[PRP-Fin] Snow falls on rainbows (Frosty February)

[Melomar]

Wintertime in the Kawani is in full swing, and February is no exception! A strong snowstorm and cold front has blown into the lands, blanketing much of the land in white. Some areas have completely been overwhelmed by snow--and places that are typically warmer or never see the stuff have also been covered in the white stuff.

How is your Soquili handling this snowstorm? Were they caught unaware? Are they experiencing snow for the first time, or are they used to it? What do they do now that they're living in a winter wonderland?

Let us see how twin rainbows handle their first winter.

 

[Melomar]

Caihong’s visit with his mothers and sister had come to an end. As a foal he could not wait to grow up and move out on his own, but now that he and his sister were grown, their time together would not slow down! The rainbowy quartet had shared some tea and enjoyed each other’s company along with some delicious cookies that the young stallion could not stop eating. They were buttery and sweet, and seemed to warm the chest with love alone.

He peered out from under an evergreen tree. The branches grew high, which gave shelter without restricting the view of the half-grown soquili. Nervously, he stamped his small hooves in the needle-blanketed ground and his long tail swished from side to side. Great cascades of the strange white stuff had been falling all morning and he was gathering the courage to step out in it.

Finally, with a deep breath, he did. His hooves were cold almost immediately! His step became higher than normal, as if he thought he could avoid stepping in it this way. His mane was trimmed with it. His tail trailed in it like a snake cutting through water. Then he realized that when it landed on his fur, it slowly melted. In short order he was all wet. His rainbowy glasses began to fog up. Nothing he could do would make the steaminess abate. He snorted in disgust. The lenses’ opaqueness tripled.

He groaned. This was no fun at all. It was completely new, and yet he was not sure he liked it at all!


WC: 263  

[CryptidCat13]

Prai walked as the wind blew with all this white stuff that was cold! But the strange thing was it turned to water when it landed on her nose! "Brrrrrrrr" She used her claw to press on the white stuff, it crunched under her. "Wow!" she started to ignore the cold and continued to fallow her brothers foot prints. "Brother are you around here?" She wondered why he didn't wait for her, then she saw a big pile of this white stuff. She got up and jumped into it, what a bad mistake." "Ughhhhh" it was a rose bush. She got out. "What a small bush.." But the pokes from the thorns weren't so bad, she decided she loved this white stuff.

Prai wondered if it was edible?? She bent down and smelled it. "Hmmm, better to try things then never to find out." She bent down and took a bite of it and munched it until it was water. "Interesting!" She then realized she forgot all about her brother!!! She didn't know how he would handle this, she was his big sister and she had to look out for him!! "Cai!!! Cai where are you?" She started to run, noticing his foot prints were vanishing. "Oh dear...." She ran faster calling out his name, one thing she realized, it was fun running in.

The wind was strong though, she liked the snow, but the wind had a bite to it, where had her little brother go? "Cai darnit where are you??????" She was starting to get worried, what if he got lost? Or worse frozen solid! Because this stuff was really cold, she could see her poor weak brother falling victim to this stuff!! She shook her head. No, this white stuff wouldn't be strong enough to take her bro in such a fast way! But the wind, ugh, the wind burned, why is that? Why would cold burn, she thought only hot stuff burned??


wc 324  

[Melomar]

This wind! After leaving the safety of the canopy of needles overhead, Caihong discovered the bite of the wind that was blowing the white stuff into drifts. Sheets of razor-sharp wind cut into his hide without leaving a mark; the wind was nearly as cold as the white stuff clinging to his fetlocks in hardening little white balls. It burned his eyes and froze his tears into little sideways icicles that traveled along the sides of his glasses and into his hair.

Caihong’s head whipped around. He could have sworn he just heard his sister’s voice riding on the wind. But the wind howled at him, too, so he was not certain. It could have been a trick of acoustics. Already the snow seemed to swallow much of any sound’s volume and weight, leaving it muted and cottony. “Prai? Praisia? Are you there?” He wondered if she was there. He wondered if his voice would carry. Or would the wind eat his voice away? “Praisia!”

His hooves were getting heavy. He couldn’t feel his feet. His hooves were caking with wet white-stuff. Should he turn back? He was sure his mothers would gladly put them up for the night. They could all huddle together and keep each other warm, and warmer still with storytelling and tea. He could go for some tea right now. Delicious, steaming-hot tea. Honey and lemon. Ginger and cinnamon. Turmeric. All herbs that would give an additional warmth to any cup. He missed tea even though he had had a cup not more than an hour ago.

He turned back. There was nothing keeping him from it. He would find his sister and then usher her back home. It was still home, even if they did not live there anymore. “Prai! I’m coming back!” he called out. He did not expect an answer but felt that he should tell her anyway, just in case she could hear him after all.

WC: 324; 587  

[CryptidCat13]

Prai could hear her brother, something about home and coming back. so she stopped where she was and waited. "I'll wait for you bro!!!!!!" she cleared off a lump, it turned out to be a nice flat rock. Good she could sit. She sat down and waited, looking out for her brother. she looked around, she couldn't see much, the coldness was bad, but shes getting used to it. Wrapped her hair around her neck and her tail around her body. that helped a bit. the snow started collecting on her hair and face, it was so damn cold, but she had to wait for her brother. he should be by soon if she heard right, but what if she were wrong, and she was just waiting for nothing. she would take the risk, i mean cold couldn't kill you right? it was just cold, like a nice jug of lemonade.

Prai shook off the layer of snow forming around her, what was taking him so long, he is coming, she knew it, so she still waited. she stuck out her tongue and caught a few flakes on her tongue, they tasted good. like fresh water, she wish they were flavored, then she would eat them all up and wouldn't be so cold. she wondered if there was flavors, if she seen yellow stuff, she'd have to taste it, because what else could it be other them lemonade snow!! she hoped to see some soon. she shivered and sneezed. "Ugh. i must be allergic to this white stuff...."

Prai clenched her claws, they were beginning to hurt. she was getting bored of being cold, so she decided to have some fun. she dusted all the white stuff away with a big shake, then started to roll around in it, she wondered, why was her face warming up, by sticking it in a snow bank. the heat from her breath made a warm cozy spot for her face. she was happy about this, she started calling out to her brother, wondering when and if he would come. she kept her butt sticking out so her bro could see her, and she just started singing his name, saying. "Can you hear me brother, can you see me brother? Oh little brother of mine, where the heck are you little brother."

wc 386  

[Melomar]

He thought he heard a voice. Caihong listened for a moment but he could not make out the words. It was that awful, cold wind. But no matter. He could still find her. "Prai... I'll find you..." he muttered to himself. He trudged on into the wind and tried to follow his own footsteps. Hoofsteps.

Would she try to find him, or would she stay put and wait for him to find her? What would he do? He’d probably come for her, even if there was a chance they’d cross paths in the middle, without seeing either one. What if that happened this time? How would he know?

“Praisia! I’m coming for you! Stay where you are!”

Would that work? Would she stay put? He waited for an answer but he continued to reach forward through the wind and snow to take another step. His ears were flattened against his head. He would have trouble hearing but it would keep ice from forming inside them, and keep the wind from sliding along their curves.

“Praisia! Where are you?”

Music. He thought he heard music. But it must be his imagination. Why would someone be singing in this bone-chilling storm? Not only that, but it seemed to be coming from behind him. Who could it be? Can you hear me, brother? it seemed to say. These lyrics must be his sister, but if so, somehow he had passed right by her. How could he have missed her?

“Praisia?” He searched for her and only saw white. Where could she be? Where-- Oh. There she was, with her head in the snow and her hindquarters in the air, singing. “Praisia!” He nudged her hip with his shoulder. “There you are.”

WC: 288; 875  

[CryptidCat13]

"Brother!!!" She shot out of the white stuff. "I was so worried about you!" She nudged her little brother "If you need to warm up, stick your head in the snow!! It warms up, makes you relax too, that is why I was singing, because it felt so good to be warm rather then be out here." Prai looked at her brother, he looked so serious. Why couldn't he relax, well, it could be because all this white stuff, and how cold it was. Not to mention how much the wind sliced through her like she were nothing. This was really a bad situation, but what could she do? She felt as if they had no choice but to head back to their mom's place. She then looked to her left and saw yellow snow by a tree.

"OH MY GOSH BROTHER!! Brother look, this white stuff does come in flavors!! She skipped over to it and as she bent over to take a bite, she stopped. "This definitely did not smell like lemon aid or anything yummy...... it smelled like urine!!!! How disgusting! She backed away and bumped into her brother almost falling over. She started to feel really hot and wondered why the world was spinning? "Cai, why is the world spinning?" She fell on her butt. But she wasn't cold anymore!! She was actually getting very sleepy, her cheeks burned and her breath was getting slower. "I bet we could just take a quick nap? This white stuff is soft, and.......ugh brother we need to get to mom's before I pass out.... I dunno, I don't feel like myself." She tried to look at her brother and couldn't focus on him, she was seeing double and she couldn't keep her vision strait. What the heck was going on, she put her claw to her forehead and could feel the heat radiating from her.

Prai realized she was burning up, "Brother, we must get to mom's as fast as possible, I have a fever and it's making me dizzy and my vision won't straiten. I don't think I like this white stuff anymore....." She sneezed again, she tried standing up, then fell over. No! She wouldn't let this white powder take her life! She slowly stood up and leaned on her little brother. "I need your help...." She sneezed again.

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[Melomar]

Caihong felt a shower of snow pelt him as his sister exploded from the drift. He thought she had lost it when she suggested he stick his head in the snow. “Eh, I’ll be fine without that, don’t worry,” he said weakly. He watched her attention flit over to a pool of yellow snow a short distance off. Thankfully she did not eat it.

Her face was getting red around the cheeks and he wondered if it was from the cold. He nudged her cheek with his sensitive nose and felt heat radiating from her. Her words confirmed that she was feverish and dizzy, and that she might pass out. In fact, she was having trouble even keeping her footing! She fell and he gasped. Finally, she leaned against him and said that they should get back to moms’ place.

He nodded and leaned his shoulder into her. “Just lean on me and I’ll get us home.” He started to lead the way, making sure she would keep in step with him. And he adjusted his pace to match hers. And once he got to the place where he had first seen her, he saw that his hoofprints were still visible. “I’m very worried about you, you know.”

WC:208; 1083  

[CryptidCat13]

"Brother, i don't like this white stuff, it's too cold." She leaned on her little bro and wobbled around on their way back to their mother. She wondered how her mother was reacting to this white stuff, wondered if she knew what it was. Wondered if this was normal, or was this a new thing?

Her claws were getting numb, and burn, why burn though? It's cold, not hot. She stopped and blew warm air on her front claws. "Sorry bro, just gotta stop these two from burning." She dug a hole in the snow and put her claws in them, then blew warm air into the hole. "Ahhh that feels better, just a bit longer" She blew some more hot air in the hole.

She pulled them out and moved them. "Yes, much better." There now she was ready to go, she shook off some more snow and straitened up. "Lets get out of this stuff!!" She smiled at her brother, who seemed to always rescue her, when she goes out to rescue him, that must be annoying..... Oh well, least she knew he loved her, thats all she needed, her mother and brothers love. She didn't know what she would do without them. She smiled at her brother, she hoped he knew how much she loved him.

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[Melomar]

“I don’t like it much, either,” Cai agreed. They wobbled their way through the snow for a little while longer before she stopped to blow on her claws. Similarly Caihong’s hooves ached with the burning kiss of gathering snow. He was actually grateful for the short stop, though her reasoning behind filling the claw prints with hot breath escaped him. Did it warm them up very much? She said it helped with the burning. “What you’re doing… does it work?” he asked curiously. He nudged her ankle with his nose, wondering if he was feeling a temperature rise or if he was imagining it. He snorted out hot nose breath at her leg with a chuckle.

When she was ready to continue on, he gamely did as well. Soon they would be back beneath the thick fir trees with their mothers, Arnelle and Fuguihua. They were not an item per se, but they were good friends. It had been a treat to have tea with both of them earlier today.

He gently nudged his sister with his shoulder, worried that anything heavier would lose her her balance. “When we get there we should act annoyingly for them,” he said playfully. “We should whine about the snow and how we want to go home. Maybe they’ll feed us, what do you think?” he laughed. He might be a hero in his sister’s eyes, a fact that would certainly humble him if he knew about it, but he also had a jittering funny bone and mischief twinkling in his eye.

WC: 258; 1345  

[CryptidCat13]

"Bother! You see if you dig a bit of a hole, and breath warm air into it, it warms up, like trapped air, you should try it, i bet your feet are killing you." She was so proud she knew something her brother didn't, it was really nice not being the one to ask questions all the time. Yes she looked up to her brother, but she would never tell him, his head might get so big, he would float away! But maybe someday.

It was so much fun being with her family today! She had lots of cookies and tea. which were now catching up on her, ohhhhh, did she ever have to go pee. "Be right back brother, DON'T LOOK!" She ran behind a big fir tree and relieved herself. "Ahhhhhh, now i feel better." She laughed at her brother. "Sorry brother, had to go to the bathroom, but I'm all better now!"

She giggled. "Let annoy the heck outta them!! Be like when we were young, and momma would say something and we would do the opposite! But then we might not get food!!!!!" She pondered on what to do, annoy, or bug? Annoy or bug??? "Let's just bug them, whining about our feet, that this evil white stuff attacked us and made us oh so cold! And see if they know what this white stuff is? It melts on my nose!!!! I don't like it, it burns even though it's cold. Bug mamma's bout that too, ask her in a whiny voice. WHYYYYYY??????" She giggled.


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[Melomar]

“Oh, that’s interesting!” While Praisia went to relieve herself, he decided to try the hoof-in-hole technique. He tapped his hoof and wiggled it a couple of times to widen the hole, then he bent down and breathed into it. More than the snort he had made at his sister, it was a deep breath and exhalation. He felt his warm breath fill the space. He made several more breaths until his fetlocks began to defrost and his skin began to tingle. It was a pleasing sensation that relieved him. He had not realized his tightened muscles, but now he was relaxing a little. When his sister returned, he remarked, “It worked. Thank you, Prai!”

His sister started to get excited about the prospect of annoying their mothers. “You’ve got the right idea!” He exclaimed. “I think the feet complaint is a legitimate issue to go on about,” he laughed. “Oh mommy, my hooves are frozen! They’re going to fall off!” The thought of going without food was not his wish. “Perhaps if we tone it down a bit we won’t have to bear empty bellies. This cold is making me hungry!”

As they carried on, the last bit of their journey came to an end. Their grateful mothers met them partway and crowded in to nuzzle them and throw warm blankets over their frozen shoulders. Caihong didn’t have the heart to start up his playful complaining.

WC: 236; 1581