Duskfire Glacier those of you who are last will soon be first

the morning is overcast; thick grey clouds obscuring the sky in a neverending sea of it. wintersbane casts a forlorn glimpse heavenward, considering that it might storm soon. he can smell the coming rains on the wind that drifts across the glacier; cool from where it picks up from the ice despite that the day itself is sticky with humidity. choking; almost.

its days like this — though the cool wind offers brief respite — where wintersbane resents his tundrian heritage. the mass of his body, the warmth of the heavy fur that keeps him well insulated in the winter months. he's shed, of course, for the warmer months but it doesn't feel like enough.

so he seeks the cool embrace of greyfall caverns, accepting the invitation of the darkness that invites him. he's considered more than once that it could work as a central denning site; at the very least it offered shelter against the weather.

the air, though a bit more musky and tangy with damp earth and rock, is significantly cooler in the caverns and is thus much more appealing to wintersbane than outside at the moment.

Lane had paused in her digging, to rest and survey her work so far. She was probably already way behind Tzila and Imaq; she'd seen some evidence that others or multiple others had been digging their own little rooms off of the main chamber. 

Before she could continue her work, she was interrupted by the sound of someone moving through the main chamber. Lane had been back from her travels for a few days, but she had spent most of that time resting and preparing for the imminent birth. She hadn't yet had the chance to track many of the others down.

"Tzi-?" She began, popping her head around the corner. "Oh!" she smiled. The alpha's visage was unmistakable, even though the lighting streaming through the main's chamber's ceiling was lower than usual. It must be still be overcast outside. "Wintersbane! Welcome to our densite." Maybe Tzila had already showed him? "Come take a look. This is my room-- or it will be, when I'm done-- and I think that's Tzila's over there..." 

She was feeling bubblier than usual today, perhaps as a result of several day's isolation. She missed being on the road, meeting new wolves and hearing the news of the land.

tzi—

afraid not, wintersbane is quick to interject with soft humor in his rasping tenor as his glacial gaze catches lane peering out of the offbranch of den she'd clearly been working on. at her invitation he draws nearer to take a peek at the renovations she was doing; a soft noise of approval rumbling in his throat.

it seems you ladies have beaten me to the idea. likely, someone brought it up to him at some point or another ...he couldn't remember. his mind was full of many, many things and for someone who did not sleep in a den, denning was admittedly at the farthest corner of his mind.

do you think it would be too much to encourage the entire pack to den in the caverns? wintersbane asked her; business like. as one of the mothers-to-be her voice carried more weight in his mind in this situation and on his idea. if the mothers thought it would be too crowded for their coming newborns then he would not invite the rest of the pack to consider denning in the caverns.

i do not want you or the other mothers-to-be to feel crowded. he offers in further explanation, a few seconds later.

and after he heard her thoughts on his question he takes her in with a sweep of his gaze. how was your trip? he inquires casually; conversationally.

Mirth danced in her eyes in response to the small joke. Wintersbane must be in a good mood too; she had never known him to be much of a joker. 

He mentioned that he ladies had "beaten him to the idea," and a little half-smile twisted up the side of Lane's expression. They were still joking, right? In the case of incoming pups, denning was the woman's business.  Everyone knew that.

"Oh," Lane replied to the question, caught off guard to be consulted in a matter of pack business. In her own mind, her membership in Duskfire Glacier was still very new, cemented mere weeks before her departure on her trip. However, the truth of it was that Lane had been here since the pack's founding, and she was now playing an active part in carrying the pack's legacy forward. She was as solidified a member as any, if not moreso. 

"I thought they already did," she provided her honest answer. "At least the originals do, I think." Lane herself had never been given to dens; she  would have been perfectly happy to carry on without one if not for the pups. "It ought to be suggested to the new recruits though," Lane added, "To make them feel more.. like they belong." She knew that outsider feeling all too well. Lane had picked up some unfamiliar scents when she had arrived home, but she hadn't had the chance to meet anyone yet. 

He didn't want the mothers to feel crowded? Lane was afraid there would be no hope for that. The twisting half-smile reappeared. The mothers were destined to be crowded for the next several moons; gnawed on, stepped on, cried on, pooped on. Lane imagined in all that commotion, she would barely even notice the additional wolves present in the caverns. 

"Wonderful," Lane responded emphatically to his last question. She was grateful to put the imminent commotion out of her thoughts. "It was exactly what I needed." Lane radiated happiness. 

Oh, but he probably wanted her report. "There's packs of coyotes across the taiga, a bunch of 'em." Imaq had probably told him that. Likely the coyotes had been displaced from the southern lands by the numerous wolf packs, and they had collected here. "..And on the plateau below the westernmost part of the Sunspires-- the one with the blacktail deer herd-- there's a new pack forming, called Blacktail." Their leader had promised to visit, once the time was right. 

"And Kukutux..." Lane's expression clouded, a split second before she had resolved not to betray any emotion. Lane was loyal to Kukutux and well as Wintersbane, and incredibly grateful to the woman for her support, but her feelings were torn on one, singular, but very important matter. Important to Lane, at least.

to supply the response that he doesn't know without coming out and saying it, wintersbane shrugs. i don't really sleep in dens. he admits a bit sheepishly. though it begs to question why he wanted to now when before he found them constricting? probably because he knew with each dawning day he was closer to being a father of at least one litter.

sure, wintersbane accepts her suggestion to mention it to the newest wolves of the glacier. makes sense. even though upon brief but further consideration he isn't so sure he wants untested wolves near his children.

wintersbane's smile at seeing the enthusiasm behind her answer to his inquiry about how her trip was, was genuine. as someone who'd never been a homebody, the only reason he hasn't gone entirely stir crazy from rarely leaving the glacier's claim was because there was always so much to do. it kept him busy and thus kept his mind over the fact that he hasn't left the glacier or any of it's neighboring territories in months.

a frown quickly dampens wintersbane's initial perception of her trip when she mentions packs of coyotes across the taiga. but so long as they didn't bother or encroach on duskfire glacier's lands or hunting grounds then wintersbane sees no need to bother them. the idea of stirring up trouble for the glacier wolves with cubs so soon on the way does not sit well with him; and pays just the right amount of mind to her mention of blacktail woods harboring a pack. they were far enough away from the glacier that he isn't overly worried about them.

kukutux? wintersbane capitalizes upon when the leader of moonglow's name is spoken by lane and trailed off as if there were more. perhaps even more lane does not wish to tell. is she well? wintersbane worries for the matriarch of moonglow, inclined to assume that she was ill or injured.

"Oh! She's fine." Lane reassured Wintersbane quickly. A sheepish half-smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. She hadn't meant to worry him.

"It's just.. Well, she showed me some of her medical technique, and.. it's very closely tied to, ah, her spirituality.."

She wasn't explaining this well. 

"Are you religious, Wintersbane?" Lane questioned, changing tactics. As soon as she asked, she realized it wasn't really a fair question, and far too personal. 

"..Because I'm not at all," she rushed to continue. "And it's hard for me to trust medicine when it's so closely integrated with spirituality... or leadership, for that matter. Or parenting.."  

Ah, yes, there was the real question. How would Wintersbane make decisions for Duskfire Glacier? Through fair judgement, logic and reasoning? By upholding ancient law and tradition? Or by casting bones, and searching for signs from the gods?

...Did Wintersbane intend to raise their children to believe in such things?

relief is quick to wash over wintersbane as lane assures him that kukutux is fine; palpable as it eases the tension in his shoulders. he was rather, sadly, accustomed to bad news and comes to expect it readily these days; painting him as quite the pessimist ( though he'd argue realist ). ah. wintersbane draws in understanding, giving a small, slow nod.

given the turn of their conversation, lane's next question wasn't quite so surprising ...and before he can answer she is charging ahead, answering that she was not religious and that she doesn't trust it.

i was, once ...a long time ago. wintersbane admits. he wasn't ashamed of that ...phase of his life. he'd been young and eager to believe in beings much bigger than himself ...especially as the woman he'd loved had been so intricately tied within it. it had even been fun for a while, he recalled; easy to shift the blame of his actions onto mephala ...but ultimately relmyna's death had also seen to it the death of the gods he had once believed in.

i think the once appeal of deities had been to use them as a scapegoat for my actions. i'd been very young and very foolish. eager to make a name for himself, eager for war. times and age had changed him ...though maybe not entirely for the better.

i am not religious anymore, i assure you. wintersbane says with a small twitch of his lips; as if a chuckle is not far behind, though it never comes to fruition. if that brings you any peace of mind.

Lane nodded along, agreeing wholeheartedly with Wintersbane's assessment. Yes, religion provided the perfect scapegoat when wolves wished to act outside of reason or law. She couldn't have thought of a better word for it herself. 

"It does," Lane replied, possessing considerably more peace of mind in light of his reassurance. "The religion thing was actually a big reason that I didn't stay with Moonglow," she revealed. "..Or Ivory Rose, down in Blackfeather Woods." Lane had been offered a home several times over, in several different places, but she could never feel quite safe in a territory that was subject to the capricious nature of the gods, or the spirits, or any other such nonsense. 

That reminded her!

"Oh! I also ran into Mahler, from Rivenwood. He's great. I can see why Iana goes to see him." Lane was bubbly today, wasn't she? She was starting to get borderline-gossipy though, so she'd probably better change the subject...

"Anyway, I was hoping I might be able to go around again sometime. Like, officially, as.. as a pack scout. Once the pups are weaned, of course." Lane had always been a traveler, but never before had she claimed "scout" as an official trade. Duskfire Glacier seemed to be more in need of scouts than caregivers though, at least for the time being, so she didn't see the harm in developing another trade. As long as Wintersbane agreed.

to her admittance that the religious aspect was why she hadn't stayed with moonglow or ivory rose, wintersbane lets out a small noise of acknowledgement. on religions ...he has no strong say one way or the other, aside from the belief that it should be a choice and not necessarily something a pack is built upon. though, from experience, he knows how quickly and deeply someone can get swept into it. even so, he does not personally begrudge those packs that right, either. those who wanted to stay could and those who did not: would not.

mahler is a very good friend. wintersbane capitalizes in a low rumble of affection; strange when he reflects upon it as he does from time to time that he has found such a companion and compatriot in mahler ...given the once complicated triangle that had andraste nestled firmly in the middle of it. i should make the trip to see him soon myself. he remarks; and while this is murmured out loud this was mostly for himself.

of course, wintersbane allows with a sage nod of his head. just let me know when you plan to take a trip. maybe while she was away, he'd plan a fun little 'trip' ( but not really a trip ) for the kids during that time so they did not miss her too much until she returned. maybe when you do, i can take the kids on a little 'not-trip' to a different part of the glacier. nevertheless, he'd think of something both educational and fun for them to do.

Wintersbane agreed to adding a scout to his ranks. Lane wagged her tail. She was on such a role, she almost asked for a promotion. Gamma perhaps, or even Beta, should Wintersbane think they could use another member of leadership. Lane held back though, deciding to settle for her small victory without getting too much ahead of herself. She'd see how she settled into her role of mother before attempting to take on more responsibility. 

It also occurred to her that stepping into a leadership role would bind her to the pack in a more permanent way. It seemed like a long way off now, given that the pups weren't even here yet, but in a few short months her children would be grown and Lane would no longer be tied to the Glacier. Would this place still feel like home, once she had the freedom to leave it? Only time would tell. 

Wintersbane voiced some of his own plans for the children aloud, and Lane smiled. 

"My Auntie Rue called them field trips," she suggested, expression growing a little wistful as she recalled her upbringing in the Outer Wilds. Ruenna hadn't been able to get around very well, but she'd had such a way of making everything an adventure for Lane and her siblings, even their daily trips to the nearby creek. 

Where was Auntie Rue now, Lane wondered. She hadn't thought about her old babysitter in ages. 

She liked the idea of her future children having their own little adventures with Wintersbane while Lane was off scouting. That way, when Lane returned, her children would have just as many stories to tell her as she would have to tell them. It would go a long way to diminish that feeling of missing out, which Lane had been so familiar with during her own puppyhood. 

"Do you think you could do me a favor and grab a deer skin from one of the caches? I only need one more, I think.." Lane glanced over her shoulder. As pleasant as their conversation was, the pull of her hormones grew stronger with every passing moment, it seemed. Her mind was never far from the incoming children and their needs, and she was becoming increasingly anxious to have everything in place.

Feel free to fade! :)

field trips — wintersbane repeats the term, not quite sure how to rationalize how it made sense ...only that it did and that it sounded a lot easier to say than his inelegant 'not-trip'. i like it. he announces, though whether or not he liked it probably didn't matter. of course. the tundrian is quick to agree to her request. i'll go grab one now and bring it by. and with that said, he offers her a small nudge in ( temporary ) parting before heading off to find a deer skin as requested.