Ouroboros Spine suinngainik ∷

for @T.K.! @Rodyn also welcome <3

she had given the bitter roots of dandelion to the unwolf. she had bathed the quiet brow with wet cloths and pressed finely ground meet into the dying one's mouth. she had wrapped the bony frame in many furs and prayed that the unwolf's spirit would stay in its place, seated around the heart.

moonwoman called them kupugâk. not being her kind, she was unsure what spirits to address on the sick one's behalf.

but finally they strengthened. finally they came awake. kukutux smiled to see the round and expressive eyes open. "it is good to see your face. you walked in the land of the dead for days."

Rodyn had barely slept. he had stayed as near as Kukutux would allow. He would visit @Samani when he needed a pick me up and to make sure she was okay. He hated being away from her, but T.K. was his friend and T.K. Was dying. It didn't sit well.

He paced outside. Brought Kukutux what she needed. Carried furs, carried meat. Whatever it was that was needed. He would leave in the mornings to make one patrol, and a hunting sweep and then back to guarding outside the den.

He was worried yes, but also he knew how T.K. Felt about wolves and he refused to leave his friend again and have them think that he was abandoned with monsters.

fireplace in old house died.

t.k. opened eyes like lifting heavy stones.

it was still dream 

but brain jumpstarted like old motor realized that if this wasn't dream then before was dream yes-

there was no fireplace and no old house.

brown eyes zoom zoomed around what was in front small space cramped and smell smell strong filled nostrils faster and faster it wasn't known didn't remind of anything good nothing safe faster faster as panic panic increased breathing sped-

what was thought was white snowblind shape spoke 

"eeEEEEEEEEEE!" skittering weak frail limbs skittered kicked and retreated back tangling into furs kicking over things as greyhound panicked whine-screamed and retreated until side hit wall and there was no moving no more only covering dog whites rimming fear-small brown irises trembling-

i apologize on this dog's behalf :pray: 

poor babe;;

the little creature was filled with fear.

kukutux flinched but lifted her chin. she would not show fear. and nor would she approach striped being.

"@Rodyn," she called to sivullik who was outside the ulaq. "come. let them see you."

moonwoman herself would retreat to the doorway once firsthunter had come.

Rodyn pushed through the doorway and touched Kukutux's shoulder kindly. He then looked over T.K.

T.K.

Rodyn lowered his body, so as to not so threatening. Rodyn moved closer and then stopped looking over T.K. his eyes wet again. He hated seeing T.K. so afraid.

You weren't doing so good. YOu remember me talking about moonwoman?

soft quick little whines eyes never leaving snowblind wolfshape small yet toothed vicious hungry-

name of rodyn made recognition spark in dark of pupils an ear perk half a bit.

when rodyn came in something tangled in chest loosened body remained covering rigid breath breathing hard to difficult to

"ican'tbreathe." was wheezing non-answer to question no recognition in panicked thoughts "can'tcan't-"

pupils went wide

"amidying?'

skip kuku till u need her back! <3

moonwoman moved aside.

"talk to this one in your way, sivullik. tell them that they are among good wolves."

kukutux looked toward the striped creature a last time before slipping out the entrance of the ulaq.

Rodyn moved closer, blocking Kukutux from T.K.'s view. Though she quickly excused herself to go outside. Rodyn slid to his stomach and smiled at T.K. A lopsided watery one.

You are panicking. That's why you can't breath. Think of things you love T.K. Tell me what can you see, smell taste, what does the den feel like? These will all help you calm down.

Rodyn shook his head. You aren't dying anymore, but you almost did. You scared me a lot T.K.

trying to get some more critical threads resolved, still on hiatus until the gods of academia see fit to smite me <3 

beating beating heart so quick so quick quick quick

words trickled in like tiny droplets trough hamster water bottle.

things love things love

chase. hunt. race. wind in mouth tail steering paws not touching ground -

see ( eyes darted )

"u-um, um, f-f-f-fur?"

smell ( nose twitched )

"puh- plants. sharp, sharpsmell."

taste ( tongue swept )

( sour grimace )

"plantsonwhiskers."

feel ( body stilled )

"u-um. warm."

t.k. went quiet

forelegs slid down, head lowered, until greyhound laid same as rodyn

eyes looked now finally seeing 

"this, isthis-" brows bounced together in frown as name did not come to mind no matter the furrow

"...rodyn'spack?"

No rush i don't get fussy. Hope school is going well? <3 

That's right my brown fur, your brown fur. Pelts of animals. Good job. Rodyn spoke in return, watching his friend move their eyes around the den in a panic.

That's medicine to help you stay alive. Kukutux gave it to you.

Rodyn leaned forward. Paw close enough to T.K. to touch if the other dog beast wanted too, but he kept still and quiet. Didn't want to cause another breakdown.

yes this is moonglow. They are nice here. Like me. Hunters.

<3

"moonglow!" greyhound yipped head shooting up

tail wagging

"i- i- i- iremembered! rememberedrodynhaspackand- and- and whererodyncomefrombut-"

big, big inhale.

"-didn'tknowwherepackwasdidn'tknowcan't-" inhale "-smellanythingfromsnowbutthisisityesyes?" ears flopped as head whipped left right

expectant bigbrown eyes landed on rodyn again

"wasiclose? wasi?"

tail wagging

Rodyn's ears went to his skull and then he chuckled. Yup Moonglow.

Rodyn noddd his head and got to his feet. Yes you were very close. I was able to call my leader Kukutux to help me when you fell asleep.

Tail curled around haunches and ears curled forward. Were you looking for me?

A small smile on his maw. Though he was regretful that T.K. Had gotten hurt. A small part of him was so glad to have his friend look for him. That he felt safe enough to look for Moonglow spoke spades about their friendship. Because T.K. was not that type of way. They were skittish on their best day.

"khkhtx." a bullet

t.k. nodded solemn ( or speedup version of being solemn ) because this was serious and important yes 

question made seriousness melt into shyness wringing forepaws together avoiding looking straight at rodyn very unsure if admitting would be good bad good maybe?

"...yes." then shutting lips tensing body thinking bad

"butbut-" hurried explain excuse elaborate trough nose sharp inhale "-itgotsosoverycoldcoldcoooold!" pich descending to whine 

"snow!"

"snowgroundpawsgetsstuckcan'truncan'tseecan't-" 

gasp 

"-can'tsmelleverythinggoneandsosososoooocold!"

whine

hiccup blurry vision snotty nose

"itwasbadbadbaaad!"

Rodyn moved forward and looked at his frien. T.K. its fine that you came looking for me. Im glad you did. I always want to help you and talk with you.

Rodyn smiled. That snow was scary wasn't it. I'm sorry it was so bad. But I'm glad youre okay now.

Switch of tail. Happy smile. Now that the dog beast was better. It was a good day.

rodyn

rodyn wasn't madangrydisappointed displeasedsad?

oh!

good, then

"i-i-itwas." hiccup

head plopped down on ground

sniff

"ratherliveinmolepack, t-thanbecold." t.k. pouted. very important not to show real thoughts about living underground without space with unbaked dough wolfmolepeople

( at least rodyn was there )

( t.k. wondered where wolfmolepeople went potty )

Rodyn moved forward with a small chuckle. You don't need to stay in the den if you don't want too, T.K. You can be outside. We just brought you in here so you'd warm up.

Rodyn swished his tail and motioned for the dog beast to follow him. Come look.

He would push past the den mouth so that T.K. could see Moonglow in all it's glory. You ready to meet Kukutux who helped you get better or not yet?

brain made sound

"outside?!" t.k. sprung up in greyhound half-sit very very happy now there would be no mole living for t.k. "outout!"

scurrying after rodyn to exit paused every few steps to sway and realize legs had become toothpicks

out!

and out was sight unreal.

trees trees trees needleleaf pinetrees surrounding like wall of green and white big sky finally blue and LOOK greater wall than mountains surrounding all around! ground rolling down to great large lake more trees some black gnarled bald others with snow heavy head turned other side, looked near,

holes holes in earth side of hill -

and out holes poke longsnout triangle ear fuzzy heads.

with yip t.k. scampered behind rodyn hiding stickbody behind bigfurbody

trembling now first fearworryanxiety then remembering cold was outside

bigbrown eyes pleaded with rodyn

rodyn chuckled. Outside. He followed behind T.K. though they didn't make it the whole way out. He allowed T.K. to take everything in. Big Brown eyes taking it all in.

Rodyn smiled and spoke softly. Don't worry I'll be with you if you want to walk around. Do you want to walk around?

Rodyn swayed on his paws and studied the dogbeast behind him, hidden. We don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want too.

pardon the style change, attempting to wrangle this guy's writing into something that's the most comfortable for me <3  

very quick shake of head.

"n-n-nowalk. notalk." hisher head poked out behind rodyn to look again at threatening place of scary things that yes would think rodyn brought home weirdest deer and would ask can we eat this and maybe rodyn would maybe say yes.

pupils darted up. large brown face looking back at tk with eyes very very soft like cream or warm sludgy throwup that you eat when nobody's looking. smile like it never knew teeth.

tk felt very displeased and sourly ashamed that there was ever a thought of rodyn hurting herhim.

"let'sgo. meetkhkhtx." name that was very strange very foreign. what kind of wolfbeast was it?

tk wormed around rodyn like around a radiator you can't touch directly or it hurts you but made skin warm just to be near. tk walked beside rodyn.

"what's, what'skhkhtxlike?" images of big big scary monster wolf so tall lips always pulled back in vile sneer or grin of evil tail high and did tk mention big.

( tk was so very bad at connecting dots )

No pardon needed. I hope you can find the voice for T.K. :D <3  

Rodyn turned to look over his shoulder at the dogbeast at his haunches. In most cases he would have been quite uncomfortable to have someone so close to his back, but this was T.K.

We don't have to go far. YOu remember that wolf that was helping to make you better when you furst woke up? I'm gonna Howl okay. Just warning.

Rodyn made sure T.K. understood what he was saying and doing, before he tipped his muzzle back and made a slow quiet call for @Kukutux. She wasn't far he knew.

Kukutux is a small white wolf that helps to take care of all of us here on the mountain. She's the leader.

when kukutux returned, it was with meat for the striped one, deer-flesh.

this she offered to rodyn, who might pass it over.

she herself did not speak, only stood in knowingness and placidness.

walks back into this thread with a starbucks and a croissant

wolf helping when first woke up?

it caused confusion because saying that instead of answering the question was random like food dispenser times maybe rodyn didn't hear herhis words even thought heshe knew they were very very simple and clear -

herhis racer thoughts crossed the finish line of comprehension.

tk's teeth gritted and a shiver of shock and fear went from hisher toes to ears. kukutux was blindsnowshape? awful awful terrible bad! tk behaved notgood! was kukutux angrydisappointedannoyed? will tk be punished? 

herhis head whipped to look at rodyn.

will rodyn be punished?

wolfhowl froze all thoughts like headlights a deer.

tk attempted to turtle hisher body. leader. large brown eyes pleaded with rodyn even thought tk wasn't sure what shehe was pleading for. 

don't let leader eat me because i'm a bad dog? if leader is small and angry kick leader away like football? 

lots and lots of piling worries and when whiteblindsnowshape kukutux came back, tk startled then scuttled to hide behind rodyn.

heshe didn't look straight at kukutux feeling very very guilty and bad.

Rodyn felt TK behind him and turned to study the dog beast. A small smile to give them ease. He hoped it helped even just a little.

Moonwoman Kukutux. This is T.K.. T.K. This is Kukutux.

Rodyn's tail waved gently behind him. Hoping that T.K. would at least put their head out a little to look at Kukutux. The hunter knew the dog beast was scared and he wished he had some way to help ease their fear. But he had none right now.

T.K. would just need to get used to her.

I've never actually had starbucks....

"it is good to know your face, tk," kukutux said softly.

but she felt that the other should have a true name. "i have called you kupugâk."

she set down the strip of deer-meat in a meal for the striped one.

"do not be afraid. you are safe in this village."

Rodyn Stayed near T.K. while they got acquainted with Kukutux and the village. He didn't make any mention, didn't speak much. Just allowed his friend to learn everything on their own terms and without fear or judgement.