Smol whump. Miyax gets a cold. Also read-only because its stupid long and I doubt anyone wants to reply to this garbage.
After encountering the soundless Bearskin, Miyax did not see another wolf for many days. She traveled little; the snows had begun to build up again through the mountains and by virtue of not knowing the area, she stranded herself on more than one occasion. By the time she had climbed down from the mountainside adjacent to the crag, it had been three days.
The next twenty-four hours were spent resting in fits of sleep lasting twenty to thirty minutes, or languidly tracing a route through the terrace. There were scents upon the wind that hinted at the presence of deer, or something very much like it. Being alone meant she had to give up on such grand pursuits. On the evening of the fifth day, she found that the earth was growing dryer and dryer.
The snow which had fallen everywhere else in thick blankets had coated the quarry too, transforming the dust-bowl of shale and clay in to something beautiful; it highlighted the natural geometry of the area. Miyax was not prone to noticing such things, as her mind was simple, but even she paused to look upon the quarry as she entered its boundaries, and was struck by an alien feeling of awe.
There were limited scents here as well. She was aware of the scent of water though, and set out explore the terrain and find the source — her travels having made her quite thirsty. It was unfortunate that when she found the Moonstone lake it wasn't by the usual means. The drop in temperature due to the winter season had led to parts of the lake freezing over, and the snow could then cling to that ice
She heard the crack beneath her paws, but did not know what to do about it until it was too late. There was a boom of the ice splintering beneath her — then a lurch as a section gave way, the sensation of freezing water coating her toes. She saw the snow begin to recede from where the lake lapped at it, and began to react.
Miyax kept her body low and tried to get a grip — any grip — as she redacted her steps. She moved in reverse until another crack resounded deep in to the water beneath her. Then she bolted — panicking — and kicked up snow as she went. Her claws clattered on exposed ice or skittered across, and she lost her balance on more than one occasion.
As soon as she spotted firm land she felt a sense of ease spread through her spirit; but just as her front paws landed on soil, her back end dropped with the ice, and she plunged bottom-first into a section of the lake. After some furious dog-paddling she managed to right herself upon the shore, crawl a few steps, and then collapse upon the shore in an exhausted heap. Her heart thundered within her chest and the slightest breeze was chilling her soggy body, but she was alive — she had made it.
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