Redsand Canyon We didn’t bleed back then

The presences of @Aquillius and @Valiria made Atreus think about Mereo and what had become of the canyon since the pack’s departure. During a block of free time, he decided to venture there to maybe poke around the abandoned barracks.

After crossing Otter Creek and shaking out his coat, he took a moment to gather his bearings. Paleo occupied the hollow due northeast. If he climbed straight up Spotted Eagle Mountain, he should avoid getting too close to the new pack at Greatwater Lake.

The ascent was easier than he remembered, probably because of how often he climbed the mesa’s sheerer walls. Soon he found a familiar footpath leading to the canyon’s rim. He felt apprehensive suddenly, not entirely sure he wanted to see the deserted canyon after all.

Nevertheless, he sniffed closer and, to his great surprise, he found it was far from deserted. Atreus came to a halt with a surprised Pikachu expression on his face.

tikal had a visitor, xtabay had realized. this scent did not belong to one of them.

❝you find yourself in tikal's claim, retreat to the borders.❞ the umbra's tone was sharp, demanding.

❝unless you would like an audience with ajaw.❞ she recited the words she'd heard others speak in common, her own getting better with winak walking beside them.

would her teeth be needed here? the ruddy man had a shadow pacing around him, ready to tilt her head up to call for her ajaw.

A black she-wolf suddenly appeared, spooking him. Atreus stared at her as she demanded him to retreat to the borders. He didn’t understand the command. He was pretty sure he hadn’t crossed any borders. He wasn’t an idiot.

Nonetheless, he backed up a few steps in the hope of appeasing her and demonstrating that he wasn’t a threat. Atreus paused, realizing she must have come up out of the canyon. He glanced past her shoulder to the rim, where he’d first detected scent markers, then looked back at her while carefully avoiding meeting her eyes.

He replayed her words in his mind, though he couldn’t make much more sense of her latter statement than he could her accusation. Why would he want an audience with “a jaw”? He had the feeling it was a saying of some kind, though he couldn’t place it.

In any case, I didn’t realize there was another pack living in the canyon. Mereo used to be here. Atreus was about to mention his former residence here when a thought struck him out of the blue and he blurted, Do you realize you’re surrounded? There’s a new pack at the lake, then Epoch that way and Paleo that way, he said, indicating each with a point of a paw, and Swiftcurrent Creek just over there.

the language barrier was not easy, but she heard past it. xtabay slowed and sat in front the stranger; the usual glare was present, intentional or not. she allowed silence to take the air after he spoke, staring through half lidded eyes.

❝mereo.❞ xtabay recited the pack name, one had come previously seeking them. ❝will other's come? searching mereo?❞

this would be information to relay to her ajaw. though, xtabay's hostility faltered. had this mereo been his home? was he without one? she knew these feelings, but her hackles still arose at the mention of other packs.

❝imbécil,❞ she spat, regardless if this poor wolf did not mean anything by it. ❝our power leaves no anxieties or fears for others.❞

humility was not something she had, her initial reserved attitude was never present in situations like these.

Atreus squinted at the question. How should I know? he wondered, though he knew better than to say that out loud. He took a moment to ponder just how to word his reply, though before he managed to come up with what to say, she spat an insult at him.

He immediately thought of “Jodie” and his companion. Atreus wondered if the hostile reactions to his presence had to do with the newness of their claims. Maybe they felt more vulnerable and thus overly defensive. The stranger declared the opposite, though Atreus sensed—maybe not a bluff but certainly bravado.

Okay, he replied, his blank expression giving away none of his inner thoughts.

He really wanted to ask her some questions about her pack but remembering how the aforementioned pair had reacted, he decided against it. At the very least, he could inform the leadership of Akashingo that there was a pack called Tikal now residing in Mereo’s previous territory.

I’ll just… go, he said, beginning to retreat.

xtabay remained where she sat as the man turned. her attitude was not taken well, but she didn't think to dwell on it. the man was on his way and the shadow huffed and proceeded to turn, only stopping steps later to watch him walk away. her back would not be turned. this behavior and thought process was embedded within her now. la xtabay found it better than before, and continued on with two things: the tikal, and the holcan.

this was her home, her family it seemed. if she was to be rude and intense, xtabay wouldn't care. she would defend this, even if it meant that. silently, she waited to watch him retreat. then she would be on her way if he did not turn. her hackles relaxed and she turned to step down the caynon.