Awake.{Open}

[frostbite]

To say I wanted to end up here would be untrue. But here I am, walking along side the fast flowing river. Lifting my nose I tested the air then sneezed. The air was filled with an uneasy feeling. Dread prickled through my fur causing it to rise out of habit. Distracted by the scent of dread in the air I placed my paw without looking and a loose rock slipped out from under me and I fell into the river. The shock of the freezing water chased all breath right out of me and I started to flail panic setting as I was swept upstream. Every time my head broke the surface Green trees and blue skies flashed by as I sped up more and more. Pain spiked in my side as I was slammed into rocks. Scarlet stained the water as cuts appeared after every time I was slammed into rocks.

My lunges felt like they where about to burst from the lack of air. I struggled even more as I tried to get to the shore. But it was so far away and the river was so fast. I was sure I was going to drown. I could feel my lungs fill with water as I tried to breath in. When I opened my mouth and instead of air filling my lungs with sweet life, water rushed in and filled them with spicy death. My body struggled to expel the invading water and every time my maw opened more can in.

After a few more minutes I could feel myself slip. This wasn't the first time I have had this feeling. Oh no. There have been plenty of times this has happened to me, not the about to drown thing but the near to death thing, being hated by most the wolves I knew does that to someone.

Then I could sense the water start to shallow and my paws tangled up together and I tripped and fell over on my side. Water spilled for my mouth. An almost burning feeling in my throat caused me to gag and that allowed more water to come out. Weakness filled my limbs and they refused to work. Coldness stiffened my joints and I couldn't get up. My eyes fluttered closed.

[Stern]

Elvira had been walking along Battle Creek, thinking over what she had to do before winter set in to prepare, just enjoying her own company. Well, there never was anyone who's company she could enjoy, now, was there? Her ears pricked up as she discerned a sound, a gagging, choking sound on the other side of the river. Her head whipped around and she stared for a moment, making sure to keep her right eye to the sound, looking at the limp figure. It was a dog, or a wolf, some form of canine, at least. Its fur swayed as the river worried at the body. Without any more thought, Elvira leapt into the freezing snow melt and started paddling, using her unusual paw structure to her advantage.

As she finally reached the other side of the river, Elvira paused for only a second, to shake the freezing water out of her coat, then continued padding towards the limp canine. Her head was tilted to her left, allowing her to approach with her good eye. now, the dog seemed more like a wolf, if a skinny, very hurt wolf at that.

"First order of business would be to dry you off, then, wouldn't it?" In situations like these, Elvira talked out load, seemingly to her patient, but usually more to herself. It helped her clear her thoughts, put them in order. Elvira grabbed the wolf's scruff and walked backwards, pulling the form with her. Once they were out of the shallows of the river, Elvira let go of her mouthful of fur and padded around, always in a clockwise direction, using her nose just as much as her good eye to see all of the cuts and wounds on the lupine. There were many, far more than Elvira would have expected to see on a wolf that had only been swept down the river. Perhaps she had come from further upstream, were there were treacherous rocks... Elvira took in a deep breath and got to work licking the thick fur backwards, all of the mothering instincts from her breed coming to her at once. She might not have had pups before, but she still knew how to dry a limp figure, the lesson having been pounded into her head by generations of mothers.