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Spring had come to Teekon in the time it had taken her to fight her way back home. 

Home. Such a strange thought, it distracted the northron from her surveillance of the changed landscape for a moment. She could not remember the last time she had felt such a sentiment. Perhaps not even in Salik's clan which had been so quick to turn on her for things beyond her control. 

Snow still clung stubbornly, particularly here in the Taiga where the climate was always slightly cooler. Ice crusted the edges of the Qeya as she and her boy treaded the icy waters. She wondered if it could wash clean all the mistakes she had made, all the sins that seemed to cling to her skin. 

Spring was stubborn though. She could smell it on the crisp air, a fresh whiff of renewal and dormant plant life preparing to burst into bloom. The scent of heat fever that grew heady as she neared the Glacier. The same scent that was beginning to envelop her own form, though she did her best to ignore the impending arrival of her estrous cycle. 

It was not the same woman who had once forged a home with Wintersbane that approached the borders, not truly. 

She was gaunt, even beneath the thick wool of her fluffy pelt. And there was a sunken, haunted quality to her cracked gaze that she could not shake -- even as she smiled reassuringly, tilting her gaze down to meet Siku's gilded eyes. A pain strummed through her heart, to look into those eyes so like her husband's. 

Aquamarines flickered back to the gap where her leg should've been. Lost in a mountain slide. There was a measure of horror in her son's gaze as well, for which she could never forgive herself. 

Would he be angry? And if so, how much? Enough to rage and send them away? Suppose he'd found another to take to wife, another woman whose body released the perfume of spring time to sire children on.

Her head lifted, gaze anxiously scouring the ice and conifers as if they might give her some clue. There was nothing for it; it was time to face the music. 

Steeling herself, Imaq howled. 


Sikuliak hung close to his dam's side. He did not think to be embarrassed of his attachment to her, in spite of the fact that he was halfway to being a yearling. Imaq was a constant, the one thing that never changed. And he had spent enough time trailing her through the wilderness that it was instinct to hover at the peak of her splotched shoulder. 

He had vague, shadowy memories of this place. And the Ataatax his mother spoke of, though his sire's face had become a blur in his young mind. 

He hoped, much as Imaq did. 

Even so, he had grown protective of his Anaa since her accident and the horrific loss of her hindleg. In spite of the fact that he was still a boy, and the limp that hindered his step on account of Makatza, he pressed closer to her -- stepping forward so he stood shoulder to shoulder with his mother. 

Guarded gaze of whiskey scanned the distance of the place that had once been home, trying to connect it to his hazy memories. Trying to decipher what awaited them here, if it was a danger to the wolfdog at his side.
Glad to see you back!! <3

He hadn't gone far in his expedition, staying in the surrounding forests to comb them better than his initial search did. His nose was to the ground but his ears scanned the horizon for whatever may cross his path. What he expected to hear was the soft crunches of squirrel or martens scurrying by but what he actually heard stopped him in his tracks. Hotah could feel his heart sink into the seemingly endless depths of his belly with the mass of a boulder, the howl chilled him to his bones. Snow flew from the ground below him, his feet kicking it up as they initially had little traction but they soon found themselves.

He was weaving, skidding, and even drifting around trees as the man ran his way back to the glacier. His heart was pounding in his chest, not from running, no but from the sheer exuberance and hope rushing through this veins. They were going to be his unending fuel source, no matter how much his legs or lungs burned he had the means to keep going. Finally closing some distance he could see the Qeya river. Tears pricked his eyes but he angrily shook them away, crying would be no way to greet them. 'Please be them, please be them.', he chanted to himself repeatedly until a shaving of negative slivered in. 'But what if it isn't?'. His pace slowed, as if his words chained rocks to his feet, Rye nearly crashed from the sudden drop in speed. So much time spent grieving for them, so much time frantically searching, would it all be repeated again? 

He yearned to know the truth no matter the cost, the sinking feeling returned with a vengeance, twisting his stomach into loops of nauseating disaster. Rye vomited on the run, how he managed that was beyond him but it did little to slow him down. Only when the strong stench of his homes border assaulted his nose did he slow. At first he didn't see them, so he ran down the border line. There was a monstrous amount of hope, fear, excitement, love and grief littering his brain. They clashed like the long time adversaries they truly were, fear and grief had ahold of him for too long but the hope and love Rye thought he had lost was back to fight like hell. Trees flew by in a blur as he pushed harder and harder, covering more and more ground.

In the distance he could see a figure, then a smaller one just beside them. The Hotah slowed, hope building exponentially. Hawk-eyes adjusted to the speed and eyed the larger wolfs coat. 'Ivory!' He quietly cheered, his pace picking back up. Rye looked at the smaller wolf below, the same unique silvery hue his sons coat carried. "Imaq! Sikuliak!" He called to them. The man rushed to their sides, nearly crashing into them but managing to stop himself. Without a second thought he embraced Imaq, small whimpers emitting from his chest, before moving to his son. Tsunamis of pressure and relief flooded his system, he could feel nothing but their presence, not his burning legs, lungs nor chest. He could, however, feel his heart pounding, it was entirely possible Imaq or Siku could feel his racing heart. "I have missed you both so much." He exclaimed, voice cracking. "Where have you been? Are you two okay? Are you hurt? Do you need medicine? Are either of you sick?" Rye began frantically checking them over, having not yet seen Imaqs missing leg. What he could see broke him on the inside, the sight of his mate and even his son looking sickly, emaciated and bleak harrowed the man greatly. It tore him limb from limb but first he wanted to make sure there was no fresh and obvious wounds. He couldn't rest until he made sure they were not immediately in danger of passing out or worse.                
gonna be vague about their disappearance for now but I guess Imaq would've taken Siku beyond the borders to get away from Makatza's influence for a while and maybe learn to hunt with his bum leg. Then some kind of natural occurrence forced them to leave Teekon, a winter snowstorm caused them to wander too far and get lost perhaps? While outside Teekon, Imaq and Siku had quite the adventure! Butttt I'm gonna leave everything that happened out of game as a surprise for later. ;3
 

It couldn't have been long before someone appeared, though if felt like lifetimes had passed as her heart pounded in her ears. She was so anxious that she felt dizzy, nauseous as a liver splotched tongue swiped along her chops. She fought the urge to fidget. 

It wasn't just anyone who appeared though. It was Rye. Fear gripped her, but only for an instant. It was clear from the way her husband barreled towards them, stopping just short before pressing into her, that he wasn't angry. It wasn't enough to topple her, even on three limbs, but she did stagger as the Hotah embraced her. 

The old Imaq would've lit up, all smiles and a wiggling bum. But this new one, she could only cling to him. How foolish she'd been to leave him behind, the she-dog chided herself for the upteenth time. A tremulous breath quivered from her lips, eyes sliding shut as she allowed herself to relax against the medicine man -- for what felt like the first time in years. 

All too soon, Rye was pulling back. She blinked numbly, not quite processing the questions fired at her in rapid succession. For a time, all she could do was stare at him -- feeling that his concerned voice came from somewhere far off, as if he were still calling to her from across the frostbitten fields. 

Then, with a sluggish shake of her head as if to clear the cobwebs from her mind, Imaq began to speak. Only..she had forgotten herself. She did not recall in that moment, that Rye could not speak her mother tongue. 

"I..we were hunting and a storm sprang up suddenly. I tried to get Siku back to our camp but.." the merle gave a tiny, abashed shake of her head -- gaze dropping to her paws in contrition.


Siku's eyes followed the man closely as he burst from the treeline, wary but curious. His face was definitely familiar, the stranger from his filmy memories. 

Some small part of him withered in guilt that he could not find a smile to paint upon his face, that he could not offer the man he believed to be his father more than a guarded glance. But Sikuliak did not forget easily.

He could not forget what the last man had done, or tried to do. 

It was instinctive that the youth stiffened when the woodlander gathered his mother into a loving embrace, though he meant no harm. The blue merle fought against the rumble building in his chest, the twitch of his lip where it longed to pull back over his teeth and snarl until this man let go of Anaa

His amber eyes bored into Rye's uncertainly when his attention shifted from Imaq to Siku, tensing against the man's touch in spite of his best efforts. Upon being released, he squeezed even closer to his dam's side -- almost wishing he could disappear into her shadow. 

"Anaa," the child whispered, gaze flicking to Rye before darting away, "this is father?" He was not aware that his sire didn't speak tundrian. He knew the common tongue though it was little better than his mother's command of the language but he followed her lead, more comfortable when speaking the words of his mother's people.  
Sorry about the wait and short post, I've started a new job that's heavy on the hard labor side. I am quite exhausted by the end of the day! But that sounds good with me, excited to see what's ahead!!


He could feel the lack of response from his son, distant and guarded, the stark change was daunting. It was only a brief distraction from what he eventually caught sight of. Imaq's missing leg. Rye scented it, the tip of his muzzle nosing through her shaggy fur. His tail slowly sunk to his legs, his eyes hesitantly shifted to his wife. He wasn't sure how to react, although his expression was blank, the inside was a hurricane of hurt, confusion, concern and a touch of guilt. They had not come back completely unharmed. Breathing deep, Rye rubbed his muzzle across his wifes side until he reached her neck, where he wrapped his own neck across her. "I'm sorry." He muttered, barely a whisper. The mans eyes squeezed shut, forbidding his tears from escaping. 
Lane also flew to the border when the familiar voice lilted across the Glacier. She had been working so long and hard trying to prepare the pack for their departure, that she wondered if it had just been her imagination. 

She did not have to wonder long. As she approached the border, her eyes landed on the three family members. Lane forced herself to stop at a distance, leaving time and space for them to reunite. After a long few moments, she approached slowly, tail whipping back and forth and eyes shining with delight. 

"Imaq!" Lane spoke, announcing her presence before she joined Rye in the hug. "Welcome home." As she pulled away, she turned to the boy. "And you too, Sikuliak. You're so big! Veteran will be excited to see you." How much would the boy remember about the home he had left behind when he was hardly the size of a caribou's skull?  

"Are you staying?" Lane ventured tentatively. She would welcome Imaq and her son back into the pack eagerly, if that was the shepherd's desire. 

Finally, Lane's gaze fell on the missing limb, and her breathing hitched for an instant. Imaq's fluffy hindquarters did a good job in concealing the extent of the damage, but it did not smell of infection. The injury also offered a wordless explanation of Imaq's absence.
no worries! Thank you guys for the warm welcome back -- I forgot to add that earlier on. <3

Imaq braced herself as her mate circled her, sniffing at the haunch that had become the source of her shame. The shepherd had been rejected before, denounced for the spirits' will. She had braved the wilderness with children in tow once before and would do so again if need be. The wolfdog's spine stiffened beneath her thick pelt, drawing herself up tall and proudly to belay the strength she would need to walk away if Rye should decide he did not desire to have an amputee as a wife. 

Selkie promptly melted in relief when the healer instead wrapped himself around her, the projection of willpower melting from her bones like meltwater feeding into the Qeya. 

"Shhh," she soothed gently, rasping her spotted tongue between Rye's cinnamon ears. "Is not Rye's fault. Imaq is one who is sorry," she reassured as her sea-kissed gaze sought his own orbs of sunshine. "Imaq should not leave. Should have stayed here - with Rye."

"Lane," Imaq chirped in return when her tribe sister appeared, weary but managing a hint of cheer to see a friendly face and such a familiar one. 

"I..yes," the hunter dipped her head gratefully, stumbling over the words. How she had antagonized over returning, and all for naught. A lump swelled in her throat to think the Glacier had become the family that her own had never been. 

"Imaq and Siku stay, if Lane will have Imaq and Siku," she glanced down to her son, smiling. He had changed, grown up too soon. But she had faith, or perhaps just hope, that the solemn boy would recover surrounded by their loved ones. 

Perhaps in time, they would both be okay again.


Sikuliak watched his father closely, reminding himself that this was the man from his mother's stories. He wasn't going to hurt Imaq, or Siku himself. He resigned himself to observing the dynamic between his parents, navy-spotted ears pricking curiously as the duo embraced and Anâna soothed Atâtax as she had soothed their son so many times before. The pup wasn't quite sure what to make of this development. Rye didn't seem half bad so far, perhaps some men were different. 

Another approached, a woman that Siku didn't quite recognize. The boy's gaze dropped, drifting back a step as if he would rather place himself behind his parents rather than face the stranger. But he abstained, reminding himself he was half grown and he must stay by mother's side. His ears pinned, twitching against his skull to capture the she-wolf's -- Lane's -- words. 

When she spoke directly to him however, he glanced up, eyes flashing briefly with something akin to joy to hear Veteran's name. 

'Vet-win!' The memory sprang up unbidden, bringing with it a simple fraternity between childhood playmates, confusion, a spark of nostalgic homesickness. 

"Thank you," he was not without manners, mother had taught him that phrase of common. "Siku stay. See Veteran?" It was a bare wisp, his voice tiny as his whiskey gaze flitted between the snow-crusted earth and Lane and back again. 
Burning lungs sucked in a shakey breath through clenched teeth, still managing to draw in his wifes scent. Delightful but sparse, she did not completely smell as she used to, yet Rye didn't let that deter him from relishing what he had lost. "I know it's not wife but you experienced loss that I wasn't there for and that is what I'm sorry for." He pulled back to meet her seeking gaze, staring longingly. Aquamarine eyes encapsulated him, he had no idea just how greatly he missed those eyes. Taking for granted the little things was a failure of the past, Rye would make sure of it. 

"No Imaq, I should've gone with you both but I think this conversation will have to wait, we have company rolling in." As Rye finished his sentence Lane rushed in and joined the hug, earning a small 'ough' from Rye upon impact. He laughed, hugging the duo as best he could. He was whole again. The brief moment stretched on for ages in his mind and the man savored every second of it. "Glad you could join us Lane." He chuckled. 

Lane mentioned her child Veteran and Rye saw the immediate connection between the childhood playmates but recalled the lack of interest from Sikuliak in his own father. It dampened the fathers mood. Momentarily, Rye gazed apologetically at his son, thinking, 'I'm sorry Liak, I promise to not make the same mistakes again.'. 
Imaq really wondered if Lane would have them? 

"Imaq, Rye.. there would be no Duskfire Glacier without the two of you. Your family will always be welcome with mine." Truly, Lane would like for them to all think of each other as one big family, if it could be managed. 

"Yes," she said to Siku, giving him a soft smile. "I'll tell Veteran to track you down." 

Turning over her shoulder, she urged the others to follow. "Come on, let's get you settled." She would walk them into the territory and then part from them, allowing the family some alone time to become reacquainted. 

To Rye, she would say before parting, "The best place to hunt is going to be the Whitebark Stream area. The wasting disease has not spread to those parts. Rivenwood has given us permission to hunt there, if we have need." With a final glace at the half-starved frames of Imaq and her child, Lane felt certain that fresh, healthy prey was a need. 

This can be the last from Lane, feel free to fade/archive.
Imaq brushed her cheek against Lane's. "Thank you. Lane, Glacier, is Imaq's home. Imaq's family."
It warmed her heart to see Siku remembered something, or rather someone, about the Glacier. There was a warning prickle at the back of her eyes, blinking it away as she nudged her son to follow across the borders. 

She kept close by Rye as they plodded through the snow, unwilling to be parted from him again. Dipping her speckled crown, she murmured, "Imaq and Rye talk later." She knew their intimate conversation was far from over but the she-dog desperately hoped to put his misguided guilt to rest. 

"Disease?" Imaq asked her husband, features creasing in concern, as Lane departed tactly and left the family to begin recovering. 

so sorry for the wait, things have been hectic again!
Siku felt the shame within him swell. His eyes pooled with their own tears though his whiskey gaze dropped so the adults wouldn't see. It frustrated the youth beyond belief that he couldn't remember growing up here, or the people who were supposed to be his family. 

Swallowing the surge of emotion, the blue merle met Lane's gaze and smiled shyly. His tail picked up a tiny wag at the thought of seeing Veteran again, though he was also greatly nervous -- wondering if his old friend even remembered him, if they could still be best friends with so much time and space between them. 

His gaze darted back to his parents again when they spoke of hunting, his ears pricking curiously. It wasn't his best skill, given his limp, but his mother had begun to teach him in spite of the hindrance his leg caused. It gave them a common ground, learning to hunt with bum legs together. 
"Thank you Lane. I will see you around." He informed. Once his family was settled back into their den Rye would immediately go out for two small hares but nothing more, having some experience with malnutrition the man knew not to over load their systems with food. As they walked close together Rye kept a close eye on their son, catching a snippet of his tearful face. Pain tugged at his heart to see his son so miserable, the fatherly instinct was to immediately soothe and assure but they were not as close as they were. Rye knew trying to soothe his boy would likely not help but only worsen things. It was frustrating but he couldn't fault his son. 

Turning back to Imaq, he rubbed against her again, kissing under her jaw. "Of course Imaq, there is much you have to catch up on." His tone was heavy, the burden of telling his wife the passing of their former leaders was a hard one to bear. The disease was less burdensome but still hard to explain, as Rye didn't fully understand it himself. 

"The herds here are dying of some sort of disease, from my understanding they don't eat and they do not act scared of prey. It is as if they are no longer concerned for their own safety. So many have died and the packs are running out of food, we are needing to go farther and farther for food." He explained. "Don't worry about hunting, I will be hunting for you both until you are healthy." Rye kissed under Imaqs chin a few more times, gently smiling.
Can wrap on your post, putting them where you want! Den or otherwise.
just gonna pp Siku for this last post so we can get this wrapped up. :)

Imaq's brow rumpled, perplexed and feeling dread settle in the pit of her stomach like a stone sinking beneath the surface of a lake. She couldn't manage to express her thoughts, not quite knowing what to say and lacking the dexterity in the common tongue to phrase her worries. 

"Caribou sick in Nunaat, family move. Leave meat for inua. For Sedna." She revealed in hushed tones of reverence, glancing to her son whom nodded solemnly. He would be Angakoqq, spirit-speaker, after Imaq. The she-dog had been teaching him to leave offerings for the spirits and the ways of communing with them. 

The medicine woman could not be certain Rye would understand, or the others for that matter. It was entirely possible they didn't adhere to the northern ways of olde. Imaq had been gone so long, she wasn't sure they would listen if she suggested they move to a new territory -- she felt hesitant to even suggest such a thing. But if they were already being forced to range farther and farther afield to fill the caches, then it was possible that Wintersbane and Tzila were already planning to relocate. 

Imaq held her tongue, knowing it would be no good to argue with Rye about such a thing. In truth, she needed to rest and regain her strength. Even so, her features set stubbornly. She was woman-who-hunts. It wouldn't be long before she rejoined the Glacier's hunting party -- missing leg or no.