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AW, Southeast is welcome to follow Juniper out of the den <3

Juniper stirred as a frigid draft of air swept through the mouth of her den. A cold breath blown into the spaced warmed not only by her body, but by the boy she had taken guardianship off, Southeast. She herself lay closer to the entrance, her thick winter coat better developed for the weather than the the young boy's scrappy, thin pelt. Sitting up, the druid reach a paw over to Southeast, pushing a deerskin back in place atop of the boy's body. With a self-satisfied smile, Juniper grabbed a spare skin and added to the pup's covers, and rose to step outside.

The wind stung their eyes as they stepped into the open air. Not even the many trees of the Goldenwood could spare the residents of the rise from the biting wind, although it did help. Taking a slow breath, Juniper struck out into the wood. Ears tuning into the little sounds the surrounded them. The whistle of the wind through bare branches. The shaking of the nearby bushes. The crunch of snow underfoot. All familiar, but not what the druid sought. Nose lifting to the air, Juniper paused and scented the wind. A fire sparking in their eyes as squirrel scent flooded their senses. Angling towards the source, Juniper began tracking.

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Somehow I'm always on the run, but I'm never catchin' up

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Why did it have to be so damned cold?! The coast was breezy, sure. But this was cold that nipped at every bone in your body. Every muscle. Snarling quietly to herself, Sol shook her head. Aye, you shouldn't have eaten that whole rabbit. Her words were low, to herself really. Her stomach grumbled as if to add icing to the cake. Begrudgingly, she moved forward.

She was careful and methodical with her steps. The snow buffered any sticks or branches cracking under her light footfall, but it had it's own sound to alert any prey. Sol cursed the crunching. Shaking her coat lightly, she knocked some of the snow off. Closing her eyes, she lifted her nose to the sky, trying to catch scent of anything. Ears pricked forward as she caught scent of a rabbit. Yes.

Buckling down, she slowly moved toward the scent. Her mouth practically salivated at the thought of another rabbit to tide her over. Kirain had mentioned that if she needed anything, she was free to ask for aid, but she felt she had burdened her new found leader enough. The snow made it impossible to be quiet almost, but the thing that offered comfort was that the other animals had gotten used to hearing the snow crunch. She prayed that meant this meal wouldn't think twice.

Stopping in her tracks, she inhaled deeply. Another wolf? She'd wondered if it were maybe one of Kirain's. This made things a little more complicated, at least in her head. It didn't have to, though. But did she go to this other wolf or stay the course of the rabbit? Part of the female wanted to move past it, forget it, and find her food...but there was a nagging feeling, a voice... what if they were stuck? What if they needed help? Gods damn it all. With a snarl she moved towards the scent, her nose high and ears on alert.

The squirrel's scent lead the druid through the Goldenwood. Drawing the young wolf to the base of a tree, oakwood eyes shifted upward. A collection of leaves and twigs hung in the bare branches overhead. A nest, and occupied nest if she had to guess by the strength of the scent. Glancing down, Juniper examined the base of the tree. The snow shifted regularly with the cruel winds, but tucked between the roots Juniper could find old, filling in tracks.

With the potential snack up the tree, they would simply have to return. Surveying the surrounding environment, their eye landing upon an aspen tree. A sheet off bark had curled as the tree shed. Taking the loose edge between their teeth, Juniper peeled the scrap further. Enlarging the curl and leaving the loose bark punctured from their teeth. A visual reminder should the druid pass this way again.

A brown ear flicked as another creature moved through the wood. Distant, but identifiable through the familiar crunch of snow underfoot. Ears cupping forward, Juniper cast her gaze in the direction of the sound. Nose lifting, she noted that the scent was not familiar to her. This itself was nothing surprising, Camhanaich was always growing. The standing stones seemed to be a place of communion for lost souls.

Leaving the squirrel's tree behind them, Juniper turned in the direction of the stranger. A relaxed air surrounded them as they pressed onward. Their eyes eventually landing upon a young wolf with creamy, blossom-like hues.

Hello there, their voice crossed the distance between them, are you new?