Once upon a time, Shivali had been eager to see the world. Her paws traveled her all over the place back home until she felt she touched every inch with her own four feet. Leaving her family behind had been a surprisingly easy decision and finding herself back, tied to her family once more, often feels like she isn’t who she had once been. A short span of a few months turned her entire life upside down and the draw she once felt to the wilds outside the confines of their home isn’t there anymore. Sometimes, she forces herself past the borders to expose herself to the surrounding area but the desire has long since died away. Perhaps traveling with a herd of young children needing to be carried, fleeing for their safety had been enough to deter her.
Today, however, is one she forces herself away. The lake is an easy place to go to but she continues along the bank as it flows into a river and even more so into a stream. In the distance a dark figure catches her attention and she watches it, nose scenting the air for clues for familiarity as they grow nearer to the Maplewood (unaware Mornigside has moved entirely into the territory), the smell of smoke and dry fruit coat her fur that contradicts what knowledge she has of the pack that claims her.
The other does not offer any inclination of their friendliness and at first, Shivali picks up a paw to retreat; she is not stupid enough to linger in danger. Her puppies may not be attached to her at the breast anymore, but that does not mean they do not need her and that she does not need to be in good shape to keep up with them. Before she has chance to turn, though, she’s greeted with a slight nod. The pale woman stares across the distance for a moment and watches the dark female, uncertain what to make of the greeting. The common tongue is not her most versatile but she can read body language and the stiffness is not forgotten. Still, the mother keeps her distance and returns the dip of her head in her own greeting.
The dark woman is the first to speak and she watches her for a moment. Pack? is the gist of what she understands and carefully, Shivali nods her head. Many scents carry over from the other and she assumes the same of the other. “Ikkanattuk,” she answers, lifting her head a little. She turns her nose toward the peak in the distance behind her before her attentions return to the stranger. “I am Shivali,” she says thick accented and clunky. With a raise of her brow and dip of her nose, she returns the question: you?
Morningside. It doesn’t ring a bell but she gravitates toward the pack that found them in the maplewood, only because she is so close already. She does not realize they’ve moved into the territory completely. She keeps her distance, just in case.
“Where Morningside?” she decides to ask. Neither are going to budge while they’re teetering the line of politeness and standoffish. She doesn’t know where they reside in the first place when they’d taken residency for a few nights on their hunting grounds. They’d protected what they claimed is theirs without true claim. They did not bed there each night. Resentment settled deep in her bones when they’d been forced out, no matter how much she can see their end of things. She’d been exhausted, hungry, and facing the wearing looks of her children, telling them they do not get to rest, doesn’t easily leave once imprinted in the first place.
hope you don’t mind me jumping in! Sorry for the phone post
While he mostly let his sisters dwell amongst themselves in the caverns, Siarut did check on them every so often. It was a habit, and it award him some semblance of comfort to see his family in good spirits and healthy. His visits however were few and far between, and often only awarded him a glimps or two of the pups and one of his litter mates. With the pups growing older and learning important skills from their respective mothers, they spent less and less time within the caverns.
It was on one of these rare visits that Siarut found the den devoid of either sister. Curiousity struck him and he ventured out toward the scent of Shivali, whom he hadn’t seen in sometime. Strangely her scent drifted past the safety of the claim and west, along the outflow of the lake. Sia knew his sister wandering used to be even more pronounced than his own, yet she seemed to have shed her itchy feet after her children had been born.
Her adventures were always interesting and Siarut had a sudden longing to join her for a journey out of pleasure rather than necessity. With this in mind he tracked her scent, following the burbling water as it spilled down hill over the river rocks.
With further surprise he caught his sister amidst a hesitant conversation with a stranger. The dark woman proving yet again that only shaded wolves lurked these areas. Her pelt was a contrast to the two northerners.
“Shivali?” He chuffed quietly as he came up behind her, not wanting the frighten his sister. The girl before them was struck with the scent of smoke, underlined by Aditya and Dawn. Quirking his head to the side, Siarut was a little more apprehensive about the girl. While Morningside and IkKanattuck were on slightly better terms, they were by no means allies. Sia doubted they ever would be. For the moment, they tolerated each other.
Biting his tongue, he waited patiently to piece together any conversation he had missed.
it cool! i'm usually phone post too LMAO
Desdemona pointed her snout to behind and answered, "Phoenix Maplewoods." She was relatively new, and only vaguely knew how there was a fire and Morningside had to move. Though she did not know their previous claim yet, and assumed there would be a day she would seek it out. However what her mindset focused on, was guarding the current borders for those who wandered a bit too near, or requested to meet with those who dwelled in the forest. Today, was a rare occasion of stepping out, which happened to let her meet an unknown wolf.
"Where is your pack?" The word IkKanattuk took trouble to pronounce, and thought better to avoid the word until a better grasp on saying it. Desdemona didn't want to be rude, nor embarrass herself for being unable to say it... But she was also curious on where they were located, for the lass has yet to know any nearby wolves. It was best to note them in case she was sent out on a task, and wouldn't want to set in their borders.
Though after she asked a question, another stranger came to the area; one that looked similar to Shivali. They seemed like opposites to Desdemona, as she was a dark sleek wolf, but they seemed white and plush. Perhaps it was a common trait in their pack, she momentarily concluded. As the two smelled similar she did not put up hostility and remained stoic. She gave a nod of greeting toward him, but remained silent to his entrance.
Desdemona answers the question and points behind here in the maplewood. Shivali looks passed her as if she can see right through the world between them. That had been where they’d taken a rest for the day. Did they move? Did another pack swoop in and take it.
She’s about to ask the question, parting her lips, when she instead asks her own question. A frown pulls at her lips, turns her head, and points to the peaks in the distance. “There, between mountains,” she clarifies should the earlier gesture been misinterpreted. “I do not know the word, um, big ice?” is all she offers before she turns back, hearing something behind her. Shivali blinks several times at Siarut, brows knit between her dark eyes, questioning why he has followed her here.
Siarut knows right away who stands before them—at least, where they’re from. The woman introduces herself to her brother and she looks between them, then listens as he tells her the fate of Morningside. Her head lifts a little and she freezes her expression when a smirk starts to form, resting it something neutral. The wolves got what they deserved in the fact of a starving, weary family and justice came full circle. Unaware the leaders have come to visit the glacier, she finds a sick enjoyment in their suffering.
While her brother takes over the conversation, Shivali takes a step back and remains silent. She’d been struggling with the conversation to begin with and she doesn’t have time to address how much she’s fallen into Siarut’s shadow since she’d reunited some months ago. With a deep breath, she lowers her rump to the ground and allows them to talk without her for a while.
Shivali doesn’t have much to add to the conversation. She doesn’t have the confidence in her native tongue to continue when Siarut has a handle on the situation. Still, she listens and makes out what she cans as her brother asks about their plans. Dark eyes drift between the pair in silence as they exchange. The location of their former home had been unknown to her and their distance (or closeness) didn’t really matter before but she knows where the maplewoods are now and she doesn’t know if she feels better or worse knowing exactly where they are. The other woman, however, hadn’t been with them very long, it seems, and she can hardly hold her accountable but her distaste for them in general still remains.
phone post!
He wasn’t overly pleased wit the answer provided, although glad that one had been offered. “I see.” His neutral tone was evident. Noticing his sisters silence he turned her way slightly to see if she had understood the response.
He wasn’t sure how to feel. They were closer, than originally anticipated, encroaching on the territory he claimed for his family. Yet they had tried to strike a neutral relation with the deposed pack. This was something that he would want to discuss with his sisters.
His question had been answered, and he found he nothing else to say. Glancing back at his sister, and then to the woman. He waited to see if she might have a question in return.
Siarut doesn’t have much to say to the dark woman’s words. When he glances back at her, she doesn’t alter her expression aside from a slight nod. She understands enough and if she needs, she’ll ask later. But Desdemona asks about their relationship and Shivali decides not to answer this one. Not because her common tongue is poor, but because she cannot make the judgment call. To her, they aren’t the best of friends when she and her children suffered and she cannot easily let that go. After a beat, her eyes turn from the woman back to her brother to see what he has to say.