Cedar Sweep itqa

Asivaq felt as though her entire body hurt. She felt cramps in her lower abdomen, her back ached, her nipples swelled and leaked, and it felt like she had to relieve herself more frequently. Needless to say, she was a mess. Despite this, she still felt a duty to her and @Kigipigak's Napatuqvik, and figured she could use her urine to benefit her village's stake in the sweep. Slowly, keeping to the southern reaches of the forest, Asivaq waddled along the tree line and stopped frequently to mark the borders as she hummed one of her anaa's songs to herself.

It was a pleasant day, though she found herself longing for spring. Another snowstorm had passed through the area overnight, adding to the already significant snowfall on the ground. She did her best to plow through it but figured if her patrol remained quiet, she'd retire to her ulaq soon to get off her swollen paws and rest.

Tag for reference!

Long after the stranger left, Masquerade was still swimming in adrenaline. She poured some of her energy into a patrol around the area, then remembered she and @Riley were meant to be scouting. With some reluctance, she departed the woods. She actually found herself tracking the woman’s path of retreat, her tail as stiff as her upper lip as she pursued it across the river and into the nearby thicket.

She slowed her pace there, dropping the scent trail to assess her surroundings. There were a lot of apple trees here, the ground littered with last season’s rotten fruit. The air smelled sweet, with the occasional mustiness she associated with birds. Did Riley enjoy the taste of fowl? She wasn’t sure.

There was a plateau looming to the southwest. Masquerade wondered if it might afford her better views of the surrounding territories. She found a sort of earthen ramp that led upward and slowly climbed it. Indeed, she could see quite far and wide, though the plateau itself was so broad, she could only overlook one corner of the hinterlands at a time. For the moment, she turned her back on the sun’s glare to peer eastward.

This region was quite vast. She wondered where the pilferer had gone. Did she belong to a pack here? How many packs even inhabited this place? Masquerade found herself raising her ruddy muzzle in a howl, a sort of friendly role call. She hoped it might reach the ears of someone willing to engage in a long distance exchange.

The howl stopped Asivaq in her tracks, and her ears swiveled towards the sound. This was a new type of howl to her, and although she wasn't entirely sure why it was happening, she was intrigued nevertheless.

She threw her head back and replied: "Hello, I am Asivaq of Napatuqvik."

She meandered to the far southern end of the plateau, eyes tracing curiously over the rivers running past the foot of a distant mountain. An answering howl came then, her ear twitching in its direction before the rest of her head followed. Of course, she couldn’t see the caller from here, though she pinpointed the source of the howl almost due east of her current position.

The names were foreign to her ears, though she filed away this information as she discerned a woodland in that direction. Perhaps this place harbored the thieving she-wolf. Masque’s nostrils flared, here mere thought making her go rigid. Her head swung upward, neck stiff. She only had to tip her red muzzle slightly to respond.

“I am Masquerade,” she called back, pausing before adding, “a loner.” The word—the entire sentiment—felt so strange. “Where are you located, exactly? Perhaps I could make my way to you, if you don’t mind a caller at your borders…”

She briefly considered mentioning her mate and their intention of scouting a suitable territory. Yet Masque saw no reason to announce this to the world. She might not even mention it in person, should she find her way to this Asivaq of Napatuqvik. Or perhaps she would, she thought, chest puffing up as she channeled her inner Alpha female, freshly reawakened.

Asivaq hesitated for a beat, deliberating whether or not she wanted or had the energy to deal with a loner at her borders. Especially one who seemed so far away! Eventually, she decided, "I am to the south—surrounded by a bog and a summit. It'd be quite the distance for a day-trip." She would offer the visit but deter in any way possible, leaving it up to the loner whether or not she wanted to come.

”Come if you want—I will be here to greet you if you choose to.”

Masquerade listened to the howled message, eyes shifting as she sought to pinpoint said bog and summit. Her ears flicked at the words of caution. Masque snorted, thinking, Challenge accepted! But even when formally invited, she paused to consider.

“I’ll head your way. I’m not sure how long it will take. Don’t wait up,” she called back simply, already navigating her way down the plateau.

She retraced her steps through the nearby thicket, distracted momentarily by a clutch of broken eggs scattered across her path. Masque stopped to sniff at them, noting the strong odor of a stoat. There was nothing left for her, so with a flick of her tail, she continued loping in a generally southerly direction.

Some time later, she found herself crossing a frozen bog. Well, some areas were still held fast in winter’s clutches. Other areas were partly thawed, resulting in Masquerade getting quite filthy as she stepped in this or that puddle of chilly bog water. Her nose wrinkled. Oh, she hated these sorts of places.

“I’m getting close,” she announced about halfway through the disgusting mire, “but I don’t want to bother you, especially now that I’m covered in swamp slime.”

As her call carried on the wind, Masque suddenly spotted a thready little stream ahead. Absently flicking her mucky paws, she made a beeline toward it. A great sigh of pleasure escaped her as she stepped into the shallows. She ignored the water’s frigid temperature as she splashed herself clean.

“I found a place to clean up,” she commentated, “but you’re under no obligation to meet me. I promise I have no intention of intruding.”

When she was told not to wait, Asivaq followed the advice.

"Just let me know when you're here and I'll meet you," she howled in reply, turning on her heel to return to her claim. She would find herself returning to her ulaq and promptly falling asleep, exhausted from the effort she'd put in from carrying around the extra weight of her children.

She woke when Masquerade was nearer, and it took her a moment to comprehend the information she'd been given. It seemed the other wolf was much closer than they'd been before she'd fallen asleep, and she took it as a cue to get up and return to the borders.

Once she had lazily pulled herself from her den and yawned, Asivaq howled, "I will come to greet you! I am on my way," before setting off towards the borders once more.

After thoroughly rinsing herself in the stream, Masque hopped out on the far side and took care to lick the excess moisture from her legs. Her teeth still chattered, so she quickly broke into a lope to get her blood flowing again. She maintained this pace as she closed in on a sweep of trees ahead, slowing only when the unmistakable scents of border markings let her know she was in the right place.

“I’m here!” she announced, stamping her feet on the snowy ground as her marigold gaze plundered the tree line from a respectful distance.

Asivaq had nearly arrived by the time Masquerade had announced their arrival. When she made it, breaking through the treeline with a smile, she quickly spotted the other woman she'd spoken to.

Welcome! she said, keeping a distance between them; she had her children to think of despite the other women's kind demeanor. I am impressed by you—that was quick! she complimented. Are you hungry? We have plenty to eat, and I am happy to get you something, she offered in her next breath.

The she-wolf who came to greet her was visibly pregnant. Masquerade sipped in a breath, deciding right then and there not to take up much of the woman’s time despite her long trek here. Asivaq’s manner was welcoming but cautious, which the Redtail understood.

I would never take food out of the mouth of a mother-to-be, she countered with a wave of her long tail. It’s good to put a face to the name, though I won’t keep you long. I’m scouting the region, Masque explained in the next breath, trying to find someplace to settle with my mate. Is Napatuqvik the only pack in the area?

Asivaq understood now why Masquerade had gone so far, and she nodded at the question. There is one pack I know of—to the north. They are our neighbors. she answered, jutting her muzzle over her shoulder. Sun Mote Copse, led by Meerkat and Njord. They are nice and might know more than we do.

My husband and I have been keeping to our territory, so we aren't aware of any other packs in the area. There was an apologetic tone to her voice; what a waste of her time just for that tidbit of information!

Another pack neighbored them to the north. Masquerade blinked in that direction, the tip of her tail twitching thoughtfully. Perhaps one of these two packs harbored the trespasser, not that it particularly mattered. It did surprise her to think that two packs might live right on top of one another. It was none of her business, though it prompted the next words out of her mouth.

My mate and I will make sure not to crowd you. I’m actually partial to some woods a fair distance from here, though I want to explore as many territories as I can before making a decision. She paused to take a breath. Are there others living here or is it just you, your mate and them? she queried, smiling as she tipped her snout toward Asivaq’s rounded midsection.

She was thankful that a third pack would not crowd them. She'd already been reconsidering their location, and another group would've surely forced her and her family out of the woods. She breathed a sigh of relief, and some of her rising anxiety dissipated.

It is always good to explore your options, she agreed with a wag of her tail. I have been doing the same thing, but this forest is home until they arrive, and she smiled down at her belly. Them, my husband, and I are the only others who live here.

Is it just you and your mate? she wondered in her next breath, curious about the other wolf's situation.

Yes, she felt safe enough admitting, considering Asivaq was in a similar enough situation, although we hope to have a litter too, later this season.

Her marigold gaze dropped to the woman’s distended flanks for a moment. She couldn’t help but wonder if New Snow was at the same point in her pregnancy. Masque swallowed a lump of guilt and sadness at the thought.

The birth must be close, she observed. You should probably be resting in your den, not bothering with nosey neighbors, she added in a good-natured voice. I will leave you to your family. Thank you for taking the time to meet me.

She almost mentioned bringing the woman some food, though she held her tongue. Masque might do that, if she could carve out the time for such an endeavor. It was best not to make promises she wasn’t sure she could keep.

Take care, Asivaq, were her parting words as she swiveled on a heel, trotting in a northerly direction with Asivaq’s words about another pack in mind.

Let me know if you need any help when the time comes, Asivaq offered, figuring she'd be more knowledgeable when Masquerade's time came.

There was an observation, an offer, and a parting remark, and she was thankful. She was already growing tired again and felt a pull to return to her ulaq. Of course, she said with a dip of her head and wave of her tail. Thank you for stopping by. She watched the other wolf make her leave and watched until she was out of sight.

Asivaq set off towards her den, and when she arrived, she plopped down in her bed and promptly went to sleep.