The road to this land had been open and welcoming to her. It was summer and brightest of all the seasons. The sun was high. The sky cloudless. The fields endless. Ko'a could not have been more happy. She could not have felt more free.
She followed the path of S'ari. Even the shifting sands could not outsmart Ko'a. She would be soon near her cousin. Her scent traveled with the heat waves. So did many others.
Ko'a lifted her maw and yowled.
Dark woman's slender form trailed over the meadow, the sun bathing her pelt with warmth. She was an avid catcher of rabbits and small prey, her snout the perfect size to snatch them from their holes and bury them in Tribekin caches for later.
But a new scent on the sandland came to her nose, thanks to her friend, the wind. And she went to follow.
A coywolf?
There is another which soon crosses the coywolf's sights. Easily enough so given her dark coat on sandy pale earth dotted with vibrant flora. Her black back reminded Ko'a of the jackal, though she were grayed everywhere else. Unique.
Warm welcome!
Unknowingly, Ko'a was still quite off from her cousin. No matter. Perhaps this one might be able to help her on her travels? One could only ask and see. Your day is well, yes?
Kusuma spends much of day on hunt. Hunted is many, even if sun make Kusuma's fur much warm.
she nodded, ears twitching for the tell-tale scratching and digging of sandland hares. An odd woman, dark as twilight in a land known for scorching sand and nothing to shade from brightsky's wrath.
It couldn't be changed.
Who you? Kusuma is Kusuma.
The way in which this woman spoke was familiar to Ko'a and her golden-backed ears perked with curiosity. The sun is hardest on dark backs.
This one is Ko'a.
She spoke, touching a paw to her chest. And you-
She points with that same paw, Kusuma speak like Tribe. Is Kusuma Tribe?
Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe she just lived near and happened to speak a familiar tongue. But the Tribe was a wandering lot. They came and went, traded and traveled.
Kusuma nodded. Kusuma come to sandland and meet Sahaarree! Become Tribekin! Other Tribekin live in sandland too, though Kusuma does not know where other Tribekin wander right now.
she wagged her tail.
This one knew of Tribe - was this Koea of Tribe of Sahaaree?
The grey-coy had come to this land and now lived among the Tribe people. She even mentioned a name, though much so drawled on the tongue. This one knows S'ari. She is cousin.
Ko'a grins and mimicks Kusuma with happy waves of her tail. We lived in Home Tribe together. She had left and now she brings new Tribe together.
Though they did not traditionally have the hierarchy of wolves, S'ari was still one to look up to and Ko'a was proud.
Where does new Tribe rest?
She wondered if there was still much further to go. No matter. She would get there, she knew.
Dark woman tilted her head. This one was Tribekin? Very well! Tribekin tended to know about Tribekin, after all. She wagged her tail.
Follow Kusuma! Kusuma show this one!
What a blessing!
She cheered out with delight and wasted not an ounce of time further as she dashed off with the jack-ote.