██xx𝐍𝐈𝐌𝐔𝐄 w𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇
age. two years gender. female breed. border collie x role. n/a mood. uncertain tags.--
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The collie was thinking she was in a clear enough head-space to judge the conditions ahead. Though usually sensible and level-headed, her mind began to wonder again. Her heart began to pull with ache and she mindlessly picked up her feet again. Making perhaps an illogical decision to stray further from the others that had all banded together. She knew they were better equipped in close proximity, she knew this was a bad idea, she knew she could get lost and never found. Despite knowing this, she was rather distracted from these logical points and she carried on. Nimue continued on with her exploration of the surrounding area hesitantly, wincing as gusts of ice stung her face. She was out of her mind, but had enough clarity to at least made a point to drag her feet a little in both the higher and lower banks of snow, trying her best to keep some semblance of a path. This was to follow back to the sheltered area she and many other lost dogs were camping out in. She pushed her feet deep into the snow, feeling the damp and in most parts, frozen mud far beneath her. If she were to lose her way, so much that she couldn't find the path visibly, she could at least pick up scents from her paw pads trekking through the hills.
It was early morning, and it seemed most, if not all of the canines she'd met previously were still resting as best they could before she left. Some huddled in the same space to share body heat, others creating some distance as they weren't trusting the new group quite yet. They were all recharging their energy as they waited for the weather to lighten up. They'd need it if they were to all split up and find their families soon. Nimue, usually a social and friendly soul, wound up being rather indifferent to the dogs she'd met, her mind occupied not on making friends here but how she'd get back home. Home. Her human needed her greatly, and her heart ached thinking of how upset she must be. She had some semblance of hope that her female owner would be out searching for her. Imagining that her owner's faint silhouette would appear across the white tundra, she quickened her pace. Not long ago, her survival instincts were keeping her close to the other pets. In the blink of an eye even she was so frazzled even she couldn't understand how much trouble she could be heading towards. Her mind absent and fuzzy with memories of her beloved owner, she began to quicken her pace. In an instant, she was brought back to reality when she heard a chorus of panicked howls. Oh man. Not only was she seeing things that weren't there but hearing them too?
Seeing what looked like debris fly down from a peak some distance away from her, she recoiled. She couldn't tell what was happening at the high point of the rugged mountain ahead. Hearing the faint howls, whines and other canine noises Nimue hesitated not to follow her curiosity. Carefully she crept through the lower snow banks, on top of thick white snow that had frozen so she wasn't sinking into it. She followed a rugged, rocky ridge around and began to see bits of debris sitting atop the snow. She kept glancing up, trying to see where this came from. Where the noises came from, but she couldn't quite tell. There were unmoving shapes she could barely make out along the side of the rocks above. The collie began to struggle against the wind, when she came to a halt. it was difficult to tell, but.. was that the scent of.. no.. her heart thumped harder in her chest. Someone, something had recently been deceased. Very recently, in fact. Nimue hesitantly glanced around, noticing the red dots in the white plains. Nimue, in a panic, turned on her heel and hurriedly began to return to her path. As she made a shortcut through the icy and slippery terrain, she reached a patch of fluffy powder on the start of a higher snow bank. Her paw hit something right beneath the surface, and she reached out her other shaking paw to brush away the layer of snow. Something furry and warm appeared and Nimue admittedly feared the worst. Had she really stumbled across someone who had just fallen victim to the harsh grip of death? Gathering the courage she needed, she squeezed her eyes shut as she leaned forward to sniff this furry mass. It didn't smell injured, dead, or otherwise. Miraculously, it seemed to be breathing! She nudged the thick fur with her nose, gathering the slightly sweet scent of a puppy. Hurriedly clearing out the snow around her and the little one, she laid her eyes on just about the cutest thing she'd ever seen. A young dog, cute as a button with paws too big for her body and floppy ears on either side of her head. She sure was adorable, but more pitiful than anything. Worry set in as she realized the tot hadn't opened her eyes or made a peep. Breathing, though... was a good sign. Nimue carefully used her jaws to pick up this puppy, and she glanced up again. Those sounds earlier. They certainly sounded like other dogs. After sitting idly in thought, more quizzical than pitying herself now.. she wandered up the slope. Puppy in tow.
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