Ouroboros Spine And I don't remember why I came

@Aiolos @Kukutux @Shikoba

After hearing about Moonglow and its proximity from the boy he'd met by the lake, Tybault wasted no time in heading there. Another day, another lead — and most likely another dead end waiting for him. It felt pointless by now, but it had become something of an obsession.
If he was honest with himself, and he rarely was when it came to these things, Ophelia had become something of an obsession. Or rather, her illness. That was what he thought of it as. It often felt like he lost two sisters in the fire that killed Rose, but Tybault couldn't let go of the notion that Ophelia would come back one day.
He'd always been there. She never seemed to remember, but he sat with her all the same during those terrible days-long silences of hers. Sometimes he was the only one; more often, his siblings had taken turns, but Tybault had always been the most dedicated. He couldn't help but feel like he was owed this one thing, at least. It wasn't a big ask. All he wanted was his sister — the one he loved, the one he'd known before Rose died. The one who was a healer and a raindancer, who readily had kind words for everyone.
He knew that wasn't what he would find, if he found her at all, but the hope that she would be that girl again one day had never died. It never would. He wouldn't give up on her, as their parents and siblings had.
So he trudged up to the borders and called for the leader of the place, bracing himself for another harrowing interaction. Another disappointment.

it was not new to hear multiple voices whispering in the snow. spirits were known to walk during the winter nights, calling for others in a sound that was often swept up in the wind.

and it was no surprise that as winter continued to trudge through its season, there would be wolves without homes and without food. moonglow could only provide so much, and shikoba was perhaps not as gracious and kind as the matriarch of the spine was. perhaps this was her next lesson in life, to shed the hard scales of war and suspicion that have kept her blood warm and heart pounding away in her chest.

shikoba was unsure of the boy at her borders. the golden hood would be graced by the presence of moonglow's star hunter, and the scarred woman would waste no time with asking her questions.

"you are on the border of Moonglow, what is your business here?" her tone continues to lose its sharpness when addressing others, though it certainly is clear that the woman is not one for flowery introductions.

He didn't have long to dread his impending doom. A woman appeared, clad in so many colors and so many scars that it was almost hard to focus on any single feature. More importantly, though, she got straight to the point. Tybault liked that.
I'm looking for my sister. Gold fur, gold eyes. She might be ill or injured, Or dead, he thought, but kept that to himself. There was no point in asking after a dead girl. Have you seen her? It felt foolish to ask. No one had seen her. Not a single soul.

just a cameo. feel free to skip! if kivaluk is needed at all just tag me! <3

kivaluk is close when the call rises, though it is shikoba who beats him to interception; thus he hangs back in the shadows of the trees: a silent, stony sentry. it is the golden hued boy he met days prior while he'd been tracking a deer herd.

kivaluk is not surprised to hear that he is searching for his sister here and feels only a stab of pity. it felt like a fool's errand: like the goldenkissed boy was chasing a ghost, driven solely by his own hope. but just because a shattered relationship with his own sibling had turned kivaluk's feelings on things cruel and sharp edged did not mean it was so for everyone.

so, he keeps silent: watchful ( though shikoba does not need his presence ) but not interested in interacting unless directly addressed.

"no, she has not been here. had she been, she would have been taken in."

shikoba could not recall any wolves matching such a description. therefore, with nothing to offer, her answer would be limited. beyond that, if such a ragged woman had come upon the borders, the star hunter had little doubt that kukutux would not take her in. no one else has shared the sleeping place of moon woman, and no wild scents have caught shikoba's attention as of recent.

"we can keep an eye out for her if it helps." it was not much, but perhaps better than nothing.

That was a strange thing to say, and almost entirely opposite of his reception at the last pack. For a second it felt like some of Germanicus's paranoia had rubbed off on him, and Tybault had to resist the urge to squint at her. No one would take in a wolf like Ophelia. Even their parents had been disgusted by her. Tybault thought they were full of shit, as he always had, but he also knew that they had loved her once, and that they were right about at least one thing: Ophelia was very, very sick. The kind of sickness that others would not understand, the kind that would make them want to stay away. That was why he had to find her. He had to be there to care for her, because surely no one else would.
Though he knew it would not hold up to reality, he still appreciated the sentiment, and the offer. He dipped his head in gratitude, trying not to let his thoughts drift bitterly back to Germanicus. Yes, that would help. Thank you, After a hesitant moment, he added, Can you tell me anything about other nearby packs? I'm new around here, and I've been blindly wandering in search of packs to ask. It would be nice to have some direction.

his control over his emotions would pay off, had anything else except gratitude been expressed, shikoba would have flashed her teeth in warning.

when he asks about the neighboring areas, shikoba nods. she doesn't know quite much as the travelers of Moonglow, though she does know of the groups who favor Moonglow. "south of the spine is the caldera, brecheliant. up north along the coast is a group on the cliffs, sapphique. to the east, mereo in the desert and north of it is paleo. most are families, except for mereo." she didn't have much more beyond this, though it should've enough information for the man to navigate himself into whatever direction he desired.

Brecheliant. Sapphique. Mereo. Paleo. Tybault mirrored her nod as she spoke, careful to note each name and direction she provided. None of them were familiar except Mereo; he decided it would be best to avoid mentioning his encounter with Germanicus. Even minus one, it felt like a feast had been laid out before him. Three leads in one day. And wolves who would keep an eye out for his sister. It wasn't much, but it was more than anyone else had offered so far.
Thank you, He said again, and realized that he had nothing to offer in return. Shit. He was so used to getting absolutely nothing from pack wolves, he hadn't even been prepared for this possibility. He decided then that he would have to hunt something and bring it to them. To her. You've been more helpful than anyone else so far, and I appreciate it. May I know your name?

he seemed grateful, and in turn, shikoba would provide him a simple smile. it was not a lot of information, mainly due to her lack of travel outside of the spine. however, as long as the boy thought it was enough, then she would leave him with the names and directions, nothing more.

when he asks for her name, she gives it. "shikoba," she offers to him, "and who might you be?" perhaps in time, he would find her, or maybe even return here again if the desire was within his heart.

Is it okay if I include a time skip in my next post for him to return and bring something for their caches? We can wrap it quickly from there!

Shikoba. He would have to remember that; remember her. She asked after his own name, and he hesitated only a moment before offering: Tybault Medeiros, Suddenly he wasn't sure why he still used his surname. Very few did, he'd noticed. Maybe he should have cast it aside along with his parents, for it had come from them, but he just couldn't.
He shared it with his siblings, after all. That and blood were the only things that truly tied them all together. They had their own relationships, their own politics, but without the Medeiros name to hold them together he thought that they would have gone their separate ways long ago. They had split anyway, sort of, but this was different. One of their own was missing, and they would never really be a whole family until she was returned to them.
He wondered if any of his siblings had followed him after all. He'd told them to, each of them, before he left. If you ever loved Ophelia, he'd said, if you ever loved me. Please.
I should return to my search. Thank you again, Shikoba. I hope your pack fares well during the winter, It was all he could offer, for now. He'd come empty-handed, but he wouldn't do that again — at least, not with Moonglow.

absolutely!! <3

his name was foreign on her tongue. yet it seemingly fit the crowned man before her.

he thanked her and would soon be on his way. she gives a gentle nod in his direction. "good luck, i hope she is safe." it was not much, but shikoba could at least offer the thought to him. and perhaps later she would ask for the spirits to guide ophelia to her brother.

Awesome, thank you <3

A few more words between them, and then Tybault was off. But he hadn't cast Moonglow from his mind just yet. He spent a few hours hunting, and eventually earned a — well, he wasn't sure what it was, exactly. Something black and white and strangely rat-like, but larger. It was edible, he was sure of that.
He returned to the border and called for Shikoba, gift at his feet. His call was undemanding, a request more than anything; if she didn't want to meet him, he would only howl again to inform her of the gift and leave. There wasn't anything more to speak about, anyway. Tybault only wanted to thank her in a more tangible way than his words could accomplish.

he had returned, though no change to his scent or sister in tow.

in the moons that he was gone, shikoba did not see the golden girl come through the spine. so she can only hope that the boy had either found her. but then, why would he come back to Moonglow if he held such success? perhaps that was not the case, though shikoba thought it was maybe best to let him explain rather than fire off unsavory questions to the boy.

she would hear his tone and once again come to greet him. and because of the familiarity he held, she decided to put to rest her normally formal attitude. "you are back," she says to him gently, "i would hope with good news."