circle of salt

Everything's going to be alright,

borden lyall

because I love you very much.

Early January (Date TBA); Late Afternoon; Light snowfall

The settling of dread and worry in every fiber of his being had started to take hold. Since his day-long journey to the Wildwood, he had thought of nothing more than keeping what he held dear safe and sound. Kade had been right to advise him about wasting no time. Following a beaten path, marked with packed snow and the comings and goings of the pack, he patrolled about the land until he found a suitable place to rest. Breaking away from the trail he rose up on his hind legs and scraped his paws down the frozen bark of a young tree.

Once... Twice... Three times, he chipped bits of cork and phelloderm away to reveal the raw fibers beneath. Satisfied with the mark, he strode over to the space between two large boulders and a spindly sapling. His eyes lifted to catch sight of the tall branches above him, watching as the approaching snowstorm still managed to send snowflakes down to the forest below. He shook a large flurry from the tip of his nose, sneezing as to rid his muzzle of it. Gazing around the stark gray forest about him, he hoped beyond hope that three of the four youngsters were still within earshot. Tilting his head back and sending his voice through the grove, he called for them by name.

Renier, Ryvet, Taima, and Calla Lyall. Come here.

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(This post was last modified: Jan 07, 2013, 07:19 PM by Borden.)

Well, what do you want from me?

He hadn’t been far, burying his head into a cache to fish out the frozen scraps of a rabbit, half left by someone, Trisden maybe? He could no longer tell, it had been frozen so long. None the less, he was a growing boy, and so he needed food, or at least, that was what he had been told his whole life and didn’t imagine that would change now, after all, he was still lankier than Renier, although he probably needed the extra weight to support that massive head of his.

He hadn’t meant to wander from the den and after their last little romp was more than content to leave the big adventures up to Taima and Renier. So when his father called, his tail began a frantic wave and the ashen pup barked out in excitement, moving far more gracefully than he had in months passed, and worked to make haste to where he thought the call had come from... perhaps? Yes, there he was.

The realisation that he had been the first to arrive bought a strange sense of pride to the young Lyall. His mismatched eyes shining through the falling snow with glee as he all but pranced the last few meters to land at his father’s side, anxiously bumping his muzzle against the Hollow’s patriarchs on more than one occasion, his grin spread from ear to ear. While his siblings still straggled, he would make the most of this moment alone with his father. With three eager siblings it was a rarity indeed.

"Oh for goodness sake" grumbled the pretty princess as yet another patch of dirt scuffed upon her paw. Wasn't the ground meant to be frozen? You know, super hard and all that? How on earth did she keep finding her paws muddy, or a blemish on her tail or chest. Her tongue was only warm in her mouth and teach time she had to clean herself off it went a little numb from the cold. It was only typical that she had groomed herself this morning and that by the time the afternoon was here, she was already dirty again. Muttering to herself, she had rested beneath a cedar tree, radiating warmth from its trunk into her lithe body.
As she lapped at her paw and nipped at the not frozen mud between her creamy white toes, she grumbled to herself. As she had thought, her tongue became numb but she would not stop until she was completely satisfied that she was prim and proper. She was far to fair to go around looking dirty and in truth she liked to be clean- it meant her mother might fuss a little less. Geez, you would have thought that the dirt carried germs of something. She wasn't going to get sick from a little mud- she was much too tough to die from germs.

Satisfied at last she was clean and ready to go, she pulled herself to her short, slender legs, shook herself off and purposely did not look down in fear of finding another dirty spot. Instead her golden eyes checked her surroundings to find herself alone, like always. No doubt her siblings were off having fun whilst she stayed at home, just in case she got a splinter. Alright fine, she wasn't that wrapped in cotton wool but she didn't like how the adults watched her. Fine, maybe she had a little trouble to start with but that didn't mean she was always going to need that extra bit of TLC. Right? Gosh, she hoped so.

With no where else to go, she planned to head back to the den area. Maybe get a bit of water on the way; how utterly non-exciting. At least, that's what she thought for no sooner had she set off did she hear her father calling. For once it wasn't for her to come home, or for the whereabouts of her siblings. No, he was calling them to him.

Giddy excitement filled her and she wasted no time in running as fast as she could, which was pretty fast actually, to where his scent and sounds had come from. She was pretty good at this whole tracking thing, and it took her no time at all to break free from the trees and allow her pretty golden eyes to rest on her brother Ryvet and her tall, proud father.
Grinning ear to ear, she composed herself and slowed to a trot, tail elevated in excitement as she moved without haste towards her father and playfully nipped at his chin before he rubbed the top of her head against his chest in greeting. "Hi Daddy!" she beamed in her light and airy tone, her tail wagging behind her with a life of its own. And settled herself on the other side of his long, stocky legs. She didn't mind sharing him with Ryvet, he was a bit of a coward, even in her estimation, so it was only right he sat next to their father. She offered him a grin, peeking around her father and a light giggle. "Hi Ryv!" she chimed before she gave another nudge to her fathers leg. For one that wanted to be free, she didn't mind gathering his attention as often as she could.

(This post was last modified: Jan 07, 2013, 10:44 PM by Calla.)

the magician's protégé

Renier Lyall

like father, like son

There were few times when Borden called for them alone. A hunt together, an offer of learning something new, or the worst, they needed a "talking" to. Renier had high inclinations it was the last. It was because of that he took his time, almost thinking about not answering at all. The boy knew that would be worst then that coming, he could always be wrong. A mind trying to decide what this was about, his tail stiffly flipped behind him with his shifting limbs. Slow and steady with no speed, but a defined dominance to his gait. He wasn't far, but did not want to show up first. Renier knew he needed buffers, though he was growing more bold as his height became taller. A dangerous combination.

Bits of snow collected in his coat, at times he flipped his nose to shed them from his gaze. It was getting darker, and something was coming this way. Renier did not mind snow, especially if it had gotten rid of the fog. They boy's ears would tip back when his eyes landed upon Borden, he too would greet him with a brush to his chin with the sweep of his muzzle. He lacked enthusiasm, walking back to an empty spot to recline to his haunches. He had no idea what Borden wanted, and gave a quick look to his siblings not to say a word of what had happened. Dad might not know yet, and no point in them blabbering it right away. Likely they would. A temporary sigh, he shuffled, not wanting to sit still noticing Taima was not here.

Source song.

We don't always see eye to eye

miss taima lyall

But we see how the time's flying by

Taima Lyall would always defy her father in her youthful days, that much was true, but while she longed for an adventure to stretch her lengthening limbs and keep her mind alert and the boredom at bay, today, the mottled girl was comfortably nestled beside a snow-dusted log, watching her Uncle Danton effortlessly construct a cache that he was eager to fill. Her half-lidded gaze spoke volumes of her disinterest of his craftiness but as Borden's voice reached her folded ears, her eyes widened. She slowly stood up, then cast a gaze at the larger Lyall. When it seemed he wouldn't even look back at her, one side of her muzzle wrinkled and she rolled her eyes. She was just going to leave; any reason to escape this review of sorts was a good one. Not stopping or thinking to bid her uncle farewell, even mutter a thank you for the lesson, the girl slipped away and started running.

Swift paws brought her through the forest, her head held high as was customary to her character these days. For whatever reason her father had summoned her, she prepared to defend herself. If her brothers and sister had somehow gotten in trouble, claimed that she had run from the scene of the crime in order to escape punishment, she was determined to let Borden know she had been hanging out with Danton... actually keeping her nose down for once because of her minor fear of getting lost in the approaching storm.

She forged her own path for some time before following her father's path through the trees, picking her mother's and Kade's scent along the well-traveled trail. The scene she came across was most concerning. Not only were the boys there, but Calla, too. Stifling the instinct to raise her hackles and blurt out that whatever misdeed had been done she had not been the culprit, she strode forward in a civil manner, a small smile on her face and a gentle rhythm to the sway of her black-tipped tail. Briefly extending her amiable expression to her three litter mates, she stepped forward to gently lick one side of his chin then stood back beside Renier. "Yeah, Dad?" she questioned, one of her ears rotating to the side out of uncertainty. Something about the look in his eye, the angle of his brows, and the grave, somber ambience surrounding him told her he was just about ready to say something informative.

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<3 no post order required, btw, between Bord's posts.

Everything's going to be alright,

borden lyall

because I love you very much.

The singular note died within a few seconds, and as his lips sealed, he tilted his head back down. They will come, he silently told himself in his head as he took a deep breath. His ears twitched as he kept scanning the forest around him. To keep himself in one place, he tensed the muscles in his limbs, his composure nothing short of the definition a strict, but patient watchman. For some time his gaze sunk downward in thought, but as soon as he registered the sound of snow being kicked up, he retained his alertness. One by one, his youngest children came. Ryvet first, to whom he affectionately acknowledged with a low, rumbling growl to extend own his warm and cordial 'hello.' Then his youngest daughter, Calla, who eagerly greeted them both.

He couldn't help but to proudly beam back at the two ivory children at each of his sides. Adoringly, he craned his head down just enough to lick them both between their snow white ears. These two, he had to admit, he owed his utmost tenderness; having taken after their mother by looks and mannerisms, Ryvet and Calla were, for the most part, the least of his troubles on a normal day and he could usually rest assured that they were biding his and Jaysyek's rules. A small chuckle fluttered from his chest as the ashen girl pressed up against him, peering about his barrel-like torso with a giggle or two just to get a look at her look-alike brother.

As for Renier and Taima, the longer he waited, the more anxiety tried to creep up on him, to absolutely ruin the serious facade he had tried to plaster all over his being. It was only a matter of moments however until Renier arrived. He smiled at the boy, and took the time to look him over. Renier - and his siblings - had grown over the seasons, to the extent where they readily prospered and thrived. Neither stunt growths nor doubt had befallen this brood; and, because of such circumstances, these young Lyalls, at eight months old, were already nearly Borden's and Jaysyek's size. The patriarch watched as his eldest son respectfully greeted him then hesitantly settled, a sense of uneasiness easily picked from his body language.

The Leader tried to smile again at him; he knew his conversation with Kade might have fallen prematurely on his shoulders and might have even unhinged him, but at least Borden had this chance now to inform them of what he had found, what he thought he and their family and pack would have to do, and maybe how he felt. He took one step forward in Renier's direction, then, like he had done with Ryvet and Calla, he pressed his nose to his son's ear, a silent and simple gesture that he was glad Renier had heeded his call. His tail lifted just enough to arch it away from his hind limbs. He was about to ask Renier if he had seen Taima when the masked girl appeared. He beheld her rather haughty stance, and waited until he was properly greeted before he fully returned a greeting in kind. "Yeah, Dad?" she queried.

Borden swallowed as he slowly sat down, taking in the youthful faces around him - the spitting images of his younger self, Jaysyek, Trisden, and even his sister, Dove. "First of all," he spoke, his smile starting to leave his features. "I appreciate your being here. Secondly, I've called for the four of you so we can all talk." He studied Taima and Renier before looking to Calla and Ryvet again, quickly adding, "No one is in trouble. I just want to let you all be aware of what has been going on, why your mother, the pack, and I have been quiet these past few weeks. But, are there any questions that need to be answered before I start?"

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(This post was last modified: Jan 11, 2013, 09:31 AM by Borden.)

Well, what do you want from me?

the magician's protégé

Renier Lyall

like father, like son

Dad's smile it should have eased it, it brought on a nip a guilt he had to shove deep inside him. It was hard, the affectionate nuzzle to the base of his ears, a tradition, a comfort. Once Renier didn't want to pull from it, he needed it. Then trouble herself walked in. Golden eyes narrowed at Taima, but she would likely miss the look because she was looking at Borden. She was keeping it together, maybe she knew how much trouble she would be in too. It didn't matter, Renier might take it all. He had saw nothing wrong with which they had done. He briefly met his sister's gaze, her smile, but his expression was void, and empty. There was too much behind his brown mask, behind its silence. When his father spoke, head jerked upward, feeling as if this was a pack meeting though he knew it wasn't. The word talk, his ear twitched, but he did not let it flatten. He was getting better at his act.

The patriarch looked upon them, assuring them they were not in trouble his chest didn't feel like it was being squeezed. Renier was ready, wanting the spill. He had been leaning forward, just slightly. His father had paused.

No one else was going to speak first? Figures. The young man had to hold back a grumble, hold back nipping Ryvet, or bopping Taima. Fine, he was the oldest, he would not hesitate to speak his mind. A tendency anyone should know he had. Straightening up, he gave his father a firm look, but not yet a full stare challenge. "We know something is wrong, what is it? What...what does it mean for us dad?" Renier looked at him desperate for answers.