Late Frost 124
A wind rose over the Astralar Mountains just as the sun was rising. It began as the forefront of a winter storm, blowing down from the high peaks above Starfall, rushing between buildings through the city until it spilled out over the walls back toward the wilds. Little else could slow the wind as it poured through the dense forests and raced up and up until it reached the bare summit that overlooked a deep valley. Holding at the top for a moment, swirling and picking up speed at the height before rushing down and over Stardew Valley. A wind can not have emotions, but the denizens of the valley assigned their own intentions to it. Some cursed it as it whipped cloaks open and hats off of heads, some worried at it, wondering it foretold another snow, some lifted their noses as it ruffled their fur and smelled the first hints of the coming Glade.
Huntress did this, sitting on her haunches in the small opening to the den in which she had spent the cold season. The two-legs would be worrying after her, but she had begun spending longer and longer stretches out in the forests alone, to accustom them to her absences in preparation for what had been to come. Neither the metal-mage nor the half-pup, nor her now-mate, had spent the cold season in the valley. Even the fox-man who had first taken her from her mother had only rarely appeared to check on the carved-den that was being built for the two-legs to live in.
Glade was only a few weeks off now, though it was always a slow transition as the cold tried to cling to the land, it was better in the valley. The mages worked together with the spirits to bring the growing season early and hold onto it longer now.
The sound of snuffling exploration and play behind the wolf was a gentle pressure. The pups had come with the first snows of Frost and had required all of her attention except for necessary trips out to hunt. It would have been easier with a mate, even more so with a pack of her own, but neither were available, so she made due. She could have whelped in the warmth of any of the buildings of her two-leg pack, but she hadn't wanted her pups to be domesticated. They needed to know that they were wolves before they discovered that they were anything else. She had already begun taking them out, already had let them blood their muzzled in several of her kills and glut themselves on the meat until their tiny bellies were so round they could barely walk. They knew now, what they were in their hearts, and they were too big to keep in the den any longer. They needed to be introduced to the ideas of the two-legs so they could live and care for the valley alongside them without ever being hunted. It was a balance, but one their mother had prepared for with care.
There was one who they needed to meet before the others though, it was only right. Her now-mate's scent had entered the valley the day before, and the wind still carried it. He was down where the scent of sharp chemicals and metal was strongest, but the scents would do the pups no harm, even if they might whine about it.
A sharp bark got their attention, and once she had it, she let them know, in the way of wolves, that it was time to leave the den. This excited them, for they were too large for the small space and preferred to be out as much as possible. Two, however, cocked their heads to one side, sensing that something was different about this outing. The two were sack-mates, nearly identical, but not quite. Huntress ignored their inquiring expression and bounded out across the snows. The litter followed, her new young pack, trying to keep up. They could not, but they did their best, plowing through the deep drifts with the fearlessness of those who have known only safety.
Two hours later they were tired, though not yet exhausted, and this too was good. Better that they be a little tired so as not to overwhelm. Her now-mate was within the largest building, she could smell his concentration, as well as a thousand other scents, none of which existed in the natural world. It was a place of exploring the wonders of what nature could be changed into, and Huntress did not think less of her two-legs for their exploration. Sitting below a tree with thick enough winter foliage to allow a snow-less space below it, she called her pups in with her. Once they were all sitting or laying to rest, she sent out a call into her now-mate's mind. She had to do this several times before his aether-scenting ability alerted him to her presence. He was not easily distracted when he was working.
A wind rose over the Astralar Mountains just as the sun was rising. It began as the forefront of a winter storm, blowing down from the high peaks above Starfall, rushing between buildings through the city until it spilled out over the walls back toward the wilds. Little else could slow the wind as it poured through the dense forests and raced up and up until it reached the bare summit that overlooked a deep valley. Holding at the top for a moment, swirling and picking up speed at the height before rushing down and over Stardew Valley. A wind can not have emotions, but the denizens of the valley assigned their own intentions to it. Some cursed it as it whipped cloaks open and hats off of heads, some worried at it, wondering it foretold another snow, some lifted their noses as it ruffled their fur and smelled the first hints of the coming Glade.
Huntress did this, sitting on her haunches in the small opening to the den in which she had spent the cold season. The two-legs would be worrying after her, but she had begun spending longer and longer stretches out in the forests alone, to accustom them to her absences in preparation for what had been to come. Neither the metal-mage nor the half-pup, nor her now-mate, had spent the cold season in the valley. Even the fox-man who had first taken her from her mother had only rarely appeared to check on the carved-den that was being built for the two-legs to live in.
Glade was only a few weeks off now, though it was always a slow transition as the cold tried to cling to the land, it was better in the valley. The mages worked together with the spirits to bring the growing season early and hold onto it longer now.
The sound of snuffling exploration and play behind the wolf was a gentle pressure. The pups had come with the first snows of Frost and had required all of her attention except for necessary trips out to hunt. It would have been easier with a mate, even more so with a pack of her own, but neither were available, so she made due. She could have whelped in the warmth of any of the buildings of her two-leg pack, but she hadn't wanted her pups to be domesticated. They needed to know that they were wolves before they discovered that they were anything else. She had already begun taking them out, already had let them blood their muzzled in several of her kills and glut themselves on the meat until their tiny bellies were so round they could barely walk. They knew now, what they were in their hearts, and they were too big to keep in the den any longer. They needed to be introduced to the ideas of the two-legs so they could live and care for the valley alongside them without ever being hunted. It was a balance, but one their mother had prepared for with care.
There was one who they needed to meet before the others though, it was only right. Her now-mate's scent had entered the valley the day before, and the wind still carried it. He was down where the scent of sharp chemicals and metal was strongest, but the scents would do the pups no harm, even if they might whine about it.
A sharp bark got their attention, and once she had it, she let them know, in the way of wolves, that it was time to leave the den. This excited them, for they were too large for the small space and preferred to be out as much as possible. Two, however, cocked their heads to one side, sensing that something was different about this outing. The two were sack-mates, nearly identical, but not quite. Huntress ignored their inquiring expression and bounded out across the snows. The litter followed, her new young pack, trying to keep up. They could not, but they did their best, plowing through the deep drifts with the fearlessness of those who have known only safety.
Two hours later they were tired, though not yet exhausted, and this too was good. Better that they be a little tired so as not to overwhelm. Her now-mate was within the largest building, she could smell his concentration, as well as a thousand other scents, none of which existed in the natural world. It was a place of exploring the wonders of what nature could be changed into, and Huntress did not think less of her two-legs for their exploration. Sitting below a tree with thick enough winter foliage to allow a snow-less space below it, she called her pups in with her. Once they were all sitting or laying to rest, she sent out a call into her now-mate's mind. She had to do this several times before his aether-scenting ability alerted him to her presence. He was not easily distracted when he was working.
