Wild Rye Fields Some Kind of Wonderful

For @griffin <3

Jessie’s children were her pride and joy in life. That did not go to say she did not enjoy her alone time. When she was not spending time with her children or Drestig – or attending to their borders, which were busier than normal – Jessie finally took the time she needed to herself. It was not to say that her family was overbearing or suffocating but having some time on her own did go a long way. She did not want to have to forego a two-month trip around the lore again to ensure her mental state remained intact. She was also immensely grateful for those who watched her children when she needed a short reprieve. The Tainn did want some one on one time with her children, however, and set out to find Griffin after she finished a round of the borders. As she grew closer to the heart of the territory her nostrils flared, desperate to cling onto the strongest scent of her son that she could find. When she was finally satisfied with what she found, she set on a steady pace towards the streams of the rye. The mother increased her pace slightly, anxious to know what her son would be doing there. As she neared, her jaws parted and she called out to him, “Gale?”

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de

The Fields, which comprised the young wolf’s home, were seemingly never ending. He could walk his best for most of the day, and still be surrounded by the same, tall, golden grass. Honestly, it was getting rather boring. There was only so much adventure to find within the confines of the pack, but Gale had yet to get a chance to slip outside the borders. His sitters were ever vigilant, and even when he did manage to slip away, he wasn’t very fast on stubby puppy legs; They always caught up. But it didn’t stop him trying. When he wasn’t running off though, or tormenting his siblings, the tan pup spent most of his time along the creek, chasing toads and watching water skipper bugs dance along the surface. He liked the water because it always changed, not as dramatically as he might have liked, but still better than constancy of the rye. So today he was bounding along the trickling waterway, giggling as smaller and larger critters sprang in all directions to flee his approach. Once or twice, her snapped at a frog, taking too long to get out of the way, but his heart wasn’t in the hunt. He longed for something greater, something new! He was just considering seeking out his brother, to distract him from this pressing longing, when a voice caught his ears, stopping him in place. This was a call he could not ignore, even at his most rebellious, he knew better. And so the young boy quickly spun on his paws, heading back through the grass to meet the silver-grey woman. “Hi Mama!” He greeted, bouncing up to touch his nose against hers with a lopsided grin; “What’chu doin?” Word Count: 286 "Speech"

dawnthieves.de

The mother’s heart beat anxiously in her chest but Jessie didn’t have to wait long for a retort from her dark son. They met one another halfway, his greeting warmed her heart. Though his question went unanswered for a moment as emerald eyes swept the area behind her child, eyes settled on the water before returning to Griffin. A smile formed on the pepper-and-salt colored woman’s lips at the obvious happiness that her son displayed. Jessie hoped that part of it was due to her presence but wondered what he’d been doing before she had arrived. The monochrome woman’s jaws parted to respond, “I was just looking for you. I’ve been quite busy lately, hmm? What were you up to?” The Rye Queen’s eyes narrowed on her son – though she was more curious now than worried. Her two sons certainly did get in the most trouble and she was grateful for Sphinx – always keeping her brothers in line. Jessie sometimes wondered if Griffins need to be troublesome stemmed from his brother’s energy. Truthfully, as long as they remained safe, Jessie didn’t mind what they did. The woman just did not want another situation as had happened the year prior.

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de

A young deer has been separated from the rest of its herd. Hunt Opportunity

Those sharp, green eyes fell on him, and Gale instantly felt a small stab of guilt, even though he hadn’t actually been doing anything wrong. They swept past him quickly though and his head turned to follow, tilting as he looked at the water, not seeing anything that could have drawn his mother’s interest. But they were soon back where they should be, and Griffin turned to smile up at her once more, tail wagging joyfully. Seeing her smile back was always one of the happiest moments in his day, no matter how strict she could be, he loved his mama, and she walked around frowning way too much. Now he yipped his approval, plopping his fluffy rear down on the ground, tail still sweeping back and forth among the rye. He was quickly developing quite the expertise in recognizing the tone of her voice. To outsiders, Jessie might seem like she mostly moved between different degrees of command, but her son knew better. While she might sound strict, he could tell that it wasn’t the scolding voice and answered accordingly: “N’thing. Jus’ playing.” Then, tilting his head again, eyes growing a little wider he asked her: “Why always so busy Mama?” It was true that the pups were often left to the other adults during the day, especially now that they didn’t need to nurse so often. Not that it was uncommon for the parents to seek out their children during the day - and they were always with them in the den at night - but there just always seemed to be something pulling them away. It was hard for a young pup to understand, and he missed having his mother around him constantly, even if she didn’t feel the same way. Word Count: 294 "Speech"

dawnthieves.de

The monochrome woman felt her heart warm at the bright smile her son displayed. He was so innocent and full of light. There was nothing Jessie would not do to ensure that he maintained that light within him for as long as she lived. Seeing her children's joy was one of the positive outcomes. There was nothing more she enjoyed than seeing their happiness. The petite woman's tail wagged behind her but her smile faltered when Gale asked a question. Eyebrows drew together and a sharp pain tugged at her heart. She would not exactly call it heartbreak but maybe guilt? The mother's jaws opened before they closed again. Emerald eyes scanned the territory again as if looking for an answer before settling back upon her son. What exactly could she tell him? Words caught in her throat and for the first time, Jessie found herslelf uncomfortable in front of her own child. To her, being busy was a state of being, it was who she was. The Tainn never thought it quite interferred with her parenting. The Tainn took a deep breath before she proceeded, "Well, it's very important that everything in the pack is organized... Your father and I are the ones responsible for that and everyone who lives here. Your safety is our priority. We just want to make sure that everyone is happy." Emerald eyes softened as she settled down on her haunches. If she were neglecting her duties as a mother more than she assumed she was, then the Rye Queen was going to pay more attention to her children.

foxstox @DA & Dawnthieves.de