Snowforest Taiga once was a postcard

The spates of cramping reminded Masquerade of her sporadic headaches of yore. She never knew when they might strike her down out of the blue, incapacitating in their agony. She found herself yearning for her old pine tree on the rise, beneath whose boughs she’d always found respite. Perhaps she ought to find someplace like it here on the peak, though she supposed the dugout suited her needs.

She sprawled in its mouth this morning, red face tilted toward the overcast sky. The slight breeze hinted at rain. Despite this, Masque rolled onto her feet with a grunt, giving her swelling body a careful shake. She felt fine: heavyset, certainly, but presently free of pain. She didn’t want to go hunting—@Riley was out doing that already—but she did want to stretch her legs a bit.

The Redtail ventured down the mountainside, patrolling along its foot and emptying her bladder. After finishing that, she padded south, passing the grotto. Masquerade could see the moraine ahead in the distance, though she didn’t necessarily intend to go that far, especially under threat of a downpour. She glanced upward again, long tail flicking as she continued her sedate pace across the grassy corridor between Redtail Rise and the neighboring glacier.

it was good to be home, and yet scarcely twenty four hours since her return and sobeille was itching to travel again.

chani informed her of new neighbors, and sobeille set out to see them for herself. it was not hard to spot a lone figure between the rush of low spring grasses; sobeille made towards her steadily, gaze drinking in every aspect of her.

the stranger possessed an athletic build and a long tail, her face framed in a bloodspot that was pleasing to sobeille’s eye. her attention was drawn to the gravid state of the stranger’s belly. sobeille found the image of pregnancy distasteful — but she had long realized it was not the woman she resented, but the evidence of man leaving his mark upon her body. she found it disrespectful — for no man should be so important he marr the physical elegance of a woman.

who you be? sobeille called to her over the waving sweetgrass, her ears thrust forward in interest.

A low rumble brought her to a halt. Masquerade pricked her ears, turning toward the distant coast. She could see thunderheads along the horizon, a storm slowly making its way inland. Sighing a little, she pivoted the rest of her body and began walking back the way she’d come.

She hadn’t gotten very far before she saw a figure coming toward her. She froze again, her tail stiffening behind her as she eyed the young she-wolf. The way she spoke immediately reminded Masque of Chani and Sapphique. A couple of weeks had passed since their rendezvous, though now the Redtail felt that same disquiet worm through her.

I’m Masquerade, she answered, determined to put her best foot forward. I’m a friend of Sapphique, or at least I hope to be. Is that where you’re from?

masquerade. sobeille’s gaze flicked to the red across her face. fitting.

she ignored the distant rumble; sapphique wolves were not afraid of a little spittle.

yes. sobeille felt a ripple of pride to hear her motherpack on a stranger’s tongue — they were known, for sapphique was strong.

masque identified herself as a friend; the girl wondered if she knew what kind of friend sobeille could be. i be sobeille. are you one of de wolves from de peak?

Yes, she said without hesitation, though she felt a flicker of apprehension. It’s nice to meet you, Sobeille. I thought I recognized the accent.

She cast the young wolf a friendly smile, wondering if she and Chani were sisters. They looked to be about the same age. She tried to remember the names Chani had offered at their first meeting. Oh, yes, “my maman, Chacal…” Of course, she needn’t stand here and wonder.

Are you Chani’s sister, by any chance?

Masque shifted her weight, tail swaying gently as more thunder grumbled over the sea.

sobeille sensed apprehension in the red-marauded stranger, but she could not pinpoint its origin. it bothered her little.

masquerade’s etiquette was altogether polite — a fresh change from the rough faces sobeille met in her travels. she flashed sobeille a smile that was appreciated but went unreciprocated.

chani be my cousin. sobeille answered; a partial truth, as sapphique’s family tree was more like a spiderweb. another peal of thunder rolled over the hills.

’ow come you are so far out, being so pregnant? where was her family of sisters to support her — and more importantly, where were her man servants to ease her of her unpleasantly pregnant disposition?

They were cousins. Masquerade bobbed her head in acknowledgement, though she went very still at the subsequent question. Perhaps Sobeille was concerned or merely curious. But there was something foreboding about the phrasing, reminding her of the way Chani had asked, “Why here?”

I’m actually just fat, she wanted to joke, inserting levity into the vaguely tense exchange, and I’m out here trying to work it off… But she noticed that Sobeille hadn’t returned her smiles, so Masque opted to maintain her straightforward diplomacy.

I wanted to stretch my legs a little, she admitted, before I’m den-bound for weeks on end.

unlike her cousin, sobeille harbored no possessiveness of anything outside of the cliffs save the sound. even then, that possessiveness could be convinced from her provided the stranger wasn’t a total dick. 

she didn’t care for masquerade’s answer any more than she cared for her present state of being heavily pregnant - but she realized she hadn’t asked the right question, and masquerade had given a perfectly acceptable reply. 

i mean dat you should ‘ave someone taking care of you. where are your tantes, and your maman? do you not ‘ave dem? what about de — she gave a dismissive handwave to signal her disdain man dat put you in dis condition?

Enough time had passed that Masque only felt a mild pang as Sobeille queried after her mother. What would Avicus think of the state of things now? There was no use speculating, though sometimes she wondered. Before her head or heart could wander too far off course, though, her acquaintance made a gesture that pulled a surprised laugh from her.

My mate does look after me, she assured. He’s out hunting as we speak, she added, gazing off vaguely as if she might see Riley rollicking after a doe or something. My mother is gone but we have family on the rise. It’s just the two of us living on the peak for now, she said, gesturing toward it. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner.

mate? sobeille's gaze flickered in disbelief. did masquerade believe she had found her equal in -- a man?

worse, she called him partner, insinuating some level of mutual respect. to sobeille's great credit, she did not laugh -- but derision directed to this imaginary man briefly eclipsed the soft yellow of her gaze. she might have expressed sympathy for masquerade's gone mother, but she wasn't the type to obey societal niceties.

masquerade called to attention the peak by motioning towards it. sobeille looked at the distantly fanged horizon, as if any moment now this magnificent man would spring from them.

the world was so strange outside of sapphique. dis man is your equal? she finally asked, suddenly calling to mind ajei.

Something like disdain flashed across the yearling’s face. Masque stiffened, a sudden exhaustion sweeping through her in tune with a louder peal of thunder. She truly wanted to remain on good terms with Sapphique, though she wanted to escape the tension that kept creeping into these recent encounters.

Sobeille posed another pointed question and Masque only replied, Yes, her brevity due more to the sudden fluttering in her midsection than her fatigue.

The Redtail started, wariness replacing weariness as she looked around sharply. What had just happened? She glanced skyward as lightning forked across the northwestern horizon. At the same time, she felt another, stronger palpitation somewhere in the core of her.

It was the puppies, she realized. They were moving. She could feel them. And it was strange. Masquerade stared owlishly into the middle distance, awkwardly widening her stance and forgetting Sobeille was even there as she experienced the first quickening.

thunder clawed overhead. masquerade stiffened. sobeille sensed she’d unsettled the woman. this was par for the course for sobeille, who spent her entire life being a little too intense for comfort — but for once, she wasn’t proud of how uncomfortable the woman seemed.

she forgot about the preposterous suggestion that the woman had a peer in her mate. her attention was focused now on the abstract strain in masquerade’s face; the redness a deep and satisfying color that communicated pain more clearly than any other shade.

sobeille recognized it, for she’d seen it in her maman and tante both. you be close to poppin’, den. she noted, motioning to the woman’s belly as she widened her stance. overhead, lightning forked across the skies, followed by a loud clap. mebbe it be best you find some cover.

Even the strengthening storm didn’t break Masquerade’s inward focus for a moment. She could not decide if she preferred this or the occasional cramping. It was such an indescribably queer sensation, though her lips curved into a tentative smile when she realized this meant the pups were developing well.

Sobeille’s voice cut through the blustery air. Masque blinked over at her, grimacing a little at the idea of popping. She knew she had a few weeks left before her litter was due, though she nodded in agreement. She didn’t fear the storm, though it would be better not to be caught out in it in case it got bad. Besides, Riley would want to hear about this latest development.

Yes, she said again, adding, Take care, Sobeille, and bobbing her head before turning to trudge back toward Nova Peak.

stormwind galloped past, stirring the whiskers on sobeille’s cheeks. masquerade looked withdrawn; a familiar expression pinching the handsome red of her face.

sobeille decided she really liked that merlot etching; it was mesmerizing. she wished her face was not black — she would paint it in that forbidding color, and wear that brand for the world to see.

what was it like, walking through life with a war brand on one’s face?

she felt strangely sorry to see masquerade go. most times, she hardly tolerated company — so why did she want for company now?

goodbye, masquerade. i would like to see your face again. she sent the woman off, her voice taking dark tone as she finished.

she watched until masquerade’s silhouette faded from view. another burst of wind crawled across her back. taking her cue from the darkening skies, sobeille headed home.