Sacred Grove curiosity kills

<blockquote>To use Kinis' colourful new additions to his vocabulary - what the <i>fuck</i> had they been thinking?

Perhaps it had been best that Ruiko had been the last to show any great kindness. It was clear that the rest were nothing like Kinis had believed. It was clear they were all liars, hateful people who didn't deserve to use the names given to them by their parents - who, currently, were the only people to have their reputation completely unmarred in the boy's eyes.

Except, of course, he wasn't so much of a boy anymore. The boy was young, but growing into his adult body more and more with each passing day. In truth, it was easy to tell it was the same beast; he still had the juvenile face and manner of his childhood, but the boy full of questions had lost his curiosity. He still didn't venture far from the den, but that was mostly due to his extreme fear of abandoning it. He couldn't leave Ruiko, not even by accident. He was far from the worthiest or bravest or best of his siblings, but he had been the only one to stay.

Why they had left in the first place, he would simply never comprehend.

<font style='margin-left:20px;'>Today, he was hungry. He was beginning to learn to hunt, in a desperate plight to be <i>useful</i>. He would just have to bear being a burden to Ruiko while he was taught. It was in his instincts, but he still wasn't very good at it; perhaps it was just a sign of his eroding spirit that he so failed in the most base of wolf behaviours.</font>

Dropping his hindquarters onto the mossy ground and lifting his nose, he gave a weak but adequate howl, meekly requesting his brother's presence, <i>only if it's no inconvenience to you please thank you.</i></blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

Ruiko had never been one to give much thought to the passing seasons. Winter was a harsh time, and even as it knocked at their doorstep, the tawny wolf felt a slight edge of fear for its arrival, for after Indru and the family had left.. Swift River was far from the glorious pack it had once been. Survival would be hard this year, and as he prowled the River lands, the regal wolf could not help but notice their caches were particularly low.

And yet, despite his fear for the pack’s well-being this winter, it pales in comparison for his hope that the snow would come soon. The blanket of icy winter would offer a form of liquid, and as the land had dried completely up from its usual resources, he would be grateful for any precipitation they now received.

Kinis’ beckoning howl drew him from his thoughts, and there was a light pause as Ruiko lifted his gaze to the direction his brother was. The boy was half a year now, and it was time for him to accompany the pack in its hunts.. except with such small numbers of only two adults and one pup, the teaching would be dangerous, and slow. Ruiko hesitated no longer to his brother’s request, and releasing a call of his own to converse that he was on his way, the hefty Tainn’s long creamy limbs were soon carrying him in the direction of his only blood sibling left.

Moments passed, and finally Kinis came to view. The youth was growing considerably, and soon he would be at his full height. The two did not talk about Indru and their family’s abandonment to the lands.. the thoughts were far too painful, and Ruiko instead hoped that Kinis would blossom fully now that his littermates were no longer there to bully him down. “Kinis,” he greeted, his tail giving a content sweep across the cool autumn air as he swept up to the boy, his muzzle bending down to nip dominantly and playfully to the brown wolf’s mouth.

<blockquote>As he waited for his brother's inevitable appearance - for whilst Kinis still felt far beneath Ruiko's standing and was loathe to expect anything of him, he believed that his brother would not let him down - Kinis took the time... not to reflect. It was the perfect time for thoughts, but lately that pastime had not been a pleasant one. Ruiko's returning howl was a welcome noise, but its slight faintness meant that he had a few moments to waste. He tried not to get caught up in unpleasant musings, and instead thought about the one thing which, perhaps ironically, carried no negative connotations.

<i>Snow</i> was the only thing he truly looked forward to anymore, the magical stuff that Ruiko had promised would occur sometime soon. He was patient for its arrival, if only outwardly. He had no way of knowing that snow was wet, which would have been the only logical explanation for his wishings of it (he didn't fully comprehend the dangers included; to him, incredible heat was always going to be his biggest fear, not the inverse) and rather desired its presence merely because he hoped it could change things, somehow.

He knew that Ruiko and himself were no longer alone; there was another wolf with them, but Kinis had no idea who he was and was timid enough around Ruiko to go introducing and imposing himself on a complete stranger. He did not question the sudden inclusion; it was not his position to contest anything, and besides, Ruiko must have had good reason to do whatever he did. If Kinis couldn't believe that Ruiko alone of his siblings was sensible, then exactly who could he put his faith in?

Alas, it seemed as though thought had crept up on him after all; Ruiko's appearance cut through his inward moments, and not a second too soon. His tail wagged in honest pleasure, dipping his head below his superior's, giving his brother's chin a swipe of his tongue in responce. <b>"Ruiko,"</b> he said quietly, acknowledging the greeting, <b>"thank you for coming, I - I was wondering if you could help me again today?"</b> His mouth was dry from thirst, but it was not desperate or unquenchable. His stomach was demanding more attention. Now that he had Ruiko here, though, there was more he wanted to ask, but that would wait. It was rude to ask when Ruiko already gave so much.</blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

Ruiko had little knowledge to the impact his brief day with Kinis held on the youth now – he had no inclination to believe that was the reason the boy had stayed loyally behind, nor that his mind was filled with the hopeful wish for snow.. or anything else to distract him. Of course, with the onslaught of changes that had happened for a wolf merely six months of change, the large tawny wolf kept close watch on his younger sibling, wondering how he had been affected by the multiple disasters life had thrown his way. It seemed unfair, even to a callous wolf such as Ruiko, for one so young to suffer so much. After all, he and his other siblings before their parents final litter had succumbed very little to sadness or fate.

But his brother hid his thoughts and worries well, for Ruiko’s appearance was met with a content wag of of the youth’s tail and a respectful lick to the chin. His gleaming eyes of bright amber regarded the boy thoughtfully, and with a smile, the large male bent his muzzle down to nudge beneath Kinis’ chin, lifting the whelp’s head higher. “Hold yourself high, Kinis, for one day you will be the pack’s second, if not leader. You are a Tainn, and your blood runs with dominance. For six months, you are an impressive size, brother,” he noted, his eyes softening from their usual hard demeanour. The worry that he was inspiring another Ioni to arise in his younger brother did not once cross Ruiko’s mind, for Kinis was perhaps the gentlest wolf he knew, aside from Hotei and Kenai. His words of encouragement were meant as a compliment, even if the youth grew up to be a subordinate like the small few of their siblings. Kinis’ request spurred a nod, and the large wolf strode to a small path they had traveled many times before. “You’re six months, Kinis. You’re training begins now,” he murmured in response with a dark flick of his tail. He was grateful for Avalloc’s presence to the pack now, for Kinis would need more teachers than just Ruiko. “Do you know how to track prey?”

<blockquote>Ruiko's response was highly unexpected; had Kinis been capable of blushing, he would have done so. If anything, the words made him want to sink lower, but he did not for fear of disappointing his brother. Though his ears were held back, he did lift his nose a little; it was as much as he was able. The very notion that he might run the pack one day was nothing short of terrifying; if better wolves than himself had tried and failed (for varies reasons often beyond their control, but they had let him down nonetheless) then how could Kinis hope to manage? It had never really occurred to him before, but now that it had been mentioned, it was doubtless going to haunt him for a long time to come. Not even the final compliment did much to help; he would forever compare himself to Ruiko, who would probably remain larger and stronger. Kinis wouldn't ever be quite good enough.

That was okay, though. The boy didn't really want anything more.

Finally, the torture ceased, and the conversation drew back to what Kinis had wanted originally; the lesson. Whereas they had gone on smaller, less formal hunts, he got the feeling that this was when the teaching began properly. If he hadn't been so hungry, his nervousness would have rocketed. <b>"Not really,"</b> he confessed, trying not to be weak and avert his gaze; his brother's previous comments still lingered in his mind. <b>"I'm better at the hiding."</b> He smiled a little at the implication of Borlla's torment, unsure if his brother had been overly aware of it. <b>"I have been... trying, though, to follow trails, but... I don't really go far."</b> That would have been fairly common knowledge. <b>"There don't seem to be as many animals around as when, um, as earlier."</b> Or perhaps he just hadn't noticed, having been used to being fed directly rather than looking for himself. </blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

While his words were meant to spark a confidence in the boy, it was only in the small flicker of Kinis’ smoothed ears that Ruiko realized he was forcing a nature upon his brother that perhaps did not exist. Borlla had been brutally dominant, much like himself at that age, while Triell had held himself high, but was much kinder than his sister.. much like Indru. Kinis would find his own place amongst the pack, and the tawny wolf would not force him either way, but the regal was curious to see if the whelp would shift among the hierarchy with the absence of his litter mates.

The brown pup gave a faint smile at the mention of hiding; words that did not stir a smile from the regal, if only because he was curious to exactly what Kinis was referring to. But he did not question it, and Kinis was humble in his response to the male’s query. How could the pup know much about hunting and tracking when the pack had not yet taught him? “You’re right, there isn’t,” he responded smoothly, his paws leading him to his sibling’s side as his eyes lifted to gaze out across the grove. “Do you know why?” It was obvious to him why the prey were on the move.. but perhaps Kinis had yet to think of the reasons.

(This post was last modified: Nov 14, 2010, 02:57 AM by Ruiko.)

<blockquote>Feeling a small rush of excitement as Ruiko agreed with his conclusion - not that he was sure why, fewer things to eat was hardly a good thing - Kinis settled in comfortably next to his brother's new position. The feeling of being overshadowed was rather overshadowed itself by the safety Kinis experienced when being so close to Ruiko.

The question was an interesting one. Kinis had given it some thought, not that he placed much confidence in his analysis. It was getting colder, but not too quickly, and Kinis couldn't comprehend what the proper cold would do to the land - but he would soon, no doubt. The only thing which had changed to any significant degree was -

<b>"The water?"</b> he offered quietly, hesitant in case he was wrong. <b>"They need to drink too, and I know the, the river isn't supposed to... do that."</b></blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

As Ruiko moved to the youth’s side his eyes glanced down to his brother, eyes softened for only a moment before they hardened once more to the stoical mask that seemed ever present upon the male’s features. While the boy might not have known it, his presence and trust in the regal Tainn had meant everything to Ruiko – for it seemed Kinis was the only one of their family who held any form of faith toward him.

A small smile pressed to the male’s wolfish muzzle as Kinis hesitantly answered, and in turn, the large wolf gave a nod in agreement. “That’s more than likely the cause,” he agreed, his tail giving an amicable sweep through the air in praise to the apprentice. “While we can not know everything that affects our prey, this is the most logical conclusion that can be made.” There was a small pause, and Ruiko canted his muzzle. “Swift River is a newer location to us, Kinis,” he murmured, shifting his weight as he stretched his forelimbs lightly. “Because of that, we have yet to find the perfect grounds for hunting. More importantly, once we find it, we need to mark it as ours to keep other wolves out.” His gaze lifted from the youth now, scouring out across the lush lands that had once held so much promise. It would be hard to find truly worthy hunting grounds with the prey so scarce, but his hope was that they would find ideal locations placed within their territory already. After all, for such a small pack, they did not have the power to claim too much land. “Have you seen any places you think might be good for the herds?”

<blockquote>Ruiko's apparent approval was highly addictive. To be right on such things was not unusual because Kinis was usually wrong, but he didn't often venture his opinions in the first place. Perhaps this would offer the valuable confidence boost he needed... but only if this carried on in the same way, most likely.

He tried not to let himself be stung by the casual 'new location' comment - oh, he could still remember their first home - and, instead, focus on the interesting things his brother was saying. It was like a meeting for confirmations; things Kinis had wondered about but never asked were now having answers offered. Would the training be like this? He could feel a question or two bubble to the surface, but held back, wishing to be polite and listen to everything. Besides, he had the impression that he was to be the interrogated, not the interrogator.

<b>"Umm,"</b> he said, foolishly taken aback by the query and unsure how to answer it. Honestly? No, he hadn't. But that wouldn't do. That only seemed to offer a lie, but he didn't want to do that, either... could he come out of this looking good, getting a little more praise, even though he wasn't sure how to respond?

He swallowed, but pretended that he wasn't stalling for time and was only deliberating it. <b>"We... only really live in the forest, now. I've seen... used to see... deer, and other... but not that near to our, um, den. I guess they can smell us? They... I've noticed that larger food - um, animals - don't tend to be that close, I guess the trees are too thick...?"</b> Then it occurred to him that he was going in the wrong direction, and his ears perked subconsciously with his new thought. <b>"Since the water is depleted, everything is going to be looking, and we have connection here but - I mean, not only us, other animals will too, they won't all want to leave. Perhaps... those who are staying, they are still thirsty, they are still looking. They may be more, um, concentrated around areas where there used to be lots of water to drink? I don't know."</b> Wishing he hadn't said those honest last few words, the boy averted his gaze to avoid any incoming criticism and protect himself. At least he had said it.</blockquote>

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<i>at least... that's where I'm supposed to be...</i></center>

Ruiko was not as perceptive of his younger brother to notice the sting his words had caused from their previous home. Instead, he was more interested on watching the wheels in the boy’s head seemingly turn, and while the regal wolf had never been blessed with as much patience as Indru had, he did have a special amount he saved just for his siblings and pack.

Kinis began on a route that was still quite logical to the male. The small woods that surrounded Swift River was thick with trees, and while it offered protection to the animal who might outrun the prowess of a wolf, it also meant that it was harder for them to run and escape as well. Ruiko remained even more pleased as Kinis shifted his thoughts to a new idea, and gave a nod once more at the youth’s answer. “Both answers are very good.” There was yet another pause, and after a moment the leader stood up once more, shaking his thick, golden pelt. “Come, Kinis. Let’s go see if we can find prey.” With that, the male began to lead them to a trail he often took that would lead them closer to the sparser areas of the woods and foliage.