Snowed In

While there was no shortage of stories to be told, in truth, it wasn't hard to become restless when penned in by the weather. Ironic, that, when the time to relax might otherwise have been quite welcome. Something that came from the whole being trapped side of things, no doubt.

When it became clear that sitting and simply listening was no longer riveting, something that various little fidgets and shiftings revealed quite plainly as evening drew in, it was Agata who had a suggestion. Namely, that they try their hands at some crafts (for a given value of 'hands'). That she herself had no means of grip besides a tail and her mouth didn't dissuade her in the slightest, her eyes bright as she glanced around at everyone in earnest.

Though it took a moment for the idea to sink in, it didn't take long before it was picked up in earnest. While they didn't have googly eyes or glitter glue, there were plenty of rocks and pieces of wood to claw or chew into shape, and Ashen's pale ore to twist into fastenings or embellishments.

Little wooden dolls and carved stone figures took shape beneath claws and fangs, and Mitsuke's efforts yielded some tools for more fine detail, while Agata flitted between the others to bring them whatever she thought they needed, offering up suggestions. Rune, for their part, was mostly interested in setting up puzzles with the materials, but there was plenty enough to share. It was a satisfying sort of pastime, with a warm atmosphere despite the harsh chill outside. Still, with the amount they wound up creating before it was time to sleep, perhaps they needn't keep all of their works?

The gleam of metal was visible for a fair distance, the motion of the coin flicking reflected light around like a tiny beacon. Usually, that wouldn't be all that meaningful. After all, metal wasn't exactly rare, nor sunlight uncommon. However, in the immediate aftermath of the blizzard, activity had yet to resurge completely. For the moment, things were quiet and still - which made that flash-flicker of light all the more stand-out and enticing.

A little white blur - too rapidly to be easily evaded, something crashed right into the box of coins with an abrupt clinking thunk. To add fresh bemusement to Ashen's already baffled mind, delighted chirps and trills seemed to be coming from the creature within. He knew very well that whatever had come hurtling out of the cloud-swathed sky was certainly not kin of his, but the sounds the creature made - it sounded almost like the sort of sounds Hornet had made when she was newly hatched.

As he peered in once again, he was greeted by a set of equally inquisitive and quite unabashed eyes, whirling in different hues. There, in miniature, was what looked very much like a dragon. Not one of his world, but he felt the selfish desire to consider them distant kin anyway - was a wyrm not a kind of dragon, when one got down to it?

The way she stared at him - and somehow, he found he knew this little one was unquestionably female - was oddly transfixing. It felt as though he was being assessed, somehow, and a curiosity that wasn't his own brushed brazen against his mind. A brief flicker of alarm faded as quickly as it had come, as he realised that her mental presence was entirely nonmalicious.

"What are you doing out here in the cold all by yourself?" Naturally, his soft query met with no verbal response, though she did fix him with a look that seemed vaguely amused, as if there was something obvious he wasn't grasping. "Would you... like to stay? I would... be quite delighted if you would..."

This time, amusement trailed against his mind from outside, warm and playful. He had time to realise she was tensing for a leap only a moment before an impact to his face as she landed there to wriggle her way up into his crown of horns to curl up. Contentment trickled in like warm honey, alongside a little trill that yanked at his instincts, and he had his answer. "Thank you..." He breathed, a little wide-eyed. "I think... I will call you Snowdrop..."