Moonsong Glacier To regard the frost and the boughs

Although knowing not where she might find him, she hopes to stumble upon the man praised by the chief; @Fallen Sun. It had not been demanded that they meet so soon, but her curiousity cannot be helped. 

Taking her time, she explores the glacier, taken with its beauty. She would have waited until after her sitik was finished, but she couldn't wait. The winds called to her, and she obliged to heed their summons.

I have been summoned? n. n

The man pelted in summer's sunset was an odd one to moonpack - not only in color but in the fact he held a vocabulary spanning a number countable on a wolf's paws. 

When he wasn't hanging out with Silver Shadow, he was off hunting or patrolling the borders (that he had since learned the location of). This particular day, he was coming back from a hunt, having found a rabbit's warren and wanting to keep the stashes of prey he'd found filled up nicely.

A small wuff through the fur of his quarry, dangling from his jaws. 

She was new, and smelled of winter's snow.

Someone is there in the distance. Unfamiliar by sight, but carrying the scent of the tribe she walks with. 

Cautiously, she approaches, first taking in the furry creature they carry. Thereafter, her eyes wander the wolf in present. 

Tipping her nose forward in a small, graceful nod, she then offers a breif greeting. Hello. 

Might this be Fallen Sun, she wonders, her small head slanting in silent question.

The man also tilts his head, a small flap of his tail against the ground as he sat.

Another joined their ranks? She smelt as if she'd talked with Silver Shadow at least once, something that burned that he couldn't do like the others. The Silent Words were even harder than the normal ones, but at least most he'd come across could guess at the barks and have a half-hearted conversation. Why couldn't he make the Words?!

Huh- a breath more than anything, but he tried more than once to say her word back to her. Huhi. the noise ended in a small whine, and his pelt grew warm with embarrassment.

It must be him. For Dutch hadn't mentioned any others with an inability to fluently converse in the common tongue. 

It's alright, She says softly, offering a deep smile in the hopes that it would wash away his embarrassment. You said it well.

You are Fallen Sun, yes? She had to be certain, or she would be the embarrassed one for making such an assumption.

A breathy Yah! followed by a questioning look, as if to say how do you know my name? But he supposed that Silver Shadow told her. Meaning... she was here to stay, right? They had a new friend, and a new wolf for him to protect! Even if they were all looking after each other, his friend had told him to protect the women! And she... was a woman, so... that meant he had to protect her.

It was what a man did, in his mind. Ma taught him that.

Whu yhou? more questioning wuffs. Who was she, even though there was a high likelihood he wouldn't understand her name, and give her one of his own instead. He was thinking something with Snow in it, but the man needed more information first. 

Who was she? What did she like? Did she like rabbit? Or deer? Could he bring something to her?! The idea of a new friend replaced his embarrassment with excitement.

And she liked his Word! This one was awesome.

Phew. She'd been right. 

Eira, She answers, then pauses with a moment of thoughtful consideration. It is like saying air and uh... but together, as one. 

She wondered if he might be appreciative of the help of pronouncing her name. Or maybe it would irritate, or even anger him! For either outcome, she prepared herself.

Her words confused him, but she gave him a very handy pronunciation guide as Fallen sat there with his tongue over one row of teeth. 

Pulling it back into his mouth, he tried very hard, but these were Words he did not know. Ahr- the first.

ah? the second, a questioning quiver in his tone. He wanted to get it right. Did I?

Replace your "ah-r", with "eh-r", She instructs carefully. 

Then it becomes "eh-r .. ah." Maybe he understood it now?

He bent his ears down and whined softly to the ground at her paws - an apology for not getting it right the first time. 

But she provided additional instructions! So that made him happier and he tried again.

Ehr...ah?

Closer, she edged. 

Tentative, the winter-coated woman stretched, then brushed the tip of her nose to his cheek. 

You learn well, Fallen Sun. She praises, then dips her head in response to his question. The first time, he'd been close. And now, he'd said it with near perfection!

She seemed to like that, and her touch was given the response of a happy grin and another tail-flap that sent a small pattering of snow-powder into the air. It landed on the topside of his tail.

It helped that this name thing was far easier to pronounce than other names were. Even his own brought him some level of trouble! 

But... she touched him, and he felt it only right to respond as she did - with a little nose tap to her fur. Instead of her cheek, he bent downward to nudge her neck fluff. A gentleman, if one who did not understand the meaning of the word. 

Eira.

But would she like... Winter Song?

She sniffed, on the verge of a giggle; but she held it back. The gesture, though not meant to, tickled. And the girl in her wanted to laugh and bound away like a doe in a prairie. 

But, maybe the latter she could do... 

The question was — would he play along? 

Blowing a light breath against his muzzle, she lept backwards, then spun in a quick, graceful dance. 

Yipping faintly, she poised to dash off, but waited, glancing over her shoulder to see if he would join in the playful chase.

Oh, joy! Absolute joy was in those forest-green eyes. Work, work, work - Silver Shadow seemed to lead them now and he seemed to like work. Dark Boulder he could barely understand more than a simple high from and she loved work from what he knew. 

He, too, had fallen into routine work - but each wolf needed to earn their keep, so he did the work.

But he was a pup at heart, and his tongue lolled out and over his teeth as he bent into a play bow, poised to chase this Eira.

Fallen Sun still liked Winter Song better as a name, it was pretty. Eira was too, he guessed, but still.

Yah- the soft bark was filled with excitement. You wanna run? I wanna run!

Grinning softly, she wasted no more time. 

Taking off in the opposite direction, she ran as fast as her small, but strong long legs could carry her. 

Despite wanting to turn and back and be sure she followed, her competitive side bid she not do it for fear of him catching up too quickly should she falter. 

Run! It was all she could think.

Winter Song flew away as fast as she could, and he barked as he chased after her. Sunset's final reach to touch Moon's first light of a dazzling night sky - that what was in her eyes. 

She was a snow flurry, so much he almost called her that by accident. 

But on he raced on excited paws, larger but knowing better than to catch up and overtake her. She wanted chased, and Winter Song had not indicated a race.

Huffs that could be a giggle if his voice were any more developed. 

Had Silver Shadow found him another Wind Flower?

Releasing a heavy breath, she surged on, ignoring the growing call in her chest to slow down and breath. 

But she couldn't! 

He hadn't caught her yet!

Or... had he not wanted to?

This sudden thought made her fumble on a turn. But that was a mistake. Of course it was.

The second she came to a halt, she made herself a target for his larger, barreling figure. And she could only meet this fate with wide eyes, her feet too tangled to duck away in time.

He was so caught up in the thrill of the chase that he barrelled straight into her and came to an abrupt halt, chest heaving and panting to draw breath. Winter Song had stopped running! Why? Did you want me to catch you?

It would be a lot easier to know what she wanted when he could actually ask her, and he made a mental note to practice his Words more! Would that impress her? 

hrrr? he huffed the question. Why'd we stop?

She should have been embarrassed!

But when laughter came, she couldn't stop it. The sound was hearty and sincere, her eyes alight with amusement. 

It seems we both misplaced our breaks... A light comment made mostly for her. He might not understand it the same.

Winter Song did something he'd seen other wolves do. And although he did not know what it was, she must be happy. Happy with him! 

He grinned, and placed a paw on one of hers. After all, she had, apparently, wanted caught. 

Gotcha!

The laughter did slowly, traded with a soft giggle. 

When his paw touched hers, she made a sound like a hmph, and twisted her muzzle to nip gently at his ankle. 

Her nose wrinkled teasingly. 

Yes, yes... you caught me!

The surrender had been unintentional, but she was no less happy to be in his company this way.

That was good, right?

She definitely liked that, right? She did the thing with the nipping and seemed to be quite pleased with him. 

A yip-yap- yhu hood? he couldn't get like to come out correctly, trading it for good. yah? 

He wanted to tell her all the Words he knew - even if it... wasn't many. Bees weren't even flying around right now! But Trees were here, and he eagarly raced toward one and barked tuhree. See? He knew Words! 

Forest eyes sparked like the wildfire of his coat- do you know more Words? Teach me! I wanna know how to talk to you! So we... don't have to guess.

She smiles again, then nods, eyes dancing after him as he shuffles away.

Tuh-ree?

Oh! Tree!

She thought to herself, then glanced around.

Grass, She offers slowly, tapping a paw against the poking green spikes that littered the earth's floor.

Then, her nose lifts high. Sky. Again, she speaks slow, pronouncing everything with careful precision.

gah-rahss, he tried, tilting his head at the stuff below his feet. That had a Name?

And the sky above his head - sahy? - that also had a word in the language of wolves? 

His head was filled with questions he couldn't ask, but eyes burnt bright for the answers. What were the other words? How did he even say her name? Or the one he gave her? 

Winter Song! How did he tell her his name was Fallen Sun? He could do it if he tried, but it was long and it hurt his throat. 

In fact, his throat hurt from the effort, so he simply went back to silence. 

What would they... do now? Chase some more? Was she hungry? His rabbit was back the way they came! He could go get it and she could eat it! yeah! 

He took a few steps back to see if she'd follow.

He made his attempts at the new words. But when she sensed the discomfort and unwillingness to try again, she didn't press, nor try to correct him. 

The steps, she took notice of, her head slanting sideways. 

He wanted to leave?

Follow? A question lingered in her eyes.

And when he took a few steps more, attention focused on her still, she had her answer.

Chuffing lightly, her tail danced behind her, feet carrying her forward to trail after him.