Chapter 3
Abandoned
Juno furrowed her brow in annoyance, she had always loathed the snow. Even as a pup she had never cared for the cold, white stuff. Hating how wet it would make her fur, making the icy, winter winds feel as though they blew right through her. Causing her tiny paws to go numb and her wet nose to dry out. The pup would much rather nestle close to her mother and watch her littermates run and play in the banks from afar.
Though far older now, it was a sentiment the she-wolf still held as she plodded through the massive piles by herself. It was more snow than she'd seen in years, the drifts brushing up against her stomach in some places. This day seemed to drag on, the sun meandering across the sky. The snowfall had been gradually building all day, covering the earth in a thick, white blanket, with the cold wind stinging Juno's eyes and deafening her ears. However annoying they were, It wasn't her surroundings that troubled her, rather how she had come to be alone in the first place.
Just a few days before, Juno had been travelling with a group of about 14 members, as well as some pups. Thinking back, she had quite liked her pack, their leader just and fair, with most of the other members being agreeable. Her job in old age had been the wolf's favorite part, watching over all of the pups as the rest of the band went out to hunt. Always feeling rather content as she watched the tiny balls of energy run about, never seeming to tire; it made her feel special with the way the young ones found her stories so interesting. Even if they weren't all entirely true, but they didn't have to know that.
The she-wolf found herself smiling a bit at the memory, that soon faded when she remembered the events of a few days ago. The group had been moving through some of the mountain passes in order to find new hunting grounds. The snowstorm was very sudden when it hit, no one could've anticipated it's speed or tenacity. Before long, the flurry had turned into a gale, making it hard to see past the end of your nose, let alone a few feet in front of you. Juno had found herself pushing on through the storm, hoping that her pack was still in front of her. She kept going… and going… and going. Eventually, the storm parted for a brief while, but this brought a frightening realization. They were gone. She had nearly panicked when it became clear, pushing in the same direction for a day, searching, looking for their scent, and calling to them. All to no avail.
Much of the day after that was spent wandering the snow-covered woods alone, rationalizing how such a thing had happened. Why would they leave me behind? I'm still a useful member. Right? As the day wore on, the wolf had come to understand their reasoning a bit more, not even being able to blame them after thinking about it. They'd have nothing to gain from looking for an old bag of bones like me, she reasoned glumly, i've been written off, they almost certainly think I didn't make it. And so, Juno would forego her desire for company and simply try to survive alone until spring arrived.
She stopped a moment for a break, pawing at the snow while still deep in thought, hardly noticing the pile of snow on the branch above her head, sliding slowly from it's loft.
Plop!
Directly upon her head. Of course… The wolf shook off her coat as best she could, dislodging most of the infernal powder from her body. Her coat had been a stunning shade of black in her younger years, becoming significantly more grey in her seniority with her undercarriage being a darker grey to boot. She also had a white tip at the end of her right ear, something many distinguished her by. Her muscles, once rippling and strong, had grown a bit worn; her skin having loosened considerably giving Juno a more weary look. One thing, however, had remained the same from her youth to today: Her eyes. She sported a pair of clear, golden orbs. One of her most beautiful features, catching almost any light around and shimmering for all to see, still possessing sharp eyesight as well.
The snowfall hadn't just continued in this time, but worsened all the while. The wolf glanced to the sky, wearing a worried look upon her face. It's picking up again, not much light left either. Looking about, she began to make her way toward a rocky outcrop not far in the distance. I'll probably find a place to lie low there. She thought, weaving her way between the dense clusters of trees.
She felt the fatigues of her travels catching up more and more as she dragged her weary body along. Her bones and joints cracked and popped from days of walking, muscles sore from overuse, and her thoughts becoming more foggy from lack of good sleep. Comfort was in short supply at the moment, survival was all that truly mattered. The biggest discomfort the she-wolf faced was the grumbling of her empty stomach. With a coat like hers, in weather like this, it was nearly impossible to sneak up on prey in the daytime. Not to mention the fact her diminished endurance, from a combination of age and hunger, didn't allow for much chasing to be done. The past few days, she'd been subsisting on berries, and a small bird she had caught. Not enough for a wolf, not even close. That would have to wait, with the wind howling in her ears and the frost stinging her eyes. If this rock formation is a bust, who knows…
She got a bit closer to the bluff, squinting to see through the torrent of snow. Letting out a relieved sigh, able to see a large opening in the rock face. A cave.
Looks like my luck is finally turning around. She chided herself, picking up the pace to reach refuge. Wading through the drifts, she arrived at the large entrance, peering into the veil of darkness. Well, let's just hope i'm the only one looking for a place to stay. Taking a deep breath, Juno began to walk into the cavern, unaware of the eyes staring back at her from the inky depths...