Masquerade rested, then went to hunt on the plains. They ate the first rabbit they slew beneath the radiant November sun, then picked up the second one and dragged it toward the rise. Out of respect for the Ulfhedinn, they decided it was best to stick close to the borders, where they stopped and dropped their kill.
There was a very distinct possibility Ancelin or Lilia might find them first, though Masquerade took that risk as they sent up a gentle call for
@Augur. Once their breath ran out, they planted their feet, breathing steadily as they braced themself for whatever came next.
augur had hunted with his daughter, and eventually new snow had joined them.
the three of them had felled an aged deer, already weak with a stiffened leg.
the more he considered remaining until moon runner returned, the more the thought appealed.
thorn caller's voice rose.
augur's returned, from a direction opposite the rise.
he had not returned since that day.
thorn caller might turn then to see the massive wolf on slow approach, though augur halted in neutral midland, swinging his tail once to say there was peace between they and he.
They thought they were prepared for anything, yet seeing Augur approach from the rear caught them off guard. Masquerade pivoted to face him, mouth open in mild surprise. Perhaps he had been hunting too… or quite possibly avoiding all the tensions at home.
I brought this for you,
Masque greeted, tail waving slowly as they nosed their meager offering, and your family.
They paused, pondering which words to say next, then scrapped them momentarily to move forward and bump their muzzle against Augur’s chin. They nosed at his cheek next, then stepped backward. Now their head lifted, not in a challenge but as a display of quiet confidence.
I’ve asked mother to appoint me as a leader,
they told him, wondering if he would approve, to represent the importance of diplomacy. And peace. I will do whatever it takes to restore peace to the rise.
augur nosed the prey good-naturedly, then rumbled in low pleasure when thorn caller re-established their scents together.
they smelled of open places, alpine woodlands, sea air mingled with the fragrance of snow.
there was nothing to approve or disapprove. augur had not heard the voices of skin tooth or wolverine in several days.
red woman wished it.
peace. this he wished as well.
augur gestured in the direction he felt red woman had gone.
wealda? perhaps this was the only discourse that was meant to be had. leadership must be spoken with among such. of thorn caller he was fond, but augur found himself reluctant now.
A smile played about their lips at his quiet acceptance. But then their mouth pressed into a thin line. There was still the matter of Ancelin and Lilia. Masque knew he’d warned them. But had they listened?
Before they could ask, the Ulhedinn glanced at the neighboring ridge, a question in his eyes. Masquerade quickly realized it might strike him as strange that Avicus was not with them.
Mother wanted to give Ancelin and Lilia three days to vacate of their own free will before she returns and removes them by force,
Masque told him, not without a pang of anxiety.
it was merciful. measured.
augur had expected her to already be routing them from her land.
he sat down with an acceptant expression. he had long felt it was best they had left, at the beginning of their mateship, for he had not seen red woman accepting a rival litter from her brother's line.
now he reached toward the rise's border and cupped his ears forward.
do they remain?
They licked their chops and tried to maintain their composure, though they couldn’t resist a glance toward the rise. They still expected Ancelin and Lilia to appear at any moment. Their hackles prickled warily as they remembered the look on their cousin’s face the other day.
Retraining their attention on Augur, they shifted their weight but remained on their feet when he took a seat. He leveled the rise with an inquisitive look, as if he was similarly anticipating the yearlings’ onslaught.
Should we go find them? Try to urge them to leave peacefully? I understand that it’s not how they wanted to go,
Masque posited, or when. I know it’s not fair. But if the rise was never going to be part of their future plan…
They shook their head and said no more, looking to the Ulfhedinn for guidance on this. Masquerade did not particularly want to subject themselves to whatever insanity might spring from Ancelin this time but they were ready to put their new role to the test.
augur listened.
augur declined. he looked at the rise for a long and unblinking moment, nose moving as he tried for any trace of their fresh scent, new markings; anything that might indicate that the two had bedded down to wait.
he would not be going. the line of his shoulders said this, and now he turned his face toward the ridge.
he would not return until this had settled and red woman had come to him. and then perhaps he would only come to wait for moon runner.
augur felt that red woman had not tried to listen to skin tooth. but he did not think skin tooth would now heed his aunt. he did not think peace would come when blood was placed against blood. for this he declined involvement, a rare time in a pack-wolf's life.
he would not be part of the searching or the driving out. he had warned the young pair once. their choice was now their own and he hoped that it was chosen well.
Augur said much with his silence, leaving Masquerade to concede, You’re right. Mother wants us to leave it to her,
and exhale loudly through their nose.
They lapsed into silence of their own for several beats. Augur had tested the air, so Masquerade did the same. They still smelled the pair, though were the scents faded? Why weren’t they coming? Was it possible they had left? They desperately wanted to know, though they decided it was up the Wealda to find out for certain.
With a lash of their tail, Masquerade said, Whatever happens, I’ll tell her to come find you afterward. Where will you be? I can bring more meat in the meantime too, if you want. I’ll be hunting as much as possible,
while they all waited for the third day to come.
the huntleader reached to assure thorn caller.
we have hunted. we have eaten blood.
the young wolf's overture then, was one of friendliness.
the sweetwood forest, the scent of red and yellow on a sap-tasting wind.
his shoulder brushed their own, brushing new snow's fragrance against that of thorn caller.
she will be pleased to see you.
He told them, in his way. Masquerade sometimes wished Augur could speak, though they valued him regardless. As they’d told their mother, he and his entire family were assets to the rise. And now they could be the mouthpiece for leadership anyhow, bringing even more balance and representation to the pack.
We’ll be reunited properly soon,
Masque said softly, reaching to nibble at Augur’s jaw.
In the meantime, they would hunt, tapping into their experience as both a Caru and an Ulfr. Masque didn’t doubt her parents kept her well-fed despite the situation, though they ought to bring snacks to Sunrise just like the other pups.
As they waved their tail and readied to depart, Masque couldn’t help but remember their matchmaking thoughts of yore. They valued bloodlines very much but if every wolf was a Redtail, the legacy would choke in time. It was only one of many merits the Ulfhedinn’s family brought to the rise, of course.
The yearling rumbled a farewell, glanced questioningly at the rise, then trotted in a generally easterly direction.
augur watched them go, offering a low chuff to follow.
when thorn caller had grown small in the distance, the man rose and shook out his ruff. he had no doubts that the young redtail respected him.
but he knew he had lost red woman's respect. to lose it was to lose their bond as leaders. to lose it meant the loss of the redtail young. to be demoted was a humiliation that would reflect in lost rank for his daughters.
augur did not intend to fight the consequences of his refusal to stand with red woman in this. he wished only to know what they were.
thorn caller wished a reunion that the huntlead could not guarantee.
he returned in quiet strides to mate and child.