Dead Empress Backwater can't figure out just how you do it

Khalon is looking to start a "boys only" alliance. Open to any other boy cubs in DEB @Tuwile @Jacynth @Dacian
Note for me Khalon is about 4.5 months old.
Late at night, after midnight, Smoke, 40F/5C

from charming to alarming in seconds

The days were getting shorter and cooler, trees beginning to turn from green to vibrant reds, oranges, and on a few trees a startling yellow. The change was interesting to the tawny Valle child, who was experiencing all of this for the very first time. The smoke continued to linger, but he didn’t know any better. Had basically spent his whole life at this point under a haze and it did not appear as if that was going to change any time soon. All this meant was the boy had begun to pick up on the Valle nocturnal genes, it tended to not be so bad once the sun went down and the wind settled to a minimum.

Plus, the night gave the perfect opportunity to have a secret meeting, one he had been plotting for a little while. It had really started to form because of Torianna’s continual biting and poor sportsmanship and Khalon just wanting to get under her skin. And what better way to do that than by forming a club that she wasn’t allowed to be a part of? Near the north borders, as far from the pack den as they could get without leaving the territory Khalon lifted his muzzle and called for Tuwile, Jacynth, and Dacian, or whichever combination thereof that was awake.

Not unlike his cousin, Jacynth was taking an interest in the changing leaves, especially the way the sunset lit them into brilliant golds. He didn't know what gold was, of course, but he found the color pretty none the less. As such, he was finding himself awake longer and longer after dark and eagerly exploring this new side to his home. Everything felt different - like it was a whole new world once the light faded.

Jacy was debating whether or not he was ready to return to his mother's side and settle in when he heard Khalon's call. Immediately his ears perked up and he was off to find his cousin. He was curious as to why he was so far away, but that really just added to the intrigue. He didn't miss the exclusion of Mira and Tori either.

Finally he spotted Khalon and bounced up to him. "Got a new game?" he asked, excited by the prospects of playing in the dark.

"Speech" Thought

from charming to alarming in seconds

His cousin was the first to join him and Khalon was quick to get to his paws, tail waving behind him in greeting. This was probably the most exciting thing he had ever done trying to make a secret club. It felt big and important, it must be what his Ma felt like every single day since she was in charge of everyone. Well, alongside that grumpy man who he sometimes saw watching him and his siblings from a far - but he was so weird there was no way he felt important like this.

Thinking for a second, he nodded enthusiastically, ”Yes! A new game, one that we can play for a long time.” After all, he had no intention of letting this little club he was trying to create fizzle out anytime soon. He had been hoping that Tuwile and Dacian would also come, but they could start without them, he guessed. Trying to stand tall and proud like he had seen the adults doing he said, ”I think we should play a game to see how long we can go without talking to the girls because they’re on the other team. We have to try to do cool things without them to show our team is better, and they’ll also do stuff.” He assumed anyways, but boys were better than girls so there was no way they could win.

He looked around, wondering if the other cubs were coming.

Tuwile had noticed when Khalon slipped out from the den but had refrained from following, merely watching silently as his brother escaped from the watchful eyes of their parents. He had just curled up again, eyes beginning to flutter closed when his brother called out, seemingly far in the distance. After a short bit of hesitation he finally decided to get up and follow Khalon's summons, wondering what was so important as to also call for the two other boys.

When he eventually arrived Jacynth was there and in full conversation. Tuwile blinked owlishly at the tawny pair, rumbling softly in greeting before plonking his haunches on the ground, pale ears flicking forward to catch the end of what they were saying. Teams? His brows furrowed, not quite putting two and two together just yet. But as long as it was something they could do as a group then he was all in.

His tail wagged behind him in the dirt as he nodded at the other two boys, not needing more information before agreeing to whatever it is they would be doing.

Dace wasn't exactly sure he wanted to answer his foster-brother's call. Clover's children could be hot and cold, chaotic in a way that wasn't always fun. Totally unlike his own prodding and pranking, of course. He was not at all keen on the possibility of being the victim of anyone's joke.

But... if Jacynth was also invited, Dacian wasn't willing to take the gamble. If he missed out on something cool that Jacy got to do? Pfft, forget that noise. The boy was on his paws and rushing to join the group in an instant, though a bite of caution remained in the pit of his stomach as he did so.

'... talking to the girls because they’re on the other team. We have to try to do cool things without them to show our team is better, and they’ll also do stuff.'

"We're doing what with the girls?" he asked as he approached, head tilting in confusion. Getting half of the story clearly wasn't enough.

(This post was last modified: Oct 04, 2023, 11:25 PM by Dacian.)

Khalon explained, and Jacy's brow furrowed. Not talk to the girls? The only girls he really talked to were his sister and Sage, and he liked both of them. Before he could ask more questions Tuwile and Dacian showed up. Jacy frowned at his brother. He'd been hoping Dace wouldn't accept the invitation to come; whatever they were doing would be a lot more fun without his littermate there to torment him. Unfortunately here was here now, and there was nothing he could do about it. Khalon was their organizer and Khalon had invited him. Jacy wasn't about to risk getting left out by complaining about his brother.

He would complain about the rule though. "Like, not even Mira? Or what about Sage?" She was older than them, so she must be excluded from the rules, right? "For how long?" Not talking to the girls seemed like it could be really difficult - especially since there were so many in the pack.

"Speech" Thought

from charming to alarming in seconds

Nobody seemed to see the vision that the Valle boy had, except maybe Tuwile who nodded that he was in to play the game. But, his brother often supported his endeavors no matter what they were so he had pretty much already counted him in. Dacian just seemed confused, but Jacynth seemed very skeptical and wanted to include Mira and Sage….who were clearly on the other team.

Khalon suppressed a frustrated groan that they weren’t automatically in, and instead came up with a quick lie. His face brightened and he shook his head, ”No you don’t understand, Dad told me a secret.” Vayko had done absolutely nothing of the sort but nobody needed to know that, ”Whichever pups are showing the most potential get to go on a special trip with some of the adults. So we have to prove that the boys deserve to go on the trip and not the girls, and if we all band together I think we can do it.” Now that he had started fibbing he just couldn’t stop, ”It will be easy, anytime you find something cool or are going to do something important, make sure you take one of the boys with you and not one of the sisters.” That should be enough to convince them, since they didn’t seem keen on just excluding them for no reason.

Apologies, forgot it was my turn!

Dacian quickly appeared behind him, seeming just as confused but also not immediately jumping in with what was going on. Jacynth spoke against the idea, and Tuwile gave him a sideways glance, one brow raising slightly. Did he not want to play the game?

But then Khalon began to speak... and continue to speak. By the end of the monologue Tuwile had lost focus, gaze drifting off to the side to watch a bug buzzing around in the air. His brother had said something about a secret with dad, and that was about all which made it past his ears and into his brain. It was the silence afterwards which drew Tuwile out of his reverie, puppy blue eyes flitting back to Khalon.

Well... he liked dad, and it was better being in a group rather than mauled by his sister, so he was totally in. Tuwile jumped into a play bow, tail wagging behind him, ready to do... something fun?