Firefly Glen nâmmakik ⚵

when/if you have time! <3

having spoken with hydra, kukutux set her growing skills in the making of matches to what aiolos had asked. it had been some time since she had come to the glen, and set off across the expanse between they and moonspear with a whitefox fur about her shoulders and sticks of dried meat carried.

when she came to firefly, the snow-wife called gently for @Toad Amelia. too many days had passed since she had seen her companion, and perhaps now she bore something of interest for the pleasant woman.

A strange new dawn seemed to be colouring Toad's world. Things in the Glen had started to feel almost stagnant in some way. It was difficult for her to really point out what the difference was. Perhaps it was the advent of Wraen and Maia's new southern pack. Or, maybe it was her realization that if she wanted something, she needed to go out there and find it. Though the brown, plump woman continued in her duties to her pack, she had begun to question more seriously whether or not she really belonged in a pack of young people (with one rude exception in the form of Holland).

Daydreaming, her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar and wonderful sound. Her response was prompt, howling back to let her know she was coming and arriving as swiftly as her feet would carry her. It seemed like an age since she had spoken properly to Kukutux, the ethereal fantasy of a woman who was the reason she was here at all. When Toad closed the distance and saw her there, she as always felt something between envy and glee — if only she might be as beautiful.

A smile lit up her face as she noticed what looked like gifts. Toad ran up to the young mother and pushed her snout toward her to sniff, both affectionately and curiously. What's all this? she asked in wonderment, delighted and surprised by the visit.

plume waved behind her hips as toad amelia brought a greeting. "the snow will not stop me," the duck laughed softly. she stepped into the cool shadow of an old tree, gestured her friend closer.

"i have a meal for us," kukutux revealed, pulling the foxpelt from her shoulders to expose the dried carry-sticks of venison. she was not sure what beasts frequented the glen, but surely toad amelia would not oppose herself to a taste of moonspear.

thus the duck settled to her haunches, tail curled around to warm her small forepaws. "tell me of your adventures here," kukutux invited, jadestone eyes rife with interest.

Clearly not! Toad offered brightly, knowing well that the northern mother was well-versed in the way of winter weather. It was here that she showed her prizes. The fox fur itself was a curious object, carrying a slight musky odour that had been washed away with Kukutux's own soft scent. Within were interesting sticks made out of meat, which of course delighted the brown, portly woman.

Toad slowly stepped forward and gentle took one of the sticks, handling it carefully as though it might run away with any fast movements. She also settled herself, chewing on the dried meat, clearly pleased. She stopped to speak, swallowing. Oh, Osiris is doing such a great job. We've grown immensely in such a short time. Meerkat is chasing Atlas, of course, and Bronco is proving himself to be a very fine hunter. We have this new guy, Holland, and he seems sort of rude, but he is a medic so I suppose that is useful, she stopped to take a breath.

Then, she grinned, realizing that she had been talking terribly fast. And, of course, none of these things were her adventures. Toad was slowly learning to try to focus on herself more, but it simply was not her first instinct. She laughed, and continued. For my own part, I have found my blood relatives here and in the Caldera, if you can believe that, she said. Turns out Phox is my nephew. She began chewing again, waiting to see Kukutux's expression.

the telling of it poured from toad amelia. kukutux was happy to listen, pleased with her friend's continual elated nature. atlas, and not antares then. she was relieved to hear it, for antares had not seemed ready to think upon the future. atlas, then, to be the first. or was it osiris? she must inquire about it herself from him.

a man without manners, called holland, who knew the art of healing. the duck smothered her scoff; men could no more know the proper herbal remedies than she could lead the long hunt upon the ice. a shaman knew a different sort of medicine, but she doubted this was the meaning that toad amelia meant to give.

"it is good to discover new kinship ties," kukutux said softly, ears cupping forward at the mention of phox. "that is a striking thing to find," the duck chuffed in a laugh, sitting back upon her her haunches. "you have much happiness in you. your eyes hold it. this is a wonderful sight for me." 

and now, could she ask her delighted companion away from the glen that seemed to offer so much?

Toad nodded as the white northern beauty shared her thrill at finding family. It really had been the highlight to her year. Even though Phox had held back emotion, and Fennec had seemed none-too-bothered, and Meerkat... actually, none of them seemed to delight as she had.

Happiness. Yes. Toad's smile faltered a bit. She stopped chewing on the venison's delicious, salty flavour. She swallowed, and a disquieted expression befell her. I'm happy, she said, despite this change. She had always felt a bit out of place. With Wraen and Maia's new pack to the south, she was feeling more than ever like she might not... well. The Glen is pretty thin in terms of men I'd consider husband material, she said, pretending like she was Wraen and knew what she was talking about. They're all a bit too young, or.. rude in Holland's case. I don't know.

She felt very guilty admitting this. She had secretly hoped that the coming season might give her puppies of her own. She had never thought it possible before Meerkat had planted the idea in her head, but now it seemed as impossible as ever.

kukutux saw the traveling of many emotions upon her companion's face. they did not match what was ultimately said, and the duck shifted closer with a soft look to her green eyes. "they are fierce and young, the glen's men, but they are also having the attitude of boys."

despite the snow-wife's sharing of toad amelia's plight, the woman had presented a direct pathway into the heart of why kukutux had come. she regarded the firefly wolf for a quiet moment. "out upon the sea there is an island that has the name yuelong. you have heard it, i think. they are ally to all of us at the mountain and here."

another breath. "aiolos is leader there, with the empress hua. he is seeking a wife, and his status would give protection and respect not only to her, but their children." kukutux paused, assessing toad amelia's expressive features. "he is kind. polite. aiolos has a son born this year, but his mother does not seem as if she has stayed."

Motherhood had been kind to Kukutux, who seemed to look as young as she had when they had first met in the Glen. She had a soft, downy nature to her fur. Her eyes felt kind upon her, and though the light was not something Toad felt entirely comfortable with, she was thankful she could divulge such secrets to the pearl-coated northerner. Of course, Kukutux knew exactly what she meant. Toad loved everyone in the Glen, but they were boys. She wanted more.

Toad listened closely to the next words, licking at her venison stick slightly, but altogether pausing as her ears perked. Yuèlóng was an ally that had been mentioned, but she knew little about the island wolves. Like Easthollow, she had never ventured near either, feeling that she was needed too much where she was. Given the strength of their pack, however, she wondered what harm a visit might do. It seemed wholly unlikely that a leader would want something like her for a wife. Immediately, Toad seemed to have a visceral reaction to the very idea, pulling back her head and accidentally dropping her stick from between her paws as she shook her head quickly.

Oh no, there's no way someone like that would be interested in me. I'm not exactly leader-wife material, Kukutux, she said, looking away. Still, her thoughts wandered to the boy without a mother. For a brief moment, the idea poked about in her mind, but she shooed it away, knowing well that it was beautiful women that powerful men sought. Leaders want beautiful girls, not old fat nannies like me, she said, grinning to hide her discomfort.

toad amelia did not take at all lightly to the duck's suggestion. snowy ears fell back against the delicate arch of her skull; the moondrop watched her friend for a worried, searching moment. and then in the ones to follow, she blinked and returned to herself. "i will tell what he wishes," she said softly. "patience. kindness. a good heart. someone who could arrive to love the sea. and someone who wishes to be wife. that she does not come out of obligation is important to aiolos."

toad amelia did not have the willowy loveliness of a girl, but nor did kukutux. there was nothing ugly in her companion, not before the eyes or within the heart. and the leader beside the empress had said nothing upon the subject of looks. "he is not a boy. it is not a laughing foolish girl he seeks," the duck went on, attempting to catch the firefly's pretty eye. "it is a woman." and though she would never comment openly upon the she-wolf's features, fearing rudeness, but felt that the warm roundness of toad amelia would be attractive to a man who wished a settled wife.

she straightened. "perhaps before you choose, you should put your eyes upon him. beside the sea is cold in this month and the next. but i think it is an important travel to take. only when you have thought much on it, of course."

Yet Kukutux went on, undeterred by Toad's dismissal. As the white vision spoke of someone else's list, for once, Toad couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart. He makes lists too, she thought. It was altogether much better than her own list of demands for a husband. She went through it on her own.

☑ Patience
☑ ...kindness?
☑ She... figured she probably had a good heart. Wasn't that the same thing as kindness?

Toad hesitated in telling herself that she fit all of the boxes. A weird, twisted frowning smile followed as she peeked up at Kukutux's pleasant gaze. She breathed out a nervous sigh, suddenly willing to entertain the idea, but feeling very unsure about all of it. What if he didn't like her? What if he was mean to her? It didn't seem like any harm could come from a visit, at the very least. She was certainly tired of chasing ghosts of men that didn't seem to exist.

Toad pressed her lips together and made a small grin, which made her look more amphibian-like than ever. I wish you could win an award for convincing people, my friend, she said, grabbing the remainder of the venison with her paw and not-so-delicately pulling it up to her mouth to chew on once again. It'd be a good change of pace anyway to visit Yuèlóng. If they can deal with the cold sea, then so can I. So long as Osiris can lose me for a bit, I'm happy to visit at.. at least...

She paused, licking at the salty meat. What is his son's name? Do you know?

kukukutx relaxed as toad amelia began to eat again, seeming to concede her point with a word. "i only mean to convince you," the duck laughed softly, watching with fondness her friend's movements. "his son has the name of huojin." a grin tipped her lips. "i had the thought that sialuk would like him. already there is a kinship." in this, if he became ugi to the raindrop, she and toad amelia would truly become a clan.

"if you decide it is good, i will come back to the glen at the beginning of the next moon. and we will go to the shore together. it is only a meeting," she assured. there was no choice that needed to be made now, and the snow-wife would rather that the pair met at least once before they opted to decide one way or another.

she was suited for this, kukuktux thought with a flicker of pride, her mind drifting to @Kigipigak. how was her kinsman, she wondered. had he settled in the ravenhome cliff? drawing herself back to the present, she focused again upon toad amelia. "osiris is young. but he is son of the mountain, and has always shown himself to be one who considers all."

Toad continued to smile as the name of the boy was mentioned, and then Sialuk, whom Toad hadn't talked to at length for many weeks. Young Sialuk deserves the best, she said, thinking fondly of the possibility of Sia being a daughter in law through marriage. However, she knew that the hearts of the young were fickle and mysterious, and that Kukutux would never force her daughter into something she didn't want.

That sounds great, Toad agreed, smiling softly despite the mild anxiety that was building. She worried what all of it would mean. If he didn't like her, she would be back at square one, and potentially unwilling to try again for a bit. Kukutux was a person she trusted, however, and she hoped that her judgment on the situation was accurate. I'm sure Osiris will be happy to know that I have another engagement besides hunting, she teased, poking at herself. There wasn't really much else she did besides that, and the pack was so full that they were unlikely to need her. The caches were practically bursting despite the sheer number of wolves in the Glen.

hits different omg ;;

"and i think she will have it," the duck agreed. pleasure rushed through her at toad amelia's acceptance of the accord. "i think that you will like him. he is not unwelcome to look at." a girlish tease; she sighed and watched the grey sky a moment before returning her attention to toad amelia. 

"i have not been upon the island yuelong, but i think there is much to do. i know in the water there are great fish that can be eaten," the duck said thoughtfully, thinking upon how different they might be in this land. "and moonspear will not be far. i will be able to visit you," she beamed, "and so perhaps it will not feel so different than it seems in firefly."

Ugh writing and reading this is painful :[

Even though Toad knew that she wasn't much to look at, it felt strangely exciting to think that Aiolos was a handsome man. She wondered what would happen if it all worked out perfectly. She wondered what a life on the sea would look like. She would have a stepson, and potentially a daughter in Sialuk, who had thought that Toad had been destined to marry the little pup. Toad wanted to temper her expectations, but something about Kukutux's knowing expression made her feel ready to take a chance at something new and wonderful.

Oh, I'm sure it's very beautiful and there are lots of great things there, said Toad, equally thoughtful. At that point, her venison stick was finished, and nothing remained in her paws. It'll be good, Kukutux, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. It might.. well. I don't know what will happen, she explained. It was very, very possible that Aiolos wouldn't like her, or that she wouldn't like him, and she wouldn't be pretty enough, or the boy would hate her, or someone else had already claimed Aiolos. There were so many things that could go wrong, and she felt...
fear.

;;

kukutux nodded. "it is good to enjoy each day at one time," she said softly, moving closer to deliver a gentle nudge toward toad amelia. "and you cannot know until you look at him." but the duck felt confident in her belief that aiolos would take to the gentle woman as quickly as kukutux had.

"you think on it in your mind. i will come back."

the duck guiding her beloved companion toward a state of being she had experienced, and knowing that her affection for both the firefly and the redsun would bind them in the same to one another. and then perhaps in the months to come, kukutux would be aunt, and pass down her teachings as well to children who might be cousins to her own. a good thing.

Fading!

With the nudge, Toad pushed against her friend affectionately. Had they never met, Toad would not be here. She wondered vaguely if she would even have located Phox and the rest of her family had they never bumped into each other here in the Glen so many months ago. It seemed a stroke of luck and nothing else that had brought her to live here in this pleasant, peaceful place. She trusted the steering of Kukutux, even if meeting a stranger by the sea was a bit of a scary concept for her.

Toad nodded, alrighty then, she added cheerfully. With that, the two women parted once more. It would be some time before Toad would be able to tear herself from her own thoughts. She wondered what @Aiolos looked like. But more than that, she wondered about small, silly things. Did he have a booming sneeze the same way her father had? Did he laugh in a tittering voice, or a refined chuckle? What were the interactions of he and his son like? She wondered if there was pain there where the boy's mother had once stood.

She laughed at herself. It must have been some kind of desperate for any man to bother with meeting a scrubby woman like her of all people.