Willow Ridge princeling

June 19th; Afternoon; Patchy rain nearby; 72 ° F, 22 ° C.

Niles was hungry. Not just for food but for everything of the outside world he had seen thus far. He craved for the morning dew, the brightness and warmth of the sun, the sensation of his paws against the smooth stones that were not very far from the Infirmary. He wanted to roll in the grass and chase the strange, flying things with sharp angular bodies that sometimes seemed to jump out of nowhere to places well away from him. Then, there was that mesmerizing fluttering thing that he had discovered just the other day. It had landed on his nose (much to his dismay, as it was very much unwelcome to land there) but it's movements were so quick and light; it's wings were visually striking in a pattern of bright yellow and black.

The little prince could have been out there trying to look for that gorgeous butterfly, but as he and his sisters had just been left alone for their afternoon nap, Niles was stuck... that was until discovered that he could ever-so-gently scoot away from @Isolde's side and free himself from underneath @Ravenna's chin mere inches at a time. Once free from them, his tummy made a sound likened to a pebble being dropped into the creek from a decent height and he froze; his pointy ears stood up and he listened in hopes that his siblings' rhythmic breathing would continue. It would seem that he had succeeded and, once he quietly tiptoed past the main area of the den, he poked his mousy head into the open air.

There was no morning dew; no chirping bugs or even a sign that his loved ones were nearby. The sky was not blue and the sky had become colorless... and the boy suddenly wanted to know why. The right side of his mouth turned downward and he pursed his lips before lifting a stocky paw and placing it "outside" the entrance of the Infirmary before quickly withdrawing it. His pale blue eyes scanned the willows trees around him but no one came to tell him that what he had done was wrong or that he should have been napping with his litter mates.

Hmmm... Niles smirked to himself, but rather than make a run for it and enjoy this newfound sense of freedom, he sat down and waited for someone who might come by to keep him company. He couldn't leave Ravenna and Isolde alone, even if he wanted to. Rules were rules - inviolable and never to be broken - and if he wanted to go out and play, he would need someone to look after him even if only for his own sense of security within his parents' lands.

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

Silent steps glided over motionless grass - spare an inadequate breeze her moving limbs provided - as the piebald woman found herself once again within the heart of the territory that comfortable afternoon. Pads of her paws leaving imprints upon softened soil with thanks to mother nature having decided to give the darker coated wolves that dwelled within the ridge a break from the summer heat. Providing milder temperatures along with an on and off drizzle of rain to dampen their pelts. A welcomed relief to Enoki without a doubt.

Smoldering amber optics surveyed the land before her with each swing of her pearly outlined hips, ivory dipped tail left to sway lackadaisically at her heels. Occasionally a rustle from a fellow subordinate in close proximity cocking her ears to and fro, catching small greetings some offered in passing. But these were not the sounds that caught the Ashrelle woman's attention now. Rather, a scent that piqued her interest. Fresh on the air brewed something tantalizing. Something young. Continuing on an invisibly guided pathway it wasn't long before her sights settled on a small mousy colored being nestled just within a familiar structure. The infirmary. A quit 'hm' soon escapes her dark furred lips followed by a curious tilt of ones head. 'This must be one of Elettra's three pups Morganna had mentioned. But, why out here alone?' Pondering said thought came to a cease as ebony limbs increased speed. Closing what gap lay between unguarded pup and herself.

A low chuff was emitted to give fair warning of her approach. For all Enoki knew the little one could be far from alone. Possibly in ubiety to Elettra or Angier whom may have been watching their brood's every action from within the infirmary. Halting a solid wolf length away, her dark tinted skull lowered to bring her dark amber gaze to a more leveled position to that of the pup. "'ello there, little one." voice soft on still developing ears. Tail gaining in momentum as it swung now with more purpose than before.

The boy, a tenderfoot in every aspect, had been so intrigued at the color of the sky when a singular raindrop got him square at the end of his little nose with a small plop! Startled, he flinched away with his little jowls open from being disturbed by what seemed like no one. He showed off his set of clenched off-white teeth (the ones he had, anyway, since his milk teeth were slowly beginning to be replaced) but immediately wiped the menacing expression off his face after realizing that someone had seen him. His wide blue-gray eyes settled upon yet another tall, dark figure, but this time, the pelt colorations were different. Rather than being dark all around, there were white accents on her coat.

Niles could not help but frown. Mo'ga? his little mind tried to summon up the telltale traits of his older sister's face and scent but found that nothing matched. It couldn't be Greer; Greer's eyes were like the sky as it was now. Lastly and obviously, this woman was not his mother. So, who was this? He stood up on his four unsteady limbs, checking the sky first to make sure that there were no more "invisible assaults" before fully coming out of the den to stand before this newcomer.

His little nose wriggled as he smelled her, letting his small tail wag once he gazed up into her face. She smelled vaguely of what the rest of his family smelled like and, so, she must be deemed "okay." Having her around also meant that he could, quite possibly, romp around outside without fear of being alone, without anyone to mind his every move. He gave her what seemed to be a mischievous smile then playfully patted a dark brown paw over her right forepaw before withdrawing it and running willy-nilly back into the main space of the Infirmary. When he came back to the entrance, he beamed at her with a wordless puff of air that could have been translated into something like, "Can't catch me!"

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

Hesitation was received as expected from the young princeling upon Enoki's arrival. A few fleeting moments of perplexity distorting his facial features to determine if this new swarthy giant was friend or foe on Niles' behalf before wobbly limbs carried him out from the protection of the infirmary. Slowly, front forearms lowered to touch the ground below as the corner of the woman's lips pulled back into a gentle smile in response to the one adorning the prince's. This new position of what most would assume a playful bow allowing her to engage the mousy lad on an equal eye-level as well as relieve the tension in her neck from having to crane downwards. Tail wavering at her rear still, disturbing the feather light debris of shed fur and leaves. 

The amber of her eyes ablaze having come to gain, for the most part, the acceptance of the newest Archer-Lyall boy. Quickly, a mischievous smile arose to replace the innocent smile of before as a single tiny, dark brown paw rose to pat at the black of Enoki's right paw. Mousy body turning on itself to make a mad dash for the safety of the infirmary. A lighthearted chuckle escaping the patch work woman's lips as she rose to give chase to the young boy, pads halting upon the entrance of the birthing den until Niles reemerged with a silent puff of air to urge the woman to pursue him. Playtime as it was, there was inner knowing that Elettra may not be the happiest to learn an unauthorized subordinate had entered her sanctuary where her defenseless brood lay nestled together. 

Instead, urging him to come to her she bounded a couple steps away to a distance she felt acceptable for the little one to travel to. Mismatched pelt turning to drop her upper frame down into a playful bow once more. Her tail swaying at a greater speed now that the excitement in the air increased. A hushed bark as not to hurt his growing ears departing over lolling tongue. 'No, come get me.' it entailed.

(This post was last modified: Jul 02, 2015, 08:14 PM by Enoki.)

The boy's muscles stiffened as he anticipated her to come over to the mouth of the den, ready to nosedive back in-between his sisters to hide. If they woke up... well... the more the merrier. What happened, instead, however was quite the opposite of what Niles had been expecting. The Morganna-like woman went the other way then, to his surprise, bowed down in an invitation to chase and join her out in the open. He spun about in an antsy circle, stumbling over his stumpy paws as he exited the den again in response to her goading.

It felt good to run, to feel for the first time how it felt to speed through the grass without worry or even a care in the world (that is, if the little prince had any woes to begin with). Unfortunately, this savory sensation did not last long and in getting just past the half-way mark into Enoki's proximity, Niles took a tumble. Head over heels the little Lyall went with a startled squeak; and, when he came to somewhat sit upright with his tush and tail on the ground and his head searching Enoki's face for comfort, his head shook from side to side. His large, pointy ears flopped along, the right one folding back as if it had forgotten how to stand upright as it ought to.

Niles' muzzle wrinkled and his eyes grew visibly glossed over but the lad did not cry. He could have yelled and whimpered and whined, but all that left him was a short, meager note - one that obviously asked her to provide some sort of comfort without having to use any words at all.

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

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

It would seem her beckoning had its intended effect as the child emerged once more from the entrance of the infirmary. An expression of glee etched upon his growing facial features while tiny paws sprinted through the blades of grass that tickled at his underbelly like miniature goose feathers. But bliss was not allowed to persist in the boy's young life for long, the ball of mousy fur taking an unexpected tumble head over heels when unsteady paws buckled under themselves to land with his rump pressed firmly against the earth. That familiar glossing of eyes ready to release the flood behind them coating those pale puppy blue eyes accompanied by a meager note that struck firmly against Enoki's natural maternal instincts.

With a single bound the patchwork woman was there to comfort Niles, the top of her muzzle angling to nudge comfortingly against the small apple of his cheek. "Hold back the river, little one. It's alright." Her voice light and nurturing as it draped around his minuscule shoulders like a blanket that would ward off whatever fears the child may have, or pain the world threatened to douse him with. Around the piebald woman the little prince had no need for silly fears or tears. Enoki would be there to protect and serve. Taking a single step back her frame slowly lowered to press her underside against the swaying blades of grass, rear limbs tucked beneath her weight while the front outstretched before her. Deep amber optics observing the boy to ensure his bout of silent tears from his tumble had passed. All would be alright in the end. One needed to fall in order to know how to pick themselves back up.

As quickly as he had toppled, Enoki was at his side. Her touch was swift to comfort and soothe and he eagerly leaned into it. A few more scanty notes being he last of his "cries" he had to offer her in exchange for her consolation. She pulled away after offering him an assortment of words that stilled the distress that had built up inside him. Like a little duckling wanting to be coddled beneath its mother's wing, Niles let out a cry as if it stop her from going too far. She didn't; in fact, now that he noticed, she was merely settling down in the grass beside him. She even kept her eyes on him, studying and observing his every move.

"Mmmm," he hummed, springing up on his hind legs just enough to take the smallest leap forward to bury his head into her shoulder, moving to nuzzle his face into the base of her throat. A sigh exited through his nostrils as he leaned up against her with his large ear to her chest. He wanted to feel safe and secure and she had given him all that with so much as a figurative drop of a hat.

Between her forelimbs and paws, he rolled over onto his back with the left side of his head flush against her right paw as he looked up at the underside of her muzzle. Keeping his left paw tucked to his chest, he carefully touched his right paw pads to her chin. Sissy? he had wanted to question. All that came out, however, was a childish and juvenile, "Seeee?" It made him cringe - the sound of his voice and the incompetence of his speech - and as soon as he had cut the note off by closing his mouth, he cast the older woman a worried, confused look.

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!

Soon all noises of distress faded into silenced nothing from the boy. The only noise to leave his developing vocal chords that of a tiny cry to cause the woman to halt as if she had plans to leave his side in that moment. Quite the opposite. Not long after the Ashrelle woman grew comfortable in her newly acquired position did Niles bound for the vacant space between her extended limbs, a light chuckle escaping her maw at the sight. A soft audible sigh escaped his nostrils as the mousy colored boy maneuvered himself to nuzzle a tiny muzzle against the blackened fur at the base of her throat. Enoki shifting her head carefully from side to side to return the gesture to the pup with a soothing toned growl reverberating against where his bat like ear lay pressed.

With a small crane of her neck upon feeling a small paw against her chin, dark amber optics focused on the sight between her paws. Slowly the corners of her lips began to curl upwards to hook into a warm smile hearing his attempt at speech of some kind. Dark tinted audits pivoted forward to catch the 'seeee' that passed over his lips, unsure of what it was exactly he was trying to express. See? See what?. Skull lowering to nudge the tip of her moistened nose into the plush puppy fur covering his exposed stomach in a fashion similar to tickling. "Enoki. Er, actually let's try something easier. Keee Keee."  She opted to express in return with a purposeful drawl to make it easier for him to catch onto the syllables, revealing to the growing Archer-Lyall her childhood nickname adorned to her by her siblings. More specifically Mordacai who had happened to reappear in her life since departing from her homeland. Yet, only to disappear again.

Had he left without a word to return to their brother and inform him of her refusal to come back and lead the familiar pack. Princess or not, this had come to be her home now. Willow Ridge was her home. The thought alone was enough to bring a swift cloud of depression over her dark mask. Contorting facial features for the briefest moment before the skin smoothed back into a gentle expression.  Gaze dropping back down to the pup who's face could have mirrored her own.

(This post was last modified: Aug 05, 2015, 06:49 PM by Enoki.)

The anxiety that had shaped his face was whisked away by the tickling of her nose to his light-colored belly. It also gave way to a peal of giggles. He put both of his paws on her chin before tucking them back to his chest. "Enoki," she offered him. He stuck the tip of his tongue out at her as she continued, "Er, actually let's try something easier. Keee Keee." One of his bat-like ears made to turn to the side but remained forward with a boyish smirk.

"Teeeee," he attempted at first, initially unable to nail down the hard clicking sound of the 'k.' The subtle difference in sound made him stall, knowing that this little feat was incorrect as well. "Eeee," he sounded again, hoping that she might correct him and he would get to hear what she had said one more time. It was a tactic - his tactic - and, so far, it was the way he liked to approach things and life in general. Watch first, then mimic..

His tail kept still and he settled in a way that made his back and shoulders lay comfortably on the ground. His pale blue eyes only left her once for a fleeting moment just to be sure that no one nearby had heard him. When it seemed the den had kept quiet and his sisters were still sound asleep, he glanced up at Enoki and quietly tried again, "Eee?" A small grin that was all puppy teeth made an uncertain wince appear on his face, even more so once he spotted the three thin scars on his companion's face. Tentatively, he raised his right paw, pressing his pads to her muzzle. The little prince knew nothing about pain or injury or "boo-boo's" but did find these little 'imperfections' undeniably endearing.

we can say goodbye, just head home, but if we're going to be alone
Chimera is currently traveling with Niles and may hop into this IC thread!