Sacred Grove jabberwocky

<blockquote><i>Late afternoon; Cloudy; Current Temperature: 70° F/21° C</i>

The heartening sense of duty and recently discovered confidence flowed through the boy's veins. After setting his fiery orange eyes on the pure, crystal-clear sapphire hues of his brother Torrel's own pair of eyes Fenru Tainn had felt nothing but the dire need to protect him, Aiyana and Rissa, his own littermates... even his parents and his uncles. Should they be hindered by any means, Fen wanted to be there to pick up the slack, to ensure his father's pack would still function as it did now at this very moment. Keeping Swift River strong and fit meant his youngest siblings could grow up in a place that was well-protected and well-fed, very much unlike the Grove he had been raised in when Indru had gone missing and he, Kisla, and Rihael had nearly starved under their guardians' watch.

The path Ice had gladly shown him and the landmarks he had pointed out now served the yearling well. Every morning, like clockwork, Fen woke up to stretch, relieve himself, immediately check his surroundings (from where he slept a few meters away from the pack den) then quench his thirst. Within minutes he reached Indru's first marker, a severely clawed tree, and a minute or so after he sauntered past another beacon that distinctly told other wolves to beware, keep out, or watch their step. Every step was planned and every turn in the trail was memorized. By the time the sun was directly overhead, obscured by the clouds, Fenru had made it halfway around Ice's route and the sight of a certain moss-covered tree signalled he was welcome to take a rest. Shaking out his pelt after being assured his parents' scents still lingered about the area he slowly came to a standstill.

Lifting a paw he extended his right forelimb, stretching the tense muscles until the tightness edged away. It took him a moment to realize the fact but the birds in this section of the forest had stopped singing and an eerie silence washed over him. Rather than giving in to fear, Fenru braced himself and he lifted his muzzle into the air to sample it. He was certain they had taken flight upon his arrival but a part of him still craved to be assured and comforted. His gaze darted from one side of the territory toward the unfamiliar reaches of the forest beyond the territory boundary until he centered on what he thought was out of place. Cautiously edging forward to examine a crooked stick, he moved his nose over the knotted bark, unable to place a name to the foreign aroma that coated it. His frame quivered, unsure if he ought to call for assistance or company or to simply stand guard at this very spot until he was positive this part of the territory had not been breached.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

Not sure what you had in mind for this, but it's been a very long time since we've threaded, so I hope you don't mind if I jump in. <3

Gone Tomorrow

Life was starting to return to normal again, if that was what life ever did. Now that Corinna's second litter was out of the den, eager to explore the world around them, their mother had spent significantly more time outside as well. Her sharp gaze was loathe to leave them, still so tiny and vulnerable to the smallest of ailments. But even she needed a break, the area around the den space not providing enough room for her to be able to properly run and stretch her legs. The borders also needed her attention, her scent having fallen dormant due to her temporary captivity. But as the sun began to fall in the sky, and Corinna took her leave from the cubs (leaving Indru in her place), she was pleased to see who had stepped up in her absence. Her youngest son from her first litter was finding a place for himself within the pack. And while she had most definitely been preoccupied with her smallest cubs, the mother had certainly not forgotten her older ones, so it was with an eager glee not often seen on the creme face that Corinna set off on the trail of her son.

Pausing only to scent mark various trees, bushes, and rocks, the leader stayed true to Fenru's trail. Each step told the story of her son's daily journey, and with each scent of the freshly marked border, Corinna's pride in her son grew. He had grown up so quiet and thoughtful, much of how she had been before having responsibility thrust upon her shoulders. When she had first announced her pregnancy, Fenru had not been all that eager about the idea of new cubs in the den, but she was glad to see that he had not turned away from the pack because of it. It was a difficult separation, and one that the mother hoped had not tarnished her relationship with her son.

Creeping forward, Corinna was unaware of the lack of singing birds, or why Fenru stood so still and focused. Her green eyes were fixed on her son and him alone, and with a quiet woof, she announced her presence. Approaching him, she brought her muzzle against his flank to nuzzle him in greeting. Wagging her tail, it brushed comfortably against her ankles, the smile and adoration on her face utterly genuine. "Hey Fen."

Nothing in mind; just testing Fen against something unfamiliar and possibly terrifying for him. <3

<blockquote>Raccoons, crows, foxes, badgers, snakes, and various weasels and rodents had always been apart of the boys' list of learned scents. Coyote, however, had not been one of them. Come to think of it, the <i>stink</i> began to coat certain areas of the clearing now. <i>That</i>, or he was starting to blow the sudden, unwelcome discovery out of proportion and losing his grip on what was tangible before him. He wasn't using his nose again.. the way he was supposed to. Apparently.

What signalled Corinna's arrival was not the inclusion of her perfume to his surrounding's potpourri but the soft bark that called out to him... as well as the addition of his nickname and the sensation of feeling her press against his thigh. For several seconds he was frozen and when he turned to his mother his ears lowered tentatively. <b>"Mum,"</b> he whispered. <b>"Hi."</b> His troubled gaze looked her over, attempting to see if he could spot anything on her face that mirrored his own... if she, too, had noticed the unsettling atmosphere on this part of the territory.

<b>"The birds..."</b> he murmured, lifting his eyes upward again to see if he could spot any of the feathered creatures that had been perched above him only moments before his appearance. He tore his attention away from the treetops against the gray, <span class='word'>nubilous</span> sky and glanced at Corinna again before pointing with his nose to the fallen branch in front of him. <b>"<i>Look at this,</i>"</b> he feebly instructed. <b>"<i>Smell</i> it... <i>What</i>..."</b> His courage and confidence was wearing thin now. <b>"What is that? <i>Who</i> is that? That... They... This... This wasn't here yesterday."</b></blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Jul 25, 2012, 09:59 PM by Fenru.)

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

Gone Tomorrow

Corinna's joyful greeting to her son was not met with equal joy, and the look of concern (or was it confusion?) on her son's face made her take an instinctive step backwards. His ears had lowered, and his voice was nothing more than a whisper. And for a moment, Corinna's heart lurched at the thought that she was the cause of his worry. But then he spoke again, his eyes darting away from her. Following his gaze, she looked to the place where the birds were supposed to be. But there was nothing there. They had all departed, taking refuge in some other part of the forest. It was strange, to be sure, but she didn't feel as if it was a cause for worry - birds often took flight when creatures, such as Fenru and herself, showed up. Opening her mouth to say so, Cori was silenced when Fenru pointed with his nose at the stick in front of him.

This wasn't here yesterday. Prodding forward, the leader lowered her head to sniff as she had been instructed to do. Black nose twitched as she breathed in, and sure enough, a foreign scent registered in her brain. The fur along the back of her neck instinctively rose, and a low growl was uttered. Stepping closer to Fenru, Corinna's head lifted back up, green eyes darting around the area. But there was no movement, and there was some relief in knowing that the coyote was not in their immediate vicinity. "That's the scent of a coyote," she explained, sparing a moment to look at her son's eyes. "Do you know what that is?"

<blockquote>Perhaps when he was younger, when he and Rihael openly embraced stories of unbelievable whim and created in their minds the most fantastic and fanciful of beasts, the presentation of the foreign scent would have been something to <span class='word'>jubilate</span> about. Now, as he stood there, on the brink of being unnerved beyond his wits, he merely watched as his mother leaned forward to investigate. Her pelt began to bristle and worry flickered across his youthful features. Corinna's growl had also not gone unnoticed. She drew closer to him and he emitted a short, high-pitched whine in response.

She bestowed upon him the name of the creature in question - a <i>coyote</i> - and even though she only met his gaze briefly, the action quelled a part of the anxiety that was starting to bubble up in his chest. <i>"Do you know what that is?"</i> The yearling's brow creased; he did not even want to imagine what this creature could have looked like if its distinct aroma reeked of fresh kill and warm, almost grassy musk. He slowly shook his head. <b>"What is a coy-oh-tee? Why is it here?"</b>

His amber gaze peered eagerly into Corinna's sage green irises. He wasn't sure if he truly wanted the answer - assuming the animal or being in question was something to be feared or respected or, starting now, tracked and hunted down - but, given that he was now just starting to ease his way into the adult ranks and fully embracing his duties, he knew he had to soak up whatever information was given to him. Maybe Ice had actually seen one of these things. If his hero had helped Uncle Marsh with a bear, then surely these <i>coyotes</i> were barely troublesome at all aside from accounts of trespassing where they weren't welcome.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

Gone Tomorrow

The leader had not meant to frighten her son, but her mind had raced in a thousand directions upon scenting the smaller canine that had traversed too close to the River wolves' territory. Her immediate thoughts went to her youngest litter - they were still small enough that a coyote could very easily pick them up for a snack. But she had left them in the care of Indru, and her mate would not allow any harm to come to the cubs. The rest of the pack, Fenru and herself included, she was not all that worried about. Coyotes traveled alone, and as wolves, members of the pack were faster, stronger, and bigger.

Her eyes returned to Fenru's face, taking in the slow shake of his head. Well, that was a point of relief, it meant that her son had never come across a coyote during his year of life. Leaning close, the mother nudged Fen's cheek to comfort him. "It's okay," she assured him, more or less certain that was true. "Coyotes are like wolves...only smaller. They don't live in packs, and just wander about." It was as accurate of a description she could give him, without actually seeing one to point out to him. "They normally stay away from wolf packs - a wolf against a coyote is no contest. But sometimes they find the courage to venture to close in the hopes of finding a free meal." So really, the coyote wasn't a threat, but if the thing did manage to find one of their caches, that was lost food for the pack. "Shall we go find it? It shouldn't take too much to scare it away, but they can be pests." Her expression matched the question, watching his face curiously. Fenru had shown an incredible initiative throughout his transition to adulthood. And while she assumed that he would want to track down the foreign creature, its very strangeness could very well still prove intimidating to him. So she would wait, though regardless of his answer, the mother would be tracking down the scavenger who had wandered too close for comfort.

<blockquote>Fenru's eyes blinked closed as his mother touched her nose and muzzle to his cheek. His tail wagged for a brief moment, comforted for the time being. The creatures in question, he immediately learned, were like wolves - like <i>him</i>... A brow rose as he pictured a canine-like beast, just a little smaller than he was but much, much larger than little Torrel. <i>"They normally stay away from wolf packs,"</i> Corinna added. <i>"A wolf against a coyote is no contest."</i> The boy paused to let the fact sink in. <i>Good.</i> That was a relief. Hearing her say that actually made patrolling an 'okay' activity again, and <i>coyotes</i> were now on his list of learned Relic Lore fauna. Granted that he could hold his ground, coyotes now wouldn't stand a chance.

His eyes focused back on the River leader and he nodded to let her know that he understood that their caches were at stake with the wolf-like beasts running about. Slowly his muscles relaxed and upon being asked whether or not they ought to go looking for this <i>coyote</i>, Fenru had to think the question over for a few seconds. Ultimately he nodded again. <b>"Yeah,"</b> he agreed rather meekly. If anything, now more than ever was the best time to face this practical fear and deal with it before it got worse. <b>"Let's look for it."</b> He leaned down to take another whiff of the foreign scent before craning his head upward to look in the direction the canine could have gone - towards where he and Uncle Triell had once stowed away a rabbit a long time ago. The last time he checked, he had stashed away two mice for today's afternoon snack. With Corinna's mini-lesson, it was now safe to assume that the rodents were no longer there. <b>"This way?"</b> he quietly questioned.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

<3

Gone Tomorrow

She was out of touch, it seemed. How terrible was it for her to not know if her son knew what a coyote was or not? One of her jobs as a parent was to educate her offspring, and Fenru's confusion inspired a pang within her chest. When had she become too distracted to take the time to teach her first litter things like this? She had once gone with Fenru to the old Hidden Tree den and had taught him what a snake was, but it seemed that there were certain aspects of the world that had slipped through the cracks. Corinna had been lucky enough to have another chance at being a mother, and she would do her best to not make the same mistake.

Despite whatever insecurities and doubts lay behind his gold eyes, Fenru seemed okay enough to go looking. His body posture had relaxed, and though his voice wasn't particularly strong, he did give his mother an affirmative at her question. Where guilt had been moments before, pride interfered — pride that her son was not afraid of his responsibility as a pack wolf. She watched as he leaned down again, picking up the scent fresh so they would be able to hone in on it as they followed the creature back into the heart of the river territory. Stepping closer to her son, Cori's own head fell, doing the same, so when he asked, she gave a positive nod of her head. "Let's go."

Setting off in the direction Fenru had indicated, the leader kept her head low so that she could check the scent every few yards. A bush or the base of a tree were captivating to her, telling her the details of the quarry they were seeking. It was reconfirmed that there was just one coyote, which neutralized the threat in Corinna's mind. She knew that her cubs were safe with Indru watching over them in the den, and if the invader even so much as approached the pack den, it would be killed on sight. "We shouldn't have to worry about a fight," she called back over her shoulder to Fenru as she investigated another bush that had the culprit's invisible signature all over it. "Once it sees us, it should go running. Coyotes aren't typically brave."

<blockquote>Emboldened by his mother's words and comforted again that coyotes were not a typical opponent (opposed to intimidating Rihael or Angier or even Arlette, he supposed), the yearling was quick to fall into step with Corinna's stride. He had picked up the intruder's scent on the shrub that his mother had inspected and was not surprised to discover that the scent trail wove through the forest from one tree to another. It might have been looking for something or... something more than Fenru's rodent snacks. A light growl rumbled from his throat as he crept low to the ground, trailing the scent directly until it began to grow stronger. Fenru snorted and shook his head, stopping to look over his shoulder to make eye contact with Corinna.

Fear peppered the trespasser's trail and it prompted the young Tainn to take a step back and gauge the situation. Perhaps it would be so scared it attacked them? Maybe... Maybe it-- <i>What was that?!</i> Fenru's head turned instinctively to the left where the rustling of leaves had snagged his attention. Without delay he reacted, charging blindly towards the source of the sound. His large frame blundered through the underbrush and he snapped his jaws in an intimidating fashion when he came face-to-face with the slight, lithe coyote.

It let out a startled yelp and quickly dashed around the tree it had been resting against. Fenru lumbered after it, barking frantically to alert Corinna and whoever else was nearby that he was hot on the heels of an unwelcome visitor.</blockquote>

Taekwondo (M, W, F) | Rapid-Response Day (Tu) | WoW Nights (F, Sat, Sun)

I'm so sorry Grey <3 I promise I will do my best to keep on top of this thread so we can get it done.

Gone Tomorrow

They were moving quickly, each one of them bounding from plant to plant, following the path created by the intruder. Fenru had kept right by her side, and together, mother and son pushed on. Whatever fear he might have had back at the initial discovery was nowhere to be found, and despite an anxiety that grew with the strength of the scent, there was definitely pride in there too. But when his snort reached her ears, her head and tail raised in an instant. Her brow creased, and Corinna's growls joined Fenru's.

The sudden, out of place, strepitous sound was not lost on the leader, but she did not react as quickly as Fenru did. Within a moment, the yearling was barreling through the bushes, his tawny body disappearing among the foliage within a second. After a second to catch her breath, Corinna charged after him, her barks and growls backing up his own.

She barely saw the flash of brown fur as it dashed around the tree, but she wasn't slow to react this time. Charging forward around the opposite side, dodging around Fenru and ignoring the tug of twigs on her fur, Corinna ran like a demon gone mad, hoping to further scare the coyote so it would be gone for good. The poor creature whirled at the sight of the snarling mother, but instinct replaced common sense, and rather than running in a third direction, the smaller canine began to run back towards Fenru.