Bearclaw Valley Play with me, I wanna go find you

With Desna squabbling away, Nanook took a moment to cast a long glance back to the mouth of den and squinted to see through the darkness. Stillness met her, and nothing moved to signal the arrival of her sister. The girl couldn't help but feel disappointed, but papa brought her attention back to focus with his booming voice. When she turned to face him, the arrival of Xan by her side took her by surprise, and a heat rose under her fur at the sight of him.

He was watching papa, and Nanook pried her gaze from Xan to do the same. If papa was talking, then she would listen. Nanook perked her ears and lifted her head, though many of the words that fell from papa's lips flew over her anyway. Didn't matter. She managed to piece together what they were supposed to do from the fragments she understood - words like push, game, head-down, shoulder. His words and demonstration turned through her mind, and she flicked her gaze to the stick papa set behind Xan before she turned to watch him place another stick at equal distance behind her.

A queasiness turned her stomach when she realized why papa had set Xan by her side, and Leo by Desna's. Partner. She was playing against Xan, and Nanook diverted her attention back on her brother. The queasiness remained, a flurry of heat thudding through her heart. Xan's face contorted and a grin seized his lips, one Nanook had seen before, and one that rushed an icy sheet through Nanook, stony and cold.

Her gaze closed off. She set her jaw, rocked on her paws, nerves fired with new energy fuelled by that smile plastered all over Xan's face.

Nanook glanced at Desna before she moved herself into a similar position against Xan. Their fur touched, shoulder to shoulder, and the little warrior lowered her gaze. There was no way she was losing today. She readied herself and glowered at the burn of Xan's grin on her thoughts. She would shove that stupid smile right off his face.