#18366 & #10098 (don't reply otherwise, please!)

The cold air dug into Ashen's pelt, her blue eyes squinting through the snow.

"Are you sure you heard correctly?" She howled to the wolf beside her, struggling to be heard over the heavy blizzard that pelted down on them. He nodded solemnly, his grey and white pelt blending in better than Ashen's darker colors.

"There was definitely a howl out here," he replied over the heavy winds. "Someone sounded like they were in trouble. Why a wolf would be out in this storm—" he cut off as a heavy gust of wind nearly knocked him off his paws. "I wouldn't know." He finished with a grunt, shaking his pelt as more white precipitation slammed into his face.

"Some poor soul that wasn't expecting it, probably," Ashen replied with a huff. Her eyes narrowed further, and she paused when she saw a dark pelt in the snow.

What the...?

"Decidus!" She howled at the sight of the wolf, immediately trudging forward. "What in the name of the Gods are you doing out—" Ashen stiffened as a sliver of sent cascaded down on her through the dampening snow.

This wasn't the hailstone she had left back at camp; it was a female wolf.

And she was pregnant.

As the icy wind screeched and shoved her around and pine needle-like shards of ice digging into her pelt, all drowning out her own howl, Rune could only bitterly think back to the last time she'd spent with her mate.

"Are you sure?" Nettle's voice had been sharp with worry, her blue eyes narrowed but glistening as she had padded alongside Rune, who was sitting in a spot of sunlight. "It's only been a few days since Marten scouted there, and you're pregnant."
"This isn't my first pregnancy," Rune's voice was soft and quiet, glancing down at her paws. Nettle hummed fretfully in response, sitting down next to her. Their fur brushed, and Rune blinked, feeling a sense of bliss wash over them for a moment. "It's my duty to explore the land. If anything happens, I'll howl, and even if no one howls back, I've lived on my own for a while before Silverrune. I'll be fine."
"But it's so far away . . . " Nettle trailed off, her ears swiveling around towards nearby giggles.
The two wolves watched Sunflower trot by, holding a bone in her mouth and wagging her tail, pausing in her tracks to turn back and yip at a flustered and dusty Autumn who lay on his back, looking both dazed and awed a few yards away on the dry ground. "I told you, you can't catch me!" Sunflower shrieked as Autumn playfully snarled, chasing after her. Rune had smiled as she watched them run by when Nettle licked her. As the lead wolf had leaned against her mate, Nettle mumbled, her voice unusually soft with worry. "Just please stay safe."

The wind slammed against Rune as she lifted her head, knocking any breath out of her lungs, along with the howl she'd been preparing to send out. She yelped as a shock of pain surged up her foreleg as it crashed through cold snow, and then struck something hard. She pulled it out, shaking the ice off of her paws as much as she could, panting heavily as the white swirled all around. Had she struck a rock? Was her leg broken? She couldn't see any blood, and he pain had already subsided to a dull ache. It was probably sprained at worst. Moth's face - her son's face - flashed through her mind, and then, as if he had heard her, a gray and white wolf, the color of the swirling snow and ice all around, appeared in front of her. She nearly called out her son's name before she saw the wolf's eyes were blue, not orange.

Another female wolf. Patched in color. Rune flinched back, glancing warily at the two wolves. Were they friend or foe? They were likely not loners. And apparently, she looked like whoever Decidus was. "I am not Decidus," She hurriedly, but quietly replied, lowering her head, wincing as that put more weight on her injured forepaw. "I mean no harm." She tried not to think about the fact that she had run out of healing salves after battling that lone wolf, days before the predicament she was in now.

Ashen's gaze narrowed as she barely heard the she-wolf's reply above the howling winds.

Thinking quickly, Ashen surveyed her injuries from where she stood, before she turned to her companion.

"Eltalis," she shouted over the howling and screaming wind. "Grab her scruff. We need to get her back to camp now!"

"What?!" The wolf yipped, his pelt bristling through the thick snow that had layered itself onto his back. "Why are we going to do that?! We hardly have—" He crouched down as Ashen nipped at his ear, her eyes hard with anger.

"Don't question me!" She snapped. "We're getting her to safety as fast as possible. I will not allow a wolf to die out in the snow!"

Eltalis only nodded now, hurrying towards the she-wolf.

He lowers his nose to her ear.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "We're here to help."

He grabbed her scruff and helped her out of the small, snowy ditch, moving her to Ashen's side. The she-wolf said nothing as she pressed against the strangely Decidus-looking wolf they had discovered, keeping her pelt close in an attempt to keep her warm. Eltalis did the same, and they began to usher her back the way they had come.

Fear shot through Rune, making her gut twist and writhe like a rearing rattlesnake. Fur fluffing out against the wind, she hopped back, looking warily between the two wolves. Had she done something wrong? What were they planning on doing to her? She could try to run, but with her foreleg, she doubted she'd make it far. She cursed her own stubbornness as she again thought of Nettle. Who would lead Silverrune if she disappeared?

At that, Rune relaxed, realizing they weren't trying to harm her. But though her head raised, her fur remained fluffed up against the wind, muscles tense, ready to fight or run if she needed to. They might only be saying so as a trick. But why? She'd have to trust these wolves for now for the sake of herself, Silverrune, and her unborn pups. Rune blinked as she realized that no matter how reluctant she was, she had no choice but to trust that these wolves wouldn't harm her or her and Nettle's unborn pups.

She lowered her head as the grey wolf - his name was Eltalis - approached, growling softly in surprise as he grabbed her scruff, quieting as he led her out of the ditch.

Rune could only hope that was true, her steps slow and growing even more hesitant as the patched she-wolf pressed against her as she was led through the snowstorm.

The wind screamed and bellowed as Ashen and Eltalis guided the strange newcomer through the snow, and Ashen cursed under her breath, praying that the hunting party had returned safely. She figured they would've, but considering how they'd just found a wolf in this storm, worry had begun to pierce her heart.

Her eyes caught sight of two wolves standing in the snow, their pelts buffeted by the wind, and she relaxed when she recognized Ekalia and Udall, the two glaciers she had left on watch. Behind them, she could see her son, Yuko, peering out from beyond the camp, and she let out a low howl.

At the sound, Udall and Ekalia began moving towards them, hurrying when they spotted the third wolf between her and Eltalis.

"What's happened?" Ekalia asked, as Udall took over for Ashen and ushered the she-wolf towards Yuko, Eltalis by his side.

"Eltalis was right about what he heard," Ashen answered over the wind. "A pregnant she-wolf caught in the storm. Any word from the hunting party?"

"They returned just as you left. They managed to catch something on their way back," Ekalia replied, as they began to follow after the retreating wolves, aiming to escape the snow. "Everyone's holed up in their respective dens; shall we take her to the Hailstones?"

"Yes," Ashen replied. "Grab her some prey as well; I'll be heading there myself."

"Yes ma'am," the soft-colored she-wolf dipped her head, before turning and disappearing further into the camp, the snow hiding her pelt almost immediately.

Ashen caught up with Udall, Eltalis, and the new wolf, Yuko disappearing into the Flurries's den as she had hoped. She aided the wolves into the den, huffing the moment they were out of the harsh wind and snow.

"Udall, Eltalis," she snipped. "You two may go. Odin, I pray you have a spare nest?" Turning towards the coarse-pelted wolf, he nodded, his ears twitching as Udall and Eltalis disappeared back into the snow.

"Always, my dear," he said, before gently moving towards the newcomer, his gaze soft and gentle. "Come; we have a warm nest waiting for you right here. May I ask for your name?"

Rune stayed silent as the wolves spoke to each other. So this was a pack indeed, and from the way the soft-colored she-wolf had addressed the patched one, it seemed that the patched one was the lead of the pack, or at least of a high ranking. It would be wise of her to be compliant with the she-wolf and the rest of the pack, especially considering how she was alone, far away from her home territory, and injured.

She followed the wolves to the place they called the Hailstones, glancing back as one of them fetched some prey for her. "Thank you," She quietly responded, carrying the prey, a stoat, in her mouth into the den, placing it down as Udall and Eltalis were asked to leave. She noted the softness of Odin towards the patched she-wolf. They were close.

Rune did not respond immediately, first dipping her head and, as submissively as she could, laying on a nest. It was soft and warm indeed. "My name is Rune," She finally replied, her voice clear and soft. "I am from the Silverrune pack, in the deciduous forest of the south." She wasn't sure if the wolves had heard of Silverrune, but she was careful not to reveal she was the lead wolf of the pack. If they already knew or suspected, then they would ask, and if they didn't, there was no reason for them to know. "I am grateful for your hospitality and generosity, especially since it is the midst of winter." She glanced out to the swirling snows outside. "I apologize if I trespassed upon your pack's territory." She hoped that the wolves would take that as an opportunity to introduce themselves so she could avoid directly asking them and possibly offending them.

Rune shifted her paws, still wary; why were these wolves treating her so amicably? Who was this Decidus that she apparently looked similarly to? I'll have to wait to find out, she silently assumed.

Odin's ears twitched, and he lied down, humming.

"Silverrune, ey?" He pondered aloud, as Ashen settled beside him, tucking her paws under her. "I think I might've heard of your pack in passing, though I can't say for sure."

Ashen glanced at him, trying to remember if she recognized the name either.

But she didn't.

She turned to Rune.

"It may be the midst of winter," she said, her tone more gentle now that the howling winds were no longer raging ahead. "But it would be against what I stand for to allow a wolf to perish during a storm." Her gaze narrowed. "However... Why were you in that storm? I'm sure you couldn't scent our borders through all the snow, but why even be out there? It's dangerous." Her eyes traveled over Rune's stomach. "Especially in your condition."

Before a reply came from Rune, a small voice piped up from deeper in the cave, and a wolf stepped out, his orange eyes flinty, and his dark pelt matching Rune's.

"My Hoarfrost, my Frosted," he cooed, dipping his head to them. "Tollo is in need of your attention, Odin. He's demanding stories again of you and Ashen's journeys again, and he's refusing to hear anything else."

Odin let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

"Of course he is, thank you Decidus. Come, help Ashen with this fine wolf here; typical run-down, of course." He got to his paws, shaking his pelt a little before gently touching his nose to Decidus's ear and disappearing deeper into the cave-den.

Ashen only gave a small sniff in note of the change of companions, shifting away from Decidus as he carefully sits in front of Rune, offering her a friendly expression.

"I do hope you're feeling alright?" He queries. "I'd like to check you over, if that's alright? I'm not Aufeis, but I know a thing or two about ensuring safe pups."

She hadn't meant to get caught in the storm; one moment, she had been peacefully exploring, noting the snowfall, and turning back, and then the wind had blown in hard. She'd searched for shelter, but settled for a ditch between drifts of snow, and had been howling, hoping that a hunting party or Chestnuts or Marten might have been nearby. As Odin's eyes travelled to her stomach, Rune narrowed her eyes slightly and shifted her paws, curling up so her stomach was guarded from view by her paws and bristling tail.

So this was Decidus. He did indeed look like her, albeit his eyes were orange and his pelt a darker shade. Overall, he might have looked like Rune if she had been sitting in dark shadows at night.

"I think my foreleg might be sprained, but other than that and being a bit chilly, yes, I am perfectly fine," She replied matter-of-factly, placing her injured foreleg out, wincing again as she turned to Ashen and explained herself. "I was exploring the territory before the storm. By the time it rolled in, there wasn't much shelter except for that ditch. I was howling for my packmates, but you found me instead. Oh," she nosed a deep scratch on her side. "I also got in a fight with a loner a few days before the storm. It's healed nicely, however, but I think if I had more time to rest from that, I wouldn't be here now."

She waited, watching Decidus and Ashen with her warm, amber-yellow eyes.

Decidus nodded at her reaction, carefully shifting and sniffing over her injured paws, before moving over to inspect the wound on her side, checking for any other smaller injuries and carefully maintaining a comfortable distance from her to refrain from being overbearing.

Ashen watched him work, before nodding to her, her ears twitching curiously.

"So you were investigating here, then?" She mused, raising an eyebrow. "As far as I'm aware, we've had little sightings of any wolves in these parts, so I'm afraid your pack might not be out here. Especially not with this storm now." She sighed. "But I'm sure that while they'd gladly have you back, they'd be far more appreciative if you were safe from the storm first." She clambers to her paws. "Decidus will watch over you until the storm passes. Our Aufeis, Akanai, has stated that it may continue for awhile longer; at least another day or so, with how bad the storms have been recently." She glances behind her, out to the howling winds. "I will be sending someone with more herbal knowledge to inspect your sprain as well as your wound on your side. In the meantime, I ask you to answer any questions Decidus asks you, and that you rest. I wouldn't want you being injured further."

She glanced to Decidus, who gave her a small nod, before backing away from Rune and sitting in front of her. The she-wolf turned and re-entered the snow, seemingly welcoming it for a brief moment before she disappeared from sight.

Decidus nodded to the stoat carcass, his nose twitching.

"I would eat that now, if I were you," he stated. "We have young puppies, and while they've been fed plenty today, they'll still devour anything in sight. The amount of stomach aches they have if unsupervised is troubling." He clicked his tongue disapprovingly, though there is a gentle light in his gaze. "Now, your name is Rune, correct?"

Rune watched Decidus as he went about, her scrutinizing gaze never leaving the bustling silvery wolf until Ashen spoke.

Rune simply dipped her head and blinked in agreement at that. It was true, but there had been no harm in trying. At least with her howling, she'd been found by this pack.

Rune glanced at the wolf in question. First she had been mistaken for him, and now she would be cared for him. Is it coincidence or something meaningful? 

". . . I see." It wasn't unusual for her to be gone for days while exploring scouted lands, but she was more worried about staying here, amongst unfamiliar wolves for more than a few hours. If the storm did continue, it meant she would have to sleep here as well. 

Rune nodded, watching Ashen and Decidus exchange nods and the former she-wolf leave and pad out of the den. As Decidus spoke, she turned to the stoat carcass in question. She wasn't very hungry, but at the thought of her stomach, she thought of her unborn pups. They would need the food even if she didn't. The worst that would happen is that she would feel bloated for perhaps a day and then go back to being not quite hungry again. She delicately began to nip and bite at the carcass, giving Decidus a look as he spoke about the pups' stomach-aches.

"It is," she replied after swallowing a piece of meat, turning to Decidus. "I assume you overheard it while I, Odin, and Ashen were conversing?" She gnawed at an exposed bone while waiting for the other wolf's answer.