Wheeling Gull Isle takpiksuk

By the late evening, Kilgitsuk had roamed to the edge of the world and then beyond it. Water licked at his heels as he followed a half-submerged segment of earth. His belly was full of freshwater fish, as well as some eggs he had pilfered from a gulls nest a few hours prior.

The stars lit the way. At times Kilgitsuk was so distracted by them, he nearly walked in to the sea where he caught them winking; but it wasn't real, those glimmerings. The waves would twist and froth, and he would catch himself.

When he came to an expanse of beachfront, he was surprised. Had he gotten turned around somehow? So he looked to the path behind, and saw that it had been swallowed up. Now only the starry ocean remained, and he was left to figure out the rest.

The hour grew late and Caracal yearned to return to @Heda, though he refused to give up until he found them something to eat. After several failed attempts to rustle up some small game, he paced to and fro in the barren lavender fields. He really didn’t want to cross to the mainland and leave both his wife and Vesper unprotected, though eventually he broke his pattern and headed to the land bridge.

He found a stranger standing not far from the archway and it stopped him short. Caracal was an easygoing, sociable guy, though the sight of a very large, stocky man standing there on the beach made him hell’a uneasy. Had he smelled the two she-wolves? He was a lover, not a fighter, not to mention rather puny compared to this guy. But if this white dude was after the girls, then Caracal would absolutely fight him (and probably lose… and die…).

Hey, man, he shouted after summoning up all his bravado, marching over to the stranger, can I help you?

Without realizing he was doing it, Caracal sent up a little prayer that God would protect the island’s inhabitants.

i can't resist U. uwu

a partially eaten creature hung loosely from the darkling's jaws as they left the forest and moved back toward the arch. caracal was likely still with his mate, and vesper intended to keep away unless one of them sought them out. though it went against their vow to remain unnoticed by the pair, the petite wolf did want to give thanks in a way more tangible. not knowing where the mates had settled, vesper thought a cache somewhere near the isle's portal would be a clear enough gesture.

they dropped to a crouch, hoping the nearby brush provided enough cover, as soon as they saw a bright silhouette in the moonlight. unfortunately, the panicked movement was anything but graceful, and the dead thing vesper had been carrying fell to the earth with a faint thud. fuck, they muttered on a sharp inhale. the darkling wasn't prepared to meet heda so soon, and could only surmise that was who this was.

Before long he discovered that there were others here. The salt in the air had hidden much from Kilgitsuk, but now there was a man standing upon the beach with him - and the faint aroma of someone else too, but his focus was upon the man for now, and he dismissed the additional scents (beast and preyblood) readily. This place, wherever it was, seemed an ideal place to hide out; so it made sense the man would not exist alone here.

The hunter cleared his throat and then answered, I'm not sure. Which wasn't a great answer. Kilgitsuk smiled, a little bashful but hardly his usual boisterous self. I've been wandering a while. I am called Kilgitsuk, and I am a hunter. The other man probably didn't care; or at the very least, could see the many scars that marked his body.

I... had not meant to come this far, but it seems the sea has swallowed the path. If it is no trouble, may I stay here? At least until I may travel again. I can hunt and fish for you, as trade. Perhaps he would be welcome? Judging by the look of the other man, and the vague scent of a woman upon the air, Kilgitsuk held many doubts.

He was focused so intently on the interloper, he didn’t even notice Vesper’s arrival or quiet curse as she dropped her prey. Some part of Caracal fully expected a man of such stature to immediately lord it over everyone and throw his weight around, yet this guy was… disarmingly polite. The slim Redhawk hung on his every word as he spoke candidly.

Under normal circumstances, he probably would’ve heartily welcomed such a man to chill on the island, as long as his wife agreed. But with Heda in heat, it changed the entire dynamic. Not only that but she might also be with child. Caracal knew she could look after herself but he still felt fiercely protective of his “wifey.” There was Vesper to consider too.

Look, I— he started to say when that smell abruptly threaded into his nose.

Caracal whipped his head so fast, his neck cracked. It wasn’t Heda but Vesper crouched nearby. He knew an instant of relief before panic coiled in his stomach. His gaze ping-ponged between Kilgitsuk and his cousin multiple times before he scooted to stand closer to Vesper.

What had he been about to say? Caracal sucked in a breath and touched his nose to his cousin’s shoulder as he tried to gather his thoughts again.

vesper's panic only heightened as they became aware of caracal's presence in the chaos of their pitious attempt to hide. fiery eyes wide as they peered through the thin, springtime brush, vesper swallowed and worked to control their breath as heart thundered behind ribcage. then suddenly caracal was by the darkling's side, attempting to comfort with a gentle touch of his nose.

they winced at that, scrambling to their feet and backing away from the two males. fuck, vesper said again, louder this time. they dared not take their eyes off the sturdy white male. had he followed them here? had they unintentionally brought danger to caracal's doorstep?

i— i'm sorry, i— they stammered, quick pleading glances toward their cousin. vesper blackfeather should have known better. tragedies followed them like flies on turds. they would leave as soon as the tide ebbed once more in the morning and accept their fate, if it meant protecting their cousin's way of life.

blood mixed with the drool slipping from the corners of their mouth stretched and then dropped to stain the earth, as vesper steeled themself for a fight. the gift of prey lay forgotten near caracal's toes, and vesper glanced at him once more, voice low enough that they hoped only he could make out the words, a lover, not a fighter, right?

It seemed that his words were heard, but the other man was suitably distracted. They moved in a defensive manner to stand further away, which was an odd tactic during an otherwise amicable conversation; then the man bent low among some greenery, and it was then that Kilgitsuk saw the twin flares of bright irises, glowing brightly beneath the starlight. At once he thought of Sakhmet! It hurt, and it winded him.

The stranger - who was themselves a shadow - moved rapidly away, with a murmur to the man. Kilgitsuk was concerned of course, and wondered if this was why the other man seemed reluctant. When the shadow had dispersed, he shrank back a step and lowered his tail.

Is that -- your wife? I did not mean to frighten her. Kilgitsuk did not know what to do. He could not swim back to the mainland at this hour, neither could he feel comfortable staying here where he was clearly unwelcome.

Vesper’s remark earned a quick sideways smile. She remembered! Before he could process exactly what she meant by that, though, Kilgitsuk asked if she was his wife. The question wasn’t the most important bit to him though; it was the way the hulking white wolf shrank backward.

What? No! Caracal blurted. He then paused and finally said what he’d meant to say in the first place, albeit tweaked a bit. She’s my cousin. My wife is elsewhere on the island. They’re both in—he cocked his head and gave the man a knowing look—and I promised to look out for them. It’s hard to have any chill when a strange dude shows up on our doorstep, you know?

With that said, he tried to smooth his petticoats a bit. He didn’t think Kilgitsuk was putting on a front, though he was still a little wary. Even if he didn’t have ill intent, that didn’t mean Heda and Vesper would want him lurking around the island right now. The women’s sense of safety was of utmost importance to the Redhawk.

Vesper, you wanna take that, he said, pointing at her kill, and go find Heda? I’ve been meaning to feed her all night but I keep finding wayward wolves. He smiled crookedly, then continued loud enough for Kilgitsuk to overhear, I’m gonna stay here with him until he’s able to cross the land bridge, then I’ll talk to Heda about what she’s comfortable with…

Motioning for Vesper to go if she liked, he focused fully upon the pale man again and clarified, We’re not an official pack but we live on this island. It’s more hers than mine, so I want to consult with her. I’m pretty sure she’d be happy with you staying but under the circumstances… yeah, Caracal concluded a bit lamely.

vesper was growing more and more frustrated with this unwanted, unholy possession of their body. it was a dangerous state to be in without the protection of a healthy pack, but they did not think of themself as a damsel in distress. as it became clearer that the snow-colored stranger had no immediate intentions to harm anyone, vesper sank down on their haunches and sulked, awaiting an opportunity to break into caracal's speech.

no, vesper finally told him, a bit harshly. they were family, but hadn't known each other that well even years ago. even as a guest, vesper had limits to their acceptance of commands. go to your woman. she must be anxious for your return. this, vesper offered more gently. the darkling had no intention of appearing to the mated she-wolf before caracal could explain the situation and that vesper would be no threat to her standing.

i'll stay and tear out his throat if he tries anything, the bat-eared wolf looked at the stranger pointedly, tense, though vesper kept the growl from their words. if he doesn't, then we will both leave this place in the morning when the tide lowers. if vesper had brought danger to caracal's door, they would be the one to protect against it.

they nudged the dead thing closer to their cousin and repeated stubbornly, go.

The two appeared to be bickering! But it was the man that clarified some things. Kilgitsuk understood now why they were so hot and bothered; they were young, perhaps having never dealt with this before. If he sensed anything upon the wind he was able to shut down any desires - Kilgitsuk only had eyes for his wife, as distant as she was to him.

However it was the man's comment to the shadow - the naming of Heda, and the attempted dismissal - which brought things full circle. Kilgitsuk paced on the spot, suddenly quite animated.

Heda? I know of a Heda - she is a friend! He had not seen the girl in some time. Was it the same person? He presumed so, as the name was uncommon. Except, she would not know him by this new name, and so things became... complicated. It is good to hear she is doing well. His good feeling stagnated a moment, realizing what the shadow was suggesting.

He was a stranger to them both. There was no way to prove otherwise, and so they meant to guard him and see him away. That was fine, if a bit disheartening. Kilgitsuk settled upon his haunches and looked between the two of them, a bit perplexed. If it better suits you both, I could make camp here and depart in the morning.

Vesper didn’t take his out, instead insisting he take the food and go. In the next breath, she promised to tear out Kilgitsuk’s throat if he tried anything. Caracal goggled at her, equally impressed and stumped. More than anything, he didn’t want Vesper to feel as though she needed to leave.

The sudden repetition of his wife’s name made Caracal jump and look at the larger man. He knew Heda? More and more, he was feeling like he should just summon his wife. He didn’t like the idea very much, though he could really use her judgment right now.

There was, of course, another solution besides the ones Vesper and Kilgitsuk proposed and short of pulling his vulnerable mate into the middle of a tense situation. The idea hit him and his lips pulled into a relieved smile. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner?

Without saying anything to the other two, Caracal tossed back his head and howled, “@Heda, we have another visitor! He says he knows you! His name is Kilgitsuk!”

Let his mate respond from a safe distance, unless of course she decided she wanted to come here in person. The thought made Caracal uneasy but he knew it was ultimately up to Heda.

kilgutsuk?
heda, who had kept herself tucked away for the past six days, lifted her head from where she had been fishing the tidepools.
it was the last day of her season; she could feel it ebbing inside of her, replaced by only a feeling of calm and warmth when she thought of caracal. 
it was for him she came now, though as she appeared and caught sight of another woman, something churned within her. but that was his cousin! 
how silly.
and so heda turned her eyes on the scarred man, brightening. "kigi —" but that was not what he had called himself.
her golden eyes traced him, wondering; she stepped forward with a gentle smile. "you've traveled a long way."

vesper fell silent, only making a face in return for caracal's goggling. with heda's appearance, the darkling supposed they could return to the wood— but something bid them to stay, and so they continued to sulk, sinking slowly to lay upon the ground. orange eyes watched the trio, oversized ears twitching as they captured the conversation. it didn't seem the right time to say anything to heda, who seemed unbothered by vesper's presence after a brief assessment.

He was made to stand and wait for the summons to bring Heda, and he hoped it would. That would be better for him - if she called back instead, then he would be made a liar in a confusing way; not that he did not know her, but because of the name he had given. She did not know him by this name, and when she did appear upon the beach she looked surprised, but happy also.

I have, he agreed, and gave her his full attention, as she was clearly the one to make the decisions here. Neither the man nor his agitated woman-friend had made up their minds, so that left Heda to do it.

It was not intentional of me to invade your home, Heda. I only crossed the bridge, and did not know the sea would swallow it after. He let a touch of humor creep in to his tone, but he was not as boisterous as he was known for, and was more guarded in that aspect. I ask if I may stay the night, so that when the water recedes, I may go on — but, and here he passed a glance to the man, and a careful look to the other woman, before eyeing Heda again.

I am a trader, after all. If I can be of use to you or your people, I would gladly trade my skills to you for a longer stay.

Heda made no reply and Caracal felt apprehension trickling through him. Maybe she was asleep? He ought to go check on her. Just as he prepared to disembark after all, she appeared. She seemed perfectly at ease, though he couldn’t help but sweep to her flank.

He didn’t interrupt as she spoke to “Kigi,” which must be a nickname, nor as Kilgitsuk explained himself. Although his wife still smelled divine, Caracal felt more relaxed now that she was here. Heda was the island’s gatekeeper.

Caracal supposed that sort of made her its leader, if wolves like Kilgitsuk and possibly Vesper might stay here with them on a more permanent basis. His head cocked curiously as he ascertained first the man, then his cousin.

What if they stayed? What if Fennec and Killdeer remained here too? Could Sweetharbor rise again?

caracal's inner question mirrored one that heda had turned over and over in her head.
sweetharbor felt like her birthright. and yet she had been lost with how to proceed without him. without bartholomew. and there was still an ache, deep down, a place he had once filled with his quiet warmth.
but she pushed aside the twinge of that moment to smile at caracal and then kilgitsuk, what he now called himself. 'it's not an invasion, you're a friend."
a pause. "i would love if you stayed, even for a time. i think — i think in a short while, caracal and i would welcome as much help as we can get."
she flushed slightly, then turned to motion vesper closer as well. "why don't you and i head up to the greenhills, and maybe you could show kilgitsuk around?" she suggested to her husband, feeling rather protective of her — cousin-in-law?

vesper had nothing to add to the conversation and so remained silent, watching the three glumly. this wasn't the homecoming they had expected; the isle still abandoned, a place they could make into their own fortress. perhaps to begin something here that felt like it had in their childhood. perhaps, one day, blueberry would join them. if vesper only knew what was turning over in the heads of their cousins— but, no, they only thought they were here until heda's heat was over.

"i think in a short while, caracal and i would welcome as much help as we can get." the darkling's fiery eyes snapped to heda, then, in time for the she-wolf to invite them to the greenhills. vesper nodded stiffly, then stood. they supposed it was a good a time as any to get to know the woman, who did not seem the smallest bit aggressive toward their presence. they had know doubt they could handle themself if that were to change, but vesper hoped for caracal's sake that such a situation would never occur.