Grouse Thicket i was supposed to be sent away

This thread will take place tomorrow afternoon. Their first stop in this thread is Sun Mote Copse and we'll continue to Grouse Thicket.

ATTN: @Kigipigak, @Atausiq, and @Stratos!

They'd left everything behind, and all there was left to do was tell the neighbors about their move. Shame followed her every step as they walked, keeping her company as she led the charge. Their first stop would be Sun Mote Copse, to alert their neighbors of the move, and from there, they'd continue their trek north.

When they arrived at the borders, she placed @Malguk at her paws. Then, with a glance in @Kigipigak's direction, she tilted her head back and howled for @Njord and @Meerkat. Their visit would be short, but it was necessary to keep them informed.

He had been let down earlier, to try and follow along and give Stratos a chance to rest. The boy chased after the adults and ambled as best he could, bumbling in to his mother's hocks as she came to a stop; and then he moved to pounce Malguk as she was freed as well, grabbing at an ear.

As they arrived to the edge of the Copse, Kigipigak kept an eye on little Sisamat as he ran along, and looked back to the path which they had made through the forest; back towards their failed village, and to the path entrance that wound towards the falls. He thought of the girl he had found in their den and realized how pointless it had been to defend something that had no further use to him or his family.

When he looked back, he caught the eye of his wife. She lifted her chin to call for his aokatti and Njord's wife, Meerkat; Kigipigak was stern, and more focused on the upcoming work of ferrying his children and his wife to somewhere safer. Losing the connection and the proximity to his friend was something he had not accounted for, and was now grappling with.

Ever since Njord and @Towhee Jr had detected the tracks of wolves crossing the territory near the Copse’s southern border the Laird had felt uneasy. It was serendipitous that he heard Asivaq’s call. Perhaps, the small family of Cedar Sweep had encountered this, too... though he would have never guessed how bold the wolves of the heights had become.

At the time, Njord laid outside the clearing of the Taigh on guard. Then, at the summons, he passed duties to another packmate to greet his Aokatti’s wife with @Meerkat. He did not expect to see the whole family, young children and all.

Njord tried to read the room. Kigipigak’s face was hard as stone. Asivaq‘s expression… well, it certainly wasn’t joy.

“What has happened?” Njord asked, brows pinched together sternly.

It was then he noticed there were only three children, not four, and his heart sank.

Anybody is still welcome to join!

Asivaq dipped her head in greeting when Njord arrived. Although she hadn’t met him, she could only assume this was her husband’s aokatti. As she lifted her head, he asked: “What has happened?”

Many things, she answered, cutting straight to the point. The sweep has not been kind to us. We have lost a child to sickness, and there is a pack that has settled in the strath that keeps trespassing. She stole another glance at her husband; he could elaborate if he wished since he was the one who had been directly dealing with them. We have decided to leave and find another home, but we wanted to stop by, say goodbye, and let you know before we move on.

She’d visited their neighbors not so long ago to exchange news about the strangers traversing between their villages. It wasn’t so strange for Asivaq to pay a visit in return; perhaps she brought further updates on the situation. Meerkat exchanged a quick glance with Njord before they headed to the borders together.

The presence of all five wolves did not bode well. Meerkat’s lips parted as the laird asked the obvious question and Asivaq explained. She glanced at each of the three puppies, though she looked sharply at the other woman when she said the word “goodbye.”

Stay here, was Meerkat’s immediate response, with us.

The arrival of the Copse's issumatar along with his aokatti was met with a small bow of his head, but otherwise Kigipigak's usual good humor had run out and he was much more of a stoic in the moment.

Asivaq explained the problems they had faced in the Sweep, and while she was not too detailed with it Kigipigak felt the sting of a deeply masculine wound, each failure stacking one after another; to add insult to injury there came an offer by Meerkat to stay — but in Kigipigak's current mindset he could not fathom accepting.

Thank you, but we are moving on. He was brusk as he addressed the woman, and after a moment spared a tired smile to her and her husband. It was good to see you both. I wish good things upon your family, and hope that one day our children will know one-another as cousins.

He watched as Sisamat peered up at the adults and while quiet and obedient, there was a shine to those eyes that made Kigipigak think he was being judged. He nods his head to both the Copse wolves again and focuses on Asivaq, waiting for her word to go.

Totally forgot that Njord hadn’t met Asivaq, d’oh

Kigipigak’s wife, Asivaq, explained.

The Laird’s expression was sober as his eyes fell to the tussling children at their parent’s feet. One child lost. A band of trespassing wolves in the Strath.

Njord’s gaze turned to connect with Meerkat’s in silent, stern conversation. They had enjoyed a peaceful life in the Hinterlands, but these developments were troublesome. Though the Strath wolves had yet to flirt with the Copse’s borders, the amount of foot traffic near their home, and the disregard for the Cedar Sweep settlement, did not bode well.

Asivaq puncutaed her summary with resolve. The small family planned to leave.

In the next breath, Meerkat extended an olive branch. The Sveijarn-Cortens had long tried to absorb Kigipigak and Asivaq’s small family into their village without success. Recently, they had laid off the pressure. Things had been going well. How quickly everything turned upside down.

Njord was surprised, then, when Kigipigak refused Meerkat’s offer.

An intrusive thought entered Njord’s mind. If Kigipigak’s children had been born into a larger community, could their infant have been saved?

He looked to each of them. “Asivaq… Kigipigak, my Aokatti… please join us,” Njord implored. “Ye needn’t walk this path alone. We’d be stronger ta’gether,” he explained. “Our children would grow up beside one another. Ta’gether, we could defend our borders well.” Selfishly, the Copse’s current lack of physical strength crossed Njord’s mind.

“Meerkat’s sister… she kens medicine,” he added as his gaze fell to the gunmetal pup dubbed Sisamat. “Please stay. It doesnae have tae be forever. Regain yer strength. Let yer children grow. Settle a new village when they’re older.”

Njord spoke all he could to spare Napatuqvik from Natigvik’s fate.

Meerkat extended another olive branch to them, and Kigipigak quickly turned it down. Asivaq watched as the others talked, un-wrangable emotion creeping up her spine. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she listened to Njord, who practically begged them to stay, and she worried her bottom lip as she waited for her turn to speak.

Although they’d already decided what to do, something he said resonated with her: “Ye needn’t walk this path alone. We’d be stronger ta’gether.” There was truth to this that she couldn’t deny; she was slowly considering that she wasn’t the Issumatar that her family needed.  That, perhaps, they’d do better under the leadership of a capable leader. She did not speak on these thoughts, but let herself stew in them.

Asivaq dropped her head, unable to meet any of their eyes, as shame and embarrassment overcame her.

Your offer is too kind, thank you, she began, her words hollow as she studied her paws. Her vision began to blur. I am so sorry we cannot take you up on it. She took a deep breath and shimmied closer to Kigipigak until she felt his fur mingle with hers. That forest is cursed, and we need to get away from it—it is just a reminder ... of everything ... I've done wrong. She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Her eyes drifted to Asivaq’s mate—Njord’s aokatti—for the first time as she spoke, wondering if she should regret her knee-jerk reaction. But just looking at the three children quelled any reservations, at least until Kigipigak spoke. He immediately dismissed the offer without even a moment’s consideration.

Meerkat couldn’t help it, given the history here: she felt snubbed. When Njord doubled down on her offer, she almost wished he wouldn’t. It seemed like a waste of breath. Her heart went out to the three innocent children being dragged across the wilderness. It simultaneously hardened against their parents, who seemed hellbent on making terrible decisions.

She felt a little twinge when she noticed Asivaq’s tears, though Meerkat couldn’t believe the half-witted excuses she was hearing. A flood of uncharacteristically ugly thoughts paraded through her mind, though she had the decency not to voice them—at least, most of them.

You would refuse our hospitality yet again and put your remaining children at risk just to avoid the consequences of your own bad decisions? Meerkat said, utterly incredulous. I’m sorry, I can’t, she added for her husband’s benefit, shaking her head and trying not to look at those poor youngsters as she pointedly walked away.

Kigipigak knew what he would choose if he were in his right mind, because what Njord proceeded to offer was of great value. In the moment he listened and was greatly tempted; but when Asivaq spoke her refusal and he saw her tears, he was brought back to their reality: a dead son, weeks of work that left him absent from the lives of the other children, a wife who was losing herself. The forest was cursed — even Kigipigak with his level head and Tartok upbringing could agree with that.

He was about to speak up in alignment with his wife when Njord's woman cut in, and Kigipigak was caught in the glare of her righteousness. Her added insults brought a rigidity to Kigipigak's spine - and he moved instinctively to stand as a bulwark between Meerkat and his family, as if he could absorb the sting of her words before they could wound the others.

He glared back as Meerkat took her leave. Then, looking to Njord, Kigipigak made the final declaration: For the sake of you my aokatti I will choose forgiveness towards your woman, who doesn't know what she's talking about. For our own sakes we will be leaving. He did not soften at all in the presence of his friend now, too agitated by the commentary of a stranger who has no knowledge of their true struggles.

Goodbye my friend. I hope one day our children do meet, and do become as close as we dreamed. With that he began to herd the children along again.

Sisamat watched the goings-on and the retreat of the woman, his expression focused like his father's, as if he understood something about the events unfolding; and when Kigipigak began to organize them all, he was up and tugging at Malguk to follow.

It felt like the harder Njord pleaded, the more Asivaq and Kigipigak resisted. The young, fawn-colored woman’s expressions had the beginnings of shame – emotional and defeated.

Cursed, Asivaq called the Sweep.

Njord wondered why they had reached this conclusion. How badly had their child suffered? Had something else happened?

The Laird did not understand why they would turn down the offer to join the Copse… and, apparently, neither did his wife. He could almost feel hot fumes shoot from her ears. To turn down help would isolate their family further and put their three children at risk. At only two months old, the pups were still incredibly vulnerable.

Unable to withstand any more excuses, Meerkat minced no words and put the blame neatly on Kigipigak and Asivaq’s shoulders. Then, she removed herself from the conversation.

The charged comment was intercepted by Kigipigak. It was clear Meerkat’s volley had landed. Njord could feel his own emotions begin to run as Kigipigak refuted Meerkat’s accusation, language demeaning the Lady of the Copse.

She’s not wrong, Njord thought hotly as his respect for the Tartok wolves waned. Yet, with the children in mind, he chose not to salt the wounds. Let the door always remain open. For their sake, he thought.

Kigipigak began to shepherd his kin away. The Laird would not say another word. He did not condone their departure and so he would only stoically watch the family of five with quiet judgment and despair until they disappeared completely from sight.

“You would refuse our hospitality yet again and put your remaining children at risk just to avoid the consequences of your own bad decisions? I’m sorry, I can’t,” Meerkat said incredulously before leaving.

Another bridged burned—another failure.

Asivaq watched as the Lady stormed away, keeping her in her sight until she vanished into the undergrowth. Many thoughts flooded her mind, but there was a common thread between them: the children. What were they even doing? How could they expect to make it on their own—especially when their village had already failed! What would moving territories really do for them?

She felt suddenly small, panicked, like a child who’d been chided by her mother; Kukutux came to mind. Suddenly, she wanted her mother.

She considered this as she turned from Njord and followed after Kigipigak, wondering what would happen if they stopped by Moonglow and stayed awhile.