Wind Dancing- Polonaise Enters

[polonaise]

The wind lashed against a dark object, a charcoal femme bent against the weather as it beat against her hide. Her coat was almost thickened for the long winter ahead, but she still felt so unprepared. There was no snow, only frost, but the lake would likely be more than a little icy. There was nothing for it but to head there anyways, however, as Polonaise knew she needed water soon. She had travelled too far and famished herself, and just before winter, too... Dark clouds rolled towards her, spreading out like monstrous grey sheets of frigid death. She didn't have to see the storm to know it was coming. She had scented it long ago, and now the air was thick with pressure, as if coiled, waiting to explode with the flashes of snow which would drive against the earth like daggers.

The grass was no longer green, not at this time of year. Most of it had yellowed, waiting to spring back after the snows. It crackled with frost as Polonaise slipped across the landscape, finally coming to rest at the lake. The ice on top was hardly visible, just a paper-thin lining of crystal. The fae plunged her head into the lake, breaking the fine glass with a sharp crack, and drank the frozen water. She could feel her body temperature drop as she drew in the water, but she needed it. Finally, she withdrew from the cold lake. Frost clung to her wet muzzle.

"And if I had a pack," she complained to herself quietly, "I would not have so many problems..." She sneezed to shake the cold from her nose. Unsucessfully.

[Taint]

A faint, far away sound suddenly disturbed the quiet of the lake. The noise grew steadily in volume until it could be distinguished as the high pitched yelps, squeals and unrestrained giggles of a playing pup.

Soon, the sound of heavy, sporadical pawsteps mingled with the shrieks of delight and laughter - sporadical because the pup making all the racket would often stop and leap high into the air, landing in a crouch and rolling onto her back, limbs flailing wildly, covering her silver tinted brown coat in fluffy white powder.

Suddenly, Cotton burst out of the foliage, jaws agape, tongue lolling, tail thrashing wildly. Chocolate hued eyes sparkled with youth as Cotton skidded to a halt at the bank of Mirror Lake, occuli suddenly filling with awe as she stared at its still surface, covered with a thin layer of ice.

Cotton stuck a paw out, gingerly tapping the ice. It's solid! She thought, jaws unhinging. The waters hard!

Her paw tapped at the ice again, and she emmited a high pitched giggle of delight. Slowly, she placed both of her silvery mitts upon the ice and gingerly put her weight on them...

Crack! Splash! Cotton squealed, plunging forwards into the shallows as the ice snapped beneath her weight. Her paws scrabbled at the hard lake bottom as she backed up hastily and shook herself violently, shivering as cold water began to freeze, hardening the parts of her pelt which it touched.

"The water turned back into water!" Cotton breathed, her teeth chattering as she looked over at her brother, Solo. She frowned, then turned her head back around, gaze finally alighting upon the disgruntled looking femme, Polonaise.

Cotton yipped with fright, turned, and dashed behind her brother, tail tucked. She peered slowly around him at Polonaise, cheeks flushed. Cotton was never comfortable around strangers. I've never seen her before! The young cub thought. What's she doing here?

[Taint]

ooc: Meh. Sorry if I kinda powerplayed a bit saying that Solo was there... I hope he is! lol.

[polonaise]

Polonaise was licking at her muzzle, annoyed, when she heard the noises of a pup dashing around in the frost. The squeak as Cotton rolled into the water was quite audible, and she turned in time to see a shivering pup climb back out again.

"Dear me," she said, amused laughter radiating from her bright yellow eyes. Cotton had taken her mind of things for now. She walked over to the little thing, interested in the fact that it had just willingly jumped into an icy lake. Apparently, ice was a new experience. "Now, why would you do a thing like that? You're all wet now and you're going to freeze unless you get that frost off yourself." She smiled warmly. "Want some help, there?"

Adult wolves could put Polonaise on edge, but for an unexplainable reason, she loved pups. Cotton seemed to be avoiding her, hiding like that.

((Until Solo gets here I won't do anything to him. ;D ))

[Keeper]

(Arg! You beat me too it! Was going to post before that! lol)

Solo followed his sister intently, lauging as they jumped through drifts and giggling as the snow melted beneath their paws.

As they neared the lake, Solo stopped and watched his sister paw the thin layer of ice, only to have it break and her go crashing through.

With a bit of a chuckle, Solo bounced over to his sister. and tried licking the now-freezing fur to warm it when she suddenly jumped behind him.

"Cotton, you scary-" Solo growled as he turned his head, only to look up at a wolf who was obviously not one of the Moors.

But she seamed nice. Solo turned and backed away from his sister, laughing.

"Come on scardy! She's not going to hurt you! I'm here to protect you!" Solo growled.

[Taint]

Cotton whimpered as Solo stepped away from her, shying away from Polonaise, lowering into a protective crouch. However, the wolf did seem kind, and Solo's words comforted her slightly. Auds, which had been pinned to her skull, slowly perked, and she rose tentively, eyeing Polonaise carefully.

She moved closer to Solo's side, still wary of Polonaise, her back slightly curved, her paws placed carefully.

"Wh-who are you?" Cotton managed to ask, stuttering slightly. Her cheeks instantly flushed as the words escaped her lips, and she lowered herself into a crouch again, looking away from the stranger to Solo, her eyes pleading.