Qeya River some people survive chaos

for the timeline's sake going to say this is shortly before their trip to moonglow!

the mid-morning was laden with scattered clouds that kept it overcast more than sunny — or even cloudy — but that does not hinder kivaluk. though the rays of sunshine that sporadically break thru the prison of clouds above feel nice upon his back, he isn't bothered either way.

not while the weather in and of itself was fine and he ( and his brother ) were granted a little more reign now that natigvik was official.

more of a home than it'd been prior — but the particulars did not make sense to him.

@Akkuma! kivaluk calls out for his brother, hoping that his littermate was not too far from his own position ( not that he'd strayed too far from whichever parent was keeping an eye on them today ).

Thank you for forward dating this <3

Amalia was still quite nervous with her new pack mates. She hadn't met many. She had been from a pack certainly, but it had been only her family. And it had imploded upon itself, she often wondered if the same thing would happen here, though she shouldn't be surprised when you get carefree and free spirits together things tend to sort of unwravel. Though she didn't blame her family for their very nature, she herself was just a different type of creature. 

The sun ray pattern played peek a boo with her black fur, it was warm and comforting. Amalia heard a tiny howl, and she headed towards it. She knew her new pack mates had children, and she was certain they weren't far from their parents, but her curiosity took her towards it. And she stayed low to the ground, deference to both the parents and the chld. 

Hello Little one. She spoke gently.

it was not akkuma that had responded to his call; and though his attention goes to the stranger — reassured that she was supposed to be there only because of the scent of his father and mother upon her pelage — who is cloaked in fur the color of midnight, kivaluk cannot help the soft frown that his brother has yet to catch up to him.

he hadn't thought he had wandered that far —

nevertheless, his dissapointment is not long lived; such is the whimsical of children.

who's you? kivaluk asks her brazenly, bolstered by the innocence of youth.

Amalia continued to move carefully, she knew well how protective mothers and fathers were, even if not in the direct vicinity. She did not wish to make an enemy where a friend could possibly reside. His red coloring was a startling contrast to the gray of his fur, and one that Amalia enjoyed. He brought to her in mind of the wilderness, the tapestry of colors that painted meadows and fields. 

Amalia was not privy to the safe guards in place, where the children could go and couldn't go. His  straight forward question, colored with shameless cloak of youth, as it is with all children. It brought a small smile to her face. 

I'm Amalia, who are you? She parroted back, her eyes twinkling joyfully. Would he be insistent that she know who he was? Would he be shy? Would he be proud as a peacock and strut. There were so many ways he could answer, being that he was as such in a way a little prince, and she couldn't wait to see what it was.

she answers his inquiry without hesitation, introducing herself as amalia; effectively pleasing the little princeling. though another glimpse 'round in search of his brother is given, he tries not to be rude by refusing to focus upon her. if akkuma joined them: then he did and if he didn't, kivaluk would find him later to fill him in on the meeting.

though it should've been predictable, kivaluk was used to everyone knowing who he was and is a bit affronted that she asked. it does not occur to him that perhaps whomever had accepted her had not mentioned the young of natigvik.

but ...here he was.

kivaluk, and because he was always ( perhaps overly so ) eager to impress, adds: son of the is...issumatar. he stumbles over the mouthful that is sakhmet's title but prides himself on the fact that it sounds like the correct pronunciation.

Amalia noticed the youth take another look around. Did she make him nervous? She backed off a little more, anxious that she would upset him. Which wasn't her intention at all. She had known that there were pups, but their names had not been shared, nor their numbers. At least not that she could recall. 

He stared at her with affront and she realized, perhaps she shouldn't have asked his name. After all here among this pack, he was nothing short of royalty. And as many youths it gave him a sense of self-importance that adults were not privy too. Oh the frivolities of youth. 

He did however, offer his name, and her tail rat tatted against the ground. "Oh you are Kivaluk, so I suppose I should bow? After all you are a prince."

Amalia gave an exaggerated bow and a softly murmured. Good evening Prince."

akkuma had notably withdrawn into himself since receiving his name. he became an obsessive, secretive child. he stole away to find meaning in the land, in the quiet of his own company.
and oh, how much there was to see! delight masked in early stoicism, akkuma descended on each discovery relentlessly.
he found secrets in the trees, in sap and shining beetles and birds in brilliant colors; he found secrets in the water, too, more than just the fish and stones his parents had brought to him. other creatures lurked beneath the silvery surface, and smooth wooden treasures in shapes akkuma could never have imagined. slowly, he'd begun to hoard his treasures.
he was with them when kivaluk called his name. after a few minutes of arranging them in the cache he'd hidden so carefully, he set off to find his brother. but he'd taken longer than he'd thought; someone else was with him. a woman he did not know.
akkuma was silent as he entered the scene, moving to stand at kivaluk's side without much regard for the woman. his intent was clear, however. she was not welcome, even if she smelled of his parents. akkuma would never think to contradict his parents' rule, and would not attempt to drive her from the pack - but he would certainly drive her from his company. he had no time, no interest in any wolves outside of his family.

would kivaluk had been older, he might've misconstrued her words to be condescending ...but instead, he laps it up eagerly. absorbing it with a resounding yes, i am a prince! because, as far as he was concerned: he was. he and akkuma both.

before kivaluk can say ( or do ) anything further, his brother makes an appearance on the scene, moving to his side: his body language communicating that the woman's presence was no longer welcome. perhaps kivaluk should've been the same, he considers, but then whisks it away. she smells of their parents and thus: she is one of them.

akkuma, kivaluk both greets and attempts to peacekeep. this is amalia. she is natigvik.

Amalia saw the other youth and was surprised at his pure coldness. He didn't seem to want her anywhere near, she could feel the tension in his tiny shoulders to be around her. Though she said nothing, perhaps he was merely shy. She would just have to try extra hard to be kind to him.

Amalia had not meant any cruelty by her words. She had been simply playing as was often her first thought when near pups, to play. Amalia smiled at his warmth at her direction to call him a prince.

Well met Akkuma. Yes I'm Amalia. Would you two like to play a game? Your choice? She tilted her ears forward, she was unsure how to proceed. Normally, she would have offered to play or explore, but now that this young one clearly didn't want her near, she wasn't certain if he would want to play and Kivaluk being such a sweetheart and trying to mediate even as young as he was, would very well take his brother elsewhere to keep the peace.

kivaluk the perfect, kivaluk the first; first born and first to every milestone. the golden child, the picture of an ideal son. akkuma's tail lashed, angry and feline, as he considered his brother and his peacekeeping efforts. he loved him. how could he do anything except love him, even knowing what that left akkuma for himself?
beside kivaluk's brightness, he could never be anything but the shadow. cold, unforgiving, shrouded. but he was his brother's shadow, above all else, and he would acquiesce to his softness in this. to an extent.
okay, he said simply to his brother. the woman asked a question. no. he did not look at her. a question lingered in his eyes, directed at his brother. if he wanted to entertain the woman a little longer, akkuma would be content to return to his treasures and find his brother some other time. but if kivaluk desired the company of his littermate, he would need to shed this unwelcome excess.

kivaluk reads the room, frowning softly at akkuma's blatant dismissal of the woman. a soft, inaudible sigh leaves his lips as he contemplates his next move as the ball is clearly in his court. his gaze moves between the woman and his brother, loyalty to his blood winning out in the end. sorry amalia, kivaluk says, decision made before he had to even really think about it. we can play another day. he suggests.

Amalia gave the young ones both a soft smile. A tad brighter for Kivaluk. Okay then. It was very nice to meet you both. Have a good day.

Amalia turned away in confusion, her heart a little sad. But she couldn't force the pups to want to be near her.