Blackberry Fields Ain't no valley low enough

Kova Lagina

memoria et lux

Kova scrambled around a bush chasing a squirrel that seemed too young and foolish for its own good. It was glaringly obvious that both creatures were too young an inexperienced to know better than to not play with each other. Whenever the Lagina pup did get his jaws around the squirrels tail he would never bite down too hard. Besides the squirrel would quickly pull its tail from his mouth and resume heckling the wolf pup. Bouncing from bush to bush faster than the child could move, the young squirrel would dart in and out pushing or nipping gently at the canine.

The youthful pair of mammals had been at it ever since Kova had first found the young squirrel, just days out of its mothers nest, gathering berries and nuts just outside the wolf den. At first the squirrel had been scared and ran from the pup. Kova, wanting to chase and play, had followed the creature at a short distance. However the wolf pup knew that birds scared easily and would go away if he simply ran out to get a closer look. He figured whatever the thing he was chasing now was like a bird and would scare easy. So he kept a good distance away while the baby squirrel got used to his presence.

After a patient twenty minutes later Kova was playing with the squirrel. He didn't know that the squirrel should be considered lunch, and the squirrel didn't know what a wolf even was. All it knew was that this other fuzzy strange looking creature liked to play.

(This post was last modified: Jul 27, 2014, 10:33 PM by Kova.)

It was about midday when the Aetomis boy came upon the blackberries. They stretched as far as the eye could see, and their smell was intoxicatingly sweet. A previous encounter with blackberries had taught the tawny hued youth not to eat too many. He had spent a gruesome afternoon recovering from a sugar coma, and didn't intend to do it again. But he still couldn't resist snuffling up a few as he entered the field. Not long after, as he stood surveying the land, a rustling of bushes caught his eye. It seemed something, no, actually two things, were moving through the field. Possibly it was a wolf hunting, but it would have to be rather small to not be seen over the bushes. Or it could've been two hares playing Chase. Kato always enjoyed remembering how similar all young animals were. And that was when the scent of wolf hit his nose. It was nearly overridden with the smell of blackberries, but it was distinctly wolf. Exactly then, a slate grey blur burst out of the bushes to his right. After it came another slate grey figure, but Kato could see that this one was a puppy. The fawn boy cocked his head in confusion. What was a puppy doing out here all alone? And why was it playing with that squirrel? "Hey buddy, are you lost?" Kato wasn't a terribly tall figure, but he laid down anyway so that the cub's eye level was relatively close to his. "Speech"

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Bane Aranna, since joining the ranks of Black Thorn Downs, had been charged as any other yearling within the pack was charged - to watch the children of the pack. Of course, there was a number of yearlings within the ranks, he had come to notice and at the bottom of the barrel and the newest, Bane did his best to keep his distance. Already a silent, observing kind of being, Bane had no quarrel for the time being at keeping his place newly amongst the ranks. Whilst the other care givers took time to socialize with the children, Bane for the most part kept a distant watch over them, interfering only when he felt they had strayed too far. This time, one pup had managed to wiggle away and Bane was hot on it's trail. Bane did not wish to get in trouble for this though did not wish to place the blame on any other and so was quick to get the Leader's son back where he should be.

When he happened upon boy, squirrel and grown wolf, Bane found himself stiffening on long limbs, his hackles lifting a bit along his spine. Of course, there was no need to jump to conclusions, for as the child was roaming about it was likely the stranger was only lounging about. The pale wolf seemed nice enough, leveling himself to the child and all, but none the less, Bane had to be on guard. This was about the child's safety and that is what mattered most. "For your safety, sir, I suggest you step back." He does his best to speak politely, his tones even, but his firm stance was an obvious suggestion that he was not messing around.

(This post was last modified: Aug 23, 2014, 02:34 AM by Bane.)

Is late ><

Kova Lagina

memoria et lux

"Hey buddy are you lost?" The voice spoke as Kova tripped in surprise over the squirrels tail. He watched the squirrel flee from the new much larger wolf that had appeared then turned the lads gaze to the stranger. Sniffing the air intently as his parents told him to do, the child narrowed his gaze suspiciously. This wolf didn't have his mother or fathers scent on him which meant that he wasn't family.

I'm not lost, and my parents said not to talk to strangers... so- his words were cut off by another distinctly male voice that came from behind him. Kova whirled around to see a tall black wolf who looked rather mean. Though the child could see as he looked closer that the dark wolf was trying to look mean to the other lighter guy. Sniffing Bane quickly, Kova smiled as the smell of his family reached his nose. This wolf is family! Kova thought as he cast a curious look to the white wolf. Then he turned back and trotted towards Bane.

Slipping under the yearlings long legs and planting himself under the safety of the pack wolf he didn't really know yet, Kova watched the white wolf silently and waited for the two adults to do something. Though he felt a little bad for the white wolf since he hadn't really done anything wrong. Kova kept quiet since he didn't relaly know how the black wolf would react. If Bane had been his mother the pup would have been arguing with her that the white wolf hadn't done anything wrong, but to a stranger Kova didn't know? He erred on the side of caution and waited to see what the Aranna wolf would do.

(This post was last modified: Sep 02, 2014, 09:40 PM by Kova.)

I know Kato went inactive, but I thought we could still continue this... assuming maybe he ran off?

After a quick sniff and realization that Bane was a member of his pack, the little child of his Leaders came scurrying into his direction, silently settling in-between his long limbs for protection. Bane smiled inwardly, having never actually taken care for a child or protected a child in such a manner before. Of course, he cared for Nina's children deeply before he left, but he had gone far too early for a need to protect them outside the pack den as he did so now.

It would seem without complaint the other man would turn and leave, having no need to cause any trouble. Bane felt an obvious wash of relief over him as he shifted on his footing, relaxing now that the stranger was gone. Taking a few steps back to the pup was no longer under him, he looked with concern to the grey-scaled child. "We should get back to the den." Although he was certain this statement would upset the child, having to go back home and all, Bane was not bold enough nor comfortable enough within the ranks to simply wonder around the lands as the child's guard. After all, Bane was still a youth himself and a new member of the pack. Still feeling as though he was on thin ice, he did not want to be responsible if somehow the child of his Leaders became hurt under his watch.

Kova was glad when the white coated stranger quickly exited the area. He was becoming more wary of strangers which in all truth was a good thing. It meant that he would learn to be cautious instead of jumping into potentially bad situations head first. He relaxed lowering his tail comfortably and sliding out from between Bane's legs to look up at the dark male. Kova could smell that Bane was a new wolf. He looked nothing like Beren or Atlas and the child quickly noticed the darker brownish black fur the man was coated by. Glancing up to see the color of Bane's eyes, Kova took note of the orange orbs that watched him closely. Looking away towards where the stranger had come from, Kova sighed at the mention from Bane of having to go back to the den. The little one debated on arguing with the male, but decided to play it safe and keep his mouth shut. He didn't know this man or how badly he might react if Kova complained. Instead he nodded sullenly then turned to start following Bane once the older male decided to lead them away. Still, burning curiosity of the new male had the boy asking questions in no time. "What is your job in the pack?" Kova asks firstly letting a little o shape form with his mouth while glancing to the older male. "An what's your name?" He added quickly almost forgetting to ask. Of course I wanna know his name first... Cause then I would know who he is. the child thought quietly cocking his head to listen to the dark male's reply.

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For a few moments as the stranger left the area, the pair were content to look over one another, orange eyes meeting a deep denim. Bane's nose twitched, taking further note of the child's age and his health, eyes once more looking over his gray-scale coating to make sure everything was alright. For a moment as the silence ticks on, he wonders if the child was anything like him when he was younger - quiet, observant, questioning of strangers and very determined for knowledge.

After a sigh and what seemed like a moment of hesitation, the child had no complaints about following him back to the pack den and so Bane began to make his way. His steps were long and smooth, though he took his time as he was determined to keep the child close to his and and in the corner of his gaze just in case he decided to try and sneak off as he had originally before Bane found him. After a bit of silence, as one might expect from a child, the questioning began. Bane was reluctant to speak, a ball forming in his throat before he was able to choke it down and actually partake in conversation with someone other then @Nina or @Hollow who had long left him and his pack behind. "I'm still in training really, but I want to become a Guardian." He admits to the child, granted his own youth. "My name is Bane." He pauses only a moment to look over the boy as he questioned back, before starting up a slow pace once more. "And you... Kova, I assume?" After all, there was only one son and one daughter of the pack. He knew of their names and having no other boy child within the ranks, it was quite obvious who this was.

Kova ambled along after and beside Bane as they made their way closer and closer to the middle of Black Thorn Downs pack territory. The bushes scraped passed Kova's gray coat messing up his fur and leaving stray twigs or leaves in awkward places. He would have to wash himself when he got back to the den, or be lazy and have mom do it for him. "Yeah I'm Kova. Kinda of obvious who I am isn't it?" He grinned wickedly before forcing a calmer look back onto his face. Though his tail still wagged as though he was joking around. Kova thought about what being a guardian meant. To guard something was to keep his safe from other wolves. He knew this, so he could guess that being a guardian meant that a wolf was keeping something safe from other wolves. The pack maybe? "Soooo.... You keep our family safe? Please tell me what else a guardian does!" Kova begged while hopping up and down as they padded down a narrow path. The path wound its way through the outermost pats of the packs territory, disappearing the further in you go. It was lined with large stately blackberry bushes that were three wolves wide as they were tall. The breeze ripped through the pathway disturbing the bushes and the wolves fur as they walked down the hall towards the thorny castle. The pebble lined floors scraped at the pups pads as Kova bounced around excited for Bane's answer.

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The smallest of smiles moves over Bane's expression to the child's first question, to which only a small nod then was given. The child was curious, this much was for sure, so eager to know the inner workings of the pack and what jobs they did and, as he questioned now, what you did in doing such jobs. Bane was silent for a moment, thoughtful as always as they walked along one of the many wolf-worn trails throughout the pack lands. He nosed at a berry bush, long now past it's season of growing anything edible to them. "Well..." He spoke lightly, "I would say keeping them safe about covers it. Though there is many ways as to how." He found himself explaining to the youth, keeping his pumpkin orange eyes on the trail out before them. "I guard the borders, mostly. Intercept anyone who intrudes, run off any predators like fox and coyote and watch from afar those wanting to speak to the Leaders to join in case something goes wrong." He pauses, only long enough to look over the gray-scale pup for reaction to his words. "And if any other packs come to ours looking for a fight, Ill be the first to fight back." Although this thought in itself was secretly frightening to him. Not because he would have to fight another wolf to protect his own pack, but because he knew the closest pack to them was Secret Woodlands. The pack which he had been born in, raised in and most importantly, the pack that @Nina was in...

"So you must be pretty strong huh... I hope I grow to be big and strong one day." Kova said somewhat sadly. He couldn't wait till he got older and his body grew. Every moon he would measure himself against a particularly large blackberry bush that had a big misshapen trunk sticking out through a bare area of the thorny bush. The bare part of the trunk rose to about his mothers height, and every moon he would mark his height with a scratch of his fangs against the trunk. Granted to say, Kova was horribly excited about the fact that he had already grown so much. However time still went too slow for his liking. The next thing the gray pup thought about was about what Bane had said guardians helped to keep away. Coyotes and fox were words he was unfamiliar with. They had been uttered in the den by his parents, but Kova never really understood what they meant. He only knew that his parents grew agitated while saying those words. "What's a coyote and fox?" Kova asked before tripping over a small root sticking up out of the earth. Shaking himself off quickly and righting himself, Kova ignored the heat of embarrassment as it scorched through his coat. He tried to pretend as if that had not just happened and bit his lip as his ankle twinged a bit. He must have hurt it on accident while tripping. Glancing at Bane to see what he was looking at and doing, Kova made sure that the yearling wasn't laughing at him. Cause if he was he would get an earful from the pup.

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(This post was last modified: Oct 21, 2014, 11:25 PM by Kova.)