Whitebark Stream wintermurk

she worked in silence, her claws slicing skillfully through the thick hide of the caribou. her breath puffed in soft clouds in the crisp air, her focus unwavering until the last strip of the pelt was freed from the body. with a practiced motion, she laid the hide flat against the snow, smoothing it out as if laying a foundation for something greater.

her gaze then turned, sharp as the edge of her blade, to the young shadow lingering nearby. sulukinak’s presence had not gone unnoticed, though k'edghildza had said nothing until now. the girl’s silence, her watchfulness—it was curious, but also unspoken.

k'edghildza straightened, wiping the damp from her paws against her chest before tilting her head. her voice was calm, but edged with curiosity, a note of challenge in her tone.

what do you look for, sulukinak? her pale eyes, cold as the snow beneath their paws, searched the younger wolf’s face for an answer, though she suspected the girl might not give one so easily.