Cedarwood Forest let the flames begin

<i>OOC: sorry for the lateness D: </i>

Yeah, Hocus <u>really</u> wasn't a morning wolf. To be fair to him, he had been technically awake from the same moment as the other wolves, but he was so used to having to feign sleep to get Trisden to leave him alone that actually getting up had gone from difficult to nearly impossible. Not to mention that his sleep was filled with nightmares... again.

Hocus let the voices outside filter in through his perked up ears. There was Elettra there, defensive and protective, a new voice who sounded male. Was <i>that</i> father? Hocus could barely remember what he sounded like, let alone smelled like. Well he didn't sound welcome, at least not by Archer. She gave him something called thyme, at which Hocus perked up. Was that a test? Maybe he was some sort of demon and thyme would expose him? Or perhaps they were planning to poison him and eat him? No, that didn't seem like the sort of thing mother and her second would do, although that he even thought it was proof that he falling back into nightmare-land. Aggravated that he had to choose getting up for fear of facing yet another perplexedly complicated dream, Hocus stumbled towards the voices.

He could hear Trisden boldly introducing herself and he sped up, frightened for the brash wolf. He stumbled out of the den just as Jaysyek apologized for his tardiness. The new wolf was dark and would have been menacing but for the aura of niceness about him. Maybe he was too nice? Mother certainly trusted him though, so he probably wasn't too duplicitous. A test was in order.What question would fool a demon? The thyme hadn't tripped him up, if that was even aimed to, and mother hadn't caught a whiff of anything dodgy about him...

<b>"Is it morning or afternoon?"</b> Hocus asked bluntly, almost aggressively. It seemed fairly logically that were this creature an evil spirit he would not know what time of day it was because- why would he need to? He wouldn't need to sleep, nor eat nor play and so how would he conceive of time? Of course, Hocus' rather underdeveloped mind didn't think of it quite this metaphysically but this is the succinct way of rationalizing his train of thought.

(This post was last modified: Nov 21, 2011, 01:17 PM by Hocus.)

The experience had been an eye-opener. It was amazing to the male that bonds as strong as those formed between the members of the pack could even be forged; certainly his own past pack had not existed in that way, but existed for themselves only, cohabitatively, if even that. It was comforting to feel like a part of their connection, and at the moment he felt very content. <i>Home</i>, he repeated internally, smile widening shyly, as Jayse offered up a fitting welcoming. The thought sent chills through his body.

A sharp pain radiated through the male's abdomen - a reminder from his thick, worn body that a meal was past due - and he salivated at the thought of blood, flesh, and warmth. Although food was not much of a gift in comparison to what the pack had given him today - a place to belong, and a family to belong to - he thought it would be appropriate to bring something that would benefit everyone to the table, and contemplated devoting the rest of the day to the hunt.

<b>"Is it morning or afternoon,"</b> a small, bold voice asked from behind the other children, and appearing from the den was the last pup, and certainly the sleepiest. Kade glanced back at Jayse, excitement beaming from his eyes as the opportunity to meet the boy arose. This first impression was quite humorous, and the hewolf was relieved to know that he was not the only sleep lover of the pack. However, he was not sure that he should be the one to answer the boy's inquiry, as he did not want to seem too forward, though he was quite eager. He wanted to give his final introduction (minus one last one, that would involve the pack's other Second eventually), but felt that it was right to wait for the fluff-colored son to address him; Kade wasn't usually a demander of attention...

Slowly, and yet surely, would the children arrive- one by one. Firstly as Trisdan, which Elettra expected nothing less. She would stand bold, proud, and in a stance much as herself, just opposite of her at her mother's other side. She would speak her name correctly and prideful, much the same as Elettra and it would be without a doubt that Elettra's ways had rubbed off on at least some of the children, granted the much care both Jays, Raigo and Elettra had placed in them. Elettra noted he was not here, though did not doubt her second. For the most part it seemed, he was busy scouting the boarders then interacting with the members inside. Her attention would linger on Trisdan a few moments more, proud in the way she had learned and tha this time, she did not bother to push herself with a mouthy tongue. Arlette was next, delicate and smooth, informal but sweet and shy as ever. Then Theodore, questionable in his testing and last, Hocus in his late waking.

Elettra's main attention was to the new male, eye-to-eye with him as he would chew his Thyme, a smirk slowly rising over her features, but nothing more. She would only examine, watching the wave of her leadess tail, her touch to the new male and his shyness and glee in return. They would secretly eye one another back and forth, curious and hesitant in their subtle flirting. Elettra could not remember a time where she had felt such things, more hardened and of 'business' as she was raised, then anything else. They did not need an alpha male here, but it was without a doubt they were much stronger and protected with one, even if only as a figurehead. Elettra would keep a protective eye on Jaysyek against Kade, but also watch Kade's back in turn. After all, if he could prove well enough, he could lead them. After all, Elettra worried the day of Borden's return, should he try to wiggle his way back into high ranking again, something in such El did not believe him deserving of.

<blockquote>Trisden stood tall and bold, eyeing the new wolf, this Kade, and making no pretences otherwise. Mother had wanted them to meet him, right? So that gave them full judging rights, and Trisden wasn't about to pass the opportunity up. Kade replied with respect, and that pleased the girl, who nodded back at him as if to show that her opinion of him had gone up a notch. When Theo appeared, standing next to Trisden, she listened with curiosity to hear the reply to her brother's question. After all, Crux had disappeared, and the Lyall family were no strangers to abandonment. Though it would mean little to Trisden for this stranger to leave as well, she could tell that there was something between this male and her mother. If her mother was fond of this man at all, then, well, Trisden would just have to make sure that he stuck around. After all, her mother's happiness was one of her biggest motivators.

Again, Kade passed the test, and Trisden smiled in open pleasure at his response. Not long after, Elettra came, presumably to judge the male in her own way (and Trisden knew that if her mother's Second approved, then certainly she herself could) and then Hocus, rising from his slumber. The question he then posed was a bizarre one, for the answer was plainly obvious, and as such Trisden knew that it was her brother's way of testing Kade... but perhaps that was only clear to her because she knew her sibling so well; this fact seemed to pass Kade by, and Trisden frowned, fixing the male with a strict look.

<b>"He asked you a question,"</b> she stated bluntly, the exact meaning of the question (and what the answer was meant to deduce) lost on her, but she was compelled to support her brother's cause nevertheless.</blockquote>

[ I'm not sure when to wrap this up... ]

The warm grin on the male's face widened at the sister's interjection. <i>How rude of him</i>, he thought to himself, knowing that he shouldn't be so meek as to wait for someone to answer for him. <b>"It's not quite afternoon yet,"</b> was his quick reply to the white pup. After his trek from the lake to the east during the night, he himself couldn't help but to think for a second about a nap, the likes of which he would not enjoy at any time in the near future. More pressing was the hunger that lurked in his stomach, the hunger that was surely lurking in the children's stomachs as well.

The climate of the forest was warm now in the presence of the sun as she crept higher into the sky, which was mottled with sheets of cream and gray clouds. It was beyond him how time seemed to pass so fast, bringing change along with it. It was as if his previous time alone in Relic Lore had been a dream - or a nightmare - that he wasn't sure that he had really experienced or woken up from. As he glanced around at the pack, he knew that there would be many more tests to come as winter closed in around them all.

The hardest tests had yet to pass, though beoming familiar with a new unit, a family, and letting go of his own selfish ways were more difficult than he'd imagined.

(This post was last modified: Nov 29, 2011, 08:23 PM by Kade.)

<blockquote><i>Here's my last post,<s> then pups can reply once more and we'll call it good. :)</s> </i>

Hocus submerged out of his dreams, and a smile was brought to her face seeing her eldest boy. What would he think of Kade? Easily she knew he was working something in his mind, and was surprised by his sharp question. She did not think what was important about the matter, like Trisden knew it was important to the boy, and so she did not answer. No, this question was also for Kade as part of his acceptance into the pack as a whole, and she held a silence like a spectator for what was to come. Kade appeared eager, but did not respond to Hocus' question. She let the silence keep, actually watching El across the way who was observing the whole thing with no doubt her own thoughts upon the matter. Jayse too wished Raigo was here, but wasn't about to bother him knowing he was keen on pulling more than his fair share, and could possibly be resting, or far in the forest attending to things.

She had in mind to lead the children out for a hunt, and let Kade have a moment of peace. It was Trisden who broke the quiet, letting the newcomer know it was his answer that was needed. Once more Kade supplied the answer, though if it was right or wrong she didn't know. Mismatched eyes held her son's blue pair for a time trying to decode the reasons behind it. She couldn't decide, and rose to her stand.It was time for everyone to let Kade out of the lime light.

<b>"Alright, well I think we best be finding something to eat, and let Kade be. Come on pups, should we see what we can find?"</b> Her tail waved eagerly behind her, and she started heading away from the den sure the offer of food would easily bring them. </blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Dec 07, 2011, 01:08 AM by Jaysyek.)