Phoenix Maplewood Even a half-smile could slow down the time
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All Welcome 
AW but aiming for @Shivali @Tunerk @Sos @Currituck @Aningan


Shivali had asked for a plaything.

Uki had not forgotten but shortly after her conversation with the whelping sister they moved on - closer to the glacier - and she had more pressing concerns. Before she can go stir-crazy, hanging around the group as she recovers, the tundrian's wounds seem to give her less trouble. Indeed, even her leg seems healed as it no longer hurts to put weight on it. She returned to the wilderness, perhaps a little too soon, and though she brought back less game with her injuries, bring it back she did.

Still, the request lingered in the back of her mind. She kept an eye out for anything that seemed like it might be fun or interesting to puppies - not an easy task as she had never interacted with one. At times, she could be found silently puzzling over an object found in the woods as if considering it but each one seemed unlikely and she moved on.

They'd recently settled in the maple forest, she recognized the scent of sweet sap and at times she could even be found licking it from the trees, but Uki had again split from nanuk's family as they neared a resting point for the day. Hoping to find something to eat, the waif was lost to the trees as they continued on but she found little prey, only the faded overlapping scents of others that had previously passed through remained. It was too stale to determine who might have left such an impression but the woods must have been hunted often before. 

With a wary frown, Uki continued on her path until, deeper into the forest by a small pond she found another predator - a lesser canine, a mere coyote. It seemed to have recently killed a young beaver, as only its throat had been eaten away from as it bent over its still form. Approaching swiftly but silently, the wolf crept behind the coyote - too close for it to do anything but yelp in surprise as she snarled from behind it. It whirled on tawny paws, cowering submissively. At the sight of the wolf, whose unusually long fangs were rather close to its throat, the coyote crept away until at a safe distance and fled. 

Perhaps Uki should have felt bad as she scooped up the remainder of the fresh kill, but it was the way of things and there were hungry mouths to feed wherever Siarut had stopped them. Tupilaq catches up to the group in time, just as Siqiqniq truly begins to rise. The light is softer now as the sky lightens to a paler shade of blue. 

Angakkuq drops the beaver off amongst the others but only after gnawing off the soft, fatty tail. She saves it not to eat, despite the fact that it's a delicacy, but she holds on to it as it's a decent toy for the children. The soft, chewy tail is perfect for teething puppies not to mention the rich fat inside that will help them gain back some of the weight lost on this journey.

She'd waited purposefully until after the mother and pups had rested, until they were out and playing for a moment before their traveling schedule demanded they sleep; Uki even waits until it's only Shivali watching the puppies - too afraid to approach with Tahani or Takiyok nearby. Finally, the spearwife draws near on hesitant steps, beaver tail clutched in her mouth. 

She rests it at her feet, stopping some respective distance from the mother and younglings before chuffing lowly to Shivali. "I found something they might like to play with," her tone seems to imply, if it's alright for me to approach. If it's not she'll be disappointed but she'll leave her offering and go. 

Uki's watched the puppies, much like the rest of their group has, between stops as they play. They're such clumsy, messy little creatures but they also strike a cord somewhere in the berserker's heart that was previously untouched - she would very much like to stay and watch them play but only with Shivali's permission. 

"And you're tired of not being strong."
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Currituck is the first to see the stranger in the distance (though Shivali has already shifted into defense with the approach) so she bounced a few steps closer to the pale woman. In an attempt to get by her, a large paw swats her down with an audible oof and scrambling of unbalanced legs. Shivali stands and keeps herself between the stranger and the other puppies. Currituck sucks her head to peer out across the way, nosing scenting the air eagerly for what’s on the ground. 

She begins to weasel through the long legs, glancing up to make sure it’s okay, and only moves when she’s given a nod. 

“Thank you,” Shivali tells her new pack mate while Currituck crosses the distance first, sniffing the ground for the offered plaything.
Inuttut · Common
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The mother rose in defense causing the tundrian to immediately shift into submission - her feathery tail curling under her stomach as she rested the tail on the ground. She backed up a few steps, lowering herself closer to the ground to seem smaller as her head tilted to the side. With her throat exposed in complete submission, her body language clearly stated I'm not a threat. 

Currituck, from observation, had always seemed the most fearless of the youngest northerners and it was she who first tried to approach. It was only after Shivali gave her a nod of approval that she was allowed to draw near, sniffing furiously for the scent of the beaver tail.

Uki nodded at nanuk's sister, stretching out more comfortably on the ground so she wouldn't frighten the children. The berserker assumed this meant she was allowed to stay and she nudged the tail towards Currituck as she got closer.
"And you're tired of not being strong."
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Sorry for the delay! <3

When she finds the beaver’s tail, her rump wiggles with the speed of her own tail. The other puppies don’t venture out but she doesn’t acknowledge it. She spent the first half of her short life as the only child, now forced to group with the others is a little weird. Rarely does she have the sole attention of one of the adults but when she does, she loves it. Carefully, she scoops up one side of the tail and squeezes the fatty tissue with her small, sharp teeth. A sway of her shoulders starts a vigorous shake of her head, tearing away and flinging the tail, hitting Uki against her closest limb.
Inuttut · Common
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[size=11.6667px]Currituck approached as boldly as Uki had guessed she would, leaving her adoptive siblings behind in the dirt. She takes up the tail and gives it a vigorous shake, wacking Uki in the process. 

The tundrian smiles, genuinely, as she nudges the girl with a playful growl - as if she were about to grab hold of the tail and instigate a game of tug of war. [/size]
"And you're tired of not being strong."
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Are you okay if this is a short thread? I am going to PPC Currituck for a little bit and want to wrap up her threads. <3

From the corner of her eye, she sees the other go for her new toy. Gasp! How dare! Her eyes widen and she grips tighter, teeth digging into the flesh. A hungry stomach roils and drool pools in her mouth, but she does not let go or try to eat it just yet. With a hefty growl, a big as she can muster! she shakes her head with vigor, trying to keep it away from the adult.
Inuttut · Common
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She relents, snapping her teeth playfully as the child pulls the tail from reach. If the others approach, she welcomes them with the same gentle play and if not, focuses her attentions solely on Currituck. 

Once the children have been rounded up - a task rather like herding cats - Uki got to her feet, dipping her head again to Shivali and moving to see if there was any beaver left to eat.
"And you're tired of not being strong."