Duskfire Glacier Tamiulupâ

Set a short while after Issor’s thread with Meerkat.

The northerner prowled the glacier with a frown and a tense figure.

Issorartuyok could not shake the feeling that he had been lured into another hurtful trap. The doubts he’d had about the scout, her age, her ability to understand what she truly wanted, they had vanished from his mind and had been replaced with memories of his home village. The man wondered if his mother had been right, after all. She had arranged a marriage for him, a way to remain with his people, but he had allowed his pride to carry him to new lands.

None of it mattered, not while he had left his homeland behind.

The northerner searched the territory hoping to find if @Keyni had remained with them. Thoughts of their plans to move the wolves of the glacier across the mountains filled his head. They had many things to prepare for, and he did not have time to think of Meerkat anymore.

The Tundrian had stayed true to her word, as she always did. She honored Issorartuyok's request and stayed near the Glacier, while he and his scouting party were away. She knew Lane well, and felt a close connection to her. But not quite as strong as with Kukutux. Still, they had shared time in the Fireflies. Lane and others, the Moonwoman included, had seen how Keyni handled herself. How she took control of the situation in a time of crisis. Maintaining a level head. Offering a patient ear to listen. Before her absence from Moonglow, she had been interested in pursuing an advisory role. As well as doubling as a watchful set of eyes on the local prey.
Time had passed. Things changed. She no longer lived at the village of Moonglow. Despite what may come, her aspirations remained the same. Her ties to her former villagers strong. 

Here, she divided her time in keeping close to the Glacier, sticking largely to the outskirts or visiting deeper within the territory for short periods of time. The other half she spent away, prudently venturing south to the Valley, every couple of days. Her reasoning was sound. She wanted to make sure that the large game animals there, were still healthy. That the disease had not spread there as well. She took nothing, except for detailed mental notes.

Today, while Issorartuyok roamed in search of her, she was unaware of the unsettling events that unfolded between him and Meerkat. Another wolf she could easily call a friend. Perfectly at home on the frozen, icy ground, she laid upright. She held a large, old bone deftly between her paws. Not to sharpen or clean her teeth with, but to crack open at one end to get to the marrow inside. This she would store, kept aside for when the time came for the long journey. The calorie rich food source would serve the Glacier wolves well.

Lane’s friend was found with a large bone. She appeared to be working it, possibly to expose the marrow inside. As the northerner drew toward where she was, he watched quietly. Thoughts of Meerkat still filled his mind. He wished to disengage from their talk, to strip himself of it and leave behind anything that had ever been shared or felt for her. It would have been easier.

Greetings, Keyni, Issorartuyok woofed out to her.

The man drew his dark face up, filling himself with the pride that had been squashed with his previous talk. He hoped that Lane’s friend was doing well, that she had felt comforted. It must not have been an easy task to help tend to things when their herds were all but gone.

I hope you are faring well.

A single green eye shifted to the side, to latch onto the dark figure approaching from the left. Issorartuyok. Ah, so he had returned! When he neared, calling out to her, she stood. Pulling herself up, away from the bone she had been working on, which already boasted a thin crack down the middle.

After a quick stretch of her spine, she came to meet him. A spring was in her step, likely due to the cold winter weather, which she loved. She shook out her platinum and fawn accented coat, particularly at it's best this time of year. "Issorartuyok. It is good to see you have returned." She saw no trace of the weariness he wore just moments before. Only the self assured pride he naturally exuded.

"Yes, thank you. I have kept busy in offering my support to Lane and the Glacier while you were away." She turned parallel with him, swinging her muzzle out close to the outermost raven fur. But she did not touch. Only sniffed, closely. Level with her hips, her tail swayed in the air loosely. "Tell me of your journey. Was it fruitful?"

The man was grateful to hear it. He had worried for Lane most days, thinking that he had left her behind and ventured into the wilderness with both of her children at his side. They were not alone, though. Heda and Ensio had been there, helping to keep them strong. The young ones were good. Issorartuyok was filled with pride to know them, to be able to teach them.

I thank you for helping Lane in my absence. There is a mountain in the far west, across two mountain ranges. It is nestled by a glade. I believe that to be our destination.

Issorartuyok would need to meet with Lane to make the preparations. He wished to check on her, to make sure she was well. Their journey had been a long one and it was likely that the glacier had been left with no large prey. Even upon their return, he could smell the sickness that hung in the air.

We will pass by Moonglow on our trip. You will get to visit the Moonwoman, yes? She is very good. Very wise. The northerner smiled fondly in thought of Kukutux.

Slowly, she began to walk, but made to wait for him. Inviting him, to stroll across the Glacial land they would soon leave behind. Her gait was an un-hurried one, a quiet, humble confidence in every step. She hummed, a short sound. "It is not my first time helping her. We lived together in the same pack, like she said." She smiled slightly, reserving to go into further detail just yet.

She shared a glance towards him, her eye glinting with recognition. "West. I do believe I know where you speak of. You see, when I first arrived in the Teekons, I stayed briefly with a pack in that region, close to the mountains in the east there. I know my way around a little. My offer still stands in travelling with you when the time comes."

He mentioned Moonglow. Kukutux. Her friend. "Yes, of course. I did promise that I would keep in touch, whatever happens." She looked down, thoughtfully. "She and I...are close. She is almost like a sister to me. But Moonglow...as strong as my love is for them, I am not sure if it is my true calling." Another glance, soft features searching his. As if he may understand. "I feel...a pull, to perhaps, something else."

Keyni was a good friend, still. Issorartuyok did not believe that her shared life with Lane was a reason not to be grateful. She was not bound to their village, and she did not have to remain. It was a risk to do so when the herds had been infected, were dying, and the wolves did not have adequate food. Knowing that there were others who could help them, could keep them sustained for a while longer, that was important to the northern man.

I understand the desire to find something different. It is why I left my home, my first village. It was still difficult. A small smile curled his lips as he thought back on his homeland. The great frozen north was a part of him. He had taken it with him, in his spirit. Having Tuuluuwaq so close brought him great joy, as well. In his prowling, he had scented Qaniit. Having his family close to him meant everything.

I would like you to travel with us, then. If you find your calling is somewhere else, you are free to go to it. If you find you would like to join our village by the time that we arrive on the mountain, you will be welcome.

The northerner smiled at her.

She knew that whatever she decided, who she stayed with, that she could not remain here. With the herds gone, finding enough to sustain herself would be near impossible. It was why that for now, she chose to be creative in acquiring food. Such as with the bone marrow. Like him, she had come from a harsh northern environment, and knew how to adapt.

"That is just the thing, though. I still have not figured out what that is. I think I am just waiting, maybe for a sign." He mentioned the difficulty of leaving his home for the first time. That, got her interest and it showed in the way she looked at him now. But first, she extended her gratitude. "I thank you, Issorartuyok. I cannot deny that when I...heard of your name...your origin, that I was curious. I still am. You see, I hail from the far North, also." She returned the smile, sweet but subtle.

Keyni spoke to say that she was not certain what she might do, that she might have been waiting for a sign to guide her to the correct path. The man did not know of many things in this regard. His spirit had sung for him to leave his home and build one of his own. It had only deviated slightly in the acceptance of a place in a village that had already been established. Still, his spiritual path had been right, and he had come to lead after the passing of the glacier’s founder.

When she said that she, too, was from the north, Issorartuyok drew his ears to a point. It was not often that he found wolves of the frozen tundra. The Moonwoman had been the first, and she had found others of their kind to fill her village. It was pleasing to know that Keyni shared this with him.

Ah, it is good to have a kindred spirit!

The northerner met her smile with a small wave of his tail.

I find myself missing it, sometimes.

Her curiosity was far from sated. She wanted to know more. To share more. Ahead of them, awaited two large granite stones nestled together. Warmed slightly by the sun. She gestured him to join her there. She was in a conversational mood, flicking her tail over her hips as she took a place for herself. "It is. The white man, Kigipigak...I believe he too, is of northern descent."

Settled on the cool yet comfortable slab of stone, she gazed out fondly over the Glacier's landscape. Likely thinking of her own home. "I miss it too. Where the land meets ice. Where the great white bears reign..." Her voice seemed wistful. Then it shifted, as her brows pinched, slightly. "I do not miss my clan. They are the reason I left."

A good man! A fine hunter, the northerner commented, regarding Kigipigak. He was pleased to know that they shared similar circles, hat knowledge of the same people. That familiarity was a pleasant thing for him.

Issorartuyok followed to where Keyni had gestured and found a place for himself. He gazed at the glacier with many thoughts in his head. It was regretful that they would leave. The territory had been a fruitful one, until the illness had come. As his thoughts drifted to the children of the glacier, thinking of their strength and endurance on their trip, Keyni spoke of her former group. It did not seem to have been a good experience for her.

The northerner regarded the woman with a worried expression.

They were not good to you? They were bad spirits? The hairs along his neck prickled. Would they seek her?

She nodded slightly, her chin dipping as she hummed her agreement. It had been because of Kigipigak, that she ran into on her return, that she had been led to Kukutux. Found not at Moonglow, but closer here, to the Glacier. She was pleased they had allies.

A dark tipped ear twitched towards him. She was quick to dismiss his worriedness, though it was understandable. "Oh, no. No. Not bad spirits. Just...different." The Tundrian paused, craning her neck to peer into the winter sky above. She followed the soaring, distant form of a golden eagle. It brought a slight smile to her lips. And despite the topic at hand, she seemed at peace.

"Their ideals were not the same as mine." Now, she returned her full attention to him. "You see, my clan was a family of proud warriors. It is tradition that the children are to train to become the next generation of soldiers." She leveled her eye with him, baring her honesty. "I did not agree with their way. Disagreements need not be solved with violence, or physical force." Her expression was soft, but serious. "Words and reason are often more powerful. Those, are my first weapon of choice." Her tail hit the rock, perhaps a little harder than intended, the dark tip grazing his. "I would not bend to them, to become someone I am not." She said, raising her chin in a rare breakthrough of pride from her usual, humble demeanor.

Keyni was open with her beliefs.

Issorartuyok listened to her speak of her homeland and the beliefs of the people she had been born into. It seemed something that he had heard from other villages near to his own. There were always threats, he had found. Some, like Keyni, were skilled at diffusing things with their voices and their reason. The man had always admired it but had never found himself capable of the same.

I am rather clumsy with my words, I must say, he confessed to her with a small smile.

It is good to hear that you sought a different path. It is not good to grow where you do not have the room. I am a man who understands the need for fangs, at times. They are easier to wield than words. It had always been this way for the northerner. He was a staunch protector of his people, and he was devoted with all of his spirit, but words failed him too many times.

She huffed, but not in a bad way. "Not everyone deals best with using their words." She smiled back at him, unmoving on the rock. "There are times when the use of our fangs is unavoidable. Appropriate, even. Words will not save us in a life or death scenario."

She went on to explain, feeling it advisable to reveal to him another side of her, so there were no mistakes. "Now,  I may be quite patient myself, but even I have my limits. I cannot count how many times others have mistaken this for weakness. It does...irritate me, from time to time."

Keyni felt that she had offered enough about herself. It wasn't polite to keep rambling on for too long. Now she switched it up. Shifting, she faced him and leaned close. Interest and curiosity on her face, jade eyes prying into his brown ones. "Please, Issorartuyok...tell me about yourself. What did you come here hoping to find?"

The man nodded again, understanding better.

I am a patient man, too. When I was younger, I would have flashed my fangs sooner than speak. I have learned for myself that a fight cannot resolve every issue. The only misfortune in this was that he had spent the greater part of his youth pursuing the art of battle. Issorartuyok had been the strongest of his village, the most dutiful. He had kept their lands safe from all threats. It had been the reason for his pride and would likely remain as much.

Keyni asked to know more of him.

Hm, the man mused quietly. My village was rather large. To the north was the cold sea. To the south was tundra. We held a portion of it. Our family was large and loved by all. My mother was wise and respected. Many sought her wisdom and cherished her word. I carry her memory with me. It was good to think of her. Issorartuyok could only hope that he would make her proud, too.

Coming here, I sought to fulfill my name. I am leader, firstborn. I wished to build a village for myself. It was good fortune that had me find the glacier, better fortune that the man who was leader allowed me to stay, knowing my intentions. Issorartuyok wondered what his life might look like if Wintersbane had not died, if Tzila had not followed him into the dancing lights. He could not imagine it, but it left him wondering.

Ah, so he was a patient wolf as well. Perhaps not as much as her, but it was a good quality. "Yes, but sometimes there is no other choice. Who then, would stand up for the victim?" It was one thing to be tolerant. It was a completely different story for standing aside, or being a total pushover. There had been a few times in these Wilds, when the Tundrian was forced to act. To use her teeth. She did not hesitate.

Now she listened. In a calm silence. Attentively absorbing every word he said, and the meaning woven within them. She gave a hushed sigh of hearing the cold sea. She liked the sound of it. His village in fact, sounded quite similar to her own, in terms of location. And his mother. A wise and respected woman. What son wouldn't admire a mother like that. "Mmn. You have a strength about you. Do you get it from her? She sounds amazing. Who knows, perhaps our villages weren't that far from one another. I didn't stick around long enough to know. I left early." She said, again seeming not at all bothered by her decision. She was at peace with it.

She fell quiet again, taking in his answer. She appeared thoughtful, looking at him intently. Was he getting at what she thought he was? "And those intentions, are what, precisely?" Keyni had hopes of her own. Barely sparked one year ago. But back then, her interest was mild at best. Fast forward and she was in the prime of her life, with many possibilities before her. She had better seize one before they passed her by.

To lead. To have a family who will remain here and grow the village. Things that some men do not wish to have in their village – things that he could have seen to be a threat.

It was fortune that had allowed Issorartuyok into Duskfire. He had known Meerkat and had found a way to inspire her to vouch for him. Wintersbane had been a kind enough individual. He had not spoken of any issues that he might have had with the northerner’s plans. The acceptance into their ranks had been one that had been discussed and understood. If the glacier man had not passed away, Issorartuyok did not know if he would have stayed with their people.

And what are your intentions for yourself? I am not fond of speaking so much.

The man regarded her with a scrutinizing stare.

She hmmed softly, a contemplative sound of approval. Leadership and a family of his own. Not all wolves wanted a family, though all had the natural drive to procreate. The desire to lead was not as strong in some as it was in others. Some just did not have the personality profile, or the want at all, for it. "Both reasonable. We strive to the be our best versions of ourselves. Be it as Leaders or the head of a family." Those goals were his own. Keyni would not look upon him any differently tomorrow than she did today, for it.

"My own..." She pondered, pressing her lips into a thoughtful line. "To be needed. Wanted." She met his brown eyes. "If that means Leadership or having a family is in the future for me, then so be it. I will know when the time comes, I hope." In other words, she was waiting for the right moment. A sure sign. "If you don't want to speak any more about this, then I will respect that." Keyni moved to shift into a sitting position, ready to let the conversation come to an end, if that's what he wanted.

Issorartuyok was pleased to hear that she understood. He smiled, nodded his head in affirmation. Keyni seemed a perfectly good individual. He was pleased that she had a friendship with Lane. It allowed him to trust her, to listen to what she had to say. Sharing a conversation with her was a pleasant thing. The northerner was glad that she had agreed to stay, to help Lane. He was confident that it would be beneficial.

If you decide to stay here, you will have a family in the village. The wolves there are good. They are strong. It is a place of people with honorable spirits. I believe that it would be good for you. It would be good for Lane to have a friend close, as well. The man could not help but think of his co-alpha. He did not want to worry about Lane. He had faith in her ability. Issorartuyok simply could not help but feel that she carried a heavy load.

All that aside, the northerner understood the desire to be wanted. He believed Keyni would find that in Duskfire.

The chat between them on this day had gone smoothly. If nothing else, it was informative and productive. As she felt with Lane, the Tundrian felt she could quite easily call Issorartuyok a friend. He felt her trustworthy. The feeling was mutual.

Settling back down on the warmth of the stone, courtesy of the sun, she stretched the section of her spine between her shoulders. "It is. I have seen that, and I am sure I will continue to while I stay in the coming weeks." She had committed to nothing yet. "In any case, no matter where I may end up, I will always be a friend to your village." Letting the conversation slide to a comfortable close, Keyni shut her eyes, content to doze in the remaining peaceful afternoon hours.