Duskfire Glacier love and loss

[size=16.8px%%]Tunerk still could not believe Nanook had gone. Days and nights she scoured the territory where last her scent had been noted, where it seemed to come to an abrupt end. Her frustration mounted by the day, and the typically pleasant Tunerk was wrought with disappointment in herself which made her mood vary by the day. Presently, she stood in the very spot her uncle had called that fateful day, once more sniffing at the spot. Her eyes were narrowed, face set in concentration, and her tail lashed behind her as she lifted her head from the spot and huffed in frustration.[/size]

Her heart was heavy as she walked the borders of the glacier. She couldn't help but be overcome with worry for her brother. Their disagreement didn't even matter anymore--she just wanted Sia back to normal and driving her crazy again. Since finding his slumped form days ago, her mind had tortured her with thoughts of what it would be like to lose him, and the image stole her breath, forcing her to think of anything else just to be able to function. She had to keep things running in his temporary absence. 

Her patrol soon shifted into the tracking of her niece. She had picked up her scent as she moved along the borders near the mountain, and had decided to seek the girl out. She wanted to check in on her and was hoping to take her mind of things.

The snowy leader found herself in the spot where Nanook had last been scented, and there was Tunerk huffing in frustration. The malguk (she still considered herself that) moved towards her niece, concern on her face. Tunerk, what's wrong? Taki asked, softly nuzzling her in greeting as she came up beside her young family member.

The new matriarch of the pack, and one of her adored aunts, was noted initially with a frustrated flick of her ear. What was wrong? Surely the question was rhetorical! But her sour spirits shifted as she looked to her ajakoluk, and her ears airplaned apologetically atop her crown. She had done nothing to indicate her brief flare of irritation, and yet she had felt it. It sprung upon her without wanting. A tiny sigh came then while her eyes shifted guiltily away. It felt wrong to feel any negative thing toward a woman she loved so, and Tunerk was swift to let it go. 

Nanook. She is really gone. Her trail—it just ends. I do not understand it. There is no riverbed to split it—yet no bones to prove it. Tunerk did not know what to do. Tunerk felt blameful for not thinking of this sooner, and yet the thought sprung to her tongue now: Can we search for her? Beyond our claim? Had they done so already, and had she missed such an opportunity?

Taki looked to her young family member, concern on her snowy face. She offered comforting licks to her face, unsure what to say at first. She didn't do feelings very well, but she always tried for her family. Plus seeing how upset her niece was raked at heart. She wished she could do something to fix it, but she didn't know how exactly to do that. I'm sorry, Tunerk. I know it's very confusing, she said softly. Nanook had started to grow on the malguk, and her loss had filled her with sadness as well, but she was gone. All signs pointed to a terrible end.

Tunerk asked if they could go look for her, and Taki released a glum sigh. I regularly patrol the territories surrounding the glacier and sometimes even farther out, she explained. I would have found any signs of her if they were there. Sia searched for her as well. Part of her wanted to just indulge the child in an attempt to help her with her grief, but she didn't want to give her any false hope. Nanook was gone, and the sooner she came to terms with that, the sooner she could begin to process her grief and eventually move on.