Redhawk Caldera Hooooo, giiiirl

In the early morning, Alyx rose, wincing at every creak in her body and the way the scabs over her wounds pulled and stung. She padded gingerly past Bronco to the threshold of the den where they were kept, avoiding even checking to see if @Meerkat was still there or not, and there she settled carefully to the ground, peeking out at the white world beyond the entrance. The blizzard raged, making it impossible to see beyond the nearest trees.

Where are you? she wondered, thinking of her brother's creamy orange coat. Rosie wasn't the type to just disappear. She hadn't spent a lot of time with him lately, but she had become accustomed to the consistency of her sibling. Rosie was always around, and he was always up for telling stories about knights and princesses and heroes of legend. Alyx thought it was all a little immature, but now as she stared morosely out into the snow, lips drawn down, she thought she could really have used one of his stories.

Once upon a time, she tried, but her voice hissed in her throat and came out gravelly, and it hurt to talk above a whisper. She swallowed thickly and struck her forepaw against the ground in frustration, sending errant snowflakes dashing away across the stony floor.