This place isn't to bad I promise. (Violet x Makani)

[Reoakee]

Starring at her namesake she wondered how long it would take for Makani to come and find her. She was his companion, but life often called and Violet left Makani from time to time to go and visit her mother Rois in the Yukon Gang. Never once had she dragged Makani along knowing how much the other fox disliked the cold. Blowing on the flower she watched it dance while she contemplated. She had heard of a waterfall nearby and wanted to see it. Pity it was on another tribe’s land. But she figured that it wouldn’t be too much of a problem to see. From what she had been able to gather the other tribe was a nice one. She sighed and wondered if perhaps it wasn’t a mistake to have Makani come to the mountains to get her. He did so dislike the cold and even though it was a warm enough day to her she was certain he would be suffering. They would have to descend the mountain fairly quickly.  

[jinxgirl5]

Makani shivered, reminding himself that it was better to keep moving if he wanted to stay warm, and by moving quickly he could get to Vi and get out of these cold mountains. Though he had now been away from his tropical home for quite some time he still suffered from the cold much worse than other foxes, and honestly couldn't see what others saw in it. He was careful not to say anything to Vi. After all her mother lived in the mountains and it was where she herself was born and grew up; complaining about the place would not only be pointless, it would also be cruel. It wasn't like Vi could do anything about it, except for what she was doing now and visit the mountains on her own to spare him. He knew if she could do anything more she would have, and it made him feel bad to see that little bit of dismay and worry on her face whenever he did complain.

Of course if it had been anyone else it would have been an entirely different story. Makani was not at all shy about letting anyone else he came across hear of his extreme dislike of cold and hints that he couldn't understand why anyone would want to live in it, but though he wasn't quite as vocal about either these days and couldn't help himself from his occasional snipping he never said anything where Violet might overhear.

Makani huffed under his breath, white fog forming in the cool air. Hopefully Vi was close, he had to be near their meeting point. "Violet," he called, listening to his voice ringing through the air and hoping to hear a response come back to him.  

[Reoakee]

A soft sound carried on the wind made Violet’s ears perk. She knew that voice well enough. Smiling she stood up and the flower at her feet was forgotten. She bounded off in the direction of the sound. “Makani! I’m coming.” Stones skittered about as she dashed toward the call. He had found her just like she knew he would. All around the sound of Makani’s voice was echoing in the clear air with her own following her shout to join his. It was nice to hear the voices together like that. For some reason Violet liked staying with Makani. She knew that he loud and brash in his words and his views were sometimes bit harsh, but still she cared deeply for the male and was glad to be his companion. She felt bad whenever he got angry or upset. She didn’t feel bad for others but rather for Makani himself who seemed to suffer in the weather and the different culture that existed here compared to his home. To make matters worse he still hadn’t really spoken with his sister. Vi had a sister who she hadn’t seen in a long time, but she knew she could always go and find her sister or at least her other mother in Phoenix city. Makani didn’t even have that luxury. She had asked around her mother’s tribe to see if perhaps anyone had seen a vixen that was like Makani, but to no luck. Perhaps her grandmother might know something. Though how could she ask Makani to stay while she went hiking in the mountains more. He had no idea that she had even been asking around about his sister. She kept a smile on her face for when she saw Makani next, it was the least she could do.
 

[jinxgirl5]

Makani had stopped, head cocked, to listen after he had shouted so he'd be able to hear just in case Violet was nearby and called back; crashing through the underbrush certainly wouldn't help his hearing!

He didn't have to wait long. His call hadn't even yet stopped echoing when he got a response that he instantly recognized as Violet's voice. Displeasure at being on this cold mountain aside, Makani felt a warm rush of affection and protectiveness at the sound.

Violet was one of the few foxes he'd met in this land whom he could get along with. She actually listened to his griping and complaints, and offered suggestions without sounding sarcastic or patronizing. Most foxes quickly lost patience and snapped at him, but Violet seemed to actually understand that he was having a hard time still with his life change and her sweet caring actually gentled him into a tolerable mood.

"Over here," Makani called back, sitting down. "I'll wait right here while you find me." It made more sense for one of them to stay put while the other closed the distance. They didn't have exact locations on each other just yet, and if they were both wandering around it might take longer to find each other.  

[Reoakee]

Following his directions she careened across the rocky terrain heading toward the direction she was fairly certain Makani was. He sounded better than when she had left. He had sounded almost annoyed when she left but now that she was back his voice sounded fuller and cheerier. The thought of him happier made her smile as she ran. She bounded over a fallen log and saw him finally. He as calmly waiting for her like he said he would.

“Makani! It makes me so happy to see you again.” She slowed down to a trot and approached him. “I am sorry it took so long. I had a few things I wished to ask of my mother and her fellow tribe members.” The fact she had no info on Makani’s sister made her spirits drop a bit but it wasn’t too bad considering how much she loved seeing her mother again. “Still the trip was wonderful. My mother is doing well and is spending a lot of time with a fellow tribe member. I wish them both the best.” She was a bit embarrassed to think of her mother dating but she supposed it was normal.Vi had been born when Rois was quite young. She didn't bother with names since she knew Makani wouldn't know them anyway. “My grandmother lives in this area too, but I didn’t have time to visit her and to come back down from the mountains to meet you. Perhaps next time.”

 

[jinxgirl5]

Makani silently agreed, shivering a little in the chill air now that he had stopped moving and his muscles were beginning to cool down. "I seem to recall you tell me your grandmother is a Phim. She should easily be able to come down and visit her granddaughter rather than subjecting her to climb to and fro all by herself all over a dangerous mountain."

He felt a tiny twinge of guilt at that last part. It was plain and simple truth that Makani wasn't really any kind of help during mountain travel with his extreme dislike of cold weather and his ability to get hopelessly lost five minutes into the pines forests. Violet traveled much faster when she didn't have to baby him.

Yet every time she went off on a trip to see her family she reassured him that she would be fine and he didn't need to follow her cause it would be cold and she didn't want him uncomfortable and unhappy. And every time he'd yielded with relief. And every time the very next day after she'd left Makani could be found pacing restlessly with an unhappy look on his face and wracked with guilt at letting Violet leave by herself. Was he some kind of coward to let a young lady travel dangerous territory on her own just because he was a afraid of a little cold? It was inexcusable, no matter how much Violet reassured him.

That was why this time, after an intense battle with his hated of cold and self-loathing, he'd insisted that he would meet up with Violet near her mother's tribe and they could travel down the mountain together. He'd wanted to offer to travel the whole time with her, but his cold-hating side stomped down its foot on the idea of days and days of being stuck in the chill. It was probably better that way anyway, gave Violet a chance to enjoy time with her family outwith him being a shivering wet blanket about the whole thing.

"Well, shall we," he asked, gesturing back down the mountain and trying to hide his shivers. The sooner they got moving back into warmer air the happier he would be!  

[Reoakee]

“Yes my grandmother is a phim, but it would hard for her to come and see me if she didn’t even know I was coming. Because she lives with only her mat my grandfather Marcus on the mountain she doesn’t tend to get to much information on my travels. I know she see’s Rois from time to time, but other than that she has to get off the mountain to search for everyone else. I don’t think she’s seen my aunt Maylea since Maylea left to go see the work and perhaps join a tribe.” She gave Makani a smile. “Though I don’t think the mountain is that dangerous, but I did grow up knowing it fairly well due to mother living close enough by.” She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t dangerous at all but that would have been a lie. To a fox that didn’t know what they were doing heading to any mountain alone would be a death sentence. Her grandmother’s mountain was no different. Occasionally her grandmother had visitors from those who were foolish enough to climb the mountain. Violent knew the condition her grandmother found them is wasn’t always very pleasant. She would have felt so guilty dragging Makani along knowing how much he hated the cold and knowing what kinds of dangers he could face not truly knowing what to expect. What if he went across thin ice without knowing it and ended up breaking his leg or worse falling from the mountain?

“As you wish so shall it be.” She moved up next to him and rubbed her check along his having missed him so much. Then she started to head down the mountain. She wished she had more sources of information when it came to finding Makani’s lost sister but that was the way of things. Perhaps they would get luck and have luck later. Until then she would always keep an ear for Makani’s sake if he knew it or not. “So what have you been up to while I’ve been gone?” She was genuinely curios.


 

[jinxgirl5]

Makani felt a swelling of affection and pride, and returned the pressure when Violet leaned in to press her cheek to his before they started their journey.

He was silent for a moment, considering his answer to her question of what he'd been doing.

"A little of this and a little of that," he finally said. "A lot of aimless wandering, just keeping my ears open and picking up food as I go when I find it. Thinking about a winter den or whether it would be better to travel south." And brooding, lots of brooding, but Makani didn't think Violet needed to know that part. He didn't want to sound pathetic, not when she seemed so impressed with him.

"It was quiet all the way up until I came to meet you. Not much happened on the journey, either," he finished.  

[Reoakee]

“I see.” He was so amazing he didn’t ever seem to worry over things and she had no doubt that Makani keeping his ears open meant that he was still keeping an ear out for his sister. She may have traveled back south by now so staying up north wouldn’t do too much good. “Well I don’t know how far south we’d head but I wouldn’t mind finding a place further south so it was warmer for you. Though I think I might miss the snow so if we found a spot that only snowed a few times a year that would be very fun. What do you think Makani?” She hummed softly as she walked imagining what that kind of place Makani would really like to stay at.
 

[jinxgirl5]

Makani supressed a shudder. Snow. He'd had no idea the stuff existed until he'd gotten been swept away from his island. For him winter had meant nothing more than a slight drop in temperature and some cold rain.

It was just that snow was freezing and hard to move through, it was also wet! It there was any way to make him more miserable when he was cold, it was to make him wet and cold!

He'd gotten a little better at enduring it, mostly for Violet's sake, but like many things it was something he avoided altogether if he could.

"Well the further south you get, the less snow you see. Up to a point. If I understand it correctly there's an invisible line that divides the planet, and along that line are the warmer and more temperate climates that don't change much. My island was probably close to that line," he added as an afterthought, wondering just how far north he'd been tossed.  

[Reoakee]

Her ears were up as she listened to him while she moved further down the mountain. She was tempted to point out that if there was a mountain then there could be snow no matter where in the world you were, but she didn’t know that for certain so she kept her mouth shut and simply listened to Makani. She’d never heard the part about the invisible lines before so it was interesting to her. “I see. This place must be fairly far from home since there is snow about half the year or so.” She glanced back at him “There are things that are good about the snow thought if you think about it.” A question popped into her mind. “So how far south would you feel comfortable?” It was a simple enough question but there was more behind it then Violet cared to say. If Makani was longing to go home then she had no right to stop him, and perhaps his sister was already there. A part of her didn’t want him to go though.

 

[jinxgirl5]

"I don't know," Makani sighed, trying to suppress his unhappiness and confusion at the thought.

Honestly, if it had been just him he would have gone as far south as he could until temperatures began to feel like what he considered normal. He was used to more tropical surroundings and probably would have been more comfortable there. Like the plant represented on his flank, Makani couldn't flourish in the cold. If he thought about it Miliani was probably already somewhere south; getting off the island to explore didn't mean having to do a one-eighty in surroundings!

But, it wasn't just him anymore. Now, whenever he tried to think of a place he wanted to finally settle down in, he found himself first thinking of whether Violet would like it. The realization was a bit unsettling to him, since he'd never thought of the happiness of anyone besides himself or Lani before this, and he and Violet were only presumablely living together. It had never been confirmed in words, and Makani was terrified of making an assumption.

He knew if they did live together there would have to be compromise. Just like it would be unfair to ask him to live in a land of snow, so would it be unfair to ask Violet to leave snow altogether. Makani let out an inaudible sigh.  

[Reoakee]

“Well that’s ok. I’m sure you’ll figure it out with time.” Violet didn’t look at Makani though she wanted to. He sounded off. It was the same kind of off that he had ever time she left to go visit her family. “After all there’s no rule that says you have to settle down. I am pretty sure there is a whole tribe that goes and travels all over the place. My aunt joined it.” Gypsy? What that the name of the tribe? Vi was pretty sure it was, but Anila would know more than her about it. She decided she’d bring up the subject that was on her mind even if it didn’t help her at all. “Do you think your sister already left back for your home? No one in the Yukon Gang had idea information for me about her.” Did Makani even know that was the name of her mother’s tribe? She wasn’t sure if she ever mentioned it or not. Still at least it was something. If Makani’s sister weren’t here then she might be elsewhere, even far away. “If you think she went home then I’m sure you’d want to follow her.” Violet kept her voice light even though her heart was breaking at the thought of Makani leaving her behind. If he went home he wouldn’t need to take her after all she had only been his companion in/guide these lands, he wouldn’t need that at home.
 

[jinxgirl5]

"It crossed my mind at some point," Makani said carefully. "I imagine she'd be affected by the cold as much as me." A wry smile touched his lips. "If she's looking for me too it I'd bet on her going south. She knows what a fuss pot I am, she'd never figure on me sticking around here for very long."

Now that he thought about it, it did make a lot of sense from his old view point. If he'd failed to find a trace of Lani in the first weeks he would have headed down south for warmer weather. There would have been more of a chance of meeting up there than wandering this cold, wet land and hoping to cross paths.

The only reason she probably wouldn't go south was if she found someone to keep her from going, like the way Violet tied him here. It was always a possibility, though Lani had a lot more of a temper than he did.  

[Reoakee]

"Well then she’d be wrong because you’ve been here for quite a while, so I suppose you’re not really a fuss pot like you claim to be.” This was not going to end well. Violet could feel it in her bones. If Makani was right then his sister would have gone south and Makani would follow soon after. “So then shall we head south a ways and see if we can’t pick up any trail on her? If we can then we can follow it and find her. If not, well if we don’t find any trace of her I’m not quite sure what we’ll do but at least we’ll pick up one more spot she isn’t. Who knows maybe she’s looking for you and all this contact will make her able to find you.” What she wasn’t saying was that she hoped he decided to stay up north for the reason that his sister would be able to find him if she wanted to. It was a pretty weak logic since his sister would look for him down south first so she didn’t suggest it to Makani.