"This is refreshing." Esma mumbled out as she tugged the neck of her sweater up over her face a bit more. The half-fae seemed rather content despite the cold weather, but that was probably because she was wearing two jackets on top of her sweater, gloves, two pairs of sweatpants, three pairs of socks, and gloves. She had been hanging back with Rowland, chattering with the wolf about the snow while she fiddled with an old cellphone that her father insisted she keep with her at all times. She tended to talk a lot when she was dealing with something a bit stressful, and much despite her content appearance, she really hated the snow. The warmer summer months were more comfortable for her.

"I mean, look at them all play like that. Even Hide is enjoying himself... though I bet he is freezing in that thin shirt like that." Esma at this point was standing a short distance away from Vivian and William, she was in a fairly good mood too, but it did not seem like she was all that interested in joining in the play. She seemed a bit tired, but not from the walking they had done the past few days. And she was right, all Hide was wearing currently was a sleeveless shirt, a scarf, and a pair of old jean pants. He had no shoes on or a jacket or anything. In fact, Esma was wearing his jacket. 

"I'll go check out the house while they all horse around, see if I can't fix some of it up and make it nice and warm for those of us without fur. And maybe conjure up some medicine for that stupid bird of ours, he is going to get himself all kinds of sick again." She murmured before swiftly starting to make her away along the edges of the clearing. She walked across the top of the knee-deep snow, leaving only a small imprint of the bottom of her thick leather boots. She extended a gloved hand, lightly running her fingers across the various tree trunks she passed, causing several of the trees to sway ever-so-slightly before returning to their original shape. 

During winter, plants usually slept and awaited spring. Forest fae sometimes slept, too. But as a half-fae, Esma had wonderfully been able to avoid such a thing, mostly. She still got fairly tired during the winter months if she did too much. Her father was slumbering and would be for several more months, she was thankful she did not sleep like they did. He was an old fae, one who had been around since long before humans had been a 'thing'. He was powerful, plants and nature alike bent to his will, he could grow trees from nothing but half of a dried out, brown leaf. He could mend broken or ill plants, or even revive them entirely. But while he could do many good things for it, he could also cause them to wither, to die, or to even be poisonous. Unlike her father though, Esma could only grow plants as she needed them. Nature bent towards her instinctively as well, but if she had to explain it, it felt more like it was out of respect for her father than her own power. 

Moving along, she turned her head occasionally to watch the wolves while they all ran about and played. At this point, Hide and Scooter had been joined by Darren, Rossale, Rowland, Bethany, and even Crystal. They were all running about, bumping into each other, tackling each other, laughing and yipping happily while they played. Esma truthfully found it relaxing to see such a scene, nothing made her happier than seeing them all this happy. But with an inwardly tired breath, she quickly continues her trek around the field before finding the path that lead to the house. 

Games with the wolves was always interesting, Hide mused to himself. After the others of the pack had joined in, it went from rough housing to tag, then back to rough housing and then back to tag. Not that he was going to complain too much, he was having so much fun, he had completely forgotten how cold he was. Not that it was entirely his fault, he easily got caught up in the emotions felt through the pack bonds. While he wished he had some control over it, due to his 'Walker' magic, it was difficult for him, even with Vivian and Rowland trying to guide him. Would it ever be possible for him to figure it out? They had told him it was different for everyone, how the pack bonds worked. Even Esma had tried to explain it to him with her abilities and it didn't work. But-

Hide was suddenly jarred from his thoughts though as a mass of wolf slammed into him, sending him flying several feet and onto his back. And within a few seconds, something heavy plops down on top of him, smooshing him down into the snow. A bit of the air was pushed from his lungs as he began to struggle to free himself from under the weight, but Bethany remained on top of him, keeping him pinned down with a soft rumbling growl.

"Beeeeth, you are heavy. Did you gain some weight?" Hide manages out shortly after he quit struggling to try to free himself, mostly because he could feel the low impending snarl that was threatening to escape her. Even with the other wolves around, she was still not quite in control of her wolf. She was easily aggressive if something set her off, and being pinned under her, he really did not want her to suddenly become angry at him. Panic began to swell in his mind, though it did not show on his face.

"Hey, Scoo-OMPH!" As he attempted to call for the others, another wolf suddenly joined in on the dog-pile on top of Hide. Darren had thrown himself over both Bethany and Hide. He was much larger than Bethany who still had growing to do. Though somehow he was not crushing either of them, Hide was still able to breathe miraculously. The brown, black-faced wolf wagged his tail happily. The tension that had been growing in Beth within the past few minutes practically vanished and even Hide's panic had disappeared. Darren had that kind of ability, it was something Hide sort of understood, but at the same time, was a complete mystery.