Kitsune was settling back into her routines within Ashen. It was strange for her to be alone at night, and she found herself glancing in the general direction of the ocean at sunset, as if expecting to find some evidence of Iho there. She didn’t like being further from the ocean. After all, how would Iho find them again? But he knew where Ashen had moved to. He could come home any time. She just needed to wait for him.

It was late, and the sun had almost entirely fallen when she found herself prowling to the lake. The sound of water was soothing to her, and it was their largest source. She knew she needed to get on with sorting herself out a more permanent den, but she wanted Iho’s input it in. It made it difficult to settle into a place without him.

She reached the lake and was rather startled to hear the soft sound of weeping. She tilted her head, frowning at the sound. She followed the source of it, and caught his scent before she found him. “Enki, is that you? What’s wrong?” She asked him as she approached.


"Speech"

Life has been full of ups and downs for the young Enki and, lately, it seems that he has hit an all-time low. The pink pup has been separated from his parents and siblings due to cruel twist of fate. He had been walking with Kitsune during the time that the strange statues had appeared and, unfortunately, had fallen and broken his paw. Thankfully, the woman has a kind-heart and had taken pity on him by taking him back to her home in Ashen. He had settled in while his paw healed and then things got… weird. Of course, his mother had been notified of his location and it was deemed in his best interest to remain under the protection of the Ashen Empire while he healed.

That was all well and good; but then the pack moved. The broken pup had been bundled up and taken along with all the rest of the packs belongings and carted to the lands but, in the chaos, he lost track of the one wolf he truly knew and trusted; Kitsune. Since then, Enki has never felt so alone in his short life; the future looks bleak from where he sits and he cannot help but feel bewildered. Even the matter of a den seems like a monumental task for one so young and the boy decided to sleep near the small lake the pack has claimed. The winter nights are long and he feels so afraid every time he watches the sun sink below the horizon.

During the day he can pretend to be tough, like the whole the world isn’t crashing down around his young ears. Yet, under the silvery moonlight, curled up into a tight ball to try and hide away from the world, the pup is terrified. And tonight, is no different. He lays curled up in his small, makeshift den that he had carved out for himself, tears dampening his fur as he softly tries to cry himself to sleep. But, like every night that has come before, the sweet embrace of slumber is elusive. A sound catches his ears and the pup lifts his pale head, turning tear-filled eyes out toward the lake where he spies a fire-kissed form.

Kitsune’s voice reaches him and the pup sucks in a breath, suddenly afraid that his tortured mind has conjured her up from thin air. But he hears her soft paw-falls on the grass and Enki swiftly uncurls himself. Crawling out of his hiding place, the boy sniffles while aiming to move toward Kitsune and bury his head in the fur on her back. While he will be a yearling with the turn of the season and is nearing his full height, the young pup feels tiny right now. He flops onto his belly, attempting to curl around her and hold her, while he fights the sobs that threaten to break out.

Finally, his strangled, emotion-filled voice hits the air as Enki tearfully says, “You left. You… you went away. I was alone. I… got scared.” He clamps his jaw shut to cut off anymore sound as he presses his face into her back, tears wetting the fur there. There is so much that the pup is scared of but losing the only wolf he had known in the pack had been utterly devastating. Now that she is here, Enki does not want to let her go.


"Enki Klein"

Kitsune blinked in surprise as Enki responded first by closing the distance between them. Burying his head into her coat. She rested a paw over his back, looking at him in obvious concern. When he began to speak, her surprise only grew. She had no idea she had been a lifeline for Enki. She had kept an eye on him after he had come into the pack - of course she had, he was somewhat her responsibility for bringing him to Ashen.

She awkwardly patted his back some more. Having kids hadn’t really been something she’d given much thought to. If she had, there was the brief idea of what Iho would be like as a father - but things had progressed that far, and she had only recently reached her maturity. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be a parent, and Enki looking at her in the way he was was frightening. “I’m sorry Enki. I have responsibilities in the pack that led me away… have you been by yourself the whole time I was gone?”


"Speech"

As the large pup curls around the fiery coated woman, Enki tries to keep himself from sobbing. Everything has been so strange, his life changing from day to day and he hates how uncertain his future is. If he was stronger, he would be out there, fighting for his and his family’s freedom. If he was older he wouldn’t feel so lost when large upheavals happen in his life. The pink boy feels the woman’s awkward pats to his back and he hiccups out a low sob, immediately clamping his jaws shut to keep any more weakness from being heard.

As Kitsune speaks, he gently nods his head against her coat, softly saying, “I… didn’t want to bother anyone. With the move, everyone was so busy. I… I… didn’t know what to do.” A whimper falls out as he pushes his head deeper into her back. After a few moments, he asks, “You… okay? You were gone for so long. Thought something might have happened to you.” Finally, he peels his face from her, pulling back slightly so he can look her over with his pale blue gaze.

Enki sniffles and, suddenly, notices that she seems uncomfortable and he immediately moves to release her and back away while mumbling, “I’m sorry.” For what, he is isn’t sure of but he is sorry.


"Enki Klein"

She was starting to feel rather like she had let Enki down. She should have paid better attention to what was going on around her. If she had, she would have realised that the younger wolf was suffering. “It’s alright Enki. It sounded like you need… responsibilities, something to work towards. What do you think?” She asked, looking down at him. She was feeling her way, not entirely sure what the right answer was.

“I-I was exploring.” With Iho she thought softly, only to return without him. “It’s important to know what's going on around Ashen. He started to back away, and she released him. Feeling lost once more as she looked at him. She wasn’t accustomed to feeling responsible for someone. [b] “Is there… something you’d like to be doing? Or learning?”


"Speech"