Darkwater Rapids Pack Thread

Rowan fixed Mace with a quizzical, half-lidded stare through his speech. "What is a bandicoon?" he insisted, as though everything else his elder brother had said was lost on him - though of course, it wasn't. He was simply refusing to get his feathers ruffled over any teasing, as such a reaction came so easy to him at such a young age, so he chose to ignore his jibe - even though it was pretty funny to imagine that was what the old hare had been shrieking as Rowan's jaws began to close in. On a real prompt he dropped the game long enough to give an earnest look to his brother. "I 'unno," he said plainly, shrugging his shoulders for extra effect. "I was chasing him and I kept running faster and faster and then I jumped on him with my teeth an' then he was dead!"

At that moment the rustle of foliage stole his attention away from his feat, whipping his head to the sound to see Quil approaching from the sidelines. In an instant a wild grin had set in his black mask, dusty tail sweeping the air behind him. Their sister had an ambiance that always put him to shame, something wise and resilient that was etched into her very presence. Regardless of this, Rowan was apt to include her in their shenanigans despite what she might prefer. "You're welcome," he responded heartily to her tease, mostly just for the good manners of it, before jumping back in to it. "I betcha Quil has some pointers, huh?" He didn't know at all if she'd made a kill or even had any interest in the hunting habits of the rest of the pack, but Rowan figured the specifics didn't matter if he could rope her into their jest.

adopt thea?

Y'know, like... A real bad raccoon! That steals wifes! As matter-of-factly as this was put, it was made up on the spot. Truthfully, the word had just blurted from his lips without thought or hesitation, but he didn't actually know what it was. It was along the same lines as other make-believe monsters of a child's imagination, whose origins and appearances were entirely unknown but whose existence was assured in some way. He had expected Rowan to understand what it was, but his brother's question made him feel very slightly silly, as if perhaps they had outgrown these games and Mace was just slow on the uptake.

His brother did give some advice, but it was the same kind of advice Mace had already been given: run fast and pounce and you will catch your prey! It hadn't worked so far for him, though. Before he could say anything or press for more details, however, a disturbance of leaves summoned his attention, and his eyes swept around to lock on Quil. A relieved grin pushed at the corners of his lips as she approached; Mace had the softest of hearts for his sisters, but it had been a while since he had spent any quality time with either of them, so having her join them was a quiet comfort he relished. She was quick to join in on the teasing, but in her own subtle way; he returned her fond bump with a gentle nip in her direction, glad she was jesting with them, for often Quil made him feel immature with her aura of perpetual sophistication.

However, Rowan jumped to include in their games in a manner that struck hard against Mace's ego; in not-so-many-words, his brother deferred to Quil for giving hunting pointers, which gave Mace the impression that she had also successfully hunted. He fell quiet upon this revelation, taking it for truth; how could he be the impressive firstborn son if he was going to be the last to catch anything? His gaze shifted to their sister, quietly asking the question he dared not voice and dancing with a hidden worry that perhaps he wasn't as impressive as he thought he was, and that he would be left behind by his littermates. Who wanted a dud hunter for a brother, anyway?

His self-assuredness chipped a little at the thought that maybe even Cinder was out there now, dragging home her first catch, and Mace was still unable to even sneak up close enough to prey to have a chance at it.

gorgeous set by kydnt

They were everywhere. Their trails criss-crossed the territory in no order or fashion and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep tabs on any one of them. Quil, he knew, had been one to wander along the furthest edge of the territory, and lately he'd been noticing that the boys were also frequenting the borders more often. Kade was constantly reminded that, despite the fact that his brood were only months old, each passing day was one closer to the princes' and princess' impending adolescence. As much as ever he wanted to set boundaries for them, to keep them safe and close, and although they were hardly independent, the task was quite challenging. Today, he resigned to complete his border patrol and head slowly back to the den where he would meet the sunset. Soon enough, the four heirs would find their way there, too, with hungry bellies and sleepy eyes. Of all the things he liked best, being with his family at the end of the day was most rewarding.

The leader's wide paws sunk into the damp soil as he cut his way through the undergrowth, and every now and again faraway sounds of creatures he'd never seen before echoed through the woods. By now, the strange sounds were merely a part of the home he and his sable coated mate had made for themselves, background noise to accent the mossy crevices and slopes and tree trunks that seemed unchanging. With winter well on the way, the Attaya had his concerns (as any amount of preparation never seemed to be enough once the snow fell), but Secret Falls had kept them all safe and fed through the summer months. As he approached the steep trail that led to the densite, he cast a quick and thoughtful glance over his shoulder.

A soft smile graced the girl's lips as Rowan proceeded to include her in whatever it was that had been going on, heartened by his thanks. She couldn't ever be sure with these two, but Mace's remark about wife-stealing raccoons led her to believe that perhaps she might've stuck to her place in the shade for just a little while longer. Both her eldest brother and Rowan had a way with humor she inherently lacked, and even if she wanted in on their inside jokes, there really wasn't much she could do to be as entertaining.

As the boys went on about their business, she took a quick note of the thoughtful look that had come to fix itself upon Mace's face─one she'd seen before when he and Rowan were at odds. She didn't really have any pointers to hand out where hunting was concerned, and she didn't like killing a flower, much less a living thing, but it was part of her nature and she did what she had to. "If you can sneak up on 'em, then finishing 'em off is easy," she remarked with a shrug. Her experience was limited to field mice and a single squirrel, but she knew full well that mastering stealth was a trait of all successful hunters, one that she, too, had yet to perfect. Reclining to her haunches, she watched on quietly.