Round Stone Crest sky above, voice within

@Raela - oh look, fat bby puppy is a rock eater, apparently~

Freedom! As much time as Minka spent with her lovely litter, there were some things a pack just couldn't do for a mother.  They could bring all the food they wanted, but that wouldn't quench a thirst or stretch limbs out.  Every now and then, the alpha still had basic needs to be seen to – no matter whom was left to watch over her cubs, Marianna made it a mission to dart towards the opening of her den as fast as her stumpy little legs would take her.  The light was no longer a terrifying sensation, but a beckoning to meet the world.  Her puppy blue eyes were slowly focusing, and she could now recognize Draven and Kino by the color splashed on their pelts. No longer a wriggly little ball, the headstrong little lady waddled out of the whelping den without hesitation.  Of course, she had no idea where her fat feet were taking her, but fear was a thing learned and did not poison her ambition as she toddled over fresh earth and soft blades of grass.  This caught her attention, and with a happy little yip, the young creature dropped to her belly to sniff at the bright green blade.  With not explanation for it, Ari did what only felt natural – try to put the foreign object in her mouth.  When it became clear the plant did not taste anything like the milk she'd learned to love, it was spat out in favor of a nearby pebble.  Safety, clearly, was none of the young Lagina's concern.

(This post was last modified: May 29, 2015, 04:09 PM by Marianna.)

 

A wild dissertation appears!

All the tasks she'd been occupied with since the birth of the children were beginning to take a toll on the usually energetic female. That afternoon the weather had been particularly pleasant, and after patrolling a decent stretch of the border the Crest subordinate was growing tired. The cool breeze and shade of the timbers beckoned her sweetly to rest her weary paws. With a drowsy yawn, she had started for the birthing den; refusing to rest too far from the nursery. If she was too exhausted to patrol or hunt, the least Raela figured she could do was recuperate nearby in case of trouble. Finding quite the inviting little nook between the roots of one of these leafy giants, the tawny woman settled peacefully onto the soft bed of decaying leaves and pine needles of the forest floor. The den was easily within earshot; even the occasional mewl or bark of the children and the even scarcer muffled utterance of their mother made its way to her sensitive ears.  The happy sounds of the contented family lulled Raela to sleep in minutes. She didn't feel consciousness seeping back into her body for some time. A uniquely loud and excited sounding yip managed to rouse the woman from her nap, causing the girl to blink lazily as she scanned her surroundings. It couldn't have been more than an hour or two since she nodded off. Her ears strained to pick up any sign of the matriarch; ushering Rae to her feet when so sign made itself known. She'd just walk up and check on the little ones; just in case. A long, grunting stretch managed to bring the blood back to the woman's limbs as she walked up the mountain awkwardly; still trying to regain her sense of balance after such deep sleep. She approached the den with some hesitation, should the guard or Minka suddenly ask her to leave. Again it seemed she had come at a lucky time. Minka was leaving the den more and more often now; but Rae knew she wouldn't go far. It seemed the lack of her presence had allowed for one of the fuzzy munchkins to wander out into the world unattended. The little girl was not far from her home by any means, and Raela felt that the distance was reasonable enough – well, at least now that she was here. No immediate danger presented itself as she gazed at the stubby brown pup in the grass. A quick sniff and sweep of the den with her eyes told the woman that the boys were at rest this time. How fickle the sleeping schedules of children were! She grinned with admiration at their huddled bodies before turning again to the wayward wonder that continued to move around in the foliage. Taking a few steps in the child's direction with a warm smile across her face, Raela offered a few words to get the girl's attention. “Hey Marianna, what are you up to?” Her voice was light and curious as she drew nearer, suddenly spotting the way the princess was chewing. There was something in her mouth... The red-eared girl noticed the little rock in between clumsy chomps of the child's feeble jaws. She knew the rock was a it to big to be easily swallowed, but it was in the pup's best interest not to tempt fate. Now very much awake and thinking quickly, she located the gnarled end of an old twig, resting inconspicuously beneath the beryl green growth. Dragging the makeshift distraction out into the open, Raela barked at the girl as playfully as she could, bouncing once into a play bow. Once she had some semblance of the pup's attention, she began dragging the stick backward, jiggling its offshoots temptingly and hoping to set off Marianna's budding instinct to give chase. With any luck the boring little pebble would be forgotten. It wasn't like she could force the kid's jaws open, so this would have to do. Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

Gnawing on the rock, the young pup sighed happily. It was nothing like the grass, or her mother's teat. Quite the opposite, the hard, rough texture was quite a new experience – and the taste was unbelievable! Not as good as the milk she so enjoyed, but different was interesting, and the feel in her mouth was fascinating enough to continue. So please she was with her new discovery, Marianna did not register the approach of another wolf until the older female spoke up. The cub jolted as she glanced up, puppy blues blinking owlishly as she stared at the adult. She smelled like home – though she clearly wasn't her beloved mother. Minka sounded differently, and smelled like everything that was right with the world. It wasn't Gent, because Gent was not a woman, and because Gent was big, and dark, like a friendly shadow. It wasn't Kova either, who was almost the same color as her littermate, Kino. But the woman wasn't a complete stranger, either, and the fearless female offered her packmate a curious croon before returning to her curious chomps. The intrigue of the stone did not last long, however, when something much larger was dragged into her line of vision. Raela gave a bow and the youth pause, unsure how to read the social invitation. The stick, however, called to Ari like a siren. Almost immediately, the rock was dropped, abandoned as the puppy hauled herself to her fat feet and wobbled over to the older female eagerly. "Rrrrrffffff!" she yipped, trying to mimic the adult's playful bark before latching onto the stick, mirroring her movements as well.

 

A wild dissertation appears!

Gent had spent the day nosing around the territory, searching for particular plants here and there to aid Lugh in renewing their stuck of medicinal means. The herbalist-made-alpha was certainly doing far better than he had been when the pack had first made its move, and of course was leagues away from the wretched state he'd been in when Gent had first sworn his allegiance to Minka and became the man's personal doctor. Still, he was the wolf that Gent had spent the most time with since signing up (though the children were swiftly sneaking up on that time record), and while he'd divided some of the time that he had been previously dedicating to Lugh toward his other responsibilities and bonds, he had yet to wholly dismiss the routine of checking up on the three-legged man.

When he departed from the infirmary to begin the undertaking of this task, he had passed by Minka and the children's home to say hi. Now, as he had gathered all he could carry, he headed back, purposefully aiming to swing by once more. It couldn't be helped, he would take all the opportunity he could to see those beautiful balls of fluff and wonder. Approaching, he heard Raela's inviting bark ricochet between the trunks of the tall trees that sheltered them, along with Marianna's softer playful babbling. When he stepped into the scene, he saw that they were playing tug-of-war with a small branch, and a chuckle accompanied a warm smile as he deposited his bounty on the ground in a neat pile.

He seated himself a yard or two away from them to watch and offering encouragement to the little girl in the form of a, "Get 'er, Ari!"

(This post was last modified: Jun 03, 2015, 03:18 AM by Gent.)

Oh thank goodness, her mind spat as she watched the child ditch the somewhat-dangerous rock. Marianna came toddling over; almost too energetically for her over-sized paws to handle. The excited imitation of a bark plastered a grin on Raela's face as it met her ears. Already this pup seemed much more fearless; and perhaps more naive, than dear little Kino had been. The subtle addition of weight to the other end of the stick was accompanied by the sight of a shadow in her peripherals. A flash of panic threatened to bristle the hair on her spine before the girl's brilliant yellow eyes latched on to Gent's smiling face. His chuckle rumbled in the air not a moment later, eliciting a renewed and joyful exposure of the woman's teeth around the stick she was still clinging to.   Turning her attention and her eyes back to the little one, Raela offered a playful growl; pausing to shake her head gently enough not to knock her down. She could only hope to hold the pup's attention with the strange texture of the tree bark and the excitement of a moving toy to play with. The voice of her adult companion took on a tone she seldom heard form the man. He was rooting for Marianna. Mentally she paused to beam at how swiftly and skillfully Gent had taken up a patriarchal position with the little ones. He seemed so comfortable; it was almost unlike what she'd known of him. No complaints would arise from this, however; it was wonderful for the kids to have an undeniably strong, protective and loving father in the absence of their real one. A soft tug followed this pause, urging the little girl to pull back. If Ari wanted to mimic her, Rae wanted to see just how far she'd go. It was all valuable learning after all.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

Sticks did not taste nice, as it turned out. The rock was much better, but the rock did not provide the challenge her current chew toy did. That alone was enough to keep Marianna's attention latched firmly onto her current sitter, and the game they'd engaged in. Tiny little needle teeth gripped the bark as tightly as she could, though it did little to prevent the cub from being dragged around as the adult began to shake her head. For a moment, she simply followed the motion, unsure what else she could do when a familiar voice startled her from familiar thoughts. The pump jumped into the air, toy temporarily abandoned as she whipped around to greet her friendly shadow with a delighted yip. Her entire body wraggled as she gave him a once over. He'd not come over to greet them, bringing with him many green things. Her own experience with the grass only moments ago had not yet been forgotten, and Gent's prize was not met with the same enthusiasm as Raela's stick. With another attempted bark, she spun around again. This time, she latched onto the twig with more vigor. Not only did she hold onto the thin branch, but she shook her head, another weak impression of what the older female had done before. Words may still escape the puppy, but apparently she was able to mimic her elders…at least to some degree. The experience was a fun, exciting one, and the outgoing personality was happy to engage as long as Raela kept challenging her imagination.

 

A wild dissertation appears!

OOC: A little PP that I can change if desired. Permission to skip Gent given by Cade :)

At first, Raela thought that perhaps their little game was coming to a close with Gent's arrival. The happy little child offered her stand-in father an exuberant greeting; her wagging tail nearly knocking her off of her stubby legs. Raela would have given up the game had the little princess desired it, but instead the pup did exactly as the dark man had instructed; whirling back to her toy with a determined squeak. A smile broke once again onto the woman's face as the child again copied her movements. This one was eager to learn, it seemed. The twig was tugged only slightly from its position; wiggling back and forth as the tiny tot struggled against her might. One day this could be a lesson in tearing up food, or even wrestling an animal down to the ground. Either way, Ari's instincts were functioning perfectly.  Now that the youngster's elation was truly rubbing off on the russet woman, Raela waited until Ari tossed her head to the right once more. This time she followed the motion, rolling onto her side and releasing the stick as if the pint-sized warrior had bested her. She flopped over with a dull thud, electing to lay motionless in the grass until the tyke decided to investigate. It was hard to hold back a grin at the thought of the child's surprise once she got close enough. She knew as well that Gent would probably pick up on just what she was planning with a chuckle of his own. Her eyes now closed, the mound of cream and grey fur breathed only shallowly, waiting for her chance. When the Crest's only daughter waddled up, the subordinate would leap to her feet, bouncing away with a beaming smile and another playful bark; inviting the girl to attack. Once again bowed down and with tail wagging, Raela readied herself for the charge.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra

            

The game raged onwards, Ari playing the part of eager guardian as she dug her tiny pin-like teeth further into the soft wood of the fallen limb. The sounds bubbling out of her jaws as an unorganized shivaree only grew in fervor and pitch as she wriggled around the branch, pulling with all the might stored in her chubby little body. It was to her great surprise when the tension on her toy suddenly gave, the youth toddling sideways and stumbling over her feet before falling to the ground. Releasing the twig with a small yap, the princess scrambled to her feet quickly – only to realize her playmate had fallen down. The toddle paused, ears perking forward before she glanced over her shoulder, checking in with Gent. Her father was given a soft woof before she turned back towards the older female. Head tipped to one side, she trundled forward, approaching Raela's face. Bending down, the child pressed her wet nose to the subordinate's face, snuffling loudly as she tried to determine why the older wolf had tumbled to the ground. All of the suddenly, her companion was on her feet with far more grace and agility than Minka's daughter had ever been able to muster. The chubby Lagina gave a short bark, stamping her thick paws against the earth. Briefly, she glanced at Gent again, expression clearly imploring his assistance before she turned, barreling towards Raela as quickly as she could. (Fortunately for all adults among the Round Stone Crest pack, Marianna could not actually run with much alacrity at all.) "Ruh!" she yipped, springing forward as she tried to pounce upon Raela's paw. Surely her friendly shadow would come help, wouldn't he?

 

A wild dissertation appears!

A smirk crossed Gent's muzzle as gave up the tug-of-war and collapsed to the ground, playing dead for the little girl's amusement. Ari took a tumble in result as the resistance gave and all her might finally resulted in momentum. Ears pressing forward, Gent held his breath for a second, always that little pinprick of concern whenever any of the children fell. Each time, they were ended up being perfectly alright, but still the possibility of a sprain or bruise caused his parental instincts a bit of worry. This time was not unlike any other, and Ari was quickly back on her unwieldy feet. Clearly confused by Raela's sudden ceasing of motion, the little girl looked back at him and Gent nodded forward to urge her on.

As he'd anticipated, Raela sprung to life as soon as the tiny lady got close enough in her investigation. Mirth once more washed over the princess, and she threw yet another look in Gent's direction, puppy eyes holding a clear message; that she wanted hiim to join in. Gent stood, and took a step over his gathered medicinal herbs, though was a bit hesitant as to how he could play apart. It was different from just romping with the pups; he would have to be childish in front of and with Raela this time. However, if it was what Ari wanted him to do, the king would forgo his reservations.

With a single deep bark to both encourage Ari and warn Raela that he was coming, Gent bounded forward. He took up a familiar station of standing above Ari, truly becoming her shadow. While he let Ari do the attacking, he made sure to block Raela's movements so that she couldn't escape the little lady's reach. His glacial eyes locked with her pools of honey, a playful smirk on his muzzle.

Just as planned, the fuzzy little tyke wandered up to her with innocent, curious blue eyes. At what felt like the perfect moment, Raela launched her surprise trap, bounding out of reach. Thankfully, the bold little girl seemed much more excited than stunned or frightened now. Ari's defiant and determined bark fueled the agouti woman's excitement further; puppy barks were all the joy and amusement that came with such a tiny creature attempting to be the slightest bit fearsome. The woman waited, tongue lolling from her mouth while she grinned. The princess looked ready to charge, but this time another glance was cast Gent's way. Honeyed eyes flickered upward, watching for his reaction while holding back more laughter. It wasn't something she could picture Gent doing, but with all his obvious love for the little ones, it wasn't something she could see him easily refusing either. After some obvious hesitation, the black king sounded his battle cry. Thoroughly amused, Raela replied with a click of her teeth and a higher pitched yip of her own; mischief twinkling in her eyes.  Both parties were running at her now, though the littlest one seemed to move vertically much more than horizontally as she rushed for the larger female's paw. Thinking quickly, Raela inched her foot backward, avoiding the child's attack by a mere inch or two. Then, the target ceased its movement, allowing the girl's tiny needle teeth to get purchase. She reached down with her slender muzzle; planning to nudge Marianna off with a flick of her head, but the child's gargantuan protector was right there. Her “attack” having been intercepted, Raela offered a returning smirk and a quick nip near his face before turning her attention back to the pup. The woman lowered herself; sinking onto her belly and turning her mouth full of teeth up to face them both. Her autumn-furred ears flattened back; tail lashing as the subordinate attempted to initiate some milder form of jaw-sparring with her assailants. A low yowl or two left her mouth in between giggles as she angled toward them.  Image © Chris Smith Photography Manipulation © Jenandra