Their hunts were becoming successful again. Something that Kieran was extremely happy about. There for a while he feared for the members of his new pack. Especially the two females Paar and Bazi. one who carried the future in her womb, and the other who was so very ill and hurt. They were both doing well it seemed though as time continued on. He briefly stopped to sniff at a border, but continued on his border patrol.
Nose down and ears splayed back as he walked to hear anything. As he walked, he would add his scent to the few places that was not so strong. As he walked he briefly caught the scent of the one he called friend
@Kaskara and he wondered how she was getting on. He would need to find her, her owed her a few lessons if she really wanted to learn.
Kaskara was glad that their pack was cohesive again. Everyone was home, their weakest wolves were gaining strength at every turn, and their hunts were once again successful, at least for the last two weeks. Since her return from Duskfire Glacier, Kaskara had little time to herself, since she spent so much of it checking on Paar and Bazi, hunting for the pack, and patrolling the borders, which usually ended in her meeting with other wolves at some point, either packmates or lone wolves looking for a home.
She also hadn't seen Kieran or Falwasi since their return, but today that was going to change. Kas followed the scent of her friend, Kieran, and found him wandering the borderline, adding his scent to any weak spots he came across. With a grin, she barked a greeting and fell into step beside him, not wanting to stop his work. "How do you say 'hello' in your language?"
Kieran hadn't seen Kaskara very much. She was far too busy helping to keep the pack running smoothly. HE didn't mind so much, it was nice to have a friend, but he didn't depend upon her as most would for conversation at all turns. He was a solitary and quiet individual anyway.
Kieran turned towards the sound of another and gave Kaskara a smile. He tilted his head and chuckled quietly. After the small smile he gave her, the language of his forefathers came from his lips like a secret kiss. It was a language he had not forgotten and one that was so very close to his heart.
"Dia duit"
"Dia duit," she repeated, tasting the unfamiliar words on her tongue. It was strange to be speaking another language, but she knew that stretching her mind would be useful. She was the beta of a pack now and learning the ins and outs of all her packmates was paramount to being a good leader. Besides, Kieran was her friend and he seemed a lonely fellow, and anything to get him talking and spending time with others was a good thing.
They walked together along the border, pausing to add their scents when it as weak, and otherwise traveled as friends. "What other ways can you greet someone? We say hello, how are you, good day. Things like that. Does your language have other greetings, too?"
She knew she had botched the accent when he grimaced, but he didn't say anything. For that she was thankful. With a sheepish grin, she shrugged and brushed it off. She'd get it right eventually, especially with practice. "Thanks. It's definitely not like the common tongue or the Roman tongue my father taught me."
When Kieran told her the different greetings, she felt a little overwhelmed. Though they spoke so many greetings in the common language, she wasn't used to truly thinking about the different ways to say hello. Now that she was faced with it in another language, she wondered if they were all necessary. In her state, she did catch a bit of what he said, and grinned. "Your word 'tú' kind of sounds like 'you.' Is that what it means?"
Kaskara smiled as Kieran described his language as lyrical, musical, and carefree. She could see what he meant as he continued to speak, introducing himself and then telling her what she would say to introduce herself. Frowning, she tried it out herself. "Is é mo ai- ainm.." she hestitated, stumbling over the strange word. "aimn Kaskara." With a laugh, she turned back to him. "I'm not very good at this. Sorry for butchering your language, Kieran."
Though he praised her and said she was doing well for her first time speaking it, Kaskara felt immensely slow. Would she ever pick it up? "Thanks," she said with a smile, trying to shrug off the feeling of not being good enough. "The words are just so different, I'm afraid I'll never get it." Even though she knew how to say her name, she wasn't sure which words in his language meant what in the common tongue they shared. Maybe she would get he hang of it, like he said. "How have you been lately?" she asked him as they walked.
Though she felt helpless, Kieran encouraged her to continue. It would take time to learn his language, and she was determined to know at least some of his first language. "Gh-gheimhridh." She repeated, stumbling over the word slightly. After a moment of repeating it in her head, she tried again. "Gheimhridh." Winter. It didn't sound anything like winter in their common tongue, but in Latin (hiems), she could see the relation.
"I've been okay. Worried about all this tension with Shadow's pack." Kas shook her head and thought of all the ways that brute had made her life harder here in the creek. She walked in silence for a moment, mulling over her thoughts. "I kind of hope we can move in the spring, though I know its not everybody's first choice."
Kieran would not allow Kaskara to give up. He would work with her, until she understood. He would help where he could. It was nice to have another know his language as well, but mostly he just didn't want her to give up. Why give up something because it was hard, you would never learn to rise to the challenge.
"Earraigh" He repeated the next word, he'd stick with the theme of seasons.
"Sprin'" He tilted his head towards her as she spoke curious as to how he could hlep her.
Her next words caused him pause. The misstrust of Shadow was palpatable, and it was strange. The one time he had met the male, he had been kind to him and pleasant company. He wondered what had happened, or if he had just hid his baser nature all that time.Kieran smiled at her.
"Naw, nade ter worry kaskara. dare are so many av us. al' av us 'ill protect waaat is ours. oi nu oi 'ill, yer chucker not worry av de tension. an' if yer ever nade a 'elpin' paw, i'll be dare. al' yer 'av ter chucker is 'owl."
He dipped his muzzle down and placed a paw across it. A small sign of promise he supposed, in his own way. Much like a human would touch the corner of their nose. Ah spring with it would come it's own issues, women and men, babies and plans.
"
"Earraigh." Kaskara repeated it in her mind, over and over, until she felt she had the timbre right. "Earraigh." It wasn't perfect, but it was better than before. She was picking up his accent a little with each try, at least.
Kas smiled at her friend's reassurances. "Thanks, Kieran. I know you and the rest of the pack are here for me, for us, but that doesn't mean I won't be afraid." Whatever Shadow had done in his life, it wasn't pretty. Kaskara understood the need for survival and the lengths to which she would go to secure it.
Kieran gave her a merry grin, at the correct pronunciation. Sure she could work on the accent, but all things considered she did very well. For a moment his eyes went a bit misty and far away. Oh how nice it would be to be able to converse in his own language again, something he dearly missed. He blinked quickly enough.
"Clap dare yer go. kaskara. towl yer, wud git it soon enoof."
He dipped his muzzle to her and gave her another word, while he mulled over the rest of the conversation.
"Samhraidh, Summer"
Kieran looked at her for a moment, debating what to say. He didn't really fear anything anymore, because what he had feared once upon a time. It had come to pass, he had lost it all. He supposed, if he thought about it, he could find fear for his pack mates, but really that was an emotion, he no longer felt he had.
"Not much scares me anymore. but oi nu 'oy cripplin' fear can be. an' oi'm roi 'ere if yer nade a mucker ter lean on. ter tell yer ter git yisser noggin oyt av yisser arse. oi'm juicy sure me shoulders are broad enoof." He gave her a bit of a cheeky grin, but it was true. Sometimes when you were afraid, you needed someone to tell you to move on anyway. To fight the fear that was eating you up.
He bowed his head and spoke quietly,
"But really, i'll be roi beside yer ter 'elp yer along."
"Samhraidh." She repeated the word aloud and again in her head a few times. "Samhraidh. Summer." This wasn't easy, but it was getting easier with every word. She wouldn't be able to string together words into sentences just yet, but she could get the hang of this soon enough. Kas noticed Kieran's strange look but watched it quickly disappear. Though she knew him to be a very private creature, she wanted to ask him what that was about. Instead, she simply let it side and turned back to thinking about his language.
Kieran was a strange fellow. He was a quiet sort, but he understood the intricacies of the heart and mind, perhaps even of the soul. He was braver than most and more loyal than many wolves she had met. "I appreciate that, Kieran. You are brave and selfless when it comes to family." Kas grinned. "I'm glad to consider you part of mine. I know you'll protect and guide us when the time comes."
Kieran wagged a quick sweep of his Mahogany tail, happy that she was doing well with his language. He probably would have told her, had she asked. After all there was no harm in missing ones language, and he wouldn't have told her of his family.
"Pure gran' Kaskara. Fhómhair, Autumn or Fall. 'owever yer wish ter say it. "
Kieran hadn't always been quiet, there had been a time. A time, when he was merry and happy, and his eyes danced and he laughed easily. He had even been selfish once, and it had cost him in the end. So secure in his own self worth, in his family's ties, in the fact that they had never been beaten. Even cocky one could say and look at him now, no one was left and he had killed the female he had loved without even lifting a paw.
"Tanks kaskara, but scon are in me weck as gran' as yer tink scon are. but oi appreciate de tart."
Fhómhair. Fall. "Fhómhair." She repeated, tasting the language on her tongue. It was fun to stretch herself, to learn something new, especially since it was something dear to her friend. Kaskara had few friends, but those friends she held close to her heart, and would do anything to make them happy. She hoped Kieran would be happy in their new home, wherever that may be.
"Of course you're not," she teased with a laugh. "Nobody is as good as people think. But that's okay, Kieran. People have secrets and pasts to hide from. That doesn't mean they're bad." At least not in her eyes. Kaskara had her own past, too, though she wasn't hiding from it. She was proud of her upbringing, of her childhood, though she knew now that it was unconventional for most. That didn't mean it was bad.
Kieran wagged his tail in delight. She was getting his language, it had been so long since he heard such as his own language. And on the tongue of a female at that, it made him want to prance. He however, kept himself calm. It was amazing to him, the things others would do for their friends.
Kieran listened and gave her a smile. Not all of his past was bad, just the part where his family was wiped out, that was all. Kieran was proud of how he was raised. He was however, not proud of the fact, that he was alive and everyone he had known and loved were dead.
"Tanks kaskara. dat means lashings."
This will be my last post. :)
Kaskara smiled, glad that her words could calm Kieran's heart and make him see that whatever past he was hiding did not make him evil. Kas had her own past to worry about, and while she didn't hide it from others, it didn't make her any less of a good wolf than the next.
"Of course, Kieran." She smiled and bobbed her head. They had finished their circuit of this area of the territory. Kaskara would need to check on Bazi, on Paar, on her brother; the role of Beta had many duties.
"I'll see you later on, okay? I'll practice the words you taught me." With a smile, she turned and sped off into creek territory, to fulfill one of her many duties as second-in-command.