Nova Peak Helium

@Maven

Exploring the areas surrounding the hunter’s pack on the Rise, Lycabas came to the base of a snowbound mountain as afternoon turned to twilight. His eyes traced the long, steep slopes, past the trees, up, up, up, until he could see nothing but stormclouds.

Snow’s coming. It’ll be heavy.

The boy sighed, plowing forward to seek shelter.

The wind grew frigid. The time of snow would come, and soon.

Knowing better than to be short a shelter for such a time. But there was another here that thought the same. They moved ahead of her, trudging on in search of someplace.

Slow, the mountain woman approached from behind, moving with purpose. And when she was close enough, she prepared a cautionary battle stance. Sop!

A low snarl bubbled from her chest. You, move. Die. It wasn't a warning they would receive again, and her tone was perfect to indicate such.

Lycabas about-faced to see who had called out to him. His ears pressed forward as the dark figure in the snow threatened him.

Okay… what did I do this time?

He stared back at the wolf, none of her black-char features registering in his memory. I don’t know her. What would Teacher do? The boy squared his shoulders defensively and tucked his chin. Though unafraid, or rather lacking the emotion of fear, he was quite concerned that she would attack him.

What do you want? he asked, speaking over the howling wind.

Turning, this stranger now faced her.

The woman's lip quivered, tugging slightly to reveal the inner corner of her mouth. He matched her stance, just about. But he wasn't dumb enough to attack first. Wise, she thought.

You... this land— know it? The better he knew this land, the better it was for her. She could easily use him to find shelter to sit out the storm.

The other wolf did not look old, but there was something about the knife’s glint in her eyes that bespoke of an experience that young Lycabas lacked in himself. She was dangerous; a creature as honed as the claws of an ancient harpy. A nervous sense of wonder plagued him, heightened by the sound of her demanding voice.

I don’t know this place, he told her.

I don’t know anything.

The boy found it hard to think under the crushing weight of her stare, and he fell silent, feeling oddly hesitant.

When his unhelpful answer went unheeded, Lycabas watched as she turned from him, disappearing quickly out of sight. He relaxed once she had gone, heaving a sigh as he continued his own way.

What a relief!