Fox's Glade My past has tasted bitter

after THIS thread once they have finished the nights walking. @Uki post dated to the 16th

The night had come to an end swiftly, much faster than the man had anticipated. Their small group, which wasn't really that small anymore, had stopped for the day. Sia decided to scout the surrounding area, Takiyok had been taking on this duty more frequently than himself, and the brother wished to give his sister a break. Letting Takiyok know where he was going Siarut ventured through the trees to set up his perimeter. 

The surrounding area gave the brute unwanted thoughts of Blackfeather, and the last two months that he wished to forget. This was the end of his mistakes, this Glacier was going to be his fresh start. He hoped to outrun all the errors of his ways, and wipe the bitter taste from his mouth.

Tupilaq's wandering feet lead her beyond the others, her mind so scattered with thoughts that Uki did not notice if the others saw her depart. A throbbing pain lingered under her skin where the badger's teeth had pierced her but the tundrian moves with little trouble through the spare trees. Her head seems to hang as she moves along the edges of the territory they've taken up for the night though whether this is mere weariness or the weight of a morose heart is unclear. 

Tapeesa leaves small claw marks in the trunch of a crooked tree - a habit learned at Takiyok's side. As she sits back, having reared up to place them, the wind shifts. It ruffles her pale fur playfully, bringing with it the unmistakable scent of nanuk nearby. Taqiqq's stsa' shifts on indecisive feet, a grimace of guilt tugging her lips down. Takiyok wants her to leave nanuk alone but part of her longs to seek him out again, if only for some form of companionship. 

Tapeesa usually follows her own laws; she's accustomed to her own company and her own wild nature dictates that Takiyok has no right to govern her. Still, she has followed nanuk; his rule dictates her actions and to some extent, his relatives hold sway over her decisions. In this, tapeesa finds conflict, and chooses to follow nanuk's words over Takiyok's - she's free to come and go as she pleases. 

With halting steps, as if nanuk's fierce orange-eyed sister will descend from the trees or might be hiding under a nearby stone, Uki follows the bear's scent. It's she who appears suddenly and silently this time, seemingly from nowhere as she finds Siarut patrolling too. 

The spearwife chuffs lowly to draw his attention, her ears flattening with submission as she draws near. She seems suddenly unsure about approaching him, worried she's disturbed him. 

A chuff drew him from his reflection from their current path, turning to see the pale woman. He gave her a smile. Siarut had noticed her distance and was unsure what had transpired to cause her to lose faith, but he was glad she had come around once again. "You have been more distant more distant recently. Are you alright?" Her past was still so unknown, and sometimes he was worried about offending her for some unknown reason. Perhaps he had done so and this was the result. "Have I offended you?" Sia thought he had been a gentleman in every encounter, but perhaps she had some cultural differences that he was unaware of.

The sun was just starting to make its way in to the sky, but it was difficult to tell considering the dense leaves above them. To those inside the glade it would seem as if night was still high in the sky, save for the periodic spotlights that travelled through the gaps in the trees.

She could not help but worry he would not want to see her. 

She came on this journey for him, that much had always been made clear, but she's distanced herself from him since Takiyok's threat. It's entirely possible that Siarut's mad at her for avoiding him and the tundrian's heart thuds with dread as she draws near for there's no explanation on her tongue. 

When nanuk turns to her, the smile he gives her says that everything's okay.

Tupilaq beams, so relieved that her tail picks up an involuntary wag as she takes a place by his side. She forgets for a moment that she still has explaining to do until his words reach her and the smile slides off her face. 

"No, it was nothing you'd done. I wanted to see you again," tapeesa can see no reason to lie about this. She had longed to see the bear, despite Takiyok's reasons for wanting her away from her brother. 

The words feel heavy on her tongue and Uki is reminded again of Takiyok's confusing demand. For a moment, she longs to ask him just to find out what it was she'd done wrong. She nearly tells him just for the sake of curiosity. 

But then tupilaq takes a long glance at the bear. And she remembers that Takiyok  is his sister. Whatever she's done wrong, suddenly she doesn't want nanuk to know. If somehow she's offended Takiyok, he's likely to take her side against a stranger - no matter what kind of bond is between them. 

Uki, swallows heavily, unsure how to answer his questions. Her ears flatten with dismay and a soft whine leaves her throat, born of helplessness. "I just...couldn't," she finishes lamely, sighing with defeat as she lies to him for the first time. 

She couldn't? It was odd, considering the freedome she had to come and go, Siarut didn't want to press the subject. But he knew there was a lie hidden somewhere in her words, if she had actually wanted to see him she could have, and if she couldn't then something must have happened. 

"You don't have to want to see me Uki." He smiled at her, it was ok if she wished to spend time with another. He hadn't seen her with anyone else, but if she wished to converse with his family or the others that had come along for the ride he wouldn't be upset. "I'm just glad you've come around once more." 

They had been paused for a little while, and Sia flicked his head to indicate they should walk and talk.

Tupilaq's head shakes, confused by his line of thinking. He thought she really didn't want to see him but would lie about it to save his feelings? 

What odd people are these with their lies and their word games? I don't understand any of them.

Her head shakes again, an agitated defeat visible in the tense way she holds herself. Tapeesa's mouth settles into frown, for she can see no reason to elaborate to him the truth of her distance save that it would spare her own feelings. Angakkuq falls into step beside him silently, deciding against explaining further as it would only cause conflict between nanuk and his youngest sister. 

"I wanted to see you. I wanted to, I didn't want to see someone else and pretend about it." It's said fiercely, almost defensively, because she needs him to know. She's irritated with Takiyok for keeping her away in the first place, she's angry because Siarut thinks she's a liar,  and it's Takiyok's fault he thinks she's a liar in the first place. 

Tapeesa seems to have a storm cloud hanging over her head, stalking ahead of him a few paces with adrenaline-fueled steps. It at least keeps her face from sight because it's strangely vulnerable at her obvious importance that Siarut knows she's an honest person. 

By the time nanuk has drawn level again, her face is as clear as ever, the only hint at her turmoil being a troubled glint in her gaze.

Her frustration was not lost on the man and he frowned as she took some heated steps away from him. Siarut followed behind at a more leisurely pace, letting her collect herself. "I am sorry Uki. I did not mean to upset you. I believe you." Clearly something else had happened, but Sia thought it best to drop the topic all together.

It was then that he noticed the wound on the womans neck. His smile fell and he looked at her with anger in her gaze, not directed at her but at anyone who would have tried to hurt her. To hurt any within his pack. "What happened?" Perhaps this was the reason for her distance, had someone hurt her? His voice held a silent rage.

It's not so easy for the berserker to calm when she's tempered but she manages with the reminder that it doesn't matter. Nanuk's family might see her as just another set of jaws and legs but tapeesa has decided the only opinion she's concerned about is her own - and occasionally nanuk's. In time, perhaps the Ateneq sisters will accept her but for now, Uki avoids them when she can.

Tupilaq doesn't respond to nanuk's apology outside of her ear flicking towards him. She's not sure if she believes him, it seems like Siarut is more interested in forgetting the conversation altogether. Tapeesa dropped it, nodding silently to the words he offered.

The woman's head turned in his direction, the weight of a heavy gaze drawing her attention. She turned to find Siarut's anger and flinched back a step, her eyes closing reflexively for she expected a blow. When they opened, hardly a second had passed and the healer licked her lips nervously - moving on and hoping nanuk didn't notice.

"It was just a badger," she murmurs, glancing downwards. "They're a bit bigger than I thought." 

She flinched, and he didn't blame her, although he hadn't meant to scare her. "A badger?" Siarut had never hunted the ferocious creatures, although he had heard of their agressive tendencies. He was still wound tight, but spoke with a kinder voice, "You should be more careful." He took a step closer to inspect the would more throughly, "You should get Tahani to look at it." The pale brute hovered, trying to think if there was anything he could do.

Realizing he had lingered to long, he turned slowly. Calming himself as he went. "I wouldn't want you to get sick if its not treated properly." 

Tapeesa stills under his scrutiny, the strange prickling sensation of being stared at crawling along her skin and finding it not completely unfamiliar. Nanuk's eyes seemed to follow her often these days, something that was reciprocated by the berseker from the tail of his group. Still, the tundrian can feel her ears picking cautiously of their own accord and before she can stop them, silver eyes raise to look at him with a mixture of confusion and longing - as if still confused why he keeps her around but not arguing with it. She was a selfish creature and would keep seeking him out, given that he wanted her company. 

Tiqaqq's stsa' was strangely disappointed when he moved away, left cold even in the heat of summer. Her moonlit eyes closed for a heartbeat, as if trying to block out a great pain. Why Sia should have such a strong sway over her was frustrating to say the least and the wild girl was torn between fleeing his intense gaze and daring a step closer to see just what kept pulling her back in the first place. 

It takes a second for his words to register but when they finally have, Tupilaq glances at him again - any sign of the emotional distress seething just beneath her skin tucked carefully beneath the usual mask she wore. "I will, if you think I should," she murmurs, voice hoarse. The wound seemed trivial as she glanced at it, not worth worrying Tahani about, but if Siarut thought it looked like it needed the aid of a healer, she was inclined to agree.

Siarut smiled slightly, glad that she would take his advice. He didn't like to see her hurt, and wished for Tahani to confirm that it would heal properly. His sister was kind hearted, and might help Uki assimilate into the family a little easier. The pale man had never had to completely join a new pack on his own, he had always been with his family and even then he had not truely found a new home. He hoped that Uki could feel at home here with is family. 

"Thank you." He spoke softly, still avoiding her gaze. "I apologize. I sometimes forget myself around those I care for." Siarut shock his head slightly, and took a deep breath, annoyed his himself.

Tupilaq doesn't bother explaining that she has definitely not found a place amongst his family. She doesn't reveal her doubts about following, or that she believes his family to actually hate her. 

She could only watch - something hollow in her silver eyes - as he apologized. "It's..." What? Fine? Frustrating? I want you to figure out if you like me or not? 

"It's okay," she finishes half heartedly, turning away again.

The woman stumbled over her words, before she finally accepted his apology, the hesitation was obvious. Siarut knew something was wrong, but he had no idea as to what it was, nor did he wanted to force Uki to tell him what was wrong. He decided to try and give her time to come to him. 

She turned from him, and Sia frowned slightly, he was a terrible at managing emotions. Usually he kept his own to himself, and his sisters weren't big on sharing either. "Come, lets head back." This conversation wasn't over, but the pale man wasn't sure how to deal with it at this moment. Taking slow step toward the woman, Sia came to stand beside her, letting her lead them back.

figured we could wrap this up and continue in our other thread

It all felt odd and strained. She had no idea how to fix it and her ears flattened at the sudden awkwardness between them. She wanted nothing more to be honest with him but the truth was complex, twisted, and no one knew the whole of it - not even Uki. 

She nodded, offering him half a smile as she got to her feet and trailed after him.