Sleepy Fox Hollow pyroclast ii

Separated from her pack, Eliza entered the barren winter alone. I should have waited for spring melt to come. I should have kept Annabeth by my side.

But her sisters all found prospects in the west, or the promise of, and her paw remained unclaimed and unwed. Unwanted? Not yet. She had many more seasons before she would consider herself anything close to that.

And yet, this did not change the fact she was alone, and hunger ripped through her like an animal. Eliza picked through the snow for the track of hare, or anything close, and picked up instead the telltale steps of something large through the powdered snow.

Her ears picked in interest, yet considered leaving the tracks behind. They wouldn't do her any good to follow; whatever was on the other side, she was hardly a match.

Curiosity won her in the end, and in the end she crouched in the treeline, eyes locked on the powerful thrust of a prey animal against the ice - 

Only, could she call this creature prey? It worked with bravado befitting a wolf, and it's eyes shone with intelligence and determination. She made her decision on the spot and crawled from the bushes in a respectful bow.

You are of great might, she said, eyes glinting at the spot where it had broken the ice, what are you?