Wander Through The Stars [Jupiter]

The festivities of the First Night were kicking off well, with the feast and drink flowing. She herself had abstained from the strong liquids. Some of the drink was kept well hidden, to be hawked as wares come the morning Trade Faire. She was glad to include the Faire with all the other events of the next week. She’d meant to hold one earlier than this, and to have all of this going at once in one week was thrilling to an extent that her skin tingled beneath her fur. Or maybe that was the damned heat cycle.

Wolves had broken off to explore the festivities, see previews of what would be up for trade on the morrow, now that all who would be arriving this Night had arrived. She had slipped from the main mass to stroll among the gers and yurts, nodding and smiling to any Festival-goers she passed, occasionally sharing a chat with one or two of the Nomads.

It came to a head when a male from the nomads passed downwind of her and paused, sniffing delicately before snuffing out through his nostrils to clear his nose, and his head, before circling respectfully upwind of the Spirit and murmuring gently in her ear, “You’ll want to get more of your perfume on. Your latest application’s faded too much.”

She coughed a soft laugh and whispered, “Thank you, Normiros. Tell Kalindia hello for me.”

Hurrying away with a cling of moonstone and silver beads from her headdress, she wove through the hide structures, though her composure was far from rattled. Aelloshir was with her and the inky cat stalked ahead of her, pale eyes glaring everywhere before he gave a short burr of a growl. Not threatening, but simply warning her of a wolf coming their way around the bend of a ger.

She paused mid-stride, considering. She’d managed to avoid any of the Festival participants since Normiros’ warning. The Nomads were trained from an early age to respect a woman in heat, and to stay upwind. And they had also abstained or drank very little of the strong drinks provided. She wasn’t so certain of the wolves that had come to enjoy the festival.

She wasn’t given much time to think before a colorful form came into view. And she knew the man. Despite her condition, she smiled, greeting easily as her tail waved gently, “Good Eve, Jupiter. How go the Festivities?”

She’d caught a glimpse of the young man during the Opening, but there were so many wolves to acknowledge in some way, and some hadn’t really approached her, that she hadn’t had a chance to greet him yet. And he had certainly grown into himself. He was easily as tall as her father, though with a runner’s elegance rather than a powerhouse of muscle.

Had he found his family, she wondered as she let her haunches fall, though she bent to murmur into Ayodele’s ear, “Could you get the scents, please, Dele? My usual.”

The Lemur nodded and dashed away, ringed tail in the air as the Spirits eyes turned back to the celestially marked man with a grin.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think