Oak Tree Bend State of My Head

As Reiko was still unable to make any sense of words, or how they were used to form sentences, whatever the big ones said would have been lost on him regardless of the fact that there was something much more interesting to focus on. The sooty fluff seemed an adequate enough playmate, and so he bowed his invitation, hoping she'd accept with one of her own. His gaze remained locked on her, waiting for her reaction until.. until he was looking up at the sky? Confusion played on his features, as his mousy brow knitted together. Only then did the slight throb of his side become apparent. Had Treyah? No, she was never so rough. Blinking, Reiko heaved himself upright, and glanced around. The first thing he found once the world was no longer upside-down was the dark cub staring down at him. Not the one he'd tried to play with before, but the bigger one. How rude!

Outraged at the injustice that had just been done to him, Reiko felt his fur prickle as he toddled forward and unleashed a squeak to be feared. Oh it was on. Brow furrowed, the boy ran at the opposition, intent on pushing him over in a battle for.. well that he didn't know.

At the tender age of one month, the world was still a curious place to the tawny girl. Plucked upward from her earlier nap by her mother's persistent jaws, Treyah instantly slackened her form naturally. Her bright blue eyes peered out as they moved, and while slight worry preened at her tiny heart, she was more curious than anything else as they came upon a gathering of others.

Properly placed back to the ground, the girl preened her muzzle upward, kissing her mother's face as Naira pulled away before she sat her plump, puppy bum on the floor. Her ears perked forward, her gaze drifting along those present. Some familiar, most weren't. She made no noise, and tipped her muzzle slightly as Reiko decided he was off to explore the others and what they had to offer -- her own eyes locking upon the potential playmates of other puppies.

A pale wolf spoke, but her ear only flickered in the acknowledgement of sound before she too was upon chubby paws, toddling forward after Reiko to see the others. Her nose tipped upward, testing the air ad the scents about her before a dark form came crashing in to her brother with force that even she didn't use on him. Taken aback, Treyah's ears splayed back to her skull, a yap escaping her of surprise before she lifted one paw to bat Mako in retribution for Reiko's assault.

 

And I'm trying to find that peace of mind

He noticed the tainted smile Rue gave him, but did not hold back giving her one in turn. There was nothing she could do about what happened. Maybe, they would need to have a talk. Right now he had no want to initiate one. There was a lot more other 'talks' he needed to have with other members of his family. Drift's absence was heavy reminder of that ticking clock. Things left unsaid, and unfinished.

Aponi's coolness was not missed on him either. Why he could never know if she was Rhysis or his he found himself wishing to know her. Or at least understand her hatred for her mother. Try to let her know he would like to be someone she could count on as a member of this pack as well. In his current state that seemed like a battle he wasn't ready to start.

Thankfully, Mako seemed to not be the least bit shy. In fact he seemed to know exactly what he wanted, though apparently Reiko had had the same idea. Aponi's pup. It hadn't exactly crossed his mind now that perhaps in the future their family ties would have to be explained. Another awkward conversation on the list.

At that point Serach began to speak and Triell politely raised his head. His first idea for leader was a good one. They had never had so many pups to tend to, and definitely not by different parents. It was nice to get to know them, and let them get to see they had so many others in their lives.

Temporarily the father looked to the cubs, Treyah on her way to defend her brother. Really, with the words in the background he was glad he was watching them instead of seeing anyone looking at him. He didn't look hurt, except for the swelling beneath his skin and bits of hair that were missing. Part of him didn't want to see their looks. If they were of pity or fear he probably wouldn't be able to handle it. At the last bit, the Tainn's head jerked up to look at Serach, pride in his gaze, and gratitude he had listed him with those names. All of his life he had tried to do right by Corinna, and the words helped ease his spirit. The boy (who yes Triell knew surely was not but could not help but think of him as such) had a fine start.

Once more he let his gaze drift, finding Marina, who would not be left out. Briefly, at the mention of Drift he looked to his Darrah and Sahalie. Did they think him a failure too? Would they wish to leave? Did they think he was putting Reiko and Treyah above them? He could not tell in that moment what passed between them except Darrah offered comfort.

With the sudden offer for mothers to introduce their children he cast his eyes to the toddlers. He knew Spieden's, but Aponi's voice caught his attention. Triell had not been there for the birth of Lila, so as her name was spoken his bright stare found her, definitely the center of attention. Something about the white patch on her chest pulled at him. Swiftly eyes swept to Naira, and he could tell in the look she was giving him she preferred him to introduce theirs. "That there is Reiko, and Treyah to the rescue," he faintly chuckled.

are you with me through it all?

Momma assured her it was perfectly fine, and her paws itched to move. There was so many, and she didn't know who would be the best play mate. The red pup began to close the distance. Which didn't bother her, in fact her tail began to sway. Why Kyna and Momma were fun to play with they were far too big, and Lila could never quite 'win'. Even if they let her it was not the same.

In a single blink of an eye one of the dark, one of the big ones was rumbling at the red boy. Pushing at him for coming over. Hey! Short limbs froze, blue eyes large. She couldn't decide to shove in to, or if it would be better to pick someone else. While she was aware the pale wolf, who hung around the den sometimes, was talking there were two other cubs joining in.

Heaving in a quick breath for courage she leaned forward ready to launch an attack of her own. Then she heard her name, and so she froze mid leap. Big eyes darted from Momma, then around the group, meeting a few gazes which caused a shy smile to creep on her muzzle. She thought it was a pretty big deal, and felt special in the moment. Treyah's yap drew her back to the tussle, and a low growl coursed through her throat. Without any interruption she sprang at the dark male, trying to take a good snap at his ear. He had wanted to play after all.

(This post was last modified: Jul 05, 2016, 12:44 AM by Lila.)

sorry sorry :c

Fortunately, the newness of the situation proved a sufficient distraction from her guilt, and nobody noticed it. That was probably in part due to how relatively unimportant she was here, how new, how unfamilar, and that was almost more surreal than actually attending a meeting with more than four participants. She understood it, but wasn't sure she liked it. Rue was comfortable with being comfortable with those around her, and, knowledge of her terrible recent mistake aside, she knew that she would have had no problem leaping right into close relationships with them all. Fortunately, she had managed to learn one or two lessons about social interaction in her time. As much as she just wanted to skip the long getting-to-know-each-other phase (in terms of trust and familiarity, she couldn't wait to learn all about everyone's everythings) she knew it wasn't feasible. This would have to happen the normal, slow way.

Happily grinning at all who approached, even though most barely even glanced at her, her attention fell most eagerly to the youngest among them. There was a high-pitched, near-silent note in the back of her throat as she watched their childish and innocent goings-on, wishing that she still had the excuse of childhood to be that oblivious and carefree. She wanted nothing more than to just dive in and join the game, but held back, aware that the respective mothers wouldn't necessarily have taken that... so well.

When Serach began to speak, her attention drifted to his face, and she was reminded of the calm collectiveness of her father in how he began to speak. When he mentioned introducing newest members, she instantly assumed that herself was among them - but as his attention went only to the puppies, she realised her mistake. Consciously settling herself down, having been ready to greet everyone she had and hadn't yet met, it only got worse when the topic moved on to what had happened with Triell - and once more she looked to her uncle, ears flicking back and brows pulling together. She would never be able to say sorry enough. It had cost him his leadership... so soon after she'd joined... maybe...

Swallowing, her eyes dropped to the ground for a moment, an ear twisting forward so that she could hold onto a thread of what was being said even as something uncomfortable swirled in her belly. Darrah whispered an assurance to Sahalie, and Rue was only half-able to wonder why, too momentarily wrapped up in what she was feeling. Then there were feminine voices introducing their children, and the Tainn made an effort to snap herself out of it, looking back up to the puppies as each were introduced. Had they not all met everyone yet, was that not how large, proper packs worked? Seemed weird. They weren't all one family, she guessed, maybe they just worked more separately here. Less a family, more a... community. Like a deer herd. Made of lots of families, brought together not by blood but common adversity, friendship, need.

Ruenna sat quietly, watching the toddlers play with such wholehearted abandon, her tail flattening the grass as it wagged slowly behind her.

 

Kino watched placidly as Serach took the helm, explaining what many of them had already guessed. With Triell injured and down for a little while, he was stepping up to the plate as leader. Next also came the bombshell that Drift had decided to leave again, and the pale boy’s topaz gaze slide sideways to his smaller friend, worried about how both of these things in combination would affect her. It seemed Darrah already had her comfort in check, and he shamefully felt a small stab of jealousy. It was ridiculous he knew, after all the dark boy was her brother and it certainly was more his job than Kino’s to make sure she was alright. He hadn’t known about Drift, and Hal had spent so many months looking for him only for it to go to waste it seemed. But, if he wanted to leave them then fine. The Bend and Sahalie deserved better.

Attention turned back forward as Serach asked each of the parents to introduce the children. Kino already knew all of them and he was pretty sure most of the pack did as well, but it was always a good idea for formal introductions with so many younger ones around. He listened as each were announced, a small smirk settling onto his maw as he watched them rough and tumble together. It was a great thing they all seemed to be getting along so well, and what a memories they would make together as a group. He knew that, in most packs, it was only the leaders that were allowed to have pups. That’s how the Crest had been, and from what Minka had explained when he was younger that was how most others were as well. He also knew now that it was because in some of them the children of the leaders were supposed to take over, and that was why only they had them so that none of the others would do so. After all, hadn’t that been why he and his siblings had been called princes and princess? But…seeing how they all interacted with each other now made him think that running a pack like that wasn’t necessarily the best.

As the last were announced, Kino began to feel anxious. A few days prior Hal and him had gotten to talking and she’d suddenly brought up her interest in seeing her cousin Kisla. The pack, he knew from her telling, was up north newly settled on a great big lake. The Bend was allied with the River, and they’d both agreed that it would be a good idea to go visit them. Part of it was that Hal wanted to meet her relatives, but another part of it was Kino keeping good on his promise to help the dark girl in her attempts at reaching the top. A trip like this would surely be a good learning experience for both of them, and if anyone was going to make the trip it would have to be them. They were yearlings, expendable with their inexperience. They needed all of the adults around to keep everything in line. Looking over at his friend, he bumped his shoulder with hers and got to his paws.

Padding forward a few steps he paused, allowing his friend to join his side before clearing his throat. Head dipped a bit lower as he made his plea, “While we are on the topic of important discussions, Sahalie and I have a request we would like to make if you would allow it. She’s informed me that there is a pack up north by the name of Hearthwood River that not only holds relatives of hers, but is allies of Oak Tree Bend’s. In good nature, we thought we might make a scouting trip up there to see how they’re doing and exchange information. With your permission, we’d like to leave within the next week or two.” He hoped that he sounded respectful enough, that he’d phrased it like he should. Kino wasn’t as fluent in it like he was, and perhaps he should have let her do the talking but certainly if he’d missed something she would chime in. He needed to prove that he was a part of this pack, willing to do things that weren’t loiter around the borders day by day, catching little rabbits and squirrels to try and fill a few meager caches. The pale boy had come to like the Bend, and he hoped to prove it.

Leotie was relieved to see that Triell had made it to the pack meeting. She felt that was a good sign that he was on the mend. However she was a little perplexed when Serach addressed the pack after everyone had arrived. She had also taken notice of the pups as they had arrived. She didn't realize they had grown so much already of course she didn't have any experience with pups. Though she did have to admit that they were rather cute and she thought that spending a little time with them in the future might be a good idea for her. A small smile crossed her features as Serach spoke about Mako.

There wasn't a lot of time to process the puppies being ready to meet everyone before they were told why Triell wasn't the one speaking. He was stepping down until he was fully healed. Leotie wasn't sure what she felt about having a change in leadership but she felt that if Triell trusted him enough to take over for him then he should be given his fair chance. The last bit of information that Serach had to impart on them was the fact that Drift had left them. She wondered how Sahalie was taking her brother being gone. She gave her friend a supportive nudge of her shoulder upon hearing this news.

With the announcements made the parents of the puppies started to introduce each of them. As they played Leotie couldn't help but smile as they tumbled around with each other. She kept her distance though not sure if she should get closer or not. When the wolf on the other side of Sahalie stepped forward and spoke Leotie was a little surprised. Especially since he was proposing that he and Sahalie wanted to leave Oak Tree Bend for a while. She waited to see what would be said in response to the proposal and though she would miss her friend she thought her friend should go since it sounded rather important.

(This post was last modified: Jul 07, 2016, 06:14 AM by Leotie.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

everyone feel free to just skip to the end, though there is stuff about like @Lila @Serach and @Darrah in the middle

Serach's smile was reassuring: he felt like something strong she could lean against. But of course for her goals to be realized one day she would need to become something for others to lean on. And at the request for her help she felt the corners of her eyes begin to sting, her heart raw with emotion. "Of course," she responded tenderly, bumping her head against his muzzle as he drew away.

Yet in a flash the heart-warming moment was disappointingly gone as others began to arrive. Leotie was first and she smiled so sweetly that Sahalie thoughtlessly moved with the girl to take up a space on the ground next to the brindled woman. Halfway to her seat she remembered Serach with a wince, and looked back as if to mouth an apology before she noticed he was smiling in amusement. She had no idea what that could mean. Suddenly there was Darrah and Alastor, Aponi and Lila, Kyna and Quentin all around her like a wall. The fuzzy feelings returned when she realized how many friends she had made and how much she adored every one of them. But being the stunted wolf she was, the dark girl had to crane her neck, bumping and brushing against the others, to get a good view of anyone else who was arriving.

Something caught her eye through the small crevice between wolves, and Sahalie turned and leaned to fully take it in. Naira had arrived, plopping Treyah on the ground and eyeing someone else the girl couldn't quite see. She decided it was her father, probably. The girl fought back a frown when she noted that they would be the few sitting apart from her and her friends. It hurt. Vaguely she noticed Reiko appear on the ground and come charging in their direction. Her eyes slid towards the other puppy, Lila, that the girl assumed must be the target. Her golden eyes blinked several times when she noticed that the white-chested girl was staring at her. The smile the dark Tainn gave her was warm but shy—so much pressure for Lila to like her, what if she messed it up? But the cubs were very readily entertained by one another, and soon Lila was toddling off.

With the distractions of the cubs gone and walled in on every side by packmates the girl was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of connectedness. Each wolf seemed close enough that there nerves, tensions, and hopes seemed to radiate off of them. Or at least, it felt that way. Some particularly concerning scents were wafting up from her back where Ruenna was seated. This meeting was Ruenna's first, was that what all the trouble was? The grass was rustling with all the signs of a wagging tail, but the tear-stained face just did not seem as easy as it normally did.

All the yipping and squawking of the young ones made it hard for her to focus on what Serach was saying. A lot of it was already apparent: yep, they were meeting the pups, yep, he was leader now. "Congrats Serach!" she barked loudly, before noting with some embarrassment that the rest of the wolves were taking this news silently. She ticked boxes off in her head as her ears twisted around to locate the puppies, and with wide eyes she spotted the dark form of Mako ambling closer and then suddenly bowling right into Reiko. Her mouth opened as if to reprimand the pup for being so rude and rough when she realized Mako was not her pup. Maybe he was just doing what pups did. Sahalie hadn't had so many playmates, she wasn't sure if this was how it worked. Especially amongst boys. She closed her mouth.

Her attention was dragged back to Serach at the sudden mention of her brother's name. Her mouth was open again. Sure, his muddy scent had been fading for a few days, but the girl had dismissed the change as normal wandering. But this was different, this was more pain. How could she swallow the hurt when she had worked so hard to bring him home? Darrah's words and Leotie's nudge fell softly on her ears and she nodded in reply and breathed, "Yeah." She was always okay. She had to be okay. Her eyes drove back through the wall of wolves to find Serach staring back at her meaningfully: he was saying sorry in his own way. The corners of her mouth twitched. Why hadn't Drift told her? Why hadn't her dad told her? Her heart gave a painful throb as if to chastise herself: her dad had gotten injured shortly after hearing the news, of course it had gotten lost. She shouldn't be hard on anyone. Especially the injured.

The cubs continued their rough housing, but Sahalie felt Ruenna still fidgeting at her back as if she meant to get up. Was she uncomfortable? What did she want? And suddenly the thought that had occurred to her only minutes ago finally dawned on her: Ruenna didn't really know anyone. She was as well acquainted with a Bend wolf as much as the Bend wolves were acquainted with the pups they were meeting. And Quentin too! Her ears swiveled, her mouth open again, before—

The dark yearling exhaled. Alastor was reminding her—and everyone else, really—that she had completely forgotten about their little "trip" in the regular bustle of her life. Her eyes whipped between Serach, Alastor, her father, and Spieden. Would they let her go? Were they okay with her going? Would everything fall apart if she were gone for more than a few days? She certainly hoped not.
 
"And..and," she broke in, feeling awkward because this was now off-topic. But it felt important. "We shouldn't forget our adultier new members. Everyone should welcome @Quentin and Ruenna!" Her body twisted around, looking for Q. "He's in the back, I think. Q come out!" Her muzzle moved towards Ruenna, too, gesturing the girl to stand before turning back to Serach. 

"I hope you don't...mind. Me and Al wanting to go to Hearthwood and all. You can tell us the way, right?"

(This post was last modified: Jul 08, 2016, 01:10 AM by Sahalie.)

Knew I was obligated to post. I hope this will suffice. <3 Also sorry for lateness.

A couple more came... and as Quentin finally came to see the group that had assembled under the pale youth's reign, he realized that he felt oddly out of place. He took to looking at the side of @Darrah's face, tried to smile... he glanced at @Sahalie and the way she stared up at Serach as he assured her that he would take care of them. There was some comfort there in knowing that he at least knew these two very different souls; and, yet, there was an ache there in his chest, too. He was not a Tainn, but, oh, how he wished he might have been. His orange eyes dropped to his paws and the ground beneath them. He had already resigned himself to just listening. He was going to be keep his head down, be respectful, and do as he was instructed.

He waited.

Before his ears could even adjust themselves to a lower position on his head, he heard Serach rise to his feet and his eyes flickered to see those long ivory legs unbent beneath the newly proclaimed Leader, tall and confident. The chuckle caught him off-guard though and Quentin blinked as he spotted the cubs beginning to mingle with one another. He thought of his younger sister Murphy, reminded of her fire; the ache continuing to burn in his throat while he mentally steeled himself in his promise that he would never want to return to the Wield. There was nothing left for him there...

His nose wrinkled and he tried to focus his gaze on something else. Perhaps the base of the nearest tree would suffice, but he could not help but to try and count just how many cubs there were. Spieden's two, the two that had come with Triell, and then the silvery woman who had a daughter as black as the night was dark... Five. What Serach had said, however, had not fallen on deaf - or, rather, preoccupied - ears. Sure, he was confident that he could manage on his own for now, but, if he did ever need anything, he felt certain he could request Serach's advice. To all this, he nodded - even to the news of Drift's decision leave - already expecting to be excused very soon once the newest members had been introduced. Quentin had already known from experience that yearlings left home sooner or later. Just as he had (and, it was here that he realized that he possibly liked his apprentice so much because he was constantly reminded of the sister he had left behind; and, she, too had been torn away from her brother). His forehead wrinkled. It was sad, he thought, to think that he had probably never left home at all.

There would be no room for anything like a personal pity party though. As soon as the floor had opened up and some of the youngsters had been named, Kino spoke up and Quentin's lips parted slightly in a grimace as he learned that he and Sahalie were planning on leaving the Bend. Even if it was just for what could be assumed as a "short, scouting" trip, he had already started to worry.

He wanted to run - quietly slip back between the trees and start refurbishing the paths his superiors kept. Anywhere was better than here. But then, there came her voice, "We shouldn't forget our adultier new members. Everyone should welcome Quentin and Ruenna!" Cue the deer in the headlights sort of look. His eyebrows were raised as high as they would go as he saw her twist around. He must have flinched enough to actually hide behind someone's shoulder or just out of her line of sight. "He's in the back, I think. Q come out!"

Inside, he cringed, wincing before he forced himself to take a deep breath and stand up briefly to draw closer to the gathering. He managed to settle somewhere still off to the side, sitting only wolf-lengths behind the group that had gathered around Sahalie to begin with. He tried not to hold his breath, wagging his tail as some sort of distraction as he attempted to be more personable. As much as he didn't want his apprentice to run off, scouting on her own, he quivered as he waited for the verdict and for anything else that might be relayed.

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)
Beirne may possibly join in any thread Quentin is in at any time, unless requested otherwise.

Tawny ears were turned to Serach, while golden eyes watched the youngsters interact. The smaller children would be moved to the communal den soon enough, Spieden's older children moving quickly to assert their dominance over the younger pups of the pack. The squabble seemed to be over who would play with Lila, and she managed to limit her want of a chuckle to a smile. News of Drift's leave was of little surprise, that was what yearlings did and from what little she had seen of the boy he didn't appear to be very happy in these woods. She would almost even go so far as to draw parallels between his return after being lost on this side of the mountain and her own. He would have to find peace on his own terms.

Although Serach had called on her to introduce the children, she nodded her ascent to Triell. This was his pack, and they were his children, it was his place to introduce them - she herself long since retired from public life and held no desire to shine the spotlight her way, even if only to voice the names of her children. With nothing to add further she maintained her silence, ears straining to hear whatever anyone else might have to add before they were dismissed.