01-02-2024, 06:23 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-08-2024, 06:22 AM by gerra. Edited 2 times in total.
Edit Reason: spelling lol
)
Winter undeniably in full swing around him, the mountaineer recognized it as among the longest nights.
Years, and another reality ago entirely, his mother had told him to honor such a time--and not just because it signaled another turn of the year since her own arrival earthside, once. The darkest point of the year that could make or break so effortlessly deserved the right recognition, anyway. To revere the cycle so much greater than all of them had been instilled upon him young, and he kept up so in practice. After all, uniquely for their canine-kind, it could be met with strength; they could capitalize, eat well when their large prey struggled.
Worth noting, today's ranging in the elevations confirmed that the mountain goats had moved up to shrubbier, rockier reaches. Their valley pastures were picked clean, and buried deep in the snow, dormant until spring. They would now browse at the tougher barks that withstood snowfall, trying to tide themselves over. It would make them more difficult to reach and hunt, but it would highlight their weaker herdmates faster. He would keep an eye on it, knowing they had hunters to rally at their call--for when the time was right. Not yet, but soon, he trusted.
He was nearing the foothills by now, stowing the idea for that later date's consideration. The steely Ostrega still had energy to spare for tonight, and full of thoughts of those who also shared the mountain, he found he was looking to break the relative silence of the chilly, settling night: Jarilo tilted back his muzzle and howled out his melody into the ice-tipped winds. Singing of good tidings to them all, to facing winter head-on and strong, and to their continued unity. He wondered who else would rally their songs on a night like tonight, at the mercy, and sanctity of the mountain both.
Now facing their second wintertime, strange lands' horizons and all, with his acclimatization, things were quiet. Perhaps too quiet, sometimes, and many key faces had remained missing over the last many moons. But, even so, his faith in those that remained was unwavering and he hoped their spirits were well-enough to match.
Years, and another reality ago entirely, his mother had told him to honor such a time--and not just because it signaled another turn of the year since her own arrival earthside, once. The darkest point of the year that could make or break so effortlessly deserved the right recognition, anyway. To revere the cycle so much greater than all of them had been instilled upon him young, and he kept up so in practice. After all, uniquely for their canine-kind, it could be met with strength; they could capitalize, eat well when their large prey struggled.
Worth noting, today's ranging in the elevations confirmed that the mountain goats had moved up to shrubbier, rockier reaches. Their valley pastures were picked clean, and buried deep in the snow, dormant until spring. They would now browse at the tougher barks that withstood snowfall, trying to tide themselves over. It would make them more difficult to reach and hunt, but it would highlight their weaker herdmates faster. He would keep an eye on it, knowing they had hunters to rally at their call--for when the time was right. Not yet, but soon, he trusted.
He was nearing the foothills by now, stowing the idea for that later date's consideration. The steely Ostrega still had energy to spare for tonight, and full of thoughts of those who also shared the mountain, he found he was looking to break the relative silence of the chilly, settling night: Jarilo tilted back his muzzle and howled out his melody into the ice-tipped winds. Singing of good tidings to them all, to facing winter head-on and strong, and to their continued unity. He wondered who else would rally their songs on a night like tonight, at the mercy, and sanctity of the mountain both.
Now facing their second wintertime, strange lands' horizons and all, with his acclimatization, things were quiet. Perhaps too quiet, sometimes, and many key faces had remained missing over the last many moons. But, even so, his faith in those that remained was unwavering and he hoped their spirits were well-enough to match.
((happy new year!! i'm cool with howl replies ))
the staff team luvs u