Silent Moon Plateau Thunderpaws

Tempers flared and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. The grown ups were angry, and it was all his fault. The white one spoke to his mother in a way that made the hair along his spine want to stand up (until his attention turned on the boy with his suggestion that he should be asked and then he shrank further under his mothers legs).

He expected the big gold one to yell at him and he cowered down lower to the ground beneath his mothers stomach. But the voice that came forward was friendly, and focused just on him. He stared into eyes as bright as the strange wolfs coat a moment longer than most might be comfortable enduring from a grown adult. “I-“ he started shakily, stepping forward from under his mother to better see the kerfuffle he had caused. “I fell down.” he said, still certain he was within the confines of Fallen Tree Cove. “The white bleater chased me and I fell down and then I got wet and fell down more.” He had already told them this, the knowledge bought a scowl to his face. Grown ups never listened.

“I don’t know you.” he said to all of the gathered wolves but his mismatched eyes rested on the big one that was talking to him. “Where did you come from?” It was then he realised he couldn’t smell the lake with its mineral tang and he became genuinely concerned. “What happened to the big water ma?” there was a hint of panic in his youthful voice. Had the sky water chased it away? What would they drink when they got thirsty?!

It was useless on the tawny man's behalf attempting to soothe the worried mother of his brood, the signs of near frantic emotions etched deeply upon the silver face of his beloved wife. It was only with the downpour saturating the world outside the communal den that struck sense into the fretting woman and kept her from disappearing into the chill of the night in search of their lost prince. A haphazard rescue mission that surely spelled disaster had she ventured outside. Alas, the sun had parted the ominous clouds come morning leaving the matriarch more determined than ever to find their missing Aleister. Against his soft voiced pleas, Namid was dashing from the den quicker than a rabbit scurrying for home with a fox hot on its trail.

Time seemed to drag out as Vespertio manned his station within the heart of the territory, the remaining pups vigilantly under his watchful, golden gaze until the anticipation and worry became too much for even himself to bare. A call was ordered for the stormy pelted man and pack second, Anthem, handing the torch of pup sitting unto him before allowing creamy limbs to blaze across the rain slicked ground in the wake of his wife's trail. The low hum of conversation in the distance catching the regal man's attention as pads altered their path of travel to head towards the unbeknownst location of the missing prince and collection of tense wolves. One of which had crossed paths with the tawny man in a prior greeting.

Slowly the scent of his family grew stronger while the scent of others began to intertwine around them like a cacophony of aromas. All of which registered unfamiliar until a more dominate musk teased his senses. A cologne detected only once before.

It didn't take long for the king of the lake to reach the grouping, hearing the golden one speak first before Aleister spoke his piece. The tension thick enough to temporarily force the Vuesain to press his ears against the back of his skull and tense his own body before righting them as his side pressed reassuringly into his mates. Silently informing her that he was there and he wouldn't let anything happen to those he loved. hoping it would put the femme at ease. Scanning over those present he couldn't help but feel his stomach clench a bit upon settling his golden optics upon the ivory male. Quick flashes of their last encounter danced across his mind and the poisonous words that Phineas has spoke about his ex-lover. What karma it was that his words had come true and now he be at Phineas' front door with his own son.

Waiting until his son finished speaking, Vesper interjected in hopes of keeping the situation from escalating. He hadn't been there more than a minute or two and already he knew things weren't looking too good. "I believe a misunderstanding is at hand if I understand my son's words." The last thing any of them needed was a donnybrook to break out.

Gilligan physically relaxed when offered a nudge by his own father, deeply relieved that the older wolf believed his explanation. It helped that the puppy’s tale did not differ that much from his own, and thankfully, his alpha was quick remind the woman just who’s territory she was actually on. Fortunately, the wolves of Silent Moon Plateau were much less interested in bloodshed than the half-mad mother, and the ginger stuck close to his father’s hindquarters, puttering after him as he moved. Peeking around Datura’s bulk, he fixed his bright orange eyes back on the center of attention as his ears continued to swivel.

“That’s what I said,” he grumbled. Had he been able to read minds, the youth would have sympathized with Aleister’s thoughts on the matter. How many times would they have to explain it to the adults until they understood it was just a chance meeting? Glancing down at the boy, he rumbled softly. “We live here. S’why I was confused to see you, yeah? Thought you were someone I knew, for a second.”

This time, Gil was careful not to tack on his slang, very aware of the golden bulk hovering right in front of him. He glanced from the child to Phineas, waiting to see if his alpha had anything else to say when yet another wolf made an appearance, stinking of the same pine that the wraith did. Ears folded backwards worriedly as the odds changed yet again, and the redhead mumbled softly as he ducked his head, rolling his eyes. Obviously it was a misunderstanding. Thank goodness someone finally picked up on that.

“Maybe you should…take your kid…and just go home, yeah? No…harm done.”

And don’t come back, his mind offered bitterly, but even loose-tongued Gilligan knew such a threat was not his to make.

The tension in the air was palpable. While he couldn't yet fully grasp big words like misunderstanding he did understand his mother when she told him he had come too far and this was not home. Worry lines were emphasised by his dark facial markings, batty ears exaggerating his concern as the satellites came to rest against his crown. "Oh dear." he muttered quietly, extracting himself from beneath his mothers towering form as the big white one spoke angrily. This was all his fault.

With his parents so near his fear and frustration had evaporated, leaving instead a burning feeling beneath his skin that he couldn't quite find a word for. "I'm sawry." he finally spoke to the toes of the big white wolf. "I didn- mean ter get lawst." his voice had shrunken until it was little more than a muttered murmur. Shyly, his eyes sought out the one that had found him first, offering a small wave of thanks. Maybe when he was bigger, and his mother wasn't so mad, they could meet again and do something fun. Right now though, he was sure he would be in a whole lotta trouble when they finally made the long trek home.

A subtle prod of his muzzle to the base of Namid's ear was a small attempt at dousing the flame burning within his mate upon hearing the faint notes of a growl in her throat. He hadn't needed verbals words to convey his 'Don't' statement. A fight was unwise when on the grounds of another, less being outnumbered with a child at risk. They would have to accept their wrong doing and hope the ivory coated man would let them go with nothing more than harsh words to scrape their ears.

Indeed it would seem such as Phineas's voice filled Vespertio's eardrums, forcing rust tinted audits to once more seek the comfort of his skull. The tawny patriarch couldn't disagree with the hissed words pouring from white furred lips, a single paw beginning to step backwards to start his path of retreat. Side pressing harder into Namid's to advice she do the same with Aleister in toe. "I apologize for my mate's behavior and we will do our best to avoid future altercations." With that spoken golden irises shifted from the face of Phineas to his wife and son, urging them to begin heading back for the safety of the lake ahead of him. "Come, it's time to go home son." His heart ached hearing the shrunken voice of Al attempt to correct the wrong that had occurred, but what was done was done. No apology offered now could fix the great harm caused as the heights patriarch had mentioned. It was too late.