"Look at all the SNOW!" he exclaimed, rushing forwards. Besides being beautiful, it was so wonderful up here in the mountains! His paws tingled with cold, and he buried his face in white fluff, coming up with a grin and flat ears and sparkling eyes. "Swell... Wow! Have you ever been up here before?" His tail wagged as he pranced through it. It was just simply amazing.

It's just snow. said Vik, but even he didn't sound convincing, amused by his other half's antics.

---

Swell was amazed, yes the journey had taken days, but they were happy days, and warm nights. The further north they went the more frigid the weather. Even now her breath came out in soft puffs of vapor, she giggled and dashed after Novik. "Its amazing! I've never seen so much of it!"

She turned then and laughing used her hind legs to kick a snow flurry at him. "Catch me!" She giggled and dashed around into the trees playfully.

---

They had left without a word to Piper or to Gerda, and deep in his head, Novi worried that his mother would fret. Her first litter had been no older than him when they left her behind, never to be her babies again. He would make sure that he got home safe, just for her and Tauro. He spent most of the journey up here in thought when he wasn't chatting with his new friend. His tail wagged, head popping up at Swell's challenge.

With a roar and a snowy face, he lunged after her, his breath coming out in puffs but with his thick coat, he wasn't cold at all. "I'll get you!" he barked, on her tail.

---

Swell giggled and pranced ahead laughing as she saw Novi trying to catch up. He was too close! She pranced ahead again looking back at him with a smile...which was a mistake, because her paw caught the edge of something. She gasped and let out a shocked cry before the lush snow gave way revealing a jagged cliff edge.

A yelp managed to escape her muzzle but little else as she fall, hit the rock and lay still at the bottom for a long moment. "Novi..." She murmured softly before darkness slowly slipped over her...ouch that hurt.

---

The snow was falling in sheets as they danced along, laughter rising up into the crisp air. He was having more fun than he'd ever had before. Even Switch wasn't this fun! Their pawsteps were muffled by the soft snow and the snowfall was covering existing prints. Soon, Novi's ears picked up a cry. Swell? "Swell!" he barked out, then froze. All he could hear was the dropping of flakes on the ground. His heart constricted. Danger. Danger... What if she was hurt? What if she was dying?! "SWELL!"

No use. She can't hear you.

"What am I supposed to do?" His voice came out in a whine as panic blinded him. He began to pace, fear settling into his heart. "Help me... Please, somebody..."

You're so useless, snarled Vik. Novi could only gape at the visions of Swell injured somewhere, bleeding out, red mixing with white. Vik sighed heavily. Let me take over. I'll find her.

---

Swell lay unconscious for a few moments and when she finally came too she opened her eyes very slowly wincing at the brightness of the snow. Ouch, oh yes she had hurt something. Her side and back were probably nicely bruised up. She felt a painful tightness in her right front leg and frowned. A small cut behind her ear trickled blood against the snow.

Strangely none of that really mattered, she lifted her head weakly and peered about hoping to spot Novik, had he fallen after her? She hoped not...how long had she been out? The soft white flakes that had been such fun to run through were slowly blanketing her now, made her shudder in cold as she struggled to get to her paws.

---

Novi froze. Let him out... Let him take over? Was that even possible? He whined again, biting his tongue until the sweet rush of blood filled his mouth. Still, he nibbled on it. "Okay..." he whispered. "What do I do?"

Just relax. he instructed.

Novi stiffened, then sat down, letting his muscles relax, willing his mind to calm down. It would be okay. He would find her. She would be safe. He tried to imagine happy times again. Then there was a warmth filling his mind, and he took a breath. Suddenly, he couldn't breath. He gasped in air, panicking once more. His legs didn't move when he willed them to.

"Calm down, damnit." Vik's voice was out in the open now, a little deeper than Novi's own. Novi realized that he no longer needed to take breaths; he was no longer in control. He relaxed, shuddering in the back of their shared mind.

Find Swell. Please... he whined out, but only Vik could hear him now.

With swift paws, the dominant side of the mind took over, taking off, nose to the ground with one intention: Finding his neice and returning her to her mother in one piece. He threw his head back, giving a howl and hoping she was conscious enough to hear it.

---

Swell struggled to her legs shaking, that had been some kind of blow. Her ears pricked then the left one flickered in pain at the gash behind it. A howl? Novi? It sounded slightly off, maybe he was just worried. She slowly tipped her head back and responded, her cry sounded weaker even to her own ears. She huffed and tried again this time the sound was more vital.

She sat down and lowered her head trying to breath even as she shuddered and shivered. Oh wow, this wasn't so nice...she tried to stand again hoping to pace a bit to get her warmth back.

---

Vik's ears flipped up. Novi perked, hearing her, and getting excited. Vik gave a soft uttered growl, and started forwards again. He was careful as he edged around, finding that the snow suddenly dropped off. A clifff... Gazing down, he saw her burnt orange pelt and he smiled, surprisingly relieved. Probably more for Novi than for himself. "See? She's fine," he said, then barked down at her. "Swell! Are you alright?" No don't answer that. "I'm coming down for you." If he could find a way that wasn't a jagged drop onto rocks below... He sniffed around, finding a small decline. Slowly but surely, he made his way closer, giving one final hop as he reached flat ground. "Are you okay?" He smelled blood, but she didn't look too bad.

---

Oh thank goodness, he was alright...good for that. She was wobbly on her legs but she limped closer to nuzzle him. "I'm okay...I just...the snow covered that ledge...I didn't realize...stupid of me." She sighed softly and relaxed slowly as his thick pelt helped her warm back up.

She blinked then and gazed up at him. "Are you alright?"

---

Vik chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that was nothing like Novi's. "Glad to hear." He sat down, peering at her, both eyes glittering, but the silver one gleaming almost dangerously so. "A mistake anyone could make. I'm just glad it was you and not me." He shot her a smirk, letting her bury her face into his scruffy pelt and wondering if his body heat might warm her. "Can you walk?" He was on his paws once again, circling her, his moves quick and precise. "And before you ask, Novi's fine. He's tucked away inside our head like a good little boy. You scared him."

---

She blinked and tilted her head with a slight wince, had she hit it too hard? He sounded so...her eyes widened. "Vik?" She was stunned, it was as if a new wolf sat beside her, not her sweet Novi but a more confident and harsh wolf.

She slowly pulled away and looked at him warily "I think I can walk..." She nodded and shivered a combination of cold and concern for her friend.

---

He nodded stoicly. "Good, because I can tell just by looking at you that you're getting cold and hungry." As if to prove a point, his own belly grumbled and he looked lost for a moment. "I'll catch something for us. You don't need to run. C'mon." He began padding up the incline, slow so she would stay beside him. His concern was little, but it showed. Perhaps he'd been hanging around Novi too long... The softie. "Easy. There's ice." He stepped around it, back paw sliding.

---

Swell watched Vik mildly surprised, he wasn't so bad, she slowly smiled as she noticed the cracks in his armor. She pressed against him and gave the softest nuzzle. "Thank you for helping Novi, for helping me..." She limped along beside him.

Carefully she moved around the ice gingerly testing weight on her front paw and wincing, she drew it back up quickly. It seemed she would be stuck on three legs or immobile for a while.

---

He didn't like to believe that there were cracks in his armor, so to say, but he wasn't a cold wolf. How could he be, sharing a mind with a kid like Novi? Novi would probably pass out at the sight of wolf-blood and he was a shabby hunter... What did that make Vik? He arched his neck, a little proud as Swell thanked him. Damn...he was soft afterall. He quickly iced over, but watched her carefully. "We'll find a den. I think we passed one earlier." Giving a quick jump, he climbed the rest of the way, then looked down at her, waiting expectantly for her to join him. Once she was there, he turned and strode off. He knew he'd saw a den around here somewhere... At least with a den, she could try and stay warm while he hunted. "There we go." Right ahead to the left, a tiny two-wolf cave. It would be tight, but it wasn't like they were interested in each other -that- way. Vik refused; she was blood. Even if she was cute...

---

Swell winced and climbed up the initial scramble was hard with only one front paw but her strong hind legs shoved her up and she regained her balance. She loped along after him the limp becoming more pronounced as they moved on. "A d-den would b-b-be n-ice" She shivered her teeth starting to chatter slightly. Danm the snow was coming a little faster now and small flurries of it swirled as the wind came as well.

What had been a pleasant magical scene quickly became the very danger she had warned Novi of. Swell quickly wriggled into the cave her body shuddering, she curled up tightly. "Whoo it's colder..."

--

Vik frowned. "It should get warm soon... How hungry are you?" he asked, cocking his head to one side, actually looking like the teenager he was for once since he'd taken over their body. Novi shivered in the back of his head but said nothing. If she could eat, she'd warm up... But... He shook his head. He could probably warm her up faster. Careful, he climbed into the den after her, curling up beside her and sitting there, their bodies close together and touching. It almost felt...good in a strange way. Family, curled up together to wait out this coming snow storm. Fear lapped at his heart; Novi's fear, no doubt. Would the storm block them in, freezing them alive in a cave no one would ever find? He shuddered and snuggled closer. "Tell me when you're warm. Then I'll pack you in and go hunting. I can bring a few rabbits, at least..."

---

Swell instantly pushed her frozen feeling nose into the thick fur of his neck and nuzzled him. "Oooohh...thats better...your so warm N-Vik" She slowly relaxed and warmed his double duty coat was marvelous.

"Y-your papa was probably from higher in the mountains." She finally murmured and slowly pulled her head out from under his neck. She licked his cheek and smiled. "I'll be okay now, thank you."

---

Vik felt his cheeks heat; so this was what it felt like to actually blush. He turned his head away, refusing to let himself feel anything else uncomfortable. He felt Novi jerk up as Swell began to talk of their father. They didn't know his name or what he looked like because Mother couldn't talk... But it was obvious, by the looks of Novik and Switch, that he was a mountain wolf. A blue one. The dragons were all Gerda's. He nodded and stood, slipping from the mouth of the cave and nosing a wall of snow around the opening. "This shoud keep the wind out. I'll go hunting. Stay here." His tone was almost a demand as he turned and slipped into the blustery, fading daylight. Hopefully, he could find something.

---

"Vik? Come back safe?" She called softly for him before resting her head on her paws and letting her tail cover her nose as she curled tight. The memory of his warmth helped and she reassured herself he would be back soon.

She wondered idly how her siblings were, not Moscow who was probably safe at home eating a tasty meal...but Squall who knew where he was? and rumor...probably being abused in some dark cave. She shut her eyes tight and snarled at the thought. She failed as a protector, why even Vik could probably do a better job then her. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes again peering out into the white.

--

Vik strode through the wintry scene, his coat keeping him toasty as he hunted. As he moved, thoughts of his family flooded through his mind. Novi was in the background, worrying, and he was doing his best to block it out. "We don't need weakness right now," he snapped, but the teen continued to whimper. He thought of Mother, disliked by her own daughters, Beauty, Abital and Piper... Lovely siblings that they were, each with a sin of their own. They were truly borne of Gomorrah... He scowled, then froze. A white hare sat on the snow, blending in. His belly grumbled. He lunged, teeth bared, and they took off in a frenzy down the strip of forest. He caught the hare's foot in his mouth and shook his head, snapping the legs of the beast and it gave a scream. He cracked its neck and carried it through the forest, headed back for the den. He found it by scent, and dropped the rabbit at Swell's paws. "Eat. You'll get stronger. I'll be back," he said and disppeared once more. Luck had it that he could find another hare, albeit younger and smaller, but he ate it hungrily. It sated him and he strode back to the den, curling up beside Swell once more. "I think we'll wait for the storm to die down... Probably stay the night here, if that's ok with you."

---

Swell waited patient at first, but then becoming worried. What if he got lost in the snow? What if a bear or some larger hungrier animal found him? She was about to try and stand on her wobbly legs when he poked his nose in. She smiled and took the rabbit gratefully. As he left again she waited and worried, she left a chunk of rabbit leg for him concerned that he wouldn't be able to find another in the harsh weather.

She smiled and relaxed as he returned and pushed the leg towards him. "Here, you need it more." She nodded in agreement she wasn't going to be able to get out of the storm limping the way she was. "It's fine, better to stay warm and safe in here then risking going out there right now." She wriggled and pressed against him.

---

Vik smiled back, his ears pulled rigid back against his head for many moments as he listened to the wind bluster about outside, whistling past the mouth of the cave. Meeting her gaze, he ate the leg swiftly, Novi not wanting to disappoint her. His other side wanted back out, to spend time with Swell, but he didn't feel like leaving the pup alone in the middle of the storm, with no survival skills whatsoever. So he stayed resolute, curling up against her. "Hn. We'll try in the morning, to head back home. I'm sure our mothers are worried about us." He knew his mother would be, anyways. She was probably pacing alongside Tauro... His ears drooped but that was the only outer reaction he gave. "Try to sleep." He placed his head on his paws and closed his two-tone eyes.

---

"Alright..." She nodded softly a bit sad their time would be cut short but realizing that his words were true. She loved her mother and didn't want her to suffer or worry though the tough alpha wouldn't give into silly pining. She watched Vik, the way his ears drooped and tenderly nuzzled his neck.

"Don't worry she knows we can take care of ourselves, of each other. She'll be fine when she sees you again..." She licked his cheek softly and rested her head against his paws. She was so warm now, not just her skin, but inside, inside she felt something flourish. Her cheeks felt so hot, burning almost as if the sun were kissing her fur. Her eyes rolled up to peer at Novik's outline for a brief moment before she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep with a soft smile on her muzzle.

{Fin}