Watching and waiting (goldie)

[Nahashsan]

As Nykole rejoined the party, Lucius relayed the  message, "The bird says thank you."

She looked at the penguin, then the cat, and back again. She never expected a thank you. "What is your name be the way" she asked

Lucius tolder her about the clothes abandoned somewhere behind them. "Lets find you clothes so you can return to a human form if we can it back to civilization"

[Goldie]

The Kat-Penguin nodded and then ruffled her feathers slightly to add extra layers of insulation from the added padding. It was always interesting inhabiting an animal. She was still her, but each creature also existed there and their instincts persisted. Some more than others those instincts were so strong it was easy to lose yourself. Like being an ant or a bee. She did that once and it had nearly trapped her. Now she stuck with ones that had a stronger sense of self.

Aikaterini. She responded to the cat. Kat is fine.

She circled a few times in the snow until she was certain warmth had returned to her limbs, then she made space between herself and the only other surviving members of the excursion. Bears were big creatures and she needed the space.

Then the little penguin began to grow, the sound of bones snapping echoing across the tundra which were then mixed with grunts and hisses as her human form returned. Couldn't stay here long, not unless she wanted to nearly freeze again. The cut on her leg was still there and still bleeding, but it didn't bother her much.

"Bear incoming." She informed them before white hair sprung from her skin and she began to grow. It wasn't long before she was replaced with the same polar bear who had helped destroy their enemies before.

This way. She told them as she began trudging back the way she'd come, hoping it wasn't that far before they found Elarick's clothes.

[Nahashsan]

"I am called Lucius and my companion is Nykole Zion but you probably already knew that." He said as penguin Kat ran around warming up. He then relayed Kat's name to Nykole.

Lucius and Nykole both watched in discomfort and Kat transformed first back to human than into a bear. It was the sounds that were the most disturbing.

The party followed the bear as they back tracked. Luckily the tracks hadn't been covered up yet by the wind and shifting snow so it was pretty straight forward to locate them on the frozen tundra.

[Goldie]

Kat was able to follow her tracks easily, and did so at a slow trot, not thinking it was important to wait for the other two. It would be better to be speedy in this cold and they didn't have the luxury of her coat. So she returned to them fairly quickly with the clothes in her mouth and deposited them onto the sled that looked like was being prepped for their journey.

They don't fit me. Too big. I'll stay an animal unless you need me to change. she didn't mention she preferred it.

[Nahashsan]

Once Kat had returned with the clothes, it was time to figure out how to pull the sled. Kykole wanted the bear to pull since they were the largest, but it took time to adapt the harness and rig. They just weren't designed for a polar bear. After much perseverance she finally cobbled something together and they were off.

Mile after mile they trudged across the open tundra. Just as the sun was starting to set, which happened early at this latitude, they came across some low stone ruins of what looked like a old temple or monetary.  "Help me search the area, this would be a good place to make camp for the night if it's clear. These walls will block the wind, " she said as she un did the harness.

[Goldie]

Kat nodded her big polar bear head, and waited patiently to be unhooked from the rig. They had made a good amount of progress, but she had done most of the work and she was tired. Her paws felt heavy as she circled the area, pausing here and there to check the direction of the wind. The ruins were clear and she found a good corner that also had a bit of a lip to help shelter them from above.

Kat let out a loud huff to let them know where she was, and began swiping away at the ground for a clear place to light a fire.

All clear, Lucius. She told the cat, unsure if he could hear her over here. Clouds on the horizon. Looks...concerning...

[Nahashsan]

After undoing the harness Nykole took some time to walk around the ruins. She had always liked old places. It was fun to think about what they would have been like at their height. Near the center of what she believed to have been a courtyard she found a pedestal with the name Saint Alfonzo carved into it. She pondered who the man had been as she made her way back to the group.

In the supplies was a small amount of fire wood. If used sparingly they could at least have a hot meal.

Lucius turned to look at the horizon "I agree, looks like a storm" he replied.

Kykole focused on preparing the food, a meal of pemmican, hardtack, and tea. It wasn't much but it would have to do.

[Goldie]

And once Nykole started cooking, Kat curled herself up close to the fire and let her eyes droop close. It had been a long day and it was catching up to her.

In a few moments, soft bear snores started coming from her snout and her head was resting on her paws. She knew she needed to eat, too, but that would require shifting back and right now the thought of going through it again...

But to eat she'd need to because bears ate too much.

[Nahashsan]

Nykole hummed a nameless tune as she continued to warm up the food. She smiled to herself at the sound of both Kat and Lucius softly snoring. Once the food was done she gently woke the pair. "Wake up sleepy heads, eat up before it gets cold."

As she eat she looked around the corner Kat had picked out. It was a good location,  sheltered from the wind on two sides and from above.

[Goldie]

Kat growled softly when the elf woke her, but the soft rumble of displeasure was all she allowed herself. She could sleep for days - it was good to have someone keeping her aware of her surroundings.

And her stomach was practically screaming at her.

With some effort, she pushed herself up onto her paws and padded over to the supplies where she found Elarick's clothes. Then she began the transition.

A few moments later she returned to the fire, fully clothed, although she looked like a child playing dress up with her father's wardrobe. She wouldn't be able to use her hands in the massive gloves, so she took them off when she sat down again and held her fingers out to the fire.

Then she, too, ate. And...if it wasn't clear before that she preferred being a bear, the way she ate gave it away. It was nothing short of scarfing as if something would take it away from her if she ever actually stopped to breathe. She didn't need much, and she didn't care what it tasted like as long as it filled her stomach.

[Nahashsan]

As they eat the sky darkened as the clouds they had seen on the horizon moved to obscure the setting sun. It made for a beautiful if cold sunset.

Seeing that light was fadind fast Nykole scarfed down the last of her food. "Want to give me a hand setting up the tents." She ask Kat

[Goldie]

She eyed her from over her plate of food incredulously. This woman had seriously just sat down the entire day while she pulled their weight - literally - and now she was asking her to do more?

"I don't need a tent." She snapped. "I'm a bear."

And she took another bite, not that she was hungry or anything, but more to prove a point that she wasn't moving. But...

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

And she stood and began helping.

[Nahashsan]

Nykole tried to bite her tongue at the snappy remarks because if she spoke her mind they would have a fight. She needed friends right now not enemies.

As they work she remarked "I like you better as a bear, you're less rude" she tried and failed to stay quiet. Saying the first thing that came to mind was a problem of hers. It had gotten her into all sorts of trouble ever since she was little.

[Goldie]

Kat helped, trying to ignore the cold that seeped into her gloveless fingers. She needed the dexterity and the big oaf's gloves didn't offer any. The tent was going up quickly, thought she was forced to pause often to see what Nykole was doing - it wasn't something Kat had to do a lot. Normally she just...went bear.

"I like me as a bear better too." She snapped back, "Then if you piss me off enough I can just eat you."

She didn't mean it, actually. Despite her outward demeanor she did actually enjoy company...sometimes. Lucius more than Nykole. He was just there and didn't need anything...

[Nahashsan]

By the time they had gotten the tents up, the sky had gone from red to purple. Now that it was nearly dark, the temperature was dropping fast.

"You're such a brute, you know that"

She started to shiver held the flap open "in you go Lucius, time for bed" with a yawn the big cat got up and went into the tent which was just big enough for two people.

[Goldie]

"Yeah, well, fuck you too!" She called after them before turning on foot and beginning the process of shedding her clothes into a pile under the tarp so they could stay dry. She'd probably need them again and wet clothes were a death sentence.

A few moments later she was a bear again and flopped down before the fire and dropped her head against her paws trying to ignore the cold. She was mostly ok, but even polar bears weren't made for this kind of cold. And as the sun disappeared it got cold.

She fell asleep quickly, still exhausted from pulling the load that day. Her soft bear snores felt louder as they bounced off the ruin walls.

And she slept.

She slept until the wind picked up, seemingly without warning, and she blinked awake to realize the fire, and she, had been covered by a foot of snow.

Shit.

She shivered and turned to look at the tent that was quickly getting buried. Without thinking, she padded over and started digging around the entrance and the sides that were most in danger. Gods she hoped the little bit of roof was strong enough. The wind was blowing so strongly now that the snow was almost horizontal.

But there wasn't anything she could do anymore. She'd have to keep displacing the snow, but for now? She curled up protectively in front of the tent in a desperate attempt to keep the area clear and warmer for her weak humanoid companion and her cat.

[Nahashsan]

Nykole woke to the howling wind and utter darkness. She went to the door to find her stubborn companion laying in front of the entrance.  The wind had changed direction and now the walls did little to protect them.  "What are you doing out there" she ask. The wind blowing the snow straight in her face.

[Goldie]

She had been dozing at this point, and Nykole's voice jolted her back to the present. Another few inches of snow covered the bear which she shook gently from her coat before continuing her watch; her protective duty. First she dug out the front of the tent, not even acknowledging the elf, then she continued to create a moat-like ditch around the little tent as the snow continued to pile on top of them.

Stay inside. she projected to Lucius, knowing she couldn't say anything to Nykole in this form, You'll die in minutes. Stay together. Stay warm. the exhaustion was clear in her voice, but she didn't stop.

Once it was cleared once again, she dropped to the ground and curled into a protective ball at the front of the tent. Already there was at least a three foot wall around them and it wasn't stopping.

[Nahashsan]

Lucius had still been sleeping when Kat called out to him. He thought he had been dreaming and was slow to react. With a long yawn, he opened his eyes and saw Nykole at the door. "What is it, Nikki?" he asked.

She responded by ducking back in side the tent. "A storm has blown in, Kat is keeping the tent clear." She responded.

"What can I do to help" Lucius asked Kat.

[Goldie]

Stay. Inside. she said without moving her head. She was starting to shiver, but it was less of the normal human shivers and more a way for her bear body to stay warm.

She'll freeze. She added, hiding her eyes from the biting winds. The one good thing about the ever growing wall was the protection it was beginning to offer.