Moonspear Arpeggio

Meerkat yawned as she wound along the path leading toward their new ulaq. It didn’t feel like theirs just yet, though she knew they would settle into in in time, fill it with their belongings and their lives. For now, it was outfitted only with the skin Sialuk had gifted them, which made it cozy if not homey.

She had just stepped inside when Njord’s call echoed off the mountaintop. Meerkat touched the edge of the soft skin a little wistfully and then ducked back out into the gloom of dusk. She would not hunt with them—she would only be a liability at this point in her pregnancy—but she would certainly show her face for solidarity.

There was an unfamiliar man with her husband when she arrived. Meerkat offered him a small smile as she sidled up beside Njord. She flanked her mate to face the wolf she didn’t know, resisting the urge to introduce herself or make small talk. They could socialize over their meal. For now, there was work to do.