An ebony canine trudged her way through the snow-blanketed land. Paws would pull tightly against her body with each step, the thick layer of fluffy snow reaching up to her elbows and above. Clumps of snow stuck to her stomach, caking on in snowballs as her belly attracted the freezing substance. Long legs epilepsy leave deep prints in the snow, leaving no way for one to miss her tracks, unfortunately. Her pelt didn't help at all, either, the prominent splotch of black on white sticking out like a sore paw. Her small, tulip shaped ears sat pretty on her head, perked forward and listening for the inevitable, telltale sound of crunching through the first, thin layer of ice over the snow. Golden silver eyes observed and assessed her surroundings, taking in all that the land had to offer. She wasn't completely sure where she was, but retracing the steps her paws had taken her since exiting her den, she began to draw a rough draft of where se could be.

From where she had left, she had most certainly left Erenyx territory, but not yet crossed into the Helidos lands. She looked around, searching for a landmark, but finding none immediately..But she saw nothing, simply the sheet of crystallized water that spread across the land, reaching every territory, decorating the trees with beautiful icicles, and the ponds with miniature ice burgs. She might have called it beautiful, had she found pleasure in it. But for her, it was merely an empty slate. A blank canvas for her to paint and leave her mark, and she only had so much time to do as she could. As the snow hardened and became more ice than snow, she stayed on her toes, trying not to fall through as the ground solidified under her paws. Soon, there was nothing but sheer ice under her delicate paws, and the slope began heading downward. Her toes curled under her as her nails began digging in with every step. Shifting her weight to her hindquarters, she rolled her shoulders over her paws, lowering herself closer to the surface ever-so-slightly. Regaining full control over her slippery descent, she was careful to keep her balance, not wanting to risk falling. Her head remained high, however her tail remained still, swinging idly between her hind paws. As the landscape became more and more familiar, she recognized it as that people called, the "Falls of Serenity". However, the clapping roar of falling water went unheard, implying it had frozen over. With each deep inhalation, the frigid air burned her nasal passages, the frost lingering in the wind biting her lungs, attempting to chill her from the inside. Every time she let the breath in her lungs out, a puff of smoke, from heat hitting cold would rise up into the air. Meanwhile, the cold breeze cooled her skin, though the thick, silk pelt of thickening hair she possessed fought it off. Her gaze swept over the land again, ears straining for any noises.

Ideas and memories ran in circles around her head, her attention focused on the current state of the pack. Like all winters, prey was scarce, as most were hybernating or moving to warmer climates, leaving the predators to come up with their meals, but as far as she knew, they were not in famine. They had sufficient food to at least provide for everyone, if not supply a feast. No wolves had fallen sick to her knowledge, which was important, every wolf counted, so long as they proved themselves. As she thought about the pack, mentally going through the members she knew of, when she was yanked out of her mind by a yelp, a panicked yelp at that. Raising her nose in the air, though it was difficult, she detected the scent of another Erenyx female that came this way. Picking up speed slightly, she didn't risk herself, keeping her balance so she didn't fall in. Reaching the area she was searching for, she heard splashes and the scrabbles of frantic claws against ice. She watched as a pack member, one she had seen before, and possibly met, she assessed the situation as she slipped into the frozen, nearly unsurvivable waters if you got caught underwater, or couldn't swim. Cold, detached honey yellow eyes watched as the fae Hunter began to drown, the currents being strong. Stronger than her. Digging her claws in, she moved along shore, observing the Huntress, having no plans of saving her. If she saved herself, brilliant. If not, she wasn't strong enough to save herself. "Panicking will only make your situation worse. Use the current to your advantage. Save yourself." She said, muscles tensing as she braced herself to the ice, testing her limits to how close she could go before her fate would be the same as Yuki's. Eyes as frigid as the world around them trained and steadied on the one female, looking at her expectantly, making it clear she wasn't about to foolishly jump into the water and commit suicide for a lost cause. Her ears swivelled around, keeping her ear out for other visitors that may pop up.

Yuki coughed and hacked as the dark water flowed effortlessly through her jaws, clogging her throat and weighing down her thick pelt. Her usually serious demeanor had dissolved into utter panic; how could she have been so careless? Why had she even thought about risking her life that way? The current was dragging her away from shore, and she yelped in pain as she hit a stool intact ice sheet with her back. She didn't bother trying to snag a hold of it and drag herself out; she had already seen that the ice was too thin. It would crack beneath her weight. Her only chance was to make it to the shore; the only issue with that was that she had never swam a day in her life.

Her steel grey gaze widened in terror as another ominous black wave washed over head, and she thrashed in petrified horror as she suddenly sunk below the surface. Her vision blurred as if a thin veil of black silk had blown over her, and somewhere far off the sun rippled complacently above her. Frantic and not sure of what else to do, the drowning fae kicked out desperately with her hind legs while her forepaws scrambled upward. Fortunately she was able to propel herself forward, and she gasped hurriedly for breath once her head broke the surface.

There was a voice shouting to her from the shore, she realized, and she turned her snout hastily towards the source of the noise, somehow glimpsing a canid figure through her hazy vision. It didn't take her but half a moment to process her peer' swords: calm down and save yourself. Well thanks a lot for that! She wanted to snarl at the female, and she would have voiced her frustration if there wasn't fluid filling her lungs.

She felt like she'd been struggling out there for hours, and her limbs were heavy with fatigue. No, come on! You can't honestly be this weak! She snapped irritatingly to herself, grudgingly taking her pack mate's advice and giving up her futile battle against the current. I can't die... I don't want to die. Not yet.

Her attention was suddenly drawn to the appearance of a slick white body swimming effortlessly up beside her, and she blinked in bewilderment as she realized it was another wolf. What? Flea brained mutt... Who would voluntarily jump into a freezing river to aid a stranger? Still, the shrewd female wasn't dumb enough to refuse help. Those who placed dignity above their own lives were undoubtedly morons.

She allowed the white furred fae to guide her to shore, taking note of her long, confident strokes and trying her best to imitate them. Finally her exhausted paws hit smooth stone beneath her, and she quickly heaved her lanky body out onto the fresh snow. She stood with her back hunched, her drenched tawny pelt hanging like an ill fitting sweater from her thin frame. She convulsed as she retched up a bucketful of water, her stomach aching from the effort.

The ebony female watched the struggling fae, eyes blank, cold gold without emotion. She cared not about her life - she wouldn't expect another of her pack members to save her if she were drowning. She had been ignorant enough to stray from safety without somehow checking to see how far she could venture onto the ice. Winter was beautiful, but dangerous. One had to be wary of where they stepped, especially when around precarious ice. It was only early into the season, and the lakes could surely not sustain the weight of a wolf. She dug her claws in, ear suddenly twitching as she heard a second splash, aside from Yuki's frantic ones. Her gaze shifted for the moment, luminaries landing on the ivory wolf paddling toward the other fae. She was somewhat impressed with her bravery and strength to keep from immediately being swept away with the current, unable to keep her head over her tail. Pausing, she halted, watching as the white fae guided Yuki and herself to the safety of the shore.

Ariste stared surprisedly at the white wolf, trying to match a name with her face, but coming up empty pawed as she was unable to, and deciding she was either Helidos, or a Rogue, so it was also strange that she was helping an Erenyx wolf. She must know this wolf was not one of her own. After a moment, she approached them slowly, black paws crunching and breaking the pure snow under them, but staying atop it. Her ears were alert and forward, as her eyes flickered to the Huntress of Erenyx, and back to the mystery wolf. "Who are you?" She rumbled, breathing in the icy air as her tail swished behind her, banner involuntarily moving in the wind as the cold breeze ran it's chilly finger through her pelt, running over her skin. "Hunter Yuki, why did you foolishly stray onto the ice? Were you not paying attention?" She barked, chuffing as she shifted her pressure to her hind paws so as not to topple and slid into the water herself. Her orbs roved back to the alabaster female again, as she awaited an answer from either of the pair.

((Sorry for the length))

The Deltess' auditories roved, often twitching as they observed through sound any oncoming opponents or danger, her nostrils flaring and doing the same. Her tongue flicked out to wet her nose, the cold muscle's heat contradicting her icy cool to the touch nose. She observed both wolves - which, to her, looked more like drowned rabbits as they attempted to release some of the water drenching their pelts into the snow. She caught the slightly annoyed gaze that drifted her way, residing in amber eyes, but payed no heed to them, scanning her to make sure she was not in an offensive posture before she turned her eyes back to Yuki, listening to the fae's words. "Accidents happen, but mistakes can be prevented." She spoke slightly, shifting her weight once again to the optimum position, as she moved into a more favourable position, where her grip sunk deeper into the snow, helping her chances of holding on to her grip.

Her cold gaze flickered to Yuki, as she bared her fangs, and Ariste gave her the courtesy of returning the favour, bearing a small warning growl existing deep in her throat as well. "Well, I hope you had fun. But I don't think you're in any position to be snarling at anyone, so you would do well to hold your muzzle. You've shown nothing more than a wolf not from our pack is more capable than you." She said, ears twisting toward her and pushing forward on her head before she dropped the offensive stance, shooting Yuki a harsh glare. Finally turning back to this Rose, who had inquired about herself, she let the words roll off her tongue with ease, meeting her orbs without doubt.

"Delta Ariste, of Erenyx." She responded, with a small nod of acknowledgement to the opposite in colour and demeanor fae, interested in her ability of swimming in such rapids. Perhaps she grew up in similar terrain, where that was a constant hazard. "And if I had to guess, I would say you are one from Helidos?" She held back a sneer at the word, as once again her salmon coloured tongue slithered out of it's home in her mandible, warming her tongue and preventing it from acquiring frost bite. Once again her metallic gaze flickered over the vixen, observing her stature in an attempt to determine her rank. She looked as if she could have been any of the starting ranks - Warrior, Huntress, Caretaker or Healer. She certainly had the attitude of a caretaker, but that didn't mean she was one. Filing it in the back of her mind, she fell silent, listening only to the whistling of the wind as it blew through the land, and the ideas buzzing about in her own mind, one ear turning to Rose, showing that she was at least semi-listening.

The huntress flattened her ears at her superior's scathing response, her flint grey eyes sharp with resentment. She was never going to admit it out loud, but... She had a point. Her inability to save herself was an obvious sign of weakness. What if she had still been a rogue when that happened? No one would have come to her rescue, and she would surely be sinking to the depths of a watery grave. I have to learn how to swim... I can't risk losing my life or my dignity. She made a mental note in the back of her mind, that on the first spring morning when the ice sheet covering the rivers had melted away, she would be in the water once more.

The shrewd fae narrowed her eyes slightly when the white furred she-wolf mentioned being a delta as well, a small wave of annoyance rolling over her. She didn't care for the ranking system at all- actually, she happened to loathe it. Still, it didn't give her enough reason to automatically dislike the female. She had risked her own life to save her, after all, an act Yuki still did not entirely comprehend. Sounds like she's got quite the life in Helidos. She has no reason to throw that away from what I can tell, unless she's not near as content with her life as she seems. No... She must have an ulterior motive of some sort. No one ever does anything like that unless there expecting something in return.

A sharp, hollow laugh escaped her maw when the Helidos fae asked them to tell her what Erenyx was like, her steel grey gaze sharp with keen distrust. "Oh, you'd like to know what Erenyx is like? Well, let's see..." Her mockingly sweet tone was dripping with sarcasm, and the fake grin she donned concealed a terrifying virulence. She slowly got to her paws and stood at her full height, her long legs and skinny frame exemplifying her lithe demeanor. "We start the day by worshipping our almighty idol, the glorious alpha Teren. We feast on the bones of young pups and wear the pelts of our felled enemies as fashionable winter coats. We make our nests out of spilled organs, and every night we gorge ourselves on putrid blood!" She finished her mocking tale with a highly exaggerated maniacal laugh, Her tail lashing in irritation. Her sarcastic grin instantly dissipated into apathetic exasperation; of course her intentions hadn't been pure.

(Sorry for the super late post!)