+- Wolf RPG (https://wolf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: In Character: Roleplaying (https://wolf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Forum: Snowforest Taiga (https://wolf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=76)
+--- Thread: Herbalists' Cache dewclaw mountain (/showthread.php?tid=65030)
dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 01, 2025
the morning is brittle and sharp, the kind that bites at her nose and steals breath straight from the lungs. frost clings to the edges of the snow shelter, and somewhere beyond, the slow churn of the saatsine waking can be heard—soft murmurs, the scrape of paws, the snuffle of breath through the cold.
star eater sits just outside the entrance to her den, the swell of her belly growing heavier by the day. dawn streaks faint pink across the sky as she arranges a scattering of caribou bones in idle patterns, but her mind is elsewhere.
she tips her head back, voice cutting smooth and clear through the stillness.
it is @Other Shore she calls, summoning the girl to her side.
there is no sharpness to her tone. no impatience. only the expectation that she will come—because when star eater calls, they listen.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 02, 2025
She stirred. Slowly, but stir she did. It was the scent of crisp cold that drew her out of her curled warmth.
Out she stepped, and was immediately greeted with a solemn rush of aggressive wind that snapped the raw bitterness into her veins. Other Shore did not enjoy the cold, but she had learned to accept it. The beauty of the dawn compensated for her desire to return to that warmth and find herself in comforting sleep again.
It seemed that she was not the only one who found themselves a victim of rude awakening - silhouettes of wolves appeared to be rising, slowly but surely. She could not quite make out who exactly was who, but she took a little pride in the fact that she could recognize at least a few of them.
Her name then came riding on the wind.
Other Shore turned in the direction of the call. A familiar voice, she noted - Star Eater was her guess. She scarcely interacted with the rest of the Saatsine, after all, and she could not confirm if many of them even knew her name.
And so she ran, a neither desperate nor aggressive pace, merely an energetic one, meant to kick up the energy within her in this early morning.
She found herself little distance away from the heart of the Saatsine gathering, but sure enough it was Star Eater who had apparently called for her, sitting now outside of a den of some sort. Slowing her pace to a halt, she noted Star Eater's swollen belly, carrying the next generation of Saatsine. Not a gentle burden to carry, but she hoped it was a fulfilling one.
She greeted Star Eater, head slightly lowered as usual, though once again she gave away her curiosity as to why she was called at the peak of dawn.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 02, 2025
star eater's gaze lifted as the girl approached, her pale form gilded by the morning light, wind teasing strands of her fur. a smile came easily, soft and warm against the cold that bit their cheeks.
this is my birthing den,she said, voice smooth as silk, gesturing with a slight incline of her muzzle to the carefully shaped snow shelter behind her. sun eater's handiwork. his devotion built into every curve and brace of the structure, a gift of shelter for the days to come.
her tail swept the snow idly as she looked back to other shore, something bright and knowing flickering behind her eyes.
he built it for me,she added, as though it were a secret, a prized thing only they might share in this quiet hour.
then, shifting to the bundles at her paws, she nudged them forward—a collection of caribou dewclaws, strips of cured hide, tufts of downy fur still sweet with scent.
and i want you to help me decorate,star eater continued, as though this was the most natural request in the world.
these. we will make it beautiful. strong.her smile grew, playful now.
a place worthy of the next saatsine generation.
her eyes lingered on the girl a moment longer, searching. measuring.
you’ll help me, won’t you?
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 02, 2025
Other Shore's eyes flitted from Star Eater, to the birthing den, to the dewclaws that now rested in front of the woman. Star Eater seemed.... proud, perhaps, or simply excited. Not that she had been an extremely solemn and strict individual on a regular basis, but today, her eyes boasted an additional layer of elation, and her demeanor had a hint of playful joy to it.
The den itself was a strong shelter - sturdy enough to bear the whip of winds, fine enough to be the first home that Star Eater's pups would know. Worthy of the new Saatsine, of new Lanzadoii pups. She now saw partly why Star Eater was so joyful. She guessed that it must have been Sun Eater who built this for her, and his dedication to his mate and his future children showed quite evidently. It was a respectable piece of craft.
Could she decorate it well enough? Other Shore felt quite honored, and was quite willing to aid her, but with it came a hint of anxiety at the thought. Again, though, Star Eater had invited her to do so, and she had no reason to decline.
I am willing to help,she responded, hoping her tone showed more of her genuine enthusiasm and less of her doubt. She stepped towards the dewclaws and took in the caribou scent, just for a moment. Then she vaguely recalled the words of another Saatsine a little while ago -
Is this to gain the blessing of the caribou spirits?she asked.
Are there any... rituals accompanying it?She had heard distant tales from some other packs, quite different but also quite similar to the Saatsine, who engaged in these practices to bring fortune upon them.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 02, 2025
star eater's smile warmed like sunlight through frost. she tilted her head, watching other shore with a glint of approval, charmed by the girl's carefulness—her reverence.
yes,she said softly.
they protect. keep the bad omens away. and bring strength to those inside.her gaze shifted to the den, to the hollow where soon her children would take their first breaths.
they are the warriors that guard us when we sleep.
she nosed one of the dewclaws toward other shore, inviting her to place it as she pleased.
there is no great ritual. no chanting or bleeding. only the work of our paws and the intention we carry. if you place them with care, they will serve. that is enough.
then, almost teasing, her tail flicked.
you and i will make this the most sacred den saatsine has ever seen.
her gaze lingered fondly. perhaps, when her time came, this girl would be more than a helper. perhaps other shore would stay at her side when the birthing began. there was something steady about her, something good.
come,she murmured, motioning her forward.
we will line the entrance first. the rest will follow.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 03, 2025
Ah, well, then. Other Shore hoped the spirits would guide her in placing the dewclaws. If this was to be the most sacred den, as envisioned by Star Eater, then she would make it that. Star Eater seemed so, so brilliantly joyful. The idea of decorating a shelter to greet her pups into the world... it would excite any mother.
Other Shore stepped forward and carefully picked up a dewclaw in her jaws. She inched up to the entrance of the den. Placed a paw on the structure. Tapped it. Once, twice. It was sturdy, and the snow, which she had thought would crumble away if she touched it a little too hard, remained in place.
Very gently, she pressed the dewclaw into the base of the entrance. A little snow fell away; she brushed it aside. Then she tapped it, ensuring it did not fall out. Then again, for good luck. She did not know why she felt inclined to tap it twice. It simply felt right to her. A little ritual of her own, she supposed.
She turned to Star Eater and peered over at what the woman was doing.
Do we line the edge of the entrance?she asked.
Or... did you want a path leading outwards?A pause, a moment of hesitant consideration.
Or will we work on that later?
Questions. Too many questions. But Other Shore liked details, and she wanted this den to be perfect.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 03, 2025
star eater watches her, fondness softening the winter edges of her gaze. there’s something tender in the way other shore moves, so careful with the dewclaws as if the spirits themselves might be watching from the shadows, judging each placement. it warms something deep in her chest.
around the shelter,she hums, voice light as the snow drifting down. she nods toward the curve of the walls, already imagining the ring they will make.
a circle, to keep us safe. to keep them safe.
she bends then, taking up one of the smaller talons between her teeth, setting it with practiced ease into the snowbank where wall meets earth. a perfect loop. a perfect barrier. a perfect beginning.
the path we can make when they arrive,star eater adds after a beat, glancing toward the den’s entrance, where the snow is already tamped down from her pacing.
when we know they are strong enough to see the world. for now, this is enough.
her belly shifts beneath her as if the little lives inside agree.
she smiles at other shore, a rare thing, genuine and bright.
you do good work. the spirits will be pleased.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 03, 2025
A little sliver of pride fluttered in her at Star Eater's words.
...Thank you,she replied quietly, returning the same warm smile.
She had noticed that she was also being watched; a funny thing, the two of them watching the work of the other. Star Eater appeared confident with each of her placements. She was a practiced decorator, and knew exactly what she envisioned and what would please the caribou spirits. There was little need for constant reevaluation of each placed dewclaw when Star Eater had in her mind a perfect image of the final result. It was that faith in the little details that Other Shore admired, the experience that guided her each and every move that she herself did not have yet.
Other Shore turned back to her own work. She tapped the askew dewclaws, and prayed they would not fall out as she corrected them. Then she picked up more and continued with that little ritual of hers. Place, tap, tap again. Come around later, tap a third time.
Their work became a pattern, and a pattern became a form. A ring of careful blessings for the tender ones that would soon arrive. She gently blew on the dewclaws and let the excess snow fall away. Perhaps she did have reason to be proud of her work, after all.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 04, 2025
star eater’s gaze lingers on the younger woman, watching the care with which she works. the precision, the little taps, the quiet ritual she’s created all her own—it brings a soft warmth to morwenna’s chest. she hums low, pleased, as the ring takes shape, a delicate guard of bone and spirit for the lives soon to enter the world.
perfect,she murmurs, her voice a hush, meant just for them, for the snow, for the unborn listening beneath her ribs.
the caribou will see this and know they are honored.
she steps back to admire the shape they’ve made together. the soft lines, the symmetry of care laid out in the snow.
we make a fine pair, you and i.there's a fondness there, the beginnings of something that feels very much like kinship.
when they are born, i want them to know you, too. not just as a helper, but as someone they may trust.
her smile grows, touched with something maternal, though perhaps not for the babes alone.
i am grateful you are here.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 04, 2025
The ring was quite perfect. It filled some sort of emptiness in her, seeing their gentle efforts result in a careful, beautiful shape. Other Shire took a step back and admired it.
She was not accustomed to such kindness in the words of another wolf, but she was not surprised it came from Star Eater. Other Shore had grown to see her not as a strict authority the way she had expected, but a tender woman whose experiences let her see what others could not. A caring protector, one who built trust rather than ruling by dominance. She also found it quite endearing that every so often, she would hear Star Eater murmuring to her children, and though she could not hear the words, she knew it was reassuring to the little ones yet to emerge into the world. They were quite fortunate to have her as a mother.
We do make a fine pair,she mused, a little chuckle of amusement and pride escaping her.
Then, as Star Eater spoke, the realization came to her - was it an invitation of sorts, to bear witness to the fragile lives? She had expected not to see them until the pups were no longer blind and deaf, until they were capable of making sense of the vast world around them. She shook a little, excitement flitting through her chest at the thought of seeing those precious lives.
I would love to be there,she replied, trying to suppress the elated bounce that now reached her feet. She could not tell if she was smiling - she knew it was joy that she felt, and that was enough. A little pride, too, at the trust and gratitude Star Eater had for her.
Once her heart stopped jumping around in her chest, Other Shore asked,
Out of... curiosity, have you given any thought to their names? Or... will you know when the time comes?It was not a choice she had any decision in - perhaps it had been out of her place to ask, even, but curiosity had reached her tongue before common sense did. She knew Star Eater's selections would be beautiful, regardless.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 05, 2025
star eater’s gaze drifts over the ring they’ve built, the dewclaws catching the faintest glint of weak sunlight, and for a moment she allows herself to feel wholly pleased. it is good work. work she couldn’t have done alone. other shore’s presence beside her has become as natural as the snow beneath their paws, and star eater smiles softly at the thought. they did make a fine pair.
you will be there,she assures her gently, not just as witness, but as part of it. there is warmth in the promise, an unspoken gratitude layered beneath.
i would like that.it is rare she shares such things—rarer still to allow others into her sacred spaces—but other shore had earned her place, quietly and without asking.
at the question of names, star eater hums, shifting her weight as she presses a forepaw lightly against the packed snow. her belly stirs, a faint reminder of the little lives she carries, and her gaze lowers fondly toward it.
we will know them when they come,she says, voice like low wind brushing over the ice.
sun eater will name them beneath the sky. that is our way. they must be seen first. heard. felt. only then will their names find us.
she looks to other shore again, a glint of amusement in her eye.
but i trust he will choose well. and if not... i’ll be sure to correct him.a soft, teasing laugh slips free, as though the thought of disagreeing with her husband over their children’s names is something simple and sweet. something mundane.
and perhaps it is.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 06, 2025
I will be there,Other Shore promised. It was an enormous trust that Star Eater was giving her here, and she would ensure that trust would be kept.
Another little chuckle, another little piece of humor. It was these things that fed the joy that they now both shared, an instinctive understanding that she had not known in a long, long time. Her endless running, it seemed, had made her forget the warmth of another's company.
Though, correcting names... she found it strangely amusing. And waiting until the birth of the babes to give them their names... was that yet another Saatsine tradition? Another little detail woven into the deep fundamentals of the pack? Or was it an expression of Star Eater's trust of Sun Eater? It was not a task to be taken lightly, giving the new Lanzadoii names that carried meaning, history, beauty. Where Other Shore had come from, names were not given upon birth, but rather natural labels that established themselves through many moons of growth, gradually given by parents to their children.
Names,she mused.
A funny thing, hm? So shallow and deep.She paused, and another little innocent curiosity popped up as soon as it was given the chance.
Where did you get your name from? 'Star Eater'? Where I am from, I have never heard such a name before.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 06, 2025
star eater reclined, spine pressing into the softened curve of caribou hides beneath her. the snow outside whispered against the shelter, dulling the world to a hush that felt sacred—like the waiting itself was part of the ritual.
she blinked slowly at other shore’s question, the corner of her mouth tipping in a faint, knowing smile.
my husband named in lanzadoii,she murmured, voice low, thoughtful.
dzaeyasaa. star eater. a name to hold their respect.her gaze lifted, distant as if recalling the first time it had fallen from sun eater’s lips.
but... my birth name is morwenna. the earthen delight.
there was a pause, long and weighty, as though it had been some time since she’d spoken it aloud, or let herself wear it without the weight of expectation.
names are... heavy things here,she added, watching the way the snow built on the edges of the den’s opening.
but i think you understand that.
her eyes found other shore’s with something gentle, something warm in spite of all the cold.
when they come, the little ones... perhaps they will carry pieces of both.of land and sky, of earth and stars.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 09, 2025
Dzaeyasaa. Morwenna.
For a brief moment there, she let the names roll across her tongue silently. Feeling them, tasting them. Beautiful names they were, stretching the entire world. Dzaeyasaa came with Star Eater, wife of the chieftain, future mother of new Lanzadoii. But Morwenna came with something secluded, something heavier. Other Shore decided not to pry.
Names... names for pups. Could the vast land and the distant sky be condensed into a single name? Perhaps the wisdom of Lanzadoii had a way that the common tongue did not. Perhaps it had a layer of complexity or a touch of simplicity that gave it enough meaning to encompass both heaven and earth. But she knew that, whatever name the pups were given, they would be delicately beautiful, which Star Eater would ensure. If the children were to carry the world upon their existence, then their mother would make it not a burden but a pride to wear for life.
There was then a pause after Star Eater spoke, in which the silence was only broken by the wind. It did not lash at them harshly today, which she was grateful for, but the breeze was enough to ruffle and entertain her fur.
Another little memory popped into her curious mind.
I have heard Sun Eater refer to his hunters as names that were the ones we were born with or commonly use. Is that what you meant by Lanzadoii names?A pause, a little gentle consideration.
Do all hunters of the Saatsine receive Lanzadoii names? All bloodhunters? Or perhaps it depends?
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 09, 2025
star eater's gaze remained steady upon other shore, watching the way the woman mulled over her words. it was a curiosity she appreciated—one that marked a woman who wished to learn, to truly understand.
yes.she confirmed simply.
you get lanzadoii name once you've hunted enough with chieftain. once you've proven yourself in the ways of saatsine.
her tongue curled around the words with a certain finality. it was not a gift to be given freely; it was earned, carved into the very bones of those who bore it.
not all hunters take a lanzadoii name,she continued after a pause, her tone softer now, thoughtful.
some do not wish for it. some do not belong enough to earn it.she looked toward the horizon, toward the vast expanse of the land beyond.
but those who do... they are more than just hunters. they are written into the legacy of our people.
her gaze flickered back to other shore, eyes gleaming like distant stars.
do you wish for one?
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 12, 2025
So these Saatsine - Lanzadoii - names did indeed carry much meaning. The history, the previous generations of all that came before, and the responsibility of those who will come after. A great burden, a great pride that took courage to carry.
Perhaps. Perhaps she did long for a Lanzadoii name. Or perhaps she was not ready to be so grounded into the deep legacy of the caribou hunters. Not yet, evidently. Not until she herself could find proof of her competence and capability.
Run for a little while longer, Other Shore decided. Maybe learn a thing or two along the way. The future was not solid; it was quite uncertain. She would remain with the Saatsine so long as she was welcome, but she did not quite know if she could carry the weight of a Lanzadoii name at the moment.
I do wish for a Lanzadoii name,she responded thoughtfully.
But not now. Not until I am ready to shoulder it. The pride of a heritage, a people, is not light and easy to bear.
A pause, this time another little contemplation. Morwenna, Star Eater, Dzaeyasaa.
How did you get your Lanzadoii name?she perked up, a little hint of excitement accompanying her abrupt curiosity.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 12, 2025
my husband named me,morwenna admitted, voice softened by memory, though it did not lack its usual steel.
the star on my forehead.a touch of reverence lingered there, an echo of the past.
she did not speak of the moment itself, of the warmth in his eye when he had declared it hers. of the way her name had not been hers until it came from his lips, until it was stitched into her by the weight of the saatsine tongue. "dzaeyaqsaa." a name shaped by the north, by the long nights and the gleam of silver upon the ice. by a man who had once held her at his side as something sacred.
a name that had bound her to this place, to its people. and yet… now it felt like shackles. her teeth pressed together as she swallowed the thought.
you are wise to wait,she told other shore, exhaling slowly, watching the younger woman with something between approval and sorrow.
a name carries the weight of all who came before you. it does not simply belong to you—it belongs to them, to the blood that shaped it.
her gaze flickered, unreadable in the dim light.
but when you are ready… i will name you myself.
RE: dewclaw mountain - Other Shore - March 16, 2025
So she was right to guess that the name “Dzaeyaqsaa” carried weight she could not see, judging by the slight tension in Star Eater’s jaw as she pondered it. But again, she would not pry.
Lanzadoii names, as she expected, tied an identity to a legacy, and hence their meanings were not merely the immediate definition of each word that made up every name. Generations of honor, held by one person.
She saw something in Star Eater’s silver gaze and reaffirmed her decision. One day, she would be strong enough to carry a legacy, someone’s legacy, perhaps the legacy of a bloodline. But again, not yet. If she were to have a name, she wished it to be a pride and not a burden of hers.
When you name me, I will hold the name with honor.A promise she hoped - she knew - she could keep.
How does one prove themself to be worthy of receiving a name?she asked. What made up a name was one thing; how to receive one was another.
And then she realized - if the Lanzadoii had their own naming customs, their own tongue, then surely other places and groups had their own as well? Her homeland simply spoke a dialect of what others called “common”, but where Morwenna came from, where the Sharadoii and Muradoii came from, they must have different speech, right?
May I ask you - besides Lanzadoii, do you know any other tongues besides the one people call “common” and “Lanzadoii”? I have heard a few others speak in words foreign to Saatsine - can you as well?
RE: dewclaw mountain - Morwenna - March 16, 2025
star eater nodded, her silvered gaze steady, approving.
the spirits will speak after you’ve proven yourself to the caribou.
it was the way of their people, the way of the lanzadoii. the caribou decided who belonged among them, who was worthy of carrying their legacy. other shore had much still to prove, but she had already taken her first steps.
at her next question, star eater’s ears pricked, her expression softening with something like amusement. she had forgotten how curious the young could be, how much they sought to learn.
yes,she answered, gaze flicking toward the distant horizon, as if recalling the places she had been.
i speak a few.
her head tilted slightly, considering.
the northern tongue that darukaal speaks.she had learned it long ago, in the days before she had a name. before she had a husband.
my own tongue, alike no other.
there was a pause, brief but meaningful.
only the drakaryn line may know it.
her voice was quiet, reverent. it was a sacred thing, their language—spoken only by those of her bloodline, passed down from mother to daughter, from father to son. it belonged to them, and them alone.
one day,she mused, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips,
perhaps you will hear it.