Duskfire Glacier Letdowns'll get you, and the critics will test you.

@Aqakuktuq

Forward dated to 7/25

The initial excitement of finally arriving at the glacier had somewhat worn off, and Taki was back in business mode. There was a lot to be done. The first task she took to getting started was marking their borders. This was there territory now, and Taki was going to make sure it was well-known.

She chose the closest border line to her and immediately squatted to leave her scent there before moving on. She still felt a heavy weight on her shoulders even now that they were in their new home. She didn't think the pressure would subside until they were more established, and even then, only by a little. She would still feel responsible for her pack and family members' safety. She didn't yet trust any of the new recruits, and it would take a long time to get there, but they had all traveled this far with them, so that was a good start; she would still protect them if needed.

She came to a grouping of rocks and stopped to rub her scent all over them before moving again. She wanted to make sure every inch of this territory very clearly stated that trespassers were not allowed. The colder air of the glacier was a nice change and helped to lighten her mood a little as she continued on to mark the next area.

Finally here, sorry for the wait!

She allowed herself a brief rest after having arrived but ultimately knew that being here meant new responsibilities. Her primary concern was keeping the others fed, so she headed out to hopefully catch something. The scent of an unfamiliar wolfess came to her, though, so she shifted her course to go meet her. Aqakuktuq gave a chuff to announce her presence.

After presumably gaining her attention, she introduced herself, Hello, I am Aqakuktuq. I don't believe we've met. The fisherwoman's expression was calm but softly so. Pesi, who was soaring ahead as per usual, perched in a nearby tree.

NP!

Taki heard the chuff and briefly turned to look at the female in acknowledgement. She turned back to the tree she had just been about to mark, and as the the other wolf spoke to her, she stood on her hind legs to claw the tree with her front paws. Her nails weren't sharp or anything, but with enough force, she could leave scent-marked divots on the trunk that would help to warn off intruders. 

Satisfied with her work, she moved back down to the ground. She supposed she should properly greet the female, she thought as she turned to look at her. With a nod, she finally said, Takiyok. And no we haven't--not officially. She had, of course, seen the female around during their travels here and in passing since arriving. The stress of the journey here had turned Taki's aloofness into something a little more hostile, and she had not really made any effort to get to know any of the new recruits, choosing to only interact with her family to make sure they were okay before going off to patrol or whatever else needed to be done. As such, she had not even known this wolf's name until now, she had just grown familiar with her presence in the group as they made their way to the glacier. 

But, she was sure to chill out some once she settled in here and had some properly marked borders to help keep everyone safe (maybe), so she should probably stop avoiding the new wolves. She lifted her head in the direction she had been walking to indicate the other wolf could join her if she wanted and started moving again, looking for another opportunity to mark the borders.

It's a pleasure to meet you then, Takiyok, She said with her usual polite head dip. The other woman motioned for her to follow, so follow she did. Hunting could wait until later, and perhaps Takiyok would accompany her. Walking alongside her now, Aqakuktuq asked, You're one of Siarut's sisters, yes? After Takiyok would presumably answer, she'd add, Family is important... I'm glad you have each other to rely on.

The snowfield then took on a somber atmosphere, eyes trained on the grass below her feet as she walked. She held her mask tight to her face, refusing to let it crack. She shoved memories of her past down, knowing those thoughts wouldn't help anything.

Taki nodded as she walked. I am. And yes, family is very important, she answered. They came to a large rock in the snow, and Taki stopped for a second to rub on it and leave her scent there. The more places there were that were scent marked, the better chance their was to stop any possible intruders from making their way into the glacier. 

She resumed her pace and patrolled in silence for a few minutes, Do you stay in contact with your family? she asked, glancing at the female briefly before returning her gaze to the path in front of her.

When Takiyok paused to rub herself against a boulder, Aqakuktuq approached a tree close by, squatting to mark it with urine. Kicking up dirt to further leave her mark once finished, she then moved back to where the other woman was. They continued the patrol in silence, which was alright with her. Takiyok spoke up after a short while to ask, "Do you stay in contact with your family?"

Aqakuktuq's heart skipped a beat, and she fought the urge to frown. Bittersweet memories stubbornly resurfaced again. No, She answered in a forced even tone. Her eyes had met Takiyok's when she spoke, but they now were downcast. There was a fire this spring... we tried to save the pups but failed. I was separated from any survivors, The fisherwoman explained.

Her eyes remained fixed on the ground where they were, refusing to look up at Takiyok. Hearing the recollection of the event aloud for the first time―vague as it was―chipped away at her mask. She felt a pressure build behind her eyes but refused to let the emotions spill over. Keep it together, she commanded internally.

She heard the tenseness of the other wolf's tone as she answered Taki's question. Why did she have to go and ask a personal question? It wasn't that she didn't care or feel genuine empathy for the female, she just was so bad with these situations. Where was Sia when she needed him? He was much better with this stuff. She could understand where Aqakuktuq was coming from, though. If something happened to her family, she wouldn't know what to do. Just the thought caused a tightening in her chest.

She awkwardly glanced at her packmate. I didn't mean to bring up something painful, was all she could manage to say. Empathetic words were not her forte. She sniffed the ground then, trying to find a place that needed marking, but scent markers were already there. She continued on in silence, waiting to see if the female wanted to say anything else on the subject of her family.

Aqakuktuq took in a deep breath through her nose to collect herself before she assured, It's alright, you didn't know. Being here has already helped me move on. It was being alone that was difficult. She even gave Takiyok a small smile. I am grateful that your family has allowed me to become a part of it, She added, trying to be more positive.

Taki gave a nod in response. The new wolves were considered part of the family in that they were part of the pack, but it would take more than that to earn a place in Taki's heart. She would protect them and help provide for the pack without fail, but her trust was not given easily. She could respect a packmate without fully giving them her trust. And because she felt she should ask this female like she had asked Uki, trying not sound forced, she said, Settling in okay? Again, it wasn't that she didn't care, she just wasn't a sharer. She was easily affectionate and conversed well with her family, but it would take her a while to get to that level of comfort with the newer members.