Duskfire Glacier Lay your weary head to rest.

Forward dated to 7/25

@Siarut @Shivali @Tahani @Tomkin @Sos @Tunerk @Aningan @Currituck @Uki @Aqakuktuq @Nanook @Samothes @Alessia @Aleks @Mirabelle

I'm super sorry if I forgot to tag anyone!

Before the start of their last night of travel, Taki had let everyone know that they would be at the glacier by morning, and the anticipation felt from the group was a live thing that had pushed Taki to forget about how tired and stressed she was. All night she kept a running countdown in her head as she noted familiar markers that told her they were getting closer and closer. 

The sunlight was just starting to peak out from the horizon when Taki felt the first ice under her paws. She could barely contain her excitement at finally being home. The trip here had been hard on everyone, but it was all worth it to be able to show her family their new home. Unable to stop herself, she let out an excited whine before picking up her pace so that she was almost running. Once she was sure they were all deep enough into the territory, she slowed to a stop and turned to look at everyone. "We're finally home," she said excitedly before she ran up to her siblings, panting and smiling. She knew there was still a lot of work to be done to secure this territory for their pack, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy this small victory.

Now, she just needed to call for Mirabelle and Aleks, the two wolves that had been watching over this place in her absence. Not much had changed, and she didn't scent anything that spoke of pack, so she assumed the two were still around somewhere. So, lifting her muzzle to the air, she let out a long howl to tell them that she had returned.

she'd been waiting for this moment for what seemed like forever — homecoming.  in the northerners' absence she had made sure to do what she could to make this place feel like home.  she had carved out a good spot for a cache and started a personal herb cabinet, and she'd found a place at the foot of the glacier, not entirely covered up by ice, for the children... if it pleased their mother, anyway.

but back to the children!  she'd prepared a welcome party of sorts, with eggs harvested from her flock of chickens in the forest, bones, antlers, feathers, and other fun trinkets.  she was quick on her feet as the howl rose in the air and with a breathless smile did she greet the incoming herd.  there were many more than she'd expected, and she did not know whether to be delighted or frightened.  welcome home.

Their journey comes to an end. Almost. She can see the ice. It doesn’t do anything. She thought it would be this grand entrance, this entire change, but after everything? She doesn’t have anything left to give. She isn’t even entirely sure how they’ve gotten here, after all that. Everything is numb and hurts at the same time and she’s tired and she’s surprised she’s taking another step. And another step. @Sos feels so heavy in her jaws and she simply drags herself the last little bit.
 
When Takiyok comes to a spot, the ground cool beneath her feet, she slows to a stop. Automatically, she puts the boy down. Her younger sister comes around to everyone and announces their home. If she comes up to her with any affection, she barely responds, too tired to offer anything else. The feelings of danger aren’t entirely shed and she simply wants to hide away. If they’re home, she can go off and sleep. They’re all tired, they’ll all understand. And if they don’t, well, she’ll care about that later.
 
Shivali barely registers the call, barely remembers there are other wolves on the glacier to hold their ground, and when someone else approaches, she barely gives her a glance. Back legs give out from beneath her and she plops to the ground, sagging the rest of the way to the cool icy floor.

Slowly the weather had changed, the temperature was dropping as the steadily gained altitude, and the ground went from grass to gravel. The announcement of their arrival wasn't a surprise to the man as the snow accumulated. The chill gave him a relief from the heat they had baked in so far since arriving in the Teekon. Coming along side Shivali Siarut sets @Tunerk down gently beside her brother, and offers what little support he has left for his littermate. 

Takiyok's call does not go unoticed by the pale bear, as he survey's the woman that approached. He wished to be friendier, but he had no energy for introductions, he merely gave the woman a stiff nod. Turning to you youngest sister, "Shivali needs a place to rest." There would be plenty of time to enjoy their new home, but for the moment they needed to get the pups and their mothers somewhere to rest. They all need rest, he wished to see everyone settled before he surveyed the territory he and his family would claim as their own. "We all need a place to rest." 

making some tiny assumptions, can change!

he lingers by the glacier, willing to stay at mirabelle's request -- he recalls his brief encounter with the strange northern woman and wonders if she is one of the northerners the odd kulning woman spoke of. when he responds to the summons for mirabelle and the other glacier-keeper it is both to properly meet those making their claim and to see what on earth mirabelle is doing, her odd activities being of intense interest to samothes (although he has not directly bothered her about them so much as observed as much as possible at a distance, like she is his personal daytime television program.)

cautiously he approaches the gathering, scanning the group -- ah! takiyok is among them, something immediately soothing to him. he chuffs to mirabelle in greeting and surveys the motley crew (and their hoard of children -- oh, brother), head lowered respectfully. "apologies for the intrusion," the messeda says smoothly, "but mirabelle here has spoken to me about your forming claim, and i was hoping to offer myself to your purpose." just please don't make me babysit, he adds mentally.

it was a paradise. a glittering, sparkling expanse of white, a winter wonderland. she felt like a child again as she gazed at the ice, setting @Currituck down before her as the pack came to a halt. there was a pale woman she'd never met, as well as an unfamiliar man, who introduced himself without a name. despite it all, she felt too good to be uneasy, giving the pair a grin before looking over at her siblings.

Shivali looked so exhausted, and she rushed to her sister's side, though keeping a close eye on Currituck as she did so. Tahani licked her cheek, nodding along with Siarut in agreement. her own eyelids were beginning to droop; after so much travel, so many moons of being on guard, the feeling of being home at last pulled at her every nerve. she could not wait to sleep.

He took his time to answer the call. Perhaps mentally preparing himself for the long awaited arrival. He composed himself with neutral features and a neutral stance. All the pale figures up ahead let him knew it was indeed time.

Most were strangers but he was familiar with Mirabelle and Takiyok. He lingered on the outskirts of the group, burnt orange eyes roaming over everyone here. All he offered was a small chuff of his arrival.

The wolves guarding the glacier had been mentioned but Uki had found their temporarily nomadic lifestyle a more pressing concern while on the road than her thoughts on what arriving would be like. The sight of the ice filled her with a joy so deep that a noise bubbled in her throat - a sob of exhaustion or a laugh of relief - threatening to escape. The waif swallowed the rest of her weariness and plodded along after the family. 

She broke off from them, lingering some couple of paces away from the majority of the wolves gathered. The berserker watched the rest of her new pack with a cool argent gaze; seemingly unable or unwilling to interact if the guarded hunch to her wounded body is any indication.

The gashes and rusty wounds littering her body, alongside the sharp definition of her skeletal structure speaks of a hard experience found on the road. The waif can muster no energy to greet the rest of nanuk's gathering and simply waits for the opportunity to fall into a dreamless sleep.

Just a cameo, unless someone wants to interact with Fisher in particular!

They were finally, finally here. Aqakuktuq could have collapsed on the spot, but she didn't. Willing herself to be strong for just a while longer, she kept with the main group to greet the members already holding down the fort. In business mode, as he tended to be, Siarut brought up that Shivali and the children needed somewhere to rest―and so did the rest of them. The wolves who remained at the glacier were likely surprised at the sheer number of members coming in. Having all of them in one place now really visualized just how large this pack would be right from the start. It was daunting, yet comforting to Aqakuktuq.

Being here felt right, even though it'd take time to settle in―physically and socially―but it would happen. This pack was her opportunity to have a true purpose again.

We can just do this in rounds; no posting order.

Taki was happy to that Mirabelle answered her call fairly quickly. She gave a nod to her greeting before turning back to the rest of the group. 

Seeing Shivali's exhausted form, she put her excitement aside for the time. Sia soon stated that they needed a place to rest. There are caverns not far from here. Anyone that wants to rest can safely do so in there, she answered. The journey had been long and weary, and she understood that some of them needed some time sleep and replenish their energy. 

Her attention was drawn to the arrival of the male she had met during her solitary travel to glacier. Samothes, she greeted with a nod. We are in the process of forming a pack, she added. We welcome any strong wolves that can help us achieve our goal, Taki said with a glance to Sia to make sure he agreed with her.

Aleks arrived then, and Taki greeted him with nod, also glad to see that he stuck around and guarded the glacier with Mirabelle.

My last post here! <3

Takiyok offers them direction where to go as others begin to filter in. She’d been told of them but she doesn’t know anything about them and they haven’t served any energy in her mind to remember. Carefully, she looks between the strangers, before her eyes dance around and she beckons for willing participants to pick up the children and totes them off somewhere safe so they can feed and rest after the final leg of their journey. She simply doesn’t have it in for niceties and social interaction.

Siarut surveyed the wolves that had answered Tak's call, he's expression stubbornly neutral. Giving his second a nod as she spoke to Samothes, any strong bodied wolves would be welcomed galdly. "Thank you for guarding our home for our journey." The pale, green eyed man continued to survey the three wolves that had waited for them. Takiyok had done well to recruit them.

With that said, Siarut picked up Tunerk once more. Headed toward the caverns Tak had mentioned, to give Shivali and her young a safe place to sleep.

Tapeesa crept closer as they moved to settle in the caverns, disliking the dark maw as she approached and descended within it. If allowed, she would pick up one of the children and carry them inside with her to set at its mother's side. If not, she would follow at a respectable distance. 

Once inside, she chose a spot somewhere near the family and stretched out, resting her head on her paws. Her silver eyes cast a last wary flicker overhead - surveying the monstrous cave - before closing wearily. With her injured body held as comfortably as possible, she fell into a peaceful sleep.