Thicket of Secrets always free

It felt like much longer had passed between now and since the fire, to Indru it seemed months ago, the raw pain the only give away of how close the event actually was to present day. The ash and smell of burning did not cling so thickly to his pelt any more, especially not after his roll in the flower and the later roll in Cottonwood Creek he thought and a smile was brought to his muzzle at the memories. He had not long left the Grove for the enrapture of the Thicket, for once the branches and leaves did not feel so enclosing as Indru felt as free as the wind knowing that he had his own Feather.

The sun was still shining, it was only late afternoon, yet you would not of known it so thick were the trees that loomed over him, curling around and keeping away the light. This deep shade was the reason why the thicket had no thick brush like the Grove and Cedarwood, it was almost bare, only the leaves coating the ground and hiding away the soil. Indru knew that the closeness of the thicket meant trailing another through here was child's play and he could smell the many scents of lone wolves as they had travelled, most likely blindly, trying to work out an exit. Indru, however knew exactly where he was going, and with a yank that lost him a few hairs to a branch he dug into the thicket deeper still.

It was strange to him. He had come across her scent innocently enough – he had come home late in the evening, and he could just.. sense the new presence. Initially, his heart had lifted with worry, wondering if there had been an intruder in to the pack.. Briefly he had wondered if he was about to eat his words to a lone wolf called Weldering – single lone wolves proposed very little danger to them. Of course, his shock and panic ebbed away at the scent of Indru as well.. and the fact they were mingling together.

The next day he saw little sign of his brother.. or this new girl. As afternoon drew later, Ruiko finally found his sibling in the Thicket after hours of tracking. Damn him. His eyes gazed levelly at the male at first, though his muzzle bowed slightly to Indru’s dominant position. Questions lingered dangerously in his jaws, but he swallowed them quickly, not yet asking what he truly wanted to. “There’s someone new in the River.” His tone was flat – deadpan, almost. It was a rhetorical question – but he was certainly looking for his brother to expand on this new occurance.

Ruiko's approach was noticed just before his arrival, the blocked wind not helping his nose but it was almost impossible to tread silently in the thicket and not have a twig break on your fur as you pushed past. Indru turned just as he could make out his brother's large form, and their eyes met briefly before he saw his muzzle drop in respect of Indru's rank. It was not an accident Ruiko had found him, he could tell, to any other there would be no give away but the brother's new each other too well.

His brother's words made his fur bristle slightly, already somewhat defensive, and he had felt their was a small accusation in them. Yes. His tone matched his brothers perfectly, and he walked forward a step, his muzzle lifted higher and his tail curled over his back. Feather. He offered, knowing he would already know her gender and general age. Indru was unsure what else to say, unsure what it was between he and Feather, let alone trying to explain that to Ruiko. Before the pair's main interest had been beating each other and now Indru had perhaps found something they had both been missing.

Indru moved toward him – the regal stance of dominance a natural display to him no0w, and while they had both fought for the title initially, Ruiko admitted Indru looked good with the rank. It suited him, and he was proud of his brother. As was natural, Ruiko continued his display of submission; his muzzle remained low, his tail hung low as well. Only when Indru relaxed would he.

But the answer he received was not what he expected, and his eyes flashed briefly with annoyance at the tone. Her name was Feather. That meant little to him, and he studied his brother momentarily. And since Indru was playing with one-worded answers, Ruiko could play the game as well. “Why?” It was such a simple question, and yet it was also the safest – for a long while now the pack had consisted of nothing but family.. what was it about this new girl that made Indru invite her in? Was he, as the leader of the pack, looking for a mate? It all completely mystified the other brother, and in truth, he could not relate. Never before had a woman managed to enchant him.

Tentatively Indru's stance relaxed, confident that his brother was aware of his higher rank and Indru remarked on how much they had changed. Both, whoever happened to be currently winning the dominance battle, would continuously challenge the other rarely showing submission until one had pinned the other on the floor. Their parents death had changed them, matured them. Along with his tail and head Indru reclined his body, resting on his haunches, surveying his brother before him.

Indru thought on the question, trying to find an honest answer but it was difficult to try and summarise something when you did not know what it was. I don't know, Ruiko. He knew it was inadequte, and he shook his head to show that he knew, sighing lightly as he tried to roll out the sudden tension in his shoulders. I met her.. and I don't know, we just.. connected? It felt awkward on his tongue, the two did not often talk about something so feminine and emotional, even their parent's was a topic they had not breached. I've never felt this before. Again it was weak and he looked at his brother, his fiery eyes apologetic and confused, and not since he was a puppy had he wanted his parents advice so much.

Indru sat down, but Ruiko did not. His stance was neutral now, his eyes watching as his brother relaxed. He waited with rare patience, knowing his sibling would explain what exactly was going on.. he simply waited for his brother to gather his thoughts. This was very new to them – of course they had met outsider females, but never before had they ever.. brought one home with them.

The silent pause that Ruiko allowed his brother (as if he had a choice) steadily declined in expectation as Indru’s simple response was ‘I don’t know.’ Ruiko, the beast of a wolf that he was, grunted in disgust at the stupidity of that answer, and wondered briefly what this stray seductress had done with his intelligent brother. Indru attempted to explain a bit more, and the tawny brother forced his golden eyes to Indru’s fiery orange. “Clearly you’re sick. Ask Niija if you have a fever. I’m sure she can find some plants to make you feel better.” Because it was impossible that his brother had met and fallen for a girl in his first meeting with her. If that failed to work, Ruiko had no problem with smashing this new revelation out of his brother's mind.

A frown marred his face, a low growl bubbled in his throat at his brother, and he realised it had been stupid to seek solace from him as Ruiko had never been the one to give it. I'm not sick, Indru snapped, standing again now, his limbs tense as he watched him, annoyed he suspected that a fever was the cause of this whole... situation. His mention of Niija, however, was not such a bad idea and Indru decided then to seek her council but he gave no sign of it. You haven't met her. Indru had the perhaps blind belief than anyone who did would instantly adore her like he did and he turned his head from his brother sharply, snorting his displeasure in a puff of breath.

You haven't ever met a she wolf and felt this, Indru began, his annoyance automatically turning it into a way to try and best his brother again like old times. Perhaps you just don't have the sense to understand these feelings, brother. Ruiko and he had never felt a female's allure like before, as after all, it was their parents job to mate and in then later birth new pups for the pack. Why would they want a female then? To expend their energy courting when they could instead use it to become stronger and faster seemed a waste, but Indru found he did want to expend energy courting a she wolf this time.

Indru was defensive to his comment – as he had expected – but Ruiko did little more than blink in his brother’s direction as the male riled himself up. Leaning back now, the tawny brother silently calculated how long it took for Indru to snap. Love, even as fake and unsure as this, made wolves go crazy all the time. ‘You haven’t even met her.’ A snort of disdain erupted from him now, his eyes narrowing slightly. “No one has, and yet you still invited her in to our home.” His tone was not accusatory – after all, Indru was their leader and need not confide in them for his decisions. But that didn’t make it feel any better, and Ruiko found he was suddenly getting a bitter taste at being his brother’s second.

Ruiko canted his muzzle slightly at Indru’s words, unsure of how to take them. He didn’t have the sense for these feelings? Was Indru claiming that he was incapable of love? Bristling lightly at the implication, Ruiko’s features turned cold, as did his voice. “Or perhaps your blood is in a different head than the one that’s on your shoulders,” he growled out.

Accusatory tone or not the word wounded and angered him and he took a confident step forward, already his tail had curled over his back and his forelegs were stiff as he walked and a low, dangerous growl underlined the next words spoken to his brother. I do not need to seek your approval. His tone was harsh and it was not often he spoke to his brother so coldly, his eyes no longer a gentle burning to warm but a wildfire as he approached further still. The Tainn did not stop when he invaded his brother's personal space, he was not threatening yet, it was a warning, a reassertion of rank.

His brother's reason for Indru's decision only angered him further and it was made all the more sour by the days he had spent putting his family first always. You think my decisions are not for the best of the pack? Instead a selfish, careless move to suit my own needs and desires? The mere thought that this was how Ruiko felt he would act stung the boy and for a moment he felt more sorrow than anger until it was pushed aside, like everything he had wanted to feel before Feather, to deal with this pack matter. Why does it bother you so much Ruiko? We cannot stay strictly family for ever if we want the pack to surivive, for Rihael and Lani's line to continue. It was clear and expected that the Leader of a pack had a mate unless the pack was to wither and die as all the wolves aged with no youth to replace them and it seemed the mere acceptance of his female to the pack, let alone as a mate of his, would be incomprehensible.

Indru was up, his large figure moving toward Ruiko who now stood at his own full height – hackles bristling dangerously as one canine bared in warning to his brother who now closed in on his personal space. The male was quick to respond, and again another snort erupted from the second’s nostrils. He did not interrupt just yet, though. His own muzzle tilted lower now in defence to his throat in case another fight broke between the two – it was certainly not uncommon.As his brother finished, Ruiko felt a surge of disgust at all of his reasoning. Of course they needed outsider wolves. Of course the line would be continued. “It bothers me, brother, because you barely know this girl.” He paused, a sneer placing itself upon his tainted lips. “But I suppose that matters little. How about this? How about we just go find any single lone female wolf we can, and invite them all in to the pack with unkept promises. Who cares if you know them or not, right? According to you, the line must continue.” His rage was growing, and he took a few paces back, his muzzle giving a light shake.

He took a moment, his paws clutching the ground harshly to keep from sweeping him forward and trying to knock Indru off his high and mighty paws. “But what does my concern about that matter, right? Like you said. You don’t need my approval.” His tone was raw now, his anger churning in his gut. Without waiting to see his brother’s reaction – whether or not he was hot on his heels in attack – Ruiko turned and swept away from the Thicket and from his brother’s side.