Duskfire Glacier I wanted the world till my whole world stopped

@Maera perhaps if you like? But all welcome!

Danica was exceedingly unhappy with this entire situation, but upheaval was quickly becoming a norm in her life. As an adult she could take it, but to the young such a constant state of change could do some real damage. It was for one such young one that the golden fem searched for now.

"Mae?" She looked into the entrance of the family's (former?) den, not wanting to enter and disturb those who did not wish it. She wasn't sure the little one wished for any, but she needed to make it clear that the pup was not abandoned. She had family here. And though the future at this point was a bit uncertain, they would pull through and perhaps even be the stronger for it.

Maera did not feel abandoned, she didn't allow such feeelings to creep into her mind. Even if the nights had gotten colder since Larus' unfortunate departure it had only grown worse when her beloved sister and greatest role model also disappeared from view. She missed having her partner in crime with her, she even missed their little fights. But she wouldn't say it.

Just like she wouldn't say anything about Mommy or Valtyr. They were also far gone, but always present in the small child's mind. She missed every single one of them dearly, but despite that growing feeling of nostalgia feeding on their absence she refused to speak of it. Maera was talkative, when she wanted to be.

Now the bubbly little girl she had been was hidden in the corner, gathering dust as the days went by. While she had spent most of her time in her secret club, she often came to the den again, it was much more comfortable to sleep in and besides it still had the faint fragance of those she yearned to see.

As the blonde femme that had once been her saviour called out into the emptiness of the Sveijarn home, the little one's ears swiveled in her head. She lifted her chin from the floor lazily, glancing weakly at the entrance where her parents seemed to never return to. "Hmm?" she answered instinctively, blinking slolwy as she waited for whatever figure to appear through the door.

Danica's unaware of Arabella/Maera.... so feel free to respond however.
She's taking out some of her pup-craziness right now XD

In Danica's mind there was a constant struggle, a battle that fought itself every day without gaining ground for either side. She still maintained her independence, a driving need to not tie herself down and let her happiness get wrapped up in the presence of others. This clashed bitterly, however, with the affection she had been beginning to feel for the Sveijarn family, particularly little Maera. The girl had weasled her way into the blonde woman's heart and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with it yet.

Now, though, the sensation warranted action. Finding the girl alone in the spacious den, curled up in the back as though cast aside, her heart went out to her. She entered in a ways, cocking her head. She wasn't sure how this would be recieved, but she felt the need to offer. If the girl refused, she would not be offended. "Hey. I figured, well, it's pretty chilly outside. I was wondering if you wanted to have a sleepover." Terming it as such sounded better to Danica's ears, though really she was offering her companionship to the child. She assumed Maera wasn't used to sleeping solo, and even small things like that were sometimes the hardest to adjust to. It had been weeks before she herself had learned to sleep soundly without another heartbeat beside hers.

Before Danica slithered into the den, the child pulled her extremities closer to her, tucking each paw underneath her belly and wrapping her tail over her toes. With Danica's entrance she felt a wave of self-coniousness and exhaustion wash over her coled body. She didn't want to be seen as the child with no family -- even if that was all she was now -- she wished she could wipe away that expression of pity off everyone's face.

She was broken, but she didn't want to be treated as such.
With her eyes following the female's movements, and her ears pinned to her skull she chuffed gently, her hazel eyes inviting Danica to come closer. Arabella and her were all she had left in the Glacier -- no, in the universe.

Danica approached cautiously, giving the girl a gentle invitation and the offer of company. Maera lifted her snout of the floor, she had no energy to move, nor she wanted to, but having another's warmth and feeling another's heartbeat was an offer she couldn't turn down.

"Here?" she asked softly, moving her head to glance around the empty den that had once held her whole world.

The girl was inviting, which made Danica glad. In some sense she did pity the girl, but a part of her also wondered if Maera wouldn't turn out the stronger for it. Danica was a fan of independence and chasing one's own fate rather than relying on others. She felt her own trials had led her to become harder, but also stronger. Maera's would likely do the same. Scars were not always only bad.

"Wherever you like," she responded, looking about the den. If she was alright with Danica staying, she was not opposed. It wasn't as if Tuwawi or Njal were here to mind. If she wanted to go elsewhere that was also understandable. "The great thing about sleepovers is there are no rules." At least, none that Danica was going to enforce.

While it would've been nice to be certain that all of the obstacles placed in fron t of her would end up pushing her into greatness, it was still someting that remained unknown. Maera was a strong child. She had never hesitated to voice her worries and desires, just like she never backed out from a squabble (unless it was with Jokull).
She was a strong puppy.
Was.

Now, after life had slowly plucked each of her family members one by one the tone of her voice had softened. Without siblings to battle with she had crawled back to her old lethargic self.

But there was still hope.
There was still a chance that the fire in her heart would be rekindled and burn like the fiery inferno it was before.

"Here is alright" she barked softly, allowing the edges of her lips to curve into a smile. She wanted to sleep close to another warm body, to feel another's heartbeat lull her to sleep. While the child waited for her blonde caretaker to crawl closer, she tapped her tail to the dusty floor.

Rules weren't her forte anyways.

"Alright." Danica stepped into the den, the scents of the previous occupants still strong enough that she doubted she'd leave much of a trace anyway. She barely had to stoop, her own size much smaller than that of Njal, so making her way to the back was a relatively easy task. She lay down a short distance away from Mae, wanting to let the girl come to her if she so chose, and looked around. This was a nice den. Danica had a habit of sleeping outside, but as the nights got colder she'd begin looking for someplace to hole up. There were a few likely trees she had come across that she might dig the roots up on.

So. Sleepover. What did one do at a sleepover? She'd gotten this far and hadn't really thought much past. "So, I'm gonna confess something. I've never had a sleepover before." She gave the girl an amused smile. "Any ideas on what we do now?" Let the child take charge. Now there's a brilliant idea.

The child's eyes followed the slow movements of the female as she made her way inside the den and laid down on the cold floor. She fixed her eyes on her for a moment, watching her with unwavering attention; the girl's oversized ears cupped towards her as she admitted she had never gone to a sleepover before.
Unless napping on top of your chubby brother every afternoon until he wriggle himself free resembled a sleepover, Maera had never had one either.

With a brief shrug of her shoulders the girl threw the ball back in Danica's court. It was far too cold and late to play around -- and honestly Maera was completely exhausted,and there weren't many games around that didn't involve getting up.
"Cuddle?" she piped up, pushing her rump off the ground so she could creep into the tall wall of heat that was Danica's flank.

Though she should have waited for an answer before sinking beside the blonde warrior's stomach, she kinda felt like a silent agreement of mutual support had already been signed between them since their afternoon with the fairies.

Danica made no move to avoid Maera's approach, instead giving a small smile that was quickly hidden as the little girl settled against her. She'd figured this was where it was going as it was why she had offered a sleepover in the first place. It took a while to get used to resting without the heat of another against you.

"Sounds like a plan," she said finally, lowering her head onto her paws and looking at Maera out of the corner of her eye. And suddenly she felt like a complete monster, for she knew that a part of her was planning on leaving. She would not do so with both Tuwawi and Njal gone, but... she knew it was going to happen. And this girl would lose yet another figure in her life.

Ears twisting back at the thought, she looked down with a small sigh. Life could never be kind, could it?

The warm feeling of Danica's skin against her own was enough to make the child feel a thousand times better. In a blink of an eye, Maera had already wrapped herself into a tight little ball, melting into Danica's side in the same way she used to with Tuwawi at the time. It would now be a matter of time before Maera fell asleep in her arms, but before she did so she wanted to talk to Danica.

She felt a strange need to do it, even if it went against her nature, she needed to het it off her system somehow, and what better opportunity to do so now? She had missed the chance to do so with Njal and Tuwawi but she didn't want to make that mistake with Danica as well.
"Danica?" she began, feeling a bit awkward to be the one taking the lead in the conversation now.

"Do you think they miss me?" she asked, twisting herself from her little ball to look at Danica's face for a second. Though she somehow knew that knowing if they did wouldn't help her sleep at night she was curious to know if they had also felt their hearts break every night they spent alone.
She wanted to know she was not alone -- even if she was.

Danica was content to allow Maera to take initiation in the talking front. This kind of talk had not been her strong suit for a very long time. Not since she'd gotten wise in the ways of the world and how things worked. When Maera asked her question, Danica knew she could answer without a trace of doubt. When it came to parents, Mae could have done a lot worse. True hers were not here now but they loved her without a shadow of a doubt. She'd stopped wondering if her own missed her a long time ago. She knew that answer. "Of course they do. They'd be crazy not to." They were crazy to both leave in Danica's opinion but she kept that to herself.

"Anyone who leaves you would have a hard time not missing you. I think it'd be impossible." She said with a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Damn herself to hell. She'd deserve it after what she was about to do to this poor girl. She wasn't so presumptuous as to think she meant that much to Maera. But she was another friend who was going to disappear. No. Not disappear, she resolved suddenly. Maera would get a farewell before she went, the only one. She deserved to know, and likely would need to know, why and where she had gone.

The answer given by her last friend on Earth was quick and strong, as if it were a fact as obvious as saying the sky was blue. And though it meant to serve as comfort for the Sveijarn's troubled little mind, Maera couldn't help but pick up on the slight hollowness of Danica's voice.
Though the idea of loosing her too had not crossed the child's mind, it would not have been much of a surprise to be honest.

The sky was not always blue.
Sometimes it was dark and cloudy, filled with the loud screeches of the rolling thunder; while other times it was completely cloudless and perfect.
Some leaved and some stayed.
It had been through the instability of the sky that Maera had gotten to understand that the sky and her life would not always be blue.

"I hope so" she whispered before twisting her body again into a small ball. She knew she already had had a hard time missing them, so even if they had not missed her, she was certain her love for them would never be cloudy.

Maera, who had been cold and distant as a child, now allowed her love to fall over those she held dear to her like an unforcasted storm.
Because she knew that just like the day could be rainy, the sun was always bound to come out again.

last for me, just archive or finish up? ^^ so short but amg holidays

After Maera's response Danica stared thoughtfully at her small, curled back. She couldn't fathom what was going through her mind, she hoped that the thoughts were not too dark. For much as she loved herself, she hoped the girl would not turn out as she did.

Settling down, she lowered her head to the floor, turning her eyes to the cave wall and simply letting her mind wander. As she did so she began to wonder what would follow when she was gone. She had little doubts few besides Mae would miss her and the glacier would thrive in her absence. As to her own future? Well, that was less solid. Despite her regret and trepidation, she couldn't help but feel a strange excitement as well. She only wished she could take Maera with her, impossible as that was. She couldn't even ensure her own future with this course.

Impossible, but she wished it were not so.