Great Bear Wilderness hung pictures of patron saints up on my wall

@Acheron - I'm so so so sorry for the absence.

Things had been quiet. Fun, of course, but certainly more quiet than Tuvaq had ever experienced in his entire life. It was all very domestic - the traveling with Acheron, sleeping with Acheron, hunting with Acheron, eating with Acheron. Everything he did these days was with Acheron, and he was happier than he had ever been. It was idyllic, calm and perfect. 

Except, it was getting cold. 

The morning Tuvaq woke to was bitingly cold, frost clinging to the grass outside the little old burrow they'd found themselves in. Tuvaq had taken the position closer to the entrance, effectively blocking most of the wind from coming in, but it wasn't the most comfortable. Loner life was not meant for the winter.

With a sigh, Tuvaq fought the urge to just bury his face back into Acheron's fur, and instead got to their feet, intent on going out to catch some breakfast for them both. It was... unlikely, and they'd gone without for the last couple days, but he was certainly going to try.

no need to apologize <3

He couldn't be happier with the way things had turned out. He had left home and his family, but he had gained so much more. It wasn't like he had lost his family, he was just living his own life—a life that now included Tuvaq. He was Acheron's family now; they were together almost always, and the freckled boy would never grow tired of his company. 

The only thing that broke through into their perfect little world was winter; the cold was not something they could ignore, and as the days passed, things only got worse. Food was more scarce and the days were shorter and colder. He knew what they needed to do, but he was kind of reluctant to give up their little world. It had been just the two of them for a long time now, and part of him didn't want to give that up. The part of him that wanted them to survive, though, knew they needed to find a pack and soon. 

His companion's movement beside him woke Acheron from his sleep. He stretched and yawned, his gaze following Tuvaq as he started to make his way from the den. He was up the next moment, trotting after the other boy. He brushed against him as he caught up, nipping playfully at his jaw as he murmured: Good morning.

He didn't get very far before his counterpart found him. Tuvaq was momentarily distracted by the billowing steam around his muzzle and the way the snow crunched beneath his paws, and was slightly startled by the approach of Acheron. 

The warmth along his side was becoming intimately familiar. Tuvaq had not been well-acquainted with positive physical touch for most of his life, but with Acheron it all came to him so easily. Part of him wondered when it would end, but he tried to squash down those kinds of thoughts as soon as they approached. 

With a soft huff, Tuvaq brushed their muzzles across one another, resting his chin across the top of Acheron's. "Morning," he greeted quietly. "I was going to catch you breakfast." Which was the important part, really - Tuvaq didn't really care if he ate, as long as Acheron did. "But I'm glad you're up. I wanted to talk to you about something."