don't think twice

<blockquote>Before Lettie went into some sort of panic frenzy Elettra arrived, and instantly the white pup relaxed. She would set Trisden straight, and her words did just that. One thing Arlette knew, they were safe with Elettra around no question about it. Yellow eyes narrowed slightly at the stranger, indicating if he was up to trouble, trouble had found him. As Elettra asked them same question she had to Tris, she looked at her sister who was still speechless. She was pleased to see Trisden take a moment over the sitation, but Arlette was not one to smile smugly -not in this. Large ears cupped forward when Tris started saying something about the pack. This new wolf introduced himself, and she gawked at him like he was some sort of figment of her imgination. Elettra was here, but Lette was apprehensive about this stranger without her mother reassuring them. Still she listened, his name being Crux, and a pleasnt twang to his tone. She did not stare to long at the large male, she looked to Elettra looking for some kind of clue how to take this. If it was alright, or if they should be fearful.

It wasn't Elettra who spoke next. It was the bold tongue of her sister which cut the very brief draw for air. Would she ever feel the need for silence? Arlette kinda assumed she was still on shaky ground, and she watched her cream sibling from the corner of her eye, wishing she could be that brave for a second. Talking to a stranger, and Elettra like it was nothing. Honestly if she could speak half as good as Trisden she would talk more too, or she often thought. She'd stopped talking when father had dissapeared, and it became worse when Prosper had left. She hadn't quite praticed she got all sorta tongue tied now, words just didn't come out he way they should have. She sat a little taller, once more looking to the blacker wolf for indication of what to do. Forehead furrowed, and with her curiosity overriding her fear she found her own tongue. <b>"ou o mum?"</b> She asked, quite timidly.</blockquote>

Elettra would offer a small dip of her head to mimic that of Crux in greeting, her eyes moving between the new light colored man (yet another pale wolf in the pack!) and the child, now lowering her head in submission and mumbling under her breath on behalf of the pack. The other child, light as her mother, held an interest in her gaze, looking to her and speaking something Elettra was not sure of, granted her broken english. A frown pressed Elettra's Archer's gaze for as a woman built upon royal bloodlines, had been taught to speak correctly and properly. Slander was frowned upon, much as she frowned now and half-breeds and tainted blood was of disgrace and disgust.

Her attention would focus between both children a moment longer to speak. “As a new member, I'm sure he does. And if he strays, I assure you, princess, that it will be I or your mother, who corrects him.” After all, Elettra had no hesitation to get her paws dirty and as time before, it was her wild vengeance along the side of the former second that had literally drug out the omega by his tail so Jaysyek did not get her paws dirty whilst with child. While Raigo supported Jays gentler nature, it was Elettra on her other shoulder, speaking her realism by her different views and laying down what was needed by the harsh laws of pack life.

Now, stepping towards the children more closely, her white rimmed lips would peel back in a bit of intimidation towards them, black muzzle jutting in the direction of the former Grizzly den. She would wonder if she would prove a titubant to the children, sending them trembling and perhaps back to where they belonged by her warning in posture. "Now. The both of you- to the den." Her jaws would snap, hoping to send them on their heels and darting into the other direction. After all, she rather doubted their mother would be pleased with their far roaming from the den site, nor the fact that whilst they were still with an adult, it was not one Elettra would consider trusted enough to be left alone with just yet.

<blockquote>As the outspoken <span class='word'>flaxen</span> pup smiled, Crux snickered inwardly, amused that his joke had passed right over her little head. The other pup, the lighter-colored one, didn't seem to be too good at speaking for herself just yet. For the moment, kids remained confusing, the white male having learned only that they didn't understand sarcasm. He noted Elettra's words, the not-so-subtle hint that he'd better not cause trouble evident to him. But he wasn't here to wreak havoc upon the pack. Instead he had come to be a member, as honest of a pack mate as he could be. He needed this pack as much as they needed him, and despite his natural alignment as an evil wolf, his self-serving interest had been extended to the well being of Grizzly Hollow. Crux was here to provide for and protect the pack, to operate in its best interest— no matter what he had to do.

So, he offered Elettra a pleasant smile, emerald gaze falling upon the pups momentarily as she banished them to the den. At this, he looked at her once more, tail giving a small flick as his smile turned into an apologetic frown. <b>"I'm sorry you had to find me like this,"</b> he admitted, tilting his head in order to seem more sincere. It was true that from the moment he'd encountered Trisden, he'd been anxious about being discovered in the presence of Jaysyek's pup. Mothers were very protective, he knew. <b>"Jaysyek mentioned her pups, but it didn't occur to me that I'd encounter them while exploring the den area. My fault, I know,"</b> he added.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Arlette's quiet question seemed to go ignored, which didn't sit well with Trisden. Had she not been using all her courage already, she might have better stood up for her less extroverted sister, but Elettra was too intimidating and too quick. From anybody else, the word 'princess' would have brought a smug smile to her lips, but Elettra knew exactly how to cut the girl down a couple dozen notches. Trisden's ears went back and her body lowered in thinly-hidden embarrassment and shame at being treated like this. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair! But as much as she wanted to pout and complain, it was Elettra's stern presence which yet again proved triumphant; the beige girl wilted like so many dead flowers under the assault.

Trisden almost welcomed the command when it came, because she didn't want to stay here anymore and have a fool made of her. <i>Almost</i>, because it was still a command that her ego wanted to rebel against. Common sense hung on by an inch, though. <b>"C'mon, Letta,"</b> she muttered, holding on to whatever dignity she had left as she turned about and all but fled from the scene. Oh, wounded soldier.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Her question had been directed to the white male. It was clear, she would not get a direct answer. Oh well, not that she'd believed she would have gotten one any way. She felt what confident she had die. Maybe she would stick to talking only to mother, Raigo, Tris, and Hocus; they understood her. Large ears folded against her white head, and she shifted closer to Trisden seeing Elettra's displeasure. It was clear it was time to go, and they both should not have been here without a formal guardian. She jerked back from the silvery jaws, afriad they might just meet flesh, and side stepped into her blonde sister's side.

Elettra did not reach her, but clearly was warning them not to test the thin line they were on. The little girl's head hung low, eyes cast to the ground. Ears lightly flicking as Trisden spoke, and quietly she nodded. She much would have liked to ran, but kept side by side with her sister, tail curled toward her belly. She blamed herself, maybe if she'd been quiet they both could have stayed. She did not speak, and would not utter a sound till they were far from here back to the dark walls of the den.</blockquote>

Slapped down from whatever pedestal they rose on and back face down into the earth, the children would make way with turned tails and folded ears. It was all in which Elettra could have hoped for, given the fact that they were still children and by this, needed to listen to their elders. It would keep them safe, in the long run, where in the end the pack's future is what Elettra would protect fiercely now. This and she wanted to keep order in the hierarchy of her pack, which she so very much believed in. Should a princess and prince be hand-fed and pampered all their lives, they would be doomed to be horrid council by their own pompous and arrogant ways. Turning to Crux now, she would huff to his soft smile, a single ear folding down against her skull. "Well, that is where they live, after all." How could he not think he might run into the children? But in truth, they were roaming farther and farther from the den in which they were raised in, granted their aging. They were nearly six months now, after all, and they had grown so much! "What brings you here, stranger?" Indeed, he was still no more then a stranger to her, where her trust and loyalty was never served on a silver platter. Still, she was interested in how he wiggled his way in so easily without an alpha to defend the throne against strange males such as himself.