Grizzly Hollow little blue planet

@Quil @Rook or whoever else wants to jump in :)
June 6th, 7:45am, Partly Cloudy, 65F/18C
Tomen is about 3 weeks old, so his ears have risen and he can hear, he is now also very mobile and able to leave the den on his own.

His mother had left the den, this much Tomen became aware of when he awoke to the morning sun streaming in. Not only was her warmth missing but her form as well, no longer blurry but a crisp image of a dark she wolf was what he was used to waking to. Now he had been left for periods of time before, his mother couldn't stay with him constantly and would typically return quickly smelling of food or water. Never before though had he started his day without her familiar sight or without a prompt morning feeding and he was quite hungry.

The dark pup stayed where he was for a few minutes, snuggled into the soft den that had been created for him content for her to return. As the minutes ticked by however his hunger grew and soon an audible rumble was announcing itself from his belly. In the end it was a mixture of this and curiosity that drove the pup from his spot within the comfort of the den. A strange sound was echoing around the trees, perfectly explainable as a woodpecker to an adult wolf but to Tomen it was all new.

As the sound of the bird's beak striking bark continued the only Attaya-Lyall heir approached the entrance of the den and then carried him through it. It was the first time he had been out on the open without supervision and he had neither of the typical reactions a pup might have. Tomen felt no pull to re-enter the den for safety but he also didn't feel the need to push his boundaries and wander off out of sight. Instead he was content to sit just outside of the entrance with his puppy blue eyes searching for the source of the sound. Head tilted back he craned his neck around until he finally spotted the red cap of the bird making the sound. Excited he let out an loud "Agh!" Followed by some high pitched yipping as the bird continued unconcerned about the excitement of the pup below.

You know you can't keep what you take by force

Tomen Attaya-Lyall

(This post was last modified: Jun 10, 2015, 12:42 AM by Tomen.)

During this point of the day, Rook had usually had a mind to stop by the den - his and Quil's burrow - just to check up on things. Now that Tomen was older, it was typical of her to leave him for a couple of hours now instead of a few minutes at a time. Just to get back into the swing of things; while the threat of Willow Ridge coming back for them still lurked at the back of everyone's mind, it seemed for the time being everything was "okay." That there was nothing to worry about.

Regardless of the fact, Rook was still restless and troubled. He seemed desensitized and disassociated, distant even when he, Quil and Tomen were all huddled together in the coolness of their private den. The tang of blood on his tongue from the rabbit he had collected from a nearby rabbit warren did little to disorient him further. What did, however, was the sound of his son's barking - surely it had to be Tomen, the wolves of Grizzly Hollow, he was certain, had established themselves far away from the likes of Willow Ridge and Cut Rock River - effortlessly sent him into a panic. For his yips to be so high-pitched, practically excited in nature, had to mean that something was going on. The young father was sent through the forest on an adrenaline-induced sprint; a graceful leap over a log left his catch to the ground as he freed his teeth and tensed his jaw. If some unwelcome stranger was getting his only son and heir all riled up, they were undoubtedly going to pay.

The Lyall arrived with his ears turned forward and his banner of a tail lifted high. His bi-colored darting every which way as he assessed for himself just what was going on.

He panted as he lifted his head, his gaze going from the dark-furred boy up into the trees where something was knock-knocking and making quite the racket. A relieved sigh made his shoulders and hackles drop and it was with a weary step that he strode up to Tomen's side to nuzzle the youngster's cheek with his nose. Once through with assuring himself that his son was all right. No blood, no strange scents, nothing that signalled to him that Tomen was in distress...

He followed Tomen's gaze again, his head tilting in feigned interest. "And what do we have here?" his voice somewhat lilted after he cleared his throat. "What're you looking at?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

Once he had overcome his initial excitement as to having seen the bird Tomen had ceased his yipping. Dropping his rump upon the ground his dark tail swung behind him in the dirt as he focused on the Woodpecker, observing its movements. The Attaya-Lyall was a strange child, while he still had excited outbursts he was less prone to rough housing or pushing his rules. The boy was more happy just to sit back and observe the world around him, or hear a good story or lesson than to wrestle as most pups did. Perhaps this came from being an only child, he had no one to instigate or perhaps it came from the somberness that often surrounded him, either way he was developing into a quiet child.

That was how his father found him, cranium tilted upwards and focused on the trees and his tail wagging in happiness. At the sound of his rapidly approaching footsteps Tomen turned his gaze briefly towards Rook, smiling for a moment and increasing the speed at which his banner beat at the dirt. The boy licked his father's snout as it nuzzled against him before he turned his focus upwards once more to wear the woodpecker still worked away at the bark of the tree. Gesturing upwards with a lifting of his chin he declared, "Dat!" Still much too young to be forming complete sentences or even more than one syllable words it was clear what he was trying to get across.

Realizing now that his father probably knew what this thing was that seemed to hang off the tree it only fueled his curiosity. Nothing pleased Tomen more than learning new information, even if he didn't completely understand what it was he was learning. Tearing his gaze away from the red cap he looked towards the large form of his father, "Is dat?" The lift at the end of his sentence indicated that that he was asking some kind of question, whether or not Rook would understand was something else entirely.

You know you can't keep what you take by force

Tomen Attaya-Lyall

"Dat!" the cub yipped. Though there was no doubt in Rook's mind that he loved his little family, it had come to the young father that he had a terrible way of showing it - what with the hours he had been spending away from both Tomen and Quil. Gone were the days where the little Lyall was a ball of fur and, now, whenever Rook came to the underground den, he was confronted with a miniature, boyish version of his mate, complete with two pointy ears and a wagging, brush-like tail. "Is dat?" came the lad's voice again. The older male faked a smile, only somewhat sure that he understood what had been said. Obviously it was a question and it regarded the strange bird tap-tapping away above them.

"Well," he started, righting his head again without pulling his eyes away from the woodpecker. Perhaps it would be best to start simple. "That is a bird." Now, whether the softness in his tone would help or hinder Tomen when it came to pronunciations and speech patterns had yet to be seen, and Rook did his best to explain further in a way that would appeal to young ears, "It lives in the trees."

For one reason or another the memory of the little burrowing owl chick came to mind and instead of meeting the cub's inquisitive gaze, he looked over to where a small burrow, much like the one he had dug with his very own paws, laid at the base of a nearby evergreen tree. The ringing in his ears ceased for a moment and the woodpecker stopped its busywork in the boughs above. Rook's attention snapped to Tomen at his side and he gave another half-smile. "Bird," he repeated, as if that was all it was going to take to get a reaction. For someone who was considered as "the baby" of the family, a gregarious and amiable sort, this front was rather pathetic.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

Quil had risen early this day, issuing her little prince a tender and affectionate lick to his crown before slipping silently from their home. Motherhood had proved to be a blessing to the girl who for so long had lived without a mother of her own. In many ways, she had filled the role perfectly. She enjoyed camping out at the den with her child, easily letting the hours of her day revolve around him and his every want and need. There was nothing in the world that she wanted more than to watch him grow and for weeks she had done just that. But Tomen, even at such a tender age, was finally big enough to survive a short time without her, and ─ having learned that balance in all things was a good thing ─ so she had taken it upon herself to get out and about and stretch her long legs while the boy-king was still asleep. She hadn't been gone for little over an hour before she'd made her way back home through the cedars. Tomen's shrill yipping was no cause for alarm to the mother who knew in an instant that the sound wasn't one of fear. From a distance she'd spied her son, who was sitting just outside the den mouth with an innocently curious look on on his face. A smile grew across her face, remaining as she contently watched his observation of the woodpecker. However, it was clear to see that the cub's noise didn't have the same effect on her mate, who had come to her son's rescue at warped speed. Her ears folded forward as she perked up, happy as ever to see her barrel-chested love but a bit saddened to see the expressions on his face. Rook was a good father ─ he did everything she expected of him and more when it came to taking care of their family, but it wasn't beyond her to know that his transition into parenthood hadn't been as easy as hers. He struggled at times...Sometimes, he struggled a lot. She did all she could to be understanding and loving and supportive of him, but she couldn't help but to feel like her love wasn't always enough. The distance that was at times between them was a bitter pill for her to swallow, but she did her best to keep a brave face. It would blow over in time. Right? Leaving her shady hiding place behind with a quiet sigh, the girl approached her boys with a smile on her face, sneaking up behind her son with light-footed steps. "What in the world is going on here?" she teased Tomen playfully, reaching her neck to nudge his side. Her golden eyes immediately looked to Rook's mismatched ones, the look in them warm and longing all the same.

(This post was last modified: Jun 30, 2015, 03:54 PM by Quil.)

There is a rabbit\'s nest nearby. +1 Health

His father's discomfort might have been noticed if the boy hadn't been so entirely focused on the bird above them. Instead the forced smile and glances about them were completely lost by Tomen as he watched the woodpecker halt and then continue his work on the tree. The answer he was given was satisfactory and the child gave one firm nod to show that he understood. Suddenly his mother's voice joined the group unexpectedly and the black wolf jumped in surprise. Laughing at her trick her rubbed his muzzle against hers when she nuzzled him before winding his way through her legs.

The slight tension between his parents might be apparent to an older wolf or a child who had known any different but to Tomen this was normal. His mother was always around and his father visited sometimes but he never treated him like his mother did. Proud to have the answer to the question that he had been asked he exclaimed, "Burd! Burd in twee!" Leaving his spot under his mother's legs Tomen pointed with his muzzle towards where the woodpecker was now eyeing them.

The bird was forgotten quickly as a strange smell reached the child his leathery nose beginning to twitch furiously. It was a scent that his mother and father often carried with them; rabbit. Tomen had never experienced the prey first hand and had nothing to compare it to, licking his lips in deep thought the dark head whipped about trying to find its source. Without a word he left his spot in the dirt, weaving to and fro as he tried to place the smell.

You know you can't keep what you take by force

Tomen Attaya-Lyall

Rook, even with being older and more experienced, had not sensed her nearby. Having his gaze focused and aligned with all that his son was seeing as well as feeling internally and emotionally numb didn't help at all. So when Quil emerged to catch Tomen by surprise, he, too jumped. A trying smile appeared on his face as their son giggled and gave her the warmest of welcomes. Rook's tail lilted about behind him, both wanting and wishing that he could have felt the warmth that singular moment contained. A part of him was so certain that this particular bond and all that created it was meant solely between a mother and her cub. As much as Rook could remember Jaysyek held much more influence over him and his siblings than Borden did. If they needed comforting, warmth, security, assurance, or even someone to break up the bouts of sibling rivalry she was there. It was only when Rook was older that he found out what his father was for: he was a role model, someone to learn from and understand from the standpoint of a Leader and patriarch. He, too, exuded confidence and power, and practiced patience. Even if this semblance of Borden did not remain for long, at least Rook had been lucky to see it before everything had started falling apart.

The smile on his face pulled upward a little more as he acknowledged his mate, half-wanting to remain where he was and keep his distance and half-wanting to bury himself in her dark fur. Tomen ensnared his attention though once more and, with a tilt of his head, he wondered if the boy was old enough yet to understand the concept of tracking. Only then did he remember the rabbit he had initially brought, left cold on the ground somewhere not too far from the den after he had dropped it in order to free his jaws. If someone unpleasant had somehow found their way to the little lord, he wanted to be sure that he could use every means necessary to remove them from Tomen's immediate space.

While the cub was distracted, however, this allowed for a few short moments between the two parents. His voice, still soft in his attempt to seem unassuming, called to her with a hint of worry, "Is everything all right?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

She watched with delight as her son enthusiastically offered his answer to her inquiry, leaning to nudge his crown as he stood between her legs. Before she could feed into Tomen's discovery, the dark prince was off, toddling onward in search of...something. Quil stood watchfully, keeping an eye on the boy for a moment before Rook's gentle voice swept her attention to him.

"Is everything all right?"

She picked up on the tone of worry in his words effortlessly; in some ways, she felt as if she knew Rook inside and out. Maybe it was because of that notion that she searched his face in a thoughtful moment of silence before answering. Quil knew that Rook had a lot on his plate ─ fatherhood, dealing with his own father and his sickness, keeping the pack safe, providing for her and their boy, working out his relationship with her sister, and she was sure there were probably other things on his mind that she wasn't aware of. Since Tomen's birth, he'd been distracted ─ and she'd tried her best to make things as easy on him as she could where the home front was concerned. Quil didn't mind raising Tomen on a daily basis, or keeping the den tidy, or making sure Rook had a meal to come home to on nights when he'd been gone working all day. She did her best to love him and shower him with affection and feed his ego, which was easy since she honestly and completely loved and cherished him. She was proud of him for being so strong, for being a responsible and loving mate and productive member of the pack, and for all the little things she saw in him that made him so different than anyone she'd ever known. Rook was a diamond in the rough, but that didn't mean that he was perfect (no one was), and she was concerned that his duties might...overwhelm him.

"Everything is fine," she reassured him honestly. "...Our son is growing so fast, and he's so...smart," her eyes trailed Tomen briefly. "I've never been happier." Quil wondered if she was imagining the undercurrent of tension between them. "I-...Are you okay, Rook? I know you've got a lot going on right now and...I try to help where I can but I feel like...sometimes, I feel like you're so far away, even when I'm looking in your eyes." She wasn't saddened by this, or scared, or hurt. Actually, Quil felt as still as the sun in the sky, as solid as the mountains on the horizon. But if there was anything she could do for her mate ─ more distance, less distance, a romantic getaway, or even if it would help to take on more duties, like border patrol ─ she was willing to do whatever it took. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

 

@Rook @Quil <3

Though he was too young to really understand it, Tomen keenly felt the thrill of his hunt, the scent of rabbit tantalising as he hopped about in search of its source. Oblivious to the tense situation he had left behind, the boy clumsily tracked his father's catch, finding more pleasure in the simple task than the idea of actually locating it. Still entirely reliant on his mother's milk, once he did finally come across the limp, bloodied animal, he immediately decided it would make an excellent plaything (and one which smelled pretty amazing). Growling quietly, in his best impression of menace, he grabbed at one of the rabbit's ears and shook it, though it had little effect; letting go, he decided instead to pounce on it, and in doing so realised just how soft its fur was!

In awe of the wonderous thing that he had found (and found all by himself) he decided that it was of utmost importance to show his parents immediately. Getting as good a grip as he could on the rabbit's leg, he tried to haul it back with him, utilising his limited strength and body weight any way he could - which resulted in much jerky caterpillaring and rolling about as he struggled, slowly but surely, to drag it back with him.

"Mmmhhhh!" he tried to cry out through a mouthful of fur and ankle, tiny tail wagging furiously as he got closer to the den, terribly proud of himself. He was utterly oblivious that he could be interrupting anything. "Lhh-mmhhh!"

You know you can't keep what you take by force

Tomen Attaya-Lyall