Skating on Thin Ice [Open]

[malfunction]

Fire was a beautiful thing.
The way it danced, sometimes viciously yet at the same time very calmly. The way it commanded your attention, the different colors swirling about each other. Orange, red, yellow, even blue or purple. The way nothing could put it out. Fire could consume entire forests in hours. It sent everyone running for cover. Fire was one of the few things wolves feared, for it destroyed their homes, their families. Everything familiar just bowed down to the wrath of the licking flames. Nothing could put the flames out. Nothing but water. Too bad it was frozen, right?

Kebi sat back on her haunches in the fluffy snow, her legs well numbed by the cold by now. She simply stared, not really seeing anymore, at the frozen river. She was sure that the crazy currents still warred under the thick sheet of ice, but no one really knew, right? Still she stared, directly at the center of the river. It was hard to read her face. Her dark crystal eyes were hard, unblinking. Her breathing was also slow. From a little ways off, she could have been a complete frozen statue.

Yet then she moved. Her shoulders rolled, getting the feeling back into them. Her body lowered to the snow, stretching her muscles out after hours of resting them. With a huge yawn, Kebi grunted and turned away from the river, pacing up and down the bank that should have had water lapping hungrily at it. Her pack would not miss her, not yet. The days were long and slow, and a major hunt would not be useful until spring, when the prey returned. However, she sort of wished someone would come find her.

[castor]

Castor's paws sunk into the loose, powdery snow his countenance strong as he headed towards the river, following the scent of the huntress right towards where she was sitting. His golden eyes fell upon her obviously bored body, and he smiled through the rabbit he had clenched between his jaws. It was one of the spoils of his hunting with Riuk earlier that day, and since Kebi hadn't been at the den to enjoy the kills as the rest of them were, he'd decided to bring it to her. After all, everyone needed their strength in these times; to lean on one another. Castor was fully ready to be the protector and back up for all his pack mates--consequently them all female and making him twice as protective.

"Kebi?" Castor questioned, stepping into the clearing and approaching the huntress, allowing the rabbit to fall from his grasp and down into the snow next to her. "There is plenty of food at the densite. Riuk and I have been hunting all morning." All of this was said with a smile, not meant to bother his usual hunting companion.

The river was well frozen over this time of year, but if one worked hard enough at the surface of the ice, water could poke through the holes made in the sheet of frozen water. That was another thing he planned to do while here; getting a drink. Riuk's kind disposition and willingness to join him on the hunt helped his mind to be at ease for Kohsai's passing and now he was free to be a little happier. Not to say he didn't still grieve, but he was well on his way to recovering, just as he imagine Kohsai would want of them.

[malfunction]

Her thoughts were sort of scattered, touching old memories here and recent conversations there. She wasn't really thinking about anything inparticular. Just that she was really rather bored these days. Without much prey, hunts were unnecessary. No one attacked during the winter, out of intelligence. No need to watch the boarders like a hawk. No need for anything important during any other season. It's like winter was their work break. Just time to sit around to do nothing. For three longs, hopeless months. Yawning, Kebi turned once more only to see a figure coming toward her.

The dark shape of Castor was recognizable before he got too close. The smell of blood and the slight warm sent of prey made her mouth water. She saw the limp form of the rabbit right before he dropped it from his tight jaws. Her ears flicked toward him as he spoke. Her eyes glittered with gratitude, while her muzzle instantly dipped to the dead rabbit to sniff it. "Thank you, Castor." Apparently he had taken it upon himself to make sure everyone was kept fed. Kebi felt bad, suddenly a little sad. "You should have told me you were going for a hunt." It was just pointed out, as she missed her chance to hunt with him today now.

Castor seemed a little distant, saddened as well? Kebi knew that most of her pack members were upset. With a slight shrug to herself, she slipped her tail to her hip and sat back on her haunches, taking him in. He seemed tired maybe. Or perhaps like everyone else he was just slowing down for the cold months.

[castor]

A long tongue licked at bloodstained lips, trying to taste the remnants of the coppery liquid as Castor saw Kebi stooping her head to sniff at the rabbit he had brought to her. It was obvious she was grateful for him bringing it to her, and for that he was glad. It had always been a trait in him to want to please others and make sure that they were alright, especially in times such as these when coming by prey was hard, and keeping up your strength even harder.

"It's no problem. I had thought you might be wanting for a meal." Chuckling softly, he seated himself in the cold snow, shaking off the few snowflakes that had fell into his fur during the light travel from the den to here. It was a nice little walk and he had enjoyed it considerably. A perfect way to cool down after a long hunt.

The words she uttered next troubled him a little, but he tried not to let it bother him too much. The femme was probably just a little put off that she hadn't been hunting while he had. Not that it was anything to hold against her, of course. "No worries. I was just out hunting this morning for the heck of it." He wouldn't admit that hunting so studiously and nonstop was his way of grieving. "Riuk just joined me when she thought I needed a rest." Castor didn't want Kebi thinking that he disliked her as a hunting partner, either, because he did enjoy her companionship while hunting. "If you want we can hunt tomorrow as well. Not like it's something harmful to the pack." Again he released a light chuckle, golden eyes on his packmate.

[malfunction]

Silence fell between them for a few seconds, but it was not the uncomfortable silence that strangers felt. Kebi had been with the pack for a year or so now. Castor was the first one she had ever talked to coming here, and it seemed that he had always been taking care of her. If she didn't eat, he brought her something. If she didn't want company, he told everyone to keep their distance. She was sure that if she was sick, he would probably care for her then. But right now, this was just him bringing her a rabbit because she missed their hunting hour.

"I was getting a little hungry," she said easily, her mouth starting to water more as she smell of the rabbit wafted up to her nose. His little chuckle calmed her even more than her time alone to think had. Castor was like that, she had figured out. He easily calmed others down, even if he had too much on his shoulders. He listened to those who wanted to talk. After coming, he was the first she learned to trust.

She looked up from her afternoon meal she had taken a big chunk out of when the air around them changed. Her glittering eyes dulled slightly as she realized her words could have upset him. She nodded as he explained himself though. She wasn't stupid on the connection her friend held with the pretty beta female. Her ears twitched slightly, eyes picking up their regular glint again. "Tomorrow then," she added her wolfish smile. "Tell me, though. What has the pack been doing all day? I've been away for a while."

[castor]

As the femme began to eat her meal, Castor stood to his paws and made his way to the not-so-distant river flowing just underneath the blanket of ice. As he started chipping away at it with his claws, he heard Kebi turn and speak again as she consumed the small meal of rabbit. It didn't bother him to be interrupted. In a way it made breaking the ice a little less irritating of a task.

"Well, Riuk and I have been hunting and then we stopped for a meal at the den afterwards. Then as she napped I came out here. Serenity..." He trailed, brows furrowed as he jumped and came back down a couple times onto the sheeted ice who seemed to hold better than he had first thought it might. "I believe she's at the beach. She has been visiting Kohsai's grave quite frequently... I think she blames herself." Which packmember didn't? He knew the Alphess wasn't the only one.

After a few more hits at the ice he finally broke a little patch and started to lap thirstily at the gently flowing cold water underneath. It felt amazing as it slid down his parched throat and into his fed belly.

Once he'd had his fill he remained by the side of the river and rubbed his muzzle into the snow, ridding himself of the bloodstains that came with hunting so much. "What have you been up to today? I don't think I've seen you since last night at the den." Though he normally patrolled the borders at night for awhile, Castor had retired to bed instead. His limbs had been too tired to pull his weight along the borders for that time without sufficient rest.