Duskfire Glacier He doesn't look a thing like jesus

@Issorartuyok @Lane
set for evening, 28 F

How lucky he had been to find his brother's scent somewhere north of the glacier. Maybe luck wasn't all of it. He had been drawn to the frigid lands of the Taiga because it had reminded him of home; he wondered if Issorartuyok had encountered the same draw. Whatever had brought him here, Tuulu was grateful. He hadn't been sure how long he would have to search for his older sibling and had been prepared to spend a good chunk of the winter on his own—doable but not ideal, even for him. 

Snow had started to fall and catch on the edges of his hair as he came to the border of the territory. His brother's scent was one of the many he could pick out, and it made his heart beat against his ribs. He was excited to see him and join him here. The northerner wanted to know how his life had been since he left. And most importantly, he still had much to learn from him. 

So he wasted no time. Tuulu lifted his nose to the night sky and released a long howl to call for his sibling and anyone else who might be curious about who called from the borders.

It was unusual to hear a call from the northern edge of the Glacier's boundary; typically their visitors arrived from the southwest, picking their way up through the moraine. This caller summoned Lane across the Polaris Icefield. She too collected snowflakes as she traveled, and by the time she presented herself in front of the new Tatkret, snow brushed over her features in the illusion of a thin, ivory veil.  

"Well, hello." She smiled, shaking the snow from her pelt. "..Another Tatkret, I take it?" she based her guess on the fact that the stranger had called for his brother, and Issorartuyok and Veteran's were the only male scents that lay heavy on this stretch of the border. "Welcome to Duskfire Glacier. The brother you summoned leads here, but he is currently away. You just missed him." An expression of sympathy briefly crossed her features. No doubt this man had been expecting to reunite with Issorartuyok. "I'm Lane, the co-alpha." And the consolation prize, unfortunately.

hi! i'm excited to write with you again <3

His features quickly turned unreadable as the unknown woman approached instead of his brother. He couldn't help the dropping of his heart either. He had imagined a reunion many times as he traveled, and now it seemed he wouldn't get one yet. 

He gave a curt nod when she greeted him. She was intelligent at least, recognizing him as belonging to the Tatkret family. But Isso was away, and now he would have to wait even longer to see him again. He clenched his jaw as she continued to explain that his sibling led here alongside her. 

I'm Tuuluuwaq, Isso's younger brother. I came here to join him, he explained. He didn't offer to let her call him Tuulu as his family knew him; he preferred it be used only when he was comfortable with someone. Do you know when he'll be back? he asked next. He was prepared to wait outside the territory if needed. He wouldn't assume automatic acceptance into the pack, especially without his brother vouching for him.

Hiii friend! I'm v excited you and Tuuluu are here!

Lane did not witness the man's shift in demeanor when she approached, as she was too far away to really view small changes in attitude and stance. So she simply assumed that "guarded and measured" were personality traits of his, similar to Issorartuyok's ever-present air of formality. Of course, the older Tatkret had an aura of warmth about him even as he was conducting himself formally, and this brother... just seemed like a wall of ice. 

Lane was intrigued. 

She couldn't help but notice the younger's Tatkret's nickname for Issorartuyok, and she felt a little bitter that this much-easier version of her co-alpha's name had been in existence all this time. She'd spent the better part of a morning working under Veteran's tutelage, trying to memorize Issorartuyok's five-syllable beast of first name. 

And here was a new challege: Tuuluuwaq. At least it was only three syllables, instead of the usual four or five that was typical of other northerners. 

"Well Tuuluuwaq.." she started, repeating the name. She'd found that repetition was key for memorization. The tongue remembers better than the brain, when it comes to names. 

"He just left. It's going to be a few weeks." She bit her bottom lip, hating to be the bearer of bad news. 

"..But while it's up to me, any Tatkret is welcome here. We're happy to have you stay as long as you like, and join us if you want-- assuming Issorartuyok agrees when he returns." Lane couldn't offer the man permanent housing without first running it by Issorartuyok, given the family connection. But she could certainly allow to him access to the pack's domain as a visitor, so he would have the option to wait out the days until his brother's return in comfort. It was what Lane hoped Issorartuyok would do for her family, if the roles were reversed.

Veteran watched his mother greet the stranger from a distance. He too had put together from the information in the howl that this man was family to Issorartuyok, but that didn't mean he was trustworthy. Just look at Makatza-- she was Veteran's half-sister, but she was also a bloodthirsty lunatic. 

The child approached warily, ruff raised. Especially with is nearly-healed facial scarring, he might have looked frightening if not for the fact that he was a five-month-old puppy. He was not yet close enough to hear the conversation. So far, his mother either had not noticed his approach from behind, or she ignored it.

He appreciated her effort to pronounce his name, although it didn't show on his face. She had actually done a pretty good job with the northern name, too. 

Tuulu had just missed his brother apparently, and he wouldn't be back for a few weeks. It was even worse than him not being here to greet him. His heart sank, and he looked away from the alphess for a few moments while he tried to get his emotions under control. He didn't like when things didn't go as planned, and he was still trying to learn to be more flexible. 

When Lane continued to speak, it was to offer the Tatkret a tentative place in the pack until his brother returned. It was a generous offer, considering she didn't know him at all. And since he really had nowhere else to go, he finally gave her a nod of acceptance. Thank you, Lane, he offered. But if I stay, I will pull my weight. Whatever you need help with. He was never one to sit around idly anyway, but he especially wouldn't put a drain on their resources at the beginning of winter without doing his best to replenish them or offer protection in return. This was Isso's home after all. 

The prickly child in the background briefly caught his attention. Tuulu offered a curt nod in greeting before focusing back on the glacier leader.

Lane turned as the Tatkret offered a nod to someone over her shoulder. Ah, Veteran. Here was her son, looking rather stormy, just as he always did whenever he caught his mother talking to stranger. With a tilt of her head, Lane silently invited the boy to her side. 

Turning back to Tuuluuwaq, she smiled knowingly. "There is a way you can help. You've arrived at the right time for us, Tuuluuwaq." Lane bent down and placed a few comfortingly licks on Veteran's head in an attempt to calm him. Strangers at the border always made him so antsy.

"A sickness is spreading through the caribou herd that sustains this pack. Our allies in Moonglow have come to aid us, and they're camped near the herd in the Sunset Valley." Lane lifted a paw to point northward. "Will you join us in culling the sick from the herd? We need as many able-bodied hunters as we can get." Lane looked to Tuuluuwaq expectantly.

At his mother's invitation, Veteran scurried to her side. His icy gaze settled warily upon the stranger. 

A split second before his mother spoke, Veteran realized what she was about to say. "No- mom--" he started to protest, but he was silenced as Lane bent down to swipe several definitive licks over his head. 

Stewing silently, Veteran huffed. This stranger didn't need to be informed of the pack's troubles and weaknesses, no matter who he said he was! He shouldn't be told anything, until Issorartuyok got back to confirm his identity. 

But Veteran was not the alpha. He was the child. Lane would do exactly as she pleased, as she had always done, and her son would have to shoulder the burden.

The boy was distrustful, Tuulu could see it in his tense posture and his wary expression. Good; he shouldn't just take others at their word. Eventually he would see there was nothing to fear from the northerner. But he was willing to give him the time to figure it out. Tuulu, too, had trouble taking others at face-value, so he was in good company. 

Lane described how the caribou that supported the pack were sick, and they needed help disposing of the ill ones before it took out the whole herd. With so much winter left, it could be detrimental to the glacier wolves to lose such an important source of food. 

The Tatkret gave a stiff nod. I can help. Hunting would certainly keep him busy while he waited for his brother's return. I will travel to Sunset Valley right away. He would likely spend most of his time there, at least until Isso came home.

"Great! Thank you," Lane offered a smile and a nod. 

"You'll hold the Iota rank until Issorartuyok returns, and then we'll see about initiating you as a full member." She thought about winking, just to get him wondering what exactly went into an initiation, but she restrained herself. Flirting with new recruits wasn't very alpha-like behavior, and Veteran was getting to an age where seeing that sort of behavior from his mom might upset him. 

"Veteran will show you where Moonglow is camped." She glanced down at the boy, who seemed eager enough. She remembered to add, "..After he takes you by our cache for a meal. I insist on this. You will need your strength for the hunt." She nodded once more, this time with an air of finality.

 Before departing from the border, she would offer a nudge of welcome to Tuuluuwaq, but also to mark him by scent as a member of Duskfire Glacier. She expected that if she had left this task to Veteran, he would have "forgotten" to do it. 

She would then sweep away to return to Wintersbane's bedside. The lightening-strike victim had taken a turn for the worse last night, and it was all Lane could manage just to keep the former alpha hanging on.

Upon second thought, Veteran could see the merits of giving this stranger a task that kept him away from the packlands, and so he remained quiet as his mother requested Tuuluuwaq's help with the herd. 

"Veteran will show you where Moonglow is camped."

All right! His mom wanted him to lead Tuuluuwaq away, and he was all too happy to comply. He would pretend that he was a real guardian, escorting a stranger off of the packlands. 

"..After he takes you by the cache for a meal." 

Ugh! But..! ... 

Veteran gave an audible sigh. He would do as he was told, albeit reluctantly. At least he would get to visit at the Moonglow camp! Not to mention, he might see that pretty Moonglow princess, Samani...

Soon after he and Tuuluuwaq departed the border, he would begin traveling with a spring in his step and an excited air about him, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be acting grumpy.

Tuulu offered the alphess another curt nod. It is no problem. Truly it wasn't. He would enjoy the time alone and would be able to stay busy instead of worry over when his brother would return.

Lane instructed her son to lead him to the Moonglow camp but not before showing him where to get a proper meal. She was right, he would need his strength. Thank you, he managed gruffly before the glacier leader turned to leave.

Then he looked at the child. Lead the way. He dipped his head a little as he spoke. He could tell the boy still didn't trust him, and Tuulu was impressed; even though his mother clearly allowed him some trust, her son needed to make up his own mind. He would grow to be strong, like the northern boys back home. He was sure of it. 

He would eat and then follow Veteran to the valley.