Drooping Willows Young Volcanoes

Making this AW, but I was hoping for some playmates xp (@Greer, @Deacon, @Castiel and/or @Octavius)

- Afternoon, Mist — 14° F/-10° C

Oh he was far away from home now! The thought alone made him giddy, the hairs at the back of his neck standing on end with nervous energy. At last, he had given up entirely on his hopeless endeavor to follow the laws of his parents. He had known from the start that it wouldn't last, that he couldn't stick to the lands, to the borders, to the rules! He had tried for his father's sake - the last thing Maksim needed while he was healing up were the worries of his son running off - but oh had it been hard; every day he had felt his fur itch, muscles begging to be used for more than the usual 'border patrols' that had become his life, tracing the edge of his pen, longing to be set free. In the end, he had given in, unable to fight his nature, and knowing that his father was better, the incentive to stick to the guidelines was dwindling. He was not like his siblings. not the perfect son, always listening, following the rules and doing exactly as expected of him like @Aleksei; nor the adored prodigy, already hankering for knowledge, studying and gathering herbs like @Karina this was where he belonged, this was what he longed for, exploring; Adventure! That very morning, he had awoken early, swiftly making his way through the fog - its white clouds no longer held any mystery to him - and reaching the pack borders, he had spared no time to think further of what he was doing, but merely crossed out into the unknown. The first few miles were familiar enough, woods similar to those behind the borders, but soon the landscape changed, and the Cut Rock River prince's orange eyes grew wide with wonder. So many new sights appeared out of the mist, making him keep going for most of the day, toothy grin only growing wider with each step. It was only now, as his legs started to ache, and he noticed the slow dimming of the diffuse daylight, that he stopped, gasping lightly for air. Head moving from side to side, the rust pelted pup studied his surroundings, taking in every detail with a breathy laugh. All around him were wide, thick-stemmed trees, rising, not as tall as the cedars of home, but still far above his head, and branching out in strange, long wisps, hanging down like moss green curtains, forming incredible shelters around the trees' base. "This is amazing!" He whispered breathlessly to himself, chuckling with joy. He should be thinking of turning home, already it was too late for him to make it before night fall, but he was too lost in his adventure to remember. Word count: 456 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

*barges in instead to rain on parade*

The disappointment the honeyed she-wolf had felt when she watched her seven month old child cross over pack borders without a second glance was insurmountable. Orren's sudden disregard for his family and pack was beginning to perturb the she-wolf, and so as the fog rolled at her paws, the regal River wolf loped after her son, a heavy heart in her paws as she watched him practically throw himself in glee at his rebellion.

It was like watching Raissa all over again, except the thought of losing Orren far surpassed the death of her sister, and after bearing her own litter, she did not understand how her mother had ever dealt with the loss.

She would lose sight of him every so often -- she wished to stay downwind of him. She told herself at first it was to allow him his freedom -- to get the sense of adventure and wonder from his system, but as they crept further and further along, and the bright sky now darkened above, she knew now she had held on to one hopeful moment the entirety of the gait. That he would see reason, and return to his family before something terrible happened.

But he did not, and the lack of regard he held in that matter stung far worse than a blow of antlers to her chest.

When the mother could handle no more, Kisla Baranski prowled forward now, her lope quickening in pace as she uttered a harsh bark of reprimand. Her figure was lifted in striking dominance, for he was of an age that he would need to understand the basics of the hierarchy. Her tail waved behind her as a proud banner would, and a scowl asserted itself upon her features. Such swift paws, Orren Baranski, she uttered, her ears sliding back to her skull to reveal her disappointment with him. Too bad they were not put to good use, such as obeying your parents.

sparking up my heart

Let's make this a bit more interesting c; PM me if you guys want anything changed<3

Deacon had seen the younger boy before the older woman appeared. He had flicked up his tail and lifted his head like he had seen his parents and older siblings do before. Before he could make his appearance known all the way that older woman appeared so quickly. Perhaps she was an older sister...or mother? Stopping in his tracks he slid in between willow tree branches to watch. He couldn't pick up the words but her tone and position of dominance let him understand that this woman was highly displeased with the boy's actions.

Deciding it was time for him to make an appearance Deacon lifted himself up with dominance too, as if almost challenging the two wolves before him. Barking out in an even tone he strode forward to the pair with confidence beyond his own knowledge. "I believe you two are awfully close to my home. Of course no harm has been done, so I guess we are safe for the moment." Offering a toothy grin the young Archer-Lyall tried to think of how his father, @Angier, would take charge of a situation like this.

"May I have your names?" He questions them still holding his proud position. A small smirk on his face. He felt rather proud at the moment. He was showing quite the signs of being like a wonderful mix of his older brother Skoll and his father Angier. Of course that might also not be the best thing either. Deacon, still so young, thought it was a beautiful thing though. Oh if only one could tell the boy his wrongs from rights...

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As always, his joy was short-lived, the wonder of adventure killed by the commanding sound of an all too familiar voice. Orren cringed, his lanky form shrinking into a crouch, ears flattening back. He turned around, tail tucked between his legs, bright eyes wide in dread; Oh crap! His mother was a beat of disapproval as she emerged from the naked willow trees, golden-green eyes narrowed, bushy, buff tail raised high behind her. Like usually when she scolded him, which had been quite often recently, her voice lashed over him like a physical beating, her words making him cower even more. He wanted to look down at his paws in shame, but Kisla's eyes would not release his. Even when she finished her reprimand and awaited his defense, of which he had none, her gaze kept his locked , her disappointed anger offering no escape. "Ma' I... I just wanted to explore a bit, it..." He whined helplessly, ears hanging in defeat; there was no excuse, and no safety from her wrath. Still, a rebellious, pained part of him wanted to oppose her, and he straightened a little, sticking out his chin; "It's not like there's any use for me back home!" He tried to keep his face brave, but his voice was weak, and his lower lip quivered slightly; At least I'm not in the way out here! It was then that the new voice sounded, making Orren's head spin around to face the stranger. The river prince's lifted his ears in curious surprise, quite forgetting to be both remorseful and defiant before his mother, as he studied this boy who appeared close to his own age. The young boy had a dark coat, though it shimmered with hints of both warm golds and cool silvers, and a white spot drew attention to his puffed out chest. The pelt covered a body as lanky as Orren's own, though held in a much different posture of highly held shoulders and proudly raised tail; and he was looking back at the other pup with eyes only a few shades lighter than his own. His words were just as surprising as his appearance and posture; Home? PACK?! Had he walked onto claimed land? He hadn't scented any borders... The dark lad offered a broad, reassuring grin though, and Orren couldn't help but smile back; not quite as widely as the stranger, but full of excited interest. When the black kid asked for names, his rusty counterpart was keen on giving them, but he suddenly remembered his mother by his side. Smile shrinking, he glanced up at his dam with tucked ears, tangerine eyes aglow with his curiosity and eagerness to interact with this new age mate. Word count: 454 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

The words that slipped past the boys muzzle were heart rendering – the distinct impression he had that he was of no use to his pack. The golden female snorted then – ready to argue that she had great need of him, and was even tempted to launch in to the story of the death her younger sister had endured.. and her own attacker in the past – to prove how dangerous the world could be.

 

The story would die in her throat as a young wolf came upon them. He was a boy, about the same age as Orren. While Orren’s features seemed to alight with the thought of meeting someone new, her own would slightly darken at the thought of how close they had come to trespassing. Her green eyes studied the youth, and while it was an interesting scenario to take a neutral stance to a pup strutting his dominance upon his borders, she did play along. After all, they had been the ones who had almost broken wolf taboo.

 

Kisla and Orren Baranski, she murmured in return, her creamy muzzle dipping to indicate who was who as each name slipped past her slender muzzle. Both of Cut Rock River, she determined, keeping no secrets from the youth. As far as she was concerned, their packs held little knowledge of one another – little did she know how close Whisper Caverns was to the regals that claimed the lands before her as their own. My apologies for the near intrusion. As she spoke, her eyes would drift casually to her son, wondering if he had anything to say about the situation before them – somehow, he seemed excited, rather than concerned.. and that thought alone concerned her. He would learn a hard lesson indeed if he allowed careless paws to wander in to claimed territory that was not his own.

sparking up my heart

The boy, who had to be around Deacon's age, had appeared rather surprise by the prince's present. While the female, she was honestly an eye catcher, gave into his dominance. Letting his body loosen a bit his tail wagged above him in a more friendly manner. "Apolgies accepted Mrs. Baranski and Orren." It was as simple as that. Deacon found no need to be rude and un-accepting towards them. No true harm had happened after all.

Sniffing the air he decided that he was safe to be alone with the two Baranskis for now. "Cut Rock River?" His voice held curious tones from the young pup state his mind was still in. "Where is that? If you don't mind me asking." A nervous smile stood out on his face. Deacon was only aware of two packs. Silent Moon Plateau, which he had learned about from Celandine, and of course his own home Willow Ridge. Looking to the young boy he eyed him over briefly. He had a copper coat with dapples of black, orange eyes (perhaps more mellow hued than Deacon's own), and of course a sort of glint in his eyes. Perhaps it was something all young pups had. Or was it?

After looking at the other boy, who was know known as Orren, the dark prince's eyes grazed over the female known as Kisla. Her coat a tawny with silver along with green eyes. While the woman was certainly a good-looker she looked to be older. A bit too older for his eyes to look at her the way they looked at Celandine.

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The noise his mother made at his outburst was hurtful, but not exactly unexpected; Orren was by no means a pigsney, and his parents were never late to chew him out when he was insolent. Still the rejection, or perceived rejection, stung in his tween heart, and he felt like another inch of distance was put between him and his family. All hurt was forgotten though, as Kisla - to her son's surprise - not only introduced them both to the dark pup, but also went as far as to show humility in the face of his assertive stance. A small wine of joyful excitement escaped the rust coated boy, and his tail started wagging vigorously as he smiled up at his mother with ears laid back in gratitude. The river queen went on to mention their loyalties, but neglected to point out their exact positions; Probably on purpose... She also apologized, which surprised Orren a bit, it seemed uncharacteristic, but the pointed gaze she send his way spoke in all clarity of what confession truly meant; But I didn't do anything wrong! He had crossed no border, he was still in no-man's-land, wasn't he?! He didn't have time to be upset though, as his bright eyes turned to the dark youngster, excitement still clear in his features. The boy spoke with well formed words, appearing both polite and formal, traits that would normally have bored the rambunctious river prince, but he was still too energized by meeting an age mate. At the ebony lad's question, Orren again turned his eyes on his mother, briefly, searching for her consent, yet he was too eager to wait long before he turned back, smiling widely; "To the west!" He proclaimed both pride and exhilaration in his voice; "Under a day's journey from here!" He looked around, puffing out his chest a bit, smug at having completed the trek so swiftly. Then he looked at the other child again, smiling broadly and encouragingly; "But what about you? What's your name, and what is your pack called?!" He took a small step forwards, bending his fore legs slightly; His mother was once again forgotten as he focused on this new, possible friend! Word count: 368 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

The swarthy boy questioned the whereabouts of their pack – a question Kisla fully intended to dodge, had her own son not piped up practically the very minute the other stopped talking, giving away their exact location. Blinking, the she-wolf’s jaw slackened slightly as she shot a stern glance to Orren – who apparently would eagerly sign away the location of his pack and endanger them all for the pleasure of a potential friend. It was a harsh reminder at how young he was, and how sheltered he had been in life, and in that very moment she wondered if she was the primary reason for this.. having kept him bound within borders until he could no longer take it.

She spoke nothing at that moment – her silence on the matter would simply allow for the two youths to discuss what they desired, and on the way home, she would need to tell her son how important it was to not simply tell anyone their pack location – and everything about them. It was painfully obvious to the honeyed leader in that very moment how the River wolves teetered on the edges of rivalry with their neighbors – she had no knowledge if this pack was linked with the Whisper Caverns pack or not.

As her son stepped forward to continue the conversation, her eyes instead drifted to the boy, wondering how much information he was willing to offer a couple of strangers at his border – and if it would prove to be useful to the Baranski she-wolf.

sparking up my heart

The age-mate boy showed pure excitement giving away his location with ease. To the west and under a days journey. It would be an easy trip to make if the Archer-Lyall ever wanted to visit his new friends. "Oh! So close to here!" The boy's tail wagged behind him with giddy joy. "Maybe I can come visit some time?" His eyes wandered up to the older woman as if asking for her permission instead of his age-mate's. It seemed the older woman would be the one to actually allow him to come visit if even for a day.

Dark furred ears perked alert when Orren spoke asking the same questions Deacon had asked them. "Me?" He smirked and let out a chuckle. "I'm Deacon Archer-Lyall a noble prince of the Willow Ridge pack!" As if to flaunt this off even more he pushed out his chest and fluffed his fur a bit. Giving him that big strong look he had seen Elettra and Angier give the lowers of the pack. "My pack isn't too far from here. In fact...I'm surprised one of my guardians or parents haven't came looking for me yet." A small shrug of his shoulders was given at this statement. The dark prince couldn't honestly care less if one of his parents or guardians (Sorya, Enoki, Morganna) came looking for him. Deacon was having fun and wanted to enjoy every moment of this nice little meeting.

"If you, Kisla," Deacon paused struggling to say her name right and proper. "Want me to I can call one of my parents for you to meet, I'm not sure if they'll actually have time to show but I think they would like you two!" A wide toothy grin was shown off as he looked to Orren. "Hey! I even have a few brothers that might like you too, Orren."

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Completely oblivious to his mothers dismay, the younger Baranski son grinned goofily at the dark boy, tail waving like a banner behind him. Seeing his excitement mirrored in the other pup made the lad even more giddy, his legs bending even more into a full play bow before the other. The prospect of having his new friend come to visit his home made Orren bark out an excited laugh, eyes shifting back to his, almost forgotten, mother at the question; "Can he ma? Please?!" It would be wonderful to share all his favorite places with a playmate, someone who hadn't known the place from birth; And who actually WANTS to play with me! Because it seemed like this boy did, his posture and face as excited as Orren's own. There was one downside to bringing him home of course: his siblings. The river prince was not keen on sharing his new friend with his brother and sister, maybe they'd turn the ebony lad against him. He reminded himself though, that when @Karinas friends had come to visit, back in fall, everything had turned out alright. Deacon proudly introduced himself, and Orren's ears perked, his attention back on the present and haunting thoughts of the future forgotten. The puffing in the other boy's chest made the river lad straighten his own back, he was a prince too after all! He couldn't quite manage the regal look Deacon was spouting though, too keyed up and eager to get to know his new friend more; Preferably with my teeth! Deacon looked like he would make a good tussling partner. The copper pelted lad tilted his head when the other spoke of his family, getting a distinct impression that Deacon wasn't extremely close with his parent either. That was at least until he mentioned brothers, at which point he smiled whitely, and Orren grinned back; More playmates?! It sounded almost too good to be true. The river prince yipped excitedly in response, he should very much like to meet these other, Archerlyals? At least at some point. "I have siblings too, a brother and sister," He supplied, the excitement of the moment hiding any unsure feelings he might have about the other Baranski's; "Maybe we could all meet at some point?" It sounded like fun. For now though, Orren was content with just Deacon and himself, his paws itching to get at playing with the Willow Ridge prince; We'll see how much prince! He thought, smirking to himself. The only thing that held him back was the boy's question to Kisla, would she want to chitchat with the adults while the pups played? Finally, he couldn't keep quiet any longer; "Can we play now?!" He asked in a begging tone, looking first at his mother for permission, and then letting his orange eyes drift to Deacon's clearer amber's, asking for action; would he want to brawl? I hope so! Word count: 485 Thoughts ”Speech”

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!