Ouroboros Spine aki Δ

"@Towhee?"

kukutux had traveled slowly along the woman's scent-trail. the spine called for her to stop several times, to look at the sights of her village and appreciate them over again.

but eventually she turned her focus back to her search, still watchful for any strangers that might still have lingered.

The sight of Hydra's ruined home distracted Towhee from her task. She stood staring at Moonspear for long minutes before the intruders' scent tickled her nostrils again. Snorting, the mercenary turned and let out a snarl of surprise when she found Kukutux there.

"Fuck, you scared me," Towhee said, letting out a wheeze of laughter. She sobered pretty quickly when she saw the look on the woman's face. "Sorry. What's up?"

kukutux stepped back in apology. she raised her paw in an approximation of sorry, though she was not sure she had not butchered the gesture.

"kigipigak has gone. he was secondhunter to shikoba. now she will need another." the duck spoke carefully. "you have strength. you need only her trust."

The attempt made her smile, though it wasn't quite right. -"This is 'sorry,'"- she corrected, knowing Kukutux wouldn't mind the impromptu lesson.

But there was something else on the Alpha's mind. Towhee read every word off her lips, yet she couldn't quite parse them. She paused a moment to replay them in her mind, then shook her head. She would need clarification.

-"Do you mind explaining what that means?"- she asked frankly, keeping up with signing her words. She hadn't met a Shikoba, nor was she a hunter. But Towhee kept that to herself until she better understood what was being asked of her.

kukutux brightened and repeated the gesture, committing it to memory.

"you are warrior. shikoba is also this. but shikoba chooses the hunting. she joins with sun man, aiolos, and me to decide things. she is sivullik, first. secondhunter is second to her."

here she paused, having watched towhee structure her movements.

It sounded to her as though this Shikoba was a sort of advisor to the Alpha pair. Towhee nodded her comprehension of that much. She still didn't totally understand the assignment, though she saw no reason to deny Kukutux's wishes. She still had a lot of ground to cover to really sew herself into the fabric of Moonglow.

-"I'd be happy to meet with Shikoba,"- Towhee said, -"and be this second hunter, if you two decide it's a good fit."- There were question marks in her eyes. She was certainly open to the task, though uncertain of the exact procedure here.

kukutux was pleased. it showed in her eyes, despite the sadness that she still carried, to thunk of kigipigak away from their village. but she had happiness for him. she was joyous to see his delight.

a nod. she changed their conversation.

"the caches and sleeping furs were left for those who traveled. i do not understand why the strangers brought destruction also."

The leader looked pleased and changed the subject, so Towhee figured she'd handled that appropriately. Her ears flicked as Kukutux spoke of leaving utensils behind for travelers, only for their gifts to be desecrated by the squatters. The Redhawk frowned.

-"Sometimes people are just pissants like that. It sounds like you weren't opposed to others using your resources while you were away, which is pretty damn generous of you."- It definitely wasn't something she'd have done, but that didn't matter. She clicked her tongue and continued, -"We'll make sure to punt the squatters, assuming that's what you'd like done."-

pissants. she did not know this word but its tone was clear enough. moonwoman nodded. "it is our way. we are not here. it is foolish to think that traders would not cross through this land."

she clucked her tongue. "they were only girls without a pack." their scent-marks had held much truth. it disturbed her to think of young women outside the protection of lands when the season was soon to begin.

but they were not her worry. "yes. keep them away."

It was definitely foolish to think loners would avoid crossing through an unoccupied territory. It made Towhee wonder who might be tromping around on the caldera even now. Although it did rile her a little to think of someone else getting cozy in her Hobbit Hole, she mostly just thought of it as ground. But she sure as shit hadn't left any gifts for wayfarers on her way out, unless leaving a turd the size of a donkey in her aforementioned den counted.

-"Consider it done,"- Towhee said with a bob of her head and menacing grin meant for these unwanted interlopers. Her tail lashed and she gave Kukutux a look that clearly asked to be excused to complete her tasks.

kukutux gave a quick movement of her head. towhee was free now to pursue her tasks.

for now, she would go to gather the young ones of moonglow and keep them close to the dens for now, even if they were no longer infants.

she would not lose a single one of them to the tempestuous teeth of a trespasser.