Oak Tree Bend Oak Tree Bend Pack Thread

So overdue.. but since no one else popped in, I figured might as well finish it up?

Her question went unanswered for a moment's pause and while she knew it was not with the intent to ignore but to think through her answer, it did not mean the girl felt her nerves bristle slightly -- not in annoyance, but anxiety to what Corinna had in mind for her children. What were her dreams for Fenru and Kisla? They had never discussed such things before, and while the she-wolf attempted to live up to the standards placed upon her as not only the eldest child of Corinna's remaining children, but as the daughter of the pack's matriarch she knew she was a far cry from what the silver Leader had likely expected. The darkness that clouded her might not ever give way to light -- she had grown to accept this, but that did not mean her pack mates would.

Finally, Corinna's voice answered, and the younger girl looked to her mother curiously. The thought of raising cubs was not something she was opposed to.. but leaving her pack? Her family? The thought was intolerable. She could no more imagine traveling the way her mother had than she could welcoming her birth father home with warmth. "I couldn't leave you, Fenru or the boys," she murmured, feeling her ears slide back to her skull. Oak Tree Bend, as hard as it was to settle and call the land home, was her home by default -- her heart remained with her pack mates.

Yet the topic slid to pack matters in itself, and the girl bowed her muzzle slightly now before her Leader. Corinna offered her opportunity, and eager to show her talents, she was quick to agree. "I will give you a report within the next few days," she offered, her tail giving a content swing through the air as she lifted her muzzle to nudge it tenderly to the underside of her mother's cheek. "The pack will feast," she decided, a smirk forming upon her lips at the thought. Oak Tree Bend had yet to establish a larger pack hunt within their new home.

(This post was last modified: Oct 11, 2013, 12:14 AM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

Sounds good to me! <3

Gone Tomorrow

Cori wasn't entirely sure what she expected. She'd never told any of her children what it was she wanted for them, other than health and happiness. So far, she'd done an adequate job at keeping her cubs healthy, but happiness was a daily struggle. A struggle that bonded them together, sometimes unwillingly. Quiet, Corinna merely nodded at Kisla's response, pressing a kiss to her daughter's creme forehead in understanding. Perhaps one day, her daughter would change her mind, but Corinna was far too selfish to chase her out of the pack to make Kisla explore the world. "You'll always have a home here with us," she confided, her voice muffled against the Kisla's fur.

But matters switched to discussion of the pack's future hunt, and Corinna was pleased to see that Kisla was quick to pick up the opportunity presented to her. Given the chance, the leader was sure the younger wolf would do just fine and would appreciate the focus that a task would provide. "Excellent," Cori crooned, her tail wagging easily at her hocks. Returning her daughter's smirk, she nodded. "Absolutely. Sceral and Serach need to learn, so I'm sure they'd appreciate being led in the hunt by their big sister." Giving her daughter what she hoped was an encouraging smile, she bumped Kisla's shoulder with her own to encourage her to get going. She'd head in the opposite direction and hopefully, between the two of them, they'd find a suitable meal for their pack mates.

Corinna was quick to reassure her – playing the role of mother first and foremost, it seemed, and as the silver she-wolf pressed a loving kiss to her forehead, the tawny woman felt herself lean toward the embrace. No matter her age, no matter the past, Kisla realized she would always rely on the comfort of her mother. Whatever the leader meant by her words, the girl took solace from them – should she attempt to find a different path in the world, or remain with her family, even she could not determine such at her tender age. For now, her family needed her, and she would not let them down as so many in the past had.

Corinna’s words regarding her youngest brothers lifted her, and she mirrored the actions of her mother. Her tail wagged through the air with contentment and the sudden task that she had taken upon herself with the blessing of her leader. “I will report back soon,” she murmured, a soft smile pressing itself further upon her lips before she nudged Corinna’s cheek. With one final swept of her tail and playful nip cast to the pack matriarch, Kisla took her leave from her mother’s presence, eager to begin her promise to scout out the herds sooner rather than later. The winter waited for no one, and as the pack was still new to these lands, she was not willing to let an opportunity slip away. Serach and Sceral were old enough to at least observe their first hunt, and she would be sure to find the perfect prey to introduce them to the ancient ritual of their brethren.

[/end]

(This post was last modified: Oct 14, 2013, 11:38 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

The den - it had been here since she'd joined the pack. The dark opening in the earth and rocks was a focal point located in the very heart of the Bend, and yet she had hardly spent any time here, or taken much notice of it at all. At first she had felt a bit like she was intruding, and left the place to Corinna's son's and the other longstanding members of the pack. Even after the feeling of being out-of-place here had passed, the Stormwright lady still preferred to spend her leisurely hours beneath the open sky, or nestled in some ferns or snow if shelter became necessary. But now, things were changing. The cycle of seasons had moved on past winter into spring's embrace, and there were changes at work within the dark she-wolf as well.

Nayeli didn't feel out of place here anymore - the scents that mingled in the dust were the familiar ones of her pack mates. Some of them had likely already noticed the subtle change in her own scent, and if anyone saw her now, there was no mistaking the round swelling of normally lithe woman's belly. Instinct had drawn her here, and as she waded into the shadows, Nayeli narrowed her eyes, studying the small cave with a critical silver gaze. At once she set to work, pawing at the musty leaf litter that had accumulated in the corners, carefully checking over a place where the wall had begun cracking and crumbling away a bit. Instinct drove her to this, demanding the expectant mother seek out and prepare a proper place to bring her children into the world. The den was in quite good repair, for it had never been abandoned, but her instincts would not relent until she had fussed and tidied and scraped at the dirt far more than was actually necessary. At the very least, it was a good way to occupy her thoughts for a time.

15th of may, midday — 16°C/60°F

Sceral stalked forward silently, his jaws clamped on a dead hare he had managed to catch onto before returning to Oak Tree Bend. He wandered silently, glancing over the occasional tree here and there before he stopped at the roots of one of a more central location. Placing the lifeless creature beside him, the lad sniffed at the base, inspecting it thoroughly with twists of his head. Finally deciding that this was the right spot, Sceral got to work at digging up a small hole that would be perfectly sized to accommodate the average sized hare. He scraped at the surface before the soil began to crumble with each scoop of his paws.

Picking it up only to gently place it into the hole, Sceral moved the hare before beginning to cover it with dirt and debris that littered the nearby floor of the forest. He remembered his mother's teachings well, remembered the steps and explanations she had offered. A cache was a place wolves kept food they didn't want to eat yet. Nothing was wasted, so anything that wasn't wanted yet was saved for later. Dropping to the floor and rolling over onto his back, Sceral wiggled around in the dust and dirt as he marked the cache with his scent, letting any wolf who passed by know that there was a meal hidden away for later right here. Satisfied with his work, the youngster righted himself into a standing position before giving his pelt a quick, brief shake to rid it of excess dust.

(This post was last modified: May 15, 2014, 03:46 PM by Sceral.)

It was a warm day, summer finally seeming to overpower the cold of winter. Over the past few weeks, the sun had gradually melted away the last of the snow, and now nearly every sign of the harsh season was gone; food had returned in plenty, and he wolves of Oak Tree Bend had regained their hull. There was still work to do: cashes needed to be filled, and soon the pack would welcome new pups who would need to be cared for. A grumble escaped the black wolf as he made his way through the territory, his face twisted in an unusual, disgruntled grimace; Pups! Yes, new members would soon come to The Bend. Fathered by Triell.Drestig tried to look on the bright side of things; he was happy to see the pack grow, he looked forwards to spending time with the young, to teach and play with them, and he was happy for Triell and Nayeli to have found each other; mostly. He respected his alpha greatly and considered him a friend, he deserved to be a father; and there was no doubt in the dark man's mind that Nayeli would make an excellent mother. His dismay was fostered by irrational, instinctive impulses; by the intuitive wish to father his own children. As spring had come he had grown more and more restless, the rush of hormones making him irritable, and he had done his best to avoid most of the other pack members, taking long excursions off the territory to try and clear his mind. He knew he couldn't go on like this, that he had to face these feelings and move past them; but not today. In his ponderings, his paws had brought him to the center of Oak Tree Bend, not far from the den. It was midday, so the chance - Or rather risk - of running into another pack member was slim, they were all out doing their jobs for the pack. And yet, his ears caught a rustling nearby, the unmistakable sound of digging paws. For a moment he stood still, glancing in direction of the noise, then the opposite, but eventually curiosity won over his bad mood, and he turned to investigate. As he came closer, he was happy about his choice, as he saw the boy finish covering his cash and shake off the dirt. Walking towards him, a smile gracing his dark lips, Drestig waved his tail appreciatively; "@Sceral" He greeted in a warm tone, nodding to the boy; it was the one of the yearlings he had spend less time with, seemingly the one who had taken his mother's death the hardest. The boys were generally quiet, understandably seeking support from their family rather than strange joiners, but Drestig was eager to spend as much time as possible with the yearlings, and he wouldn't miss this chance; "Had a successful hunt?" He nodded at the small patch of dirt, smiling encouragingly at the lad and stopped a few steps before him, tail still wagging pleasantly. Word count: 508 My mind is my own ”I'll say whatever I want to!”

/clings to sceral.
poor self conscious baby ;;

“Sceral.”

The boy jumped slightly at the mention of his name, too caught up in what he was doing to really notice of the approach of Drestig. Sceral lowered his head respectfully—there was a hierarchy, after all—and wagged his tail in a greeting of his own. The pale youngster had smelt the dark wolf's scent all over the territory, knowing he was keeping active within Oak Tree Bend. Thank goodness. “Hey, Dres.” Sceral winced at his casual response, scrambling to add on the last syllable of the swarthy adult's name. “Tig.” Shortening people's name had been a reoccurring theme in his life thus far; Ser, Fen, Kiss and Mer …

He cracked a smile at Drestig's question. Hunting had always been what Sceral enjoyed. The thrill of a good chase took his mind off things, allowed him to regulate his breathing and keep active. He didn't want to wither away into nothing. What good would that do? He had to make his mother and father proud—he had to keep his blade of honour sharp in its salute to his bloodline. “Ah, yeah. Caught a hare earlier an' I jus' figured I should cache it so someone who needs it can have it.”

Sceral fell quiet for a moment, brown eyes distant as he thought long and hard. “I … have a question.” He blinked twice before looking up to Drestig, fidgeting slightly. “There's gonna be pups this year, yeah? Well, I uhh … I guess I just wanna know what … what'm I gonna be to them?” Life felt like it had whizzed past, and all of a sudden Spring was here and Sceral was almost a yearling. “Blood wise, I mean.” He wasn't technically related to Triell—he was an Aesir, not a Tainn.

*Snuggles Sceral*

The dark man hid a grin when Sceral twitched in surprise, pulling half a step backwards and sitting himself down, trying to give of a calm air; No need for formalities. And when the boy greeted him with only mild subservience, and a nickname, he smiled openly; even though the youngster was quick to edit his call. Drestig nodded encouragingly, the tip of his tail wagging pleasantly; "Drest is quite enough, if you prefer." He assured, before falling silent again and allowing the boy to continue; and he was happy to see the pale lad remain lighthearted as he did. The Avalon's eyes twinkled as he watched Sceral recount his success, a young man's pride and joy in the hunt shining out of his grin. Drestig grinned with him, offering a small nod in acknowledgement. Then the atmosphere seemed to change, Sceral's face sobering into a thoughtful grimace as silence spread between them. And suddenly the youth spoke as if echoing Drestig's own, earlier thoughts, asking about the pending pups. The black man's face became equally serious, though he kept a warm glance on the boy, nodding slowly as he spoke, encouraging him to go on. When Sceral finished, a new silence stretched, Drestig taking his time to answer, lips pursed in a contemplative pucker; Yes, what exactly... After a few moments, the older male started speaking, slowly, eyes focused on the boy; "That's a good question... I'll admit I'm still not completely familiar with the bloodlines of your family," He gave an apologetic smile, knowing that he hadn't done much to learn about these affairs since his joining; another part of his effort to stay in the present and never dwell on the past. Clearing his throat, he continued: "but I believe you would be their cousins, you and your brother. It is my understanding that Triell thought of..." He hesitated; Again with the past... A sympathetic look slid over his face, and he sought to meet Sceral's eyes, with a warm, supportive look; "Thinks of" He decided; "Your mother as his own sister..." Another pause. Drestig knew it wasn't what Sceral had asked, but he had no better answer to give. The truth was that the boys would have no biological relation to Triells offspring. Probably. Truth be told, the ebony wolf knew very little about family - especially extended family - he didn't know if there was a name for the position Sceral would soon find himself in. Closing his eyes for a moment, the older man tried to get his thoughts in order, pushing back the memories that were trying to claw their way out into the light; Not now! He looked at Sceral again, smiling confidently, the kind of smile you would give an equal - the yearling deserved to be treated as such, he was no child. "But you asked about blood..." He nodded, as if reassuring himself he was remembering correctly; "By blood you are not related to Triell, so by blood you technically won't be related to the puppies..." Drestig looked at the young Aesir, his face serious, and after a moments silence he said, adamantly: "But blood really isn't that important." Word count: 530 My mind is my own ”I'll say whatever I want to!”

Drest would suffice, it seemed, and Sceral acknowledged this silently with a nod. It was nice to know that Drestig was taking a friendly approach with the orphaned prince. Lowering himself to a sit, Sceral peered up at the swarthy wolf, his tail sweeping around to curl at his paws. The youngster chuffed slightly as Drestig explained he wasn't too familiar with Sceral's bloodline. “Me neither,” he stated. There was his mother, a Donata, and his father, an Aesir. His older brother and sister—Fenru and Kisla—were Tainns but he and Serach were Aesirs. Family was hard to get a grasp of.

The younger male stayed silent as the older wolf explained that Sceral's mother, Corinna, had been seen by Triell as a sister, causing the yearling to furrow his brow. What on Earth would that mean he was to the cubs … brother? No, that's not right. Frankly, the pale youngster wasn't even sure what the word was. Drestig went on explain further. They were not, technically, related by blood. Part of Sceral was relieved, but at the same time he was a little disappointed. He wouldn't be an older brother … he couldn't ever really be an older brother, could he? It hurt him a little. And then Drestig said the one thing that got his ears perked, his tail swishing behind him slowly.

“But blood isn't really that important.”

Sceral smiled. “Yeah … it isn't, is it? I mean, I can still be a brother or … or whatever!” Blood really wasn't that important. “D'you think Triell'd be okay with it?”

The black man nodded solemnly when his young companion admitted to his own confusion about the state of the Oak Tree Bend Family; The bloodlines of wolves are often complex... He watched Sceral's face change and his brows furrow as he tried to comprehend it all, and a soft smile slid onto his face. It was an awful lot for such a young wolf to take in, all this death and change; Though I can't have been much older than him when I lost my family. The thought made a dull ache tighten around his heart, but he ignored it, focusing on the tawny boy as he spoke again. His hopeful smile made Drestig's own grin widen and he bobbed his head encouragingly at the lad. His words were so heartfelt, it touched the dark wolf deeply, he chuckled lowly, meeting the Aesir's brown eyes in a non-threatening manner; He's such a strong-hearted kid... Clearing his throat, the older wolf considered his reply - he wanted to be sincere with the boy, talk to him like an equal - but the answer wasn't hard to come by, it was just how to phrase it; Of cause he can be their cousin... Or yes, brother, why not?! He nodded once, decidedly; "I'm sure Triell would be very proud to have you as older brother for his children." At the last words he stood, smile replaced by a formal attitude, eyes still locked on Sceral; "And if you ask me," He proclaimed, stretching his neck to nudge the young prince with his muzzle; "They couldn't get a better on!" Word count: 267 My mind is my own ”I'll say whatever I want to!”

Oooc: Feel free to let it end here Mimi <3