He'd never say he was getting too old to do this kind of shit anymore, but honestly. His expression was putrid as the group moved forward, keeping a lazy eye on his son to make sure Suinnak wasn't dragging his ass along the ground. He'd thought about giving the boy something to make his tongue swell so he couldn't talk, but so far things hadn't been that bad (well, for the others, maybe). Ukiuk rolled his eyes at his inner monologue. If he had given something to Suzie, lord only knows the boy would be bumbling about with complaints tha thoun lie thith about his tongue and the traveling.

It was then he did a small headcount, narrowing his eyes as he noticed their straggler had disappeared. His lip lifted in a snarl and he let out a grunt to alert the girls, coming to a halt and turning side-ways to get a better view of behind them. He watched the foliage but didn't see the man emerge. A long, heavy sigh escaped him as the corner of his lips curved downward. Seriously, he thought to himself, staring the way they had come with distaste. They were busy trying to find a home, right? He shifted a small wrapped parcel he had been carrying and turned to view the females at the head of their Tartok band. If they were stopping for any small amount of time, he was going to forage for more plants. As an alchemist, he was always keen on the opportunity to collect new things.

It seemed the others were also settling in to a break, and he let out another grunt; this was not productive, but he'd take the moment to have a look around at the plants. He set down his growing collection thus far and rummaged about nearby before the sound of water caught his ear. The grass was always greener by the water, right? He nosed through the ferns looking for mushrooms or other smaller flowers before looking up and finding the black wolf submerged in water. Part of Ukiuk wanted to join him, knowing the warm water would feel good on his aching joints, but he was still far too reserved to get that close to the wolf yet. When they were official Tartok brothers, things would be different, but for now the alchemist had his reservations and his reasons. The one-eyed man didn't even sleep near them yet.

Ukiuk went back to foraging, sniffing around the plants not too far from the pool. Curiosity kept him here near the new blood, not the foliage.

There didn't seem to be a whole lot of interesting things near the pool, but he rummaged about anyway to try and spy on the new kid some more. A voice caught his attention and he perked up, head lifting to see the small, quiet girl who had joined them recently. It took him a moment to register what she had asked, and he shrugged. "Poisons," he said simply, turning to eye the boy in the pool. The black male had turned his back to Ukiuk and this displeased the alchemist. The older man narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin. "Are you pouting?" he asked with a sneer, having never seen such behavior from anyone other than his own, worthless son. Maybe the two would get along! Ukiuk laughed at the idea in his head, until a darkness clouded his very amusement.

What if they got along so well, that they became aokkatti? The thought horrified him. There's no way his son would ever be blood-kin to anyone. Thinking of that roused the memory of his own aokkatti. His ears slipped back for a moment, having recently lost his blood-brother in the war. There was a great deal of guilt that weighed upon his shoulders, and it only made him an angier, older man. But they had won that war and he avenged his aokkatti. They would prevail. They were Tartok.

"What was your name?" he asked of the pale girl, turning to look at her with a raised brow. In truth, he had forgotten, but he had only heard it once or twice. Really, he just wanted to engage her in conversation to see just how far he could push the one-eye'd rogue that lay in the pool.