Black Thorn Downs Times Change

Major PP of Kova cause I can. :P

Tokino had only recently come back from another patrol in the distant northern lands. Having helped Minka with her womanly issues just shy of three weeks ago, Kino had found that he now had the time to go back out to look for his prince and princess. Noble still had him wrapped around her paws even if she didn't know it, and as much as he wanted to trust that Kova knew what he was doing out there alone Tokino just couldn't. He had gone alone this time, searching for any more signs of his son and daughter Kova and Noble. The gray wolf was tired as he returned empty pawed once again.

The gray wolf had wandered through the territory ignoring his hunger pangs as he marched past the packs caches. All he wanted to really do now was rest. It wasn't until Kino got to the den that he noticed an extremely fresh scent that stood out from the others.

The young male wolf scent that permeated the den alerted Tokino to Kova's presence. The smell shocked the elder Lagina into a sitting position as he glanced around the outside of the den. To the far corner of the clearing a lump of silvery fur was slowly rising and falling with Kova's breath. He was resting, or so Tokino thought as he half choked on his sons scent. I have to be imagining this... was all that traveled through his thoughts as Kino stood back on his paws and slowly but soundlessly picked his way to the child.

No...Not a child. A youth just situated on the cusp of becoming a yearling. Kino stood before the older pup and raked his eyes over Kova's thin frame. He was very malnourished, and smelled faintly of fish as well as rotting meat. However Tokino's eyes gazed over Kova's long limbs and body still taking the time to figure out whether the boy was really there. Ever so softly, Kino traced Kova's long head from the bridge of his muzzle all the way down to the boy's black nose. His breath caressed the youths face as Kino stepped back and took in Kova's full body once more in awe.

My boy... You came home... How did I miss you? The words were spoken as Kino held back a low whine which would have turned into a happy howl had he not wanted to let the boy sleep. It appeared to him that Kova had been on a long journey, and Kino didn't want to bother the boy as he slept peacefully.

Like a mystery without a clue

Minka & Tokino

There is no me if I cannot have you

(This post was last modified: Mar 22, 2015, 05:51 AM by Tokino.)

Kova was half asleep when he heard paw steps approaching the den area. As tired as he was, the boy couldn't lift his head while his fogged mind blinked in and out of dream land. It wasn't until he heard the hush words that Kova's eyes blinked slowly open. A forceful yawn stretched his jaws wide open before his head rolled to one side. The child looked up at his father now. From the ground Kino looked so big and tall, and Kova could almost imagine being small again. He remembered what it felt like to think of your parents as gods that could not be touched by the worries of the world.

However, as the silver lad lifts his head and picks his front end up off the ground; Kova watches his father turn into a regular wolf before his eyes.  He wasn't all powerful, and he certainly wasn't spared from the concerns of the world. Kova's dark blue orbs scour Tokino's form greedily. The old man looked tired and lanky as if he hadn't been eating quite enough. Then again it was winter and there seemed to be little food around. Plus considering Kova's thin body Tokino didn't look half as bad. Still, Kino's sight was a far cry from that super parent who knew all the answers to everything.

“Hey dad...”

Kova greeted the male with a less than enthusiastic crackling voice. Then he stretched an cleared his throat before leaning towards his fathers form for comfort. He landed with a soft "thwump" against Tokino's chest and shoulder like he would have done as a pup. Onlly now Kova was a lot taller and heavier so this action was more awkward than comforting. Slipping sideways and onto his back Kova then pauses there and looks up at his father with warm inviting eyes. He wonders if Minka and Tokino had been searching for him the whole time he was gone. It seemed that way, with how Minka reacted to his appearance and how disheveled Kino looked now. It looked as though they had been working themselves past their limits for some time.

There was also the absence of Noble's scent around that had Kova still on edge around the den. It was her absence that kept him up at night now. She had always been there, or been around someplace close by. He gravitated to her as much as she gravitated to him, but things were different now. Ever since about half way through his whole being lost ordeal Kova had realized that he wasn't attached to anyone anymore. He didn't really need to gravitate to them as they were not there. This loss of connection between Kova and his family made the young wolf ponder about many things. Still, even if he didn't feel a connection to his sister or parents anymore he would always be right there for them.

He just had to find out where his sister was now...

“Where is Noble?”

He asks gently from his position under Tokino's watchful gaze.

Tokino flicks his head to the right a little as he spots Kova's eyes blink open. Worried that he had been the reason for his sons awakening, Tokino steps back one step with a "oh crap.." look on his face. It isn't until Kova greets him that Kino sighs and replaces his worried look with a more stoic one. Shifting his ears to the side for a moment in silent apology, Tokino takes a step forwards once more then lowers his head to gaze at Kova as if he were still some mirage.

Picking his head up and leaning back, the regal watches his real living boy who was really there as Kova stretches. When the youth slowly falls his way Kino leans forward to sort of embrace him. Kova's head bumps into his left cheek and chin on the way down though giving the older male a little bump on his lip. Not noticing this bump quite yet though, Tokino dips his head to lick at Kova's muzzle before grasping it ever so gently between his jaws. It was a gentle reminder that he was in charge, but a reminder that could also be seen as a strange way to comfort those closest to him. A silent "I got this kid don't worry" sort of way for Tokino to comfort Kova as the young wolf falls to the ground and looks up at him.

In a moment of relaxation spiked with a tiny bit of playfulness, the gray man puts one front leg over Kova's belly while the other straddles the boys face. Then he lowers himself half on top of the younger male all the while growling contentedly.

It was when Kova asked about Noble that his affections ceased and Tokino's mood darkened once more. Yeah he was glad he had one child back, but he couldn't really be happy until he knew where his little princess was. Tokino missed her spunk greatly.

She went missing the same time you did... In fact, I had the feeling that you two were out there together... Kino rumbled sadly while laying his head across Kova's chest. I'll be heading back out tomorrow to search for her up north. It was in that palisade that we last found her scent. the gray wolf huffed quietly knowing that he would have to keep going out until he found something. Whether that be Noble alive and well or her bones.

Like a mystery without a clue

Minka & Tokino

There is no me if I cannot have you

Kova grinned madly as his father lay himself down right on top of him. His front legs were pushed against his chest as the older male lay his full weight above him. Still, the boys tail whipped back and forth madly as Kino growled happily in his ear. However that happiness did not stay for long. Not after his questioning about Noble. Kova caught on immediately that his sister was not around before his father even began to explain it to him. His smile morphed into a frown while the kids tail stopped beating at the earth. He listened silently to his father Tokino's sad words then sighed along with him. When the older wolf lay his head upon Kova's chest, the young wolf stretched trying to lick at Kino's nose. Unfortunately in the position he was in he couldn't exactly reach. So he gave up quickly and let a rumbling growl vibrate their bodies.

So Noble got lost during the same storm that I did? Maybe she was close by when we got lost... He thought quietly while gazing at the clouds scraping across the sky. “What's a palisade?”

Kova piped up quickly after a moment of thought. He wondered what the place was that Tokino had found Noble's scent in. Maybe it was close to where he had been lost around?

Kova let his head drift to the right and lay on the frosty earth. His left ear was tilted back towards Tokino in order to hear the males explanation of the unknown term. Would there ever come a time when he wouldn't have to ask somebody else about the world around them? Would he ever be considered wise or educated? Kova had no idea how much he still didn't know in the world, though he had managed to crack the door of knowledge open a tiny bit. It would take many more years until he could call himself knowledgeable of the world and its risks.

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

Tokino lies still and comfortable while listening in part to Kova's voice as well as to his breathing and heart beat. His question made Tokino's side rumble in amusement. The boy still had that aching curiosity that Tokino remembered well. The elder wolf thought for a moment wondering how to explain to Kova what a palisade was. There had been such a place in his old home among the Rose wolves and he had been taught of the name and meaning of the word. However he couldn't quite remember how he had been taught of it, or who it had been to teach him. Probably mom... He thought sadly knowing that she was probably dead now. Flower was one of the oldest wolves he had ever heard of. No wolves, even in this place called Lore, had yet to meet her ancient age. However, she had been the one to answer many of his questions about the land and its mysteries. Unlike his father, Flower had traveled to many distant places.

A palisade is a line of cliffs that reach to the banks of a river. Usually they are found around larger or deeper rivers with fast waters or currents. Tokino sighed as he recalled the area where his pack had found the faint scents of Kova and Noble.  Then he remembered something else.. Kova might not know what a cliff was. A cliff is like a mountain that has been cut in half. The are very steep and are usually pointed at the top with sharp stones in many places. He explained further before pausing to listen to Kova's breathing once more. He wondered what else the youth would ask about. In truth, Tokino could go all day answering questions that Kova asked about. He loved to share his knowledge as much as Kova liked to learn. It was what probably made them get along so well with each other. Whereas his own father Yakova hadn't been one to answer Kino's own questions. Yakova seemed to have a problem figuring out how to answer somebody who questioned him, and the male would get frustrated with himself as well as with the wolf who was asking the question.

What will you do now? You'll be turning a year soon and Minka has her traditions of making yearlings pair up with mentors. What roles do you have interest in? Tokino asks hoping to change the subject and learn about what Kova might be interested in learning more of.

Like a mystery without a clue

Minka & Tokino

There is no me if I cannot have you

I am now posting as both Tokino and Kova to finish up this thread and archive it.

Kova's ears twitched as Tokino answered his question. Heck, he didn't just answer his question, but elaborated on it, and gave the definitions for two other geographic formations too. This greatly pleased Kova, but at the same time he felt suddenly very empty. What his father had described had been the same kind of area the young Lagina had been lost in. He bit his lip as Tokino then tries to change the subject and asks about the yearling ceremony his mother was going to do. Still concerned for Noble and distracted by the thought of being so close to her but so far, Kova only barely acknowledged his fathers question.

 “Yeah I like all of the roles....” Kova said still only half listening to his father. His head rolled to one side upon the earth as his chest pushed against Kino's heavy body weight to breath deeply. Tokino blinked once before sniffing at Kova's leg wondering why he had become so very depressed. The older wolf could easily tell that something was on Kova's mind. He prodded Kova in the side with his own fore paw then began to nibble on Kova's ear trying to distract the pup. He should not be wearing such a serious face at his age, of this Tokino was sure. Kova growled less playfully than before as he tried to yank his ear out of his fathers grip. The movement hurt, and in return Tokino growled back before pressing his weight into Kova further.

 “What's on your mind kid? Tell me or your ear gets it..” Tokino warned Kova before his tail began slapping at the child's leg while it wagged. Kova grumpily growled again before trying to hide his head against Tokino's shoulder and chest. “It's just.. I think Noble was near me all the time... I mean... I think we were really close when we were lost but never saw each other, and that makes me feel really sad. More sad than knowing that you and mom found her smell at the palisade place.” Kova whimpered against his fathers shoulder before letting his head fall backwards against the earth once more. A great sigh was heaved from the boy as his father rolled off of Kova's lean frame.

Once Tokino rolled onto his belly about a foot away from Kova, the grand male sat upwards and let out a sigh of his own. It truly was bad luck if what Kova had said was true. He was so worried about Noble, especially now that he knew how both she and Kova had not been together the whole time while they were lost. Noble was all alone now, making a fire burn in the elder wolf's heart as he longed to bring her back home to her family.  “Yeah that's a bit disheartening...” Tokino wouldn't lie to Kova. He probably felt just as bad as the young gray wolf did right now. However the older wolf didn't want this welcome back meeting to be sad. He couldn't think of much to ask Kova, but maybe practicing the stuff he'd taught Kova might help? 

 “So can you tell me who your great great grandparents are? and their children?” Tokino asked in a rather serious tone as he watched Kova to see the look on the boys face. Kova was still laying on his back as he listened to Tokino speaking. The boys face twisted into a semi thoughtful one as he rolled his body to his left side. From there Kova gazed at Tokino then closed his eyes to think of the few days that the elder wolf had tried teaching him and Noble about their family. Kova had always questioned why it was important to know about wolves who were long since dead, and Noble had always tried ditching the little teaching sessions or changing the topic somehow. Usually Noble ended the little teaching sessions herself and got Tokino to actually play with them. However, Kova did manage to learn the stuff his father had tried to teach him, despite thinking it a waste of time.

“It waaaasss... Yiran Kar Lagina and Morning Star. He was a white wolf with teal eyes and she was a black wolf with pale gold eyes...” Kova replied first before pausing to think of all the names that went with the children of Yiran and Morning. He always got the names Tyrio and Tyrian mixed up for some reason. Maybe because they were so close to each other despite being on different layers of the family tree.

“Their children were...... Tyrio Seer?, Starlight, Just Yiran, Mark, Kohyrin, Mary, Dukinra, and Windsi right?.” Kova flicked his eyelids back open to glance up at Tokino's chest and face. The older wolf was sitting patiently to his left with his eyes closed nodding silently.

 “Well you are partially right, but you forgot one half of the family there... Who else did I say Morning paired with?” Tokino rumbled knowingly. Their family was a bit confusing in certain sections of it. Kova's little brows pushed together as he closed his eyes and thought again. He racked his brain for the answer. He couldn't think of it at first, and had to actually go through the entire list of wolves from Tyrian and Wind downwards just to figure out who it was he was missing.

“Ummm... Seeeker?” He asked quickly before glancing at Tokino once more for confirmation. He saw his father smiling softly while more roughly nodding his head "yes" to Kova. “So it was Seeker Lagina and Morning Star. Then their kids are Yukiro, Karia Yu, Rock, Spiro, and Near Pine.” Kova nodded to himself before also propping himself up into a sitting position. He wondered why Tokino was so adamant in teaching him about the family he'll never get to see. Kova figured that he would probably never need to actually know the stuff that now lodged itself into his head thanks to Tokino. He didn't think to openly argue with his father about this right now though. Not when he was clearly pleasing the elder wolf. Besides, he had greatly missed his family and Tokino's seriousness when he had been lost.

“Can you tell me about the rest of the family?” Tokino queried before laying his body back down upon the earth. His eyes opened back up only slightly as he very quickly glanced to Kova to see the boys annoyed face. A small chuckle fell from the older man's lips before a wide smile wrinkled his face. “Well?” He prompted.

“Kohyrin Lagina, with a coat of silver and blue eyes is my great grandfather. My great grandmother was Kowali Mai, a cream and gray agouti she wolf with gray eyes. Their children are Marcus, Light, Yakova, Wuima, Tyrani?, Fern and Uharama. Yakova is my grandfather, with a coat of gray and teal eyes. He was paired with Flower Fall, a brownish black she wolf with light green eyes. Their children are Darkwind, Keema, Yalua, Marianna, and you Tokino. ” Kova inhaled deeply. The names lifted off of his brain like a swarm of bees as he thought about who was paired with who and the children that came about from the pairings. He wondered then how children came to be. “You are not done yet Kova...” Tokino's voice interjected the young wolf's thoughts making him frown and think for a moment more.

“You paired with Minka Leigh a tawny red she wolf with gold eyes. Then it goes to me and Noble. Noble is a dark brownish black she wolf with gold eyes.” Kova looked to his father with a challenging gleam in his eye. He was sure he had everybody down now. “You are still missing Marianna's children...” Tokino reminded Kova as he looked towards the hills of their territory. The blackberries were thick this year, making all the fields look covered in green and black.

“Oh come on.” Kova huffed before scraping at the dirt and growling softly. “Marianna, a gray coated she wolf with dark blue eyes, paired with Sibo RiverRunner, a white wolf with amber eyes. They had Narimé Lagina, a gray she wolf with light blue eyes.” He wrinkled his nose angrily at the thought of the gray woman. His mother had brought him to Whisper Caverns territory to meet his cousin, but the woman had come off very mean to him. Even if she was family he didn't at all like her. “She also had three pups with a rusty orange male named Sloane Thorben. Those pups were named Titan, Yuka, and Malia Thorben...but I don't get why I have to know about them.” He grumbled to his father while thinking of the time shortly before meeting Narime when he had met Titan Thorben at a bison carcass. The older black wolf had been nice enough, and Kova didn't particularly dislike him. However he didn't think that knowing about them was at all relevant to their family of Lagina's.

Tokino grinned. Kova had gotten them all right. His memory surpassed his own and thoroughly impressed the older wolf. He wished he had Kova's gifts. He had hated his lessons with his mother and father as well, but it had taken him more than twice as long to learn all the names and pack events than it had taken Kova to learn. “Very good Kova. Remember the names well, and all of the stories you've learned. I promise they'll come in handy one day. ” he let his tail wag before thinking about whether Kova would take a good role during his ceremony. Kino pegged the boy as a hunter or scout, but there were plenty of roles for him to choose from. The old wolf kept himself quiet though keeping the question to himself. He figured Kova could use the space alone. “I'm going to check on your mother. Have a good night Kova..” Tokinog spoke the farewell gently while standing up and headbutting Kova warmly. The old wolf landed a wet pair of licks on the boys crown despite Kova trying to avoid him. Then he smiled before heading out to find Minka. He'd have to tell her about his plans to look for Noble before the pack left its territory.

Kova sighed before laying himself back down at the front of the den. He thought about his family and Tokino as his eyes drooped closed. Then the youth fell asleep dreaming of warm days playing with Noble, Tokino, and Minka in front of the birthing den. (FADE)