Wapun Meadow But in all chaos, there is calculation.

@Uki Forward dated to 7/15

The heat of the late afternoon had made it pretty much impossible for Taki to sleep. Not that she really wanted to sleep anyway; she was too restless. Because she was responsible for leading her family to their new home, her mind was always busy. Usually, she was mentally planning their route, making absolutely sure she wouldn't lead them in the wrong direction. She also worried about the pups and how they were faring on their journey. She always made sure to check on the pups first every time they stopped, along with checking to make sure @Shivali (for visibility) was okay. She had the added burden of nursing, so Taki constantly worried whether or not she was getting enough food and rest. Fortunately, she knew @Tahani (for visibility) would also be on top of taking care of mom and babies. 

These thoughts all plagued her mind as she attempted to rest in the heat of the sun, and she finally just gave up. She stood and trotted over to @Tomkin and @Siarut (for visibility) and let them know she was going to patrol. They sometimes patrolled together, but Taki was extra worried about the groups safety in the open meadow and she and Sia had decided they would all take turns patrolling while here. 

So, leaving her family near the creek in the center of the territory, Taki headed a little ways out towards the edges of the meadow where a small gathering of trees provided some much needed shade. From there she started her normal circular patrol pattern with her family at the center. She was deep in focus as she took in the scents. One thing that became alarmingly clear was that were at least two packs nearby; it made Taki nervous. Packs were territorial and may find their presence threatening. When she went back to the group, she would voice her concerns and maybe suggest they didn't stay too long. With that settled, Taki continued her patrol, grateful for the distraction from her overly-active mind.

At times the pagan vanishes, seemingly like a spirit, into the wilderness that surrounds nunak's family - no matter where they are. There are many members to the family he spoke of but the tundrian, far more used to isolation, keeps to the fringes of their group for now. It's all too new for comfort and tupilaq, overwhelmed, seeks refuge in the silent worship of her gods - typically wandering the land beyond their stopping points in search of danger as she speaks to Tiqaqq. Oddly enough, it's Siqiqniq that finds her, rousing her from a hellish dream. 

Tapeesa rises, moving with soft steps to not disturb any who would be sleeping. If she notices Takiyok's coincidental absence, it doesn't show. Angakkuq glances sideways, catching a glance of nanuk from the corner of her silver eye. No word falls from her scarred maw, for she finds it difficult to speak in the presence of so many. 

The spearwife moves on, flashes of the dream appearing in the hazy edges of her tired eyes. Tupilaq seems to withhold a flinch occasionally, spooked by some imaginary shadow. She finds herself roaming the edges of the meadow they've taken up - oddly, it's blanketed with pink and yellow flowers rather than snow. Uki shakes the remnants of sleep from her mind, moonstone gaze clear as it scanned the distance for threats. Briefly, a ragged ear would twitch in response to some noise. 

It's with some surprise that she spots nanuk's sister ahead, given that it's daylight. The waif approaches slowly, a slightly less timid hunch to her shoulders. Sia had inspired nerves, but he was male. A healthy amount of submission is visible in the dip of her head, the chuff she rumbles out as the distance between them closes for the bear's sisters are easily as broad and powerful. 

Taki hadn't noticed anything else concerning while walking her imaginary perimeter. As the smells and sounds became somewhat familiar, her mind started to wander to thoughts of the glacier. She still couldn't believe her family had picked up and decided to move there to start their own pack. She thought back the the first time she had set paw in the glacier; she had known then that it was home and had been finding little things about the territory that might persuade her family to at least pay it a visit.

It had turned out that they didn't need much persuading. Sia and Shiv had already discussed wanting to start a pack, so when Taki came home with the news of the glacier, it was as if it were a sign. They had left only a few days later, uprooting the young pups and risking the dangerous and rigorous trek through the mountains, all with complete faith in not only Taki's scouting skills, but also that this new place could be home. Secretly, it scared the shit out of her. What if she got them lost, or misjudged how dangerous an area was? What if her mental mapping was inaccurate? What if they didn't like the glacier, and she had drug them all out there for nothing? All of these doubts constantly played through her mind, and it felt like she had no control over it. 

The scent of the female brought Taki out of her reverie, and at the sound of her soft chuff, Taki stopped and turned. "Everything okay?" she asked a little concerned. The quiet female had pretty much kept to herself or Sia, so it was odd to see her here now. Taki didn't fault her wanting to remain on the outskirts of their family unit; it was probably intimidating. They were all very close and protective of the pups, so Taki understood how that might make a newcomer feel.

She had watched the female over the last few days, unable to help her protective instincts. Sia seemed drawn to her; Taki noticed that right away. She knew her older brother better than anyone, and it didn't take her long to pick up that he was different around her than he would be with most strangers. That alone had peaked Taki's interest in the new wolf. She had wanted to make sure the female didn't show any signs of dishonesty. But in her watching, she hadn't picked up any ill-will; just something that spoke of a hard past. The woman always seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop or something. Keeping all of that to herself, she took in their new member with an unreadable expression as she waited for her answer.

Tupilaq skitters to a stop, ragged ears dropping as the other stopped and turned at her greeting. Her tongue flicks nervously between the unusually long fangs that are always visible. Uki is a silent creature who seems to only find her voice around nanuk, when he's alone. She nods, a jerky movement, before moving off to the side - away from Takiyok's intensity. 

She seems more at ease once she's done this and follows along at Takiyok's side - seemingly fine with being led. There seems to be a willingness to the set of her shoulders that gives the impression that tapeesa is here to help.

The only response from the female was a quick nod before she moved to Taki's side. Alright. Talking wasn't required for patrol. Uki seemed a little nervous anyway, so Taki wouldn't push her. She continued her walking, at one point stopping to leave claw marks on a tree; Old habits died hard, and even though this wasn't their territory, maybe some scent and visual markers would deter any lone wolves or other dangerous animals from straying too close to the pups. 

After a long silence filled only with the sounds of nature and Taki's sniffing, she finally looked at Uki curiously and asked, "So, do you hunt, track, fight?" She wanted to get to know this female a little more without prying too much. Plus, Taki was interested in what Uki would bring to the pack.

Tupilaq would have been content to patrol in silence - the only sound the scratch of Takiyok's claws on the odd tree trunk. Occasionally, the tundrian seems to catch a whiff of something worth noticing - prey or predators, that might be worth investigating when she moves on from Takiyok's side. 

Nanuk's sisters have personalities all their own; tapeesa has sensed that this one has accepted her the slowest. The girl seems protective, if more outspoken than Sia. The berserker cannot fault her this despite the obvious fact being that angakkuq is not a threat. Takiyok's orange gaze has found her more than once and the waif tries to measure up each time she is scrutinized.

She nods again, for she has experience with all three. Tiqaqq's stsa' has lived in isolation - save for Thom, the lynx - since she was practically a child. Uki would not made it this long without learning such skills, namely from the mentioned feline.

The quiet female only offered her another nod in response to her question. She would take that to mean yes to all three. Well, that was good, they could always use strong fighters and hunters. She hadn't quite figured this wolf out, but she had been able to sense her strength. Whatever her reasons were for being out here on her own, Taki didn't think she'd share them easily, at least not with her. 

Taki studied Uki for a minute before moving her eyes back to the meadow in front of them. She didn't say anything for a long time, as all her questions were prying, and Taki didn't think she'd get an answer to them. She did have one thing to say, though. She stopped and turned to Uki with determination on her face. "I'm not sure what's going on with you and Sia, but don't fuck with him. Okay?" Sia might be mad at her for saying it, but Taki didn't care. She wasn't going to just let strangers into their lives without informing them that she wouldn't tolerate harm coming to her family. Not to mention, Sia was an especially sensitive spot for her. She watched the female closely as the words left her mouth, attempting to read her reaction accurately.

The other seems to accept her silence, though not easily, and for a time lapses into her own. The waif glances to her, in search of further questions, before turning back to the task at hand. Occasionally, moonlight eyes find Takiyok though tapeesa is unsure what she even searches for. 

The next time the harsh sister turns and stops angakkuq, the berserker does not startle so violently though there's still a down-trodden dip to her head as she accepts Takiyok's words with silence. Uki feels a stab of frustrated confusion for the words make little sense to the wild girl and she feels a strange weight of shame falling on her frail shoulders - as if being punished for something she does not understand. Nor can she explain the budding friendship found in nanuk, which is confusing in itself. Though she can feel pain tearing at her heart, wisely the mute girl holds to her silence and keeps her hurts to herself.

Still, tiqaqq's stsa' nods with understanding, moonlight eyes focused intently on her feet. Whatever has been done to offend nanuk's sister will not be repeated.

A nod was all she got. That was interesting; most wolves would have bristled at the harsh statement, but Uki just nodded and accepted it. Did she even understand? It seemed the more Taki said to the other woman, the more confusing she became. 

"Right, well, glad we got that out of the way," Taki finally said, unsure of what else to say. Normally others would have responded with something. Taki decided to just let it go. She said what she wanted to say, and she didn't have any ill-feelings toward the woman, she just didn't quite trust her yet. 

Taki continued her patrol silently, occasionally glancing at Uki in between surveying scans of the area. She finally decided that the other wolf was a little strange, but that wasn't always a bad thing; as long as she didn't cause harm to her family, she could be as strange as she wanted.

Takiyok seems confused by her mere acceptance of the odd statement; tupilaq's tongue darts between her teeth - bracing for another string of harsh words. When none fall, when Takiyok moves off to the side, only then can the girl relax some. With the weight of Takiyok's intense determination lifted off her, she can breathe again. Frozen in place by the sister's bristling aggression, it takes her a moment to catch up on shaky steps. 

As she follows after nunak's sister, moonstone eyes sneaking wary glances at her, angakkuq recalls again Siarut's words of finding family within his. The wild girl has little experience with other wolves outside of the bear but she can't help but think that this is not how kind people act; for a moment she wonders how it is Siarut and Takiyok can be sired by the same parents. 

Finally, it seemed that the area was safe - untouched - that the group they'd left behind would be safe. With little more than a glance, she slinks from Takiyok's citrus gaze back towards the family that she's suddenly unsure will ever feel like one to her, regardless of what nanuk  says. 

The rest of the patrol was done in silence. Taki sensed when Uki took her leave and looked back just in time to see her form disappearing towards where their group was camped out.

The area had been sufficiently patrolled for now, but Taki went on a little further on her own, not quite ready to return yet. She thought maybe she should feel bad that she had made a bad first impression on Uki, but she really didn't. She would always put her family first and sometimes, that meant saying things people didn't want to hear or appearing brash with strangers. During their training, Sia had always ingrained in her that strangers couldn't be trusted, and Taki took that lesson to heart. They were in a dangerous position right now traveling with the pups, and they couldn't afford for anyone to be lax on the rules.  

After a little while lost in her thoughts, Taki finally turned and made her way back towards her family, satisfied that the area was clear for now.