Melt
She didn't like the snow here.
It would never have that crisp feel to it. This was slush, mush, polluted, dirty… It wasn't the same. It fell in weak little flakes, and fluttered onto the ground like silk. No power, no fight, no challenge.
She didn't like the snow here.
But she loved the snow there. It fell in gusts of power from the sky, forcing nature to change with it! There it stretched for miles and miles, farther than she had ever dreamed! It threatened her existence, daring her to stay warm while the cold threatened to freeze her soul. A dare she took with one quick leap, the wind roaring in her ears-
Someone groaned, she had heard the opening of a window, forcing the cool breeze into the small room. Before, a breeze like this would perk her up, give her a delightful shiver and make her hair stand on end-
But this shiver… this wasn't the same kind of cold.
"Wake up Naga," her warm hand smoothed my hackles and I had raised my head to meet with her hand. "Let's go."
This simple suggestion had been uttered so many times. She remembered when the girl's hair had been shorter, her eyes wider and with that daring sparkle. "Let's go!" She used to have such expectations! Such a challenge in her voice! Challenge like the blizzards did back at home. Challenge that she would growl back at! Challenge that pulled at her heartstrings and forced her to plow forward-
But this tone… this wasn't a challenge.
—-
She didn't like the water here.
It was too calm, was too warm. This was a soft power. It wasn't the same. It danced and hummed in a consistent rhythm like the moon. No challenge, no power, no fight.
She didn't like the water here.
But she loved the water there. It had force, it had fight. It was the ocean! It roared and dared anyone to stand in its way! It bombarded the ships, smashed through the ice crags, forced those daring swimmers into the powerful dance that no force could possibly fight-
She looked at her as they listlessly moved through the water. Her arms were bending in arcs around their heads, pushing the water without power, without any energy. Before, that power that she exhumed would stir the water within her, her spirit within her-
But this spirit… this wasn't the same kind of bending.
She watched her as she tightened her harness. The familiar movement of her hand across her fur, the leather pressing into her.
This simple movement had been accomplished so many times. She remembered when the girl first came up with it. No one had been able to tame a polarbear dog. Not until she came along. She proved them all wrong. Both of them proved the world wrong! She had such power! Such fight! Fighting that she knew she and her girl would accomplish together! A fight she knew they could win!-
But this time… this wasn't a fight.
—-
She didn't like the ground here.
Here, the ground wasn't cold, it was soft. This ground had no resistance. It wasn't the same. It clicked under her feet, the marks she made remained there for forever, as though it held the grudge against this wrongdoing. No fight, no challenge no power.
She didn't like the ground here.
But she loved the ground there. It was steadfast, it was immortal. It was the ice! It rebuilt itself every season, melting and reforming. Every time there was a weakness, there was an injury, it would reform and then strengthen itself for the next season. It was tough! It was resilient! It never gave up-
"Wait for me here, girl." I turned and forced her to touch me one last time, let her warm hand glide over the planes in my face, clutch at my fur-
"Don't worry, I'll be alright."
She didn't use to whimper.
But her voice… this wasn't power.
She left, while she stayed.
—-
This wasn't a challenge she could win. This wasn't a fight she could join in. She had no power.
She used to challenge the blizzards! She used to fight anyone who stood in their way! She used to have power in her voice and spirit!
But Republic City had melted her.