Larkcall Lowlands Ashes

@Drestig @Jessie or I guess @Askan if he's the kiddy minding sort? :D

Her world was one of darkness, sometimes warm, sometimes cold, always dark, until about a week ago when eyes had finally parted revealing the wall of light. Sometimes it was bright, sometimes it was dark but the smudge had slowly solidified until she could tell the difference between someone passing in front of the wall and someone passing through it. Sometimes it was the dark that came and spoke a foreign tongue to lull her to sleep, most often though it was the light, that provided her with food and warmth to get through the times between when she had to be left achingly alone.

In those times she would practice, first rocking back and forth and then wriggling from one side to the other. Finally she had learned to gather her legs beneath her and push, first wobbly steps taken ending with a spectacular tumble. She didn't cry though, then the dark or the light would come and fuss, and it wasn't their fuss that she wanted. She just wanted to be able to follow them when they left, and today was the day she was going to show them she could follow.

Her steps more steady than they were the first time she tried (she had been practicing), she made her way to the bright wall that signified the end of the world as she knew it. She shook with anticipation as her small dark head pierced the veil, eyes squeezed shut against the brightness of the sun.

It was such an improbable thing. He was a father! He had a daughter! A tiny little thing, all brown and black fuzz, looking so helpless snuggled up against her mother's peppered belly. It pained him every time he had to leave her, leave both of them, though he knew Jessie would protect their child with her very life, it left him aching to be apart from his family. They were his world, his wonders, every breath of his life revolved around them. Which was exactly why he had to leave. Every day he would walk out, searching for food to keep them all alive, as well as more capable wolves to join their cause. Sometimes he brought Askan, other's not, either leaving the young man behind to help watch over his family, or deciding to go separate ways, cover more ground. He had to fight not to turn back early, to run back home and snuggle up with the ones he loved, what he had dreamed of for so long was finally his, how could he stay away from it? Because he had to, that was how. But often he would return early, just so he could spend some time with his little girl before she went down for the night.

Today was special indeed though, he and Askan had had success in their hunt yesterday, employing the same technique that had first brought them together. With everyone properly fed, for once, Drestig had allowed himself a day of rest, one day to stay home and relax with his family. This way, Jessie also got a chance to rest, go off and care for herself for once, while he took a shift watching over the den. Not wanting to disturb the still sleeping pup within, he had laid himself down outside the opening, resting with his back propped against one of the gnarly oak roots. His plan had not been to actually sleep, but in the end he'd apparently dozed off none the less, jerking back awake at the first sound of rustling. He blinked, trying to reorient himself in the sparse, patterned light that filtered down through the trees. At first he figured it had simply been the wind, stirring the oak leaves above that woke him. Then he looked towards the den and saw her, standing stiff, on short, fat legs, puppy-blue eyes blinking against the light.

For a moment he didn't know what to do, almost scared to say anything, as if it might scare her away. But she was no shy deer or baby bird, she was his daughter and he already knew her well enough to know she didn't scare easily; Brave and strong like her mother! So he woofed softly, calling her attention, begging her closer with a big bright smile on his face; My Phoenix!

Word count: 473

"Speech" Thoughts

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

@Drestig <3

She tried to force her eyes open but they quickly closed again, this was so much easier in the dark! Was it something in the air or just the big bright that made her eyes close so quickly? Again she tried, and again, managing to keep her eyes open just a fraction longer than the last time each time her eyelids flickered until finally the gold fields before her came into view. Ears sat high on her head as small nose wiggled. Her senses were being assaulted. The light, the sounds, the smells. The soft woof was almost missed between the rustling of leaves and the chatter of birds but the familiarity was enough to turn her head about, small body and wobbly legs turning as one.

Finally she spotted him, tucked among the roots and shadows. "Da-dee!" she exclaimed with a bark of her own, tail waving high over her back and small feet lifting comically high as she pranced forward, looking to pick the best possible path through the tangled roots towards him. She tripped once or twice, but never really let it slow her down, passing off the stumbles with a shake of her small dark head. Finally she reached her target, paws lifting to press into the thick fur on his shoulder, open mouth seeking to nip at his cheek or ear.

He smiled so widely it almost split his face in half, eyes blazing with pride as he watched his daughter come towards him. Her first stumble instantly made him jerk, moving to help her, but before he'd even gotten halfway up she was continuing forwards, undeterred by her stagger. The father breathed a relieved chuckle, lowering himself back down on his elbows. Clearly it would take a lot more to unsettle her! "Yes lass," He hummed warmly in reply, his heart swelling at the one, simple word. He let her close the distance, her tiny body so light he could barely feel her jumping up against him. She was so small, he hardly dared touch her, luckily she didn't have the same reservations. The dark man chuckled again, returning her caress by burying his snout in what little scruff she had grown so far. Her scent was already as familiar to him as her mother's, and he filled up on it, breathing deeply and blowing the air back out into her ear.

Drestig pulled back a little to look down at his daughter, still smiling from ear to ear. There was no debate, she was the most gorgeous being he had ever seen, a muddle of brown and black with a striking white patch on her chest and the most stunning blue eyes. Of course he was biased, he knew that; But just look at her..! "Look at you," He echoed his own thoughts; "Out and about already, such a big brave girl!" Silver-tipped muzzle lowered, moving to touch his nose against hers. "My brave Percy-girl."

Word count: 266

"Speech" Thoughts

As the large nose came towards her own, her chin tucked to allow her a better view of the big nose. Small blue eyes crossed and the resulting dizziness caused her to stumble a step backwards with a shake of her head. She giggled at the noises he made, still unable to decipher their individual meaning but taking pleasure in the sound none the less. Her small head tipped up, blinking at the moving canopy overhead, only startled as a sparrow hopped from branch to branch.

Determining little threat from the branch hopper, wide eyes passed over her surroundings, completely absorbed in experiencing the outside for the very first time. Gnarled roots criss crossed underfoot, small bugs that made their home in the soil going about their daily routine. It was all so big and new that for just a moment, she wanted to run back to the hole under the tree and hide away.

Before her emotions could get the better of her, her gaze passed over her father again, smile lighting up like the sun. Another excited "Da-dee!" laced with a laugh offered as she tried to climb up his large side and onto his back. This was a mountain she would conquor! (Oh who was anyone kidding, she already had).

She was a character for sure, full of spunk and short attention span, eager to experience everything, all at once. Her father watched with a soft smile as she studied the world around her, eyes catching movement easily even if they couldn't yet focus properly, tracing birds in the trees above and bugs in the ground below. For a moment her little face twisted in an expression that send a painful clench through his chest, his own brows twisting in a deep frown as he tried to figure out what his daughter was thinking. But then her blurry gaze returned to him, and the smile was back as soon as it had disappeared, her joyous exclamation completely melting his heart.

He hardly had time to smile back though, before she was on the move again, a bumble of brown and white digging into his fur. With a surprised breath of laughter, Drestig twisted his neck to look back at the girl, determinately digging her paws into his ribs. It made him wince a little, even as he kept smiling, a cough escaping him before he gently cautioned: "Easy there sport!" Still chuckling lowly, the dark wolf reached back, using the tip of his muzzle to bump up her butt, lifting her the last bit of way unto his back. With his flank such liberated, he could breathe a little sigh of relief, shoulders slumping a bit as he rested, for just a moment. With a child like Percy, there was very little time for that.

But while @Askan enjoyed calling him old man, Drestig was far from worn down. Looking back down at his daughter, eyes sparkling, he smiled widely. No he was very far from done. this was the height of his life, he was achieving all he'd ever dreamed of, and here was a clear proof. Pushing the serious thoughts out of his head, he winked playfully, giving only short warning to his pup before he started wiggling his shoulders, turning the previously firm rest of his back into a wobbly ride. Of course he was careful not to be too rough, but he made sure she didn't feel too safe; Otherwise what's the fun?

Word count: 367

"Speech" Thoughts

The cough was like an earthquake, causing the young child to lose her footing. Ears folded flat and lips drew tight in a worried line as her small limbs scrambled to find purchase in her father's fur. Something suddenly solid was under her rear, pushing her up to a more secure position and she relaxed into the embrace, small tail waving to slap at the muzzle that was providing her lift, triumphant growl squeak, laced with a giggle.

Something funny happened with his eyes, and her head cocked trying to figure out what the movement meant. The shaking started again and small paws splayed so widely that the child was left hugging her father's back for dear life. Under the tree was never so shaky! So what was it between there and here that made everything so unstable? Finally gaining some confidence in the rhythmic movement (if this was how the world was she would just have to get used to it), she pushed up on small paws, blue eyes locked on her father's large round ears.

Mouth open, giving her intentions away, wobbly steps inched her closer to @Drestig's head, just one more step and she could give the ear a tug, and see if that stalled the shaky ride.

He had to close his eyes against the rapid beating of her tail, its taps against his muzzle making him chuckle lowly. The joy of her victory was enough to melt any father's heart though, and he grinned unabashed as his daughter commandeered his back, proudly taking hold of what already belonged to her fully and completely, even if she didn't understand it yet. Her adorable voice seized though when he started his game, confusion filling the cloudy, cornflower eyes, soon shifting to fright as the previously so stable seat began to quake under her. Ember eyes watched carefully as she struggled to hold on, his movements shifting a bit to support her just a little better; Don't worry lass, I won't let you fall!

A distant, hazy memory flickered into his mind, a large, golden-eyed face looking down at him, hefty shoulders shifting beneath his tiny paws, much like his own now did under his daughter's. Drestig had very few memories of his family, faint images that swam in and out of his head, resurfacing at odd hours only to vanish soon after. But, he now realized, this particular game was one that his own father had once played with him.

Partially distracted by this sudden recollection, he didn't realize until too late, just what his little spitfire had planned. He saw her come towards his face, and started to settle his shaking to not knock her over, then her tiny teeth found his ear. "Yaow!" He cried, more in surprise than actual pain, though the tugging certainly wasn't pleasurable; "Okay, okay you got me." A silvered paw lifted to gently nudge at the child, trying to free his treasured appendage from her hold. His neck twisted as he tried to catch sight of her, a fresh chuckle rising in his throat; "You won this game lass, you won!"

Word count: 310

"Speech" Thoughts

One more from @Drestig then we can wrap it up :) Happy for this to be Percy's last post.

Oh, sweet victory came in the form of a furry ear wrapped up tightly with sharp puppy teeth. The loud noise enough to make her drop the captured prize, although a wet nose would be quick to try and bury itself into her father's ear canal. Her snuffles and snorts of worry no doubt unpleasantly blowing hot damp air into the injured orifice, an innocent puppy apology. She hadn't meant to hurt him, really!

Her father's chuckle brought a smile back to her face as she pushed on the side of his head to move back and better study his face, words still too foreign for the girl to understand but filling her with pride none the less.

She slid down her father's flank jaws stretching wide as a yawn caught her by surprise. It wasn't that she hadn't ever yawned before, but she hadn't realised just how much energy she had expended on her first little adventure into the outside. Well, usually when the mouth stretches happened she just curled into whichever parent was closest and closed her eyes, so that was exactly what she intended to do right now. It was nice under the tree, against her father's chest, the breeze passing over her small body, full of interesting smells. Her chin shifted to lay across his forelimb, a tired sigh leaving her tiny body before her eyes started to drift shut. There would be plenty more time for games after her nap.