Moonspear I'm all out of thread-naming patterns

So, cold was a thing. A very real thing.

Subconsciously, Yama remembered the first time she was cold, filling her with an immediate hatred of the sudden drop in temperatures. Her puppy coat was slow to leave, causing her to be without the proper protection from the elements (although, even with a fully fledged adult coat, she still probably wouldn’t have thought it to be warm enough). She hadn’t been too bothered by the change in weather at first, back when she matched the leaves that littered the ground, but now those colours were gone and the trees nearly bare.

She didn’t know what type of change was going on, but she wasn’t so sure she liked it. So she took comfort in the lowest levels of the mountain, where she was sheltered from the winds and able to trot along with something close to comfort.

Trotting long and with her head down low, she made up for it with a slow lash of her tail as impatience hurried along her last tail end of patrol. The cold finally drove her to seek the cover of the woods, too. She wanted nothing more to do with it, and frankly, preferred her biting winds and accumulating snow at the higher elevations where she could visit it at choice.

But, the mountain granted her the reprieve she needed as she threaded into the comforting band of forests, so her posture began to relax accordingly with each new stride deeper. Though, she left her hackles ridged—her topcoat slaked in moisture from the sleet-sprinkles of earlier still—but now that she was no longer out in it, she should dry better.

Anyway, her interests diverted away from stewing at the weather quickly when she found fresh trail on a young daughter so with certainty, deemed that a worthy pursuit. When she could finally spot her, Ame minded her steps, picked up her pace, and aimed a direct route her way. She intended to join up alongside her, only saying so with a low, gentle chuff when she was already at Yama's shoulder.

Terribly engrossed by the thoughts that whirled through her head, thoughts of the cold season and what came with it, she ventured forth rather absentmindedly. There was little pattern to the way in which she moved, her path directed nowhere and her movements, as a whole, graceless; she plowed along with little care for what she might disturb in her passing, the sights that brushed by hardly acknowledged. Only when the silence was broken had she come to a dead stop, heart pounding and hackles shooting up, a sidelong glance becoming the only thing keeping her fight-or-flight instincts from kicking in—because it was only her mother.

Yama relaxed and picked back up at a steady trot, tail wagging. “Hi,” she greeted sheepishly, embarrassed by her reaction; she was not always the bravest, having often relied on the signals of others to tell her how to behave in her childhood, but to be so startled was something new entirely. Perhaps it should be a lesson to her, to better analyse and be aware of her surroundings, even when tucked safely within the boundaries of her parents’ claim.

She did not relent despite the rise of her daughter's hackles. Sneaking up on them and lovingly tormenting them was all part of the game, so this mother would not bat an eye. Instead, she arced a brow in silent question well before she took the time to say it aloud. Good, then, for she never wanted them to be too complacent. While it was home.. nothing was ever, truly, sacred.

Best to be prepared, even if a fundamental understanding of hers hated that she had to think this at all for her offspring happy within their keep. But such was the world they lived in, and so it would always be. This was peacetime on the whole, and the mountain was poised, they had to be grateful for that, but Ame would never trust it all, everywhere, in full. It could change in an instant and they would not be the careless casualties if it did.

Hi, she returned with a small grin, then quickly reached to breath a happy growl into the girl's furs if she could get close enough to touch. Her gesture stayed fleeting, but fond; she was game to keep to the ground-covered trot, anyway.  See anything interesting today? she asked first for an attempt to gauge her earthy daughter's doings for the day so far, if there were any.

Yama made no move to avoid her mother’s touch, leaning into it instead, once she felt it; it sent a small chill down her spine, her fur parted and allowing the chill to touch her skin directly. She shot Ame a sheepish smile immediately thereafter, uncertain of how else to react. She wasn’t so sure she liked the cold, after all—it would take some serious getting used to so, more than likely, this year would not be the same year that she comes to term with the cold months and accepts them as they are.

With a slow shake of her head, she answered with, “No, not yet.” Honestly, she hadn’t even been searching for something of interest, something worth sharing, she’d simply been walking. But the question made her wonder if, perhaps, she should be looking for something—would mama be disappointed by her lack of interest? Worried by the fleeting thought, she decided against admitting the truth and, instead, asked, “Why is it so cold now?” Nice save, Yama, nice save.

Well, without an immediate directive mentioned by her earthen-toned little one, she visually skimmed ahead to plot her next move. Nothing immediately drew her focus either. Not yet. All the same, though, she did find herself eager to turn her sights fondly back towards Yama. Because winter is nearly here, she answered first, despite how abstract that would likely sound to someone on the edge of their very first brush with the coldest, darkest season of them all. It is the season when the days get shorter, and the cold gets worse—stronger, she summarized, unsure if the point was getting across, but she was game to continue if this seemed to be soaking in.

Happens every year, unfortunately. she sighed and gently shook her head. As a rule, she was often not a fan of the cold either when it came creeping at the end of every fall. The pros weren't always striking enough to outweigh all the cons most of the time anyway, and the novelty of snow was plenty lost on her when her mountains stayed capped almost all year long.

Sadly, the response she received was not one that she’d wanted. To think that this was not the last time she’d experience the cold was troubling, to say the least. Her brows scrunched up as she glanced at the ground, thinking to herself. Why did winter occur? Could she stop it? Could mama stop it? She wasn’t so sure she wanted to have to deal with the cold all over again next year.

“Can’t it stop?” she finally asked, hopeful, a glance at her mother stolen. “I don’t like this. It’s too cold.” She was glad to have learned that it wouldn’t last forever, however, an entire season of such frigid temperatures just wasn’t bearable.

Gently, she shook her head. No, it cannot be stopped, she said quietly, for the weather was one foe they could not overcome, so towards it, the proper reverence was in order whether she liked it or not. But it will end for the year in time. Give it a few turns of the moon and it will all pass again.. she promised. Some years it came sooner, others not but for all the time she had seen, it had always ended, eventually. Amekaze had never lived north enough to experience much worse than this; the notion of an everlasting winter did not suit her at all.

But I know the waiting is not kind, I do not care for it either, she sighed then, all too ready to agree. Winter would never be her favorite, no matter how many she saw come and go. I miss the new green growth, and warm humid nights most of all. Because the cold was not even the only complaint she had, but it certainly didn't help.

A few turns of the moon was a few too many for the young wolf. Would she survive? Most likely, yes, but she would be sure to complain the whole while. “I wish it’d go away,” she admitted. “Does it ever get better? Is it always this cold?” By next year’s time she’d have the appropriate coat, necessary for keeping her warm. But for now she would just have to deal, as much as the thought alone pained her.

“Can I stay with you, mama?” she had to ask. “Just until the cold goes away.” However long that would take, exactly.

Me too, the mother agreed swiftly. Some days are better than others. Some winters as a whole are more mild—and trust me, I have seen plenty of them come and go in my time, she added, hoping some scale of that might help ease her daughter's distaste for it just some. Amekaze spoke from a lengthy experience, and even here in the Teekons, she had become well-rooted and very accustomed to the climes here. It does get a little easier to deal with, sometimes, Ame added, reaching to gently press fond nip to the girl's agouti shoulder. Hopefully she had many moons ahead of her to learn this for herself, and adapt best she would be able.

As for staying with her? Without hesitation: Of course, always, she answered, softer than anything before, but heartfelt all the same. As long as it took, for either just the cold to pass or for her to not need her anymore--whichever came first, it didn't matter. Her daughters were awfully dear to her, so for them, anything.

Perhaps it would change, the cold that troubled her so. Mama said it would be better at times, not as cold, and the girl took her words to heart; she wouldn’t lie, she couldn’t. So the child smiled, satisfied with the realisation. She still wished for the return of the warmth but, for now, maybe the cold wouldn’t be too bad—although it displeased her a great deal at the moment, she was confident that the days to follow would be nothing less than tolerable. “Maybe tomorrow will be a better day,” she uttered aloud, putting a voice behind her hopes. Maybe, just maybe...

“Thanks, mama,” followed her wish, along with an attempt at butting her forehead against Ame’s side affectionately. “I think I’ll be okay now.” She would still complain and, when alone, whine to the wind—but as for playing the part of a bear and taking refuge in a cave, well... she could survive without.

As for tomorrow, there was never any true certainty, but if the cold may stay, worsen, or go entirely, she had guesses at best. It would be weeks before it abated truly, although there was nothing stopping a mild day now and again--and they were worth looking forward to when the deep freezes were just too tiresome. Hope so, she chuffed quietly with a gentle bob of her head. Hope was all they could do in earnest.

And, again she nodded, happy to hear that she would be alright just after her thanks. Want to head a little deeper into the woods? Might be able to find something to eat there, too, she suggested, knowing a full belly as good distraction from the bitter bite of the cold. Plus, into the thorough tangles of the woods, the cold couldn't find so many ways in. It would be just a little help most likely, but sometimes one had to take what they could get.

She lingered long enough for her to make up her mind. Soon, she was heading that way regardless, and was off towards new vistas to escape the chill.