Hush Meadow Little One

-Late afternoon

The dark figure comes to a stop before seating herself. A gentle breeze flows through the meadow, and she lifts her nose to the scent the air. Wolves were all around, and she was taking extra care not to cross into any pack boundaries. The sleek woman gets up now, shaking out her coat before padding along. Her walk is now upbeat; her paws lift higher and move and a more uplifted way. Harp's fluffed tail sways behind her as she moves along, looking for a snack.

How could she have forgotten about food? It seemed traveling was engraved into her mind. Her jaws part as she sniffs around, feeling the saliva collect as she does so. Her hackles rise up as the scent of rabbit flushes through her nostrils. With excitement beginning to trickle through her veins, her ears begin to swivel. Her posture slumps as she creeps about, attempting to locate the rabbit in which she scented only moments ago.

She almost released a sigh after about ten minutes, but such was stifled when she stumbled upon the burrows. Slinking closer, her golden eyes flicker with curiosity as her nostrils take in the rabbits' scents. Now she would have to wait. There was the possibility that she could drive the rabbits out on her own, but such would be too risky and confusing. Her teeth grind together as she prepares to wait quite awhile. Patience came naturally to her... waiting would not be an issue. She was just starving. It was late afternoon, and there was sure to be activity soon. Her mind races as she waits. She grows anxious, but she knows better than to move a muscle.

He was outside exploring the territory again. Though this time he'd gotten permission from his mother to be exploring the territory. However her compromise with the dark boy was to accompany him as he journeyed around the borders and looked at Whisper Caverns territory.

Titan was fine with it as long as he had the chance to look around. Though the young Thorben hoped that she wouldn't try to look over his shoulder every second of the walk. So far so good. Titan glanced over his shoulder to look at his taller mother smiling at him from two or three of her tail lengths away.

"MOO-ooom I can walk by myself you know!" Titan let out a complaint then laughed a little and bounded forward towards a particularly thick bunch of tall grass. It wasn't until a strange smell caught his attention. It smelled like some of the food stuff that his mother had often brought to the Thorben brood as of late. However this was a fresh smell of food. Which was it again?

Titan stopped about five tail lengths away from the thick bundle of tall grass just sniffing the air wondering where the smell came from. Narimé came up behind him though her stance was rigid and low to the ground. Her wet nose pressed lightly against his velvet black ear while her silky jaws released a " That smell right now.. It's food. A rabbit. Watch me and Shhhh..." She gave the rather universal be quiet shush while Titan copied her rigid stance and stared in the direction Narimé was pointing.

Excitement coursed through his body. Will I be able to catch a live one? Though he kept deadly silent and for the mean time followed his mothers order to simply watch.

He stayed very still. While his pool bluish purple eyes stared directly at the bush. It was at the moment that Titan almost gave up standing still that a movement near the bottom of the bush caught his eye. Two long furry ears flicked upward listening for danger. But with both wolves sitting so still making no noise the rabbit slowly hopped out from under its protective grass shelter and looked around.

Titan flicked his eye towards his mother waiting for her response. His own eyes reflected the excitement of seeing live food in front of him. It took all the boy had to stand still and not run out to try and grab it.

WHISPER Caverns

(This post was last modified: Sep 05, 2013, 06:53 PM by Titan.)

Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat, surrender retreat...

Yeah I know I PP'd myself before. Oh well..

After Titan had come back multiple times from venturing out to the borders without her permission; Nari was finally able to get him to stay home after telling him she would take him out herself every once in a while to explore. Though the mother had known of his previous escapades mainly because the dark boy would try to leave his scent on their borders. It was really rather funny to her that he wanted to help out the adults with their jobs already at such a young age. However she would rather be near him making sure he's safe while exploring than let Titan find his own way around. Call it a mothers protective instincts to keep an eye on her child so no coyotes or bears snatched him up, but she wasn't about to let him keep going out alone.

So today while Malia and Yuka were distracted by their father Sloane, Nari agreed to let the dark lad come with her and stretch his legs. Even after watching them grow for so long the silver wolf was amazed at how he could so easily keep up now. Although it was really she keeping up with his boundless energy as the young Shadowy Thorben bounded along a head of her loosing a complaint about her watchfulness.

"I know you can walk for yourself. Just look out for snakes okay Titan? Remember the long slender things. They will hurt if they bite you!" Nari was pretty sure he hadn't listened to her reminder of what could be a dangerous reptile depending on the kind you come across. Instead she watched him scenting the air. It occurred to her that she could scent rabbit very close by. Those stupid critters that liked to hide on you until the very last moment before stepping on them. She was kinda glad that Titan had stopped before scaring up the two rabbits that she could scent were hiding.

Quickly she dropped into a hunters crouch. Though stalking wasn't a very wolfy thing to do they did practice it sometimes, and especially with rabbits. " That smell right now.. It's food. A rabbit. Watch me and Shhhh..." Pulling up to her ebony son Nari gave him a little description of their prey and even though she told him to "watch" the woman was pretty sure he would try it for himself after possibly seeing the second rabbit flee.

They waited until one rabbit came out of hiding. Then, not seeing her sons glance towards her, Narimé sped forward towards the rabbit. The dugout the rabbits had hid under was not deep at all now that she was close enough to see. Both rabbits fled the scene trying to escape the mad silver wolf sprinting after them.

Harp now sees a rabbit, and her immediate instinct is to go for the kill. Her ears stop her, though. She freezes a moment after lurching forward. She teeters back now, careful not to make any sound. Her eyes catch a glimpse of fur- her ears catch the sound of voices. It was a hiss in her ears; it was whispering. Had she stumbled upon a pack? Harp's ears fall instinctively against her head as a pang of fear strikes through her. Feeling her heart begin to drum within her chest, the small wolf turns her body to prepare her escape. Such a quick turn causes her to stumble- her shorter leg. She curses in her mind as the sound of crinkling grass seems to echo through the whole meadow.

Oh, now she was just asking to die. Her tail curls beneath her as she gathers her bearings. She skitters back about thirty yards before bothering to turn her body to peer back. Her neck stretches as she cranes her head upward for a higher view. Black ears perk back up as she listens to the wind. Who was there? She would dare not call out. Her presence had already been given away... she was certain of it. She walks a bit away to the right now, eyes still glued on the spot in which she saw the fur and heard the whispers.

Harp grows antsy within moments, unsure of whether or not she should return. Perhaps she should approach the wolves and apologize? They would know her scent by now... there really was no way out of it. The small wolf shakes her head lightly before pushing away her thoughts. I think too deeply into things.

(This post was last modified: Sep 03, 2013, 03:25 AM by Harp.)

Titan watched barely able to contain himself as his silver mother rocketed forward after the first fleeing rabbit. "So fast!" Then his eyes caught the shape of another rabbit zooming past his nose. Instincts took over and the leggy black pup barreled after the speedy rabbit.

It didn't occur to him that the rabbit would be so much faster and far more agile than the young Thorben. Right now it was just that instinct to "chase anything that ran away" which had him running after the now disappearing rabbit. Slowing to a halt unable to see where his prey had gone Titan huffed tired after his first real sprint after live prey. The adrenaline was still pushing under his black coat making the pup feel jittery as he looked at his surroundings.

Blue eyes opened wide as Titan scuffled backwards surprised at the sight of a stranger not five feet away to his right. He didn't scream, which was probably the right thing to to, but inhaled swiftly wheezing as he did so. For a few moments the pup looked at the strange wolf rigid waiting for the black and gray speckled wolf to make a move.

"Wh- who are you!? " Titan wondered how this stranger had magically switched out with his mother. Not that the dark boy knew that Narimé was still chasing down her prey.

A few more moments went by and Titan quickly realized that the position the wolf had been in was that of fright, much like himself. Had they surprised each other? Was she just walking by maybe? the young wolf found the situation quite awkward.

WHISPER Caverns

(This post was last modified: Sep 05, 2013, 06:52 PM by Titan.)

Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat, surrender retreat...

Narimé's breath came in gasps. This rabbit had managed to evade her jaws once and turned sharply to her left. The silver wolf followed but at a much wider angle for she could not turn as quickly as the rabbit. Nari had lost some ground but thank her genetics she had the stamina to continue the chase.

The grasses sped by the young alpha's vision while running through the golden meadow. The tall tendrils of plants whipped her sides as Nari passed through them after her prey. For the moment she had forgotten about Titan and whether he was following or not. Right now supplying a good meal for him was the priority running just a tail length a head of her.

Using one last burst of strength Narimé lengthened her stride to her fullest and powered towards her small furry victim. The gray carnivore's viscous teeth snapped once missing again then twice grabbing the rabbit by its rear end. Quickly the gray hunter slowed her pace down while closing her eyes and wrinkling her nose back to avoid the rabbit still clawing at her with front legs. Its screeching cries were cut off as Narimé finally stopped outright and replaced her hold to bite the rabbits back. Snapping the thick bone finished the creature; now laying limp in her jaws.

For a few moments she caught her breath and looked around for Titan. Where could he have gotten too? Nari felt worry prickled through her gray pelt making it stand on end. Had he not followed her?

She took the rabbit with her and retraced her steps. Unbeknownst to the woman was that her cub had stumbled upon another hunter. For now the silver mother anxiously worried while heading back the way she'd come.

"speech"

It seems she has been discovered, as well. A small voice sounds- a pup. He questions who Harp is. Harp's fur smooths slightly, for she does not feel nearly as threatened as before. There had to be a mother around, though. She takes a step away from the pup, and parts her jaws ever so slightly."Harp...." Her voice is soft. Golden eyes focus upon the dark coated pup before darting about the area. Where was the mother? Perhaps she should high tail it out of here. Last thing she needed was the mother thinking she was trying to hurt her offspring. Taking in a deep breath, Harp attempts to lax her body. No use. She is too tense.

"Where is your mother?" The question leaves her mouth, and she doesn't even realize it as it does so. Her ears flatten for a moment against her head, but she forces them back upward. She didn't want to appear to be terrified... especially in front of a pup! As she looks to the young wolf before her, she focuses on her heartbeat. The quick beating begins to slow as she takes deeper breaths than usual. Craning her head upward, she peers around, looking for the mother of the wolf. Eyes catch a flash of silver fur, and her ears twitch.

"Hello...." she tries to call out, but the greeting wavers and fades quickly. A frown pulls at her muzzle but she remains stoic. The pup before her was quite adorable, but she could not pay any mind right now. Her attention was now upon the wolf whom she believed to be the mother of the pup.

Titan watched the woman carefully nodded as she gave her name. "I'm Titan, Titan Thorben of Whisper Cavern's pack." He gave his own name since the she wolf had given hers already. Though the dark boy proudly puffed out his chest a little while adding his packs name.

It worried him a little that his mother had disappeared. Though he was sure she would come looking for him as soon as the silver wolf had noticed he was gone. At least Harp doesn't seem dangerous. Titan huffed a sigh remembering the animal he'd been chasing just a few minutes before.

"I'm never going to be fast enough to catch that!" He looked into the direction that his rabbit had gone then flinched as a bird let out a loud alarm call from close by. Angling his ears towards the birds call the dark child glanced sideways at Harp.

"I dunno where she went, but I know she will come back for me. Momma always does... I just hope she got her rabbit." He looked down at the ground depressed that he could not give his mother something to eat. She always brought something for him, Yuka, and Malia. However the black child thought that it would be nice and wanted to give her something in return. When I get bigger. Then I'll bring her as many rabbits as she wants. I'll be a good hunter. He switched his depressed face to a determined one then looked to Harp again.

It was then that his mothers scent appeared. Whipping around to look at her silver form melting out of the grass Titan smiled waving his tail noticing what she was bringing with her. "Oh you got it! I wasn't fast enough to get mine." He smiled padding up to his mothers chest and trying to lick her chin appreciatively for the rabbit that he knew was going to be given to him.

"But... Look, this lady is nice. I accidentally found her and we were both scared." The child laughed remembering the awkward moment the stranger and he had shared. "She said her name is Harp!" Titan looked around smiling at the woman who had made him laugh upon meeting her.

WHISPER Caverns

(This post was last modified: Sep 06, 2013, 01:51 AM by Titan.)

Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Accept no defeat, surrender retreat...

She padded forward scenting her son even through the soft brown rabbit fur around her lips. A bird swiftly alerted her presence to anyone nearby with a harsh alarm call that grated upon her silver ears. Then Narimé arrived rabbit held loosely within her jaws as she padded into the grassy area where her son and another stood quite relaxed with each other. At least it seemed that way to her eyes. The silver wolf regarded the womans hello with a weary short nod of her head.

However before she got the chance to even be angry at the loner for coming so close to her son Titan spoke up congratulating her on the catch. Though the young mother caught his saddened look as the dark Thorben revealed that he couldn't catch his own fluffy rabbit. Narimé sighed and chuckled unable to talk with the fur stuck in her mouth. Her eyes however stayed glued to the dark black and gray speckled she wolf who watched nervously from her place.

Setting down her catch to talk to the stranger Nari was once more cut off by Titan's voice. He spoke of running into the other woman. Then gave Nari a name to place to the dark strangers face. Harp is it? She thought quietly switching her gaze from Titan to Harp.

"Thank you for not harming my son." She spoke carefully knowing that strangers could be dangerous. Though this one had obviously intended no harm to her child, or else she'd have done something to him already.

"Titan this is for you and don't worry. Your legs will grow soon enough. You'll be able to hunt with me before long."She gestured to her raven pelted child pushing the rabbit towards him with her paw. Then her blue eyes changed to Harp a little softer gaze lighting her features. "So your a loner. Were you hunting just now? We didn't mean to surprise you." She gave the darker wolf a half smile while trying to start up some sort of conversation.

"Ah... I know your name but you don't know mine. Well my name is Narimé Lagina Thorben. I lead the pack just north of here. " She added her name after the questions remembering that it was rude not to give someone your name if they had already given theirs. Though it was to Titan she gave her name to not me.. She thought quietly while awaiting an answer.

(This post was last modified: Sep 09, 2013, 10:50 PM by Narimé.)

Harp forces herself to become a calm, collected wolf. Her heart rate has slowed, and her muscles finally lax. She dips her head politely to the silver woman before her. Smiling softly to Titan, she gives a light shrug. "Your son gave me quite a surprise" she says, her eyes lighting up a bit. Though she was still quite weary, Harp looked almost perfectly calm now before the two."My full calling is Harp Lafalia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Narimé." With another small dip of her head, she turns to Titan. "And it is nice to meet you as well, Titan."

She shifts her weight from side to side as her mind attempts to spark up more words- more conversation. "I feared I was crossing a pack territory," she admits, her smile now slipping away. Her tail remains lowered as she speaks to the pack leader. "I haven't really stopped to hunt, so I figured this would be a good area to do so. The scent of rabbit was quite enticing, I must admit." She gives a small titter before closing her eyes for only a moment. "I do apologize if I have wandered close to your borders." A small weight is lifted off her back as she apologizes to the leadess. It was far from her intentions to go about messing with a pack.

Though she was avoiding them, Harp knew she would eventually have to join another pack again. The life of a loner was difficult, and winter was not that far away- it would certainly be a challenge to thrive on her own.

(This post was last modified: Sep 09, 2013, 10:41 PM by Harp.)