King Elk Forest that is so not my motto.

Winter seriously was the worst. Mariposa frowned as her stomach whined again about how little it had been fed. She was going on day eight without a decent meal and it was beginning to make her rather uncomfortable. Lone wolf-ing it had been all well and good a month ago when the weather had been warmer and prey was easier to catch, but now the ground was covered in snow and Poe had been disgruntled to find that it was indeed the hinderance her mother had warned her it would be.

She hated it when Harlyn was right.

Poe paused then and shut her eyes. She was doing it again. She was letting her temper get away with her and ruin her outlook, and from there it was a short, slippery slope into a level of negativity that would be the end of her. Her legs trembled a bit as she stood in the snow, but she ignored it and let her mind empty. Her breathing was the only thing she lent her attention to as she pulled it in, held it, and then slowly let her lungs empty, once, twice, and over and over again.

When she opened her eyes again, the angry cloud in her head had cleared. She was no less hungry, but she was a little less upset with her predicament. She was an Ostrega. She was built for wandering and finding her own way. She'd find food soon enough, and maybe some shelter so she could rest up for a bit. And then, Poe would be on the road again. Nothing was going to stop her.

The cinnamon girl smiled to herself, then started forward again.