Settling In

Walk | Talk | Think

Miksa nodded his head as Varda agreed to seek him out should she need any help, though the more he thought about it as they walked the more it seemed unnecessary. She was a strong, capable wolf all on her own and, he suspected, would be able to handle the process of finding and securing a den for herself without him, no problem. But it did feel good to offer his assistance, even if it was not needed. They were all they had, really. He did not know for certain if Varda knew of any of her other family members still living in the region, or if she was close with the family that still remained in packs surrounding their old home, but Miksa considered her an important part of his whether he had put it into those terms or not. Combined with his sense of responsibility, he was looking out for her best interests, even if that meant making sure something as basic as her living arrangements were satisfactory.

She answered his concern succinctly, offering no details or insights that could be used to better determine for himself whether she spoke true or not. But what reason did she have to lie to him? He trusted her word and hoped it would be enough to settle the worrying voice that nagged him in quiet moments of thought. It surprised him when she quickly turned the question around on him, but not enough to trip up the answer he had. Miksa blinked his bright eyes and dropped his gaze to his dirt stained forelegs, smiling a little. "I guess I must be," the wolf observed, his voice earnest and touched softly by good-natured humor. He had a den now; that was a good sign, right?

He thought, trying to think of something to say that had nothing to do with settling in or adjusting to a new style of pack life, but under pressure everything felt jumbled. He could not think quick enough, and before anything could come to him Varda acted. It was quite quick, at least to him. One second they were strolling along, nearing the lake, and the next she was pressing her paw to his shoulder with a grin and initiating a game of tag. The unexpectedness of it made the white wolf stop in his tracks, his thoughtful look blanking, but as Varda bounded ahead, gaining a head start, Miksa smiled again. "Hey," he called after her, laughing below his breath as he gave chase. When was the last time he had participated in a game? Could he even remember? He felt awkward and unsure about the whole thing, but still he ran, not fast enough to close in on her but just fast enough to follow as he tried to decide how to react.

MIKSA