Moonspear Sweet sunshine

@Arrluk 

Ajei returned from her trip into the Glen. She thought fondly of the younger girl who had helped her make the spots feel more homey. She wished her all the happiness and hoped she found her voice soon.

Ajei decided to freshen up her own den. For too long she'd been freshening all other's and neglecting her own. So with the strong will she had in her quiet reserves she began to toil. 

She hung furs up to dry after cleaning them on a low hanging branch. She probably got them just as filthy trying to pull them over the branch as she had just cleaned out of them. But that's what paws were for when it dried. 

She was bundling herbs to dry next with wet pieces of fur and quills. Sprawled out with herb bundles all around her and loose ones too as she separated and sorted.

The process was a long one. She had to use teeth to pull the fur on either side. And then maneuver it so that the two flaps went on the quill that's she had stood upright in two pebbles. Who needs opposable  thumbs. Though her paw pads certainly had enough pricks from the quills.

Being a medic and an herbalist was a hard job and required much of tedious processes. Searching for the herbs after you had learned them and their purposes. Separating them to their uses. Chewing and mashing them into pastes. Clawing out pieces of wood to hold water and soak certain ones to make teas to drink. Hanging and drying certain ones.... He knew the work put into it. He had watched his mother many times and now Ajei. It was nothing he could ever think so set his mind to. Like his father before him, he would stick to fishing... and even some thought THAT was tedious work! 

Today he was doing just that. Further down the riverbed where their dens rest, Arrluk had stripped a fish to the bone and ate well and used that energy to catch two more. Laying them next to one another, he was then able to grab both by the tail together and begin carrying them off. The largest of the pair he would settle down in a clearing and all out for Moonspear's pups to come and eat. Then he would slip away with the smaller fish and head back towards his and Ajei's sleeping quarters. 

It is here he finds the firekissed young woman busy with hard work. Settling the fish down, he woofs lowly and brushes his wet nose along her muzzle with affectionate greeting. Take a lunch break, would you?

Ajei was not the greatest herbalist or medic. Her ways lied more in the mediator realm or was her hope at any rate. But that didn't mean she couldn't or wouldn't learn the other things. It was not easy. But she found quiet enjoyment in the tedious.

She and Arrluk had been busy as of late. And though they saw each other daily. They had not relaxed nesr each other in sometime. Too busy in their day to day. And of course she held no doubt that Arrluk had spent much time with his father while he was here.

A soft trilling of laugh. Delight. At his affectionate greeting. Which she returned in kind. He smelled like the river. And he even brought her a meal.

Oh, alright. She teased quietly.

was fishing well? Oh it smells wonderful.

A stirring of dust as she wagged her tail once. And swiftly took a bite. Peering up at him as she waited for his answer. Cheeks slightly bulged a soft. mmm.

She loved fish. And she loved to fish.

It was. He informed as she agreed to take a break, asking him if the fishing had gone well. I caught three. One for me, one for you and one I left in a clearing and called the pups to. I'm sure it will get sniffed out soon enough. 

He licked his chops and slid down into a sit as Ajei took a big mouthful. Hard work made well for a large appetite. Arrluk and Ajei had grown up in villages which were always buzzing with work to be done. 

The peak of the salmon run is coming... He speaks, half to himself and half to her in thought of it as he plays over ideas in his head. I think I want to head out to the lake across the Glen. Father says that in major spots, the fish literally jump into your mouth..!

She chuckled in delight at the thought of the children racing to find a fish to nibble at. She remembered well when they had done so. She swallowed her bite and gave a soft hmm as he spoke, listening. 

Oh can I come or did you want to go by yourself? She looked up at him with a softly veiled eagerness. It had been so long since she had fished with a friend. And the thought of the salmon jumping in your mouth. Well that was exciting, though not so challenging, but they could feed their families for days.

Is that even a real question? He said, trying to sound flat at he did so, but gave himself away by his toothy grin. Was there ever truly a time when he didn't want her around? Arrluk honestly couldn't even remember a time when they were away from one another for more then like... a day. Well, besides when he had gone on his little "spirit walk". Since Brecheliant is just through the woods, We can give @Kivaluk and @Chickadee a visit too? See how big the pups have got?

Ajei gave a small delicate laugh and shook her head. Green eyes dancing at his comment. Well it is polite you know. She teased back. She couldn't just invite herself. And besides what if he did want to go alone. But she also knew that before she asked, he wouldn't really have a problem with it. He never did.

Ajei's eyes lit up. Oh i'd like that. I haven't seen them yet.

The thought of little puppies made her smile. And though she hadn't known either Chickadee or Kivaluk well. She thought of both of them fondly. CHickadee had been a constant in her life when she was much younger. And had helped her with some of her anxiety.

A sea-green (mostly) gaze dances over to Ajei's of bright emerald as she laughs and Aiolos grins with a showing of his small white teeth. However reclusive Arrluk had become, passed from the steps of his father, he would never not enjoy the company of Ajei. They could be themselves with one another. Both quiet and dutiful and a lack of awkward silences they might have felt among others. 

Neither have I. It was settled then and Arrluk thought of how he would need to get with @Sialuk and let her know of this little venture, should their day or two of absence leave room for worry.

Arrluk seemed happier in recent days. She knew that his heart would always hurt a little. Her's still did over her mother. And she of course grieved the loss of the his sisters. EVen if she had not been close to them. Simply because he had grieved. And his father and mother who she adored.

Will there be bears? Mother said that sometimes, salmon runs have bears?

She necessarily didn't mind, bears. But she would be mindful to stay far away from them.

He had grieved. Yet similar to Ajei, it was seeing the pain in his parents and the knowing that the pups would grow without their mother that hurt him most. Just like with Samani's pups, too. Arrluk did not know them particularly well or closely. He had so much family after all, yet he felt guilt in this. Thar his own reclusive, quiet nature had kept him from knowing them all as he felt it should and now it was too late. 

Arrluk took a deep breath, turning to the sun-kissed girl.  There might be. They'll be focusing on the food just like us. We just need to make sure to keep our distance. Ajei's mother was far from wrong. Then again, when had she been?