Ouroboros Spine Sweet as sunrise

Ajei moved about the pack lands green eyed stare on far reaching things. Tiny pawprints in the dirt amd a small smile on her face. She hummed as she walked. Mostly just for noise. Not enough words were known to make a melody.

Massaraq was enjoying his increased freedom, being old enough to wander a bit himself and explore the world around him. Boisterous as he was when he was alone he stalked the world quietly, taking in as much as he could. But when he heard the sound of another wolf around him, a song he could not help but explore. This pup was young like him and was red in a way that reminded him of his sister. But he had not met before. He gave a bark in greeting. Unsure of who she was or how to greet her.

A bark and she immediately went to the ground and curled her tail tightly against her haunch, green eyes wide in her head. Searching for another. A shiver in her tiny body. It was loud and didn't sound like her brother. 

She turned this way and that until she finally found the older boy that had called her. She tilted an ear forward and stood slowly on shaky legs. Green eyes down at the ground. She tilted her head and spoke softly. 

Hi.

The other pup crouched down to the ground upon hearing her and he frowned. Massaraq had not meant to frighten her, only announce himself. Approaching with a friendly wag of his tail he greeted her back brightly. "Hello. Don't worry, I'm a friend." Well he did not know if he was a friend quite yet, but he felt that they could be friends and that all blended together easily enough in his head. "My name's Massaraq." He introduced himself, his own name was rather long, but it was his name so he knew how to say it properly with all of it's syllables and everything.

Green eyes met his and she offered him a small smile. Hello Massa, Massa.... A frown....then she tried again. Massaraq. I'm Ajei.

She had probably butchered his name, but she had tried her hardest. She was still learning after all and his name was a big one. He was silver like fog in the morning. It was an interesting contrast to her and her family.

Friend? She wasn't sure what his word was yet, but it sounded nice.

Massaraq wagged his tail when she managed to approximate his name. He thought the elongated syllables were not quite how his brother said them but close enough was close enough. Eager to reciprocate and show off the manners that he had only just begun to get a grasp of he replied."Ajei. Good to meet you." His exuberance did not wane.

When she questioned the word for a moment he felt a moment of insecurity - did she not want friends? Perhaps this little sunrise wolf already had plenty of them and did not need them. But then he thought perhaps she simply did not know, trying to remember he said the first thing that came to mind. "errr Anaa says a friend is someone you have good times with and help in bad times." Maybe it was not Kukutux who had said this to him but someone else at some point, but many of those kinds of lessons often melded together for him.

His name was hard and for a moment she puffed her cheeks out in slight embarassment. But his demeanor put her at ease.

She smiled and gave a small nod. Den i be your friend. What do?

What did he want to do as newly minted friends? He was older, bigger but surely they could figure out something right.

Massaraq grinned at his newly acquired friend. Wagging his tail he thought eagerly of the activities that were most common. He wrestled with his brothers all the time, as well as hunted. But he had not ventured from the den to do either of those things, really he had wanted to see more of the territory. Not knowing his suggestions came out more like questions. "play? explore? what do you want to do?" Maybe Ajei had been out here to do something more interesting and he could tag along, his mind went to all the places that Chickadee seemed to know about - the lake he had visited with her as well. Between the two of them they might be able to find more secret places too.

His smile was quick and sharp and she returned one in kind. It was nice to have a friendly and happy playmate. Chiteo was usually thusly too.

IF he'd have mentioned wrestling that may have been out of the question. Even as young as they both were, he was already quite larger than she.  Though she supposed she should learn such things. Mama was a warrior after all.

She wrinkled her little nose in thought. A furrow going between her green eyes. Did she want to play, or explore. They both honestly scared her a little, cause she wasn't often exploring other than by the river and well she never knew how hard to play. She was always fearful of hurting herself or someone else.

She nodded finally. Ezplore please.

Massaraq nodded his head vigorously, smile firmly on his face at the expression. "Near river I heard stories of a tree called Fire mother!" He had explored a little ways near the river, and even seen the lake once. But he had not seen the tree called that name. He wondered why it was, if it was on fire or really red like his siblings.

Kukutux had called the one who went missing fire wife and he wondered if perhaps this was her. He wished to see her and maybe bring her back if that was the case. But more than anything he was curious. He wondered if Ajei had heard of this fire mother or even seen her, that would be almost as good as going himself.

Looking around Massaraq picked a direction he thought might be the way to the river and began walking that way.

Ajei smiled she knew this fire mother. She didn't know the whole story. Chickadee had told her, but she had been distraught at the time, but she thought perhaps she could remember where it was. She wrinkled her little maw and furrowed her tiny brow. 

I tink it be dis way, but Imma not sure. It red like me.

She shifted and motioned a little to the left of the way he was going. She was trying to remember, but that had been a bad day and she preferred not to remember so much.

Massaraq adjusted his course and followed a step behind, still bouncing on his toes with excitement. "ahhh sounds pretty." He exclaimed at her proclamation. Both Ajei and Galana had deep shades of red. While the plants he had seen thus far had all been a vibrant shade of green that reminded him of his anaa's eyes he could hardly imagine what a red tree would look like. "If there are fallen leaves we should bring some back. I have two brothers and a sister and a much bigger brother. Do you have brothers and sisters?" His tail swayed amicably behind him as he questioned her, offering up his own family (that he knew of anyways) easily. He wondered if any of his siblings had seen the tree, but if they had not then bringing back a red leaf would be a good way of proving that it existed to them and also that Massaraq had seen it.

Ajei liked to think that her reds were pretty, so were her brother's colors and her mama's and even this wolf's here. All colors were pretty. So she made a soft coo sound in agreement and continued on. 

Okay, but we allow? The tree seems special? She didn't know why it was special, it just felt special in the way the adults talked about it, With a lower voice and a look in their eye she couldn't explain.

I have two brodders. Big Brodder Mojag and womb brodder @Chiteo. @Mojag go far away on big venture.

She hadn't met Mojag yet, but her Mama talked about him all the time, and she loved him as much as her little heart could. Just like Chi.

Tags for reference.

Massaraq contemplated that. While he thought that tearing leaves off the tree itself would be very rude if the tree had already shed some leaves he thought that would probably not hurt it. "Not sure. Maybe we'll know when we see it?" After all the tree might have some opinions of its own on what was polite, Massaraq was sure he and Ajei could figure it out once they were there.

At the mention of adventure he peered more closely at Ajei, interested. "Oooh someday I want to go on an adventure....but not for very long." His voice petered out a bit, unsure. While he liked exploring and wanted to see more of the world the idea of leaving home and his family for any length of time was unsettling to the young wolf. After all his parents looked after him and he and all his siblings looked after each other. If he left on a long adventure surely they would all miss each other.

Perhaps he was right. No use worrying about things that hadn't happened yet. And mayne the tree and the adults wouldn't mind so much.

Ajei shook her head. Venture scares me! But big brodder Mo he lived on a island! Mama say it jes land and all around it is water!! But not river water it be salty like mmm tears. No tasty.

She wagged her tail as they walked a little happy pep in her step now that somw of her shyness had worn away.

Massaraq nodded his head in agreement. He liked adventure, but having salty water like tears all around him sounded scary and a little bit sad. Intoning his assent he added. "Surrounded by water is scary." But then he considered the story. If there was water all around then how did Mojag get back? Continuing to bounce along Massaraq asked. "Did Mojag have to swim?" Massaraq had sent he lake, but he had not gone very far in it.

She nodded her had. It sounded scary, but mama said Mojag liked it. So maybe if herbiggest brother liked it. It wasn't so bad.

I not sure.  But prosably.

She titled her head and look3d at the wolf walking. A small little smile on her face.

Massaraq nodded at her supposition, he agreed that Mojag probably had to swim - at the very least to get to the island. Smiling back at her as they trotted along he was quickly distracted. "River!" Darting forward a short distance he stopped before the ground turned wet and turned back to his fellow adventurer. Looking at the moving water excitedly he considered it with some trepidation. He had only crossed with help before.

Ajei's ears hit her skull when he yelled only because she wasn't ready for it. But she caught herself soon enough and trotted after him. Ajei looked at the water too and dipped her head down low. She wanted to cross, but much like him. She had never without help. So nibbling at the tiny lip she looked back up at him.

Should we call for Chickadee or my mama or yours to help us cross?

A small pout appeared on Massaraq's face, marring his excitement. Calling Ajei's mama or Chickadee or his anaa would be the easiest way to get across, but it did make it a little bit less of their adventure. "Let's see if there's a narrower place? If no then we can go looking for them. Who's your mama?" He realized belatedly that he did not know how Ajei's parents were. Others had mentioned his mother and father's names although that was not what he called them, Aiolos and Kukutux just sounded too long and formal.

Ajei was unsure about it. Mama had always said not to cross the river unless an adult was present. But she supposed if she was careful and she watched the narrows. And for the rushing water that happened sometimes. They might be okay. She had been near the river enough to know it's moods a bit.

Okay. She said unsure, but nodded. Though his next question brought a smile of delight to her face. She loved talking about her mama.

She be star hunter. SSShikoba is mama.

Massaraq was careful with his steps on the banks of the river as he meandered further down. He had not been to the water very often, but he had somehow in his mind what he was looking for. A narrower place where the glimmer of the water showed it moving at a slow pace over shallow stone or dirt. Eyes setting upon a place where the opposing shores seemed closer he carefully tiptoed closer to the edge, the water still looked a bit fast. "Ahhh so cool!" Star hunter was very impressive. Instantly his mind went to his own mother. "My anaa is Moonwoman." He spoke proudly of his mama. Though the memories were dim and fuzzy at points he knew many wolves had visited Kukutux and she had gone to see others as well. It meant that other wolves recognized how amazing his anaa was too.

Ajei followed close to the others leg. Blue eyes turning green on him and then the river. A prickling along her spine. Unsure if they were doing wjat they were supposed too.

Your Ana is nice and good woman. My mama say she importatent.

She looked at water ears to her head. It still pwetty fast Raq.

Massaraq preened at the compliment to his anna even though he knew it was not for hm. He was glad when others recongized his family, including his brothers and sister who were his age. Tilting his head he frowned, Ajei was right that it was still fast and just the two of them it sounded and looked faster than he thought it had any right to be.

If they had needed to cross then he would have ploughed ahead without hesitation, but they were exploring. "Call @Chickadee?" He put a tentative paw into the water and then his other one and felt the strong tug of the water, backpedaling a step or two.

tag for ref for now!

Ajei watched with wide eyes as he put his paws in and then pulled them out. Oh oh! She cried and rushed towards him, but he seemed fine and she sighed.

I was a scared it pull you right under! Den what I Do? But cry?

She shook her head, but nose twitching she moved alittle closer and watched the water. She dabbed a paw forward lightning fast, a bit like a cat honestly and then pulled it back. 

Verry fast. I don't know if i be loud enough. I call and it be like OOH OOH....and she may not heared me.