Art Credit: Kuma
*The wind howls, carrying the scent of ice and... is that wet dog?*
"Come closer, young wolf. No, a bit closer. I don't bite... much. Usually just the ones who step on my tail."
The blue-grey wolf sighs, a cloud of frost escaping his muzzle. He isn't standing on the ground; his paws hover an inch above the permafrost, glowing with a faint, ethereal light.
"I am Frostbite. I’m the Spirit of these peaks. Some call me 'That Grumpy Floating Fur-Ball.' Personally, I prefer 'Your Eternal Majesty,' but I suppose 'Frosty' will do if you're feeling brave."
"I am Frostbite. I’m the Spirit of these peaks. Some call me 'That Grumpy Floating Fur-Ball.' Personally, I prefer 'Your Eternal Majesty,' but I suppose 'Frosty' will do if you're feeling brave."
The Great Sky-Smash
"Thousands of years ago—back when I had a physical body—the sky actually worked. It stayed up. It was blue. Boring."
"Then came the Star-Fall. A moon made of pure Chroma-Dust shattered like a glass bowl dropped by a clumsy pup. Liquid starlight poured over these mountains for a century. It was messy. It was loud. And it was very, very bright."
*He gestures to the valley below.* "The dust seeped into everything. The trees turned silver, the water turned into a potion, and the wolves? Well, we drank the water. Big mistake. Or big upgrade, depending on how much you like looking like a neon sign."
"Then came the Star-Fall. A moon made of pure Chroma-Dust shattered like a glass bowl dropped by a clumsy pup. Liquid starlight poured over these mountains for a century. It was messy. It was loud. And it was very, very bright."
*He gestures to the valley below.* "The dust seeped into everything. The trees turned silver, the water turned into a potion, and the wolves? Well, we drank the water. Big mistake. Or big upgrade, depending on how much you like looking like a neon sign."
The Fashionable Fur
"You’re staring at my coat, aren't you? Yes, I know. I’m fabulous."
"Because of the Star-Fall, our DNA went through a blender. A wolf who slept near glaciers became Arctic Cream. Those near crystal veins became Amethyst Haze. It’s localized atmospheric mutation. Get with the program."
"And the markings? The Muzzle Masks aren't for show. The spirits gave us those so the mountain would recognize us as its own. It's like a VIP pass, but for not freezing to death."
"Because of the Star-Fall, our DNA went through a blender. A wolf who slept near glaciers became Arctic Cream. Those near crystal veins became Amethyst Haze. It’s localized atmospheric mutation. Get with the program."
"And the markings? The Muzzle Masks aren't for show. The spirits gave us those so the mountain would recognize us as its own. It's like a VIP pass, but for not freezing to death."
"We don't have 'normal' colors here. If you wanted a plain brown wolf, go to the plains. This is Aethelgard. We do drama." — Frostbite
The Glitchy Pups
"Sometimes, the magic gets... carried away. We call them 'Ascensions.' You mortals call them Mutations."
"Take Albinism. It’s what happens when a pup is born in the absolute center of a starlight-concentrated blizzard. They become ghosts while they're still alive. Then there's Melanism—shadow-stuff. We're basically just a giant, fluffy science project."
"Take Albinism. It’s what happens when a pup is born in the absolute center of a starlight-concentrated blizzard. They become ghosts while they're still alive. Then there's Melanism—shadow-stuff. We're basically just a giant, fluffy science project."
The Bone Economy
"Now, let's talk business. Why Bones?"
"Gold is for humans. It’s heavy and doesn't do anything for a wolf in a snowstorm. But a Bone? A bone is a memory of a meal. If you want a fancy raven or some herbs, you pay in the currency of the fallen. It’s poetic. Also, it’s easier to dig up than gold."
"Gold is for humans. It’s heavy and doesn't do anything for a wolf in a snowstorm. But a Bone? A bone is a memory of a meal. If you want a fancy raven or some herbs, you pay in the currency of the fallen. It’s poetic. Also, it’s easier to dig up than gold."
"Listen, I’ve got things to do. Remember this, Alpha: The Spires don't care about your feelings. They care about your pack's Lineage."
"Keep them fed. Keep them level. And for the love of the moon, don't let your Alpha go hungry. It’s embarrassing for all of us. Now go. You’re letting the heat out of the valley."
"Keep them fed. Keep them level. And for the love of the moon, don't let your Alpha go hungry. It’s embarrassing for all of us. Now go. You’re letting the heat out of the valley."
*The spirit vanishes, leaving only a faint trail of blue sparks.*