Winter's genesis had only made it harder on the lost prince. He hadn't realized the full breadth of the coldest months, tucked away in his home on the plains, with family to keep him warm and hunt for him- but now that the cold was setting in, Viserys was feeling it in every way possible. The boy had only gotten slighter since fall, and his coat had only gotten more brittle and tangled, all of his energy was being spent on finding what little food that he did. Berries and plants and the random scraps Viserys could scavenge only went so far, and he could tell that it was nowhere near enough. Especially not for a growing 2-year old- as short as he was, the boy was still growing.
Viserys huffed, warm breath puffing out like smoke, as he hobbled through the fields. His hindquarters were stiff with the cold and the malnutrition, and some days he couldn't walk at all. But somehow, he pressed on. Something kept him living, walking, breathing- something out there wanted the pale boy to continue. Viserys didn't know what it was, and some days when the feeling of loneliness was omnipresent wherever he looked, he wished that it would just give up on him. But it hadn't- it hadn't and he didn't know whether he could be gracious for that yet.
He pricked his ears as a strangely familiar scent crossed his path. He bent his head down and sniffed, and for a moment he was in complete shock- it couldn't be, no, it couldn't be who he thought it was. But yet, the smell was different but terribly familiar, and Viserys could never mistake it.
He followed the trail as fast as he could, willing his legs to break free of whatever shackles held them, his breath coming out in quick gasps from exhaustion and excitement. She had been gone for so long- Viserys had thought that she had succumbed to her illness, maybe, somewhere quiet where he wouldn't be privy. He knew she must have felt guilty for the care he willingly gave to her when she fell ill, he knew it must have made her feel so trapped, confined to just a den with only her mind to keep her company. He would have no problem with that, but his sister was a different story.
Viserys felt like a child again as he came across the den with feathers still spread upon the ground from a fresh kill. He stopped and his breath seemed to too, staring at the entrance for a few minutes. Her scent was strong here, and it was undoubtedly the den she had been using for a while. He padded close to the entrance, still panting from his recent exertion. "Aurai?" Viserys called softly, his voice nearly breaking. "Come out, please, tell me I'm not dreaming."
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