Uralian Legends Secrets # 1- Loyal- On Hold

Noleaf

  The bitter winds of noleaf kept more than a few snowy wolves stuck at the warrior base- fighting the Frost-doze. Wingbeat didn't want to fall into the Frost-doze- he wanted to train to be a lithe warrior fighting horifins not the Frost-doze. What he disliked most was that he had to depend on other snowy wolves for food- it made his veins boil with anger and embarrassment at being treated like a newborn cub. He could take of himself!

  "Here we are Wingbeat," His cheerful caretaker announced grandly, dropping a rabbit at his paws. He turned his snout up to look at her. "I could have caught that," He rumbled deeply. She twitched her ears in irritation- was he not grateful? "Of course you could have but not right now- wait until noleaf ends and newleaf begins," She yipped and padded out of the brambles that led to the warrior base. Wingbeat sighed- he couldn't wait for noleaf to end, he wanted to do something now.

  I'm fed up of being a useless lump of fur- I'm leaving this base! He thought fiercely. Wingbeat shoved himself to his paws and took a few weary pawsteps toward the brambles on the far side of the base. The few snowy wolves in the base could only glance at him as he stumbled forward. Reaching the brambles he shouldered his way through them and stepped into the sunlight for the first time in a few days. 

  Where do I go now? He wondered. Wingbeat picked up a faint scent on the wind and staggered after the slight scent of snowy wolves. Truth be told he felt much better out in the fierce winds of noleaf than he did at the base. After a while he couldn't find the path and figured the snowy wolves must have took off into the sky. Snuffing the air experimentally he picked up Blue's scent- it was the Snarepack wolves. 

  Do I really want to find them?  Wingbeat thought. He gave himself a good shake to fluff up his fur and kept struggling on through the cold until he picked up another familiar scent trail- Starpack. Following the trail he scented another creature mingled with the familiar scents of his companions. Horifins! Wingbeat thought in disgust. He could detect minor traces of fireice on the grass but the most of it had melted away- meaning the Starpack wolves had passed through quite a while ago. They were long gone.

  "Why didn't I notice- the scent should have been stale by now!" Wingbeat murmured to the wind. Though he wouldn't admit it he was starting to feel that this exploration mission was starting to get very cold and tiring. His muscles ached with fatigue and the wind lashed his muzzle with cold, cruel blasts that froze him to the bone and left him shivering. 

  I should find shelter. He thought, struggling forward through the cold. It only got more exhausting and freezing the longer he traveled. Coming to a halt, the wind buffeting his pelt he surveyed the flat landscape as it spread out before him- there were no trees in sight, no shelter from the wind. Sighing Wingbeat dragged himself in the other direction- back the way he had come. 

  This was stupid, I shouldn't have left the base! Thought Wingbeat with a low snarl of self loathing. He picked up his scent trail and began to follow it- it would take him back to the base. The wind seemed to lash straight across his muzzle, whipping his scent away with every second that passed. Eventually he lost his scent trail and glanced around- there was no one in sight never mind in earshot. Fear gripped his gut and wrenched hard. 

  He was lost.

  Great, what do I do now? he wondered. He knew he couldn't go a paw step further but it had started to snow heavily. I'm going to be buried alive! Wingbeat couldn't fight back the panic he felt as the snow began to drive in his face. He suddenly felt a sensation of calm, muddled, peacefulness drift over him. 

  I'll just stop... only for a bit. He thought quietly.

  And he sank to the ground... and fell asleep.