Ouroboros Spine ii. and leave them

She had left the other women to their mourning, though instinct called for her to keen with them in their grief -- as she might've the women of her homeland when one of their own was lost. But these were not the herbalist's dead to cry for. She locked the pain of empathy behind sealed lips, settling silently amongst them as if she did not wish to burden anyone with her newfound presence in such a delicate time. @Kukutux had given her tasks to see to and see to them she would, dutifully. And soon she would choose a place to build her ulaq -- as @Sialuk had named the dwelling where she and her dam slept -- and make it her own in truth. Today, she would hunt and help relieve some of the strain from the yearling's shoulders -- from the menfolks' too. She was grateful for all the things that filled her shcedule, not very keen on dwelling on the events that had led her here. It was almost cathartic to ignore it in favor of all the work that needed to be done.

The dove rose at dawn, snow brushing her thick pelt in a powder of white as she rose from the snowbed she had packed down in the shelter of the conifers in the upper reaches of the low peaks, when the first grey light crept over the horizon -- before even the sun's rays had peeked over it. She pattered into the woods at a slow trot, allowing her muscles to warm and loosen with the exercise before slipping into a steady lope as she circled the territory in search of game. 

Perhaps the spirits would favor her this day, she might have to make her way to the lower forests and out of the territory but perhaps if she ranged a bit afield, they would smile on her hunt so much as to lead her to a herd of deer -- then perhaps Aiwëndil might recruit some of the men to help her make a rewarding catch. 

tags for reference

There had been more arrivals upon the mountain than Raimo could keep track of. He had been lurking in the blackpine for a while, keeping his distance from the pair of mourning women while seeking out gifts for them, for after. The increase of a canine presence had scared off much of the smaller prey and that irked him. His attention drifted from his hunt when someone ghostly slipped across his path, running perpendicular across the route he had been watching. They reminded him of a thinning storm cloud; there was faint color to their body but not much, as if he was seeing her through a mist.

Raimo pulled himself down the mountain and through the shadows, reaching the low hills by mid-morning, following the trail of the stranger. When they dipped towards the outskirts of the claim and appeared to wind in to the fields surrounding them, he paused. Perhaps the stranger was hunting — or it was just as likely they had chosen not to make their home upon the mountain after all, and fled in to the frostbitten fields. He was undecided on what to do next and looked back over his shoulder, his gaze following the black spires of the trees where they terminated in winter mist.

Initially, she failed to notice the shadow that had begun trailing her nor did she realize that he hunted after her the way the huntress sought after the deer. She'd seen flattened beds amongst the brush, bent and broken foliage, even some droppings and trees stripped of bark -- all signs of the winter-hungry grazers. After a time though, as her painted paws became wet and dark with the ooze of mud towards the boundaries of the Spine's short range, she felt the familiar prickle of her flesh crawling like eyes trailing over her skin.

The dove drifted to a halt, swinging back to face the way she'd come as her head lowered -- neck extending as she sniffed the air for would-be pursuers, pale verdant gaze sweeping through the dim shadows of the dawn searchingly, suspiciously. "Hello?" She called out softly, the wisp of noise not nearly loud enough to carry but enough that someone nearby might hear.

Raimo's attention returned to the stranger when he heard the soft call of a voice. His ears trembled as they adjusted, and he looked through a narrow gap among the fir trees to see their pale figure, stilled by caution. The man prowled on until he was close enough to be sensed, and then made himself known by lunging from the dark, crossing her path while her head was turned.

Do you hunt for us? He asks in a sombre tone, not wanting to disrupt the area with needless noise. If she hoped to hunt and be a provider he would be watchful of her efforts, perhaps even lend his aid.

The more bodies they had the better — while at the same time Raimo would only allow those worthy to stay. If she did not know who he meant when he spoke, that would be a mark against her. He would chase her out if necessary, but gave her ample time to answer in case she was a friend to the spine.

The fawn flinched as her head turned towards the dark man who suddenly rushed onto the scene -- drawing from the shadows and her peripherals alike. Her steps faltered backwards a pace, ears flattening slightly as her hackles raised with a spike of fear for the wren assumed him to be lunging forward in a vicious move. Perhaps Sialuk had not mentioned her rather new presence and he was territorial of his clan mates' claim. 

When the nightwolf halted and rumbled a low query in her direction, Lótë forced her pelt to smooth its defensive prickling. Her tawny auds pressing lower as she dropped her head in submission, tongue rasping along her chops. 

"Perhaps. If the spirits favor me. Kukutux has set me to task tracking the herds," she answered without hesitation, spring gaze falling from his own curious orbs of hardwood and amber as she lilts the words with whispering diffidence. 


She's uncertain -- a bit perplexed by his intense, unwelcoming behavior. Her weight moves from one side of her body to the other, paws shifting as her eyes flicker to the side with ears still splayed. Wishing she could just flee the odd confrontation. 

The girl spoke of Kukutux. That was enough to alleviate the tension in Raimo's shoulders. He remained bullish and scowling but no longer directed the glare of his two-toned gaze her way. Good. He remarks.

I have not ventured from the mountain in some time. My patrols of the game trails once brought me many things, but now I find it harder and harder to find prey. He told her this for two purposes: to share that he had been here with Kukutux longer and to explain why he had climbed down the mountain after her. It was good that someone should be sent after the herds, he thought.

Find me when you return. He suggests next — although the tone of Raimo's voice implies more than that, like a command. An assumption to be included. Then we may go and hunt together. Perhaps by then the mourning songs will be over and Sialuk can join us too. They would need more bodies to bring down a deer, at any rate.

The girl's brow furrowed, dissecting his words and reading something between the lines. Yet, doubt swelled in her heart. Truly, she couldn't be sure of his intentions and that made her wary. 

Mayhaps the shaded hunter meant only to impart this knowledge in politeness -- so that she would not waste her time searching in the wrong place -- and his nature was just brusque. Or maybe he was merely posturing, establishing some sort of claim over the mountains before anyone else could. Whatever the case, the latter was not necessary -- he would find no fight from the horticulturist nor any desire to usurp his hypothetical place.

She set aside most of his words as they trickled to her and waited patiently, glancing up as the onyx brute stated she was to find him afterwards. This did not seem out of place to the dove, who assumed herself to be the newest recruit and therefore lowest on the metaphorical totem pole in whatever hierarchy their group operated on. 

The pale agouti dipped her head in understanding and then turned, trotting away with some haste as if still not quite sure that he wouldn't snap at her hocks or lunge from behind as she showed him her back.