Duskfire Glacier You see that guy? Super weird

sorry for the wait on this!

Once all the symptoms, some discomforting, of her heat had faded, Imaq found that the uncertainty hadn't. It lingered, clouding her every thought with doubt.

Perhaps she had been mistaken and Wintersbane would be angry that she had conceived -- if she conceived, for aside from persistent nervousness about the entire situation, the shepherd had yet to notice any tell-tale signs of pregnancy. Maybe the fever-coated chief would force her from the Glacier once her (possible) trespass was discovered. Even if the dove were permitted to stay, customs were different in these lands. Rye was not her husband, suppose it had all been just the intensity of the moment for the Hotah and he didn't desire a relationship with their children? 

Maybes and possibilities and ifs were not much to comfort herself with. For a moment, she thought to seek @Iana's (reference) presence -- or maybe even the hawk-eyed he-wolf himself, just to get it over with -- but decided that she would rather be alone, hovering beyond the mouth of the Caverns indecisively for but a moment before loping away from the pack's territory altogether.  

The isabella merle was similarly torn in her intentions. She continued to hunt but also recognized the concern the men had -- especially for the women of their tribe, who seemed to be guardians and hunters themselves. No more taking down big game or scrapping with scavengers, at least until she knew for sure whether or not she was carrying. The she-dog found other ways to be useful, venturing out less and patrolling the borders more often. And trapping small game, fishing, those tasks weren't so dangerous. Even her mothers had continued to do those things well into their pregnancies with her many siblings. 

She had stayed close to home, and close to Rye, throughout her estrous cycle but wasn't sure what to think now that things were somewhat normal. This was partly what pushed her to leave the Glacier, making her way down into the Taiga where the river that had become her namesake ran through the tundra. 

Her gait slowed to a trot and then a meandering shamble as she wandered alongside the banks of the Qeya, cracked gaze and tuliped auds lifting to take in the sights and sounds of the geese that had flocked to the cold stream. Her thoughts continued to tumble along in a derailed train, flitting from one worry to the next until her ears caught the panicked chitters of some woodland creature. She paused, distracted from her trouble for a moment and gladly so, turning to follow after the noise. 

Imaq was surprised to scent Rye as she tracked the scent of fresh blood, slowing hesitantly for a moment until she remembered his recent injury. She came upon him just as he dispatched the creature, unintentionally foiling his plans to seek her out, stopping to watch the woodland agouti in action for a moment -- unsure whether she should call out or not.