As cold bites back

OOC: Can I join in with my character, Artemis?

A white wolf shivered as it stalked across the snow covered ground. Her paws were numb from the cold, and her brown eyes bloodshot from the little sleep she received from the recent blizzard. A loud cracking sound made her prick her ears up and run forward, ignoring the stinging pain in her paws. Sliding to a stop on the shore, she stared surprised at the soaking wet wolf. "A-Are you alright?" Artemis carefully lowered herself onto the ice, now covered by water from the dark brown wolf's accident. She clamped her maw around his scruff and carefully dragged him out of the slowly freezing water. Now on the snow, the white fae began to lick his fur backwards and murmur reassuring words. "It's alright. You'll be fine...Relax." Her calm demeanor was backed by moons of caring for her mother. Once happy with her results, Artemis laid next to the male to try and warm him up. A question burned in the back of her mind. 'What were you doing swimming in this weather...?'

OOC: NO!.... Just kidding. Ya
Alexander slowly looked up. "Um... Your probably wondering why I was in the creek?" he asked, shivering. Alex slowly stood up. He shook the water off, the water was freezing on his fur. Little shards of ice scored his fur. His teeth chattered uncontrollably. "My name is Alexander, but just call me Alex," he said through clenched jaws. "Yours?" he asked laying back down, off the river.

OOC: XD

The white fae blinked at him with a weak chuckle. "Yeah, just a little bit." The dark brown coat began to glimmer slightly as water droplets began to freeze onto his pelt. She stood up and blinked quickly at him. "I-It's Artemis." She swallowed and glanced at his pelt from several angles. "Are you really alright, though?" Worry laced her voice. Despite being a loner, Artemis always cared for others.

Alex chattered. "N- not that much, but I-I think I w- will live." he said happily, teeth chattering. It's my stupid lack off common sense. He thought bitterly. He was aware that he seemed a little stupid in the head. He sighed. I'm so green.

Artemis showed him a weak smile and nodded down river. "Follow me, I have a den nearby." She curled her tail as she trotted forward. "I know it seems insane to try and live in a place like this, but it's not so bad." She said with a bright smile. Artemis began feeling the stinging pain in her paws again, and she stepped lightly on her paws. The snow only numbed half of the pain.

Alex relunctantly got up and followed her. He stepped with trembling paws. "Y- yeah." he said. He smiled back, with a bit of difuculty.

The white fae trotted forward, glancing at the river, watching for the path of stepping stones she used on the way to her den. Licking her jet black nose, she rushed forward to the boulders set in the small river bed. She glanced back at Alex with a small smile. "Be careful not to fall here, like with that act you did back there." She said nodding upriver with a laugh. She gracefully leapt from the boulders and landed with a muffled thump on the other side. She turned to the red-brown wolf and beckoned him over with a flick of her tail.

Alex laughed as well. "I won't, I hope." he said. He quickly made it across. He smiled.

Continuing forward, the white female decided to initiate a conversation. "So what brought someone like you to this side of the forest?" She asked turning to the red-brown wolf. "Especially someone who doesn't know how to cross the creek without getting wet." She added with a small giggle.

Alex blushed. "Please, don't bring that up." he said. "The snow is what brought be here." he said, kind of embarassed.

The red-brown wolf was curious. Not many would choose to be in a place like this frigid wasteland. 'But it can show a beautiful side when it wants to.' She thought grinning widely. The male's words confused her. With a frown she replied, "The snow? Last time I check you were-" She stopped mid sentence, about to being up the earlier incident. Alex seemed embarrassed enough not to be reminded about it, his cheeks had turned into a rosy pink. She giggled under her breath. 'He's so cute. Getting embarrassed that easily.'

OOC: I am starting to regret ever creating this character...  

Alex sighed. "Swimming? No, I got distracted and cracked open the ice." he said. He smiled.

Artemis pursed her lips, and hung her head. "Sorry...I'll stop bringing it up." She lifted her head again, recognizing her home. With a smile, she skipped up to the rocky overhang. It slanted at the back, and it didn't venture very deep, but was a few tail lengths wide. She turned to Alex and wagged her tail happily. "You can rest here." She said gesturing at the plot of ground clear of pebbles and rocks. "If you want I can go hunt for you." She added thoughtfully.

Alex smiled and nodded. "Yeah thanks. I could use some food to keep up my energy." He said sitting down. He sighed in relief.

The white she-wolf smiled broadly. "I'll be back soon, Alex!" She yipped before trotting into the white forest. Eventually, her pelt blended into the snow and undergrowth. Her soft brown eyes watched for any shifting snow, a sign of life. Even though prey was scarce here, Artemis always managed to catch something. Her white pelt blended there better than any where else, except the frozen forest. However, she could find the water easily at her den, there was no reason for her to move any time soon.

Eventually, a stick shifted on the untouched snow. Her eyes wandered over to the form slowly, her body motionless. A minuscule brown figure emerged from the snow. Its nose crinkled as he took a deep breath of the frigid air. The wind was blowing towards her, an unusual advantage. She kept her pink tongue from peaking out of her mouth, any movement would warn the mouse of her presence. Her paws would have crunched on top of the snow, so she needed to wait for the correct time.

The mouse decided to abandon it's earlier caution, and began to creep on top of the pure white snow. It's tiny footsteps were attacking Artemis' ears. It made it hard not to twitch them. It was coming in her direction. A weak looking blackberry bramble bush was a few rabbit lengths from her. The leaves had long gone, and the berries shriveled and tinged with brown, but the mouse didn't seem to care about the condition of the small fruit. It crept closer, but the she-wolf's patience hadn't yet given out.

It paused midstep at one point, and glanced around warily. Artemis narrowed her eyes and shifted her paws to lower herself, but the small crunch of snow had caught the mouse's attention. It turn and began to dart off to it's hole. 'Oh no you don't!' Artemis ran after it, her thickset paws echoing through the holes within the earth. Taking a chance, she leapt towards the rodent, and smacked ungracefully down onto it. Grunting in pain, she dispatched the prey. Once sure it was dead, she sat up with a tired sigh. Her breath billowed out in a white cloud. She blinked at the colored air and glanced up at the sky. It had bottom dark quickly. Grabbing the mouse, she bounded back to the den.

Her loud paw steps would have warned Alex of her arrival early. She bent over and gently set the mouse at the male's paws. "That was all I could find, sorry about that, Alex." She said sitting down and looking at him expectantly.

Alex clucked his tongue. He shook his head looking at her. "It's fine. Better than nothing." He said with a sigh. Alex swallowed the mouse in one bite. He  flexed his paws, and smiled. "Nah, it's fine. It's a good boost. Besides, all I can do is appreciate your effort." He said giving a polite nod. Alex was one to always look for the positives in something. This was one of those times. He nodded and lay down, placing his head on his paws. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes.