheraway from camp, he saw a figure in the distance. He slightly wagged his tail, he always liked to meet someone new. "Hello? who are you and what may you be doing out here?" He increased his speed and got closer. As he came nearer, he realized how...fragile she lookeed, ready to break at any moment. "Oh my goodness... Would you like some food? I have some time." Zarius exclaimed with simpathy for the wolf. He saw in her eyes that she may not make it if she didn't have a guardian to save her.

[K'arnae]

The grim touch of the cold had long since caressed the length of her spine, keeping her still with muscles ensnared by the chilling pricks of the ice that befell her. She could not move, but certainly her ears could hear. Her eyes had closed but breath still portrayed what life lingered still. Shallow breaths to converse the heat that escaped and keep the ache of the flesh against her bones at bay.

She could hear the generous voice, if word alone would not say, the subtle twitch of her ears, the soft turn of her head...she hoped it would be enough. Her maw as clasped tightly as taut as the body lying bare in the snow. So soft a sound escaped, little more than a pitiful whine of pain...of agony...of hunger...with a quiet plead for a means to escape this end that circled. The vulture of night preened in his best dressed, with chilling talons reaching to forever still and take the wanderer's heart.

[Twi]

Zarius quickly ran off to find something for her to eat in the winter snow. He had to get her something! She looked as if she could be pushed over by a soft breeze. He soon found a snow hare, but he could barely see it. He crept towards it slowly.

He rushed back to her, his mouth bloody. He dropped it at her muzzle. "Here, eat this."