The situations considered, he had given it a few days--days spent quietly. To himself, close to his family, or just what he had to do. It was to allow the gravity of it to come to him, then after, acceptance should begin to come too. Though it still wasn't any easier to accept that sort of fate for his younger brother, even after everything between him and the rest of the family--namely his own. It was complicated.
Anyway, Jarilo felt he owed it to her, somehow, and chased an extra rabbit (setting aside the better looking one) for the cause today. It wasn't much, but, it was him out here wanting to communicate the sentiment to
@Keres for making sure Kukutux had stayed safe and watched over while he could not.
He set out newly after all else was wrapping up by late afternoon, carrying the catch delicately and tracked after a recent trail that he hoped would make short work of it. He went on already wishing he knew the silvered guardian on a better level before this.
This, that many days away for not only his misplaced sibling's funerary rites but his wife's grief as well? He wished he knew a more personalized thanks than just a meal. It didn't feel like all that much, weight of it in mind, but the dark Ostrega would start here if nothing else.
Sorry this took so long!!!! D: Also icky post but THEY'LL GET BETTER
Her den was too barren, she had decided. And yet, standing here in front of it, she could not decide what to adorn it with. Unsure why she had never made efforts to decorate it until now, save for fact that it was something for me to write about, Keres figured she would start with the basics. Pelts, furs, her own downy fur as it came free of her pelt.
She was in the midst of these thoughts when she heard a sound behind her, turning to spy the Beta of Moonspear, Jarilo, a plump rabbit hanging from his jaws. Giving a gentle wave of her tail, Keres chuffed and greeted him with a smile and a friendly attitude. While they did not know each other well, the silver-draped valkyrie knew he was the brother of Hydra and the mate of Kukutux, the father of Saviguk and Sialuk.
Hey there. What brings you out this way?
She asked, ears twisting to give him her attention.
It seemed his trail led him towards her doorstep, he realized somewhere along the way. Once he found Keres, got eyes on her, and she turned to greet him, he set down the rabbit and openly swayed his own tail gently. That was effectively another step forward on what he set out to do and with this bit of accomplishment, he allowed himself to settle in. He stood neatly over the kill, and would press on, hoping to convey that he came in peace--not with any ill omen. Hey,
he greeted with a nod, then he swung his nose vaguely, back towards whatever had potentially occupied her beforehand in this fleeting hope that he was not intruding on something. Want to split little a late lunch? Early dinner?
Jarilo offered. It's fresh,
he tempted in case she'd need any help deciding; it was the least he could do.
He hadn't seen her since Kukutux had returned, which spoke well enough for itself. The dark Ostrega felt like he had some gaps he owed to Keres after all of that, somehow, and wanted to just.. check in, at least. He would figure it out as he went.
Food! What a godsend this man was! She could not help the stronger, quicker wave of her tail, nor the tiny round of tippy taps that lifted her front two feet in a short staccato of beats. That sounds amazing, thank you.
Her den was momentarily forgotten, stepping away from it to move closer to the Beta, posture deferential as was instinct. Though she was excited for the meal, her thoughts yet turned to the man's wife, the woman she now had a bond with even if neither of them had spoken about it yet.
How is Kukutux?
Her sentiment was sincere, her curiosity stemming from concern for the medic's wellbeing. The time she had spent out on the glacier had been hard on her, after all.
He felt himself relax just enough to notice when she accepted. A start. Then, she steered it towards the topic weighing on him well before he could even open his mouth. After gesturing the rabbit to a more mutual spot, he nodded slowly first while composing a reply that could begin to encompass his wife. Mending, I think. Glad to be back,
she had said to him, so he hoped it true. He was certainly glad she was back. Their pups, too. Sialuk especially. The time away could not have been easy on her,
he mentioned, sigh that turned into a frown afterward. He understood the aftermath best of all. Piecing together what had led her to that point, based on what he did know.. his heart ached.
But, he hoped that home was a welcome balm for what had ailed for her. When it was all thanks to his brother's violence, too. Which.. I wanted to say thank you for staying with her through everything..
he spoke with a careful calm. It was a relief to know someone was with her, when I could not be..
he explained, and this was just the beginning. For his family's sake especially. Even Revui's ultimately--for none of his blood siblings had been there to see him off in the end. That had been the fate he had decided for himself moons ago.
Anyway, with starting there, the conversation settled in and he was able to get more comfortable. Though he had to broach some heavier topics, he knew he would do so in good company.