Title: alone; someone on their own
Tag:
@Keyni
· ·
Slowly the earth was changing. Spring was in the air, and Sela had been careful to tread far from the borders of the packs he encountered. It was getting near to the season for pups, and he knew all too well how nervous a pack could become.
His paws stung, the chill finally seeping through his still thick fur. Snow crunched beneath his pads, for while spring had arrived a harsh glacial chill kept this region cold for much longer into the year. The perfect mix of winter and spring.
With a small smile Sela tilted his head, the glacier pulling his gaze. There was no sun on this day, clouds obstructed it. And yet the snow still glowed, an ethereal luminescence that gave Sela hope. It reminded him of home.
Easthollow had been a failure. He had thought, hoped, that his mothers family would still be standing strong. As they had for so many years. His father hadn’t shared any stories of his mother. For most of his life Sela hadn’t even known her name. But his father had shared stories of Easthollow, the pack of his birth. And know, to have his final connection to his mother stripped from him, Selamuit was feeling rather lonely.
Even his brother had not been what he imagined. The man distant and untrusting. He could still feel the sting of unvoiced rejection. His brother hadn't seemed to want to know him, a wall had been erected between them and Sela couldn't understand why.
So he stood, alone, admiring the fleeting beauty of life.
Sela would not be alone for long. Keyni had picked up his trail again and followed it. For reasons of her own, she had parted ways with him, albeit temporarily. Now that her business was done and she was free to roam, she would rejoin her traveling companion.
The slight hint of spring prickled at her fur, making her on edge. She would not stray too close to any nearby packs. All except for one. It was close by and she knew it well. Her next stop, if everything went according to plan. The relief the glacier provided with the still chilled air gave her comfort. The purity of it all, the cleanliness of the air.
With quiet steps, she emerged out of the distant gray backdrop of this day. Sela's white body materialized before her and she was pleased to see he looked physically well. Waving her tail, she woofed softly while making her approach. Unaware of what had transpired between him and what little family he had left. Just as he might be concerning the troubles with Rivenwood.
· ·
Her scent preceded her, and Sela turned in the woman’s direction as she approached. He offered her a smile. It had been a couple days since they had seen each other. While he was glad to have found at least one friendly face in the wilds, Sela had still needed some privacy to visit his mothers grave. He was glad to reunite with the smaller woman he had grown accustomed to over the last couple weeks.
“Keyni.” He greeted with the slight dip of his head. “Good to see you again.” He relaxed a bit, distracted from his dreary thoughts. “How have you been?” From what he could see she seemed to be in one piece. Sela had no wish to dwell on thoughts of his time alone, instead he was most curious to what she had been up to while he had wandered off.
It had seemed so much time had passed since they last saw each other, but it really had not been that long. It was everything that she had been tied up in, keeping her mind preoccupied elsewhere, that made it seem so. Her friend looked alive and well, from what she could see. She knew nothing of his turmoil on the inside and would remain blind unless directly presented with it.
With her tail cutting in easy, loose sweeps behind her, she drew up to the white northerner. Presenting him with a calm but welcoming smile. "Likewise, Selamuit." She touched his shoulder, sniffing briefly. She felt at ease enough around him not to be so formal. So reserved. She drew in a breath. "Busy, to say the least. Last week I bid my farewell to Duskfire." Her face grew a little more serious. "An incident involving their ally, Rivenwood, held me back. I was part of the group coming to their aid. They were...attacked."
· ·
Reciprocating, Sela offered his own gentle nudge. The sense of companionship took him by surprise, but he embraced it, he needed it. Seeing as his family, both north and south, didn’t seem to want or need him.
He had travelled so far, only to end up lonelier than he had been his whole life. He would have to find his own way it seemed. Setting his own roots, and hope they grow. Just as his father had done, and ultimately failed. Sela could feel his apprehension growing day by day as he wandered alone. He had been a loner most of his life, and he was growing weary. So Keyni’s presence was very much welcomed in the moment.
He was surprised to hear about her only having left Duskfire a week or so ago, when they had met just outside their borders they were practically set to leave. Not to mention they had been running out of food.
“Attacked? Who was attacked? Duskfire or their ally, this Rivenwood?” Selamuit asked, surprise and shock evident in his tone. “For what reason?” Sela had seen his fair share of combat, more than his fair share really given his age. But the stories his father had spoken of the wilds spoke of the passive ways of most packs. Very unlike the ridged northern territories he was used.
Many a time during her travels alone, Keyni found herself wanting for company. She had plenty of connections and numerous wolves she could call a friend, spread throughout the wilds. But none so far, who were a constant presence. Now back with Selamuit again, she had hope he might be able to fill that role.
"Rivenwood." She clarified. "Me and three others set out to tend to those wounded and help in any other way we could." She lowered to her haunches, sifting through her memories carefully. "They were attacked by a pack called Ursus. It is my understanding that there is some bad blood between them and one of Rivenwood's members." Her jaw tightened then. "But that isn't the worst of it. During the attack, Ursus kidnapped two children."
She turned to look out beyond the reaches of the glacier. The look in her jade eyes was set. "I made a promise to keep in touch with the Alpha's of Duskfire. They have since moved on to remake their home at the Summit in the west. There's a pack called Moonglow, whom they and Rivenwood are both allied with." She shot him a small, brief smile. "I was with them for a time and am considering returning. I made many friends there. I plan to stop by and inform their leader and my friend, Kukutux, of what has happened. I don't know how much they will be able to help so far away, but it is at least something."
· ·
Ursus. The name brought back a memory; he had heard the name before. He couldn’t remember when or where, but he assumed it must have been when he was still very young. It made little difference now, he supposed.
Sela had lost his smile as soon as Keyni had mentioned an attack, a frown pulled his lips and he grimaced as she continued to speak. Selamuit filed all the information she provided away, knowing it would be beneficial in down the line. He was nothing if not resourceful, and information could be a powerful resource indeed.
As she finished, Sela shook his head. “I’m sorry to hear about Rivenwood, were they able to rescue their pups?” There was nothing worse than children getting caught between adults, Sela knew that from personal experience.
From what he could gather, she was planning on heading to Moonglow first. Without any direct of his own to venture in, he figured he might as well join her. At least until he figured out what he wanted to do now that his natal pack had dispersed. “I'm sure any help will be much appreciated, even if only well wishes can be conveyed. I have no where to be, if you'd like a friend to join you on your self appointed mission.” Sela offered a small smile.
She shook her head, swallowing some. "As far as I am aware, no. And believe me when I say, it was difficult for me to leave, knowing what rough shape they were in." Only little did she know, that Rivenwood stood no more. All that mattered were the abducted children. A less compassionate wolf would not have cared as much. She was not directly involved in the affair. But as a witness to the carnage and a friend of Moonglow and Duskfire (now Atautsikut), she could not set her feelings aside.
She was going to ask anyways, but it was like he had read her mind about Moonglow. Glancing over to him, her smile appeared again. "I would enjoy that, yes. Though I warn you, I may end up staying." She teased. "My connection to them is strong." The village was conveniently, a short one or two day trip from here. "They are good wolves. Kukutux, the Moonwoman, is especially kind. I am sure she would like to meet you." A breath and then the Tundrian took a bold move. "Perhaps you might even consider a home amongst them?"
· ·
He felt a flutter of melancholy hearing she might stay with the Moonglow pack, only because he wasn’t sure he himself would be able to do the same. He hadn’t really thought of settling in any packs here in the Wilds, other than Easthollow. Even before returning he had felt as though he belonged there, but of course it wasn’t meant to be. Now, he wasn’t so sure he belonged anywhere.
The only thing he new for sure that he wanted was to reconcile with his littermates. They had scattered, and after his encounter with Kallik, Selamuit was feeling guilty. Even though his departure had not been his choice, his brother had made it seem like he had abandoned them.
His smile dropped a fraction, before slipping completely, distracted by his nagging thoughts. He opened his mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. His gaze drifted away from hers, drawn to the glacier. The snow once again reminding him of Aningan, the only home he had every really known. And the one place he could never find belonging.
It was a few minutes before Sela could think of an appropriate response. “Perhaps.” He answered vaguely turning his green eyes back on her, his smile returning, but more reserved. He cleared his throat, and looked away, embarrassed and ashamed. “I…” He cleared his voice again, “I found one of my brothers. We’d been separated for a long time.” His gaze fell to his paws.
“Before I find a home for myself, I have to find my other siblings too.” Selamuit explained softly, almost to himself. “I have to make sure they are okay.” His head lifted, searching for understanding.
Until reuniting with Kallik, he had thought all his siblings were together safe and sound. Now that he knows they are not, he could never live with himself if he didn’t at least try to make sure they were okay.
She noted how his expression changed. How his smile faded, morphing into something more longing. Watching him, it was almost like looking in a mirror back when she confided in Kukutux of how she had yet to settle on a path. Her jade eyes met his peridot ones, wearing a face of quiet patience. She listened until he was finished speaking, never one to rush a conversation of great significance.
"That is good, that you found him. Why is he not with you now?" She asked, unaware that he had a life of his own and wanted nothing to do with Selamuit. Humming softly, she nodded. "Of course. Family comes first. It will show you care, checking in on them." Her mind slipped back to the past again. She shared her thoughts, openly. "I was in a similar situation. I longed to help out Duskfire and learn of them but I missed Moonglow. Yet, I still found I wasn't quite ready to return. All I needed was time. To let things play out naturally. Sometimes...these choices, they have a way of coming to you. Not the other way around."
reunion thread still in progress, had to be vague :P
· ·
Her question was valid, and the creeping ache of shame crept through once again. His eyes fell closed, and he tilted his head back, a sigh heavy on his lips. “Let’s just say, he wasn’t as happy to see me as I was to see him.” They had both said some unsavory things, and clearly Kallik had made some pretty harsh assumptions about his upbringing. Selamuit was still upset, feeling unwanted and tossed aside, but in the weeks since he had seen his brother he had had time to reflect and realized he too had made some steep assumptions about his own siblings lives.
With difficulty, he found her gaze again. Her words logical, and calming.
Time. Time would hopefully be his ally for once. Selamuit hoped he’d have another chance to speak with Kallik. If only to apologize for his own behaviour.
He appreciated Keyni’s words and nodded along to her words, agreeing. “All I can do now is hope to find my other siblings. And hope they’ll welcome me one day.” He smiled sadly, but determinedly. He leaned into her, giving her a friendly nudge to convey he was okay.
"I see. That is unfortunate." She sighed. "Relationships with family...they can be complicated." She spoke from experience, though she had not told Selamuit about the details of her own family. Who she saw none of and didn't care to.
"Your other siblings though. I hope things turn out differently, for the better." She was not expecting the little lean in he gave her. She recovered quickly and did not startle away. She shifted to return the gesture, nosing at a pale ear. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to help you where I could, in tracking them down." He might feel alone without his siblings now. Keyni would ensure he didn't have to be, if he would allow her assistance. Happy to be back with a friend again, she was content to enjoy the rest of the day at the winter like glacier.