<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/be/Ne%27iine_Vaenn.png)</div><strong>Character name</strong>: Ne'iine Vaenn<br/><strong>Who:</strong>Luika, Natu & K'ali (mentioned)<br/><strong>Where:</strong>Several miles from Kayax<br/><strong>When: </strong>17th Day of Hunger Moon, Early Afternoon<br/><br/><hr/><br/>It was times like this that made her truly wish that she could shift. While warm and eminently practical her clothing was still no substitute for the warmth that full Tikaani always seemed to radiate, especially when said Tikaani were in wolf form. At least she was better suited for this than the sacrifices. Small blessings.<br/><br/>Ne'iine reached up and rubbed at her nose, trying to encourage circulation to the tip. Mother Winter knew it probably wouldn't accomplish anything, but it gave her time to wait for the others to catch up. She'd run ahead, using the trees to speed her progress as she bounced through them like some overlarge squirrel. If they didn't come soon she would just have to keep moving. Perhaps Natu had already shifted and headed straight for the perimeter they were supposed to be patrolling, or K'ali had found some herb or another to distract her off the path. Waiting for them then would leave her frozen to this blasted tree.<br/><br/>Though the sun had just passed its zenith, it was still frigid. And very, very quiet. Even when she strained, she could hear only the whisper of wind through the pine boughs and the distant crunch of snow, likely from either Natu or K'ali walking. There were no birds, no mammals, and so far from Kayax there could be no welcoming drift of laughter and chatter. Something had caused the forest to fall silent. Few things would cause this kind of quiet.<br/><br/>More time passed. Perhaps if there had been noise to distract her, she might have been able to wait more patiently. She might have even stayed long enough for her pack mates to find her. Yet the longer she was alone with the quiet, the more she wanted to know just what it was that had so upset the forest's balance. It must be something enough to stir the spirits, thus scaring away the birds and animals. Likely if it were enough to stir spirits then she should avoid it until she had someone to watch her back. Curiosity demanded otherwise.<br/><br/>The snow beneath her let out only the quietest 'whump' when she landed in a crouch on all fours. Soft snow, chosen for landing specifically to muffle her landing and keep her from further injury. It came at the price of snow up to her shoulders, but she was curious not<em>stupid</em>. Whatever it was that was provoking this silence, it was close and probably quite dangerous.<br/><br/>Unease stirred the air. Surely by now Natu must have felt it. He always seemed to be keying into some unknown force that guided his steps and let him know when something was wrong in the woods. Once more Ne'iine debated waiting for him, but this time she pushed it aside more quickly than before. She needed to know what was going on now, and given Natu's protective streak he'd probably as soon send her escorting K'ali back to camp as "let" her come along to find the source of trouble.<br/><br/>Fleet steps carried her. It was no particular scent nor sound that led her, just that vague uneasiness. It grew stronger as she drew closer, and with it came other things. The rustle of cloth and furs. The scent of well polished metal. The sight of a broad shouldered back. And the knowledge that what was so upsetting everything was nothing more than a<em>human</em>.