Shadewood qairulik ☄

the den she had found was little more than an overhang, brushed with stiff ivy-leaves and frozen moss. it was nothing like the proud ulaq in which she had been born, in which she had grown up. nor was it like the one she had shared with her mate those short months.

but it was enough, the islander had decided. because she did not yet have pelts for a suitable bed, she brought leaves into the darkness and spread them out to dry. two fish lay split upon a flat rock outside the denmouth. it was not hers, and yet it was.

kukutux sat at the entrance, dappled by the light of the falling sun, and sent up a prayer of thanks for what the spirits had given her. the girl's heart still ached, however, but she would not let herself think their names. let them rest.

Times had changed since he met the friendly Cry along the riverside on a territory close by where they held a competition of catching fish. He had joined the Firebirds and pledged loyalty to another pack, however still, there was empathy that drove him to find the male once more. And this time, it was Epic who brought a single fish, trapped safely between his jaws. It was the last fish left from their fishy competition and it had been well preserved being burried in the cold. But it wouldn't stay fresh for much longer.

Through a maze of rarely-walked trails the young male ended up in the Shadewoods. It was here the scent of Cry grew stronger and stronger. However Cry's strong was intermingled with scents of others. There was no doubt about it, this was the yet-to-be formed pack that he had spoken about. Suddenly his eyes fell upon a white nympfh, close to a frozen-moss covered den. Another thing clicked; Cry had spoken about a wife and the possibilities of puppies. Even more reason to bring this gift.

Staying respectfully in a distance, Epic gently put the fish down and spoke of his intentions. "Have you seen Cry?" Epic questioned gently, then added. "I come here bearing a gift. For Cry but also for his family and his pack."

wreathing into her memory came the grinning face of her playful sister. more forward, more brazen, more talented, she had been all kukutux had wished she herself could have been. and yet there had not been animosity between them. both had been loved by their mother and father, both had been taught the trader's tongue. 

her sister would have been married, had she not rejected the first three suitors who came for her. 'i am not a fur to be traded,' she had told their father proudly. 'the one who wants me for more than your name will be the one i have.'

kukutux was not surprised to find that her face had grown wet with tears, but had no more than a scant handful of seconds to consider the salt upon her face before another wolf approached. his voice was kind; the breeze carried to the girl the scent of the fish he carried. she rose, dipping her muzzle in greeting. 

cry is my husband, the young duck wished to say, but instead occupied herself preparing a meal of dried fish for the visitor. a large leaf with its burden was carried to the man and laid at his feet; she backed several steps and settled herself again. "if you like, i shall call for him," kukutux murmured, lowering her eyes and waiting for his answer before she summoned the dark shaman.

For a moment he contemplated about the offer to call Cry. As much as he loved to see his friend once more, he was also quite busy, preparing for a family (lots of loves 'n breeding!), creating a pack and being a leader in all of the fuzz. Call him for a single fish? It was highly unlike that made sense. Maybe once all the busy buzz had come to pass, he would pay the male a friendly visit once more. "Don't.." Epic said quietly after a moment or two. Then he added the reason. "I mean he must be quite busy this season!"

Golden eyes carefully and respectfully glanced at her silhouette; she was an ice princess, lithe medium-built in size with dots of white, cream and ivory. If he had known her better, he might have noticed her face being very delicate and feminine. Quite a contrast to his own murky, lanky scavenger appearance. She was beautiful. No doubt about it, she had to be his wife! "Feel free to eat the fish." Epic gently invited her, imagining her carrying small puplings in spring. Like fetus FJ? Maybe FJ's only then triple trouble. "I-I'm Epic by the way, in case Cry is curious who visited. What's your name?"

the earnest nature of the young man brought a shy smile to kukutux' lips, and she ducked her head to keep him from seeing it. "yes. he is very busy." though he was not of the shadewood, epic — she tested his name in her mind — was quite kind. thoughtful.

"i thank you," kukutux murmured formally, drawing the fish toward her with a paw. she did not eat yet, however, intending to save it for later. had she known that epic thought she was cry's wife, that he believed she would carry cry's children (many FJs!) in the spring, her joy would have been immeasurable. 

as it was, the girl kept herself reserved. demure. "i am kukutux. it is good to meet you, cry."

By nature the boy was very curious, trying to grasp the world around him even if he had little experience with packs and pack life. He didn't doubt once that this was Cry's wife, she had to be! For Cry only the best and there was no way the shadowed male could resist the delicate beauty of Kukutux as she introduced herself to be. "Well 'Tux. A plesure to meet you!" Epic muttered softly, with a gentle smile. "Cry spoke very fondly of you. His face was beaming with pride when he spoke of you." When he spoke of his wife.

"Can you leave Cry a message? Tell him I stopped by and that I brought the fish?" It had been his fishing prize after all, Epic was all about sharing; sharing is caring. The shadowed male even went as far to tell Epic of his past. His past which held a few black pages. "Oh, and do you need anything else? I know I'm not part of the pack but Cry is my friend and with an upcoming family and all. Things must be crazy-daisy busy."

unsure of why he had shortened her name, but deciding it was unoffensive, the girl could not hide the surprise that brightened her grass-eyes. "he spoke of me?" kukutux inquired, though in the next moment had chastised herself internally for her rudeness.

but still it made little sense — why would cry mention her to a stranger? and with pride, epic had said. beneath her ivory fur, the duck coloured; she lowered her head so that the kind messenger would not see her smile. perhaps the shaman thought more highly of her than kukutux had realized. it was an honour she would cherish long after the gentle young man before her had departed.

upcoming family ... perhaps epic spoke of the children that cry and gwen would expect. "of course," kukutux murmured, lifting her head with a soft smile for the friendly creature. "i will tell him. and i do not need anything," she stumbled, wondering why he would ask. it was a strange place, this world in which she found herself.

The young boy had still a lot to learn about the way the world worked, sometimes his lessons would contain cruelty and hardship and at other times laughter and joy. He knew very little about the way packs would work (or didn't work) even if he knew a lot by instinct from the way of the wolf. But it was rather odd, a stranger bringing gifts to a new pack. But that is, first and foremost because he found a friend in Cry and he learned that Cry must be a busy man, having a pack to keep up, many members to lead and a family to start.

Whether or not it was a strange, strange world the young boy brought a new sort of kindness in it, with any chance and opportunity that he could. He wasn't the one who could read subtle facial features or clues either, so when Tux inwardly laughed he missed out on a signal or two. "Yeah, yeah!" Epic said with a fond smile as he recalled their last memories. "Despite his own hardships in life he adores you. With the kind of love only few in this world truly find." He chuckled lightly, as if Cupid just hit an arrow in his butt. Luckily Valentine's Day had already passed.

"What's is it like to start out in a newly formed pack? Are you one of the founding members?" Or maybe they were travellers and finally settled down here. Always the one hungry for stories, Epic couldn't help but to try and find out.

there must be some mistake, kukutux decided, when epic spoke so happily of love between herself and the shaman. a sinking feeling began to replace her joy, but the girl was determined not to allow her dejection to become visible. to the boy's questions she moved, fighting the tightness that had risen in her throat.

"cry found me far from here, across the mountains," kukutux revealed, gesturing toward the teeth of the mountain range that separated the hinterlands from the rest of the teekon. "since he gave me a place here, i have done what i can to make it home." it would never be home, not truly; the isle called in her blood, beckoned when she could not sleep at night. but this would be where she would reside, for the remainder of her years, if the spirits willed it.

There was a stillness in her eyes, a yearning of the heart. Cry -- as the story began to unfold by her words -- had found her across the mountains. Already Epic's own head began to fill up with a cup of adventure with dangerous mountains, hazardous trails and a story that wasn't often told before. His own golden eyes began to light up in excitement even if the difference was very subtle and barely notable. Tux even gave a hint away as she pointed into the direction of the region that split the hinterlands and the rest. He never went there before.

"Why did he journey with him?" Epic wondered as he trailed on a story of love and hardship; a perfect picture romance. Reality, however, often dicated otherwise. When she said that she was making this place her home, it appeared as though she was trying but she wasn't quite there yet. Suddenly he bit his lips, feeling insecure for a second or two. "Oh, I'm sorry if I go too deep or to personal." And finally on a sense of a home."A home is where the heart is." Was this the place Tux craved to be?

she could not be sure of the names for the expressions that crossed epic's face, but kukutux was charmed by each one that entered the other's eyes. "it was a long journey," the girl ventured. "before we started, cry caught for me a very large fish." she recalled how she had dried part of it, how they had slept close to one another on their trek back to the shadewood. before ... before.

she must not think of such things now.

"i do not mind answering. my heart is heavy, but soon it will be at home in this place." so she hoped, though the tension between cry and herself was distracting, almost damning. "will you tell me of your home?" kukutux inquired gently, settling her green eyes upon the gold coins of the boy's face.