Post by Sohtoh on Jan 2, 2010 0:14:56 GMT -5
Starring:
Wyanet - Female Wolf
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Abel - Male Adolescent Wolf
Rowtag - Male Wolfdog Pup
Setting:
Hilltop Vista
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The pup had been running for at least ten minutes. His stamina was good for a pup, but not nearly as good as a full grown wolf's. By the time he had reached the hill, his little sides were heaving up and down, and he was more than quite tired. Rowtag's eyes searched around the area quicker than was required for a good look around, and as soon as he recognized his surroundings as 'home,' the wolfdog pup let out an exhausted huff of breath and laid right down on the warm grass. His tongue lolled out of his mouth for the good half of the trip, but now it slid out to the side and rested on the grass as he laid on his side in an attempt to cool down. So, so tired..
Having been in the area, and actually looking for Rowtag, it appears that Wyanet has finally spotted the puppy as he comes hustling into view, looking exhausted, and tired. She sniffs the air quickly, finding no other scents that may have been chasing him. With a relieved look on her face, she marches her way over towards the pup, tail high, and ears raised. "Rowtag! I was going crazy looking for you. Where have you been?" She asks with some annoyance in her voice, as well a touch of worry. "I've been scared half to death. Your mother would have ripped my other ear off if I lost one of you little guys."
The voice of Wyanet results in a mixed reaction from little Rowtag. Sure, he's happy to see a familiar face. He doesn't know Wyanet very well though, and wishes that it had been his mother, so he could tell her the good news about finding his real father. Wyanet is a close second though, with her being the babysitter and all. Lifting his head, he sports a lop-sided grin and chuckles a bit. "Sorryyyy.." he says jokingly, and thumps his tail against the ground. "I found my dad, so I was talking to him for a while." He said, and yawned eccentricly. "Where's mama?"
Ears slanting back against her head, Wyanet sputters out. "Your father, you mean.. Helaku, right?" The wolfess asks, eyes narrowing a bit. Surely he does not mean Vincent. Her tail stops wagging as she settles down in front of him. "And you aren't sorry, I should bite your ears for being smart with me. You know you can't go wandering off Rowtag! Your mother would have a heart attack." She says, flashing her teeth down to him. She means serious business. "Where did you go?" She says, leaning in to sniff at him.
The reaction that he got from Wyanet was not the one that he had planned on, and his ears flicked back as well, his tail refraining from wagging. "Nuh-uh. Helaku isn't my dad, mama lied to us." He said with an innocent sigh, the 'us' referring to his brother and sister. A whine is given at the sight of the she-wolf's teeth, and he pushes himself up to just a sitting position, and lowers his head nervously, looking up at her. "I.. I went to the foggy place.. and I saw daddy there.. I'm sorry.." His tone is really apologetic this time, knowing that he was in some trouble. Probably deep trouble.
Taking in a deep breath, a look of deep concern fills Wyanet's features as her mind starts to whirl. "He is /not/ your father, Rowtag, you understand me?" She says, her voice adamant, strong. "That dog.. that.. that ..." She says, pausing, taking in a deep breath. "He /hurt/ your mother, really, really badly. You understand me? He hurt your mother. I don't ever want you to see him again. He is not a good dog, he's a monster." She says as her ears slant back some, her eyes practically gleaming with anger. "The foggy place? Alright." She says, pawing at the ground some, her body shifting side to side some as she starts to get itchy. "You need to go back to the den, and if I were you, I wouldn't tell your mother you saw him. She'll be angrier than I am."
The pup's eyes gleam with something too, and that something is anger, just as it was in Wyanet's. Does she know Vincent? Probably not. Does he know him well? No.. but he certainly was /his/ father. His ears pin back, and his muzzle wrinkles a bit as he growls. "Yes he -is.-" He says defiantly, and he stands up, taking a step away from Wyanet. "He said he did something bad, and that he's sorry, and that he's changed.. he wanted me to tell mama that.." His tail curls a bit, but he refrains from showing his fear, and instead it just went slant. "You don't even know him!" The pup's voice escalates, and he lets out an irritated bark, having little self control at this point.
"Don't you back talk me, boy." Wyanet snaps at him with a shrill voice, one that's as sharp as a knife. "He is not your father, because a father is someone that loves his puppies, loves his mate, and loves his pack. That dog has /none/ of that. He doesn't love you, he sure as hell didn't love your mother, and he has no idea what a pack is, what family is. You also have no clue what I know." She says, her voice dangerously angry as her ears raise upwards. "Now, get your ass to the den, /now/, mister, or I'll carry you there. I now need to explain to your mother what happened, and you better hope that I can calm her down enough that she doesn't tear your head off."
"WYANET!" Abel calls out, now running toward her and Rowtag. He wasn't here to hear most of the conversation, but he sure doesn't appreciate the tone coming from someone he isn't exactly familair with directed at his pup brother. He also catches talk of Skelaghe. He doesn't assume anything, but for now, Abel is giving the benefit of the doubt to Rowtag, his close playmate. Coming as close as he can to sperating his sibling and the wolfess, he growls and nudges the little one out of the way. "What's going on here? What are you talking about?" He doesn't want to sound threatening, but he can't help it; for all he knows, Wyanet could have been threatening the pup in the first place. The interrogation begins, so it seems.
The she-wolf's voice just angers him more, and het lets out another bark, his voice quivering a bit in defiance against her dislike of his father. "Shut up!" He yells, and shakes his head. "Helaku isn't my dad! He talked to me one time and I haven't seen him since! He's never with mama, he doesn't love anyone!" His voice still loud, it'd be clear to anyone that was around their perimeter. "I look just like Vincent, he -is- my dad!" At the threat of him going back to the den, he growls; threateningly this time, and he snaps his teeth at the babysitter, defending his real father though he didn't know much about him yet. Their similar appearance is enough for him to defend the Alsatian, however.. and since he already knows Vincent more than Helaku.. well. It's obvious, his anger. "I'm not going back there! I'm going to go see dad again!"
"Child, you're so lucky you aren't my pup, because I'd beat him so hard he wouldn't sit for a week." Wyanet says with obvious frustration in her voice. As Abel's voice rings out, she jerks her head upwards, eyes narrowing some at the younger male, giving him a low rumble in her throat. "Mister, you better take a deep breath, and tone your voice down some. I'm riled up enough as it is." She says, not backing down what so ever to Abel as her tail raises up high, her ears lifted. "Your little brother ran off away from the territory, scared the hell out of me, then met up with someone that he is not supposed to. Someone that I consider a danger to our family. Now he's convinced that he no longer has to abide by pack rules, and he feels like he will do whatever he wants. I'm the babysitter, and it's my job to ensure their safety." She says, her voice edged. "So, either you help me talk some sense into him, or do something useful, like find Skelaghe, so that we can have a talk."
Though he does suspect he's overreacting a bit, Abel isn't intimidated by Wyanet. However, he isn't to thrilled to hear about mischief his little buddy has been going on, either. Looking down and slightly behind him, he gives the pup a dirty little look, as if trying to determine the truth. The adolescent does believe the other, however. "Really..." Visually unapologetic about coming down so tough on the older wolf, he turns to Rowtag, wanting to hear what he had to say about this. His expression and demeanor are more relaxed around his friend. "What's this I hear about you running off without escourt, Rowtag?" He now takes Wyanet's side, talking sense into the little one.
"He's not my brother.." he mutters, not knowing the term for half-brother just yet, only knowing that Helaku was not -his- dad, and so Abel was not his brother. "And you're not my family!" This is directed to Wyanet, who is given yet another growl. Oh, he knows he's going to be in trouble after this.. but so long as his point is being given, that he would defend Vincent and he would see the Alsatian whenever and wherever he pleased, well. Then the ends seemed to justify the means, now didn't they? Looking up to Abel, he blinks, and takes another step away from the both of them. "I don't need someone going with me when I leave.. I can take care of myself!"
"Good, you deal with him, I'm going to cool off before I give him a royal spanking. Little brat." Wyanet mutters under her breath as she turns, heading back towards the den as her body quivers with pent up frustration, and anger. Pups. Ugh. She won't ever have them if she has her say. Stupid, bratty, loud mouthed, balls of fluff. "I swear.. back in my pack, our pups knew better.." Her voice trails off as she heads through the thick grass, disappearing.
Normally, Abel would have some bitter words about what Wyanet said before she left, but something else has caught his attention, aside from the accusations. Ouch. Hearing little Rowtag declaring so blatently that Abel is not his brother really hurt. Relaxing, and making sure that Wyanet was out of sight at this point, he sits down, looking down at his half-brother. For a time, he's at a loss for words. He contemplates his words carefully, but that doesn't mean that he's any less upset with him. "Rowtag... What are you thinking? You can't be runnin' off whenever you want." Abel is very careful to not raise his voice any more than it already is. "You could have gotten in a lot of trouble! Then you *couldn't* take care of yourself, pup."
Voices have drawn her back to the den earlier than she intended. From quite a distance away, Skelaghe could hear them, though not what they were saying. By the time she reaches the top of the hill and begins her way down again, Wyanet is well out of sight, leaving only Abel and Rowtag visible. The shewolf lays her ears back. She doesn't need this right now, her children arguing. Before she approaches two two, though, she forces her ears back up and takes a deep breath, trying to exercise self control and exude patience as she nears Abel and Rowtag.
There was no malice in Rowtag's words, really. He hadn't meant to hurt Abel by what he said, he just thought he was simply declaring something that was true. They weren't brothers, not fully, anyway. In his mind, sharing the same mother didn't mean anything just yet. So, his ears perk up just a hair at Wyanet's disappearance, and he blinks confusedly at his half-brother. He doesn't apologize, for he still doesn't know the wrong that he's done. "Yes I can.. I know how to get back home." He says quietly, hushing his voice as he sees his mother coming up from the denning area. Lowering his head, a feeble, non-threatening growl emits, his frustration building. "Mama.. how come you lied to me?" He asks, tail swishing annoyedly behind him.
His words do not exactly make Abel feel any better. He thought they were close enough so that the pup would take what Abel said with more than a grain of salt. He certainly won't hold it against him, though, the pup is almost certainly having a rough day, if not confusing. Rowtag notices Skelaghe before Abel does. Sitting up taller, he wonders exactly how to approach this situation with Mom. Then, Rowtag begins the conversation between them by asking a rather misleading question. Abel keeps quiet, which is a clear hint that something has been going on.
Why did she... It doesn't take long for the slightest hint of an all too familiar scent to reach Skelaghe, and in response to it, she bares her teeth. Anger is quickly becoming a regular companion, and she's not pleased about it, and this time... "What happened?" Skelaghe completely ignores Rowtag's question. Never once has she called Helaku the pups' father. That doesn't really make her any less guilty of lying, though, as she never corrected anyone else for referring to Helaku in that manner. There are more important matter, though, than dealing with her son's lost trust in her.
The sight of his mother's teeth is far more fearsome than Wyanet's, knowing that Skelaghe was much more capable of discipline to her own pups. "H-Helaku isn't my dad.." He says, and wrinkles his muzzle a bit, though lowers his head in a response to her teeth. She wanted to show aggression toward him? Well. The newly futher-defiant Rowtag would do just the same. "I found my uh.. real dad.." He said quietly, and his tail curled inward immediately, afraid of what his mother's reaction may be. "H-h-he.. he said he was sorry.." Looking to the grass, he kicks one of his front paws absent-mindedly, trying to come off as more civil to someone who could actually punish him. "I think.. I think you should be sorry too.."
Abel can hardly believe the what just came out of his sibling's muzzle. He was wondering why the topic of his father was coming up, but this little bit of information was left out of what Abel heard as well. He honestly can't stand seeing Skelaghe angry, it's frightening for the elder pup as well. He's a bit puzzled by all of this and wants to hear more, but he also has questions for Wyanet, too. He decides he will sit around for now as this is an instance that is relavant to Abel as well. He looks to Skelaghe, assuming that his half-brothers terrified response was enough of an answer for her.
"He /is/ sorry. Sorry he lost what he might have had. A safe place. Protection. Food. He is not sorry, or at least not sorry enough, for what he did to me. For what he did to you." Skelaghe's anger is fully genuine. She told Vincent she forgave him for raping her, and she meant it, even if she thinks he did not particularly deserve that forgiveness. She also told him, though, that she would never forgive him for fathering pups with her, and she meant that as well. "For that, I /am/ sorry. I am sorry that Vincent will never care so much for the pups he sired as he does for lying with the next female he meets, whether she wants it or not." Oh yes. Skelaghe knows. Vincent made it perfectly clear, through Sketch. "I am sorry you've been hurt, puppy, even though that does not mean you are off the hook." She would, after all, know if Vincent had dared cross her borders. "Make no mistake, though. He is not, and will never be, anything more than a selfish male who wanted to sheath himself in anyone he could. He is /not/ your father." Never has Skelaghe spoken with such base language to any of her children. Even now, she is not as vulgar as others would be, in the same situation. She does not beat around the bush, though.
Hearing his mother explain the situation, Rowtag felt no more at ease. Why was everyone trying to make a monster out of his father? What had he /done/ to deserve their hatred? The small male's eyes glance up at Skelaghe, and then down to his paws, and he remembers how .. similar he looks to his father. Again, this is enough to defend the apparently monstrous Alsatian, because of this strange bond that could be traced to the way they both look. All of the vulgar talk is lost on the pup. He has no idea what his mother speaks about, but assumes it has something to do with what Vincent couldn't quite explain either. All he knows is that Vincent was much nicer to him than any of the wolves in his so-called pack, aside from Abel. Sure, Skelaghe was his mother.. but what child wouldn't want to cling to a parent who didn't discipline them? "Yes he is.." He says in a rather hurt tone, lifting his paw up as well as his chin. "We look the same and everything! I don't look like you at all!" His voice raises again, upset once more that the new male he thought he could confide in as he grew up was played up to be something .. evil, or something.
"Rowtag. Sh." Abel tries discreetly to remind Rowtag about who's in charge here, and the whole lesson on respecting elders above you. Of course, there isn't a way for him to do it with out Skelaghe seeing, so he can only hope that she doesn't find Abel as interfering. He then remembers Wyanet, and what she said. "Wyanet was supposed to be watching him." Abel isn't sure if he should finish off the sentence with the term "mom" as he usually does, or something more formal. Ultimately, he decides against any title and leave the interjection as is. "I... want to talk to her. Am I dismissed?" The adolescent acts as mature as he can, definitely *not* wanting to get on Skelaghe's bad side. If Mom has more questions for him and doesn't want him to leave, then he will not leave.
Skelaghe looks to her older son. It is probably for the best, as she needs the less insolent of her pups to keep her from lashing out in a way she would immediately regret. Even as it is, Skelaghe is terse. "Rowtag has made an art of sneaking away from those who are meant to be watching over him. If you feel her an inadequate sitter, volunteer yourself." As though Skelaghe really intends to let this pup out of her sight any time in the near future. Not unless, that is, he is sleeping. Her statement serves its purpose, though, which is to allow her to lead into saying, "If you go to speak to her, I suggest you do so politely." She would not view the warning as necessary, but for the way Abel tried to shift some blame onto Wyanet. Even with the warning, Skelaghe nuzzles against her son to grant him the permission he asks for, as well to bid him farewell, before turning her attention back to the younger male. She does not bother responding to him yet, though. Rather, she gives Abel a chance to depart, without getting further drawn into the interaction between mother and pup.
Abel understands the nature backed behind Skelaghe's words. They were sharp, and very clear. "Yes, ma'am." He says, avoiding eye contact, but still trying to be bold and decisive about doing so. Looking at Rowtag again, he stands and walks around Skelaghe and her younger son. He will walk quietly for a distance before finally running after Wyanet. This has been a confusing day for more than just Rowtag.
Skelaghe watches her younger son as Abel leads. The relative silence gives her time to calm herself. She is much more angry with Vincent than she is Rowtag, though Rowtag will not be getting out of this without some punishment, even if it is only in the form of being watched carefully and constantly for several days. Skelaghe really hasn't decided yet. And while it may be that Rowtag is due for a lesson in the occasionally harsh nature of reality... It does not take much for Skelaghe to simply want to comfort her son, and so the shewolf sits. "Come here, puppy. Please."
The mother wolf probably would've gotten a better response from her son had she chosen the route full of harsh words. Watching her from where he was, he shakes his head and takes another few steps back, ready to turn and book it away from the area at any moment, should she threaten punishment. Her words are cleverly thought out though, and his ears perk forward as he /wants/ some comfort.. but doesn't give in. "No.. I want to go see dad again.."
Of course. Her willful, obstinate pup. Nothing can be easy. As he threatens to go to Vincent again, Skelaghe again bares her teeth. "Would you like to know what your 'father' has really given you, Rowtag?" Skelaghe would have protected them from even knowing how others viewed wolfdogs with all her might, but as Rowtag insists... Well, it would seem that lesson in the nature of reality may be coming, after all. "You can hate me for keeping you here all you want, but if you are going to do so, then you are going to do so knowing what really waits for you, outside of these packlands." The anger is not so severe as it was earlier, but she is plenty empassioned.
"He was nice to me.. Helaku only talked to me once.." Obviously, Rowtag is very confused. There is still a small fraction of, what was it, 'loyalty' to Helaku as Rowtag was still unaware of the ex-alpha's unfortunate situation, but he knows that Vincent is his real father. Nothing, no one can take that knowledge away from him. Stubborn as he is, it is to be expected that he'd want to see the estranged parent more often. Growling right back at Skelaghe, he speaks up. Angrily, stupidly, but he does so anyway. "You're lying again! You're a liar, and you should be in trouble too!" More steps backward are taken, and he puts the icing on the cake. "I.. I wish I was with dad instead of you!"
Every word her son says to her hurts her deeply, just as many of the words she has said to her son, and has yet to say, have and will hurt her. As soon as she has finished crying over Helaku, it seems she will be given a new reason to cry, but she refuses to believe that Rowtag is yet lost. Forcing herself to remain as calm as possible, though she still shows her teeth more than she normally does while talking, she says, "I'm sure you do, and it might be great, for a day, or two, or three. Up until he tired of you because he wanted to go about making more pups to abandon. No female would have him. Not with you around. The first day I met your father, I traveled with him many miles out of my way, while I was injured, because no wolf or dog would accept wolves and dogs traveling together. No dog is going to accept your father being near if you are with him, Rowtag, because whether you like it or not, you /are/ my son, and if your father has displayed one consistant trait, it is that loyalty means little to him." The words are harsh. Much harsher than she likes. Still... "You wanted the truth. There it is."
The small hybrid's ears flatten as his eyes find the ground once again, not sure of what to do. Though he does still love his mother, he finds himself wishing that he could be with his father for longer. He hadn't got a very good meeting with him, having to rush back home for fear of being scolded worse than what he was now. In fact, the reactions of the few pack members that he'd seen so far weren't half as bad as he'd expected them to be. Shaking his head some more, Rowtag's expression doesn't seem angry anymore, but saddened. "You're lying.." he says sadly, not so much defiantly, not /wanting/ to believe her, instead of not believing her.
Skelaghe does not look away from her son. Just a few short days ago, she told Wyanet that her pups should never know what their father did. Now... "You father hurt me, in the worst way a male can hurt a female, simply because he wanted to, and I forgave him for it. Now, he is repaying that forgiveness by continuing to hurt me. Think of him and me what you will. I can't stop you. But I will die before I allow you to suffer, alone and unwanted, hungry and tired, outside our territory, even if it means that you suffer, angry and hurt, but still safe and fed, within our territory."
Keeping his distance from her, Rowtag has this horrible feeling of distrust when dealing with his mother. As much as he wants to trust her due to her being his -mother- and all, he simply can't. Shaking his head some more, he stares up at her before he turns himself and begins to run off, not wanting to hear her talk bad about Vincent anymore. His father had admitted to doing those things willingly, and he had sounded sorry enough.. he couldn't see what he had done that was so bad. His young mind couldn't fathom what had been done yet. "I don't believe you! Leave me alone!" Saying this in the first few steps of his quick getaway, the male hopes to be off to the path to see his father again..
Skelaghe does not want to use force against her son. Besides that it won't help her cause, she never wants to use force against any of her children. All the same, she quickly takes off after her, letting her longer legs carry her quickly to her son, where, if need be, she will pin him to the ground until he comes to his senses.
Age is not on his side. Neither is height. Nor is his mother. With a loud growl in her direction, Rowtag stops and glares right up at her, losing control of his .. self control, and snapping right at her legs, his teeth bared in his determination to get back to Vincent. Nothing is going to stop him, not even his mother! He's escaped the den plenty of times, so he can escape her running after him. ..Right? "I -said- leave me alone!"
As Skelaghe's son's jaws clamp down on her leg, she lets out an involuntary growl. She does not immediately bite back, but she does place one paw firmly on his back even as pain shoots through the other foreleg that carries her weight. After doing so, she shifts her weight in an attempt to force her son off his own legs. "And I told you that I will /not/ have you leaving this territory again."
Biting down harder on his mother's leg as long as he can, he finally succumbs to the weight of her paw against his back, and lets out an over-exaggerated yelp, as if someone was really hurting him. He glared, growled, and snarled up at her, his tail fully between his legs and his ears pinned back. Never before had he been so angry and hurt emotionally. He only wanted to see his father, and his own mother wouldn't let him. There were good reasons for her actions, but Rowtag could not understand at this time, and he was hating her for it. He expressed this rather dramatically. A few loud whimpers, followed by the actual words. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"
The statements from her son hurt just as much as the wound on her leg. Skelaghe continues standing, though. "My decision is final, Rowtag. You can walk back to the den yourself, or I can carry you there, like a newborn. /That/ decision is yours, and the only one you are free to make, now. Do you understand me?" For all of the pain she feels, her voice remains very stern.
"No! I'm not going back with you!" He yells, and struggles against the weight against his back, trying to get up, wriggling just as much as he can, but to no avail. Beginning to yelp again, he's having quite the tantrum.. but there is no /way/ that he'll willingly go back to the den with his mother.
Skelaghe keeps her paw on her son. She does not put enough weight on it to damage him, but it is enough to hurt as she lowers her head to pick him up by his scruff. If she has to, she will hold him as firmly inside the den as she does here. For now, though, she is done speaking with her son.
With more of his overdramatic yelps, Rowtag isn't defeated so easily. He squirms and wriggles even in the grip of his mother's jaws. It probably hurts him more than sends her a message, but he does it anyway in hopes of being freed from her teeth. "Let go of me!" He yells, and continues to wriggle. Painfully.. but wriggles nontheless.
Skelaghe holds her son firmly as she begins walking back to the den. The limp in her bitten leg inspired her to be none too worried about what temporary pain her son may be feeling. Only once they are inside does she release the boy, and after releasing him, she keeps herself between him and the den's exit.
Inside the den, Rowtag's attitude isn't diffused at all. With his eyes glaring deeply at his mother, he snarls at her for a moment or two before he attemps to make a run past her, hoping that he is quick enough to scoot around her frame and jump out the den entrance. Unlikely, but there's always the off chance that he could succeed.
Skelaghe is prepared for her son to try something foolish, and so, as her son races towards her, she lashes out at his with her paw, leaving her weight on her uninjured paw as she strikes at the boy with enough force to cause some pain and knock him back from his goal.The older and more experienced wolfess is far more likely to be able to stop her son than he is to be be able to escape, but there is always the chance that she may be a little too slow, especially given the pain that shoots through her leg with the sudden movement.
A sincere yelp is given at the sudden slap of her paw against the little pup, and he was indeed knocked away from the entrance of the den. With her paw still on his body holding him back, he glares down and snaps at her uninjured limb, in an attempt to make it her second injured limb. How dedicated he seems to be to getting back to his father, and for little reason other than wanting to get to know the dog better. Why he was so hated by the wolves.. and to sympathize with him, naturally.
"That is /enough/, Rowtag!" In response to the biting, Skelaghe lowers her head to nip at her son's nose. He can hate her all he likes, but she does not intend to put up with this physical abuse. As always, her actions, though punishing in nature, are not meant to cause real damage to her son.
Another yelp, and he finally backs off. Slinking back to a corner of the den far from Skelaghe, the black pup bares his teeth at his mother, and curls up into a ball. "I /hate/ you!" He reaffirms, pushing his stinging nose against a paw for a moment, before he thinks back on something. The worst thing he could think of happening to anyone would've been being taken away by something. This was warned by Helaku, when the former alpha had caught him wandering off. So of course, he has to wish ill on his hated mother. "I.. I hope something comes and takes you away!" He yells, and then his voice calms. "Then I could go see dad all I wanted.."
When Rowtag is asleep, or else when someone else is refusing to let the boy out of their sight, Skelaghe will cry long and hard over the sentiments her son expresses. That is not this time, though, and raising her head, Skelaghe responds with, "I hope one day, you will change your mind about that, puppy. But if you don't, I am prepared to live with it, so long as you are safe." Safe first. Happy second. Were it not for Vincent, those two priorities would probably not be in that order.
"I won't.. I don't want to be around you, or Wyanet.. or Rawiya or Ciqala -ever- again!" He says angrily, though he doesn't mean this. He doesn't even hate his mother. He's merely upset with not being able to see his real father when he wants to, no matter the crimes the Alsatian has committed against the pack or Skelaghe. He deems it unfair, and Rowtag's way of dealing with unfairness was a severe fault in the pup. Growling over at her, he sniffles a bit, and rests his head on the ground of the den, though his eyes never stop glaring at his mother.
Skelaghe does not force any further conversation. She was never so defiant as Rowtag, but from what she knows, of her own childhood and from all the children, hers and others, she has raised, she knows Rowtag will be angry for some time, and that little she could do or say would help, so, for now, she doesn't try. She only watches him.
So much emotion in one day has never been expressed by the puppy, and he is understandably worn out. So much so, that even with his eyes filled with all of his anger, he soon falls asleep. No doubt, the pup's dreams are filled with being able to escape the oh-so-tyrannical rule of Skelaghe and Wyanet watching him, and making his way back to his real father, who, in his dream is more than happy to see the pup. In real life, it would probably not be so, but it was a nice dream for Rowtag, anyway.
Wyanet - Female Wolf
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Abel - Male Adolescent Wolf
Rowtag - Male Wolfdog Pup
Setting:
Hilltop Vista
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The pup had been running for at least ten minutes. His stamina was good for a pup, but not nearly as good as a full grown wolf's. By the time he had reached the hill, his little sides were heaving up and down, and he was more than quite tired. Rowtag's eyes searched around the area quicker than was required for a good look around, and as soon as he recognized his surroundings as 'home,' the wolfdog pup let out an exhausted huff of breath and laid right down on the warm grass. His tongue lolled out of his mouth for the good half of the trip, but now it slid out to the side and rested on the grass as he laid on his side in an attempt to cool down. So, so tired..
Having been in the area, and actually looking for Rowtag, it appears that Wyanet has finally spotted the puppy as he comes hustling into view, looking exhausted, and tired. She sniffs the air quickly, finding no other scents that may have been chasing him. With a relieved look on her face, she marches her way over towards the pup, tail high, and ears raised. "Rowtag! I was going crazy looking for you. Where have you been?" She asks with some annoyance in her voice, as well a touch of worry. "I've been scared half to death. Your mother would have ripped my other ear off if I lost one of you little guys."
The voice of Wyanet results in a mixed reaction from little Rowtag. Sure, he's happy to see a familiar face. He doesn't know Wyanet very well though, and wishes that it had been his mother, so he could tell her the good news about finding his real father. Wyanet is a close second though, with her being the babysitter and all. Lifting his head, he sports a lop-sided grin and chuckles a bit. "Sorryyyy.." he says jokingly, and thumps his tail against the ground. "I found my dad, so I was talking to him for a while." He said, and yawned eccentricly. "Where's mama?"
Ears slanting back against her head, Wyanet sputters out. "Your father, you mean.. Helaku, right?" The wolfess asks, eyes narrowing a bit. Surely he does not mean Vincent. Her tail stops wagging as she settles down in front of him. "And you aren't sorry, I should bite your ears for being smart with me. You know you can't go wandering off Rowtag! Your mother would have a heart attack." She says, flashing her teeth down to him. She means serious business. "Where did you go?" She says, leaning in to sniff at him.
The reaction that he got from Wyanet was not the one that he had planned on, and his ears flicked back as well, his tail refraining from wagging. "Nuh-uh. Helaku isn't my dad, mama lied to us." He said with an innocent sigh, the 'us' referring to his brother and sister. A whine is given at the sight of the she-wolf's teeth, and he pushes himself up to just a sitting position, and lowers his head nervously, looking up at her. "I.. I went to the foggy place.. and I saw daddy there.. I'm sorry.." His tone is really apologetic this time, knowing that he was in some trouble. Probably deep trouble.
Taking in a deep breath, a look of deep concern fills Wyanet's features as her mind starts to whirl. "He is /not/ your father, Rowtag, you understand me?" She says, her voice adamant, strong. "That dog.. that.. that ..." She says, pausing, taking in a deep breath. "He /hurt/ your mother, really, really badly. You understand me? He hurt your mother. I don't ever want you to see him again. He is not a good dog, he's a monster." She says as her ears slant back some, her eyes practically gleaming with anger. "The foggy place? Alright." She says, pawing at the ground some, her body shifting side to side some as she starts to get itchy. "You need to go back to the den, and if I were you, I wouldn't tell your mother you saw him. She'll be angrier than I am."
The pup's eyes gleam with something too, and that something is anger, just as it was in Wyanet's. Does she know Vincent? Probably not. Does he know him well? No.. but he certainly was /his/ father. His ears pin back, and his muzzle wrinkles a bit as he growls. "Yes he -is.-" He says defiantly, and he stands up, taking a step away from Wyanet. "He said he did something bad, and that he's sorry, and that he's changed.. he wanted me to tell mama that.." His tail curls a bit, but he refrains from showing his fear, and instead it just went slant. "You don't even know him!" The pup's voice escalates, and he lets out an irritated bark, having little self control at this point.
"Don't you back talk me, boy." Wyanet snaps at him with a shrill voice, one that's as sharp as a knife. "He is not your father, because a father is someone that loves his puppies, loves his mate, and loves his pack. That dog has /none/ of that. He doesn't love you, he sure as hell didn't love your mother, and he has no idea what a pack is, what family is. You also have no clue what I know." She says, her voice dangerously angry as her ears raise upwards. "Now, get your ass to the den, /now/, mister, or I'll carry you there. I now need to explain to your mother what happened, and you better hope that I can calm her down enough that she doesn't tear your head off."
"WYANET!" Abel calls out, now running toward her and Rowtag. He wasn't here to hear most of the conversation, but he sure doesn't appreciate the tone coming from someone he isn't exactly familair with directed at his pup brother. He also catches talk of Skelaghe. He doesn't assume anything, but for now, Abel is giving the benefit of the doubt to Rowtag, his close playmate. Coming as close as he can to sperating his sibling and the wolfess, he growls and nudges the little one out of the way. "What's going on here? What are you talking about?" He doesn't want to sound threatening, but he can't help it; for all he knows, Wyanet could have been threatening the pup in the first place. The interrogation begins, so it seems.
The she-wolf's voice just angers him more, and het lets out another bark, his voice quivering a bit in defiance against her dislike of his father. "Shut up!" He yells, and shakes his head. "Helaku isn't my dad! He talked to me one time and I haven't seen him since! He's never with mama, he doesn't love anyone!" His voice still loud, it'd be clear to anyone that was around their perimeter. "I look just like Vincent, he -is- my dad!" At the threat of him going back to the den, he growls; threateningly this time, and he snaps his teeth at the babysitter, defending his real father though he didn't know much about him yet. Their similar appearance is enough for him to defend the Alsatian, however.. and since he already knows Vincent more than Helaku.. well. It's obvious, his anger. "I'm not going back there! I'm going to go see dad again!"
"Child, you're so lucky you aren't my pup, because I'd beat him so hard he wouldn't sit for a week." Wyanet says with obvious frustration in her voice. As Abel's voice rings out, she jerks her head upwards, eyes narrowing some at the younger male, giving him a low rumble in her throat. "Mister, you better take a deep breath, and tone your voice down some. I'm riled up enough as it is." She says, not backing down what so ever to Abel as her tail raises up high, her ears lifted. "Your little brother ran off away from the territory, scared the hell out of me, then met up with someone that he is not supposed to. Someone that I consider a danger to our family. Now he's convinced that he no longer has to abide by pack rules, and he feels like he will do whatever he wants. I'm the babysitter, and it's my job to ensure their safety." She says, her voice edged. "So, either you help me talk some sense into him, or do something useful, like find Skelaghe, so that we can have a talk."
Though he does suspect he's overreacting a bit, Abel isn't intimidated by Wyanet. However, he isn't to thrilled to hear about mischief his little buddy has been going on, either. Looking down and slightly behind him, he gives the pup a dirty little look, as if trying to determine the truth. The adolescent does believe the other, however. "Really..." Visually unapologetic about coming down so tough on the older wolf, he turns to Rowtag, wanting to hear what he had to say about this. His expression and demeanor are more relaxed around his friend. "What's this I hear about you running off without escourt, Rowtag?" He now takes Wyanet's side, talking sense into the little one.
"He's not my brother.." he mutters, not knowing the term for half-brother just yet, only knowing that Helaku was not -his- dad, and so Abel was not his brother. "And you're not my family!" This is directed to Wyanet, who is given yet another growl. Oh, he knows he's going to be in trouble after this.. but so long as his point is being given, that he would defend Vincent and he would see the Alsatian whenever and wherever he pleased, well. Then the ends seemed to justify the means, now didn't they? Looking up to Abel, he blinks, and takes another step away from the both of them. "I don't need someone going with me when I leave.. I can take care of myself!"
"Good, you deal with him, I'm going to cool off before I give him a royal spanking. Little brat." Wyanet mutters under her breath as she turns, heading back towards the den as her body quivers with pent up frustration, and anger. Pups. Ugh. She won't ever have them if she has her say. Stupid, bratty, loud mouthed, balls of fluff. "I swear.. back in my pack, our pups knew better.." Her voice trails off as she heads through the thick grass, disappearing.
Normally, Abel would have some bitter words about what Wyanet said before she left, but something else has caught his attention, aside from the accusations. Ouch. Hearing little Rowtag declaring so blatently that Abel is not his brother really hurt. Relaxing, and making sure that Wyanet was out of sight at this point, he sits down, looking down at his half-brother. For a time, he's at a loss for words. He contemplates his words carefully, but that doesn't mean that he's any less upset with him. "Rowtag... What are you thinking? You can't be runnin' off whenever you want." Abel is very careful to not raise his voice any more than it already is. "You could have gotten in a lot of trouble! Then you *couldn't* take care of yourself, pup."
Voices have drawn her back to the den earlier than she intended. From quite a distance away, Skelaghe could hear them, though not what they were saying. By the time she reaches the top of the hill and begins her way down again, Wyanet is well out of sight, leaving only Abel and Rowtag visible. The shewolf lays her ears back. She doesn't need this right now, her children arguing. Before she approaches two two, though, she forces her ears back up and takes a deep breath, trying to exercise self control and exude patience as she nears Abel and Rowtag.
There was no malice in Rowtag's words, really. He hadn't meant to hurt Abel by what he said, he just thought he was simply declaring something that was true. They weren't brothers, not fully, anyway. In his mind, sharing the same mother didn't mean anything just yet. So, his ears perk up just a hair at Wyanet's disappearance, and he blinks confusedly at his half-brother. He doesn't apologize, for he still doesn't know the wrong that he's done. "Yes I can.. I know how to get back home." He says quietly, hushing his voice as he sees his mother coming up from the denning area. Lowering his head, a feeble, non-threatening growl emits, his frustration building. "Mama.. how come you lied to me?" He asks, tail swishing annoyedly behind him.
His words do not exactly make Abel feel any better. He thought they were close enough so that the pup would take what Abel said with more than a grain of salt. He certainly won't hold it against him, though, the pup is almost certainly having a rough day, if not confusing. Rowtag notices Skelaghe before Abel does. Sitting up taller, he wonders exactly how to approach this situation with Mom. Then, Rowtag begins the conversation between them by asking a rather misleading question. Abel keeps quiet, which is a clear hint that something has been going on.
Why did she... It doesn't take long for the slightest hint of an all too familiar scent to reach Skelaghe, and in response to it, she bares her teeth. Anger is quickly becoming a regular companion, and she's not pleased about it, and this time... "What happened?" Skelaghe completely ignores Rowtag's question. Never once has she called Helaku the pups' father. That doesn't really make her any less guilty of lying, though, as she never corrected anyone else for referring to Helaku in that manner. There are more important matter, though, than dealing with her son's lost trust in her.
The sight of his mother's teeth is far more fearsome than Wyanet's, knowing that Skelaghe was much more capable of discipline to her own pups. "H-Helaku isn't my dad.." He says, and wrinkles his muzzle a bit, though lowers his head in a response to her teeth. She wanted to show aggression toward him? Well. The newly futher-defiant Rowtag would do just the same. "I found my uh.. real dad.." He said quietly, and his tail curled inward immediately, afraid of what his mother's reaction may be. "H-h-he.. he said he was sorry.." Looking to the grass, he kicks one of his front paws absent-mindedly, trying to come off as more civil to someone who could actually punish him. "I think.. I think you should be sorry too.."
Abel can hardly believe the what just came out of his sibling's muzzle. He was wondering why the topic of his father was coming up, but this little bit of information was left out of what Abel heard as well. He honestly can't stand seeing Skelaghe angry, it's frightening for the elder pup as well. He's a bit puzzled by all of this and wants to hear more, but he also has questions for Wyanet, too. He decides he will sit around for now as this is an instance that is relavant to Abel as well. He looks to Skelaghe, assuming that his half-brothers terrified response was enough of an answer for her.
"He /is/ sorry. Sorry he lost what he might have had. A safe place. Protection. Food. He is not sorry, or at least not sorry enough, for what he did to me. For what he did to you." Skelaghe's anger is fully genuine. She told Vincent she forgave him for raping her, and she meant it, even if she thinks he did not particularly deserve that forgiveness. She also told him, though, that she would never forgive him for fathering pups with her, and she meant that as well. "For that, I /am/ sorry. I am sorry that Vincent will never care so much for the pups he sired as he does for lying with the next female he meets, whether she wants it or not." Oh yes. Skelaghe knows. Vincent made it perfectly clear, through Sketch. "I am sorry you've been hurt, puppy, even though that does not mean you are off the hook." She would, after all, know if Vincent had dared cross her borders. "Make no mistake, though. He is not, and will never be, anything more than a selfish male who wanted to sheath himself in anyone he could. He is /not/ your father." Never has Skelaghe spoken with such base language to any of her children. Even now, she is not as vulgar as others would be, in the same situation. She does not beat around the bush, though.
Hearing his mother explain the situation, Rowtag felt no more at ease. Why was everyone trying to make a monster out of his father? What had he /done/ to deserve their hatred? The small male's eyes glance up at Skelaghe, and then down to his paws, and he remembers how .. similar he looks to his father. Again, this is enough to defend the apparently monstrous Alsatian, because of this strange bond that could be traced to the way they both look. All of the vulgar talk is lost on the pup. He has no idea what his mother speaks about, but assumes it has something to do with what Vincent couldn't quite explain either. All he knows is that Vincent was much nicer to him than any of the wolves in his so-called pack, aside from Abel. Sure, Skelaghe was his mother.. but what child wouldn't want to cling to a parent who didn't discipline them? "Yes he is.." He says in a rather hurt tone, lifting his paw up as well as his chin. "We look the same and everything! I don't look like you at all!" His voice raises again, upset once more that the new male he thought he could confide in as he grew up was played up to be something .. evil, or something.
"Rowtag. Sh." Abel tries discreetly to remind Rowtag about who's in charge here, and the whole lesson on respecting elders above you. Of course, there isn't a way for him to do it with out Skelaghe seeing, so he can only hope that she doesn't find Abel as interfering. He then remembers Wyanet, and what she said. "Wyanet was supposed to be watching him." Abel isn't sure if he should finish off the sentence with the term "mom" as he usually does, or something more formal. Ultimately, he decides against any title and leave the interjection as is. "I... want to talk to her. Am I dismissed?" The adolescent acts as mature as he can, definitely *not* wanting to get on Skelaghe's bad side. If Mom has more questions for him and doesn't want him to leave, then he will not leave.
Skelaghe looks to her older son. It is probably for the best, as she needs the less insolent of her pups to keep her from lashing out in a way she would immediately regret. Even as it is, Skelaghe is terse. "Rowtag has made an art of sneaking away from those who are meant to be watching over him. If you feel her an inadequate sitter, volunteer yourself." As though Skelaghe really intends to let this pup out of her sight any time in the near future. Not unless, that is, he is sleeping. Her statement serves its purpose, though, which is to allow her to lead into saying, "If you go to speak to her, I suggest you do so politely." She would not view the warning as necessary, but for the way Abel tried to shift some blame onto Wyanet. Even with the warning, Skelaghe nuzzles against her son to grant him the permission he asks for, as well to bid him farewell, before turning her attention back to the younger male. She does not bother responding to him yet, though. Rather, she gives Abel a chance to depart, without getting further drawn into the interaction between mother and pup.
Abel understands the nature backed behind Skelaghe's words. They were sharp, and very clear. "Yes, ma'am." He says, avoiding eye contact, but still trying to be bold and decisive about doing so. Looking at Rowtag again, he stands and walks around Skelaghe and her younger son. He will walk quietly for a distance before finally running after Wyanet. This has been a confusing day for more than just Rowtag.
Skelaghe watches her younger son as Abel leads. The relative silence gives her time to calm herself. She is much more angry with Vincent than she is Rowtag, though Rowtag will not be getting out of this without some punishment, even if it is only in the form of being watched carefully and constantly for several days. Skelaghe really hasn't decided yet. And while it may be that Rowtag is due for a lesson in the occasionally harsh nature of reality... It does not take much for Skelaghe to simply want to comfort her son, and so the shewolf sits. "Come here, puppy. Please."
The mother wolf probably would've gotten a better response from her son had she chosen the route full of harsh words. Watching her from where he was, he shakes his head and takes another few steps back, ready to turn and book it away from the area at any moment, should she threaten punishment. Her words are cleverly thought out though, and his ears perk forward as he /wants/ some comfort.. but doesn't give in. "No.. I want to go see dad again.."
Of course. Her willful, obstinate pup. Nothing can be easy. As he threatens to go to Vincent again, Skelaghe again bares her teeth. "Would you like to know what your 'father' has really given you, Rowtag?" Skelaghe would have protected them from even knowing how others viewed wolfdogs with all her might, but as Rowtag insists... Well, it would seem that lesson in the nature of reality may be coming, after all. "You can hate me for keeping you here all you want, but if you are going to do so, then you are going to do so knowing what really waits for you, outside of these packlands." The anger is not so severe as it was earlier, but she is plenty empassioned.
"He was nice to me.. Helaku only talked to me once.." Obviously, Rowtag is very confused. There is still a small fraction of, what was it, 'loyalty' to Helaku as Rowtag was still unaware of the ex-alpha's unfortunate situation, but he knows that Vincent is his real father. Nothing, no one can take that knowledge away from him. Stubborn as he is, it is to be expected that he'd want to see the estranged parent more often. Growling right back at Skelaghe, he speaks up. Angrily, stupidly, but he does so anyway. "You're lying again! You're a liar, and you should be in trouble too!" More steps backward are taken, and he puts the icing on the cake. "I.. I wish I was with dad instead of you!"
Every word her son says to her hurts her deeply, just as many of the words she has said to her son, and has yet to say, have and will hurt her. As soon as she has finished crying over Helaku, it seems she will be given a new reason to cry, but she refuses to believe that Rowtag is yet lost. Forcing herself to remain as calm as possible, though she still shows her teeth more than she normally does while talking, she says, "I'm sure you do, and it might be great, for a day, or two, or three. Up until he tired of you because he wanted to go about making more pups to abandon. No female would have him. Not with you around. The first day I met your father, I traveled with him many miles out of my way, while I was injured, because no wolf or dog would accept wolves and dogs traveling together. No dog is going to accept your father being near if you are with him, Rowtag, because whether you like it or not, you /are/ my son, and if your father has displayed one consistant trait, it is that loyalty means little to him." The words are harsh. Much harsher than she likes. Still... "You wanted the truth. There it is."
The small hybrid's ears flatten as his eyes find the ground once again, not sure of what to do. Though he does still love his mother, he finds himself wishing that he could be with his father for longer. He hadn't got a very good meeting with him, having to rush back home for fear of being scolded worse than what he was now. In fact, the reactions of the few pack members that he'd seen so far weren't half as bad as he'd expected them to be. Shaking his head some more, Rowtag's expression doesn't seem angry anymore, but saddened. "You're lying.." he says sadly, not so much defiantly, not /wanting/ to believe her, instead of not believing her.
Skelaghe does not look away from her son. Just a few short days ago, she told Wyanet that her pups should never know what their father did. Now... "You father hurt me, in the worst way a male can hurt a female, simply because he wanted to, and I forgave him for it. Now, he is repaying that forgiveness by continuing to hurt me. Think of him and me what you will. I can't stop you. But I will die before I allow you to suffer, alone and unwanted, hungry and tired, outside our territory, even if it means that you suffer, angry and hurt, but still safe and fed, within our territory."
Keeping his distance from her, Rowtag has this horrible feeling of distrust when dealing with his mother. As much as he wants to trust her due to her being his -mother- and all, he simply can't. Shaking his head some more, he stares up at her before he turns himself and begins to run off, not wanting to hear her talk bad about Vincent anymore. His father had admitted to doing those things willingly, and he had sounded sorry enough.. he couldn't see what he had done that was so bad. His young mind couldn't fathom what had been done yet. "I don't believe you! Leave me alone!" Saying this in the first few steps of his quick getaway, the male hopes to be off to the path to see his father again..
Skelaghe does not want to use force against her son. Besides that it won't help her cause, she never wants to use force against any of her children. All the same, she quickly takes off after her, letting her longer legs carry her quickly to her son, where, if need be, she will pin him to the ground until he comes to his senses.
Age is not on his side. Neither is height. Nor is his mother. With a loud growl in her direction, Rowtag stops and glares right up at her, losing control of his .. self control, and snapping right at her legs, his teeth bared in his determination to get back to Vincent. Nothing is going to stop him, not even his mother! He's escaped the den plenty of times, so he can escape her running after him. ..Right? "I -said- leave me alone!"
As Skelaghe's son's jaws clamp down on her leg, she lets out an involuntary growl. She does not immediately bite back, but she does place one paw firmly on his back even as pain shoots through the other foreleg that carries her weight. After doing so, she shifts her weight in an attempt to force her son off his own legs. "And I told you that I will /not/ have you leaving this territory again."
Biting down harder on his mother's leg as long as he can, he finally succumbs to the weight of her paw against his back, and lets out an over-exaggerated yelp, as if someone was really hurting him. He glared, growled, and snarled up at her, his tail fully between his legs and his ears pinned back. Never before had he been so angry and hurt emotionally. He only wanted to see his father, and his own mother wouldn't let him. There were good reasons for her actions, but Rowtag could not understand at this time, and he was hating her for it. He expressed this rather dramatically. A few loud whimpers, followed by the actual words. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"
The statements from her son hurt just as much as the wound on her leg. Skelaghe continues standing, though. "My decision is final, Rowtag. You can walk back to the den yourself, or I can carry you there, like a newborn. /That/ decision is yours, and the only one you are free to make, now. Do you understand me?" For all of the pain she feels, her voice remains very stern.
"No! I'm not going back with you!" He yells, and struggles against the weight against his back, trying to get up, wriggling just as much as he can, but to no avail. Beginning to yelp again, he's having quite the tantrum.. but there is no /way/ that he'll willingly go back to the den with his mother.
Skelaghe keeps her paw on her son. She does not put enough weight on it to damage him, but it is enough to hurt as she lowers her head to pick him up by his scruff. If she has to, she will hold him as firmly inside the den as she does here. For now, though, she is done speaking with her son.
With more of his overdramatic yelps, Rowtag isn't defeated so easily. He squirms and wriggles even in the grip of his mother's jaws. It probably hurts him more than sends her a message, but he does it anyway in hopes of being freed from her teeth. "Let go of me!" He yells, and continues to wriggle. Painfully.. but wriggles nontheless.
Skelaghe holds her son firmly as she begins walking back to the den. The limp in her bitten leg inspired her to be none too worried about what temporary pain her son may be feeling. Only once they are inside does she release the boy, and after releasing him, she keeps herself between him and the den's exit.
Inside the den, Rowtag's attitude isn't diffused at all. With his eyes glaring deeply at his mother, he snarls at her for a moment or two before he attemps to make a run past her, hoping that he is quick enough to scoot around her frame and jump out the den entrance. Unlikely, but there's always the off chance that he could succeed.
Skelaghe is prepared for her son to try something foolish, and so, as her son races towards her, she lashes out at his with her paw, leaving her weight on her uninjured paw as she strikes at the boy with enough force to cause some pain and knock him back from his goal.The older and more experienced wolfess is far more likely to be able to stop her son than he is to be be able to escape, but there is always the chance that she may be a little too slow, especially given the pain that shoots through her leg with the sudden movement.
A sincere yelp is given at the sudden slap of her paw against the little pup, and he was indeed knocked away from the entrance of the den. With her paw still on his body holding him back, he glares down and snaps at her uninjured limb, in an attempt to make it her second injured limb. How dedicated he seems to be to getting back to his father, and for little reason other than wanting to get to know the dog better. Why he was so hated by the wolves.. and to sympathize with him, naturally.
"That is /enough/, Rowtag!" In response to the biting, Skelaghe lowers her head to nip at her son's nose. He can hate her all he likes, but she does not intend to put up with this physical abuse. As always, her actions, though punishing in nature, are not meant to cause real damage to her son.
Another yelp, and he finally backs off. Slinking back to a corner of the den far from Skelaghe, the black pup bares his teeth at his mother, and curls up into a ball. "I /hate/ you!" He reaffirms, pushing his stinging nose against a paw for a moment, before he thinks back on something. The worst thing he could think of happening to anyone would've been being taken away by something. This was warned by Helaku, when the former alpha had caught him wandering off. So of course, he has to wish ill on his hated mother. "I.. I hope something comes and takes you away!" He yells, and then his voice calms. "Then I could go see dad all I wanted.."
When Rowtag is asleep, or else when someone else is refusing to let the boy out of their sight, Skelaghe will cry long and hard over the sentiments her son expresses. That is not this time, though, and raising her head, Skelaghe responds with, "I hope one day, you will change your mind about that, puppy. But if you don't, I am prepared to live with it, so long as you are safe." Safe first. Happy second. Were it not for Vincent, those two priorities would probably not be in that order.
"I won't.. I don't want to be around you, or Wyanet.. or Rawiya or Ciqala -ever- again!" He says angrily, though he doesn't mean this. He doesn't even hate his mother. He's merely upset with not being able to see his real father when he wants to, no matter the crimes the Alsatian has committed against the pack or Skelaghe. He deems it unfair, and Rowtag's way of dealing with unfairness was a severe fault in the pup. Growling over at her, he sniffles a bit, and rests his head on the ground of the den, though his eyes never stop glaring at his mother.
Skelaghe does not force any further conversation. She was never so defiant as Rowtag, but from what she knows, of her own childhood and from all the children, hers and others, she has raised, she knows Rowtag will be angry for some time, and that little she could do or say would help, so, for now, she doesn't try. She only watches him.
So much emotion in one day has never been expressed by the puppy, and he is understandably worn out. So much so, that even with his eyes filled with all of his anger, he soon falls asleep. No doubt, the pup's dreams are filled with being able to escape the oh-so-tyrannical rule of Skelaghe and Wyanet watching him, and making his way back to his real father, who, in his dream is more than happy to see the pup. In real life, it would probably not be so, but it was a nice dream for Rowtag, anyway.