Northstar Vale and life gets hard but these last days been meanin’ more

he's up on the mountain as always

A large cloud shrouds the court's peaks, and Cupid is right in the thick of it. He could only see the paws in front of him, anything beyond was cloaked by the morning's mist. It was a bit unnerving for him. These mountains were his escape. Being able to look down upon the cruel earth atop a tower had grown comforting. And now that was gone.

Cupid swallowed his breath. Perhaps he should leave the cover of his den to search for that view. But that was a foolish idea. Surely he would fall but... would that be so terrible? It'd provide an escape, better yet freedom. Oh how he craved that. Even still, Cupid didn't move an inch.

"taktugugaa uvulvaak," kukutux mumbled to herself, the syllables familiar and easy to a tongue still stiff in the common tongue. it was good to speak the way she had been taught, and the duck was careful to say as many words to herself as was possible, when she could be alone. she refused to forget the last tie to her people.

now she rose, singing a hunting chant. the spirit sighed askance at her. it was a men's hunting chant, and therefore forbidden. but those words were for sea animals. this far inland, the duck reasoned, she could not offend the seal and the walrus, the great whales that sometimes beached. here it was nothing more than a child's song. still. you should be respectful, kukutxux scolded herself, even as she quickened her pace and grew louder, not spotting the wolf-shape of smoke that had pulled away from the cloud until she near collided with him.

"oh!"

Suddenly a ghost came bursting through the mist. Wh-? Hey, hey! It was a good thing his head wasn't up in the clouds, otherwise he wouldn't be able to dip out of the woman's way.

Ugh, what the hell? Cupid's ears pushed back against his skull and he shot daggers at the intruder. She wasn't supposed to be here. This was his spot, his safe haven. And here this stranger comes waltzing in. He had suddenly forgotten that this mountain was not his but rather everyone's, including this woman. 

What are you doing here?

she drew up sharply, breaking off another cry as the man's eyes blazed hotly in her direction. first instinct spoke; she was his superior. but kukutux had been raised in submission to the opposite sex; his presence coupled with his anger was enough to make the little duck quail.

and so she collapsed; and so she hid her face with forelegs and crouched as would any woman of the isle if a man had raised his voice to them.

Everyone he had come across in life were certain that they were superior to him. They stood y'all, beat him, bruised him, did as they pleased with him. Seeing this girl crumple before him was an oddity and he wasn't sure whether he enjoyed this sudden power or not.

Alright, alright, look I'm sorry. He huffed an exasperated sigh. You can get up now.

chastised, kukutux gathered herself into a deferential hunch. the scent of her packmate vied against his masculine ways, but it was to the latter that the duck responded. "this woman is sorry," she whispered softly, not daring to lift her jadeglow eyes.

how had she been so clumsy? embarrassed tears stung her eyes; kukutux wanted nothing more than to flee in this moment.

Cupid soon came to realize that no, he was not fond of this unspoken power he had over her. The way she carried herself and spoke was nothing less of an oddity. Was this a normal thing amongst a group of wolves? He didn't know, he didn't care. He just wanted it to stop.

Cupid tried to look as non-threatening as possible; letting his muscles relax and his tail go limp. Hey it's cool. There's no need to apologize, he mumbled, I was just startled. I don't see you guys up here often. Never really and he preferred it to stay that way.

she blinked at the tone of apology she heard in the other's voice. he did not seem to accept her submission, but nor did he seek to punish her.

and so gingerly she straightened, glanced upon into the rather striking features of the one addressing her. "i like to come up, to think. i am kukutux," the duck ventured. what a strange meeting this had become.

Watching her pick herself up was a relief. It was already bad enough that she was up here in the first place, best keep things on a less awkward scale.

Cupid wasn't all to thrilled to hear that she 'came up here to think'. He wished to negate this or tell her off or something. Anything to keep her down in the valley where the rest of the courtiers roamed. But nothing of the sort came out of his lips. He didn't want to upset her again

I'm Cupid, he replied. He paused for a moment before speaking up again. So you come up here to think? Must've been doing that before you ran into me.

"i am kukutux." the man had a soft cast to his features, one that did not fit the firmness with which he had addressed her. but it was of little account to the duck now.

"sometimes ... i want to be all alone," she admitted with a momentary wilt of her soft ears. "it is where i come when i have finished all my tasks."

Yeah I know how that feels. The difference between the two was the length in which they wanted to be alone. Sometimes wasn't good enough for Cupid. If he had the choice he'd be alone forever. Of course that wasn't possible, there was someone around every corner. Especially here.

So why here then? he pondered aloud, I mean, I know not many wolves come up here, but is there another reason?

he was perceptive, this odd, brisk man. shyly kukutux looked away beneath the glance of his scrutiny, but agana, agana, agana; it all dragged so heavily at the duck that at last she nodded, lifted her eyes back to cupid. "i ..." a frown; kukutux collected herself, pressed on. "i think my heart wishes someone it ... cannot have." vague horror at her boldness; desperation for an answer; down she glanced again.

Her words made him cringe inside, for it was love that was on her mind (so he assumed). Not just that, but unobtainable love too. Good lord.

Forget about 'em, he states bluntly. Save yourself the heartache. And she best do it now rather than later. The longer one waited for these things, the more broken they'll be in the end. Judging from their interaction just moments before, he strongly believed she couldn't take it.

she was a bit shocked; it showed in the flutter of the duck's lashes. was he correct, however? she knew not even her own mind; lips thinned and kukutux gave a somber nod.

"i think you are correct. my heart ... hurts," the young woman admitted, lifting her eyes to her packmate's face. 

what had he suffered, the duck wondered suddenly, guiltily.

Judging by her reaction, Cupid assumed she has never been hit with brutal honesty. Better late then never. A naive mind is a dangerous one; looking at life with rose-tinted glasses is bound to end in misery. He searches her face, hoping the advice stick. If not, well, that'd be her problem to work out.

It's not worth it, he sighs, Oh love. It always ends someday. It's better to avoid it then be crushed by it. It was love, he is sure, that plagues her. Still, he asks, Is that it? Do you love someone?

"i will bear it in mind," kukutux ventured hesitantly. what she had experienced with agana had certainly hurt. lips pursed, she nodded to punctuate her statement, and then flew to shake her head. "n-no ...!"

ashamed, the duck recovered herself. "i do not know. i ... feel ... odd," she finished upon a whisper, realizing she had no true words for the sensation within her soul.

Her stammering gives him a little grin. These feelings were definitely not normal for her. He pities her even more. Perhaps it was too late for her to put aside her feelings. Cupid's arrow had already struck, and she was probably on her way to a world of pain.

It's normal. That's what he assumed anyways. The love he's felt in the past probably wasn't the same as hers. Either way, he says it to soothe her nerves.

omg forgive me

she blinked. what was normalcy anymore? kukutux felt she could not remember. the thought of agana caused a pain in her chest, and her lips tightened. "do you know how to dry fish?" she inquired of the man, deferring to his rank as she made small steps to his side. "i could show you, if you like."

ur good! do u wanna fade after your next post?

One brow raised curiously. I don't. It's the first time he's ever heard of anything of the sort. It's gotta be the strangest thing he's heard in awhile. 

He considered declining the offer for a moment (he still wanted to be alone after all), but just shrugged his shoulders and said, Why not? They'd gotten this far into the conversation, and he wouldn't ask her to leave.

ty for the thread! <3

cupid agreed, and kukutux fell into shy step with him. he was not so unkind, she decided, once you looked beyond his initial abrasive nature. the essence of cupid confused the girl still, but she felt it did not truly matter, and spent the remainder of the afternoon teaching her packmate the finer points of a dead craft.