Bearclaw Valley Borderlands

@Indra

Several people had passed through Bearclaw valley, one too many had walked right over Nunataq's front lawn. And then there was the rotting wolf-corpse at one corner of the forest, sending it's stench from a distance and drawing in scavengers and carnivores from all corners as moths that were drawn to light. Needless to say that the mute girl was not happy about these developments. She had enjoyed her house nice, empty and abandoned, now with literally everyone walking around, peeking through the windows and even coming in, felt as blasphemy.

Which meant that she was extra-vigilant and extra-diligent at marking her small corner of her house daily, so that all the vagrants and hobos would know that this was her spot and that she would be very aggressive, if she caught anyone there. Somewhat at peace with, what she had done already, the girl took a place on her watch-tower rock and observed the surroundings. It was a day, when sinking her teeth in someone's hide was a necessity of life.

she had let @Laurel know she was leaving for the day. it felt treasonous to part with her sister while her whelps were so young, but it was not as if laurel would have let indra interact with them yet (for good reason) -- and truthfully, indra could scarcely bring herself to look upon them.

winding her way past the den, past the green pines and stony graveyard that marked easthollow's end, indra found herself coming to an old path.. a familiar one. she knew it thread its way through bearclaw, and so, rather mindlessly, she walked upon it. she knew nunataq favored the valley as her home, and hoped she might come across her.

a part of indra wished to be back where she was last year, before things got so wrong and convoluted.. but all of that faded when she came across the adult form of her adopted daughter atop the boulder demarking the old packland's entrance. times could change, but indra's affection for nunataq never would. her features softened as she peered towards the sentinel, an easy smile hanging on her lips.

Oh, come on! Nunataq heard someone coming her way and sprang to her feet. Alert, tense and with a deep frown she scanned the surroundings for the wolf-carpet wannabe. She was not in a merciful mood and had it not been for the familiar form of an old friend, she would have sprung and attacked without giving much thought, what the intentions of the opponent could be.

However, you cannot skin your baby-sitter and mom to put on the wall, no matter, how bad your mood is. Her anger went *poof*, when she saw, who was coming, but there was a bit of disappointment as well for the missed chance at teaching a lesson. She jumped off her watch-tower and went to greet Indra in a business-like manner. It had been a long time, since they had met each other last and there was some ice to break, before they would become cordial again.

there was so much that had happened since she had last seen nunataq. that easy smile (becoming rarer and rarer these days, it seemed) seemed to spread even into indra's gaze as nunataq became alert to her presence. indra noted the way she slipped masterfully from her perch and marched over, all business.

how she wanted to tell nunataq of everything! of their bad luck, their awful run-ins, their constant running -- and how tired she was too! but she couldn't and wouldn't; nunataq had never spoken, would never speak, and indra was grateful for the ability she had to slip into her adoptive daughter's world of silence, shrugging off the burdens of a cumbersome and constrained world. hello, indra's expression seemed to say as she stood still, the nub of her tail wagging.

Nunataq always wanted to have the last word, she kept her appearances just a while longer so that Indra knew, where they stood. Then just the same way as with anger earlier, it went. Her features softened, there was an almost-smile in her lips and a warm glow in her eyes. At this point she broke the personal boundary of Indra's to have good and thorough sniff of the fur on her neck, forehead, ears and along the mouth. There was no need for a conversation, Nuna found, what she needed, reading the scents.

The the greeting ritual was interrupted by a howl in the distance. The mute girl retreated, listened intently and then beckoned Indra to follow.

indra remained still for the duration of nunataq's inspection-ritual. by now she was used to her daughter's 'quirks' -- if they could be called that. she knew nunataq's purpose: gather what information she could, nonverbally -- and so, never faulted the girl for being so forwardly intrusive of her space.

once the inspection was over, a howl filtered up from the trees. curious, but not compelled to investigate, indra glanced to nunataq -- who was already off to find the source! whoops! indra put her feet into motion, giving nunataq the lead as she forayed ahead in search of whatever intruder had come to their door.

The group of two had come by two weeks before and in the beginning were met with Nunataq's angry scowls, growls, snarls and all the other means of her telling that they were neither welcome here, nor needed in any way. And though they had put a respectful distance, Nuna kept running into them here and there and gradually a mutual interest had appeared and a seed of possible friendship was sown.

They did not speak - much to Nuna's delight - and had no wonder of, why she did not. Their way of thought and actions appeared to be similar to the mute girl's own, they were easy company. Reluctantly she had grown used to them, even so far as to engage in hunting and playing. And then they had disappeared until this very day, when they called for her.

So this explained the weakly contained excitement the girl had, when she padded through her claim and towards her friends. Quick side-glances in Indra's direction meant that something good was in the making, just wait and see for herself! On the edge of the valley, next to bony remnants of a deer that had met it's end some-time in spring, stood two wolves, not much older than Nunataq. Their appearances were plain and simple, silver agouti's like many wolves around here.

They came to meet Nuna, then cast curious and friendly glances over at Indra, but without further burdening her with their proximity they returned to the bones, to see, if there were any scraps left there. Cool, huh? She looked at Indra, proud about the two friends and smiling. Let's see, what they have got there? Once again she invite her mom to follow.

indra followed after nunataq, noting the scarcely contained excitement in her daughter that threatened to bubble over. she had expected some defensiveness, for she knew nunataq considered this her home -- instead, it appeared nunataq looked forward to wherever they were going.

adopting a prim trot to keep up with the hurried gait of her daughter, indra slowed only when they arrived in a little meadow. hunched over a column of stripped bones were two wolves of silver agouti coloring. indra felt an involuntary flare of her hackles, glancing quick to nunataq only to see a sense of familiarity bred in the she-wolf's gaze. were they friends? indra loosened her stiffness with a heavy sigh, her wisp of a tail held close as she looked to the strangers with wary interest.

What followed in the next few hours can be summed up under the term "lazy afternoon". Some lounging about in the sunlight was done, some teasing, chasing and play-fighting was done, some extracting the last morsels of already nothing-left carcass and all in all I can safely speak for three out of four involved people, good time was spent.

When the warm summer day was leaning towards the evening and the air became cooler and fragrant with different set of smells, Nunataq's friends got up and prepared to leave for a hunt. Two expectant looks towards the girl and her companion, as if wondering, if they were inclined to join, and then they began to walk away.

The girl hesitated, it was evident that she did not wish to part with her friends yet and on the other hand she did not want to leave Indra so soon either. She wanted to have both and hated that she had to choose. With an impatient whine she glanced at her caretaker, asking her to solve the pressing problem.

the small group nunataq had found seemed welcoming enough; after a while, indra discovered herself lost in their unquestioning company, at ease among them in a way she was not at ease within easthollow. she had not spoken a word since she had come here, but she found she did not need to -- all that needed to be said hung in the hazy gentleness of the summer afternoon.

when it came time to go indra's expression clouded, for she was not quite ready to go back to reality yet. she looked after the group as they left, and then to nunataq -- and in that moment, caught the questioning glance in nunataq's deep gaze. indra supposed when the time came for those who lived to move on, none of them were ready; with a reluctant sigh she dipped her head in silent acceptance and pressed briefly to her adoptive daughter (if she would allow). the nudge, encouraging and full of fondness, was not without a lingering sadness -- but indra understood more than anything that her daughter was not hers to command, and had her own life and wants and needs to live, if she was to be truly happy.

Nunataq did not know yet that this was the last time she saw Indra and months, maybe years would go by, until their paths crossed again. She leaned in the wolfish embrace briefly and closed her eyes, then un-entangled herself quickly and shook her coat - this much physical contact had proven to be a little too much to bear. Honest to the core and unable to pretend even in the last moment. When a little more cordiality would have been in place. Where a little lie could have sweetend the good-bye.

She retreated few steps and regarded her caretaker thoughtfully - making sure that Indra really did not wish to join her, them. No. A fleeting shadow of disappointment that was whisked away with a self-confident smile soon after. Never one to cry over spilled milk, never one to plead anyone. Nunataq turned and padded over to join her two friends in the distance. Once with them she stopped, looked back at her mother, now barely visible against the background of mottled yellows and browns. Her gaze lingered, her thoughts undecipherable at that moment.

Then with a small sigh she let it all go and entered the new chapter of her life bravely. After all, why should she mourn, when life had proved before already that of all the farewells she had bid in her life, ones to Indra never lasted. They would meet again. Nunataq knew that.