Otter Creek january

Eliza found no relief in the mountains. Every stream ran frozen underpaw, and every prey trail ended in lives too great for ending on her own. If only I had hooves for feet, she thought in self pity, thinking back on the creatures she had seen by the river. The power with which they'd broken through ice! If only I had jaws the strength of many wolves.

Misery made such sorry company, but without her sisters, it was all the company Eliza could keep. Not even the sun peeked through the clouds to cheer her up. All that accompanied her was a quiet drizzle as the flurries of the heights melted to rain.

It was the only good sign of the day, a promise that the next river she found might be warm enough for hunting. It hardly cheered her sour face, but at least it hurried her steps to find the place where water flowed down the mountainside.