〔❁〕Kamoku

Mainly tagging @Hotaru since Reiko is quarantined atm, but others welcomed! Set sometime after this thread (Me and Gerra agreed to forward date that thread somewhere near the present for timeline purposes). Please allow @Antares to post first!

Thread title translates to "Reticence"

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Trudging through the crunching snow blankets beside the vermillion star, Izumi led each other some distance from the Everfrost and towards the kingdom she had just recently called home. The crane had been in and out of the mountainous camp this past week to have some time to bring her thoughts together and, other than the stolen kill, had missed most of the events that followed -- mostly concerning new additions to the pack, Sundance's sudden appearance, and Reiko's quarantine. Speaking of Reiko, "She is a kindred woman. I hope you'll find comfort with her as I have..." Izumi was on her way to seek the woman out now. Izu had not yet been told the important details, nor with the mentions that it was caused by a man she had not officially met yet, but only acknowledged in passing as a member of the pack.

Lifting her painted muzzle, the young crane would lift it to let out a long howl to call for the snow Empress, all the while staying behind the borders in wait...

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It was all so very new. He swiftly appreciated Izumi's lead more than he had planned to. She guided their course so he didn't have to think about where he was going exactly; he just followed close and breathed it all in, eyes sharp and senses positively overwhelmed--maybe to make some type of conclusion, or at least establish a sense of bearing again. Antares stayed especially quiet when he finally got a good proper look at the mountains too, silently thrumming with a little baseline nerves to even be so entrenched in the unfamiliar, but also almost relieved that this was all still as strange to him as it had been yet somehow. It might not make for a true explanation, but more and more, it truly, absolutely was. No escaping it.

Eventually he began to hone in on scents, other wolves especially, and growing stronger as they progressed, naturally. Strangers, though through that shared packscent with Izumi, he was already connecting some dots--at least vaguely. When she spoke of one such packmate, Antares had to focus anew. Frankly, he did not know what to expect from the leader of them, but did not think he was worried. Finding comfort was something else entirely. Maybe. He hoped. His nod was slow to form, and he drug his sights back up towards the mountains' heights after, half distracted. He might not recognize the peaks, but something about the rocks spiring into the skies appealed to everything he was made of.

When Izumi brought her voice, he was still stuck with a contemplative face on that wondered what he looked like now, trailing back to her home with her. Hopefully not too lost and bewildered, or as chewed up and spit back out as he felt; so, he did his best to pull on something that felt like a proper Ostrega's composure as he loitered at her side, nerves swallowed down carefully, and another grateful glance at Izumi before he waited to see who would answer.

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Oh how she had prayed that their little slice of the world would remain untouched. Truthfully, since picking up her mother's duties there wasn't much that had changed aside from filling her time checking places and people she usually avoided. She had always been a curious soul very much interested in the workings of the world, so now she must put away her analytical views for the friendly social her mother liked to uphold. So far the task proved to be easy enough, wandering borders she felt far too small to guard but at the very least she was able to take in the sights and see the changes since they first settled.

Of course, any time you dismiss the world it had a funny habit of saying otherwise. A familiar howl rang through the peaks and the trees that lingered towards the base while she was skirting the edges. Hotaru recognized it as Izumi's voice, but she could only imagine why she called from the borders. It seemed she would have to put in a bit more work after all, so with heavy paws she made her way towards the lingering duo.

Only after did she reach them did she pause with wide eyes at the stranger. He towered over her easily with a piercing gaze that made her skin crawl. Instinctively she felt the hairs on her nape rise though she'd do her best to squander her nerves. “I-Izumi, you have called?” The pale girl kept her attention on the crane though every now and then she would not resist the urge to glance at the figure to her side. “And you've brought someone...”

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Izumi did not miss Antares' shifty cobalt stare that flickered to her side view, nor the reluctant nod of his crown at the words she offered before approaching -- ah, did that not help? Perhaps not. Perhaps Antares couldn't help but feel nervous in the first place, he woke only recently after all. It had been so long since the crane woke up in the tundra herself -- it might take a while for the young Ostrega to become properly adjusted to everything. After he approached her side neat the borders, she'd lightly bump shoulders with him -- a reassuring way of saying that 'Things were going to be okay.'. She wasn't sure if she'd find the small snow dove as endearing as she did, since her and Reiko were already friends with a history together, but the crane was confident that Rei would treat him with the same benevolence she's shown to all of Shiroshika.

A sleek white form eventually came to answer her call, but she could tell by the scent that it wasn't the Empress, it was Hotaru. "Good evening, Hotaru." the crane greeted softly, waving her plush tassel in greeting and meeting the teen's similarly hued eyes. From the fact that Reiko hadn't come to answer her call yet and the slight fear that radiated off of Hotaru, Izu could tell that something was a bit off. Her soft lavender gaze shifted between her and the Ostrega that stood beside her, and the crane's voice would soften when addressing the princess again. "Do not worry. This is Antares, he is a friend of mine..." Izumi tried to reassure the dame in thinking that a stranger might've arose tensions in the girl. She was virtually unaware of Hotaru's indifference towards men -- in fact, there was a lot the siamese did not know about Reiko or her family's history....

One last glance was cast to their surroundings in search of the empress, and when she still had yet to show up, Izumi turned to Hotaru once more.

"Ah...Hotaru....あなたの母はどこですか?" — Where is your mother?

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Nothing raised any proper alarms to him.. just sheer unknown and his own nerves, but the longer Antares looked, even that could ease away slowly, subtly. He tried to take Izumi's hints on this each step so far. She wasn't worried any, had lead him back in the first place.

Gradually, more if it was all setting in. It was certainly an interesting cluster of peaks, some more than others.. he couldn't help but look up after them to where the clouds hung low while they were paused. He supposed he liked to see that, and there was a definite appeal in how it didn't really remind him of anything in particular yet. Just new, though fundamentally things he knew he enjoyed in his surroundings: evergreens, stone, and crisp air.

Refocusing his head back out of the clouds, his ears flicked towards the sound of an approach, and soon after, a young snow-furred someone answered them. Though he gave her a curious look, wondering first if she was Reiko, he kept it quick and mindful in case; he had been on the other end of these encounters many times, enough to know what looked bad and even out of his element here as a black-sheep nobody on someone's borderlands, he could pull together something. A respectful neutral to show he meant no harm, head angling towards his chest and tail slack, ears fanned. Not too full of himself, but present, because he wanted to appeal as functional help, not baggage that rolled in stuck to Izumi's fur. He glanced towards her swiftly, gauging her once more as she greeted the new wolf.

Firefly? he blinked, though his mother's lessons were far away now, bittersweet. “Hello,” he offered too, to prove he still could speak, though he felt the crane's lead suited better today as she provided the basics. Antares did not trust his contributions to be all too graceful, not with his head weighing the matter of maybe I died and now here I am out of nowhere more than anything. He did his best to appear like things like that were not bothering him, and instead, just someone in need of a place to.. regroup, and whatever came after that.

As for the rest, he tilted his head softly to the question Izumi posed.. and this understanding was better, surprisingly to him though he was well out of practice. He apparently knew enough to help piece it together, guessing this might be Reiko's daughter then--but he kept quiet in case he was wildly off, listening keenly to their lead.

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Oh-- how she had forgotten. Not all were present when she sought the pack to share the news. Izumi had been one of the few she failed to track in her mother's absence, though now it became clear why. “Ah— 彼女は病気です。私は彼女の不在でリードすることになっています。 — She is ill. I am supposed to lead in her absence.” It felt strange to speak behind what felt like closed doors while her guest stood idle, but given the topic, she could understand the reason for switching. They had no enemies though to a stranger they would appear fairly weak to have a yearling leading even if the position was only temporary.

“What brings your...friend?” Izumi had seemed hesitant to call him such, though he seemed polite enough for the time being. Admittedly his presence stirred her nerves in a way she couldn't explain and even with Izumi there she could feel the beat of her heart thrum against her chest. Alas, this was her role and she had to think beyond herself now.

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"Oh..."

It was not often that the crane expressed her displeasure outwardly, but a frown and scrunched brows were quick to cross her features as soon as Hotaru relayed the news to her. 'What?' When the hell did Reiko get sick? Why was she just being told this now? Was she even okay!? Upon realizing the tension that pulled at her face, Izu shook her head to calm herself down and revert back to the usual, placid expression she wore often. It was difficult though, since a looming cloud of anxiousness still hung over the siamese's head.

Soon, she'd need to pay the Empress a visit.

And what of Hotaru? Being pushed into the role of leader so suddenly? It was already apparent how skittish the young dove seemed around Antares -- were there no guards to accompany her during times like this? Being the heir to her mother's throne meant that she'd need to learn the ways of royalty in her lonesome eventually, similarly to how Izumi had been brought up -- but she also knew how much stress these expectations held on a girl her age, even if it was a temporary duty. So for Hotaru's sake, she'll try to explain things briefly...

Turning her gaze back towards the navy-eyed reaper, she'd open her mouth to speak again. The crane was virtually unaware that Antares even understood some Japanese, along with many other things the two had yet to share, and didn't stop to explain things to him as a result. "He and I found each other when I traveled towards the evergreens this afternoon, I was hoping we'd have room for him in our ranks."

After this, she'd step some spaces backwards to give the Ostrega some room, a thoughtful glance sent his way incase he had anything to say himself...

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Despite his careful listening, and glances between the paler wolves to look for reactions, he soon couldn't keep up quite as well when a whole lot more was said. At least he didn't think they were talking about him yet, which was nice. The piece about an illness? Lost on him however. He could catch up some when he realized how Izumi took this explanation, though it was far from an entire answer. Maybe someone was not here right now, so Hotaru was answering in their stead? That did not sound too unusual. Though without knowing of the sickness that kept her from them, Antares of course had no perception of how worried anyone should be.

When it returned to what he was doing here, Izumi at least answered first for him, and that set him to a small nod. Mindfully, he looked to Hotaru, up to her chest only. He didn't want to make her any more uneasy, especially not now. “Yeah. My homeland is gone, far now too I think, and I don't know where anything else is yet, but...” he supposed time would help him find out, and this thread of familiarity he found in Izumi was the only lead he could trace right now--and he was loathe to let it go so soon. While he felt like he was glossing over many things about what had come before now to lead him here, he wanted to appeal to them for the future, somehow. If he was going to find a new home-base among them for now, he may as well try. Unpacking his baggage in any greater detail, unless they needed it to pass inspection at the start, could always wait. “I used to live on a mountain,” he flicked his eyes up to the spires of the range beyond. “I can patrol. Fight, hunt.. scout around too.” Whatever need be, potentially, he liked to think. There had to be some niche he could find to occupy. At least in that much he listed, he trusted his confidence in.. even in a strange, unfamiliar land.

He would get back on his feet again soon.

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“Ah...” Well it made sense at least. It felt...weird to be the one giving the final say, but her mother had put her in charge and trusted her decisions. Ultimately, she could accept him. Lavender eyes shifted from the crane to the dark man, though his eyes did not quite meet her own. Sucking in a breath she listened as he pled his case, though it wasn't truly needed. She knew her mother's response and he was capable on top of everything else. “I don't see a reason to deny him.”

Guards were something they lacked and something she knew Reiko was in search of on their way to the mountains. Now one came waltzing up looking for a home and he wasn't...the scariest guy out there. Plus Izumi seemed confident in his abilities or at least sure he would make a fine addition given she led him back here so it wasn't like she was completely blind in her judgment. “My mother would want to accept you I'm sure. This place is a home to those without one and we are currently...lacking your skills. Unfortunately, you'll have to meet her another day, but in the meantime you may stay.”

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He’d say his fill – explain his situation to Hotaru as he did before, though it looked as if Antares was more at ease than he was earlier when she’d found him, and the crane was thankful for this. Thankful towards Hotaru as well, for her guidance.

She was still rather shaken up to know that Reiko had not been well, and a thread of guilt caught up to her in the realization that she had not been around often to help with a lot of things. It was irresponsible – to have the rank that she had and not make do with it. Izumi relayed many times again how much she wanted to help and continue to make use of her presence here, but how was she to do that in absence? What was her use as lady if she couldn’t even be there for her pack, or her friend?

These thoughts were put aside for the moment, and her eyes trailing away from the floor when Hotaru began to speak -- he'd now become a part of their ranks.

"She is right," The crane added as she turned back to Antares, "Reiko seems to be unwell right now, so you cannot see her at the moment..." She explained further, with the assumption that the inkwell hadn't caught on before from switching tongue. There would be no use keeping something like that from him, even if the knowledge couldn't have been at a worse time. He was a part of these mountains now.

She approached his side again, after giving him the space to speak, and continued -- "We could use added muscle here to watch our keep. A man named @Tiberius takes up rank as samurai. Perhaps if you two run into each other, you could train and watch over the borders, too.". Izumi trusted Tib could get the Ostrega up to speed with everything that needed to be done in that department. He seemed nice......enough....

Stepping across the border now, besides where the young dovelette stood, a small chuff through her nostrils would invite Antares over the border that was now safe to cross.

"Would a tour around suit you well, or would you like some solitude to get a feel for the place yourself?

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Hopefully, his looming sense of never having been on this side of one of these meets before was not too obvious here before their judgement. They seemed to agree that he was fine, though, and he smoothed into a grateful nod before pricking up his ears anew. A lot to absorb, he frowned at Reiko's circumstance first, though had no issues waiting to meet her. That was plenty reasonable to him, and if they were fine to keep him around, then all the easier. Sounded like there could be a good place to make use of himself as such anyway, especially if this was any indication. More details, ones even looking into their inner fold. Again, he nodded. This time a touch more sure of it now that he had somewhere to try to stay and settle.

“Sounds good,” he replied, dipping his muzzle to his chest. He meant all regards, and to them both.. he would meet Reiko later on sometime, consider this samurai fellow too--or at least know to look out for him if their interests may overlap. “Thank you.” he said with a slow sway of his tail before he could get caught up pondering the lengths of it. Ultimately, the Ostrega was not sure if he could revel in this feeling.. of odd relief and uncertainty and hope and.. a whole lot more that he simply should swallow back down.

He followed the lead and pressed forward, one foot before the next, content to be distracted by her question in the meantime. Though it was tempting to accept, he should probably.. take a moment to himself. The day had been strange, and it was only to be full of more unknown from here. Maybe he should decompress, and, well, he wasn't entirely sure what else. Take some time to recede into himself just enough while simultaneously soaking up this new place? Ideally. “I should go solo for a bit, I think. Is it okay if I find you again soon..?” he replied to Izumi, finishing on a lick to his teeth, and nerves still tighter than he wished. Maybe some motion would help that and maybe she could appreciate him not following her around for a little while. But, he did still fully intend to look her way when he was ready to absorb more of the finer details.

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Luckily, Hotaru wouldn't have to do much of the leading aside from formally accepting Antares into their ranks. Izumi took care of informing the dark man of their current...situation and even offered for him to seek one of their samurai that might help him get acquainted with a similar role now that he was amongst their ranks. Though he wouldn't be a samurai of his own for some time, she couldn't see any harm in him following on around and what kind of tasks they carry.

Izumi also offered the man a tour of the place which she was also thankful for. She hadn't even considered that her mother usually showed newcomers around, but wandering the territory with him alone felt rather uncomfortable even with Izumi vouching for him. He would deny though, requesting to find some time to himself first.

“Well, uh, it sounds like you two can sort out the rest from here. I will make sure to inform my mother of your arrival once she returns. If you need anything...” well, truthfully she didn't really want him to seek her out, but that was her job now, “um...call.” If there was nothing left to add, the pale girl would give a nod of her head to the crane and then Antares before making her way back into the territory.

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 A simple "No problem" would be given in response as the young dovelette turned and made her way back into the territory, which the crane would mean both literally and figuratively. She didn't want to bother Hotaru with any further inquiries -- in finding out what she'd been put up to do and the general discomfort she felt around Antares -- and decided that she'd be able to take it from here.

 In regards to Antares, her offer to show him around was denied and the princess would accept this with a soft head nod. She would've liked the idea of guiding him through the mountains and was a little disappointed by it, but respected his decision nonetheless -- the Ostrega probably had a lot to think about now that hee was here.

 "Always," she'd answer softly, "--and don't be afraid to seek me out if you're in need of anything else. I'll be off then..." and with that, she would leave the boy's side to head into the mountains herself.

 

-Exit-

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Yes, he didn't want to over-complicate this, but his social graces were rusty and it had been a considerable day already. Antares' head reeled but over the din, now he could remind himself to be relieved. Settle. Rest. He would probably be able to make better first impressions after that. So he hoped, anyway, and gave Izumi another grateful nod. Soon, he intended to find her for more, but again, he thought he would retain more after a meal, wash, and sleep.

After seeing both her and Hotaru off, he took a deep breath and went with the first whim he caught. He trusted he would figure out a process along the way, and slunk off for a thoughtful meander all his own.

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