Moonspear polaris

visitor! likely coming from the altar of twilight side of things :)

Mountains would always be the land's idea of a North Star.

Spires that rose from the earth, that guided and hardly ever changed. She would follow it until it gave up secrets or ended at the edge of the world. Spring made this a more feasible idea than the dead of winter. Even if the chill up here still reminded her of cold places.

The scent of others. Those who could use this mountain peak as a North Star when away from its slopes.

She skirted wide around their borders. Watchful and curious, but not enough to yet call.

There was no good time to visit her taataa, yet Tiuttuk decided today was the day. She asked @Tikaani to come with her, then set off for the caldera. As much as she wanted to see @Killdeer, much of the trip was spent in pensive silence as she thought of Glaukos, then Pala.

Halfway through Bramblepoint, Pie spotted a familiar figure bent over a stream. She stopped short, blinking in surprise. Bushtit had gotten so big! She might not have recognized him if not for his distinctive coloring. For a moment, she just stared while he drank.

Then he raised his head, tongue lapping at the water dripping from his chin, and their eyes met. Pie started to smile, though it faltered when Bushtit spun on his heel and ran away. His hasty exit might’ve been comical, if it hadn’t hurt her feelings so much. He’d looked right at her, then fled the scene in a display of avoidance as blatant as it was inexplicable.

He’d run in the direction of the caldera too. Feeling humiliated and rejected, Tiuttuk suddenly felt she could no longer go that way. Moving jerkily, she swiveled and walked stiffly back toward Moonspear. Her jaw clenched so hard it creaked and tears stung her eyes. She refused to let them fall, instead swiping at them between rigid footfalls.

Her vision was still blurred when she arrived at the mountain’s foot and saw a white figure skulking there. Aana? Pie thought, her heart leaping into her throat. It sank a moment later, when she realized she was looking at a stranger.

She intended to call out, move closer, but her throat only worked uselessly and her legs felt leaden.

A younger figure.

Small and lanky, like youth shining through. Oblivious to whatever emotional turmoil might be coursing through the air around the unique figure. From here she could not tell if this was a mountain dweller or another adventure weaving around its claim.

Yet she thought it might be odd coincidence for two strangers to visit at once.

The smartest thing might have been to take off at a quicker pace. Only she did not feel entirely unwelcome either, which led to this odd silent lingering between them.

Her tail waved lowly behind her, head held beneath shoulder height. A curious flick of a pale triangle ear. Which one of them would decide their relation? Friend or foe?

As always Pie was more prompt than Tiki. Tiki was often distracted and easily pushed off track. 

So she followed behind her sister amd only caught up as another wolf was looking over them.

A tirl of her head and a nudge to Pies shoulder she waved her tail friendly and waited quietly.

Why had her favorite little “cousin” taken one look at her and turned tail? Treepie didn’t understand it, couldn’t escape her intrusive thoughts even as she stared almost unseeingly at the stranger. It wasn’t until Tiki’s movement at the edge of her vision caught her attention that Pie took a breath and stowed those thoughts for later.

Movements a little stilted, the Regent glided closer to Sialuk’s lookalike and said, What brings you to Moonspear’s doorstep?

There was no salutation, none of her usual warmth. The Regent blew out a breath, feeling a little guilty for being so wrongfooted. But the sweet little boy she’d always adored had just turned his back on her like she was some sort of ogre and Tiuttuk just couldn’t understand why.