There seemed to be an influx of new wolves to AniWaya, as far as Unatsi could smell—not that he was a particularly perceptive wolf. Honestly, most of the scents in the area were new to him, as he’d only been in the smaller sect of the Tribe for a few weeks now, and not very sociable besides. Udanvti had gently reminded him that he’d need to change that, especially if he was going to advance in his knowledge in his new rank, but he was still afraid of rejection. His dishonorable behavior years ago still weighed on his shoulders and replayed over and over in his nightmares.
Honestly, the best way to start actually making acquaintances was to walk through the village about fifteen times until he bumped into someone—at which point he’d begin the spiel he’d been reciting in his head since the morning, and if they didn’t outright punch him in the face, he had a shot at making a true friend in the Tribe. Besides Udanvti, of course, but she was a spirit guide, so she kind of had to like him. Or at least tolerate him. Did she like him? Maybe she was just pretending so she wouldn’t get—
A raucous cawing made the underbuilt luperci jump, his big ears snapping down into his brown mane. He threw his white arm up in self-defense as he saw the crows chasing down one row of wood and stone huts, but the scraggly corn-killers didn’t seem to recognize the farmer as their mortal enemy or whatever. It was odd to see the birds so set on heading somewhere, though, and with some hesitation (wondering what Udanvti would tell him to do, if she decided to show herself), he began to walk down the dirt path.
There was a bit of shouting from up ahead, and the ruddy man hesitated before breaking out into an awkward lope in that direction. Unfortunately, the crows decided it was time to turn back at that moment, and there was a collision; black feathers and tufts of red fur exploded as a flailing Unatsi managed to get free of the scrabbling, panicked vermin. Even more unfortunately, he struck his foot on a stone and stumbled forward—and the only way to catch himself was to grab the arm of the silver stranger ahead of him, potentially dragging them both down to the ground.
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