<3 SSWM: 405
Ulilohi was just returning. The trials of this tribe were wearing her out already, and she found little time to stay in her home - or whatever you would call it. How had Dawali managed this life? To be so far away from the rest of his own family, even his daughters. She had always considered herself capable, but now she was doubting herself. It was a life she had not prepared for, and now she faced tests that were way out of her league, and well past her training. She longed for Chief Aatu's advice, but he could only reach her with messengers every so often. At the same time, she felt the aloness of this position and the togetherness with this little beaten tribe. She could rebuild it, she knew it, but it was difficult, and she did not know all the faces as well as she would like to.
She saw the mare and the figure next to it while she approached the Great Fire along the central Village road, and suddenly grew hesitant. Foxglove. Ulilohi had heard the story of Maska's reign so many times now, she knew the details from many point of views. The brown wolfess could not understand why the wolfdog had not turned her back on the tribe that had wounded her so. The failure to understand this strange loyalty made her hesitant to speak with the smaller female. It made her feel as if she would be required to make good on a personal level - something she could not truly commit to. She knew that as a leader, it was best to stay somewhat distanced to the tribesmembers. It was hard to be distanced in the face of suffering.
Ulilohi breathed in and approached the female and her horse, making sure to make enough noise so that Foxglove would not be taken by surprise. Sitting near the fire, its voice could easily drown out other sounds - Ulilohi had been startled there many a time before. "Unalihelitseti, Foxglove." She spoke in a deep voice, but it was not unpleasant. It was a gift from her mother, but Ulilohi did not sing as well as she. "Dohitsu - how are you?" She did not know if Foxglove knew the tongue fully, but she assumed she had heard some of the formal phrases and greetings. Still, she added on a translation, so as not to cause awkwardness.
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