vaya

The young wolf is still exploring.

So far, she had found this world to her liking. She had met a few others that seemed pleasant enough, even one or two who actually belonged to packs. But she was still undecided on whether she would make her home here. She desperately wanted to, but would she fit in? So she continues to explore the unclaimed regions, familiarizing herself with the surroundings and scavenging food where she could. She had been lucky enough the previous day to stumble on an old elk that had winter killed with only small scavengers picking at it. She managed to mostly fill her belly with the tough meat before the scent of a group of wolves floated to her on the wind and she quietly faded away into the night.

Today, she found herself at a lake apparently. The grasses flattened by the snow of the season proved somewhat difficult for the smaller wolf to traverse so she quickly made her way to the shore to walk along the sands. The huge expanse of the lake seemed to be solidly frozen and there was what looked to be an island in the middle. Her curiosity drew her to that little grassy knoll… But she also remembered her last adventure with ice that had ended in a rather… wet way.

Screw it, she had nothing better to do with her day.

Tentatively, she places a foot out on the ice. It seems to hold her with no issue. Another paw, then another. So far so good. Gaining some confidence, she begins to walk with a bit more purpose. When nothing terrible happens she even lifts her head up to eye the island. What a grand idea this had been! She is just over halfway to the island and this is fun!

CRACK.

She freezes, hardly daring to breathe.

Another loud crack sends her scrambling! Suddenly it is like something out of a cartoon. All four legs are pedalling, but it is a few seconds before any movement starts. Like Bambi on ice, she skids around in her panic until finally, blissfully, the island is close. With a mighty leap she sends herself flying onto the grassy knoll. Gasping for air through her panic, she looks back out to the ice. She wasn’t sure what she expected, maybe giant slabs of ice tipping and breaking off like an iceberg? The truth is… underwhelming. The ice had apparently just been settling, for the white expanse before her is uninterrupted. Slowly, she levers herself to her feet, quivering.

It would be a while before she convinced herself to cross back over.

Or maybe she would just claim the island as her own. Vaya of the island.