Moonspear I can't wait for this feeling to free me

Caught in a stranglehold was Alaric Willow. Put upon a throne he had never intended.  But somehow he had gone and made himself important to a pack and it's villagers. And now their queen was gone and he had to step up. He snorted to himself quietly the irony. He was not exactly leader material. He was the laugh at your jokes, let's dance a jig, let's smoke the grass type of guy.  And yet here he was.

Sialuk one of his dearest friends was now gone. And he was even more alone than he had been when he came here, because he cared. He wanted to not care. Be that carefree, smile at you make you scream with laughter then leave type of guy. And well now he couldn't. And he said he wanted to, but did he really?

So he made a slow patrol of the borders. Stopping to stare put over the lands unknown. He lifted his voice with a song, letting the deep tones fall down over the rocks with a splash and a hum.

she took herself away from moonglow for a time.

destinies of the moonworld were changing, and it caused her a rigorous anxiety that did not allow her to sleep. 

chiding herself for not traveling sooner, she set out for moonspear with two wraps and a hide bundle of preserved meats, finding it more difficult to wend the icy slopes.

often she stopped, but was too proud to call up to the mountain village for help!

breathing heavily, her breath a cloud of white air, at last kukutux came to its summit, and there the singing of a familiar man brought her own call, less musical but matching its friendly openness.

It wasn't often that other moon wolves made the trek to Moonspear. Not that he could blame really. It was a long trek and steep. But it was nice to know that they were up for visiting at times too. There was a hollow feeling there between his ribs. And he wondered where to go from here.

A twitch of his ears at the voice that rang out to him. And he returned it in kind again. And then bounded from his small little haven and headed towards it. Green eyes impish and kind. 

A call to her. Hello Moonwoman!

alaric. 

"it is good to see your face," she greeted, panting a little from her efforts but no less inclined to pull the taller shadow down into an embrace.

"i have come to know your news. and also i have come to see my grandchildren, and my daughter," kukutux said brightly, glancing around for one or the other.

A small grind. and yours

But then a grave feeling of sadness stole over him. And gross anger. She had not told her mother, Sia. What had she been thinking.

They've left. Sialuk took Pie and Tiki and she went to the wolves like your people. I'm sorry moonwoman.

a pain flowered into grief.

another?

but this was not death; it was not death, and even in her shock moonwoman found gratitude for Sedna's will.

"you did not say tiuttuk."

why? what else had gone on?

in her heart, the failure once more of a mother who had not been strong.

Alaric blinked. Sorry Pie is Tiuttuk. That is the nickname she gave herself when she was a small child.

Alaric moved forward to give the woman a wolfish hug if she would allow. His broad back to lean upon. Though truth be told, even he was no longer a young man. 

I'm sorry to be a bearer of bad news Moonwoman.

she did not believe it.

and she must have known.

her breath was indrawn.

"i thank you, alaric."

the greenstone eyes were resolute.

"i will come back."