A Pack's Journey Home. Private (2) with tenebria

[tenebria]

Willow raced up to her father and tackled his leg as he was about to leave, attempting to keep him where he was. He chuckled and bent down, swiftly picking her up and plopping her back among her siblings. She let out a whine. "Easy there, my little willow, I shall return shortly" he said, then gave Bella a swift lick on the cheek before turning and trotting swiftly into the woods.

Drake shifted over so his Alpha could pass, dipping his head to him, then turning to his Luna as she spoke, looking slightly unsettled as he frowned slightly. "I shall if it is your wish" he said after a hesitant moment, dipping his head to her.

Fang glanced over, slowing slightly, then shook his head and turned his thoughts to the task at hand, beginning to scan their surroundings carefully, indicating she should begin doing the same.

(totally!)

[Abbster]

Bella nodded. "ok, well" she said. "Sometimes...I feel that the alpha isn't spending enough time with his pups" she said, as Daisy pounced on Drake's tail. Bella's eyes widened. "DAISY!" She said. "I'm so sorry Drake, we're trying to teach them manners" she said, pulling Daisy off the beta's tail. "Do you think he'll miss them growing up because he's gone so much?" she asked.

Clover sighed. The one time they get to patrol together, and that's the question she asks? How was she supposed to ever remotely get close to him...and see if he liked her, if that was the question she asked him?

[tenebria]

Willow's eyes gleamed as she saw her sister tackle the mildly imposing dog's tail, and was about to follow suit when their mother swiftly intervened, so instead she tackled her sister.

Drake frowned slightly at this, thinking out his answer and glancing down as he felt a weight on his tail. A slight smile flashed over his muzzle and he shrugged lightly "It is no matter, My Luna, they are pups" he said easily, then answered her question slowly. "As Alpha, your mate has more responsibilities than just his family. Although I wish I could help him more, but with such things as the loners, he is the only one who can handle them. I do not believe he shall miss their growth, he is still here each day to see them and watch them grow and learn" he said firmly.

Fang quickened to a swift lope as the forest seemed quiet in the area, heading further east at a swift pace. His bad mood... or rather worse mood than usual, was brought on by a rather sleepless night he'd endured, filled with weakening memories of his puphood.

[Abbster]

Bella nodded. "I do actually need to talk with Coco about something...would it be so much...to ask" she said. "can you watch them?" she asked. "Just for a little while, and if they do anything, like Daisy grabbing Willow's tail in her teeth, tell them that if they don't stop, they can't play for the rest of the day" she said, hopefully.

"Fang...can I ask you something?" Clover asked suddenly

[tenebria]

Drake glanced over at the rambunctious pups, feeling a moment of alarm, but then nodding swiftly "Of course My Luna, I will keep watch over your pups until you return" he said, moving closer to the young dogs to keep an eye on them. Willow looked up and trotted over to her mother, sensing a change and whining slightly.

Fang's ears pinned again and he sighed, closing his eyes and hoping he had enough patience left to survive the day before looking over, his face a stoic mask as he gave an almost imperceptible nod of acceptance to her question.

Duke followed the large brindle cane corso to the edge of the clearing, then sat as he waited for the rest of the hunters to show up, his ears pricking as they did. Brutus was the first to speak. "So, we have two choices here, go look for some real fresh prey, or go skulk in the Upright's domain" he said, his own preference clearly stated by his words and tone. Duke blinked slightly, then tilted his head "Didn't the Alpha say something once about saving the prey for the Long Cold?" he questioned, although his own tone was doubtful, as if even he himself couldn't remember. Brutus glanced over at him. "Well yes, but Thunder just told us that it would be preferred if we got some fresh prey to fill the storage with, remember?" he prompted.

[Abbster]

Bella looked down at her daughter. "I just need to go talk to Coco for a moment, I'll be back" she said, licking her daughter. "you four be good for Drake." Bella said. "that means no pouncing on his tail, you must do what he says" she said. Daisy let out whine as well, but excepted her mother's order anyway.

Clover flattened her ears a little. "well...i uh...was just wondering if you uh...liked anyone in the pack?" she asked.

Ranger looked over at Duke. "dude, are you nuts?" he asked. "do you really want to go to the upright's domain?" Ranger asked. Snowflake, let out a small laugh. "No, Ranger!" Snowflake said. "couldn't you tell by his voice?" she asked him

[tenebria]

Willow whined again, then looked over at Drake thoughtfully before trotting back to her siblings and sitting down beside her oldest sister to ponder in her little puppy brain this new dog watching over them.

Fang's ears flattened even more, mostly out of embarrassment, and he glanced over at her again, his gaze questioning. Finally he replied "Maybe" he said, leaving an evasive answer.

Duke blinked in mild confusion, although it had nothing to do with the subject at paw. "It's Duke, remember? I know, names can be hard to remember, but if you can just think of something else that starts with D... like..." he frowned, trying to think of one. Brutus turned and just stared at him. That was just sad. "How about Dog?" he suggested pityingly. Duke brightened. "Right! So just think DOG when you look at me, and you'll remember, Rager!" he said looking over with a kindly expression to the golden retriever. The Cane Corso just stared at him pityingly again. Duke was hopeless when it came to names. Hopeless. He also seemed to have completely forgotten the topic, so Brutus took it in paw again. "Ok, so fresh prey it is, let's hope we can get a Longleg this time, that'll feed us for a bit" he said, rising on his stocky strong legs.

[Abbster]

Ranger blinked in confusion as well. "no...Duke, I know your name, dude is just a nick name" Ranger said, as he looked over at Snowflake, who shrugged. "yea, a longleg is a good idea" Snowflake agreed. "but if we run into any of those twoleggers" she said, shuddering. Snowflake, was not from this pack. she was found as a pup and taken in, but her mother had taught her the word of twoleg, meaning human...and a bunch of other words as well, that the pack didn't use. "right...sorry" she said. "you know, my mother taught me that its twolegs, i just.....keep forgetting" she admitted.

Daisy looked at Drake, and she blinked, suddenly she yawned. She padded up to him, and curled up at his paws, laying her head down as she snuggled close to his legs for a nap.

(one of ur dogs should have a crush on one of mine)

[tenebria]

Duke blinked again, his expression highly confused as he attempted to sort this out. Brutus shook his head again, letting him work it out in his head, although it probably wouldn't come out straight anyway. He looked over to Snowflake and nodded "If we can find one" at her slip of words he frowned slightly, then gave a mild shrug. "Not a big thing, Upright, two legger, it's basically the same thing, although if you say two legger you could mean a Flutter" he added with a slight chuckle as he compared the feathery creatures to the Uprights.

Drake stiffened slightly as the small pup waddled up to him and then suddenly curled up, snuggling herself against his legs. Oh.. what was he supposed to do now? Hesitantly he looked over at the other pups. Willow hesitated, looking at him and frowning slightly, her little puppy brow furrowing. But she was too little to hold distrust for long, and she gave in to her tired paws and wobbled over, plopping down beside her sister and snuggling into her. A moment later, Sage raced over and flopped down beside them, his head on her back. Drake blinked again. He was supposed to do something, right? After another moment of hesitation he carefully inched his paws out in front of him, curling them and laying down beside the pups, blocking the chilly morning wind from their small bodies.

(ooh ok, Brutus likes Snowflake then lol! Although he's a very serious dog and prob won't show it for a bit
Btw Clover forgot to respond to Fang XD)

[Abbster]

Saylor was the last to follow after her siblings. She yawned and curled up beside her sisters and closed her eyes, falling asleep as well. She was snuggling up close to her sisters, and brother, that she didn't even hear her mother return. "thanks for watching them" Bella said, as she curled up beside her pups. "I'm going to take them to the den and settle with them in there for a while" she said. "let the alpha know if he returns before they wake up" she said, picking up one of her pups at a time and then laying herself around them once inside their den. She licked each of them and then watched the den entrance.

Snowflake chuckled as well. "yea, i forgot about that" she said, laughing. Looking over at all her pack mates. "so" she said, as she heard a noise. "wait.." she growled slightly. "listen"

Clover flattened her ears a bit. "oh...well...ok" she said

[tenebria]

Drake gave a sigh of relief as Bella trotted up, and he swiftly scooched away from the pups and stood, dipping his head to his Luna. "My pleasure" he said, then nodded "I shall" he said, watching as she carried the pups into the den, then turning to watch over the pack.

Brutus gave another rare smile, then froze as well, ears pricked. "I hear it as well" he said, eyes hardening. Duke awoke from his deep ponderings and scented the air, getting serious for once.

Fang glanced over at her, his curiosity raised slightly. "Any particular reason why you asked?" He questioned in a deep yet more gentle growl.

[Abbster]

Ranger pricked his ears slightly. "longlegs!" He said, looking out into the forest, as he looked around. "there!" he said, his tail swaying behind him. He started stalking the creature a little and his eyes were in slits. Slowly, he crouched down and began stalking towards it more. When he was close enough, he leapt on top of the longleger, and began biting it. "LITTLE HELP!" He screeched, as he kept his claws dug in the creatures back.

Clover looked down at the ground, and then over at Fang. "oh...uhm...well...I...I like you" she finally said

[tenebria]

Brutus swiftly followed his fellow hunter, then dashed forwards as Ranger landed on the longleg's back. "Duke, get it's neck!" he yelled behind him. Duke sped past him, his long legs giving him advantage as he rocketed himself towards the longleg's throat, fastening his jaws as Brutus clamped his own around it's hind leg, dragging it to the earth.

Fang almost stopped in shock, looking over, blinking, his composure shattered. How on earth was he supposed to respond to that? "I.." he paused, confusion flittering over his face at the bold answer. "I am honored" he finally got out "Perhaps, perhaps we may patrol more often together" he added in a gentle tone, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. Despite the stoic expression he normally wore, and although he wouldn't have admitted it, he had felt softer feelings towards the german shepherd, but his luck with females usually wasn't the best, and he'd pushed it out of his mind as an unattainable fancy. Until now.

Thunder loped through the forest, heading towards the Deepwoods end, the west side of the park. Most of the loners skulked in this darker area of the wood, and he hoped to find a few that would be able to speak with him. After a few moments his ear flicked, and he caught the sound of paws to his left. Swiftly he stopped and spun, and the sound stopped immediately. "Come out, be not afraid, I am Thunder, Alpha of the Pack of this Woods, and I wish to converse" he said, his form strong yet welcoming as he waited. A few moments later, the tentative long snout of a female greyhound emerged from the underbrush, followed by the rest of her. Her body slunk low the ground, her eyes darting about nervously, never meeting his. He relaxed his posture even more. "Fear not, I mean no harm" he said, his deep voice warm. She stopped shaking slightly , but kept herself low to the ground, stopping when she reached him and almost lying down in abjectness. "S..s...Sire" she got out. He smiled again "Are you called by any name?" he questioned gently. She shook her head slightly. "L..loners need no names" she answered in an almost whisper. He nodded, of this he was aware, at least with most loners. "No matter."he said, dismissing the question easily. "I was hoping to acquire any information you may have on the Upright's actions in the northern region" he spoke.

[Abbster]

Snowflake also helped to drag the longleg down onto earth. "good job!" she said, standing tall, as the longleg lay at their paws...dead. She looked over at Brutus, and almost blushed. He had done an amazing job. She looked down as he caught her eyes, forcing herself to stop blushing.

Clover smiled. "I would really like that" Clover said, as she walked beside him.

[tenebria]

Duke let out a wide grin, panting mildly from the rather sudden exertion, but looking very pleased with himself. Brutus released the hind leg and shook himself, automatically looking over at Snowflake as she spoke. She caught his eyes and then looked down swiftly, and another slight smile drifted to his muzzle, until Duke loped over. "Wait now what? It's been so long since we've need to hunt fresh meat and not eat it right away" he said, looking confused. Brutus sighed, resuming his serious expression. "Well, now we take it to our storage hole and put it in" he said shortly. Duke's eyes brightened "Oh right! Thanks Barto" he said with a grin, trotting over to the longleg. Brutus sighed. That dog. "Alright, let's get it over there" he said, grabbing the hind leg again.

Fang looked over again, his heart rate increasing suddenly at her soft smile. His eyes softened.. until he almost tripped over a tree root. Swiftly he turned his attention back to their patrol, scenting the air swiftly.

The Loner female remained almost flattened on the ground. "Sire, I have not seen this myself, but I have heard that they are tearing down the trees with great rollers with silver teeth" she said, shaking slightly again. He frowned then nodded "I have heard so as well, have you no other information, perhaps how far in they are planning on coming?" he questioned. She was about to shake her head, then suddenly paused, "I..I believe Solosa might know" she offered. He nodded. Everyone knew Solosa, she was basically the queen of Loners, and the hardest one to find. He gave a slight sigh. It would be a long day. "My thanks you, my lady, you may return on your way" he said with a warm gentle smile. She rose a bit off the ground, then bowed again before spinning and racing into the brush.