Since the cougar attack, and the fact they have so few other members, Ukko has upped his time on the borders.  He slept in short increments—there isn’t one place in the pack that is easily and quickly accessible if something were to happen—but he tries to alternate between near the borders and further inside, keeping close to where the rest of them sleep.  If he gets the chance, he tries to sleep near the Alpha’s den or with @Tavi, making sure he at least knows where someone is at all times.

Ukko closes his eyes once he’s come to a stop, taking a break to easy his weary feet.  His stomach grumbles but he doesn’t complain, doesn’t yet go in search of something to eat. It was only yesterday since he ate from one of his caches and he couldn’t waste another one—he hadn’t even been willing to share with Reek—but they weren’t struggling too much so he didn’t feel that guilty.  Winter weighs heavily upon them; the worst is yet to come.

Most of Ukko’s time is spent on the borders, keeping watch for intruders or wind of the cougar, and to avoid Reek.  Mostly to avoid Reek, actually.  It’s worked so far, anyway, but he knows he can’t go on like this.  He can’t remain on the outskirts, waiting for a time to strike or a time to leave.  There’s a balance Ukko doesn’t care to play and he knows he needs to figure it out, sooner rather than later.  If he dedicates more of his life to the pack, he needs to commit and accept Reek as the leader—which leaves a sour taste in his mouth—or leave them behind—which also does the same.  The tastes he can’t even decipher.

There’s a distraction quickly, turning to see the salt and pepper wolf bounding for him.  He doesn’t begin to stand until she’s close, forcing himself to all four legs and shaking out his fur.  The dark wolf reaches out and bumps her snout with a weak smile.  His usual chipper self is gone and replaced by a wolf Tavi doesn’t know. 

There’s only a short second before Tavi begins to speak but as she does, he watches the light return to her face, replacing the brief confusion he’d caused.  A hint of a smile forms on his lips and his tail wags a little in response.  She pauses to breathe the air and his muscles tug the smile bigger.  A little positivity might make things a little better and he’s always up for something gross.  

She hesitates once he’s invited, turning it toward him.  Ukko shakes his head, warding off the conversation.  “Show me,” he says instead.

Relief floods him when Tavi takes her attention off him, turning and bounding off the way she’d come from.  He picks up his pace and follows behind the woman at a leisurely pace.  When she comes up on it, Ukko makes a half circle to come up to the head. He lowers his nose, wrinkles it, then sniffs it again. A paw slaps around the snow, confirming it’s too embedded in the ground to move.  

“Gross,” he says, trotting over to the rest of it.  His nose flares, inhaling the gross smell again, and it takes every urge not to drop to the ground and roll in in.  

Ukko digs at the snow, trying to uncover as much as he can to figure out what it is but he doesn’t get far when the frozen ground.  Staring at it, closer to the corpse and it would be easy to just roll over and flail around.  He groans, growling in frustration and bouncing back to step up to Tavi.  “What’ll you do with it?”

He isn’t sure what Saena would like; he isn’t even sure if she is going to come back to the maplewood.  Reek hadn’t been too keen on giving him anythinig in regards to his search and he hadn’t gone out of his way to do it himself.  He pushes it to the side, for now, and listened as she goes on with her ideas. When she passes it on to him, he tilts his head, and hums quietly.  “Maybe you can stick the feathers to it,” he begins with a swish of his tail.  “Maybe some mud will hold them to it?”

He casts a sidelong glance at her, head tilting again at the suggestion that it would look silly. He doesn’t press on about it, letting the one with the interest in craft be the one to decide.  It’s not something he’s ever put much thought into and so he leaves it alone.  He’d help if she needs it but only with direction. 

She stares at him then and Ukko takes a step back and puts some distance between them. “Do you like it here?” he throws to her, putting himself into motion and nudging her shoulder as he goes by, beckoning her to follow. 

He wonders, for a moment, if she would follow him if he leaves.  If she would knowing he would be following another woman, one that has captured his attention even after one meeting.  Why he would follow her, he isn’t sure, but he knows he needs to consider his options.  His affinity for the maplewood might not be enough to keep his feet on the ground in the forest but he doesn’t want to worry his friend in the meantime. 

Ukko doesn’t have to take long to answer her question, his own half smile appearing on his features that, just the same, doesn’t seem as convincing:  “I do.”

He knows he’s on the cusp of punishment.  At worst, he’s run off.  At best, demoted significantly and his chance at success diminishing.  The smile fades and he flicks his tail, looking away as if he’s heard something off in the distance to hide his expression.  “It’s home.” He sweeps his nose back and offers a real smile this time, bumping his shoulder against hers.  “Do you wanna bunk together over winter? My fur’s pretty thick, it’ll do good to keep you warm,” he offers, a soft laughing bubbling under his tongue.

Ukko raises his brow when she speaks but halts, tilting his head in sudden confusion. The thought doesn’t last long when Tavi bursts into the next bit and he isn’t sure if she’s sarcastic or not, having not quite seen the girl so overly joyous. He opens his jaws to question the sincerity of her words when she moves on, pushing him into a corner rather quickly.

“I’m not—” he breaks, though he’s uncertain of his words. He bites back his tongue and swishes his tail, offering her a smile to try and hide the frustration knit between his eyes. “I was just making sure you weren't regretting your decision,” he tells her, side stepping a little and nudging her along. Before he moves, however, he marks the spot near the deer for the time being. “I’ll help you unearth it later.”