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Title: 'Treehouse' — Alex G., Emily Yacina
Skill: N/A

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The world appeared to be dramatically larger and far more daunting when you were a young pup. Lugh had hardly ever put himself in another's shoes, let alone into one of a young canine—to be thrust into the point of view of a little wolf was jarring, to say quite the least.

Round eyes filled with guarded curiosity, Lugh stumbled about through the frost-laden woodlands on his stubby limbs. He would never stray far from Epona, of course—but as if it were made out of magnets, his nose was tugged towards the forest floor with an unneglectable desire. The young boy snuffled around the leaf litter, short ears swiveling like radars on his head. Finally, as he sauntered to the edge of the clearing, Lugh found a curious scent along the forest floor.

His legs gained an itch to run, the fuzzy tail by his rump began to wag to and fro with rigor. His instinct could not be fought against, as much as his intuition screamed at him—and as quickly as his little legs could carry him, Lugh began to gallop away, following the scent trail into the forest—and further from his mother.

His high-spirited running eventually slowed to a halt, and Lugh was out of breath. Jaw hung agape, his tongue lolling out from between a set of razor-sharp teeth as he panted heavily to regain his composure. The smell was so strong now—and rather abhorrent. The pup's muzzle creased along the top with an indignant huff. Whatever he was following, it must be nearby—and very stinky.

A mere few steps was all that he needed to find out that he was right. The source of the smell was nearby—a scrawny creature, holding the limp form of a vole. Its beady eyes turned to look at Lugh, and the youth froze. The only sound he could hear now was the accelerating beat of his heart.

A coyote. Far smaller than his mother, but much larger than himself. A short, uncertain whine tittered in his throat. Lugh began to fearfully shuffle back, stumbling on occasion between his little steps. The creature was daunting, with big sharp teeth and a long thin snout.

The tawny canid was disinterested—but Lugh didn't stay long enough to make such a discovery. Before the coyote had a chance to react much the pup's appearance, he high-tailed it out from the thicket, running who-knows-where in who-knows-which direction. Wherever he went, he prayed that there would be no coyotes.

Much similarly to moments prior did his pace fall from over-exertion. He slumped upon his haunches, flank heaving with deep, sharp breaths. It seemed there was little to worry about now, only—

...where was Mother?

Lugh rose back up, scrutinizing the area for the somewhat familiar meadow. His crown canted back and his nostrils twitched, seeking out the comforting aroma of his dear mother—but nothing. Nothing save for the unfamiliar stench of local flora. ...mama? his voice was quiet, but quivering.

Mama? He meandered about the area, gaze flicking back and forth. The volume of his voice rose with a sharp crescendo. Mama, where are ye'? Mama!! He wanted to run, to sprint through the woodlands and find her again; but his legs were already aching from the little escapade, and his eyes rose to make the harrowing discovery that the sun was beginning to set.

Lugh was lost in this unknown realm. Without his mother, without his father—with nothing of any sort of familiarity. His breath hitched and tears burned his eyes. 'No, I'm too tough to cry!' He scolded himself inwardly with a futile attempt to stop the droplets that threatened to fall from his eyes. Lugh curled up into a tight little ball, flank pressed against the broad trunk of a pine tree, and sniffled piteously.

SKILL : HERBALIST ( 1 / 5 )

Winter wasn't good for a lot of things, save for playing in the snow it dragged with it, but Solvi found that some things came easier - such as harvesting willow bark. It wasn't her favored pain reliever, but it was handy in a pinch when the rest of the world slumbered beneath a blanket of white.

She had stripped away several pieces across a cluster of frozen willows when shrill cries reached her ears. Her motions stilled as green-blue eyes scanned her surroundings, attempting to pin down the source of the screams. There were no children within Dawnbreak, save for Seven who she had not seen of late (a thought that inspired a sense of dread), but that did not mean she would - or could - ignore a plea for help.

At the risk of running into an angry mother looking to collect her child, Solvi cast the bark in her mouth aside as she took off at a hasty trot in search of the lost child. The wind carried notes of coyote alongside the foreign pup, urging her steps to quicken.

Coyotes had been known to pluck pups right from the dens and, depending on the age, they were often defenseless and unable to fight their way out of the situation. Fortunately, the child could scream for help and that was a positive, grim as it was - living creatures could vocalize, dead ones could not.

Several minutes of searching eventually led her to a fiery bundle curled near the base of a pine. Relief flooded into the vessels previously filled with adrenaline, an audible puff of breath passing her lips. Her stature softened as she crept closer, her nose drifting close to the ground so her already-small body would appear a little more unassuming.

Hello, Solvi greeted the sniffling whelp, her voice taking on a soothing and gentle tone. Her paws halted within a safe margin, giving him space so he would hopefully not feel cornered. Are you okay?

She noted there was no scent of blood, but it was possible he could have been thrashed and bore no lacerations for his trouble.

Skill: N/A

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His head rose with a hitched breath. Lugh pinned his ears back against the small curve of his nape, looking for the source of the soft words that spoke amid the blackening night.

There stood a she-wolf. Coated with blonde fur, gazing at him with sage-hued eyes, harboring warmth that spoke of benevolence. Her stance was low. Her voice was sweet, like honey and milk. Lugh's tail lightly thumped against the frozen ground. Excited. Timid. A glimmer of hope glistened in his round eyes.

...h'lo, he responded quietly, brows furrowed, lips pursed into a small frown, ..I can't find my mammy... The boy turned his head down to his little cream paws, softly snuffling in response to the dilemma. Everything remained so new to the boy. None of the trees, nor the rocks around were familiar. Even where he'd stayed alongside Epona, it was all too different. He couldn't understand.

They were in a forest. Not the forest. These weren't the same frost-laden trails that sliced through the undergrowth. They weren't the same foliage that he'd ducked under close to his home. It wasn't the woodlands that he'd venture into when he felt a bit too bold.

It was utterly incomprehensible—Lugh softly whined, his forepaw covering his head as he wracked his brain to think. Ponder what could even be the beginnings of an explanation as to why he'd been ousted from his home. Where he had been taken to in the deep darkness of night, away from his comfortable mattress and away from his father. 

Another soft sniffle. ...I can't find Da, either... bicolored eyes gazed up at the stranger, helpless, afraid, I dunno where I am... His head dipped back down as he buried his face against his forepaws. 

The sky was growing darker as the sun retreated. Lugh shuffled against the ground, pressing up to the root of the tree. I wanna go home. Home. Not the place where he and his mother had called an impromptu shelter. Home. The youth's visage remained buried in his hands, praying that when he opened his eyes, he would be back with Ma and Da, in their home, nestled in the heart of Avon.