first snow -- Open

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Something felt different to Oberon. It was fairly familiar, like a dream you just had but can't remember. He lifted his shaggy head in his den, forgetting how his fur was growing lengthy again, and sniffed. He had failed to notice the trees growing bare, keeping too much to himself, keeping too much in his own head in preparation for battle. He could hardly fail to notice the change in atmosphere now, though, and he escaped from the den he stopped dead.

The first flutters of snow were making their way down from the sky like soft, cold kisses upon the ground around him. The ground was hard with frost already but it was slowly becoming whiter. The snow was very light, but it always began this way. It hardly seemed there at all until you woke up the next day and found the world disappeared beneath an icy blanket.

Knowing that it would soon be too difficult to go for a lazy, loping run across the grass and rock, Oberon began a trot and picked it up into a speedy run. Part of him felt a niggling fear concerning the fact their battle may take place in thick snow, but he pushed it aside. Right now he just wanted to run. He felt his body elongate with each stride, chest heaving, fur thrown backwards as he made the most of the flat, hard ground, running until he felt he could run no more and settling into the Meadowland. He panted for some time, enjoying the icy feeling inside his lungs, before lifting his muzzle in the light of the rising sun and howling about the coming of the snow.

[Thirteen]

Thoughts tumbled about in her head. The battle was one thing, but then there was Caden and the trouble he was in. Sayuri walked on, not looking where she was going until BAM! She crashed into a tree. Sayuri stumbled backwards, trying to regain her bearings. The pain pulsed through her body, specifically the left side of her body. If things can't get worse, then they have to get better. At that moment, the snow began to fall, floating gently to the ground. At least that was an improvement. Sayuri looked up at the sky and gazed at how the white snow stood out against the black of the sky. "Dark is always followed by light," she murmured, her dark eyes glinting in whatever light there was.

Sayuri's ears twitched at the sound of the howling. Having nothing else to do, she followed it. A brown wolf greeted her eyes. Sayuri thought she recognised him from somewhere but her memory was fuzzy. Like she was. Sayuri giggled then went to greet the wolf. "Hello. It's nice, isn't it." She spoke with a smile that would have made many smile too.

Ooc: I'm not really sure if Sayuri knew Oberon from the past, but judging from Oberon's biography, I'm guessing yes?

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OOC. They definitely do. Sayuri is Caden's sister and Oberon joined Caden's pack very early on, so they should know each other quite well (:

Oberon knew that another would probably approach him in the clearing, as he hadn't exactly been subtle about his approach and his reaction to the weather, but he was glad it was Sayuri. A familiar face, and a smiling one at that. Considering what emotional turmoil she must have gone through recently, Oberon felt his opinion of Sayuri ever rising. She was tough, that was clear enough.

"Hello," he dipped his head in greeting, smiling in return. He thought to her brother, dead or alive somewhere behind enemy lines, and he felt his heart sink. If they had been intending on releasing him, they would have done it by now. Similarly, Oberon expected that if the missing Alpha was dead, Duke would've led his wolves into the Stars land already to take over. It was a chilling thought, but Oberon felt comforted in his assumption that Caden was alive. They still had something to fight for.

"Yes. I decided to get a run in before it gets too deep to go really fast," he explained conversationally. He knew that she didn't need to know this, but he was trying to keep things light. Despite battle taking up much of his thoughts, Sayuri's sunny presence lifted him a little. He didn't want to drag her down. "How are you?"

[Thirteen]

Something clicked in her mind. Of course she recognised this wolf. It was Oberon! How could she have forgotten? Sayuri quietly told herself off for forgetting this old friend.
"Oh, I'm fine." Sayuri then realised that Oberon might have seen through this lie and added, "Well, not really. What with Caden missing and the oncoming battle." She sighed, her cheerfulness fading. Sayuri looked up at the sky then the ground. Sooner or later, it will cover the land and that means snow fights! The smile that disappeared was now plastered on her face. "Oberon! Oberon! The snow!" She exclaimed, prancing about. "It means snow fights!" Sayuri ran around with a new burst of joy. Nothing could quench her burning flame. Right now she wanted to have fun.

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Oberon felt bad when Sayuri delved into her insecurities, but was even more taken aback when she began to run around like a pup. He knew her to be a positive wolf, and he supposed that she was trying desperately hard to stay that way in the face of adversity, but he himself found it difficult with Caden in trouble. He coughed a little, watching her, again reminding himself to keep it light.

"Yes. It's a shame we never have young pups around in the snow," he mused aloud as he felt the snowflakes settling to speckle his bronze fur. He glanced up into the sky. "I suppose the adolescents will love it though. I remember my first snow."

He looked across at her and wondered how old she was. He'd known her for much of her life, but not when they were both very young. She was acting almost as if it were her first snow anyway! He couldn't help but laugh a little at the grin across her face.

[Thirteen]

It felt lovely, fantastic! Having the wind rushing through your fur and the excitement building up. Sayuri loved every second of it. She slowed down and looked around. The ground was slowly getting covered in snow. "Oberon, when do you think the snow will set?" she asked in a childish voice. Sayuri was waiting impatiently for the snow to cover the ground in its white blanket. She wanted to mess around and kick up snow and just have fun. All would be well...

A thought came to her head. Why was she so excited? It was not her first snow after all, so why was she running around? A small voice spoke in her mind. "Because you are afraid. Afraid to face reality." Sayuri shook her head."NO! I'M NOT!" she cried desperately. Deep down, she knew those two sentences spoke the truth.

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Oberon watched the excitement in Sayuri blooming before him and he settled down onto his belly as she ran about. When she turned to question him he considered the sky above them and the thin line of snow beneath them and shrugged.

"If it continues to snow like this... maybe a day or two? If it gets heavier then I don't doubt that our world will be covered overnight," he smiled a little, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He had seen a flicker of something sad in Sayuri a moment ago, but he preferred not to bring it up. He was glad that she was trying to stay happy.

The shaggy bronze wolf knew that he should try a little harder to be less serious. And usually he was the first one to crack a joke or sling a sarcastic comment into a conversation. At the moment, though, he didn't feel comfortable. He was tense, prepared for warfare, eager to avenge his pack's wounded pride. All he needed was the word go. He gazed off into the distance as he thought all of this, a faraway look in his soft brown eyes.