The collie had thought warmth gone from her life, until she'd seen the steam rising in the distance. She'd been surviving the chill well enough, her breed and history considered. But still, the absence of a warm barn or nook to retreat to had taken its toll, and Poppy had come close to being frostbitten one too many times. But still she persisted, for surely the winter would pass as it had the year before. Besides, she'd gone too far to turn back now, or have any hope of finding her way. 

The warmth of the pools melted the snow around them, leaving stone and mud. They certainly smelled odd, but the collie approached eagerly all the same,  slipping into them carefully, sighing at the warmth and allowing her eyes to flutter closed as the water lapped at her underbelly, driving away the persistent cold and shutting out the wind that tore at her pelt like frigid claws, the snow that fell softly still.

Her eyes blinked open to fall on a wolf, a man of wood and earth, huge by her standards. This, certainly, was a right and proper wolf; the other one had been too small, and the other's she'd seen only distantly. Poppy squinted at the man through the mist, blinking again when he spoke to her. She'd avoided wolves as a general rule, they were truly wild, and such, she did not know just what they'd be like. Her mother had called them "a bunch of bloodthirsty hooligans", but then again, her mother did tend to be on the dramatic side. 

She didn't reply immediately, weighing first the validity of her mother's words. "living,"  She replied, for certainly, she planned to survive, and for the first time in her short life she felt as if she were living. Life under her master had been lacklustre and dull, and while it would not be incorrect to say that she was naive for sacrificing security for adventure, Poppy merely had a different (and, some might argue, impractical) list of priorities. "are you lot friendly? wolves, I mean? I heard you're vicious." She questioned, a tilt of her head punctuating her question. Might as well address the issue quickly, lest she be eaten.

She watched as he lapped at the water, hesitantly following his example after a moment, finding the water odd tasting but soothing. She watched him as he explained, think a moment before answering. "I suppose."  She pulled her muzzle from the water, regarding the wolf thoughtfully, the epitome of wildness she had a conversation with now. "I kill to eat. but what I mean -" Here she paused, thinking of the tales her siblings told of wolves, mostly echoed from their mother or their own imagination. Vicious, territorial, murderous wolves, who'd kill you, but not as fast as they'd eat you. "what's your name?" She asked, abruptly breaking off her previous thought, unable to quick articulate her thoughts.

He introduced himself with a name she found somewhat refined, half-expecting something wild and odd-sounding. "Poppy," The sheepdog said in turn, with a little shake of her pelt. The cold was creeping through her fur, normally dissuaded by her own constant motion. Still, the pools kept her warm, for now; she wondered idly if he ought to stay here. A thought struck her, and, encouraged by the so-far positive encounter, continued to ask questions to satisfy those that had been humming through her mind. "You live in packs, yeah? do you have a pack?"  Dew would have turned up her nose at such behaviour, believing the practice of living in wild groups reserved for less than reputable dogs, thieving coyotes and murderous wolves.

Her brow wrinkled when he mispronounced her name, maw opening to correct him and then falling closed again. His next question demanded a more pressing answer, anyway. Her ears folded back a bit; it wasn't that she hadn't thought that far, but the matter had been weighing in her mind for a time. Sometimes, when the cold swirled around and the storms crashed on for days, regret snuck in. "I'm not that cold. I'll find a place - a good place, and I'll-"  Her she paused. Her plans had extended as far as finding a good place, hopefully where food and shelter would be ample, but after that - well, what else was there to do but survive?

"what do wolves do?"  Perhaps her wild cousins had found some secret to surviving as they did, something that did not depend on their thick coats or hardier build. Something she could use. She perked up a bit as he revealed he was in a pack. "maybe. yes. but - how do they work? I know packs hunt together, and there's a leader." Was there some way to gain admittance to one? As she continued to speak, she realized rapidly how feeble platform of her courage and optimism was built on; her information was lacking and her plans vague.

The first piece of advice he gave was not unexpected, but had the sheepdog's ears flick backwards a fraction. She was alone, and obviously, if she sought to survive in (mostly) one piece, she ought to find others. She chewed her lip hesitantly as he continued, ears flickering forward when he said a pack is just a family. The concept of a second family appealed to the sheepdog, quickly imagining a group of interconnected individuals who operated in a much less dysfunctional way than her own family had. 

Her gaze glinted, and her tail beat a little faster when he made his proposal, imagining already just what his pack would look like, her life through the winter if she accepted. For a moment, the wariness in her wondered if the male would be true to his word; if his intentions were good. But he seemed genuine and kind, and the wistfulness on his face as he spoke of company had her believe him. She made her decision quickly, smile spreading across her muzzle,  "yes. I'd like that very much."  Her tail gave another brief quiver, chirping a "thank you!", smile widening. She could be great company, surely, and her gathering excitement had her prepared to spring from the pools and follow Murdock towards his pack that very moment.

The fact that she'd have to wait put a damper on her spirit, but the slight delay could not hinder her excitement for long.  "easthollow"  She echoed, immediately liking the name that had the potential to hold so much promise for her. Oh, her mother would quake if she saw her daughter now, surely. "I can wait here," She said with a quick dip of her head, wiggling backwards a fraction so that her stomach was clear of the water. "or somewhere else."  She added, ears perking up at the knowledge that there was another pack. Led by his brother, no less! A few more questions about packs died on her tongue, unsure if Murdock would be fond of a companion that continued to ask annoying questions.

He looked sceptical when she suggested waiting for him, a moment later suggesting she come with him to Morningside. She brightened at the prospect, both at the thought of seeing another pack, and that he obviously liked her enough to have her tag along. Still, she supposed, if he hadn't liked her he never would have made the offer. Besides, warmth and a meal that wasn't rat or squirrel sounded very tempting. She dipped her head in quick agreement, eyes widening a little at his statement but saying, "I'll try not to."

Interest sparked in her gaze as the man mentioned another dog, assuming his brother to be the leader of the pack they were to head to now. Murdock drew himself from the pool, the sheepdog following in his footsteps. For a moment, she basked in the warmth of the pools, but with only a breath of wind the warmth was cruelly stolen from her, fading fast now. Her teeth gave an involuntary chatter before she clamped them together, piping up a moment later, "was a dog? what happened to her?" The sheepdog's enthusiasm had faltered a bit when she noted the was, concern lacing her feature now as she hurried to keep pace alongside Murdock, occasionally slipping a bit nearer in the hope that she might come in range of his body heat.

Her steps became quick and choppy, the general idea being that lots of movement would dry her limbs and warm them. Giving a little shake, she peered towards the man, ears pressed forward as she listened. Wolves certainly seemed an exciting lot, with mysterious children and complicated relations. Her life had been mundane and simply since embarking on her journey weeks ago, almost suffocating with its predictability. But here she was now, making her way to a pack with her newest and only companion for a while, who just happened to be a wolf. She made a contemplative sound, glancing up as he said his brother had been lost to him at one point. "how'd he get lost?" She asked, the names and relations getting a bit mixed up in her head, but continuing to question the male, hoping he'd tell her more about the life he led. "Where is his pack - Morningside?"

Wolves seemed to have extensive relations, and it surprised her that Murdock and his brother - Shale - cared enough to find their brother. She'd know since she'd been young that her own family was not meant to stick together. When they were old enough, other masters would claim them, and they'd leave. She knew her siblings didn't seem especially fond of that idea, but she hadn't found herself minding, much.

Her eyes looked to the plateau, adding sincerely, "it looks beautiful." It did, the raised meadows and forests, as if something had simply pulled it up a bit, away from the rest of the land. Mountains rose around it, and the plateau seemed dreamier the longer she looked at it. "I don't know. I do have a family, but I don't think they miss me much. we knew we'd be separated eventually." She admitted. Truly, she sometimes hoped that they missed her just a little bit; as she missed them from time to time. But the fact of the matter was that her siblings had probably settled into their new homes by now, her mother run off with another dashing suitor and would raise another litter in the spring. And, in time, they would simply begin to forget about each other.