Swift River All in the Family

This takes place right after the pack meeting. Feel free to follow over from there. =) I'm giving this until 4/17 to be replied too before I post again, I'd like it to keep moving fairly quickly. This could also count towards your Go Wild! Challenge threads. :D

Gone Tomorrow

It was amazing how quickly things could change. One minute, she was perfectly content and happy with the world and the way it was going. She was thoroughly elated by the idea of becoming a mother. And yet, now...it just didn't seem like such a good idea. After all, it was such a rushed thing. Borlla's outburst at the meeting, not even an hour ago, was all that it took to make the fairly confident she-wolf that was Corinna Donata doubt herself. Talk about self esteem issues.

But life must go on, and Cori was determined that she was still going to do right by the young that were taking shape within her. She didn't know how many there were, and wouldn't until they came into this world, but she wanted them to grow up in a world that helped to cater to their comforts. And she would start with the pack den. She had asked for help in her efforts, and as she stepped away from the gathering of her pack mates, and hoped that they would stay true to their word and follow her. But even without their help, she was going to put her heart and soul into the den. That is where she would go and be trapped for who knows how long...until her young were old enough to survive without her. If she had to be trapped, she might as well be comfortable.

Approaching the pile of rocks that was the cave that the Swift River wolves called home, she narrowed her green eyes. Scrutinizing, evaluating, deciding. Striding forward, she got down on her elbows, rump in the air, tail raised like a mighty banner. Creme paws were soon stained with mud, as the ground was quite soft from the melting of snow. Grunting, Cori began clearing out the entrance of debris that had gathered there during the long winter.

(This post was last modified: Apr 16, 2011, 09:22 PM by Corinna.)

It didn't take long for the boy to follow Cori. When he was sure she was alright, and there was no sign of Indru or Borlla coming back, he made his ways to the rock surrounding. He had promised to help, and that's just what he was going to do. He was sure he could help her get the job done fast, he only hoped he could do it the way she wanted. This would be the first litter he'd been around, unlike Indru, and he lacked some details of the whole process. He did know she'd be stuck in there a time with the pups, and it needed to be just right.

Black, wide ears were high upon his head, and his orange eyes spotted her starting at the entrance. He drifted closer, and stopped to the side of her. "What would you like me to do?" He asked, watching her clear the path to the inside, and getting rid of her whiteness in the process. His paws side stepped eager to help, but unsure what he should be doing. There was no point rushing into it. If he moved dirt she didn't want or something, that would be more work for the both of them. Head glanced round looking for Marsh or Ozera. He didn't see them, and smiled turning his attention back to Cori. "You got names for these pups?" He asked, black banner wagging, for he was curious what they might be.

are you with me through it all?

He'd already gone inside at the end of the last thread, so I'm picking it up as such. Sorry for being a day late!

<blockquote>Hearing Corinna's starting efforts with the entrance of the den, Marsh sat, aware that there was little hurry. From inside, he heard Triell approach the pregnant leader and ask for guidance, and Marsh idly wondered if he should do the same. Did Corinna have any particular plan in mind, or was this just a general clean-up? Snorting to himself as he thought, his eyes cast about the dingy interior, noting the parts where roots hung from the edges or where walls looked especially soft and crumbly, or generally in need of repair. All in all it wasn't a poor den, though would certainly need some TLC; Swift River used to be quite the sizeable pack, and wasn't suffering so badly for numbers, but the inclusion of a litter would make things different. Very different.

Deciding that it was best to follow the mother's incentive, Marsh stuck his head out of the den, waiting to see if the orders given would be easily divvied up between the two of them.</blockquote>

Shadow fails at life, end of story.

Gone Tomorrow

The scents of her pack mates were there, calling her attention. Triell had followed her, his youthful figured ready to help. She had met Triell soon after her original acceptance into Swift River, and had fallen in love with the youth - his demeanor was simply pleasant to be around. At least one of Indru's siblings liked her, she thought as she shifted up from her position to fix the black Tainn with her friendly green eyes. Cori appreciated his willingness to help, and she wagged her tail in response as she spoke. "Right now, it just needs some general maintenance. There's a lot of built up debris around the entrance and inside. That just needs to be cleared," she explained, turning her head as she saw Marsh's auburn head emerge from the darkness. Giving him a smile as well, she continued. "You're both too big to really dig inside the den together, so Marsh, why don't you look at clearing some of the dirt and grime out on the inside, maybe look at strengthening some of the walls. Triell, you'll help me out here." It was a fair division of labor, and they could always switch at a later point.

Looking away from her two pack mates, she surveyed the pile of dirt that had collected from where she had dug around the entrance. Attacking that with a vengeance, she began kicking with her back paws, shooting the dirt backwards and out of the way.

Triell had other brother and sisters he wished were here. In the long months he had grown accustomed to their absence. They were adults after all, needing to have their own life, and he could only hope they were alive, and well. Wherever they were. This was his family now, who he could look after, help out. His head gave a bob, his tail a happy wag looking to his new sister to her general directions. Didn't seem to hard, nor specific. He could do that. A chestnut colored face drifted from the shadows. Triell held back a flinch knowing it was Marsh, and not wanting to appear to scare so easy. Triell smiled a relaxed open mouth one, glad to see someone else was here to volunteer. Now if only Borlla would grow up.

Exchanging looks with Marsh, Cori easly decided what they could do. Between the three they should get something done. "Alrighty, sounds good," he stated looking over the entrance where he'd have to dig. He stepped forward with purpose, and started whisking away the mound around his the edge he was closest to. Paws dug deep against the tromped earth. Once he had a good little pile he did as Cori and began disinegrating it along the rest of the earth whence it'd came.

are you with me through it all?

*bad person*

<blockquote>Clearing dirt and grime. Strengthening walls. Simple enough. With a snort and a gruff nod, Marsh retreated back into the hole to assess the situation again. It was amazing how much mess you could live with once it was habit to ignore it, but Marsh did his best to be appraising. Hearing paws fling earth and debris outside, he figured it was time to get to work. Heading for the wall which seemed in most disrepair, the wolf tugged at loose, useless roots and scraped away clumps of jutting earth to flatten the wall and enlarge the space, even if only fractionally. Once he was left with a decent pile of dusty lumps on the ground, he went to work on that, too, flinging it behind him as he re-shaped and evened out the floor.

With a warning bark to those working outside, much of this mess was consequently thrown outside of the den. He didn't have much time to worry that he might be acting a little counter-intuitively to their needs, for he was soon back at another unkempt side, tugging and scraping anew.</blockquote>

*snugs Siki* We don't have to keep this thread going for much longer either, so whenever you guys want to wrap it up, let me know.

Gone Tomorrow

And so the small trio began their renovations on the Swift River pack den. Marsh disappeared back inside the hole, and Cori's ears twitched as she picked up the sounds of him rummaging at the walls. A small pile of dirt began to gather at the entrance that she had previously swept clean, but she merely shrugged her shoulders and attacked it with a vengeance. Her forepaws were coated in dirt and grime, but despite that, her tail was wagging. She and Triell were busy at work outside the den and Marsh was doing his fair share inside, it wouldn't take them too much longer to make the simple repairs to the den.

Breathing in deeply, Cori paused for a second, settling back onto her rump. Casting her green gaze over at Triell, she grinned at him. "What would you name them, Triell? Because I've honestly not thought about it too much," she confessed to him, shrugging her brown and gray shoulders. The announcement of pregnancy was very recent, and she had not had enough time to sit down and think of what she would name her growing young. "What about you, Marsh? Any suggestions?" She called down into the dark tunnel, not wanting to leave him out of the conversation.

<blockquote><i>if you want to end with a cori post after marsh?</i>

Ears were pricked, once Marsh hustled the first pile of dirt out of the den,getting a little dirt in his eyes, Triell made sure to listen carefully for his next warning of flying dirt. It was easy work, keeping him busy for the most part. Though his mind couldn't help, but wander to Borlla and Indru hoping things would be put right. He couldn't quite grasp why Cori bothered Borlla, or puppies. He pondered upon it for a time, figuring Borlla wanted to be an adult, but maybe it was hard. Indru would have his own children now. They would be the babies of the pack, everyone worried about. Triell was sure it didn't mean Indru would love him or her less. He couldn't, could he?

Cori's words snapped him out of his thoughts. He beamed back at the gray lady, tail giving a powerful wag. He figured she might have had something in mind, or Indru, though he supposed it was quick. Lips tucked together, thinking for a minute. Never being a father, or thinking he would be names had never crossed his mind. Large shoulders shrugged, <b>"Um maybe one after my mum or dad? I like those names, be good to keep in the family?"</b> It was clear he was uncertain in his suggestion, though he hadn't said anything odd to name her children. He hadn't thought. His gaze looked to Marsh, curious what he might say if anything.</blockquote>

are you with me through it all?