Arlette had been looking for her friend Nuna but she had not responded to her howls. The girl had been looking around Bearclaw but she had not responded to her calls yet. It made the albino worried about her friend. She decided to look for Nuna in the meadow close to their territories. Maybe she was unlucky and just had bad timing. Arlette sounded a howl for Nunataq to see if the was out here.

She listened for a reply to a howl, her eyes scanning over the horizon. Maybe her howl wasn't loud enough? Arlette went towards a lookout point in the meadow. "NUNAAAAAA," she called out as loud as she could. "NUNA! NUNAAAATAAAQQQQQ," she called out again. She didn't expect that she would succeed this way. Perhaps Nunataq was traveling? Just like her mother sometimes would do... Could be. Arlette was not ready to give up on her friend.

155 of 1309

indra hated to return anywhere near bearclaw, especially after so fresh a departure -- but piper was still unaccounted for, and while she knew piper was just fine in tadec's care, she fretted anyway.

there wasn't much good fretting did, besides tire the brain and exhaust the mental supply, but indra did it anyway - and then she realized, she might as well visit and see if anyone had returned to that wretched fishbowl. who knows; maybe she would see xan or lucas -- though a part of her knew deep in her heart the sight of either was more unlikely than witnessing some phantasmal event.

never-the-less her feet dragged as she made for bearclaw, though a sound as she drew nearer caused her glacial pace to become even slower. whoever it was, it was distinctly young -- and distinctly calling for nunataq.

her nunataq.

indra felt her pace quicken, and for a moment she thought she was looking at yakone again; her heart sunk, for explaining to the girl her family had moved away (without her, nonetheless) was its own painful task -- but this was not yakone, and guiltily, indra was relieved.

it was a relative though; she supposed it was one of valette's puppies, though she did not recall the girl's name. "hi there," indra ventured with an unusual friendliness -- she didn't like the idea of arlette being alone here -- especially since she, in indra's eyes, was still rather young (of course, the young have a way of protesting vehemently to such labeling, so indra kept this opinion to herself).

Arlette did not expect to catch the attention of another wolf for calling out Nuna's name. Since it was quite clear that this was not her bestest friend Nuna. However, since Arlette had always been approached with friendliness, she had no fear for strangers. She expected them to be nice, which was clearly something that should be worked on in the future. For now, the girl greeted the other with puppy eagerness. She trotted up towards the unknown female.

"Hello! Have you seen my friend Nunataq?," she asked, after all, that was the mission she came out to do. She wanted to find her friend and have more play sessions with her. "She is my bestest friend you see and I can't seem to find her," Arlette explained. It was all very unlogical that when she called for Nuna that her friend was not there. But perhaps this adult could help her. That would be very convenient. Arlette decided to use her nose, in which she realized that, the female scented a bit of Bearclaw.

4037

there wasn't much use hiding the relief indra felt when arlette turned and greeted her without pause; there was such an innocence in those red eyes -- eyes that indra was suddenly aware of as familiar. xan's eyes; but somehow, different.

she sighed and her ears fell flat as she thought of how best to break the news to arlette. it warmed the cold halls of her heart to see nunataq had a friend -- a friend that referred to her as a best friend -- that was, of course, the highest order of endorsement between young girls.

"nuna is gone, sweetie." she murmured softly, contrition in her voice; surely arlette would be disappointed to hear such news. "i'm her --" what was she, exactly? indra paused, cycling through several descriptors in her mind. the best descriptor was the one that required the least bit of explanation -- and, in the face of a child, did not present more questions than it answered.

her friend? no - indra was more than that. her caretaker? that sounded so clinical; too clinical. her aunt? that wasn't quite right either, was it? "her mother." indra finally settled, feeling a bit of guilt settle in her stomach as she thought of the girl's true mother, and how that might have made her feel. indra sighed; she had adopted nunataq and marten, and they were her children - biological relations be fucking damned. she loved them with the same fierce devotion she had for merrick.

that was all that mattered, right?

"we moved away." she gave a pained smile, unwilling to explain the convoluted details. "but maybe you come come visit nunataq someday, or we could come visit you?"

Arlette's mouth slowly dropped in the pure horror of knowing that her bestest friend was gone. Arlette felt an unfamiliar feeling in her chest and stomach. Why was this hurting? Was this what Merrit was feeling because their father left them? Did this mean she would never see Nuna again? That thought hurt her badly. She felt her eyes water a bit while trying to digest the shock. She almost missed the next words coming from the adult female.

"H-her Mother?," she sniffled, but looked slightly relieved knowing that this was Nuna's mother. Mother's away told the truth after all. So when she continued about visiting each other Arlette felt better bit by bit. But her mind was starting to think, as the female spoke about them moving away. Had Nuna moved away without saying goodbye to her?? "Where did Nuna go?," she asked. "Why didn't she say goodbye?," Arlette asked, sounding upset.

Of course, the albino girl didn't realize that they moved not too far away from Easthollow. It was something that even she could travel, not as close at Bearclaw but able to travel. Arlette was quite oblivious to other packs, except Bearclaw, but somehow Nunataq never felt like she was not part of her pack. She felt as welcome in Bearclaw as she did in Easthollow. Then again, she never really entered Bearclaw but approaching their borders weren't as scary.

7047

in the seconds that followed indra didn’t feel so bad for her mistruth; it wasn’t as if she was being malicious, she told herself — what she was to the apaata brood was complex and almost politically inappropriate for a child - how does one say ‘your dad had sex with a chick, drove her out by cheating on her with another woman and oh, yeah, i’m the one taking care of those kids’?

all of that was better left unsaid, and as Indra gazed into those wide yet soft red eyes, she felt vilified in her decision. it did touch her stonied heart to see such concern for nunataq— and for a moment she did look as if she were fretting; the puppies might be too young to understand the motive behind the move, but it indra hoped someday they might understand.

”nuna didn’t have time... it was very short notice, but she went with me - and the rest of bearclaw. we moved up there —“ indra swung her little muzzle in the direction the hollow lurked. ”if you want, I could bring nuna to come see you soon.” indra hoped that would be enough to placate the girl’s sadness - nunataq, after all, was still not so far.

Arlette tried to think of a situation where she wouldn't have the time to visit Nuna. If her mother would decide to leave then she wouldn't have time either to go and visit her friend. Arlette disliked that idea. The girl slowly nodded at Nuna's mother. She turned to look but she wasn't really sure what was out there. "Yes!," she instantly spoke after she suggested in visiting them.

"Yes, please," she repeated more politely and looking a bit embarrassed. Her mother told her to be polite to strangers. She didn't even think to ask by they moved. She trusted the adults around her and didn't question them. She had been more submissive and easy going compared to her siblings. "Nuna can also live in Easthollow," she then suggested with a nod.

8281

oh, this girl was so soft and sweet - indra couldn't help regarding her with a gentle fondness. in a way so much of what she saw in marten and nunataq (and sometimes, even xan) seemed to flicker across the girl's face or drift in those somber red eyes. indra would make good on her promise; she would bring nunataq to easthollow soon so the two could still play.

nuna can also live in easthollow. indra's ears fell and her expression seemed to sink as she heard the worlds. it was spoken with such a child's earnest, such a conviction only children were able to administer.. if only it were that simple, thought indra sadly.

nunataq needed to be with her family, and her family had moved on. the little apaata's life had already been splintered tragically early, and indra would do everything in her power to keep the reassembled pieces together as long as she could. "she has to stay with us," indra murmured, feeling rather low to be the adult responsible for kicking down arlette's hopes. "her brother and daddy and other siblings are with us in the hollow.. but, i am sure you would be welcome to visit anytime if your parents said it was okay."

Arlette's face instantly turned into a pout. It was far more convenient that Nuna would live in Easthollow because then they could play all the time! However, as the mother spoke of Nuna's family she realized that she wouldn't want to leave Easthollow either. She would miss her siblings and her momma. She also thought that her mother might not want her to leave as her father had left as well.

"I will ask momma if I can," she spoke then. She was not sure if she was allowed to travel all by herself but maybe if her big brother or mister GB would travel with her then she might be able to go. Arlette was excited to see Nuna again. "Is Nuna alright? Is she happy at the new place?,' Arlette asked curiously. Maybe they could have sleepovers, so she wouldn't need to travel all the way back after being tired of playing. She would probably need to ask her mother that as well.

10460

a pout lingered sourly on arlette's features but for a moment; indra marveled at how such an expression did not detract from the young girl's fine features. one day, indra thought, arlette would turn heads -- she only hoped the girl would be able to enforce boundaries so no lustful beast came knocking.

"nuna is fine, i think she will grow to like the place. i am sure she misses her friends.. and her old home. but sometimes our circumstances change." indra reflected sadly, the vague hint of melancholy in her voice soon chased away by the brightening of her expression: "besides - there is a river in this new place, and a quiet hollow with tall pines and lots of dens to explore.."

Arlette's ears perked up. She was unaware what the other female thought about her, though the young female deemed this mother a kind one. She could she her mother being friends with her. Now she thought about it, did her mother even have friends? Maybe if she helped her mother being friends with Nuna's mother they could play more!! That sounded like an excellent idea.

"Oh good! If she would move away then I would want her to be happy as we couldn't play anymore. I get happy from playing so Nuna must be happy as well," she reasoned out loud. Arlette's eyes looked big in excitement. "That sounds so fun!," she beamed. Now she really wished she could see the hollow as well.

"Are you friends with my mommy? Because I think you should," she then stated. She was reminded of her own mama in a way. "Maybe you can talk to my mom and convince her that I should visit!!!" This felt like a super smart idea. This way this female could assure her mother that everything would be alright if she would go to the hollow pack.

11494

it occurred to indra, and not for the first time, that children really had a fresh perspective on the world. here was arlette, brightly recounting how if nunataq had to move, she would want it to be somewhere she loved. if adults spoke with such purity from their heart, indra certainly never witnessed it.

arlette's query, however, caused the redleaf to think. was she friends with valette? she didn't think so -- at least, they weren't enemies.. but indra barely knew the matriarch of easthollow, and any connection she had with the grey empress was through xan.

"hmm.. i don't think we are friends. but maybe we could be." indra wasn't opposed to the idea of seeing valette again -- if only to ask if the she-wolf would be terribly inconvenienced by nunataq's occasional visits (or vice versa, though indra wouldn't mind having arlette around in the hollow). "i will have to see her sometime too, to arrange our playdates, of course."

Arlette loved that her plan seemed to be working. If her mother and Nuna's mother were as good friends as they were then they would want to see each other often as well. This would mean she could play with Nunataq! Now she thought about it, she had not seen her mother play often. Weird. What did adult friends do? She was certain she would never ever stop playing with Nuna. Even until they were the oldest friends ever.

She grinned. "Yes!," she agreed wholeheartedly with the female that they should be fiends. "Yes! Yes!," she spoke eagerly, almost jumping up and down in excitement. Her mommy had said something about visiting Lost Creek Hollow to be friends. Perhaps it was the same pack! That would be really convenient. Arlette hummed. "Thank you for helping me, Nuna's Mommy," she spoke then. The female had been helpful after all and her mother taught her to say thank you when others had helped.

2295

a smile ghosted the tired corners of indra's countenance for a moment; arlette's enthusiasm (and joy) was simply too pure. she imagined nunataq's face; how the proud apaata would react once she realized where they were going. it stirred something into motion in her heart: a possessive, overwhelming sense of undying maternal love.

perhaps while the girls frolicked indra could learn something from valette; about how the winters were, what the game was lile -- and maybe in turn, indra could share all she had seen with the world good and bad. maybe too, they could talk about xan -- indra frowned thinking of him, for her sister had yet to glean some sort of closure from the distant male.

"you're welcome -- you can call me indra. i should head back soon, but keep a look out for us, okay? we'll come by soon as we can."

Arlette dipped her head. "Thank you, Indra," she spoke politely, clearly excited with the promise of seeing her friend Arlette soon. "I will! I will!,' she promised and the let the female go. Arlette watched the mother leave, which was her cue to go back to the safety of Easthollow grounds. She would be keeping an eye out on the border for her friend and her mother. Arlette would make sure to tell her own mother as well so she would know about the visitors that would be at their borders, super soon!

15712