the rite of spring ;

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The fragrant aroma of rosemary, mint, and thyme filled the woman's lungs and began to flood her with memories of her beloved aunts and sister sitting around in their home, laughing and singing while crafting their potions. The memories made her lips lift with a slight smile and warmed her heart with the sound of laughter filling her ears. Gwendolyn grasped onto that memory, refusing to let go of the last thing she had of them. With the unfamiliar scents floating around her, she guessed she wasn't in Stonehaven anymore.

With a hesitant opening of an eye, Gwen glanced around the bare landscape, noticing how the evening light reflected off the fallen powder. Slowly lifting her head from the earth, Gwen turned to look up at the mountain, taking in its sheer size. Judging from how barren it was this time of year, Gwendolyn assumed it'd be full of herbs and flowers in the spring. Just the idea brought her smile back. She knew it would be a sight to behold once the flora was in full bloom, just like the meadow her aunts took her to last spring. Gwen still remembered the vibrant and fragrant wildflowers she had picked to decorate Aurora's fur.

But at this moment, the area was empty. Gwendolyn could spot a treeline, their dark trunks appearing like fingers reaching from the earth. The girl couldn't see or hear anything above the sound of her own breathing, which could prove to be a good thing. There was nothing here to kill her. Or, it was just good at hiding.

However, this also proved that she had come alone. Aurora was not around, nor were Aunt Juniper and Aunt Lily. Gwen sniffled a bit but sucked back her tears. It was not time to feel sorry for herself. Well, not right now. Maybe later, once she was alone in a shelter for the night. But at this moment, she wondered what her sister would do. Aurora was always the more adventurous and courageous of the two, while Gwendolyn was cautious and analytical. Always the one to wait, while Aurora rushed forth to explore the forest around their home, even after Aunt Lily told her to stay away from the caverns to the south.

And now, Gwendolyn wished she had an ounce of her sister's bravery—something to fuel her enough to move from this place. But the cold was sinking into her body, settling in her bones. And she felt drowsy, like she wanted to lay her head back down and let herself fall into her dreams once again.

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mainly for those of vanderfell woods but open to anyone <3

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It wasn't often that the mountain king wandered so far from the summit, but what kind of king would he be if all he ever knew was what lay tucked away at home? Both of his parents had traveled to see other lands and learn of neighboring groups. They had gained stories and unmeasurable experiences he could only fathom, and so he too would wander.

For it being winter, the path out of the woods had been easy. The snow that coated the ground was light as air, clinging in powder against the guard hairs along his frame. For all the beauty his home held, there was something special seeing another land, similar yet different, as snow-covered hills rolled into the horizon. A deep, childish laugh rumbled from his throat as he bound and lept with heavy paws through the wonderland.

Moments like these reminded him that even if he was now High King, he was still considered a child. For a while longer, at least.
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At the sound of a masculine laugh, Gwendolyn slowly blinked open her still blurry eyes and tried to make out what had made the noise. The aroma of herbs and damp earth reminded her of Aurora. But as her vision cleared and the figure sharpened into a dark-furred wolf running through the snow, Gwen struggled to stand, her limbs numb from the icy chill of the snow.

Gwendolyn sniffled as she shook off more snow from her back, the soft powder flying in every direction. The melted powder had soaked the fur of her nape and chest, but the wind began to make the chill seep into her bones. A slight shiver trailed up her limbs as the cold started to bite at her skin and muscles, refusing to let her move.

“Is anyone there?” She stuttered through chattering teeth. Gwendolyn didn't want to stay here alone, not in such a quiet place. What if something attacked her in the night? Or a pack wolf found her here?

Gwen took a small step forward, though she shrank in on herself to keep her warmth close to herself. Would this be where she found eternal rest? In the cold's warm embrace as it whispered promises of sleep and a soft bed?

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His romp would come to a still as a voice carried over the snow. The golds of his eyes quickly turned to the sound to find a woman, or a girl maybe. She didn't look much older than him, if anything, but her voice had sounded much smaller compared to her frame. Runar cleared his throat, an attempt to hide the heat that pricked his pelt upon realizing he hadn't been alone, “Ah, just Runar.”

The High King's head tilted owlishly as he braved a step closer, “And you, Miss?” She looked cold, and by the gods it was cold, but it was more than that. It was as if she had been out here for too long, without shelter, without company— at least he assumed from the lack of scents that clung to her fur. “Are you alright?” The chatter of fangs did not pass him, nor the way snow still clung to her pelt like a soft blanket.
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Gwendolyn couldn’t deny that she was a bit embarrassed in being found this way. She could hear Aunt Lily now chastising her for not being presentable when greeting someone, but presently, it didn’t matter. Snow had clumped in the wispy fur on her elbows and thighs, slightly matting the thin hairs. Gwen looked like an absolute mess, and perhaps her outward appearance matched the tide roaring in her mind. She woke up alone with no recollection of how she arrived here, and it scared her.

The girl finally took in the man, boy’s, appearance once he came into focus. Definitely a man. Gwen’s thoughts confirmed once his stockier frame came closer. “I'm, uhm, Gwendolyn.” Gwen stuttered out in reply to his question. Runar? The name was foreign, but familiar? Like something from a story Aunt Juniper would’ve told her and Aurora.

But from what Gwen could tell, Runar was a pack wolf. Aunt Juniper and Aunt Lily always warned her and Aurora to be careful around pack wolves. They were a volatile type, confrontational towards those not within their ranks. And from what Priscilla could tell, this man was a pack wolf. “I’m just, uh, really cold.” She answered with a barely there smile and a sniffle. “I just woke up not too long ago, but I'm, uh, not sure where I am?”

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A huff pressed his nostrils, the heat spiraling in a whispy cloud as it breached the cold, “Gwendolyn looks cold.” Runar's brows tugged with concern as his eyes glanced back to snow-laden hills. It was hardly a place to take shelter. The dips helped break the wind, but if you were unlucky, they would only amplify the gusts as they carved the lowlands. The mountains were not better at a glance, but at least Vanderfell had forest and caverns to find some respite. Even rock faces could help bend the wind's will if it came from the right direction.

“Unclaimed foothills, Runar does not have name, but they are no place for shelter. Can you walk? Warm blood, keep joints in motion.” He paused, lips twisting as he failed to bite back his questions, “...You...have family? Home to warm?” Invasive, maybe, but he did not want her to freeze. Though, given her reaction, he feared she may be like the others who found themselves in this land. Displaced by gods and left to start anew, only she had come at a most unfortunate time.
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Gwen nodded at his observation, while a small smile slowly spread across her face. “It is rather cold.” She murmured, her eyes refusing to look anywhere but at the snow around her feet. Gwendolyn felt too exposed, vulnerable standing out in the open with nothing to protect her. And worst of all, she was completely alone. Aurora was nowhere to be found, nor their beloved aunts. The thought made her want to cry, caused a sharp pain to bloom in her chest like the smashing of a mirror sending shards into her heart.

“They are not yours?” She tilted her head as she thought over his words. Then, did he live nearby? The notion of a warm bed made her look at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “Yes, I can. Though my feet do hurt a little.” Gwen lifted a foot to show the boy the small pieces of ice lodged between her toes. “I should be alright to walk though!” The smile that grew on her face faltered at his question. “No. They're, gone. I'm here alone.”

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He couldn't help but laugh at her rather obvious statement, her smile drawing out the jokester within him, “BAHAH— Yes, snow pretty, but wet chills.” As for the foothills, he'd shake his head then gesture to the mountain that now stood miles away. “Runar's home is east. Fate's Summit. Short travel if we do not stop. Can make it to forest's edge by nightfall.” Though a frown tugged at his lips as she mentioned the pain in her paws. Forcing her to move would do no good if it worsened her pain, but they needed to move to some form of shelter.

Runar stepped closer for a better look at what was causing her discomfort, though he was relieved to only find ice. He was by no means a medic. Treating infection or stopping bleeding would have been difficult with his knowledge, especially with the lack of flowering herbs. “Hmm, yes, Runar sees problem. Do you mind?” He tilted his head toward her paw, though chose to wait should she be uncomfortable with his aide. “Even if able, better to deal with now. Less discomfort means we can travel faster.”

It should have been obvious by now what he was leading up to, and though he wished she had a home to return to, a way to see her family, she didn't. “Can rest with Vanderfell...but if home you seek, perhaps you'll find more in stay. Could always use more paws.”
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