Whitestone Monadnock not ready to back down

@Odin

Ever since the pups ears had opened she had learned there was one easy step to get exactly what she wanted; cry. It took only a moment or two of high pitch squealing before she was delivered whatever it was she craved, whether that be food or warmth or the sound of her mother's voice. Today however when she awoke she found herself not pressed against the familiar side of her mother as she had been when she fell asleep. With eyes still firmly shut she could not see this absence but it was clear but the lack of giant body, warmth and her familiar scent. Morganna was not a dumb mother however and had probably only left to get a drink or relieve her bladder and more than likely someone hovered near the door. 

Kára however was still a pup and did not have this knowledge. Instead she only knew a dark world and now her mother was absent. No matter. Taking a deep breath she let out a loud whine to signify that she wanted her mother to return and attend to her. Waiting a moment and then another nothing changed, huffing in exasperation Kára let out another, louder bark. Still her mother did not return to attend to her.

Well then she would just need to go fetch her herself. She was still a child and obviously this was a foolish plan that would not work but the girl's determination was already as fiery as the coat she possessed.  Kicking out her feet her paws collided firmly against the chubby side of what could only be her brother. Still she scrambled to get her tiny digits underneath her and hoist her frame off of the ground. Toddling a few steps forward she had a sudden strange urge. Eyelids flickered open and her world was a blur like it had never been before. Kára's rump plopped upon the dirt in surprise and the cream coloured lids clamped shut. What had just happened?

(This post was last modified: May 29, 2016, 01:58 AM by Kara.)

Had the circumstances around their birth been different perhaps they would have been further underground. Maybe he might never have made it this close to the edge of the den. His eyes had opened a few hours ago and at first he was content to watch the blob that was his sister sleep, but then the light had been so tempting. It was a dark shape that sent him scuttling back with a fearsome yip, vocal chords not yet developed enough to manage a proper growl. The chuckle had been a familiar one though and as her scent wrapped around him he had relaxed. The soft tone enough to get him to lay back down before his mother left again. He couldn't know what she had been planning.

Finally, movement from @Kara, and a sharp paw in his ribs coaxed him back on to wobbly legs, his desire to protect already so heavily ingrained that he tried to charge past her to check the way was safe first, but unpracticed limbs tripped the pudgy child up and he careened into his sister with an 'oomph' instead, sliding back down the loose soil that made up the entrance to the dip their mother had created to house them. The dark boy flinched, ready for his sisters shrill cries to assault his tiny dark ears.

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

Feel free to skip him unless anything happens to directly interact with him, just wanted Craw to be chilling here <3

It was no hardship to lay here, enjoying the gentle warmth of the sun as it rose enough to heat the top of the plateau, and simply be near the small, makeshift den which Morganna spent so much time inside with her children. It pleased Craw just to be nearby, a comfort in knowing that his proximity maximised their safety - which was already fairly well assured by living up on this defensible rock, with members of the pack coming and going and never too far away.

Morganna had only stepped out briefly, and Craw had not moved save to chuff at her in greeting and assurance that he was there, to take her time for whatever she needed. When she had left, after all, there had been no sounds coming from that little dark space save for tiny breathing, and Craw had not expected that to change in the short time their mother was away. Laid out comfortably on the earth outside, head laid on his paws and hindlegs kicked out behind him, he had simply enjoyed the peace and quiet and overwhelming sense of security.

He had been wrong; a high, demanding sound caught his ears, causing one to swivel towards the den. Whatever half-sleep he had been slipping in and out of was dashed when the crying continued, the wolf immediately awake and head lifting to turn towards the den. The cries turned more insistent, almost beligerent that they weren't being promptly responded to, and the corners of Craw's mouth twisted in quiet amusement as he laid his head back down, this time pointed towards that den entrance so he could better hear them. It went silent for a moment, then there was the sound of a little thud and grunt and then tiny pawsteps pattering around inside. The pale wolf sighed, contented by just listening to them, prepared to go and find Morganna if their cries turned a little too desperate.

In the brief moment Kára's eyes had been open all she had seen was a blur of light and an odd dark shape toddling past her. It took only a twitch of her leathery nose to know this was Odin, is that what he looked like? What did she look like? Deciding it would be best if she tried her experiment again the puppy blue eyes fluttered open once more just in time to see the blob fall into where she had been sitting in the dirt. The impact of the already larger pup sent them both sliding back down the slope, loose dirt sliding easily out of their way and leaving an amusing skid mark.

Kára already had the instinct to growl but not the ability to do so, instead the sound she emitted was like a high pitched whine. Temper flared briefly and the girl lashed out in an attempt to knick her brother's ear in reprimand, look what he had done! She cried out a brief "O!" The syllable long and drawn out despite her shrill tone. The girl was much too young to be able to manage her brother's whole name but this was close enough to satisfy her.

Her mood cooled quickly as her eyes wandered back towards the light that streamed through the entrance of the den. Was their mother out there? Setting her jaw in anticipation Kára stood once more, claws dug into the dirt as she maneuvered around the dark mass of her brother and toddled a few steps closer towards the world.

The sharp teeth on his ear dragged a startled "Ka!" from the boy as he moved to retaliate. A dark shadow passing over the wall of light he had been approaching just moments before froze him mid strike, jaws widely parted as his attention became firmly glued on that shimmering curtain that ate up the shadowy blob that was their mother just a short while before. Wobbly limbs caused the child to bump against his sister again as nose furiously twitched, determined to find out just what was on the other side of the light. He quivered at the strangeness of it all.

A glance to the left, and then to the right confirmed no mother shadow, as if she could simply appear (sometimes it felt that way). Perhaps she was out there? Turning his head to nudge his sister into action the little boy toddled forwards, taking extra care with where he placed his unsure feet. One pebble out of place and they would both go tumbling back down into the hastily dug den. "Mummmmuh." he attempted to summon her back into the safety of the den with his newly learned sounds, when that was unsuccessful he tried again, inching ever closer to the wall of light that separated the children from the outside world.

Maybe @Craw now that they are at the mouth of the den

While Kara had been braced for a retaliation to her strike the blow never came as Odin paused to look towards the mouth of the den. With both pups focused solely on the weird shadow thing out there it was sure to be a comical sight to whomever was looking in. Her pudgy red legs were already on the move by the time her brother bumped her to propel forward and the pup huffed in frustration. Couldn't he see she was already moving? Sheesh. 


Still the frustration was short lived as her one track mind was focused on getting to where the light streamed in so she could find out what was out there. Mum went out there fairly often and now there was a new big shadow and they seemed to be fine so it must be good out there! The slope was practically a mountain to the small uncoordinated child but she was determined to make it up there and find out what was the light and what was the shadow.

Sides heaving with exertion  she crested the top of the earth and peered into the outside. Blinking back in surprise it was so much lighter than she could have imagined from the outside. But where did that big shadow go?

It was too early to know how aware they were of their surroundings, and whether or not they would recognise him. He had visited them inside the den a few times, primarily while they slept, to spend time with @Morganna. He missed her warmth against his side in the larger den, the way she would wriggle in between himself and @Wraith, the way she sometimes grumbled in her sleep and bared her teeth at imaginary irritants. Listening to @Odin and @Kara's wordless, high-pitched squabbles, he knew he didn't envy her job as milk-bearer, but oh how he envied her right to be there with them, to know they were hers, to know they were safe and healthy.

While inside her, he hadn't cared they were not his, and now they were born, he still did not - insomuch as it did not affect his affection and attentiveness for their wellbeing. But hearing them shuffle about and wrestle inside their den, vivacious and strong, he did remember and lament.

Expecting to just lay there until Morganna came back, when a small, copper face poked out into the daylight, blinking, he chuffed quietly in surprise. His ears twisted about to focus on her, eyes flickering behind her to where he could see a shifting dark shape to her side. Was this the first time they had come out? Their eyes had not been open the last time he'd seen them. "Hello," he crooned, head coming to rest on the ground as he watched them. He wondered how well they could see him, if they were bold enough to venture further out of their safe dark space.

@Kara @Craw I am the worst. If you want to do one more each I can wrap it up with Morg coming back? (or you can PP her coming back Siki, whichever works!

Ooh, there she went again, charging ahead and setting a worry deep in the young lads tummy. He tried with all his might to catch her but she reached the light long before he did and it was then that he noticed she wasn't a grey blob at all but a bright colour that had him pausing mid-stride with confusion. Ma had been black in the dark and the light, so what was this sorcery?! Would he change colour too?

The big blob was all but forgotten as he resumed his charge up the slope, slowing as he reached the edge of the light. His head turned down to focus on his paw as he pushed it forward into the light then back again. No, no he was still black. So maybe his sister was just the strange one. But a familiar voice caught his attention next, head shooting up, blue eyes squinting in the bright light as he took another step forward to stand next to his sister. This one wasn't around as much as ma was, but it was still familiar. The boy could only imagine it was the whiter blob against the darker greys and browns of the outside and so he toddled closer, head canting to the side as a small paw lifted up to push against the darker smudge in the white.

But he could barely stand on four legs and promptly fell over, wriggling on his back with stumpy legs flailing to try and find the earth again. Oh dear.

@Craw

 

Much to her surprise the big dark shadow was not in fact that dark or shadowy at all. Her mother always still looked very dark even when she was in the bright so why was this big so light looking himself now? Kára was blissfully unaware that when she had entered the light her fur colour had caught the sun and reflected back an almost violently red colour. Squinting her blurry eyes in an attempt to see the man more clearly the girl's nose twitched furiously on her tiny face. He smelled so familiar but she was sure now when seeing his grey white coat that this could not be the big who came to visit them sometimes.

His voice was also so familiar, well that settled it, he must be okay then. Grinning in pleasure that she had solved the mystery all on her own the pup toddled forward, paws falling awkwardly but effectively enough to keep her from falling. Managing to avoid the wriggling mess that was her brother Kára took a gentler approach in greeting the strange light coloured big. Shoving her nose into the soft fur of his cheek the pup snorted happy to be surrounded by his smell.

A sudden yawn overtook the girl and she plopped down beside him, squirming until her body was as close to his as possible and closing her eyes. All of this exploring was absolutely exhausting.