Sun Mote Copse fentoozler

attn: @Waawaashkeshi, but all welcome. :)

Odessia was still not sold on the whole "trader" idea, but she had to admit that the Summerwalkers were the most promising pack-in-progress she had encountered since arriving in this area. Maybe she should swallow her pride—just this once—and give it a go. It was not something she wanted to do, but she was a pack animal at heart, and at least Waat had complimented her. Being in a place she was appreciated might not be all that bad, even if it was not the worship she truly deserved. At the very least, Waat seemed to have more respect for her than anybody else she had met. There would also be fewer threats around if she had the support of a pack behind her.
She also—of course—had some conditions she wanted met if she did decide to join up with them. That was what brought her to the marked border of the corpse copse today. Maybe Odessia was not a trader, but she fancied herself a negotiator.
Her call shot up for Waat, and then she sat patiently and waited for the rotund wolf to appear.

A call hit her ears, one urging her to her borders. Sighing, she decided that her aching legs would not stop her.

Waddling to the source, she spotted a familiar white coat. Odessia! She called, grinning to the woman in her approach. You have returned. What brought you back? Despite their somewhat awkward encounter, Waawaashkeshi was rather pleased to see her once more. As sour-sweet as Odessia was, it was almost a good change of pace.

Tail waving, she sat herself down in front of the other. Her legs were begging for mercy today.

Waat greeted her warmly—maybe too warmly, but Odessia chalked that up to the hormones that were surely making her a little bit weird. Had she gotten even bigger in the two days since Odessia had seen her? That was not possible, was it? She was staring again, but her attention was quickly put back on task when Waat asked why she was back here.
"I want to stay here—with the Summerwalkers—but I have some conditions," she said.
"I have to be able to travel at my leisure, I must find a handsome bodyguard, and you have to teach me how to say your ridiculous name."
There it was, all laid out. Odessia gave each of the demands equal sincerity. Perhaps, with a wider network, she could find a bodyguard who would truly make her feel safe again. The "handsome" part was non-negotiable, as she would need him to double as eye-candy. Whether or not anything happened between her future protector... well, Odessia would leave that up to fate.

For a short moment she only blinked. Was Odessia sure she wasn't a trader? She seemed to have the attitude for it.

I see no issue with that, as long as you are here when we travel in the summer. She confirmed. It would feel pretty nasty if they had to leave her behind. And for my name, you can call me Keshi if that is easier. Waawaashkeshi of course thought her name was rather simple, but she knew it could be difficult for those who did not grow up around similar names.

If that is all, we would be happy to have you.

"I will be able to track the pack's scent, even if you move on while I am not here," Odessia assured her.
Tracking was one of a wolf's natural instincts, and she was quite good at it in her opinion. Keshi—thank goodness for the easier name—did not acknowledge the handsome bodyguard, so Odessia took that to mean she could go seek one out as soon as she wished, and she planned to do just that.
"So, who else is here," she asked, "and are any of them suitable for the handsome bodyguard role?"
She tried to imagine her perfect handsome bodyguard. He would have to be tall and strong, but not too strong. The silent type would do, but one who gave her regular compliments would be better. He would need to not have any weird markings, because those were an automatic turn-off for her. Oh, and he would need to be good at covering long distances, since Odessia would need him to accompany her.

She was confident in her tracking skills, something Waawaashkeshi was glad for.

It was impossible not to giggle when she mentioned this 'handsome bodyguard' once more. I can't be sure without knowing your taste, but if not you are just as welcome to bring someone back. She said, tail thumping. She would hope that Odessia found someone she liked - everyone deserved a trusted companion. We do have one young man, but I believe another girl has her eye on him. He may not be bodyguard material. That and Sunchaser was a rather nervous individual - she imagined Odessia would get irritated with him rather quickly.

Pushing to her feet once more, she gestured into the territory. Come, my Nasamiituuq will want me to return to the den soon.

It would have been better if Keshi had one to offer, but Odessia supposed going out and finding one on her own would probably suit her better anyway. Maybe she could hit up some of the neighbors and convince one of them to follow her. That might be better than somebody who was already here, anyway.
Keshi did mention "one young man," but Odessia was not sure she wanted young. An older, grizzled type might be better. Young men, in her eyes, were too full of themselves. She needed somebody a little more level headed than that. Somebody who had been around the block and already had his heart broken a time or two. Then he would meet her—Odessia—and feel some sort of protective urge. Yes, that would do quite nicely.
The tan and white wolf mentioned another name, and Odessia gawked at her.
"Does everybody here have impossible to pronounce names?" she asked as she walked alongside Keshi. "Is that who got you pregnant?"
Already, Odessia was bracing herself for Keshi's children to have even more unhinged names when they finally got around to being born. Odessia would have to rename them all so she had a chance of actually remembering them. Then again, they were not her pups, so maybe she did not need to care about them at all.

No, and no. She giggled, her tail waving behind her. Odessia was more amusing than bewildering to her now. Nasamiituuq is a woman, though I do love her dearly. My litter was admittedly an accident. Though part of her did wish that somehow Nasamiituuq could have been the father. If you two meet, I sure she will help you learn her name too.

Spotting her helping den dug under the clearing rock, she glanced back to Odessia. When I have had my children, let's hunt together. She insisted. Waawaashkeshi truly did want to make her feel welcome, but her afternoon nap was calling to her.

Odessia's eyes widened at the revelation. Not that her friend was female, but that word she used, "woman." Odessia had only heard it used when talking about—
"She is human?!" Odessia exclaimed, the shock on her face evident.
She had never seen one herself, but she had heard plenty of stories about the pink, hairless creatures that walked on two legs and did cruel, horrible things to wolves (among other species, but wolves were the only ones Odessia cared about). They were not to be trusted. That was a fact that had been drilled into her head since day one. Any sighting or whiff of them was to be avoided at all costs, and here was Keshi talking about loving one of them. Odessia was going to nope out of here real quick unless she got some very convincing answers about the situation.

Waawaashkeshi could not help but look absolutely dumbfounded. A what? No, Nasamiituuq is a wolf. Maybe it was just some sort of language barrier, or a new gender neutral term. She couldn't know.

Whatever a.. human is, there are none here. She reassured. God her brain was beginning to fry now. I wish to rest. Is there anything else that worries you? She hoped not. It seemed that Odessia had encountered some things that she did not quite understand.

Keshi seemed oblivious to the term, insisting that her friend was a wolf. Maybe the word "woman" meant something different here, but it made Odessia all kinds of uneasy. They were monsters—horrible things!—and she could not ever imagine using the word on somebody she cared about. Maybe she would use it on some child she wished to scare. That was how the word "woman" and "man" had always been taught to her. It just proved—yet again—that this place as a whole was downright weird.
When she mentioned her need to rest, Odessia stalled for a moment, trying to figure out why Keshi was so insistent on getting away from her.
"I guess not," she said.
"Have a good nap!" Odessia added, doing her best to mirror the tone and face Keshi had made when she had greeted her earlier.
Odessia would make sure she scratched up some trees and left her scent around here and there so she could fit in with the rest of these weirdos. Once that was done, she would be free to seek out her handsome bodyguard.