Moonspear like a lost puppy

Darkwoman did not feel Tribekin wanted her. She wanted to believe they did, but for now, her feet spurred her elsewhere. Run, running, tears soaking her dark face until she couldn't see. 

Her blood grew warm - hot, hot, hot - there were so many thoughts circling her brain and the ground felt on fire. They did not wish me there, did they? On the outskirts of the territory despite being welcomed with open arms and loving smiles. A whining yap came from her in dismay - she wasn't like them, wasn't like anyone here and oh, it hurt. 

Not wolf, not a jackal or coyote, where did she belong? Why had Kazakir disappeared? Where were her mum and da when she needed them? She longed for them but knew in her heart she would never find them. The lake was too vast, their scents lost to her nose. 

Lost, yes - she had never before left sandland so where even was she? Kusuma's last sane thought before her mad dash for anywhere was that she'd wanted to find where @Talisman went off to - Talis! Her friend! At least... she wanted... to be friends. 

Eventually, her legs grew too tired to run, and she trotted. Talis? the coyjackal panted. is this one in the right... place?

The pale coyote sprawled in the mouth of the healing ulaq, staring into the neighboring glen as fog rolled in and the sky grew dark. He finally felt a little better, though when a shadow moved out in the darkness, Talisman briefly wondered if she was a figment of a fever dream. But then she said his name and her voice was so clear and familiar, she must be real.

Kusuma? he muttered, minding his back as he pushed into a sit.

Talisman climbed gingerly to all fours, gave himself a careful shake and padded out of the hollow tree. His sharp snout tipped into the air to catch her scent. Yes, it really was Kusuma. He blinked ice water eyes, astonished to see her darkening Moonspear’s doorstep.

Wh—what are you doing here? was the only thing he could think to say.

It smelt like Wolf - many, many Wolf. She blinked, for a moment remembering the coywolf pack and the troubles they faced with neighboring packs that did not share her blood at all. The... nice coywolf she'd gave her heart to but had to part. Kusuma wondered if she was okay, but her heart had grown cold and lonely with her absence. 

Kusuma said Kusuma would accompany Talis, darkwoman reminded him of her words. Talis left sandland and Tribe... and Kusuma did not feel Tribe wanted her there, so... she followed. a small whine, ears flicking with every noise and her tail twitched when she thought she heard pawsteps. 

... are Wolf... mean to mix-bloods here? that was the best she could do to explain why she smelled weird in one word. Mixed blood. Coyote... and jackal. She was neither and both at once. 

If not... can Kusuma stay?

She reminded him of their intent to stick together, just a couple of misfits. Talis’s mouth dropped open. To tell the truth, he’d lumped her in with the rest of The Tribe when he’d left. Looking at her, hearing what she had to say, he realized he’d made an enormous mistake.

You know I know how you feel, he said, barely above a whisper. I’m sorry, Kusuma, he added, ears flattening. There was a fight and I got hurt… Talis’s voice trailed off as he decided it didn’t matter.

When she whined, he shuffled closer to sniff noses. He slid his snout a little further, her whiskers tickling his nostrils as he huffed a warm breath against her muzzle. Talisman nudged her, then stepped back, eyes catching hers as she questioned whether she might be accepted here.

I don’t know, he admitted. I’ve really only met @Alaric. He saved my life. He’s been looking after me, helping me fight this infection. I’ve been sort of out of it most of the time. Talis paused, then added more hopefully, We can call for him, if you want? He’s a leader here, so you can ask him about staying.

Did she really want to stay here? With him? Talis was touched, though mostly he felt guilty for leaving her behind without a thought. He’d been wrong. He reached out to brush their snouts again, crooning an apologetic and hopefully comforting note.

He nudged her... and it felt like she could fly, if only for one single second before his breath went elsewhere and she was surrounded in winter's chill once more.

A whine-gasp at the thought of - Talis is injured?! Infection?! she sprang to her paws and sniffed around his body fiercely for... well, what she didn't know, but she needed to be sure. The pale golden coyote was her only friend, after all. Sunlight and moonspirit, is this one okay? concern laced the next whine. Her nose seemed to dig lightly into his fur, checking. She noticed a mat and dug it out with her teeth on instinct. No mats were allowed on the pale man's fur at that moment.

More questions, asked in rapid succession. Wolf take care of you? So Wolf will come back soon? Talis eat? Does Wolf feed Talis?

He didn’t expect her concern, the way she began fussing over him. Talisman thought about pointing out his wound, though she would find it on her own soon enough; it spanned the entire length of his spine, after all. Thanks to the healer, the swelling had gone down and the infection was clearing, though the flesh would likely always remain raised.

One of the wolf’s teeth sort of dr— he began to explain, only to lapse into surprised silence when she plucked a mat out of his pale fur. But… yeah, he continued distractedly in the next breath, I’m going to be okay, thanks to Alaric.

Hopefully that answered her anxious questions. Talis stared at her in slight amazement. Kusuma cared about him. Why hadn’t he realized this sooner? Why hadn’t he thought to bring her along? He supposed he hadn’t been thinking straight but that didn’t really quell the guilt he felt at present.

Let’s call for him, he said evenly, hoping to soothe her fluster.

He waited a beat, then threw his head skyward, sending up a note for the pack’s councilor or even its head, @Sialuk, who he was pretty sure he hadn’t met yet. Talisman made sure to note that it wasn’t urgent. He didn’t want Alaric fretting over him too, much as it warmed his heart to think anyone (or two!) should worry about him.

She fretted over @Acrux, but she could not always be by his side. Sialuk had made him as comfortable as she could in their ulaq. So distracted by this, she had barely been able to make a meeting with their newest recruit: a coyote Alaric had told her of named Talisman. She did not know if this strange creature would stay among them once he recovered, but she was curious about him. With her son sleeping for the time being, she slipped away to the healing ulaq.

Moonspear's patient was not there. Not a moment later, an unfamiliar voice called upon the head. Sialuk took a deep breath, hoping it was not another chaotic event to upend her world.

She found two smaller canines standing near the village's outer reaches. One smelled of Alaric and medicine, and the other appeared to be a stranger.

This woman greets you, she said, a weary smile upon her face.

Kusuma shied to the other side of Talisman at the voice of a Wolf. The pale coyote was between the two women. He'd just gotten through telling her that he had been injured by a Wolf, and Wolf had hurt the coywolfs that Kusuma had grown fond of back when she had learned common! The dark coyjackal rested her head carefully, nervously on Talisman's back. 

A whimper, a ball of nerves. But Talis was here, and the Wolf that had saved him wouldn't... let someone else hurt a coyote. Or a... whatever she was. 

This one... greets you, as well - Kusuma made her voice steady. Kusuma wants to stay with Talis.

If she didn't say it now, she never would.

Talisman stood very still as a pale she-wolf approached, looking as exhausted as he felt. This must be Sialuk. Before he could greet her in return, Kusuma skittishly moved to his other side. Her chin came to rest on the slope of his spine unexpectedly, prompting him to cringe away from her with a grimace.

Sorry, it’s just—my back, he explained haltingly to her before looking toward the leader, head bowing and body crouched in absolute submission. That’s me. It’s nice to meet you… Sialuk, right? he tacked onto Kusuma’s nervous introduction.

The darker of the two small canines shriveled at Sialuk's appearance, hiding behind her companion. Sialuk winced in unison with Talisman, knowing the wound must still be tender upon his back. Then he bowed as if she were a queen among servants. She did not correct him, though she did not expect such displays from those in her village.

Gently, she spoke. I am called Sialuk Ostrega.

She turned her gaze to Kusuma. To stay with Talisman is to stay with village Moonspear, she said.

Kusuma sorry- she whispered to him as her actions irritated his injury - the injury. Upon his pretty pelt? How dare that Wolf! Her head moved nearer to his neck, for she wanted him to protect her. In her mind, the Wolf wouldn't hurt him if he smelt like Wolf, and by extension, wouldn't hurt the dark one cowering behind the golden coyote. 

She did not know what a Moonspear was, or a village. But, Kusuma is... sorry for fear - Wolf have not been kind to Kusuma. Raid pack, chase off prey, injure friends. among other delights, but that wasn't worth mentioning now.

... Kusuma... wants to stay. With Talis. she repeated it mainly for herself to calm her nerves. His scent made her feel safer somehow, though she doubted her attempts to hide the shivering were successful. Moonspear wolfs no hurt this one. This one no reason fear Moonspear. This one stay.

He felt Kusuma’s muzzle brush the back of his neck and the warmth of her breath when she spoke to Sialuk. His eyes trained on the leader, while of course avoiding meeting her gaze. He didn’t often see canines paler than himself. Perhaps it was narcissistic but he thought her light features were exceptionally pretty.

As much as he would’ve liked to stay there and silently admire her—and provide support to his friend—Talisman sensed he wasn’t necessary for the remainder of this conversation. Besides that, he was very achy and tired. His back still smarted from Kusuma’s brief contact with his tender, broken flesh.

I’ll be waiting over there, he said quietly to both women, pointing at the nearby healing ulaq. You’ll be okay, Talis said to Kusuma, giving her an encouraging prod before his eyes swept over Sialuk. It was nice to meet you.

He’d love to chat with the head again someday soon, though just now he slouched toward the hollow log. As soon as he set foot inside, he slumped gently to the ground with a muffled groan. He maneuvered himself so he faced outward to keep an eye on the situation—and so Kusuma could see him—but he let them proceed without him.

You can skip him since he’s on the sidelines now. :)

In so many words, Kusuma confirmed she wished to be a part of Moonspear. Sialuk was not certain that the small dark creature knew what such a thing would entail, but Kusuma could learn as she went along. Talisman excused himself, and Sialuk nodded gently in his direction. She wished to check on his progress of healing, though perhaps Kusuma could help with that, too. It was typically her custom to ask newcomers to the village what drew them here, but for the woman called Kusuma, it was clear: Talisman.

Come this way, Sialuk said, making for the stores of medicine in the healing ulaq. She was careful to give Talisman plenty of space. From the stores, she pulled two bundles. If he has pain, tell him to chew this, Sialuk said, placing a paw on the first bundle. With this, she said, indicating the second bundle, chew until a paste is made, then gently smooth upon his wound. It will keep the fever heat away.

Darkwoman gave a soft whine and a pleading look at Talisman. Don't leave - she still didn't know if - 

and he was gone. As quick as a hare over sand dunes, and Kusuma was alone with this miss moon-Wolf. Her heart thumped against her chest but... at least she could still see him. 

Her head turned to face miss moonWolf. Plant? She knew Plant! From her brief with plant-coyote, the one who healed. 

Kusuma once loved a healer... she muttered quietly, sniffing each bundle carefully. Knows a little. her eyes warily glanced up at miss moonWolf. This one wants to learn more.

Sialuk learned more in those few sentences than she ever could have asked for. The small woman had loved another, she had some knowledge of medicine, and she was a willing pupil. All three were interesting in their own way, though it was perhaps the first that piqued Sialuk's interest the most, even if it was the least useful to the pack as a whole.

There are many to learn from in Moonspear and in our sister villages, she said. Seek out Alaric and Elentari who live here if you wish to learn more. Your lover, is he... Sialuk trailed off, a questioning look on her face. What had happened to the healer Kusuma had learned from?

Was coyote-wolf from some pack far-away, after Kusuma got to lands. Taught Kusuma common, taught some Plants. But wolfs there were not... friends to coyote-wolf. the coyjackal looked down and back to Talis for a moment. Oh, she hurt him by accident and that hurt her heart. Chased coyote-wolf pack away, made Kusuma-love hurt and bleed and need Plants not in her stores. she remembered it clearly, the long nights spent doing the best she could to care for the sweet coywolf she loved- 

Kusuma and coyote-wolf parted as friends. Kusuma felt need to go elsewhere, felt coyote-wolf pack did not need more mouth to feed after wolf raids.

casual bi Kusuma ;3

Sialuk nearly missed the woman's reference to her lover as another woman, not a man. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, glad to have yet another among their ranks who saw the beauty in more than just men. It was a sad tale, one that ended on a bittersweet note of circumstances separating the two lovers. Sialuk herself had more than one lover who was no longer due to similar circumstances. And she often had been the one to leave on her travels.

Village Moonspear is a peaceful place, she assured the small, dark woman. A place of healing and learning. Perhaps, in the days before Sialuk had returned and remade this place, it had been more fraught with violence, but those days were long gone. Under her watchful eye, the spear had been quiet and calm, save for a few injuries here and there. That is, of course, until the girl from Brecheliant had attacked her son. Sialuk thought one such thing in nearly a year was a fairly good track record, and it had not happened within the bounds of their home, which was safe.

The starwoman noted the worried glances to Talisman, and she understood. Be with him, she said, taking her leave and letting Kusuma tend to her friend.

Kai does a phone post :> i am SO SORRY about the length >~<

Questions. Many questions. She tilted her head to one side, and when the shewolf offered her the chance, she carefully plucked up the herb bundles and scurried back over to Talisman. 

Kusuma can... help healerwolf with Talis? Kusuma feels sorry for straying and then hurting Talis....

He watched them for a moment, then let his eyes drift shut. He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until Kusuma’s voice spoke close to his ear. Talis jerked slightly, cracking open one blue eye to look up at her. It took him a moment to register what she’d said.

Mmmkay, was all he said, closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep.