{thumbs up} 'kay; let's try this.

On a partly cloudy day like today Fenru had resorted to staying inside the den while his brother and sister went off exploring on their own. He knew they couldn't have gone off too far but he was rather glad that they let him be. At first he tried to just sit at the mouth of the den, pretending to be 'a guard' like he had seen his father do a couple times before he drifted off to sleep; but, eventually decided they he would just lay down inside, resting his head just high enough on the small slope so he could see what lay beyond the den. The corner of his mouth twitched, then his nose and an ear. Things had changed so much since "Dad" came back. He no longer saw "Pssssper" and only caught glimpses of his uncles whenever he and his siblings were allowed to leave the clearing that was the heart of the Swift River territory. With Indru around, "Mum" also seemed to be out and about more than usual, which left him feeling a bit insecure sometimes.

He inhaled just enough to fill his lungs then sighed deeply. His mind randomly went to thinking about eating mushrooms and what they could have tasted like if they were actually edible. His brow furrowed and his copper-hued eyes narrowed at the thought. Perhaps fungi wouldn't taste so bad if they grew on something other than trees...

when i look at the stars i feel like myself

In the distance, the grass and other forest debris shifted... like someone was coming. Fenru glanced to the forest beyond the secluded clearing and swiveled his ears forward to take in the sound of footsteps. Maybe Hael and Kisla had come back for him or perhaps Mum came to check up on the den. His spirit lifted at the possibility of the latter thought but when the dark figure of Uncle Triell came into sight between the trees, he eased back into the languid state he had been in moments before. He didn't mind the older Tainn at all, truthfully, and he guessed that he just didn't find his appearance... surprising - even if he did arrive with a small meal.

Triell stopped a few feet away from the den entrance and Fen lifted his head at the inquiry. Coyly he shook his head; the large ears atop his temple swayed to amplify his gesture. His stomach at the moment was just not feeling like anything - neither empty nor full. He climbed out of the den and shook out his mottled coat before sauntering forward to meet him at the edge of the invisible fence. His eyes went to the lifeless leporid on the ground before meeting the golden irises of his uncle. "Where's Mum?" he queried, almost in a sullen manner.

Bright eyes study the pup before him. It was amazing how fast they were growing, no longer the small puffs of flesh, but looking like the minatures of their parents in one way or another. The edge of his cheek flinches in a lengthed smile. Fenru did look like a minature Indru to an extent, and his eyes were certainly the same fiery orange. Surprisingly the boy isn't hungry. Triell runs his tongue over his moist lips. Fenru was not like Rihael. He was definately more quiet, a follower, especially of his mother. Dark brows press, and his haunches fall without a sound to the ground. He knew he didn't scare the young Tainn, but he didn't feel like that was exactly a good thing either.

The boy wanders over, looking once to the dead creature. Large ears sweep up thinking he just might change his mind. He does not inquire of food he asks of his mother, missing her might be Triell's guess. He sucks in, and just as quickly lets out a puff of warm air. Of coarse Fenru would wonder where his mother was -why she wasn't here. The top lists of questions were; where was mom, and what was she doing."Well Fenru, I think she's probably trying to find something to eat, to store for the winter." He offered, unsure exactly what the gray leader was doing, but sure it was something like that. He could understand the boy's worries. If Triell had been his age he too felt he would not have liked his mother far. He certainly didn't like it now.

"She'll be back," he said assuringly his black tail giving a wag to extend the thought. Cori lived for her children, and Triell knew the last thing she'd do would be to leave them for too long. They had to know she'd do anything for them to some point. So he would believe. They had grown alot, but he wasn't sure how they saw the world, especially since it was changing so much. He lowered his head slightly, looking at the hare. "Do you think you can help be bury it?" He asks, hoping this might take his mind of things.

The word "winter" snagged around Fenru's eardrum but he meekly nodded. "Oh," he sounded. "She'll be back," Triell assured him. The younger Tainn gave a hint of a smile when his uncle's tail wagged. His mind tried to fathom the meaning of "winter" - what or when it was - but Triell asked if Fen could help bury the hare he had caught. He had actually forgotten about it until now.

"Okay," he chirped. For the past few hours Fen had been wondering if he should go off exploring; the problem was that he just didn't want to go out alone or with his siblings today. The fact that Uncle Triell had shown up and offered him a chance to leave his comfort zone was nothing short of perfect timing. If Mum was finding something to eat, he figured he might as well do something useful also. His head then tilted out of curiosity and he glanced up at coal-pelted yearling, "Where're we going?"

A smile flinched on his face, one of relief, when Fenru didn't inquire further. A single howl could get their mother here, but Triell hadn't wanted to do that. He wanted to get to know the pups, and hopefully be someone they could trust as well. It was little steps, but at least he had met them the day they were able to venture outside. He for the moment at least was the only black coated wolf in Swift River to be mistaken for anyone else.

His tail sways at the boy's answer, and he goes to reach for it when first Fen asks where they were going. The black wolf pauses for a moment, his lips seal. He meets the orange eyes. "Not to far, just a little ways from here," he says, lifting up his muzzle, and pointing to a well rounded tree that was five or so yards away. Triell had started putting caches in the once sleeping spot of Ozera. He had tried sleeping there, but didn't really fit so he figured he could put it to some use. "Come on Fenru," he speaks in an upbeat tone, quickly with open jaws he clasped them around the hare's scruff, and lifts. He did a double check where the boy was not to knock into him, and started a fast walk to the tree.

Triell tried to keep the black top of Fen in view, but had a hard time as he was trying to keep the hare up, and walk at the same time without tripping himself. Eventually the two made it, and Triell took a moment to look at the hollow beneath the trees roots. Then his neck arched so he could view the acme of the Swift River timber. No birds or squirrles today. Slowly he lowers the hare to earth, and with his nose he further inspected the tree making sure nothing had disturbed anything. He didn't smell anything but him, and reclined to his haunches. "So where shall we put it?" His nose tilts down to his nephew, feeling confident he could find a good hiding spot.

Questions brewed in the youth's mind, spinning and swirling like wisps of smoke in its expanding depths; but Uncle Triell didn't take him too far and he had no time to fire off his queries before they arrived. Fenru's tail swayed when they came to the site of several, large gnarled roots. He tested the area with his nose before glancing up at the yearling. The hollow he had picked out looked suitable and the younger Tainn nodded quietly.

"This spot here looks okay," he stated. He timidly reached out a paw to test a shallow depression between two roots. The earth there was hard and cool but his small claws were still able to dig into the soil. He glanced up to Triell, then clambered over to the other side of the tree. He studied the timber's other side for a few moments then came back around. "Definitely this spot, Uncle," he beamed. While he had a streak of confidence, he still sought out the yearling's approval, "Will that work?"

His eyes went down to where he had placed his paw moments ago, as if attempting to visualize how and where the large hare would fit in the space. "It won't... run away will it?" Death and the concept of being at the top of the food chain had yet to cross the pup's mind; for all Fen knew, the rabbit might've been pretending to be sleeping or something... As if at any moment it could possibly open its eyes and try to escape.

sorry for making you wait.

A wry smile, he observed the young Tainn as he seemed to agree, than put forth to test the ground. He didn't exactly remind him of Kinis, but there was a similarity there Triell supposed. Testing the waters so to speak. He did not offer advice at first leting the pup work out the problem, as he thought a good mentor would. So he thought, till Fenru questioned his own decision. Triell understood the uncertainty. He liked reassurance he was doing things right. "Well Fenru, what makes a good cache is a place you'll remember, and deep enough the birds won't get it. Really it's a fine spot." He thought that sounded rather grown up, it was kinda weird being the teacher, instead of the student. There was the smallest part of him, afraid he'd mess something up. He had learned from Indru, and a bit from Cori too actually so he wouldn't misguide their children would he? He didn't want to see either parents vesuvian side.

The child's question had Triell pause for a moment. He wasn't sure what to tell him. He tried to think how Indru or Ruiko had conveyed that exact thing to him, it seemed so long ago. What words had they used to put it? Being grown up was getting harder all the time. "No, the hare is in a sleep, it can't wake up from." He tried not to say it with much seriousness, but it sure came out that way. Great he was probably going to get in some sort of trouble, teaching Fenru the wrong thing or something. Or worse freak him out.

"When your mom teaches you to hunt, you'll understand." He said, his tone a bit more playful than weird, grown up Triell. He looked at the hare for a moment, dreading slightly what more questions would come. Quickly, as a distraction he asked, "So, how good a digger are ya? Should we see how fast you can go?"

Good ol' Uncle Triell... Fenru knew he could count on him for anything - from encouragement to security and anything of the like. The pup's tail wagged. "Really it's a fine spot," the yearling had said. Fenru smiled, even when he understood to some degree that the hare wasn't going to get up and run away. Good. In all honesty, he had been absolutely terrified of the idea... If it somehow escaped then he would have possibly costed Triell a future meal and he would probably have to make up for it in return... and he didn't know how to do that... just yet anyway.

"When your mom teaches you to hunt, you'll understand," Triell explained further. "Oh," Fen nodded, indicating that he got the notion. "'kay..." The yearling's next questions caught his full attention and the youth simply grinned. Days of playing in his little dirt hole near the den had taught him how to properly dig; the shallow crater had been just large enough to accomodate him when he first discovered it at 6 weeks old. Nowadays he could easily lay down in it, even sprawl out a bit so his hind legs and forepaws rested on the ledges.

"Yeah!" he chirped, glancing up at Triell. "Watch!" Placing one oversized paw out in front of him and digging out the soil, he repeated the process with his other paw. One small scoop led to another... and another... until the cache site had become five inches deep and wide enough for the hare's torso. Panting slightly, he stopped and took a step back. He eyed the hole curiously, tilting his head to one side before assessing that it probably wasn't ideal for his Uncle's stash just yet. "Do birds know how to dig?" he then asked curiously.

He was glad to see his answers sufficed the boy for the moment. He felt it much better if his mother taught the real concept of death, as maybe when they each grew older. Sadly Triell had learned it the hard way, by fire's way. He was not thinking of that now. He grinned at his nephew, glad to be spending some one on one time with him. It helped ease the gap that had been with the much coming and going of Tainns. It at least made Triell feel part of a family again, and not just an new addition.

Lips curled upward in happy expresion, and he observed Fen dig away rather quickly, and efficently at the unbroken soil. He really was impressed how much he wanted to get the job done, and had an inkling Fenru had a lot of potential. When the pup took a step back, Triell's nose hovered over the hole, breathing the fresh earth. Fiery eyes shifted to the hare, and ears flinched at this new question. He shifted back to his seat, and stared at the boy. "Well, some do if their desperate for food, soo maybe lets make this a little deeper?" He offered. The black wolf rose, and dug four or five more inches while piling the dirt up beside the hole. Sun hot on his back, his tongue stuck from the side of his mouth from a couple rapid pants. He licked his ink tone lips, trying to place his body in the shade.

"Nice work. Now, we need to bury it. Ready?" He blinked once staring into the bright eyes of the pup, but remembered they had to put the hare in the hole. He chuckled to himself, and grabbed for the limp carcass. He dropped it into it's hiding spot, and stood to the side waiting for Fenru to start covering it first. Then Triell could better situate himself beside the younger wolf. He certainly was not so small any more, but the black uncle still had a worry to accidently hurt those smaller than he.