Sex: FemaleFor a second she thought it would not work. In the gloom Iopah could hear them whining and in the flashes of lightning Iopah could see their wide eyes. For the mother wolf, their reactions were far more distressing than the storm itself was. Ears flattened to her skull as she waited. She would always be here for her daughters, but they were getting older and would have to form their own opinions of the world. All she could do was explain it and try to shield the worst until they were old enough to bear the brunt of it.
Again she tapped at the earth, hoping to convince them to her. This storm was nothing but a storm, and certainly not worth their worry now. Something grabbed at her paw and her ears flicked forward. She leaned forward, to see and encourage, and saw something jump upwards. Her eyes widened in feigned shock and Iopah easily let her body fall under the weight of the play attack. Once down she reached towards Ember, hoping to administer her own "attack" in the form of a gentle scruff. It was then that Bracken made her own move. With one daughter already clinging to her ear, Iopah turned to find a paw pinned to the floor. Sort of.
She dragged the pinned paw towards her, dragging the pup along with it. For as long as they stayed awake, as long as the storm continued, she played with them. Eventually it was exhaustion -not the cramped den and not the storm- that won the game hours later.
