For a short time the giant, strangely colored figure looked away─the way mum did when Quil didn't have her attention─and she cocked her head. It just looked so wierd. She thought everyone looked like mum and dad and Cinder and...well...she thought dark was what everyone looked like. Not only was this person not dark-furred, but he towered over her like the trees towered over their cozy little den. Whatever had distracted him that she hadn't managed to glance at, because she was kind of scared and seriously perplexed, no longer held the dirt-colored giant's attention. Instead, his bright eyes looked down upon her like...like...well, kind of like dad's did. Then, before she could decide whether this was okay or now, he moved to be a bit closer to her, so close that the puff of his breath was warm and damp on her face as he asked her name. Wild-eyed, she... |
Such a stumble had a bit of a domino effect, though Cinder was oblivious to how this might have affected her siblings or made them feel, and instead was far more focused on steadying herself once more. Chuffing, her own jaws widening to begin to chew at Rowan’s chest before he could grab her ear first, she also was distracted as their other brother joined them.
This was when the stranger finally caught her attention, and as a goofy grin began to spread across her tiny features to greet what she first assumed as dad, her eyes did a double take on the sudden splay of tawny colors that adorned the male’s pelt. What was once pure joy evaporated to uncertainty, and as he spoke to her sister, Cinder felt herself shrink back and away, pressing herself closer to Rowan.
Mom and dad were here – or so she assumed, as she could smell them, though she was oblivious to the saturation of her parents scent within the den – and without further thought, the girl plopped back on her squirmly little butt and tilted her muzzle back, releasing a soft but desperate ’AWOO’ to the air – mom and dad would come back and everything would be alright.
And then when seconds passed, Cinder took this as a hopeless situation, and in turn, that mom and dad had abandoned them and now they belonged to this stranger. It was the only explanation. With nervous blue eyes, the ebony she-pup wobbled a pace or two forward, her teeth finding Quil’s tail to give a soft tug – this was her sister and the strange wolf could not have her.
Rowan was enamoured by the movement of the stranger's big fluffy tail as it curled over his paws, his wide blue eyes trained on the brown fur as though he fully expected it to continue performing. It wasn't until Cinder pressed against his side that he shook his head and re-assessed the situation at hand and found that while he had been in a world of his own, catastrophic changes had been going on out here. The stranger had leaned aaalll the way forward and was grinning at one sister while the other plunked down and called for their parents.
He was utterly uncertain of the path he should next take. Cinder was clearly distraught over the giant man while Quil seemed entirely pleased with his presence, and Rowan, well, he hadn't made a decision one way or another. He really seemed harmless, smiling all big like mama and dada did. Too young to be able to hash it out in his mind, the young boy took out his frustrations by teetering forward and opening his clumsy jaws to take a mouthful of Destin's tail fur.
A squeaky growl rumbled through him as he pawed at the stranger, wanting the simplicity back. He tried to see through the tawny fur, looking for signs of other chaos. The Guardian of the Family instinct was coursing wildly through his veins while the abilities of a month old pup prevented him from being able to act on his impulses. He wanted to sort it all out and make everyone happy, that was it! But unable to grasp it, Rowan was contented to chew and growl and maybe chew some more.
Meanwhile the large male felt sharp pointy teeth on his tail, and turning he saw a third pup attempting to conquer it. A playful grin passed over Destin's features and he moved his fluffy tail back and forth, trying to entice the pup to run for it and catch it again. Rowan's bite did not hurt him whatsoever, and it was more an amusement than any sort of pain. Ava must have much on her plate if she tried to entertain these three and keep them all out of trouble! Destin had heard nothing from her as all this was going on, and figured that the mother approved of the playtime meeting that was now taking place.
She was well on her way to discovering that the giant tawny wolf was one of them and a potential playmate when she felt a very sharp set of teeth as they raked across her tail in an attempt to pull her back. Letting loose a tiny yowl of surprise, the girl bobbed her head around to find that it was Cinder who'd tugged her back, and she did not look convinced. Quil's tail wavered to and fro as her blue eyes took in the sight of her sister and all of her uncertainty before glancing briefly to Rowan, who also seemed lost on what to do. But she liked the giant brown wolf and his pretty smile, and she wanted to jump on him and chew on him like mum let her do. |
[end!]