The wide array of scents led her deep into the plains, where she investigated the remains of a harvested bison. Almost all of it had been taken; there was little more than a gut pile and festering blood amidst pieces of a giant skeleton. The blackbear exclaimed over this to her companion, and then was quick to assure him —
"This many packs gathered together? They're probably friendly. Mean wolves aren't as social as all this."
She was ready for a fight, of course. Ready to run if they had to. But she thought they would be received peacefully as long as they were respectful — and so she made a spectacle of herself bounding through the tall grasses, hoping someone would come away from the obvious camps to greet them.
Sumac's attention had been in another direction, taking in the endless sea of tan grasses that stretched on as far as one could see... and that lake! In the distance, it was a goliath of blue, swallowing the land and boldly meeting the sky. He'd never seen such a sight, and it left him in stark awe.
It wasn't until Easy issued a sound of surprise that he snapped his amber gaze back forward - narrowly avoiding colliding with her in the process. Ears pricked but tail down warily, he bounded after her. All of the dark-hued, gangly male's nerves were on end, despite her reassurance. Surely, they were exposed galivanting around the plains this way! It appears he was missing the fact that this was, indeed, the point. Poor fellow.
"E-Easy, are you really sure this is safe?" he panted, trying to keep pace while his head swiveled here and there, searching for any sign that they'd been spotted.
each scent was one with which she had become acquainted here upon the plains of bison.
she did not know these.
kukutux moved away from the camps of moonsong and moonglow in the vague direction of where the hearthwood wolves were gathered for now.
one wolf leapt in the grasses. the other slunk beside.
she was amused if careful, and called out to them from where she too stood arranged among the golden stems. perhaps they had come to join the collected packs on their hunt.
Easy huffed out a laugh, frisking closer to Sumac to give him a little bump with her shoulder. "I'm right here, 'Mac," she said, slowing her pace so that the younger wolf would not be left behind. "If they don't want us around, we'll know soon enough — but they don't want to risk getting hurt anymore than you do. They'll chase us off, maybe. So breathe, and we'll be just fine."
It was not long before the sound of another's voice turned her ears, and then her eyes in another direction. Her shoulder bumped Sumac's once more as she changed trajectory, offering him a low chuff of encouragement. Her tail waved like a black flag, lifted high only so that her friendliness could be read at a distance even as they swam through the tall grasses. It lowered when they drew closer, as did the blackbear's head in quiet deference.
"Peace be," she called out as they neared. "I could not resist investigating when I smelled so many gathered here!"
With one last smile at Sumac, she came close enough to introduce herself: "I am Ishara Morningside, and this is my friend, Sumac — we are adventurers, this season." The molten glow of her eyes was warm.
“Right,” ‘Mac agreed, his ears flared to the sides as his golden eyes darted this way and that before doing as Easy instructed - inhale… exhale…
He startled a bit at Easy’s affectionate bump, before letting out a soft chuckle. His stride seemed to loosen a bit, his tail giving a gentle, amiable swish. Unfortunately, his tension returned as an unfamiliar voice echoed in his ears. It took him a moment to locate its source, and he tried to stop his racing mind by reassuring himself silently that the voice sounded friendly.
Giving a little cough to clear his throat, he ambled up alongside his companion, bobbing his head in agreement.
“Greetings,” he offered simply, keeping his head and tail low in deference.
the man was shy in almost the manner of a much younger boy, but ishara's magnificence and the familiarity of her surname took moonmother's gentle curiosity from him.
"this woman greets you. i am kukutux, moonmother of village moonglow. many kin have come together, to hunt the great beasts so that we may have meat and furs for the longest time of winter yet to come."
a smile slowly moved across her face. "i know a man of white spine who has the name of dutch arjun. i know another who walks beside him. valiant, the isbjørn."
her eyes asked, are you the iyyagrik?
This news set the woman's eyes aglow with wonder. She would have to tell Arjun about this when she saw him again — and she was about to ask after more details when the panther's name was spoken aloud!
"My boys!" she declared them, proud to do so. She readily assumed that Kukutux was as impressed with the pair of them as she was. She flashed a bright smile back at Sumac, but then turned back to Kukutux quickly to hide the way her expression fell. Would it hurt Sumac to hear that her family was near? She was sure he wouldn't begrudge her, but it felt insensitive to celebrate in light of his loss.
"I'm glad to hear they're still kicking," she said to Kukutux, her relief plain despite her bravado. "I hope to see them while I'm here — but Sumac and I are traveling together to see what there is to see." There was loud intention in her gaze, now. She hoped Kukutux could read between the lines when she said: "He has not met many in the area, and I am far too much of a busybody to let that stand."
She turned another grin on Sumac.
"I'll have to introduce you," she told him.
Sumac found his tail reflexively giving a gentle swish at his hocks despite himself. This regal creature - Kukutux - seemed quite affable indeed, so maybe he could relax, even if just a little. However, he was caught off-guard by Easy's sudden exclamation. His head shot upright; his ears pricked forward as his black lips formed a small "o" of surprise.
Easy's excitement was palpable, and quite contagious. Even though he had only the barest idea of what was going on here, the empathic 'Mac found himself adopting a much more alert posture, his amber gaze darting between the two of them eagerly. The two others they mentioned were Easy's family? Well, then they absolutely had to go find them!
He listened intently as the two women continued their conversation before his wide eyes met her's.
"Yes, of course! Hopefully they're not too far - maybe we can catch up with them?" he offered, his russet-and-gold highlighted tail giving a few more eager sways behind him.
kukutux laughed a few pealing sounds, delighted to find another mother such as herself with grown children now in the world. "dutch is on a long hunt, but valiant is here," she answer, turning to lead the pair slowly in the direction of moonglow camp.
sumac. she wondered if his great and visible shyness was the reason he knew no one. "that way is our hunting-camp. it is also the healing place. several have earned scars on this land." a point of her chin, to the encampment almost directly west of her own, in the center of the plains themselves. "that is moontide camp. they are the ones who have brought us all together here. they are led by a woman named heph and a man named rodyn. it was he and my daughter who created the village." pain touched her. "she was called to the dancing lights when she brought her children into their first breaths of air. we honor her by sending the spirits of meat and fat upward, so she may taste the goodness of our hunting too."
now, to the place east of moonglow's chosen place, along the opposite side of the rivers. "that is moonsong camp, led by ariadne who is youngest daughter to me. here," to their right, a cluster of trees inhabited almost solely by women. "that is sapphique camp. it is led by mireille and, i think, a sister. i have known her since she was a girl."
and it was the redpelted obisidian who stood to watch as the unknown man and woman passed, cool inquiry in her emerald eyes.
"moonglow camp is also where wolves of moonspear village are leaf-working. sialuk leads them. she is my oldest daughter."
there was pride evident in her voice for how her family had expanded so far.
further downriver from moonglow camp, clustered in a protective circle of tall sedges. "that is brecheliant camp. they are led by maia and teya. a daughter of their village will marry a son of my own soon."
and out, out far west, against the curve of the mountains; "that is hearthwood camp. a man and wife lead them, boone and reverie. they are a place of rest and healing."
she looked around for njord! but he had come alone and now she pointed out his red tail among the bison and the hunters. "that is njord. he is father to seal, who is a young healer in moonspear." they had almost come to her camp; now she turned a gaze of gentle teasing on sumac. "now you know ah, eleven? names."
"Soon enough!" she agreed, her tail wagging at the thought of this reunion. She let this hope buoy her past the wave of worry brought on by news of Dutch. "Bounty hunting?" she asked the moonwoman, the thinnest thread of disapproval coloring her tone. Mainly she was worried, but Dutch was a big boy, now. She supposed they were long past the days of her chiding, No, Arjun — don't bother that. It can hurt you.
She just had to trust that she'd taught him well, and that he'd grown into as capable a man as he seemed.
Easy had to admire Kukutux for her connections. She was a well-traveled wolf herself, but she didn't keep many contacts outside of her extended family. She did her best to commit each name to memory, glancing toward Sumac to see if he was as overwhelmed as her.
"So much has changed," she marveled, just a little sad beneath her wonder. "Of all those, I think I only remember Moonspear." But she was an adventurer at heart, and soon enough, her nostalgia shifted to anticipation. There were so many different wolves to meet! "Congratulations, by the way," she added, her tail sweeping her hocks. "On your son's marriage — what's your secret?"
It was just a joke! But Easy had been politely hinting that Dutch ought to start thinking about a family of his own for a few years, now.
Sumac was taken aback by Kukutux's sudden laughter - so joyful a sound, inviting a friendly calm amidst the hustle of activity that he was now all too aware was occurring all around them.
'Mac fell in line as the matriarch slowly led them through the grounds, offering a bounty of information in the form of individual callings, pack names, as well as occupations. The lad's head swiveled practically nonstop, his curious, sunny gaze gulping in everything there was to see as Kukutux introduced each clan. By the end of their procession, his eyes were practically crossed, his head swimming with information overload.
"Only 11?" he muttered, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of individuals here. He'd never encountered something like this gathering, and it positively blew his mind. Swallowing, he blinked his eyes back into focus as they settled on the two conversing women. He said nothing further, content to let them speak as he tried to digest everything going on.
bounty hunting? "he did not say these words, but i did not ask," she admitted to easy. however, the duck did not think that easy truly expected her to know. it was a mother's knowing arch of brow she gave to the other woman.
"i am atsak. matchmaker. for kivaluk and chickadee, sedna brought their hearts together in a storm," she said, not elaborating unless pressed.
her people enjoyed the telling of stories. "eleven — for now," moonmother jested toward sumac.
"Hm," said the blackbear, needing no further explanation. Regardless of what sort of hunt it was, she was sure he'd find a way to make it hair-raising when he came to tell her about it.
When talk of matchmaking came up, she very studiously did not look at Sumac. But she caught moonwoman's eye long enough for a sly look to be passed between them. She didn't think that her friend was ready just yet to be romanced, but she hoped Kukutux could be counted on to keep him in mind.
"Have you matched very many?" she asked without judgement, curious about the word that she used. Was it a role that needed to be filled, or was she a hobbyist? Again, the blackbear stole a glance at Sumac, attempting to gauge his own interest in the topic.
The ebony male was contended to observe the hustle and bustle about their small gathering while the two women conversed. He was still stunned by the sheer number of individuals here, and found within his heart a mixture of both trepidation and intense curiosity.
“Eleven… for now.”
Kukutux’s words registered and rang in his mind. How on earth could he hope to meet all these folks… and remember their names?
He lifted his head and returned his focus back to the chatting pair of women as Kukutux explained that she was a “matchmaker.” Interesting - he’d never heard of this profession before, though her brief explanation elucidated what it entailed. So, she essentially helped others form a couple.
‘Mac’s tail swung lazily at his hocks as Easy caught his eye. He blinked, his expression neutral - clinical interest shown at most, but little else registered in his mind. His attention darted back to a nearby camp, where boisterous laughter had just broken out.
"not so many," kukutux admitted. "and the marriages then belong to those in them. a woman comes to me and says she wishes to find a husband. i gather names into my mind and give them to her. she chooses among these names. i make the meeting."
the rest then, belonged to the man and woman who would often eagerly fall into the sharing of words.
she indeed saw easy's gaze toward sumac, lifting her chin once in recognition.
Their eyes spoke; the blackbear's smile shifted a fraction to welcome her new ally, but they did not speak of these things. Sumac had nothing to say on the topic, and indeed, they seemed to have lost his interest. This was to be expected when old women got together to chat.
"You should go and meet them," she said to the younger man, doing her best to speak gently. It was hard, though, when she felt so urgently that he needed to make connections with living wolves. "I'll go with you, if you want."
She would not normally have offered such a thing in front of company, but there was no shame in acknowledging his timid nature, here. What could either of their opinions do to him?
Her umber gaze turned to Kukutux once more.
"If you see my boys, will you tell them to look for me?" she asked the woman.
"Huh? Oh!" Sumac exclaimed, finding his attention had flitted off elsewhere, and that Easy was now addressing him. "Maybe... I'm still not so good at meeting new folks, though. But I guess I've gotta learn sometime."
He swallowed uneasily. He was just a mountain boy who'd lived with his family in isolation his entire life. Sure, they'd had the occasional visitor from the outside, but they never lingered long, and the family's lands provided everything they'd ever needed. He felt completely like a bumpkin suddenly thrust into a cosmopolitan world, trying desperately to catch up on his social skills development.
'Mac glanced and Easy and Kukutux once more before his attention returned to the commotion around him. A cool, stony dread in its stomach made its presence known, and he did his best to ignore it.
sumac did not wish to face the noisy throng alone, and kukutux understood this in some ways. her village had always been filled with voices, with song, with laughter, the cries of infants. but this was different, and she nodded to easy.
"i will say this to them," she told the blackbear, already considering the mother a companion of her own.
"i will see you again, both of you," kukutux murmured, before she stepped back. "that rise there," and she pointed to where the young moonglow women had taken the children, "will be the best place to watch if you do not wish to join."
a smile for them; moonmother would drift back to the healing camp soon thereafter.