Shadowwyn Moor nine strikes

backdated just a bit to dec 4, no posting order, can be referenced or joined <3 @Ice Diver @Ridgeback @Kekoa @Anselm @Sulukinak @Meleeys @Morwenna @Suliya @Ezra (@Gideon & @Ghelan for ref)

when he returned, it was with an almost-sneer wreathing his mouth.

he called for his hunters; he wanted especially to have the eye of the ghost talker upon the woman he had chosen, to see that he would fulfill what the spirits asked.

"her name morwenna," he said carefully aloud. "she say she will be my wife."

"she walk from creek wolves here. not happy, them," and his laughter was cold. "saatsine not offer first fight. show teeth second." taking blood was implied, should their little liaison upon the borders mean silverwater hunters meant to stalk for them.

perhaps they would not be here so long. sun eater had his prize, another being more claimed from among the grounded packs. "caribou stay, ah. two week. we leave." 

and if it came to blows in the meantime, such would be the backdrop for the time which morwenna had described as 'honeymoon.' he accepted the image of blood in the snow; for her he would allow the creek to make their first stand. sun eater would not be shown off; it was a deep flaw of the man, his stubbornness. by rights it was not too early for a return, but their chieftain was unwilling yet to lead them back.

restless now, wanting to seek a quiet place for he and she, a set-apart channel of snowy forest ringed in caribou tracks.

morwenna stood, the chill of the air biting at her fur, a stark contrast to the storm inside her chest. the weight of his words sank heavy, the mention of the creek wolves stirring a flicker of doubt, a pang she could not ignore. akavir’s hurt was inevitable, something she had carried with her, yet her decision had been made, and she had no room for regret.

the saatsine wolves watched her now. she could feel their eyes, their judgment, their curiosity. sun eater’s declaration solidified her place here, but it also painted her as the catalyst for something that might lead to bloodshed. it left her unsteady, wavering on the brink of uncertainty, though her paws remained firm beneath her.

violence was not what she wanted. her snowed gaze darted to sun eater, his anxious energy rippling through the air. his talk of the honeymoon, of this future they were forging together, soothed the edges of her unease. she had chosen this—him, this life—and now she reminded herself of the warmth it could bring, a new chapter awaiting her beyond the veil of uncertainty.

she moved closer to him, brushing her side against his as though to steady herself and him alike. her voice did not rise here, but her presence was steady, unyielding, as she silently reaffirmed her place at his side. she had made her choice, and she would walk this path, no matter how uncertain the steps ahead might be.

suliya lingered at the edges of the gathering, her pale eyes cutting toward morwenna with a sharp glower. her heart churned with unspoken anger, a smoldering flame of quiet judgment. sun eater, who had so firmly told her to take no husband outside of saatsine, now stood here proclaiming his claim to a woman who was not of their blood, not of their ways.

it stung—a hypocrisy she had not expected from him. her jaw tightened, her tail flicking once in irritation. and yet, she said nothing. this was his choice, his path to tread, and though it rankled her spirit, she would not challenge him. not openly. not here.

instead, she hung back, the frown etched on her face betraying her thoughts. her gaze lingered on morwenna for a moment longer before shifting away, fixed now on the horizon where the caribou grazed, their endless presence a silent witness to this moment of change.

she would not forget this slight, but for now, suliya stayed silent, a shadow in the background of sun eater’s bold proclamation.

The girl slunk from her hiding place among ferns and frost.

She saw her uncle standing with a woman alongside, pretty and dark, and another woman lingering out of reach, the likes of which reminded Sulukinak of the rime-riddled plains. As she came to witness this Sulukinak became wary because she did not know either of these women—but it was her uncle's voice that rang out in the telling of a name, and a story.

This was the woman the Sun Eater had spoken of! 'That would make the silver one Suliya,' the girl thought, and spared an appraising look between them. If things were tense, Sulukinak did not notice. She was oblivious to the chill emanating from Suliya and the apprehension of Morwenna.

Boldly she crowded close to first her uncle and then the woman, to ascertain what scents she carried, and to note which might be called 'Creek' and which might be called 'Saatsine'; and in this way she would help to keep any lurking strangers from stealing her away again. Uncle had insinuated it was a possibility.

Once Sulukinak had gathred what she thought she needed, she withdrew from Morwenna and rounded the gathering without a word.

ice diver perhaps had too little interest in the new woman who had come to saatsine. after all, she had been there when sun eater had swept her away.

what she looked for now was the approval (or disapproval) from the gathered hunters. her gaze looked for ridgeback and what he would make of this! a wife for sun eater!

next she was looking at suliya, playing the role of a grey winter cloud. lingering and distant. she wished to go to her now.

instead she lingered, as war chief. dedicated to reading the scene in full before she departed.

Ridgeback had waited calmly while the others had moved in on the Swiftcurrent borders. His instruction was plain- wait, and come to help if called. 

Naturally, the sit, stay command was difficult for him to follow; the Velcro wolfdog wanted to be by Ice Diver’s side, ready to fight alongside her as necessary- but alongside his clinginess came a deep respect for obedience, so he stayed. 

To any within sight, he likely presented as a lunatic. He trolled his designated area for the perfect limb on the perfect tree- and began launching himself at a branch that hung six feet off the ground. For Ridgeback, such a height was no problem; the only drawback was that the branch was several inches thick, and still firmly attached to the tree. Growling and gyrating his hindquarters, he clung to the branch and dangled, causing it to sway with each jerk and flail. 

Sun Eater, Ice Diver and Kekoa would come into sight just as the bough finally gave away, cracking and peeling from the trunk and dropping the brute to the ground. He left it there and bounded toward the returning assembly, noting and greeting the beautiful woman that Sun Eater had gone to collect. He fussed over his mate, kissing her face and thumping her side with his tail as they walked.

The only space that would exist between the two of them would be due to the branch that he seized and carried back with him. It dragged along in the snow, but Ridgeback was pleased with his prize.

Now, gathered all together, the remaining pack members were briefed about their new addition. He noted (with some confusion) the stark look on Suliya’s face. Sulukinak, the avoidant one, seemed content enough with Morwenna’s arrival, though she spared little in the way of any indication of pride or preference. 

He sat close to Ice Diver, panting softly with a characteristic half-smile on his face. Morwenna seemed content enough to join them, and it would mean he wouldn’t be the only one new to the language. He wondered what he should give to the new couple as a wedding gift.

Today was out of the ordinary for Kekoa, for he felt like himself. His mind far less clouded, he joined Sun Eater upon his call.

The yearling's stare was harsh upon the stranger, as it had been to most before his time in Saatsine. He felt no care for her; she was not one of them.

As Sun Eater spoke his mind drifted, making his judgements while his tail mindlessly lashed below him. His role was that of a Ghost Talker, but by blood he was a warrior. His habits would not so easily be subdued by his condition.

The Chieftain rounded about his hunters. They all gathered and made stares at the newcomer. Most meeting her attention with hardened looks. 

Meleys took a similiar approach as her niece. She would spin firstly around her brother, nosing his shoulder in greeting and approval of his words. Then she would arch the newest woman, sniffing as she did so, her eyes of new and full moon gleaming. 

Sun Eater had spoken of his uncertainty: should he wed another woman of one of the caribou clans at a third attempt or should he try someone new all together. Teach her his own ways. It seemed he had chose the latter. Meleys would have to determine with time if this were the right choice. 

The judgement of others did not go unnoticed. Morwenna was not one of them. Then again, nor had Ice Diver one before, or Ridgeback or Kekoa...