<p>It was surprising how beautiful the meadow looked in the springtime. Back in her home, farther north than this, it was rare that she would see so many flowers collectively in one spot, unless she was extremely lucky and had just happened by a certain area she was unfamiliar with. Of course, she wouldn't stay unfamiliar with it long, seeking it out again and again until the cold swept the flowers and any other plants away with the coming of winter. Plants didn't grow here like they did there either. It had been more of a tundra than anything, and the few plants that grew there were either dry looking grasses or brittle twigs. There was admittedly more beauty here. The flowers were amazing, the different colors rivaling the sky at sunset - and it was still only spring. Snow couldn't help wondering what it might be like around that first week before summer. Could it be anymore radiant?

<p>She was the only one who felt this way. Her own friend, Haze, missed the icy world they had left, complaining more and more about the warmer weather of this new climate. And all the trees... Snow could still hear him trying to get her to turn back around, for his benefit, so he could make one last swoop along open ground, just for old times sake. She had declined apologetically - she hated upsetting him - stating that she didn't want to give her family time to catch up. So to make up for depriving him of a good long flight over her old, tundra-like home, she had stopped here in the meadow, the closest thing she could find to what he would be looking for. It was all open, the trees collected in the forest, and with plenty of small edibles hidden within the tall grass. She hoped the grasses themselves wouldn't be a problem for him; he was more accustomed to open ground.

<p>Yellow-gold eyes fixed on the bird as he circled around, white wings stretched wide. Snow had watched him hunt many a time before, but still found it fascinating. It was different from the way she hunted, though she tried to bring the element of surprise to her kills as Haze often did. How many of those little rodents really expected him to drop out of the sky like that right over them, talons ready to sweep them away after contact? Well, considering that was how many of their pals went from her old territory, she guessed many expected it to happen one day or another, to either them or those they knew still alive. Here, however, it had to be different. Narrowing her gaze slightly, she watched as the owl swooped down towards the grasses, skimming the tops of them with his talons before he pulled back up and circled around another time, repeating the same movements over and over. He doesn't like the grasses, she decided, recalling his favorite hunting grounds. It had been an open stretch of beach, partially in habited with small rodents farther up from the water's edge. It was nothing like this meadow.

<p>Making another wide arc, the owl swept back around, this time directing himself towards her where she sat in the meadow, her white colored upper body visible above the grasses while her tan lower half remained hidden beneath the flowers. His wings beat heavily as he slowed, lowering himself into the batch of grass Snow had patted down for him, creating somewhat of a landing pad for him. You look almost like your mother from up there, he commented, flexing his wings as he settled them softly against his sides. Snow turned her eyes away, not wishing to recall her mother just yet. Maybe eventually she could get over the hurt she felt when thinking of her, but for the moment it stayed and so she would rid her thoughts of her until that changed. "I'm sure she'd like that," she commented lightly, her voice rather apathetic. Haze could see his statement had been taken a bit offensively, and he stretched a wing out to brush her paw, a small reminder than even he, a bird of prey and still the farthest thing from a wolf, accepted her for who she was. I'll be around if you need me. Snow nodded, watching as Haze took a few steps while flapping his wings, taking to the air.

<p>As he flew off, probably to find himself a cold stretch of bare land somewhere nearby, Snow wondered if her life would have been very different if she had been born an owl. For starters, she never would have wound up a disappointment. The virus didn't affect other animals; wolves were the only ones affected by it. She didn't think too much on the humans, never seeing one in her cold climate and never knowing they preferred warmer areas. If it hadn't been for her mother stating how glad she was of their white appearance and that there wasn't anything wrong with them, she probably wouldn't have known about the effect it had had on their species at all. Another thought that snared her mind was flight. She had asked Haze once what it felt like, when she was young and beginning to wonder if maybe she would be lucky and sprout wings that enabled her to fly, even if they would upset her mother. He couldn't well describe the feeling of it, or the mechanics either, and she still often wondered if it felt like standing in a storm without the rain, with your heart pumping fast and your stomach oddly weightless.

<p>She gave her head a small, disappointed shake. "I'm too old for those thoughts," she muttered almost inaudibly. The owl was gone from view, and she hoped he would find himself a place more suitable to his liking. And what of herself? What of her liking? She still had yet to see any of the magnificent wolves her mother was so afraid of birthing, perhaps because she chose to take odd routes instead of the well paved paths. Either way, she was eager to meet someone of her kind and preferrably with oddities of their own. Remaining sitting where she was within the flattened section of meadow, Snow tried again to think of the mechanics of flying from her short session watching Haze again, hoping maybe to reach a breakthrough this time and finally have something to tell him about his own abilities.

<p>Still no breakthrough, though Snow was trying her hardest. She kept envisioning herself as a snowy owl much like Haze, soaring high in the clouds before swooping down towards a meal. What would that be like, dropping out of the sky for a snack, and darting upward before making a painful, most likely life ending collision with the fast approaching earth? Exhilarating, she was sure of that. The closest she felt she could come to such feelings was that one time when she had only been a year old, walking along the edge of a small cliff created by a snowstorm. The ground had seemed solid enough while walking towards it, but out of no where the ground shifted beneath her feet and she had fallen just over twelve feet into the snow piled high below. That feeling of falling had stuck with her over the years, and she made sure to test the ground where she walked more thoroughly than she had before, just in case the drop should be a little more deadly than that one. At least then the snow had cushioned the fall a bit, though it wasn't as soft as she had expected it to be. Packed down snow was rather rough.

<p>She had just begun trying to think what using wings felt like when movement across the meadow caught and stole her attention. It hadn't occured to her that others might have been in there; at least Haze hadn't mentioned anything, and he had been swooping along it for a while before coming back around to visit with her. And mention Mommy Dearest. The movement was created by - to her great surprise and joy - another wolf. Her first glimpse of her kind since stopping here for Haze, and she wasn't at all displeased. The wolf had a lovely appearance, the dark color of his coat rather striking against the numerous colored flowers around. But it wasn't just his slim frame or the base color of his fur that really intrigued her. He had been tainted by the virus as well. The black fur of his body was mixed with markings of indigo, the color set off by the light of day in a pleasing way. And it wasn't only his virus-influenced color that intrigued her either. In her mind, she could see her mother assessing his appearance, looking down her nose at him first for the dark coloration of his coat, only to have her expression turned disgusted as the light caught the bluish undertone. Snow's eyes crinkled in great amusement, the only sign she was laughing heartily inside. Mother would have hated him on the spot.

<p>Deciding then to strike up a conversation with the dark colored fellow, Snow rose to her paws, the expression on her face still devoid of emotion save the way her eyes still held a bit of amusement around them. She stopped herself from taking that first step, quickly shaking out her two-toned fur to rid it of any small insects or pieces of greenery that had decided to get themselves caught in her white and tan fur. If she was going to be greeting anyone she at least wanted to look her best to leave a good first impression; if her mother taught her anything, it was that you can't redo a first impression, even if they changed their minds later on down the road. Snow allowed herself to approach after that, walking at a casual, leisurely pace as she parted the tall grasses with each step. Not wanting to appear overconfident or rude, she held her head respectably and comfortably inches above her shoulders, her tail relaxed as it swayed gently back and forth with her movements. For a moment, she almost wished for Haze's presence so he could witness her first real interaction with someone unrelated to herself, but knew he probably had better things to tend to, like finding a decent place to rest. Daytime travel wasn't his favorite.

<p>Since they were in a neutral area, she wasn't so very concerned with an attack being made on her, and it showed with the easy way she moved and carried herself. It hadn't crossed her mind to be on the defensive yet anyway, since the wolf hadn't shown any sign of agression. But then again she was still a decent distance away, not much of a threat herself at the moment. The thought finally did occur to her, and to ease her mind she slowed her pace slightly, adding a little more caution to her step. To try and get an idea of whether her approaching wasn't going to upset the dark colored fellow, Snow gave a soft bark of greeting, knowing it would get his attention if he hadn't noticed her yet and let him know she was headed his way. Inwardly she hoped he wouldn't be angered with her, half because it was her first encounter with another tainted individual and half because she still wanted to be accepted somewhere. If someone visibly affected by the virus refused her presence, then were was she to go?

<p>So he had been drinking at a pond. She hoped he had gotten a decent enough drink before she had barked, not wanting to interrupt him and the peaceful setting they had both been sitting in. It had been awfully quiet, save the occasional murmur of an insect, but even them she had deamed the meadows relaxing and enjoyable. As she approached she was able to better decypher the expression on his face, she wasn't surprised to see him looking her over. Her mother often did the same though she knew her back end would never fade into white like the front half of her. Since he hadn't shown any sign that her presence would aggravate him, Snow pressed on at her earlier set pace, slow yet easy now that she was sure he wouldn't attack her for stepping too close. Her yellow eyes were fixed on him as his gray ones were fixed on her, though she didn't need to look him over like he was. She already knew his appearance well enough; hence her approaching him. His expression was awfully curious, and she watched as his brow continued to rise the longer he looked. Did she really look that peculiar? The odd grin did little to help her figure out his thoughts.

<p>She was more convinced he was comfortable with her approach when he moved as well, rising to his paws as if to meet her halfway. It was then that she caught sight of the small patch of brown atop his head, and for a moment she wondered if it was another defect brought about by the virus. A few steps later, she was close enough to realize it was a brown bat, and another step to know it was his spirit animal. Despite the fact she had grown up in a remote section of the world, her family had still followed those beliefs, and her brothers had each had their own animal like herself. The eldest, white colored wolf had had an arctic hare; the younger cream colored one, an arctic fox. Having them all together at the same time created a tension filled afternoon, and she was always surprised when they separated. Unlike most others, though, she and her brothers had spent time away from their spirit animals as well, calling on them in times of need or just having them show up when they hadn't realized they needed the help. It tended to ease the tension, but it made the relationships between them all a little distant, each having to wander off to either find their respective animals or converse with them undisturbed.

<p>The dark colored fellow was the first to stop, tilting his head to the side as if the angle he was currently looking at her wouldn't do for its purpose. She watched as he reclined, taking it as an invitation to speak. If he was making himself comfortable, did he expect to be there a while then? The intensity of his stare mellowed when he looked at her again, leaving a more comfortable air around him which Snow entered into, slowing her pace slightly as she picked a spot ahead of her to sit at. Her ears gave a small jump forward at his voice, so unaccustomed to the sound of other wolves after her months spent traveling with only Haze for company. It almost felt like going from a voice that spoke inside of your head to one that came suddenly from your surroundings, and she was quick to adjust. First to stop, first to speak; Snow listened at his rather blunt comment and question. The mention of an arctic bird nearly made her turn her head - had Haze decided to join them? - but she realized before she had made the move that he had been speaking of herself. Yes, it was a bit obvious she came from the northern regions, and she reclined back on her haunches in the space she had already scoped out to sit in, feet from the male.

<p>Up close it was easier to see the vibrant expressions on his face, vibrant in contrast to her fixedly blank one. It would soon be obvious her emotions or views on things were clear through her tone when speaking, her face more like a mask than a window to her inner workings. She took his words in stride, unsure how else to take them. She wasn't very easily offended, nor accustomed to compliments either, but she knew the truth of her appearance and so didn't bother with his statement. Her eyes glanced curiously up at the small brown bat upon his head before she spoke in reply to his question. "Nudged out of the nest, like all little doves," Snow remarked, a hint of underlying sarcasm to her voice, though it lacked the edge for him to take offense. She was merely being witty, glad she could use her intellect on someone other than her winged friend. If he tried to interpret her answer, she was afraid he would think she had been forced away by her parents, and though it wasn't completely a lie, she decided on a bit of truth. "Well, actually, this little dove jumped a bit early. I suppose crows are no different?" she asked, hinting at himself and his reason for being there. He did possess that blue tone visible in a crow's feathers, and she thought the comparison fitting to the situation.

<p>He didn't appear too much impressed or affected by her try at sarcasm, and she could only figure that perhaps he had heard better remarks or only found humor in himself. The first seemed likely considering there were probably a number more wolves that he had run into in his lifetime compared to herself. Her acquaintances were limited to those few family members she had, and the few others her mother kept around to talk with. Her "pack" hadn't functioned like others, more like a separate family group of the main one everyone in the region was joined with. She based her knowledge of a pack very roughly on her life back north, though she had yet to realize that it could be so different from that. This wolf had probably more experience with everything in life compared to her, from pack life to conversation with others of his kind. And if it was the second - how horrible it must be to only find humor in oneself - she pitied him.

<p>When he replied, he kept up their talk of themselves as birds, so she guessed he found at least some amusement in that; otherwise why keep it up? It appeared he was giving a bit of information on himself as he spoke, almost reminiscing about the old days with his talk of forgetting the years. He didn't appear all that old to have much to sift through when going back through memories, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Perhaps, unlike her life, his had been filled with adventure and excitement, with never a dull moment and something new and perhaps dangerous around every turn. It seemed doubtful since they were living in the real world and not some make believe fantasy place where everyday there is something new to explore and conquer. They weren't pups anymore, that was certainly clear. Though perhaps getting rid of that puplike state of mind was harder to do than it seemed. Snow blinked, doing her best to empty her head of useless thoughts to get herself to focus again.

<p>She couldn't help feeling a bit pushed into replying given the dark colored fellow's choice of words, asking her why she "jumped early." It was odd to her that he should accuse her of looking just above a yearling. She had figured she had filled into an adult shape rather well, for the most part. Maybe she had a bit more growing to do that she hadn't been aware of yet, or perhaps he was just trying to make a point. Overanalysing the situation, Snow made her derailed train of thought hop back onto the track, and the ride was a bit bumpy from there. The question he asked made her think again of her mother, something she was disinclined to do without motivation. Even with motivation she wished she could think of something else. Surely telling some other tale, a completely false one, for her reasoning would be better than delving into that whole mess. But even if she didn't like talking of it, she knew she would. Her mother had never once lied, and had encouraged her pups to stay away from it, too, and so she had been raised around honestly. Well, for the most part. Snow recalled her mother never mentioning straight out the fact that she thought her a disappointment because of the way she acted and looked. Maybe that was why it hurt more...

<p>Her expression had remained as unchanging as ever while she thought and formulated answers within her head. Even now it was still rather blank, though the bit of amusement that had settled around her eyes was gone with the recollection of her mother. She didn't worry about him noticing; he was probably waiting for her reply, too busy listening to watch for small signs of mood changes. And what did it matter anyway? Her feelings were of no concern of his, which was one reason she guessed he had asked to begin with. It wasn't a common thing to so blatantly ask someone about their lives considering the fact that not everyone wanted to remember their past, herself included. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Snow glanced away into the skies, half hoping to see Haze's white figure appear amid the clouds to circle back around towards her. "I'm tainted, imperfect, a disappointment," she replied matter-of-factly, though underneath her words she couldn't hide the twinge of sadness she had felt when her mother first noticed her two-toned coloring. She wished her mother could have been more understanding with her, but she had been so set in her ways there was no room for change. Snow hoped her search here would prove a different, understanding breed lived on this earth.

The silence that stretched on almost felt like a comfortable one, neither seemingly pressured into filling the gap with something senseless. An "I'm sorry," certainly wouldn't have changed the facts, though Snow admitted she heard it more often than she wished to keep track of. Always from Haze, her constant, and only, companion. Even if he didn't say it she could read it clearly in his wide, bright eyes, practically watch it form as it began to soften the edges then settle there. She didn't want pity since she knew it would chance nothing, only give her a sore pride; she certainly didn't consider herself a pitiful being. In her eyes she guessed she was probably much better off than some others who spent their entire lives wandering around aimlessly, without even a spirit animal to guide them. This wolf oddly enough either picked that up or chose his words differently than she had figured, and his words brought her yellow eyes back around to his, half wishing he had been there to tell that to her mother. What a wonderful sight that would have been, she thought, rather liking the mental image of her mother's surprised yet horrified expression at this dark fellow's statement. At least she was glad her mother had had her "perfect" children in her brothers and not none at all.

<p>As he continued, she found her curiosity of him pique a bit. What was this he was tiptoeing around, failing to mention outright but hinting that his life hadn't been all fine and dandy for him? Snow could really only guess, but she knew she had to be off. The way he said the words - was that bitterness? She really knew she was out of touch with communication - let her know that something did come to mind when he spoke them, something she guessed he would rather not think about. Of course that wasn't a surprise, and she knew better than to try and pry the facts out. What were the chances of him actually answering honestly anyway? The two-toned female did take a bit of comfort from the male's words, though probably not in the intended way. There were others out there who had faced their share of hardships, and compared to others, as she had decided earlier, she had gotten off easily. Surely there were worse hardships she could have been forced to live through, but she had only had one: mother.

<p>The change in subject came around rather suddenly, but Snow was unphased, understanding when emotions got too far into play when speaking and knowing when things needed to take an easier route to avoid anything awkward. Their new conversational direction was a much easier one to travel, and she only realized they hadn't introduced themselves after he had brought it to her attention. In her mind she had been referring to him as "dark colored fellow," no need for an actual name since that seemed to suit him rather well to her. And she couldn't help noting that despite his rather blunt ways he really wasn't all bad company. He even remembered to introduce himself, a formality she had forgotten in the short conversation they had just started. It was probably improper to forget to state one's name, but she doubted it would be taken into account when making a judgment on her character.

<p>Never one accustomed to smiles, the small narrowing around the edges of Snow's eyes was probably the only sign that she had thought his "lovely" statement amusing. For a brief second she wondered if she would ever try expressing herself through emotional faces, smiles and grimaces and frowns. They hadn't appealed to her, partially because it annoyed her mother to no end having a daughter who didn't prance around with a big, goofy smile upon her face, as if she didn't have a care in the world. It truly was amazing just how completely opposite she was compared to what her mother wished her to be. "Actually, I was growing quite fond of lovely," Snow replied with a rather wistful turn of her head, as if she wished she might get called so more often. It was all for show, of course, given away by the overdone way in which she had said the words though her features still remained as blank as ever. "But I suppose Snow will do just as well," the two-toned female added, returning her focus back to the dark colored fellow - Lenin, she corrected herself.