Post by Therdde on Jan 11, 2010 15:37:31 GMT -5
Characters:
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Rowtag - Male Wolfdog Pup
- Hilltop Vista -
Skelaghe was gone all night, having entrusted her children to Abel's care. That doesn't mean she slept, though. She didn't, any more than Abel did. The night was not as peaceful as she would have liked... But she is no longer upset. Oh, the Skelaghe of old, carefree, happy... She may never return. Skelahe is at peace with her current situation, and prepared for the trials that yet lie ahead, though. It is long after the sun has risen that Skelaghe returns to the den. She is clearly tired, but she must see, for herself, that her pups are safe and sound, before she appoints someone else to watch over them and attempts to get a little rest.
Rowtag has yet to have his escapist spirit broken. In the care of Abel however, he actually.. behaved? A strange bond was formed between the half-brothers, but yes. Rowtag had behaved quite nicely for the older wolf. Slept well, dreamed well, and all that good stuff. In fact, he hadn't even bothered Ciqala much the night previous. Clearly, he was planning something. It is with morning and the return of his mother that Rowtag wakes up, his yellow hued eyes blinking a few times before he lets out a quiet yawn, and stretches his forelegs out in front. Claws scratcing the ground of the den, he doesn't wag his tail or give much acknowledgement to Skelaghe as she returns, obviously still upset over the situation with his father.
It may be a long time, yet, before Rowtag gets over being angry with Skelaghe. She's prepared for that. And a small... or, if she were to be perfectly honest, perhaps not-so-small... part of her takes solace in the fact that she will not be the only one punishes for Vincent daring to return. Setting that thought firmly aside, Skelaghe nuzzles her two sleeping pups gently enough to not wake them, then walks the short distance, within the den, to nuzzle Rowtag. She is not always happy with his behavior, but she loves her son.
Through his own actions, it would seem that the love that Skelaghe has for Rowtag is one sided. As she makes her way over to nuzzle him, a warning growl is given, and he hops to all four legs just in time to dodge the display of affection, trotting over to the other side of the den, away from his mother. Ignorant of the knowledge that the pack intended to punish Vincent for something that was Rowtag's fault, he expresses no concern over his father, but still has a great urge to escape the den and return to the Alsatian, regardless of their warnings against it.
Skelaghe has told her son that she will not force him to interact with her, and even if his actions hurt her, she meant it. She allows him to avoid her, but she does look at him warningly, in response to his growling. As Rowtag settles in on the other side of the den, Skelaghe sits and takes a deep breath. "Would you like to hear a story, puppy?"
On the other side of the den, he was no closer to the way out than he was where he was previously resting. But, he didn't have Skelaghe right there, blocking his path as intrusively as he would've. The thought of course is there, to just make a break for it and run out.. but he's still a bit sleepy, having just woken up. Giving Skelaghe a glare, his ears tip backwards and he shakes his head. "No."
It is now your pose.
"Very well. You're welcome to not listen, then, but seeing as how this is a story I only remembered last night, I think I shall recite it for my own benefit." Skelaghe's statement is not merely dismissive of Rowtag's wishes. She has been /far/ too angry recently. For most of her life, she hardly knew anger, but for these last few months... Without waiting for her son's response, she continues on speaking. "A much braver and wiser wolf than I once told me that he was actually two wolves in one body. One wolf, he would say, was evil, comprised of all of his malice and jealousy and resentment and pride. The other was good, made up of love and joy and faith and kindness. He told me that within him, and within everyone, these two sides would forever fight for dominance. Well, I was much younger, then, and terrified of what might happen if his bad side would win, so after a few days of thinking about it, of watching him and worrying, I asked him which wolf was winning. He told me, 'The one I feed.'"
Though he didn't want to hear the story, he did hear it, naturally, as Skelaghe recited it for herself. Though he didn't care much for it at the beginning, he found himself listening and even looking over at her by the time the story was finished. With a blink at the end, Rowtag's ears slowly crept back up into a relaxed position, and he tilted his head to one side. So, all wolves had good and bad to them, did they? Thinking on it for a moment, he thought of literally everyone's good and bad sides. Ciqala for instance, was nice, but a coward. Wyanet was strong, but mean. Mother was loving, but over-protective. His thinking went in a circle, up until Vincent consumed his thoughts. The question was innocent in nature, but brought up the subject that Skelaghe probably wanted to avoid. "..do dogs have good and bad sides too? Or.. just wolves?" Then, what about wolfdogs, like him? The last question was left out, but his voice was enough to prove that he meant nothing in his question. It was /just/ a question.
If she wants to avoid it, it doesn't show. Skelaghe knows exactly what dog Rowtag is thinking of, but it doesn't matter. Her expression as serious now as it has been since she first entered the den, even though it pleases her that her son is speaking to her without growling, she says, "In my years, I have met more animals than a great many wolves ever will. I have befriended cougars, foxes, dogs, birds, and even a few bugs. In all this time... I am conviced that every creature has two sides to them. It is fortunate for me that most animals I have met have chosen to feed the good side, because I have always loved making friends."
Listening to her, Rowtag nods his head, and a small glimpse of a smile appears. Probably the first since he was let out of the den on the day that he returned from his visit with Vincent, and that was some time ago. Still, it's not a full blown smile, and it quickly faded anyway. Looking back to the den entrance now, the pup lays his head back onto his front paws, wanting so badly to just make a break for it.. but he doesn't. Then, he'd never be let out again. Better, he figured, to wait until some trust was regained, and then wander off. For now, he would remain miserably bored in the den.
Skelaghe watches her son in silence for a while. She could talk more... Ask more questions... Or... "Come, puppy. I'm thirsty. Let's find your bother and ask him to stay here just a while longer, and then you and I can go get a drink and talk some more, okay?" Trips out of the den are rarer now than they were when her pups were younger. Surely, with her son in a fair mood, this treat ought to be appreciated, right?
Having learned to respond to not only his name, but 'puppy' as well, his head lifts and he gives a blink to his mother, wondering why she wouldn't just want to take either Ciqala or Rawiya with her. Not him. He was the troublemaker. He was the one who would run away. Staring at her for a minute, he stands up slowly, thinking that he must be in trouble. Probably for mentioning his father, even though he hadn't outwardly /said/ Vincent. "Okay.." He says slowly, and waits patiently in his own spot, his head down.
If he is waiting for some reprimand, he will be waiting for a very long time. Skelaghe leaves the den, then begins to lead the way to the river, never allowing herself to get far from her pup. She does nto force conversation again, right away. Maybe once they get to the river. Until then, she is satisfied to just let her pup have a chance to get some fresh air and stretch his young legs.
Unfortunately for Rowtag, he does expect some sort of punishment. Some harsh words about his father again, or something of that nature. However when a few minutes go by and she still says nothing, Rowtag trots up to his mother and looks up at her, a bit dumbfounded. "How come Ciqala and Rawiya didn't come too?" He wonders out loud, and then looks back to the surrounding area. An escape would not be easy here. Her focus is too high on him at the moment. ...Ah, so that's why it's only him. Narrowing his eyes, he doesn't look back up, but lets out a sigh. "Nevermind.."
Skelaghe cannot know that her son is planning some escape attempt. Sure, she continues to watch him closely, but that is to /preven/ him from planning some escape attempt, so even after her son tells her not to answer his question, she says, "Ciqala and Rawiya are not here because I get to spend time alone with them all the time. You, I almost never get all to myself, and I miss that, Rowtag. Besides, they probably wouldn't even want to come with us, all this way. What do you think?"
At the moment, Rowtag gives up thinking of ways to escape. He's fine with knowing that as soon as he's out with his brother and sister, and more of the pack is around to fawn over them instead of him, he'll have his chance. For now, a drink sounds fine. But, his mother's explanation is heard. He doesn't believe it, but it'd heard. "I think you just don't want me to run away again." He said honestly, and kept his eyes on the ground, scuffing his paws through the grass a bit as he walked.
Skelaghe does not respond immediately. She looks at her son as she walks. After several moments of silence, she stops moving, turning to look directly at him. "Of course I don't want you to run away again, Rowtag. I worried so much, while you were gone, and if you were gone again, I would worry even more, and miss you greatly. Surely, you don't want me to want you to run away, do you?"
Rowtag kept on walking for a moment, until he heard no footsteps at his side, and his mother's presence wasn't there. Blinking, he turned back, but just stayed where he was. She was looking at him, and had misunderstood what he had said. Shaking his head, he took a few short steps over to sit in front of her. "No.. that's not what I meant." He said, a bit frustrated.
"That might not be what you meant, but think about it for a little bit, puppy. Think about how much it must have hurt me, when you were gone. How much it hurts me that you don't want to stay." Not that it matters, really. Skelaghe would not let Rowtag leave, even if he had thought of all these things and simply did not care. And to prove that she does, in fact, understand him. "Besides, you and I are here because I love you and always wish to be with you. Not because I want to watch you to make sure you don't run away."
For the first time throughout this whole fiasco, Rowtag seems to actually think about his mother's feelings, and his head sinks a little bit with it. "I don't want to hurt you, mama." He said quietly, and then lifted his head back up, his spark relenquished, selfishly regarding the situation once more. "But I want to be able to see dad." There. Simple enough, right? Fair enough, wasn't it?
Skelaghe can't help but be upset by how Rowtag still refers to Vincent as his father, but she does her best to hide it. Her voice remains calm as she says, "And one day, puppy... One day, you will be able to. It may not be for a very, very long time, but I promise, it will happen." And if Teketa or Wyanet kills Vincent? That doesn't change Skelaghe's belief. Even if Rowtag and Vincent never again meet, on this world, or at all... Some day, Rowtag will find what he needs in a father, even if that father is not the dog who sired him.
Had Rowtag /any/ of the knowledge that Skelaghe did of the pack's plans to possibly kill his father, he would be off to warn the Alsatian so fast, and at any cost. Though, the youngster probably couldn't outrun anyone, he would certainly try. It was very obvious that he missed the dog in a very real way, even though they had only met once. Maybe it wasn't even seeing Vincent as much as it was not having that limit to his life.. but either way, it wore on him. "But.. how come I can't go see him now? With you, or..?" He leaves the sentence hanging, a whine escaping the young hybrid as he lets out a long huff of breath. "He's not in trouble too, is he?"
Skelaghe shakes her head slowly, but it is not until Rowtag finishes speaking that she says anything. "He /is/ in trouble, Rowtag. He hurt me a lot more than you ever have. He hurt me, and Helaku, and Teketa, and all of your siblings, too. I forgave him for hurting me, but we decided a long time ago he would not be allowed around here, and he accepted his punishment, at the time. Now... He is in trouble for trying to hurt us, again, by breaking his word." It's as kindly and as simply as she knows how to explain it. "I don't expect you to understand all of that, just now... But I hope you trust me when I say that someday, you will."
"But.." Rowtag retorts, at hearing that the Alsatian was in trouble. What kind of trouble? He didn't know, and he had a feeling that Skelaghe wouldn't tell him even if he asked. So, he wouldn't. Lifing his hind end up, he stood up and looked off in the direction that he ran off toward the last time that he escaped. "But, it was my fault. I was the one who ran away.. he wasn't doing anything bad, he was just walking around. I didn't know that I'd get him in trouble.." He said, sounding a bit frantic. This was his fault, and he didn't know what would happen.
Skelaghe will probably never be given another opportunity, so clean as this one, to make her son's punishment painful. She passes it up, though. She did /not/ bring him here to punish him, and so she does not say anything that she could about how one's actions can have unexpected consequences. If he is smart, he will come to that realization on his own, anyway. "Vincent knew that what he was doing was wrong, pup. He knew he was breaking the terms of his punishment. I promise you, he won't be punished for what you did... Just like you won't be punished for what he did. He has to answer for his actions. Do you understand?"
Shaking his head, he continued to look franticly in the direction in which the foggy path laid, wanting so bad to just book it towards Vincent as fast as he could, but he couldn't. He wouldn't make it very far, and he knew this. Still, he took a step or two away, and let out a frustrated bark. Looking back over to Skelaghe, he pushed his ears back, and stomped over in the direction in which they were previously headed, to the river. As much as he wanted to talk about his father, or even have a chance to go see him again, he didn't want to get in trouble just yet. But that didn't mean he had to be nice about it. Ignoring her question, Rowtag brushed right back past her, and continued on the way to the water.
Well, this hasn't ended as well as she'd hoped... But at least Rowtag didn't take off running. Skelaghe follows after her son, silent once more. More of these trips, in the next few days, perhaps. Slow attempts at guiding her son back to happiness. She can't push him, though, and so she leaves him to whatever thoughts fill his head, right now.
Knowing that his mother was following behind him now, he looks back, and then waits a moment, walking at her side. He wasn't angry with her.. not that much more than he previously was, anyway. But his decent mood has taken a turn for the worse, it would seem. "I'm going to go see dad again.." He said, his voice confident, but his eyes on the ground. "And when I do, I'm going to stay with him. And we'll go away, so that he won't be in trouble, and so that no one can find us." Well. That sounded like a plan. To him, at least.
Skelaghe responds to Rowtag's statement first with a sigh. Well, apparently, she'll need to hurt him, after all. "Only half of Vincent's punishment was that he could not be here anymore, Rowtag. The other half was that he could not talk to you or your siblings. Not for a long, long time. If you go to him... There is no where you two would be able to go that we could not find you, and when we did, he would be in much bigger trouble than he is now. And so would you. I don't want to have to keep punishing you, or him, puppy, but if you intend to leave me with no choice, I will."
The news didn't exactly hurt him, but made him more upset. Who was Skelaghe to say who Vincent could or could not talk to? A scowl formed, and the pup took a moment to speak up again. "That's not fair." He growled a bit, and then turned back around. Forget the river. He didn't want to go to the river. He didn't want to be out here, with his mother of all the wolves. He may not have hated her, but he certainly didn't like her very much.
Of course. Skelaghe turns around just as her son does. He doesn't have to accompany her to the river, but he's not getting away from her. "It will be years, yet, before you really understand the concept of fair. You are not my first pup, Rowtag, and I know what pups think of as fair. Anything that does not benefit you is unfair."
Shaking his head, Rowtag knew that she was wrong. He knew what unfair was! Unfair was not being able to see his father for something that the Alsatian had done, and had already apologized for. So what if he was on the land he wasn't supposed to be on? Was that such a horrible crime to commit? Maybe he was just lost. Rowtag had no idea. Vincent was also unaware of his relation to Rowtag when they first began talking, another honest mistake. "Nuh-uh. You're not being fair." He said in a saddened tone of voice, not wanting to make a big argument of it anymore, but wanting to at least voice his opinion.
"Well, that is another thing you must learn, as you grow, pup. Life is not always fair. I promise you, though... There is a good reason for everything that happens." Skelaghe's voice is not overly stern, as she talks. Slowly, she makes her way back in the direction of the den, keeping an eye on her son as she does.
If life was not always fair, then Rowtag did indeed have a lot of learning to do. This, he would not look forward to. Nodding his head, he let out a heavy sigh, and slumped back in the direction of the den. This wasn't a tantrum, thankfully for Skelaghe. More of a defeated trudge back to where he came from. "/You/ think it's a good reason.." He muttered.
"Ah, see. Wrong again. /I/ don't always think it's a good reason. Even when I know the reason. I have faith, though, puppy. And because I have faith, I can accept the things that make me unhappy, and try to focus on the things that /do/ make me happy." It's all a part of her earlier lesson. A lesson that it was just important for her to relearn as it is for Rowtag to learn.
Rowtag rolls his eyes at the comment, and just nods his head once more. Still in no mood for any sort of argument, it seems that either he's very good at acting.. not as angry as he wants to, he's learned some self-control over the past few days, or he just doesn't really care that much about the situation anymore. Probably the first. Stopping, he looks back at his mother, and blinks. "I thought you said you were thirsty?"
"And you said you are going to return to Vincent. Since I won't let you do that, and since you insist on finding more ways to try to hurt me... I must return with you to the den, instead of getting a drink." Skelaghe is not attempting to make her son feel guilty. She doesn't even expect that she will. She has no qualms about pointing out what she sacrifices without thought for her son, though.
The pup gives another blink, and tilts his head. A tiny grin forms, finding a bit of amusement in knowing that Skelaghe thought that he was trying to hurt her. "I bet he's not even around anymore." He said nonchalantly, and let out a huff of breath. "If everyone is going to be mean to him.. I wouldn't want to be around either."
"I hope he's not. I don't /want/ to have to hurt him, pup. I want him to find peace, but if he is to find it, it must be away from here." Skelaghe's answer is very genuine. She may not have forgiven him. She may intend never to forgive him. But there is a reason why she ordered Helaku not to go after Vincent, all those months ago.
Hurt him? No one ever said anything about hurting him. It was his father, after all. Rowtag was inclined to feel a bit of loyalty toward the Alsatian, no matter how little he knew of him. With a meek growl, the young hybrid's ears folded back, and he glared up at Skelaghe. "You'd better not hurt him!"
Skelaghe takes a quick step toward her son. Her anger is a little more real than she wishes it were, and she does not hesitate to bare her teeth as she says, "And you'd better learn to hold that tongue of yours and keep your temper in check, before it results in /you/ being hurt." So far, the only person who has physically reprimanded Rowtag is Skelaghe, and she is always reserved in her correctional nips. Wyanet has often expressed a desire to teach Rowtag a harsh lesson, though, and Skelaghe could not blame her if she did. Most fo the reason Skelaghe has been physical at all, in her reprimanding, is to prevent Rowtag from forcing someone else to correct him, but it really doesn't seem to be working, and she's afraid of what it might take to straighten the boy out, and she doesn't want Rowtag to end up like Ciqala, cowering and afraid all the time.
When Skelaghe steps toward him the way she did, Rowtag doesn't move. He flinched, but only because it suprised him. But, he wasn't afraid of her. He'd had no reason to be. The physical punishments he had received from her were pretty minor, and he didn't quite take her threat seriously either. For a pup, he thought pretty highly of himself and pretty low of his own mother. "Yeah right.." He says with a roll of his eyes, and doesn't give a second thought to, what he believed to be, an empty threat. Mother wouldn't hurt him, no matter what. That was his line of thinking, and he was probably incorrect. Everyone had their limit, even peaceful, non-violent wolves like Skelaghe.
"Get. Now. I was happy to spend the day with you, but if you are going to behave like this, you can spend the rest of the day in the den, alone." She will take Ciqala and Rawiya somewhere to rest with her, and appoint a guard for Rowtag. Skelaghe frowns as she says what she does. It would be so much easier, for them both, for her to nip his nose or swat his side, and forcing him to spend his days in the den so far have done no better than any other punishment, but he cannot be allowed to speak how he wishes without consequence.
Staring up at her for a moment more, the pup's ears fall back and he lets out a mix between a bark and a yell, consisting only of one word, "Fine!" Turning around with his eyes set straight ahead, the small dark pup begins to trudge back to the den once more, his pace slow, trying to absorb all that he can while he's out. Judging by .. all of the adults, he won't be out much. Always in the den, always guarded to make sure he doesn't mess up /their/ plans. Quite the bitter thought, but it's what he believes. "I didn't want to come with you anyway.." he said quietly, to himself.
"Well, that's too bad, because I really did want you with me. But since you want so little to do with me, I will enjoy some time with your brother and sister, instead." Inside the den, Skelaghe gently stirs the two pups so they can leave with her. The three of them will remain outside of the den until someone else wanders by, and then they'll leave.
"I don't care.. why don't you just stay gone, then?" he says in a bit of a frustrated tone, glaring back at her as he finds his way over to his side of the den, and rests upon his belly. Fine, with the three of them gone, he can get some more rest. And.. then more rest. Then some more. Because with his attitude, he won't be able to run around outside without supervision for quite a while.
Skelaghe guides her calmer two children outside of the den with a gentle nose. Once they are out, she turns to look at her son. "Perhaps I will, Rowtag. If nothing else, until you decide you are willing to speak with a civil tone. When you decide that, you can speak to whoever is outside the den. Until then, you are to stay here, and think about how you are hurting people who care about you very much." Skelaghe doesn't wait for a response before turning to follow her pups outside of the den.
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Rowtag - Male Wolfdog Pup
- Hilltop Vista -
Skelaghe was gone all night, having entrusted her children to Abel's care. That doesn't mean she slept, though. She didn't, any more than Abel did. The night was not as peaceful as she would have liked... But she is no longer upset. Oh, the Skelaghe of old, carefree, happy... She may never return. Skelahe is at peace with her current situation, and prepared for the trials that yet lie ahead, though. It is long after the sun has risen that Skelaghe returns to the den. She is clearly tired, but she must see, for herself, that her pups are safe and sound, before she appoints someone else to watch over them and attempts to get a little rest.
Rowtag has yet to have his escapist spirit broken. In the care of Abel however, he actually.. behaved? A strange bond was formed between the half-brothers, but yes. Rowtag had behaved quite nicely for the older wolf. Slept well, dreamed well, and all that good stuff. In fact, he hadn't even bothered Ciqala much the night previous. Clearly, he was planning something. It is with morning and the return of his mother that Rowtag wakes up, his yellow hued eyes blinking a few times before he lets out a quiet yawn, and stretches his forelegs out in front. Claws scratcing the ground of the den, he doesn't wag his tail or give much acknowledgement to Skelaghe as she returns, obviously still upset over the situation with his father.
It may be a long time, yet, before Rowtag gets over being angry with Skelaghe. She's prepared for that. And a small... or, if she were to be perfectly honest, perhaps not-so-small... part of her takes solace in the fact that she will not be the only one punishes for Vincent daring to return. Setting that thought firmly aside, Skelaghe nuzzles her two sleeping pups gently enough to not wake them, then walks the short distance, within the den, to nuzzle Rowtag. She is not always happy with his behavior, but she loves her son.
Through his own actions, it would seem that the love that Skelaghe has for Rowtag is one sided. As she makes her way over to nuzzle him, a warning growl is given, and he hops to all four legs just in time to dodge the display of affection, trotting over to the other side of the den, away from his mother. Ignorant of the knowledge that the pack intended to punish Vincent for something that was Rowtag's fault, he expresses no concern over his father, but still has a great urge to escape the den and return to the Alsatian, regardless of their warnings against it.
Skelaghe has told her son that she will not force him to interact with her, and even if his actions hurt her, she meant it. She allows him to avoid her, but she does look at him warningly, in response to his growling. As Rowtag settles in on the other side of the den, Skelaghe sits and takes a deep breath. "Would you like to hear a story, puppy?"
On the other side of the den, he was no closer to the way out than he was where he was previously resting. But, he didn't have Skelaghe right there, blocking his path as intrusively as he would've. The thought of course is there, to just make a break for it and run out.. but he's still a bit sleepy, having just woken up. Giving Skelaghe a glare, his ears tip backwards and he shakes his head. "No."
It is now your pose.
"Very well. You're welcome to not listen, then, but seeing as how this is a story I only remembered last night, I think I shall recite it for my own benefit." Skelaghe's statement is not merely dismissive of Rowtag's wishes. She has been /far/ too angry recently. For most of her life, she hardly knew anger, but for these last few months... Without waiting for her son's response, she continues on speaking. "A much braver and wiser wolf than I once told me that he was actually two wolves in one body. One wolf, he would say, was evil, comprised of all of his malice and jealousy and resentment and pride. The other was good, made up of love and joy and faith and kindness. He told me that within him, and within everyone, these two sides would forever fight for dominance. Well, I was much younger, then, and terrified of what might happen if his bad side would win, so after a few days of thinking about it, of watching him and worrying, I asked him which wolf was winning. He told me, 'The one I feed.'"
Though he didn't want to hear the story, he did hear it, naturally, as Skelaghe recited it for herself. Though he didn't care much for it at the beginning, he found himself listening and even looking over at her by the time the story was finished. With a blink at the end, Rowtag's ears slowly crept back up into a relaxed position, and he tilted his head to one side. So, all wolves had good and bad to them, did they? Thinking on it for a moment, he thought of literally everyone's good and bad sides. Ciqala for instance, was nice, but a coward. Wyanet was strong, but mean. Mother was loving, but over-protective. His thinking went in a circle, up until Vincent consumed his thoughts. The question was innocent in nature, but brought up the subject that Skelaghe probably wanted to avoid. "..do dogs have good and bad sides too? Or.. just wolves?" Then, what about wolfdogs, like him? The last question was left out, but his voice was enough to prove that he meant nothing in his question. It was /just/ a question.
If she wants to avoid it, it doesn't show. Skelaghe knows exactly what dog Rowtag is thinking of, but it doesn't matter. Her expression as serious now as it has been since she first entered the den, even though it pleases her that her son is speaking to her without growling, she says, "In my years, I have met more animals than a great many wolves ever will. I have befriended cougars, foxes, dogs, birds, and even a few bugs. In all this time... I am conviced that every creature has two sides to them. It is fortunate for me that most animals I have met have chosen to feed the good side, because I have always loved making friends."
Listening to her, Rowtag nods his head, and a small glimpse of a smile appears. Probably the first since he was let out of the den on the day that he returned from his visit with Vincent, and that was some time ago. Still, it's not a full blown smile, and it quickly faded anyway. Looking back to the den entrance now, the pup lays his head back onto his front paws, wanting so badly to just make a break for it.. but he doesn't. Then, he'd never be let out again. Better, he figured, to wait until some trust was regained, and then wander off. For now, he would remain miserably bored in the den.
Skelaghe watches her son in silence for a while. She could talk more... Ask more questions... Or... "Come, puppy. I'm thirsty. Let's find your bother and ask him to stay here just a while longer, and then you and I can go get a drink and talk some more, okay?" Trips out of the den are rarer now than they were when her pups were younger. Surely, with her son in a fair mood, this treat ought to be appreciated, right?
Having learned to respond to not only his name, but 'puppy' as well, his head lifts and he gives a blink to his mother, wondering why she wouldn't just want to take either Ciqala or Rawiya with her. Not him. He was the troublemaker. He was the one who would run away. Staring at her for a minute, he stands up slowly, thinking that he must be in trouble. Probably for mentioning his father, even though he hadn't outwardly /said/ Vincent. "Okay.." He says slowly, and waits patiently in his own spot, his head down.
If he is waiting for some reprimand, he will be waiting for a very long time. Skelaghe leaves the den, then begins to lead the way to the river, never allowing herself to get far from her pup. She does nto force conversation again, right away. Maybe once they get to the river. Until then, she is satisfied to just let her pup have a chance to get some fresh air and stretch his young legs.
Unfortunately for Rowtag, he does expect some sort of punishment. Some harsh words about his father again, or something of that nature. However when a few minutes go by and she still says nothing, Rowtag trots up to his mother and looks up at her, a bit dumbfounded. "How come Ciqala and Rawiya didn't come too?" He wonders out loud, and then looks back to the surrounding area. An escape would not be easy here. Her focus is too high on him at the moment. ...Ah, so that's why it's only him. Narrowing his eyes, he doesn't look back up, but lets out a sigh. "Nevermind.."
Skelaghe cannot know that her son is planning some escape attempt. Sure, she continues to watch him closely, but that is to /preven/ him from planning some escape attempt, so even after her son tells her not to answer his question, she says, "Ciqala and Rawiya are not here because I get to spend time alone with them all the time. You, I almost never get all to myself, and I miss that, Rowtag. Besides, they probably wouldn't even want to come with us, all this way. What do you think?"
At the moment, Rowtag gives up thinking of ways to escape. He's fine with knowing that as soon as he's out with his brother and sister, and more of the pack is around to fawn over them instead of him, he'll have his chance. For now, a drink sounds fine. But, his mother's explanation is heard. He doesn't believe it, but it'd heard. "I think you just don't want me to run away again." He said honestly, and kept his eyes on the ground, scuffing his paws through the grass a bit as he walked.
Skelaghe does not respond immediately. She looks at her son as she walks. After several moments of silence, she stops moving, turning to look directly at him. "Of course I don't want you to run away again, Rowtag. I worried so much, while you were gone, and if you were gone again, I would worry even more, and miss you greatly. Surely, you don't want me to want you to run away, do you?"
Rowtag kept on walking for a moment, until he heard no footsteps at his side, and his mother's presence wasn't there. Blinking, he turned back, but just stayed where he was. She was looking at him, and had misunderstood what he had said. Shaking his head, he took a few short steps over to sit in front of her. "No.. that's not what I meant." He said, a bit frustrated.
"That might not be what you meant, but think about it for a little bit, puppy. Think about how much it must have hurt me, when you were gone. How much it hurts me that you don't want to stay." Not that it matters, really. Skelaghe would not let Rowtag leave, even if he had thought of all these things and simply did not care. And to prove that she does, in fact, understand him. "Besides, you and I are here because I love you and always wish to be with you. Not because I want to watch you to make sure you don't run away."
For the first time throughout this whole fiasco, Rowtag seems to actually think about his mother's feelings, and his head sinks a little bit with it. "I don't want to hurt you, mama." He said quietly, and then lifted his head back up, his spark relenquished, selfishly regarding the situation once more. "But I want to be able to see dad." There. Simple enough, right? Fair enough, wasn't it?
Skelaghe can't help but be upset by how Rowtag still refers to Vincent as his father, but she does her best to hide it. Her voice remains calm as she says, "And one day, puppy... One day, you will be able to. It may not be for a very, very long time, but I promise, it will happen." And if Teketa or Wyanet kills Vincent? That doesn't change Skelaghe's belief. Even if Rowtag and Vincent never again meet, on this world, or at all... Some day, Rowtag will find what he needs in a father, even if that father is not the dog who sired him.
Had Rowtag /any/ of the knowledge that Skelaghe did of the pack's plans to possibly kill his father, he would be off to warn the Alsatian so fast, and at any cost. Though, the youngster probably couldn't outrun anyone, he would certainly try. It was very obvious that he missed the dog in a very real way, even though they had only met once. Maybe it wasn't even seeing Vincent as much as it was not having that limit to his life.. but either way, it wore on him. "But.. how come I can't go see him now? With you, or..?" He leaves the sentence hanging, a whine escaping the young hybrid as he lets out a long huff of breath. "He's not in trouble too, is he?"
Skelaghe shakes her head slowly, but it is not until Rowtag finishes speaking that she says anything. "He /is/ in trouble, Rowtag. He hurt me a lot more than you ever have. He hurt me, and Helaku, and Teketa, and all of your siblings, too. I forgave him for hurting me, but we decided a long time ago he would not be allowed around here, and he accepted his punishment, at the time. Now... He is in trouble for trying to hurt us, again, by breaking his word." It's as kindly and as simply as she knows how to explain it. "I don't expect you to understand all of that, just now... But I hope you trust me when I say that someday, you will."
"But.." Rowtag retorts, at hearing that the Alsatian was in trouble. What kind of trouble? He didn't know, and he had a feeling that Skelaghe wouldn't tell him even if he asked. So, he wouldn't. Lifing his hind end up, he stood up and looked off in the direction that he ran off toward the last time that he escaped. "But, it was my fault. I was the one who ran away.. he wasn't doing anything bad, he was just walking around. I didn't know that I'd get him in trouble.." He said, sounding a bit frantic. This was his fault, and he didn't know what would happen.
Skelaghe will probably never be given another opportunity, so clean as this one, to make her son's punishment painful. She passes it up, though. She did /not/ bring him here to punish him, and so she does not say anything that she could about how one's actions can have unexpected consequences. If he is smart, he will come to that realization on his own, anyway. "Vincent knew that what he was doing was wrong, pup. He knew he was breaking the terms of his punishment. I promise you, he won't be punished for what you did... Just like you won't be punished for what he did. He has to answer for his actions. Do you understand?"
Shaking his head, he continued to look franticly in the direction in which the foggy path laid, wanting so bad to just book it towards Vincent as fast as he could, but he couldn't. He wouldn't make it very far, and he knew this. Still, he took a step or two away, and let out a frustrated bark. Looking back over to Skelaghe, he pushed his ears back, and stomped over in the direction in which they were previously headed, to the river. As much as he wanted to talk about his father, or even have a chance to go see him again, he didn't want to get in trouble just yet. But that didn't mean he had to be nice about it. Ignoring her question, Rowtag brushed right back past her, and continued on the way to the water.
Well, this hasn't ended as well as she'd hoped... But at least Rowtag didn't take off running. Skelaghe follows after her son, silent once more. More of these trips, in the next few days, perhaps. Slow attempts at guiding her son back to happiness. She can't push him, though, and so she leaves him to whatever thoughts fill his head, right now.
Knowing that his mother was following behind him now, he looks back, and then waits a moment, walking at her side. He wasn't angry with her.. not that much more than he previously was, anyway. But his decent mood has taken a turn for the worse, it would seem. "I'm going to go see dad again.." He said, his voice confident, but his eyes on the ground. "And when I do, I'm going to stay with him. And we'll go away, so that he won't be in trouble, and so that no one can find us." Well. That sounded like a plan. To him, at least.
Skelaghe responds to Rowtag's statement first with a sigh. Well, apparently, she'll need to hurt him, after all. "Only half of Vincent's punishment was that he could not be here anymore, Rowtag. The other half was that he could not talk to you or your siblings. Not for a long, long time. If you go to him... There is no where you two would be able to go that we could not find you, and when we did, he would be in much bigger trouble than he is now. And so would you. I don't want to have to keep punishing you, or him, puppy, but if you intend to leave me with no choice, I will."
The news didn't exactly hurt him, but made him more upset. Who was Skelaghe to say who Vincent could or could not talk to? A scowl formed, and the pup took a moment to speak up again. "That's not fair." He growled a bit, and then turned back around. Forget the river. He didn't want to go to the river. He didn't want to be out here, with his mother of all the wolves. He may not have hated her, but he certainly didn't like her very much.
Of course. Skelaghe turns around just as her son does. He doesn't have to accompany her to the river, but he's not getting away from her. "It will be years, yet, before you really understand the concept of fair. You are not my first pup, Rowtag, and I know what pups think of as fair. Anything that does not benefit you is unfair."
Shaking his head, Rowtag knew that she was wrong. He knew what unfair was! Unfair was not being able to see his father for something that the Alsatian had done, and had already apologized for. So what if he was on the land he wasn't supposed to be on? Was that such a horrible crime to commit? Maybe he was just lost. Rowtag had no idea. Vincent was also unaware of his relation to Rowtag when they first began talking, another honest mistake. "Nuh-uh. You're not being fair." He said in a saddened tone of voice, not wanting to make a big argument of it anymore, but wanting to at least voice his opinion.
"Well, that is another thing you must learn, as you grow, pup. Life is not always fair. I promise you, though... There is a good reason for everything that happens." Skelaghe's voice is not overly stern, as she talks. Slowly, she makes her way back in the direction of the den, keeping an eye on her son as she does.
If life was not always fair, then Rowtag did indeed have a lot of learning to do. This, he would not look forward to. Nodding his head, he let out a heavy sigh, and slumped back in the direction of the den. This wasn't a tantrum, thankfully for Skelaghe. More of a defeated trudge back to where he came from. "/You/ think it's a good reason.." He muttered.
"Ah, see. Wrong again. /I/ don't always think it's a good reason. Even when I know the reason. I have faith, though, puppy. And because I have faith, I can accept the things that make me unhappy, and try to focus on the things that /do/ make me happy." It's all a part of her earlier lesson. A lesson that it was just important for her to relearn as it is for Rowtag to learn.
Rowtag rolls his eyes at the comment, and just nods his head once more. Still in no mood for any sort of argument, it seems that either he's very good at acting.. not as angry as he wants to, he's learned some self-control over the past few days, or he just doesn't really care that much about the situation anymore. Probably the first. Stopping, he looks back at his mother, and blinks. "I thought you said you were thirsty?"
"And you said you are going to return to Vincent. Since I won't let you do that, and since you insist on finding more ways to try to hurt me... I must return with you to the den, instead of getting a drink." Skelaghe is not attempting to make her son feel guilty. She doesn't even expect that she will. She has no qualms about pointing out what she sacrifices without thought for her son, though.
The pup gives another blink, and tilts his head. A tiny grin forms, finding a bit of amusement in knowing that Skelaghe thought that he was trying to hurt her. "I bet he's not even around anymore." He said nonchalantly, and let out a huff of breath. "If everyone is going to be mean to him.. I wouldn't want to be around either."
"I hope he's not. I don't /want/ to have to hurt him, pup. I want him to find peace, but if he is to find it, it must be away from here." Skelaghe's answer is very genuine. She may not have forgiven him. She may intend never to forgive him. But there is a reason why she ordered Helaku not to go after Vincent, all those months ago.
Hurt him? No one ever said anything about hurting him. It was his father, after all. Rowtag was inclined to feel a bit of loyalty toward the Alsatian, no matter how little he knew of him. With a meek growl, the young hybrid's ears folded back, and he glared up at Skelaghe. "You'd better not hurt him!"
Skelaghe takes a quick step toward her son. Her anger is a little more real than she wishes it were, and she does not hesitate to bare her teeth as she says, "And you'd better learn to hold that tongue of yours and keep your temper in check, before it results in /you/ being hurt." So far, the only person who has physically reprimanded Rowtag is Skelaghe, and she is always reserved in her correctional nips. Wyanet has often expressed a desire to teach Rowtag a harsh lesson, though, and Skelaghe could not blame her if she did. Most fo the reason Skelaghe has been physical at all, in her reprimanding, is to prevent Rowtag from forcing someone else to correct him, but it really doesn't seem to be working, and she's afraid of what it might take to straighten the boy out, and she doesn't want Rowtag to end up like Ciqala, cowering and afraid all the time.
When Skelaghe steps toward him the way she did, Rowtag doesn't move. He flinched, but only because it suprised him. But, he wasn't afraid of her. He'd had no reason to be. The physical punishments he had received from her were pretty minor, and he didn't quite take her threat seriously either. For a pup, he thought pretty highly of himself and pretty low of his own mother. "Yeah right.." He says with a roll of his eyes, and doesn't give a second thought to, what he believed to be, an empty threat. Mother wouldn't hurt him, no matter what. That was his line of thinking, and he was probably incorrect. Everyone had their limit, even peaceful, non-violent wolves like Skelaghe.
"Get. Now. I was happy to spend the day with you, but if you are going to behave like this, you can spend the rest of the day in the den, alone." She will take Ciqala and Rawiya somewhere to rest with her, and appoint a guard for Rowtag. Skelaghe frowns as she says what she does. It would be so much easier, for them both, for her to nip his nose or swat his side, and forcing him to spend his days in the den so far have done no better than any other punishment, but he cannot be allowed to speak how he wishes without consequence.
Staring up at her for a moment more, the pup's ears fall back and he lets out a mix between a bark and a yell, consisting only of one word, "Fine!" Turning around with his eyes set straight ahead, the small dark pup begins to trudge back to the den once more, his pace slow, trying to absorb all that he can while he's out. Judging by .. all of the adults, he won't be out much. Always in the den, always guarded to make sure he doesn't mess up /their/ plans. Quite the bitter thought, but it's what he believes. "I didn't want to come with you anyway.." he said quietly, to himself.
"Well, that's too bad, because I really did want you with me. But since you want so little to do with me, I will enjoy some time with your brother and sister, instead." Inside the den, Skelaghe gently stirs the two pups so they can leave with her. The three of them will remain outside of the den until someone else wanders by, and then they'll leave.
"I don't care.. why don't you just stay gone, then?" he says in a bit of a frustrated tone, glaring back at her as he finds his way over to his side of the den, and rests upon his belly. Fine, with the three of them gone, he can get some more rest. And.. then more rest. Then some more. Because with his attitude, he won't be able to run around outside without supervision for quite a while.
Skelaghe guides her calmer two children outside of the den with a gentle nose. Once they are out, she turns to look at her son. "Perhaps I will, Rowtag. If nothing else, until you decide you are willing to speak with a civil tone. When you decide that, you can speak to whoever is outside the den. Until then, you are to stay here, and think about how you are hurting people who care about you very much." Skelaghe doesn't wait for a response before turning to follow her pups outside of the den.