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KirasDarkLight [2016-06-29 00:01:34 +0000 UTC]

It had started off slowly at first, almost so no one would notice it. It was just first a simple thing where it had not rained at all during this time of new spring. A little unusual but it had happened before where spring time rains were late because they had received a lot of snow during the winter. The plant life would blossom off the reserve waters underground any way in due time that had melted and collected since the warm weather thaw. But then more things began to go wrong. The leaves on native bushes would stay dead brown, yellows and oranges. The beautiful red and green hues that she had so come to love were lost, and so too were the tiny white, purple, blue flower petals that accompanied life of new spring. Droughts had never done this before so quickly and so much, all life up here was hardy enough to survive without the rains.
Birds were staying away from nesting grounds, and in fact most migratory birds had not yet made their returns home for their wonderful summer stay. Accompanied by many rodents either staying in their winter burrows or simply dying on the way it was clear there was something very wrong.

Valka herself had never been in tune with the spirits of the land, sometimes she wondered if they even existed. This partially came from her handler Leroy being very based in science and facts that could be proven, not fairy tales and legends where something 'might' be real. But even Leroy's science could not explain things that went on from here out. Valka's son Tuffnut, who had always been a sensitive soul since he was born, simply disappeared one morning. He had never been one to go on lone adventures or take off and say nothing to any one. He had once told her he could speak to Aippaq and the spirits they lived with, but this was when he'd been nothing but a pup. And all pups were likely to make up stories from things they had learned or heard about. Then again... the last few weeks he had been on edge, and when she'd asked him why he had said she would not believe him if he told her.
Oh if only she had listened.

As spring moved later into the season conditions were not improving. The caribou had not returned as far north as they usually would and prey was becoming scarcer by the day. Many tribe's men and villagers across the land had begun to go to scared sites, preying for the return of health to their land and for the safe return of the mother spirit. Aippaq. Even Leroy had taken his pack out on missions to try and restore balance and find Valka's son... But all calls were unheard.

Then finally, just before the first week of summer, Spud fell gravely ill. Valka's little hare had only been with her short time but she and Spite had grown attached to the little critter nevertheless. Leroy took him to the vet, and even though there was something clearly wrong the doctor could provie no cure and no answers.
Late that night Valka broke in and took Spud from his resting place. Stealing into the night with Spite her faithful deer the large dire covered much ground as quickly as she could. There was one of two places she could go, but Aippaq's Mirror was just a little closer.

Sliding out onto the sheet ice Valka and Spite carefully crossed towards the center of the giant lake, a thin film of melted water reflecting the night sky back up at them.

Her voice rang clear for all animals around to hear her. But still the silence that answered her back was deafening. Lowering little Spud from her back onto the ice Valka hung her head. She was going to loose him, and there was nothing she could do...

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KirasDarkLight [2016-06-24 23:11:58 +0000 UTC]

OH MY GOSH THIS IS AMAZING! Q3Q Poor lil Spud. This turned out brilliantly. <3 Thank you so much, I hope the spirit comes back to help things heal.

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