Redhawk Caldera shadow walking

The months of care for his village and then his children had left a lasting impression on Kigipigak, who could not help but wake with first light, or remain alert for long hours in to the night, as if he still kept watch over his family. As if they were intact, rather than scattered; himself, unloved.

This served him well within Brecheliant for the first few weeks. Rising for dawn patrols, or finishing his days with late night prowls, kept Kigipigak focused on the world as it was. The problems came later - as he would dream of little laughing voices or the sound of Asivaq singing; in the end, Kigipigak slept very little and worked almost constantly.

Still, he had not met many of the village. Perhaps they were wary of him - perhaps this simply was a quiet place full of busy families, unfit for the new bachelor. He would keep up his work, wanting to be useful and occupied, while a slow but steady shadow had begun to assume a heavy presence upon his spirit.

finally gonna get her in one of these ;.;

Maia had not had the chance to meet the new joiner, but she knew that both Chickadee and Kivaluk knew him. If Chickadee had told her that he was Kivaluk’s father, she also would have mentioned there was tension there, and either way it was a subject Maia would leave alone.

She was more interested in where he came from. Would the wolves of Moonglow begin to come here too? The thought made her nervous, which in turn made her guilty. She was judging them before they’d even had a chance.

It took her a while, with everything, to track the new man down. Today she finally approached, hoping that she wasn’t interrupting anything important.

Kigipigak? I’m sorry, if that isn’t right. It was a difficult name to pronounce, but she didn’t have much room to speak, considering the names she’d given her children. The thought helped to make her a little less nervous and brought a smile to Maia’s face. I wanted to welcome you to Brecheliant. And see how things were?

A sooty, round woman came upon him as he roamed, and so he slowed, stopping when she spoke his name. He gave a nod. Yes, that is my name. Hello.

She looked somehow soft but also strong, with a heft to her, but not like a warrior as he might expect. And she appeared older than him; not quite elderly, but getting there.

I am doing well. It has been an adjustment, of course. He wondered what, if anything, Kivaluk had said after their conversation.

Your village is much quieter than my last. Ah, miss...?

Maia. Don’t worry too much about the formalities. We’re all family here. Maia replied with an easy wave of her tail, smiling at him. He seemed polite and well-spoken, but there was something about him that felt a bit sad. She couldn’t tell yet if that was just the way his demeanor was all the time (some wolves were) or if the move had been particularly hard on him.

She was intensely curious about his decision to come here and the reasons behind it. Maia hasn’t wanted to outright ask - it felt rude - but he fortunately opened the door for her by mentioning it.

You came from Moonglow, right? Like Chickadee and Kivaluk? I hadn’t expected anyone to follow them, though I am really glad to have you. She hesitated a beat, then continued. If I’m being entirely honest, I was surprised when they came home too. Moonglow seems like a tightly knit pack.

She shouldn’t gossip. And she especially shouldn’t gossip about her daughter. But Maia didn’t need to know why Chickadee and Kivaluk came home, at least not completely. She could guess a dozen different reasons. This man was different. He hadn’t come to follow close family (that she knew of) or to start a family of his own. She couldn’t keep herself from digging for any hint that maybe their neighbors weren’t as perfect, or as cohesive, as they made it seem. And any hint, from this, that maybe her criticisms and biases weren’t entirely wrong.

Maia. The woman held a largesse about her figure, but a calm aura radiated from her as she asked her questions. It pained him a little bit to think of Moonglow and all that had transpired, but he wasn't afraid to speak of it. She knew Kivaluk; and she seemed to know of Moonglow itself quite well also.

I cannot speak for the village Moonglow, but you are right in that they are... tightly knit, you say? Yes. The way the women all thought the same things, were all raised to be mindless in that way, brought a tension to his jaw as he held back the urge to speak up about it; but he breathed and let it go.

They have their ways, and as warm as they can be there is also a coldness, if you do not have the same views. It was better for me to leave — ah, I was married to a daughter of Moonglow. Was. It would hopefully explain why he had left the village. I have permission to visit from time to time, though, as my children remain there with their mother.