Ice Wardens of the Keep
Such an awesome piece of art needed a back-up scene...so I decided to write about how Singer and Vhenan arrive at the Keep in the icy wastes of the land...
Art by blighthound (FurAffinity) commissioned by Vhenan
characters (c) to Vhenan and WaterSinger
Story is a short scene to describe what is happening here.
The pair had wandered for what felt like an age. Together, they'd walked through the summer, when both had lost their thicker coats, Vhenan looking even smaller than normal and Singer even sleeker. In the autumn, they'd relaxed more, hurrying less. The weather was cooler and they found themselves becoming better friends as they grew stronger bonds. As winter drew in and snow began to cover the ground, the pair were firm friends.
Once again, thick coats coated their bodies. Singer smiled widely as she panted, enjoying the way the cool air coated her body.
"I definitely prefer this weather, Vhenan. We're both better off sticking to colder places. You like the snow..." Her forehead creased faintly as she looked around for the fox, her head tipping to the side before her tail was pounced on by the snow-powdered fox, his maw split wide in a good-natured grin.
"Lets! We can find a home in the snow, I can play hunter then!" His words and happy, carefree smile made her laugh and shake her head before she licked the top of his head, clearing the snow crystals from his fluffy head. She hesitated only a second before nudging his ears and stretching herself lazily. A lazy bite of the snow soothed her throat and sated her thirst before she stood. Her tongue gently lapped her nose.
"Come on then, there'll be some den, somewhere we can find. Somewhere where the snow lasts year round..."
The fox at her side gave an excited yip, twisting around excitedly before returning to the side of his wolf-friend and protector. They walked with measured steps in the snow, careful not to overdo it...or at least, not until Vhenan's stomach gave a low grumble of hunger and her ears perked.
"Are you hungry, little snow-fox?" Her head tilted to the side before her amused growl rang out and she nudged him to lie in the snow. "I'll be back with something soon." She was quick as she left, her paws leaving barely a print on the snow.
Vhenan was left to watch the dancing lights in the snow, greens, blues and whites dancing in sky and forming pretty patterns that made him smile. When a rabbit was dropped in front of him, some indeterminable time later, he jumped and yipped his combined shock and thanks to the bemused wolf. She sat and groomed the blood from her muzzle and paws while he ate, her own mind drifting for an endless moment.
"Singer? Singer...are you okay?" The gentle brush of his nose to her shoulder pulled her lightly from her memories and she smiled, licking the bridge of his muzzle and then sitting in front of him, tucking her muzzle down to cuddle him against her.
"Just thinking, fox, just thinking. I'll make sure wherever we go is where you are happiest." A faint smile curved her muzzle, unseen but tender before she rubbed it away against his thick coat and stood up. "Come on...we'll find somewhere soon, or sleep at least, when the lights fade from the sky." She smirked faintly at him, knowing just how much he liked to watch the northern lights, and indulging the arctic fox as often as she could.
He yowled his delight at her, and her tail moved in a rare wag before she stretched and started to walk, always careful to keep her pace slow so the fox could keep up. It wasn't too long before the snowy bank upon which they walked grew into a steep incline, and their steps were slowed. Soon, Singer was breaking the way with her longer legs and chest, forcing a furrow through the snow to make Vhenan's way a little easier. It was only when they broached the top that they stopped, and hesitated, a faint gasp slipping from Singer's maw in a gesture of her amazement.
"Oh wow...Singer...can't we stay here?" The fox's voice was awestruck as he peered out over the small snow-coated valley, complete with small snow-topped mountains. A castle appeared to have been made entirely of ice in the distance and the aurora borealis frolicked along behind it, drawing the attention of the two canids entirely to the almost magical view in front of them. As mist crept up around them, flirting with their bodies and cooling them from their rather vigorous walk and filling the canyon, Singer's smile widened and her tail flitted again.
"Yes, I think we can, Vhenan."