Post by Chibiabos on Jan 14, 2010 3:10:33 GMT -5
Merging Tributary
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Here, the two rivers merge in a somewhat rough manner, tumbling over a pile of rocks as it becomes a larger, solitary river. There is a slight drop on either side where the land is before the water, creating a sudden bank instead of a more gradual change. The vegetation here is sparse, with some cattails along the running river banks, and a couple of bushes that appear to be obstructing easy entrance into a hole.
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Characters:
Rockfall, male wolf pup, son of Viridian
Hywel, male wolf pup, son of Viridian
Lexus, male wolf, Viridian
Shag, elder male wolf, Viridian
Alaqua, female wolf, Viridian
Rockfall is on the hunt, in the river, after a fish. A grey fish in a riverbed of grey stone, darting into shadows where it can ... and the moment the pup's paws hit the water or move after it, the pup creates pressure waves which, of course, alert the fish to a predator and gives it an edge over the pup who always seems just a half-second behind the fish's moves.
Lexus is padding quietly along the side of the river, his nose to the ground as he picks up on a few scents he recognises. First trip back to the pack in a bit and it's moved somewhere. He perks his ears to the little splash and spots the pup from a distance. He's more cautious from that point, sneaking forwards carefully. He knows some scents, he's almost certain he's got the right place.
Rockfall hunts the fish as it darts upstream, where the current is running a bit fast. The pup, not paying attention, gets himself into frightful trouble when he again bounds after the fish, only for the fast current to pull him away ... away from the fish and away from the shore! The pup begins paddling frantically, and when he realizes he is in a bit of serious trouble, he yelps in alarm.
Lexus perks his ears again at the yelp and his attention instantly goes to the pup, his eyes widening. He glances round for anyone else but with no one racing to the rescue he charges in himself, going to snatch Rockfall up out of the water.
Rockfall is pulled under by a strong swirling current where the river passes over large boulders. He re-appears a moment later, but is choking from having swallowed water while trying to breathe. Fortunately, the adult's size gives him an advantage, and Lexus is able to get a good, solid grip on the pup after only a few strides into the powerful current.
Lexus pulls him out before jumping up onto one particularly large boulder that juts up out of the river. He glances round from there and after springing to another boulder he gets back to the shallows again and trots to the shore to put Rockfall back down.
Rockfall coughs up the bit of river he had swallowed after Lexus puts him on the ground, and heaves a bit to draw fresh air into his wet lungs. He is a bit dazed by the sudden adventure-turned-nightmare, and inattentively twist-shakes himself before Lexus has a chance to get to a safe distance.
Lexus studies him closely once he's on the ground "Are you alri-" he scunches his eyes closed as he gets a face full of water "...Yeah. You're welcome" he blows a little water off his nose before ending up shaking himself down too.
Rockfall cringes a bit as he realizes he just showered his rescuer. "Err ... sorry," he gasps. "I ... err ... thank you ..." he says, feeling more than a little embarrassed at his foolishness. If Lexus hadn't been there, the pup would probably be gone by now, swept down river, crushed into rocks or logs or just pulled under too long and drowned. "I ... err ... who are you?" he asks, not recognizing this wolf. He sniffs into Lexus' wet fur, which alters the scent a bit, but ... there is something vaguely familiar about it, though the pup does not recognize him.
Lexus tilts his head at the pup, there's a certain familiarity there too. He glances around but with a lack of other wolves he settles down to lie in front of the pup, stop towering above "Lexus, of the Viridian?" he's looking for any sort of recognition with the pack name at least "Think I should ask who you are too...and why you're jumping in a river all by yourself"
Rockfall thinks. "Yeah, dad said his father's name was Cottonpaws ... I've never seen grampa, though. And ... mom named me Rockfall, because in the den, I kept pulling the sides down with my paws and causing rockfalls," he laughs. "That's Gitchi," he yaps, pointing to gitchiwaakwe's sleeping form nearby. "Or ... Gitchiwaakwe." He then points over to another pup sleeping nearby and says, "That's Hywel. I don't know where the rest of our siblings are right now, though."
Lexus' smile's getting bigger as the pup talks. Back to family again. He follows the introductions. The second getting a puzzled look "Gitchiwaakwe? What an odd name. There a story to that one too?"
Rockfall shakes his head. "I have to think a lot to even pronounce it. YOu'd have to ask mom ... Aika."
Lexus nods slowly, thoughtful again "Don't remember an Aika, probably never met her but I suppose I wouldn't have seen your father since he was only a little older than you perhaps. Lets see, I'm your Grandma's brother...which makes me seem /really/ old"
Rockfall chuckles, "Everyone, except my siblings, are 'really' old to me. You've been a way a long time, if you haven't been among Viridian since my father was my age," he says. "How come you were away so long?"
"Times change," Shag says, peeling away from a tree he had apparently been leaning up against. The young male stands out and shakes himself, releasing little bits of bark from his fur like he had actually come *off* of the tree, and lumbers towards the other two. "Tariro and I left Viridian ourselves, you know. Not so long ago... we felt... called elsewhere. I like to think we were like the river running down the mountain. We just felt a place for us to flow. Nothing ever stays in the same place, after all. Not really." He nods and smiles at Lexus. "It's good to see you again."
Lexus almost looks a little sad with the question "Well, sometimes you just want to see the world and hear the wind. I never went too far but" Shag gets a nod and smile in return as he sits up again "The pack seemed to move while I wasn't there. I needed to refind it again on top of it all. It's good to see you too Shag. One big family reunion today. How's everything been going?"
Rockfall looks to Shag as he approaches. "You're a gone-his-own-way Viridian too?" the pup, one of the newest generation to be whelped in Viridian asks. "Who are you?" The young pup is soaked, with a puddle under him, and Lexus, too, is wet. It seems both had been in the river just a few minutes ago, for some reason.
Shag notes their soaked pelts and smiles widely. "I am your uncle, your father's brother" he says gently to the little pup, once again shaking his voluminous, bountiful pelt. "My name is Shag," he says without any shame anymore. It's just his name now, no matter how ironic it is. He sincerely wonders why Tariro never mentioned he had pups... "It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I don't think I even know your mother that well. But I could feel you all nearby, and smell you. So in the sense that matters to wolves... I already knew you." He bows his blunt, boxy head to the pup before turning to Lexus. "They are... interesting times, Uncle. I must admit I was looking forward to this."
Lexus chuckles at Rockfall "We're just springing up out of the ground today. Keep your eyes open. Maybe some of my brothers or sisters are still lurking out there" he seems to be having fun as he looks back to Shag "You might have to fill me in on them then, I'm horribly behind on the news. So much I don't know half the family anymore it seems"
Rockfall comments, "Something is amiss in the pack ... but my father does not want to worry my siblings and I with the details. My siblings and I have noticed it, though ... everyone is somber. The songs howled of Viridian's past are no longer sung with the love and fervor they did just a moon or so ago. Maybe, whatever is happening, has called on you both to return home. I ... hope this is a good sign, that ... whatever change is upon Viridian will unite the pack more strongly." For such a young pup, Rockfall is, at least for the moment, thoughtful and introspective. A proud son of Viridian, whatever future the pack may or may not have ...
Shag turns to the pup and gives him a very odd stare. It's quiet and piercing, though oddly normal looking for one of his demeanor. "You... seem very grown up," he says frankly. "That's good." He looks back to Lexus. "Don't you know? Viridian... or rather... the Viridian that is gathered here... will be part of a merge with another pack. With Haze, and the Lazuli," he explains, sitting nearby so their dripping fur doesn't get on him. It's a mess trying to dry *all that fur* after all. "Change is on the air, like he said." He nods at Rockfall. "Viridian won't be purely Viridian anymore, sooner or later."
Lexus stares at Rockfall too, his head tilting a bit after a moment "Well, at least they still sing" he looks back to Shag "Maybe the young grow up quicker these days. Good though, yes, if things are bad" he looks thoughtful "A merge between packs...I suppose, it is Haze but...Mm. No. I had worried there was nothing left of the pack, this is better than that"
Rockfall had not heard this yet. "Lazuli? I've heard that name before," he comments. "Viridian ... won't be Viridian anymore?" he asks. He pictures in his head the stories he'd been told, of the early days, the days of Silver and Silvan so long ago, how they had huddled in the lonely Valley and slowly, through a lot of hard work and terrible sacrifice, laid the foundation for the pack. And ... it would simply cease to be? The young pup thought Viridian would be around forever, and the thought the pack itself has its own mortality frightens him a bit. The pup shrinks a bit, even from his wimpy-looking state from being so damp and waterlogged. He may not voice all of his thoughts, but something about that idea he clearly does not like. "I guess ... I guess that's the big change my siblings and I have sensed, that ... that my father refused to tell me," he finally adds.
Shag glances down at Rockfall and smiles gently. He reaches out with a broad paw to lay over the youngster's back. "Hardly," he says. "Think of it this way. A pack is like a river. It flows along and sometimes it is dry and unhealthy, sometimes full and vibrant. But sometimes, to go on, its path must cross with another. They mix. They don't dilute each other... water is always water. But they become stronger, and healthier as a result. Viridian will never die. It will live in your blood and that of your children. And the stories we howl."
Rockfall gets a taut, serious look to his face. He looks to the older wolves and remarks, "But ... the song started by Silver and ... Silvan?" he asks, trying to remember what he'd been taught of the pack's origins. "When I get to be your age, my siblings and I ... we will be the last to have lived in the time of Viridian then. It will be our job to carry pass it along, when ..." he blushes a bit "... when we have pups and grandchildren of our own. I promise you both, I will never let myself forget Viridian, for as long as I live." He adds to Shag, "My parents do not yet allow us to wander far, even to the full extents of Viridian lands. Viridian is all I knowl. I'm sure this ... Lazuli pack ... has pups, and might be good ... but ... its just a name to me. If we ... become one ... we won't be Viridian anymore. They won't be Lazuli. We will be something ... different ... then, than either Viridian or Lazuli were before, won't we?" he asks, twisting his thoughts in a messy pretzel.
Lexus listens quietly for a moment though he butts in to nod at Rockfall "Silver and Silvan, yes" his parents, of course he'll remember them. He's thoughtful again for a while before sighing quietly "You're young Rockfall, you'll adapt, meet new wolves. In some ways we're already connected to Lazuli too, they're like extended family though" he frowns, puzzled "I struggle to remember the relation. There is one. Mm. It's been far too long for that. Better to join and grow stronger than to slowly disappear because we're fixed to the past...In theory anyway. It's hard to imagine really"
"Pups? Who's havin' pups?" Still streaked with the dried mud and grime of his battle with Rockfall the previous day, young Hywel stirs as he awakens and peers groggily toward the speakers. With a huge yawn he gets to his feet and stretches, then saunters over. Plopping down beside Rockfall, Hywel raises a brow at his brother. "/You're/ not havin' pups." His coppery eyes settle doubtfully on Shag and Lexus and he looks the older males up and down. THEM? "Don't.. don't just /girls/ have pups?" Hywel asks slowly. Something here is not adding up!
"True enough," Shag says with a gentle nod. "But nobody's story is told alone. And neither is Viridian's. Someday we will hear echoes of new songs started by new wolves, and so on and so on." He looks up at the sky, wagging his bushy tail over the damp ground. "When I look at the stars I think I can hear stories from before. Don't be scared of change, Rockfall. It will happen through your whole life. I was petrified of change, of difficult things, once... but now-" And then Hywel interjects. Another of Tariro's children no doubt. Shag raises his blocky head to look over Rockfall at the other pup, all of them in a line now. Big, small, small. "Well. Pups *come* from girls. But I think it takes both of us at first. Right?" He glances over at Lexus. Maybe the oldest wolf here would have a better explanation. Shag is just good at being enigmatic!
Rockfall would again blush if wolves could blush. "Daddy is daddy," he yaps to his brother. "Someday, at least one of us will be an alpha, and a daddy." He thinks for a moment, looking introspective again. "Unless one of the Lazuli win alpha, when we are one pack with them, that is ..."
Lexus raises a brow and perks his ears, turning his eyes onto Hywel with some amusement "Yes, it takes one of each, Shag" he chuckles, making it sound like he's teaching the other adult too, just in jest. He peers at Hywel again "However, no one's having pups now, you're right there"
Hywel listens to the rest of the speech Shag is making with an increasingly bewildered expression. Oh, they must be talking about the merge.. Hywel is vaguely aware of the situation, understanding about as much as someone his age can, and is thus far relatively indifferent. His young mind can't conceive of the changes the merge will bring, so he dismisses them completely. Glancing at Rockfall, Hywel blinks. "What do you mean- 'one of the Lazuli win alpha'?' We have our own alpha!" He turns a glare on the older wolves. "That's just silly."
"The Lazuli will not win alpha," Shag says, more for the sake of helping the pups sleep at night than anything else. "I don't think this will come to blows." He shifts the subject to Hywel. "And, hello there. I'm Shag! Pleasure to meet you," he says with one of his characteristically wide, amicable smiles. "I'm your uncle, in case you hadn't heard."
Rockfall yaps, "Lazuli are a pack. They have alphas. They have pups. We Viridian are a pack. We have alphas. We are the pups. Someday, one of us would /have become/ alpha of Viridian, and one of the Lazuli pups /would have become/ alpha of Lazuli ... but ... since two packs will become one, there cannot be two pairs of alphas in one pack, can there?"
Lexus frowns at the thought "It's best to let the alphas sort things out. They'll do what's best for the pack though I'm sure neither will want to let go of control and this likely wouldn't work if we were just all placed under the Lazuli alphas, or if they were under ours...It's a difficult situation" a small sigh and a shake of the head and he remembers introductions and nods to Hywel "And I'm Lexus, great uncle. Got family coming out of nowhere today"
His pint-sized brow furrows a little, but a short attention span doesn't allow for contemplation of complicated issues regarding social rank. Little ears perk up, though, at the mention of his relationship to Lexus. "Really? Well.. then hi, Uncle Lexus," he says, testing the title on his tongue. "I'm Hywel."
Lexus nods to Hywel, smiling happily too "It's nice to meet you Hywel and catch up with the rest of the family at last. Do you know who else in the pack is here at the moment perhaps?"
"I suppose we're *all* in the pack," Shag interjects. "We're all Viridian here, blood-lines or not. But there are some new names, like Alaqua. She arrived just recently." Shag wags his tail a bit. "I like her," he adds with a completely, genuinely innocent smile.
Rockfall says, "Most of the adults have been very quiet and hard to find lately. I only got a few minutes with my father last night," he says. "I guess apprehension over the merge has everyone feeling dis-spirited."
Lexus smirks at Shag "Good for you" he hmms then and glances around before standing up again "Doesn't bode well for me finding familiar faces anyway. Ah well, I suppose I'll have a look around anyway"
"It's a small place, but it's home for now," Shag says with a tilt of his head. "I like it here. You can... feel... the things around you. The trees. And the animals... have a lot to say... if you listen." He trails off into nothing as he glances into the forest, a rather strange, blank look on his face.
Rockfall says, "Sometimes ... when our ancestors are talked about ... I can almost hear and smell them here."
Lexus chuckles, genuinely amused "I assume by ancestors you mean further back than my parents. Should listen to the mountains around the valley, from the top the wind can whisper about the whole land below. Spent weeks up there sometimes. This place though, it's...different. It doesn't seem like home to me"
"Any place that has my family is home," Shag insists with a mild grin, nodding to Rockfall. "You're right, you know. But sometimes I think I can hear them just by being alone... by looking at the stars. Listening to the wind in the trees. Everything has a voice. It echoes, sometimes. If we want to Listen." He's got an exceedingly odd look on his face now, distant and unfocused, and then shakes himself something fierce. "Ah... uh, sorry. I get like that sometimes. I just... have trouble... focusing."
Rockfall nods. "In the Valley ... that's where I hear them. I don't know ... I think the spirits of the ancestors who are no longer with us, are still there. Silver, Silvan ... and the others ..." He looks at 'Uncle Shag' and smiles. "I get that way, too. I think its because we have such great ancestors."
Lexus chuckles quietly once more "Well, I think we're all far too mystical today. If I start looking for ancestors I'm going to miss finding out who's still around right now. I'm going to take a wander! Good to see you again Shag. Rockfall, don't go in the river again" and he starts to walk off into the trees.
Shag glances down at Rockfall. "Don't go in the river?" he asks. "Did you try to swim or something?" he asks him with a rather amused smile. "I like swimming. At least, when the water's warm enough for it... my father thought it was the strangest thing. I had a dream of floating down the river on a giant waterlily I'd go find. Haven't quite found it yet." Eager to be off the subject of his awkward mysticism, apparently.
Trotting her way through the lands is Alaqua, humming a happy song to herself as she goes, tail swinging side to side. Her ears are perked upwards, and her pretty eyes are half lidded in a content manner. "The sun will come out, I'm sure of it! The rain will soon wash away! I can't wait to see the morning, and start this brand new day!" She chirps out in a childish type manner, hopping over a puddle on the ground, then continues on forward, spying Shag in the distance. Instantly, she goes from happy, to sappy, as a dreamy look spreads along her face.
Rockfall sniffles a bit, still wet. "I ... err ... was chasing a fish ... but ... it went swimming farther out than I could swim ... Lexus had to pull me out of the water. It was ... very scary ..." he answers Shag. He wags when Alaqua comes prancing in. She has such a sweet voice! All the pups adore her, of course.
"Oh. Well, I'm glad Lexus was about then. Don't worry. We'll keep you safe from the deep parts." Shag nods, and then looks up, ears perking eagerly when they catch a voice, a voice that he knows well by now. A small, sincere smile spreads over his own muzzle as he identifies Alaqua without even looking in her direction, and then casts his gaze towards her. He lifts his head and gives a short howl in greeting, powered by his large chest.
At the Two-River Fork, Shag howls.
As Shag lets out a howl, the smile upon her muzzle broadens even more, to the point that it nearly hurts to grin as wide. As she catches his eye, she practically wriggles in anticipation as she heads over closer. As she finally grows closer, she leans in to give the puppy a nuzzle first, before tilting her chin upwards to stare at the star covered wolf. She steps forward and pushes her head beneath his chin, giving his throat a soft lick, before softly rumbling. "Good evening, Shaggy." She says with her usual cheerful voice, taking in a deep breath of his scent. "How is my two favorite boys doing?" She giggles.
Rockfall is having a nonstop wagfest. "Fishing," he laughs with a goofy smile. Obviously, he did not win against the fish, especially judging by his drenched state and the lack of the smell of a successfully hunted fish on his breath.
"Dreaming," Shag says, dipping his head to enclose Alaqua's muzzle underneath his for a moment. "How are you, Alaqua? You seem to be in a particularly cheerful mood today. We could hear your singing. You should sing more," he says with blithe sincerity, tilting his head cutely. He nods to Rockfall. "And teach him how to fish. Lexus had to save him from drowning. Rockfall, Alaqua is an expert fisher you know."
"Dreaming of me, I hope.. handsome. Because it's you who are in mine." Alaqua says with a smile as she leans more into his shoulder, as if she was magnetized to his touch. "You like my singing? I have one I could sing for you right now." She says with a giggle, tail swaying back, and forth, then turns her head down towards the puppy. "I am quite a fish catcher, I'd be more than happy to show you how to do it proper, without drowning."
Rockfall agrees. "Yes, Alaqua ... actually all us cubs have noticed there isn't much singing anymore, and ... we notice how sad everyone is. We definitely need more singing! And ... yeah," he giggles. "I would like to learn how to fish. They're nummy, they're always around ... just hard to catch. And ... my brother would be so jealous if I could catch one as well as you can!" he yaps.
The current pose order is: {Shag Alaqua Rockfall}.
"Oh... uh... that's... nice," Shag gulps, a shaky smile developing. He turns his ears down to cover the blush in them. "Uh, so yeah, about the fishing and the singing!" he continues hastily. "Why don't you try it now? Give us a song?" he asks, bumping her with his shoulder in return. "Then Rockfall can get his fishing lesson. Perfect end to the day, I think."
Watching him blush, Alaqua leans forward to give one of his ears a lick, blinking her star filled eyes a few times, before settling herself back upon her haunches. "A song, huh?" She says as she gives him a bright smile, before turning herself somewhat side ways. With a tilt of her head upwards, she begins to croon, her voice so pure, like that of the softest silk, full of emotion. "I'll always remember, when you were lost in the rain. I knew that moment, my whole life had changed. You told me to save you, from all the pain in your heart. I knew that moment..we will never part. I can give you everything you need, if you only say you'll stay with me." She sings, swaying a bit as she goes, turning her gaze subtly towards Shag. "All my love, is what I wanna give you everyday, everyday I love you. I'll be there to lift you just a little higher, fill your spirit with desire.. all my love.. " She thumps her tail on the ground, to provide a bit of a soft heartbeat. "It's never ending.. that flame
"..that flame that grows inside. We're starting something, when our hearts collide." She drawls to him, a song that is rich with emotion, and mushiness.
Rockfall doesn't get the mushy overtones, but his tail whips like crazy in a canine equivelant to applause.
Shag, in spite of his almost criminally low level of experience with things like romance, can certainly detect the look in her eyes, the way the words of the song seem especially directed towards a certain someone. His eyes widen and his ears are flat against his head as the song ends and Alaqua lavishes attention on him, as if he could make his fluffy self smaller by doing it. If she wanted to make him fidgety and bashful, it worked. It *was* extremely mushy after all.
Wagging her tail a bit behind her, Alaqua watches the poor male shrink, and look nervous. Her smile falters for a moment, as her ears tilt backwards. He didn't like it? That is what she thinks, and soon, a sad look crosses her features. "..sorry." She murmurs, pawing the ground a bit gently, staring down at the grass beneath her weight.
Rockfall breaks the tension unknowingly, "Do you know any songs about our ancestors? When Viridian first started? How the pack came to be?" he energetically yaps at Alaqua.
"S... sorry?" Shag says, his ears perking up a tad once again. He thought she had more to go! "I... no, Alaqua... it was wonderful," he says with a quiet, honest smile. One can just *tell* when Shag means what he says. It's like he's not capable of lying. "Really. Thank you." He seems especially thankful when Rockfall breaks in again. "Uh... I don't think she was around for that," Shag mumbles, afraid to steal her spotlight. "But, what she sings now is perfect," he adds with another smile. Don't be sad, you'll make Shag feel guilty!
Continuing to paw the ground, Alaqua seems a bit self conscious now. Maybe Shag is just saying that to not make her feel bad? "I don't have any songs of Viridian, only silly songs that I make up when I'm thinking of stuff." She says as she pushes her nose down against her paws, huffing quietly to herself. "Look into the other's eyes, many frustrations. Read between the lines.. no words.. just vibrations. Don't ignore hidden desires, pay attention.. you're playing with fire. Silence must be heard. Noise should be observed." She hums out once more, before flopping backwards upon her haunches. Perhaps that small little poem speaks volumes for this very moment. That invisible weirdness between her and the dreamer.
Rockfall wags some more, not saying anything this time, but does wish someone could sing songs of the ancestors. He wants to never forget what it is to be Viridian, especially ... if the rumors are true ... that Viridian will soon no longer be as it was.
Shag watches Alaqua in awkward silence as she begins to recite her poem, ears folding back again. He looks incredibly guilty. But what's he going to do with Rockfall right there? "I'll sing about Viridian to you, later," he promises, and then moves forward to nudge one of Alaqua's ears. "Hey," he says quietly. "How about that fishing lesson?" he asks with a smile, and then licks that same ear. "Don't feel bad. Please? It was a good song, really," he tries again. If only he could just understand what she was feeling. But, unfortunately... he does not express himself in the same way as her. It's like a gap he keeps pacing around, trying to figure out how to cross it effectively. And failing, obviously.
"I'll teach you how to fish in the morning, when it's perfect. The fish are sleepy and they're easier to catch." Alaqua says, ear twitching a bit at the lick. She feels weird herself now. She practically threw her heart down in front of Shag, and he still has no clue what to do with it. Turning her head, she gives the wolf a soft nuzzle, followed by a gentle whine as she pushes her muzzle up against his ear. "Was a stupid song." She whispers to him, before she starts off through the grass. "I'm going to get us dinner for tonight, but I promise to teach you how to fish in the morning, Rocky. Be a good pup, OK?"
Rockfall is an awkward thorn in a scene which could otherwise go from mushy songs to ... mushy love. "Hey, that wasn't a stupid song! It was sweet!" the pup yaps, a bit whiny as she gets up to leave.
"Wait, Alaqua! No," Shag is all but pleading now. He knows he messed up, even if he doesn't understand all the implications of it. He nods in agreement with Rockfall. "Yes! It was a wonderful song! A beautiful one! Really!" But she's already leaving. He grunts and sighs, blowing air out his nose. Wonderful, Shag. You're gonna break a girl's heart before you've even fallen in love. He needs advice is what he needs. He turns to Rockfall again. "Don't worry," he says unconvincingly. "She'll be fine."
As she heads off, Alaqua glances over her shoulder towards Shag, her eyes pleading as well. Please, just love me! With a falter of her ears, she heads off into the thick grass, off to catch the pack some dinner. Perhaps some rabbit in her tummy can calm down those butterflies that are flapping about.
Rockfall sits and sighs. "Girls ..." the pup mutters.
Shag turns his head away guiltily when Alaqua looks back, and then virtually mimics Rockfall the way he sits. "Girls," he agrees, though with less caustic exasperation. At least Rockfall won't have to worry about this for a while. Shag is getting a very prompt crash course in how to handle a girl's feelings, and it's not working out at all! Why him? Why couldn't he have been born ugly or something? "So... how about... those Viridian stories?" he offers after a few awkward moments, trying to smile again. Maybe spilling out some ancestral tales will help him deal with the shivering in his spine.
Rockfall shakes his head, looks to Shag and wags. "Yeah!" he says. "Sing them to life!" he begs.
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Here, the two rivers merge in a somewhat rough manner, tumbling over a pile of rocks as it becomes a larger, solitary river. There is a slight drop on either side where the land is before the water, creating a sudden bank instead of a more gradual change. The vegetation here is sparse, with some cattails along the running river banks, and a couple of bushes that appear to be obstructing easy entrance into a hole.
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Characters:
Rockfall, male wolf pup, son of Viridian
Hywel, male wolf pup, son of Viridian
Lexus, male wolf, Viridian
Shag, elder male wolf, Viridian
Alaqua, female wolf, Viridian
Rockfall is on the hunt, in the river, after a fish. A grey fish in a riverbed of grey stone, darting into shadows where it can ... and the moment the pup's paws hit the water or move after it, the pup creates pressure waves which, of course, alert the fish to a predator and gives it an edge over the pup who always seems just a half-second behind the fish's moves.
Lexus is padding quietly along the side of the river, his nose to the ground as he picks up on a few scents he recognises. First trip back to the pack in a bit and it's moved somewhere. He perks his ears to the little splash and spots the pup from a distance. He's more cautious from that point, sneaking forwards carefully. He knows some scents, he's almost certain he's got the right place.
Rockfall hunts the fish as it darts upstream, where the current is running a bit fast. The pup, not paying attention, gets himself into frightful trouble when he again bounds after the fish, only for the fast current to pull him away ... away from the fish and away from the shore! The pup begins paddling frantically, and when he realizes he is in a bit of serious trouble, he yelps in alarm.
Lexus perks his ears again at the yelp and his attention instantly goes to the pup, his eyes widening. He glances round for anyone else but with no one racing to the rescue he charges in himself, going to snatch Rockfall up out of the water.
Rockfall is pulled under by a strong swirling current where the river passes over large boulders. He re-appears a moment later, but is choking from having swallowed water while trying to breathe. Fortunately, the adult's size gives him an advantage, and Lexus is able to get a good, solid grip on the pup after only a few strides into the powerful current.
Lexus pulls him out before jumping up onto one particularly large boulder that juts up out of the river. He glances round from there and after springing to another boulder he gets back to the shallows again and trots to the shore to put Rockfall back down.
Rockfall coughs up the bit of river he had swallowed after Lexus puts him on the ground, and heaves a bit to draw fresh air into his wet lungs. He is a bit dazed by the sudden adventure-turned-nightmare, and inattentively twist-shakes himself before Lexus has a chance to get to a safe distance.
Lexus studies him closely once he's on the ground "Are you alri-" he scunches his eyes closed as he gets a face full of water "...Yeah. You're welcome" he blows a little water off his nose before ending up shaking himself down too.
Rockfall cringes a bit as he realizes he just showered his rescuer. "Err ... sorry," he gasps. "I ... err ... thank you ..." he says, feeling more than a little embarrassed at his foolishness. If Lexus hadn't been there, the pup would probably be gone by now, swept down river, crushed into rocks or logs or just pulled under too long and drowned. "I ... err ... who are you?" he asks, not recognizing this wolf. He sniffs into Lexus' wet fur, which alters the scent a bit, but ... there is something vaguely familiar about it, though the pup does not recognize him.
Lexus tilts his head at the pup, there's a certain familiarity there too. He glances around but with a lack of other wolves he settles down to lie in front of the pup, stop towering above "Lexus, of the Viridian?" he's looking for any sort of recognition with the pack name at least "Think I should ask who you are too...and why you're jumping in a river all by yourself"
Rockfall thinks. "Yeah, dad said his father's name was Cottonpaws ... I've never seen grampa, though. And ... mom named me Rockfall, because in the den, I kept pulling the sides down with my paws and causing rockfalls," he laughs. "That's Gitchi," he yaps, pointing to gitchiwaakwe's sleeping form nearby. "Or ... Gitchiwaakwe." He then points over to another pup sleeping nearby and says, "That's Hywel. I don't know where the rest of our siblings are right now, though."
Lexus' smile's getting bigger as the pup talks. Back to family again. He follows the introductions. The second getting a puzzled look "Gitchiwaakwe? What an odd name. There a story to that one too?"
Rockfall shakes his head. "I have to think a lot to even pronounce it. YOu'd have to ask mom ... Aika."
Lexus nods slowly, thoughtful again "Don't remember an Aika, probably never met her but I suppose I wouldn't have seen your father since he was only a little older than you perhaps. Lets see, I'm your Grandma's brother...which makes me seem /really/ old"
Rockfall chuckles, "Everyone, except my siblings, are 'really' old to me. You've been a way a long time, if you haven't been among Viridian since my father was my age," he says. "How come you were away so long?"
"Times change," Shag says, peeling away from a tree he had apparently been leaning up against. The young male stands out and shakes himself, releasing little bits of bark from his fur like he had actually come *off* of the tree, and lumbers towards the other two. "Tariro and I left Viridian ourselves, you know. Not so long ago... we felt... called elsewhere. I like to think we were like the river running down the mountain. We just felt a place for us to flow. Nothing ever stays in the same place, after all. Not really." He nods and smiles at Lexus. "It's good to see you again."
Lexus almost looks a little sad with the question "Well, sometimes you just want to see the world and hear the wind. I never went too far but" Shag gets a nod and smile in return as he sits up again "The pack seemed to move while I wasn't there. I needed to refind it again on top of it all. It's good to see you too Shag. One big family reunion today. How's everything been going?"
Rockfall looks to Shag as he approaches. "You're a gone-his-own-way Viridian too?" the pup, one of the newest generation to be whelped in Viridian asks. "Who are you?" The young pup is soaked, with a puddle under him, and Lexus, too, is wet. It seems both had been in the river just a few minutes ago, for some reason.
Shag notes their soaked pelts and smiles widely. "I am your uncle, your father's brother" he says gently to the little pup, once again shaking his voluminous, bountiful pelt. "My name is Shag," he says without any shame anymore. It's just his name now, no matter how ironic it is. He sincerely wonders why Tariro never mentioned he had pups... "It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I don't think I even know your mother that well. But I could feel you all nearby, and smell you. So in the sense that matters to wolves... I already knew you." He bows his blunt, boxy head to the pup before turning to Lexus. "They are... interesting times, Uncle. I must admit I was looking forward to this."
Lexus chuckles at Rockfall "We're just springing up out of the ground today. Keep your eyes open. Maybe some of my brothers or sisters are still lurking out there" he seems to be having fun as he looks back to Shag "You might have to fill me in on them then, I'm horribly behind on the news. So much I don't know half the family anymore it seems"
Rockfall comments, "Something is amiss in the pack ... but my father does not want to worry my siblings and I with the details. My siblings and I have noticed it, though ... everyone is somber. The songs howled of Viridian's past are no longer sung with the love and fervor they did just a moon or so ago. Maybe, whatever is happening, has called on you both to return home. I ... hope this is a good sign, that ... whatever change is upon Viridian will unite the pack more strongly." For such a young pup, Rockfall is, at least for the moment, thoughtful and introspective. A proud son of Viridian, whatever future the pack may or may not have ...
Shag turns to the pup and gives him a very odd stare. It's quiet and piercing, though oddly normal looking for one of his demeanor. "You... seem very grown up," he says frankly. "That's good." He looks back to Lexus. "Don't you know? Viridian... or rather... the Viridian that is gathered here... will be part of a merge with another pack. With Haze, and the Lazuli," he explains, sitting nearby so their dripping fur doesn't get on him. It's a mess trying to dry *all that fur* after all. "Change is on the air, like he said." He nods at Rockfall. "Viridian won't be purely Viridian anymore, sooner or later."
Lexus stares at Rockfall too, his head tilting a bit after a moment "Well, at least they still sing" he looks back to Shag "Maybe the young grow up quicker these days. Good though, yes, if things are bad" he looks thoughtful "A merge between packs...I suppose, it is Haze but...Mm. No. I had worried there was nothing left of the pack, this is better than that"
Rockfall had not heard this yet. "Lazuli? I've heard that name before," he comments. "Viridian ... won't be Viridian anymore?" he asks. He pictures in his head the stories he'd been told, of the early days, the days of Silver and Silvan so long ago, how they had huddled in the lonely Valley and slowly, through a lot of hard work and terrible sacrifice, laid the foundation for the pack. And ... it would simply cease to be? The young pup thought Viridian would be around forever, and the thought the pack itself has its own mortality frightens him a bit. The pup shrinks a bit, even from his wimpy-looking state from being so damp and waterlogged. He may not voice all of his thoughts, but something about that idea he clearly does not like. "I guess ... I guess that's the big change my siblings and I have sensed, that ... that my father refused to tell me," he finally adds.
Shag glances down at Rockfall and smiles gently. He reaches out with a broad paw to lay over the youngster's back. "Hardly," he says. "Think of it this way. A pack is like a river. It flows along and sometimes it is dry and unhealthy, sometimes full and vibrant. But sometimes, to go on, its path must cross with another. They mix. They don't dilute each other... water is always water. But they become stronger, and healthier as a result. Viridian will never die. It will live in your blood and that of your children. And the stories we howl."
Rockfall gets a taut, serious look to his face. He looks to the older wolves and remarks, "But ... the song started by Silver and ... Silvan?" he asks, trying to remember what he'd been taught of the pack's origins. "When I get to be your age, my siblings and I ... we will be the last to have lived in the time of Viridian then. It will be our job to carry pass it along, when ..." he blushes a bit "... when we have pups and grandchildren of our own. I promise you both, I will never let myself forget Viridian, for as long as I live." He adds to Shag, "My parents do not yet allow us to wander far, even to the full extents of Viridian lands. Viridian is all I knowl. I'm sure this ... Lazuli pack ... has pups, and might be good ... but ... its just a name to me. If we ... become one ... we won't be Viridian anymore. They won't be Lazuli. We will be something ... different ... then, than either Viridian or Lazuli were before, won't we?" he asks, twisting his thoughts in a messy pretzel.
Lexus listens quietly for a moment though he butts in to nod at Rockfall "Silver and Silvan, yes" his parents, of course he'll remember them. He's thoughtful again for a while before sighing quietly "You're young Rockfall, you'll adapt, meet new wolves. In some ways we're already connected to Lazuli too, they're like extended family though" he frowns, puzzled "I struggle to remember the relation. There is one. Mm. It's been far too long for that. Better to join and grow stronger than to slowly disappear because we're fixed to the past...In theory anyway. It's hard to imagine really"
"Pups? Who's havin' pups?" Still streaked with the dried mud and grime of his battle with Rockfall the previous day, young Hywel stirs as he awakens and peers groggily toward the speakers. With a huge yawn he gets to his feet and stretches, then saunters over. Plopping down beside Rockfall, Hywel raises a brow at his brother. "/You're/ not havin' pups." His coppery eyes settle doubtfully on Shag and Lexus and he looks the older males up and down. THEM? "Don't.. don't just /girls/ have pups?" Hywel asks slowly. Something here is not adding up!
"True enough," Shag says with a gentle nod. "But nobody's story is told alone. And neither is Viridian's. Someday we will hear echoes of new songs started by new wolves, and so on and so on." He looks up at the sky, wagging his bushy tail over the damp ground. "When I look at the stars I think I can hear stories from before. Don't be scared of change, Rockfall. It will happen through your whole life. I was petrified of change, of difficult things, once... but now-" And then Hywel interjects. Another of Tariro's children no doubt. Shag raises his blocky head to look over Rockfall at the other pup, all of them in a line now. Big, small, small. "Well. Pups *come* from girls. But I think it takes both of us at first. Right?" He glances over at Lexus. Maybe the oldest wolf here would have a better explanation. Shag is just good at being enigmatic!
Rockfall would again blush if wolves could blush. "Daddy is daddy," he yaps to his brother. "Someday, at least one of us will be an alpha, and a daddy." He thinks for a moment, looking introspective again. "Unless one of the Lazuli win alpha, when we are one pack with them, that is ..."
Lexus raises a brow and perks his ears, turning his eyes onto Hywel with some amusement "Yes, it takes one of each, Shag" he chuckles, making it sound like he's teaching the other adult too, just in jest. He peers at Hywel again "However, no one's having pups now, you're right there"
Hywel listens to the rest of the speech Shag is making with an increasingly bewildered expression. Oh, they must be talking about the merge.. Hywel is vaguely aware of the situation, understanding about as much as someone his age can, and is thus far relatively indifferent. His young mind can't conceive of the changes the merge will bring, so he dismisses them completely. Glancing at Rockfall, Hywel blinks. "What do you mean- 'one of the Lazuli win alpha'?' We have our own alpha!" He turns a glare on the older wolves. "That's just silly."
"The Lazuli will not win alpha," Shag says, more for the sake of helping the pups sleep at night than anything else. "I don't think this will come to blows." He shifts the subject to Hywel. "And, hello there. I'm Shag! Pleasure to meet you," he says with one of his characteristically wide, amicable smiles. "I'm your uncle, in case you hadn't heard."
Rockfall yaps, "Lazuli are a pack. They have alphas. They have pups. We Viridian are a pack. We have alphas. We are the pups. Someday, one of us would /have become/ alpha of Viridian, and one of the Lazuli pups /would have become/ alpha of Lazuli ... but ... since two packs will become one, there cannot be two pairs of alphas in one pack, can there?"
Lexus frowns at the thought "It's best to let the alphas sort things out. They'll do what's best for the pack though I'm sure neither will want to let go of control and this likely wouldn't work if we were just all placed under the Lazuli alphas, or if they were under ours...It's a difficult situation" a small sigh and a shake of the head and he remembers introductions and nods to Hywel "And I'm Lexus, great uncle. Got family coming out of nowhere today"
His pint-sized brow furrows a little, but a short attention span doesn't allow for contemplation of complicated issues regarding social rank. Little ears perk up, though, at the mention of his relationship to Lexus. "Really? Well.. then hi, Uncle Lexus," he says, testing the title on his tongue. "I'm Hywel."
Lexus nods to Hywel, smiling happily too "It's nice to meet you Hywel and catch up with the rest of the family at last. Do you know who else in the pack is here at the moment perhaps?"
"I suppose we're *all* in the pack," Shag interjects. "We're all Viridian here, blood-lines or not. But there are some new names, like Alaqua. She arrived just recently." Shag wags his tail a bit. "I like her," he adds with a completely, genuinely innocent smile.
Rockfall says, "Most of the adults have been very quiet and hard to find lately. I only got a few minutes with my father last night," he says. "I guess apprehension over the merge has everyone feeling dis-spirited."
Lexus smirks at Shag "Good for you" he hmms then and glances around before standing up again "Doesn't bode well for me finding familiar faces anyway. Ah well, I suppose I'll have a look around anyway"
"It's a small place, but it's home for now," Shag says with a tilt of his head. "I like it here. You can... feel... the things around you. The trees. And the animals... have a lot to say... if you listen." He trails off into nothing as he glances into the forest, a rather strange, blank look on his face.
Rockfall says, "Sometimes ... when our ancestors are talked about ... I can almost hear and smell them here."
Lexus chuckles, genuinely amused "I assume by ancestors you mean further back than my parents. Should listen to the mountains around the valley, from the top the wind can whisper about the whole land below. Spent weeks up there sometimes. This place though, it's...different. It doesn't seem like home to me"
"Any place that has my family is home," Shag insists with a mild grin, nodding to Rockfall. "You're right, you know. But sometimes I think I can hear them just by being alone... by looking at the stars. Listening to the wind in the trees. Everything has a voice. It echoes, sometimes. If we want to Listen." He's got an exceedingly odd look on his face now, distant and unfocused, and then shakes himself something fierce. "Ah... uh, sorry. I get like that sometimes. I just... have trouble... focusing."
Rockfall nods. "In the Valley ... that's where I hear them. I don't know ... I think the spirits of the ancestors who are no longer with us, are still there. Silver, Silvan ... and the others ..." He looks at 'Uncle Shag' and smiles. "I get that way, too. I think its because we have such great ancestors."
Lexus chuckles quietly once more "Well, I think we're all far too mystical today. If I start looking for ancestors I'm going to miss finding out who's still around right now. I'm going to take a wander! Good to see you again Shag. Rockfall, don't go in the river again" and he starts to walk off into the trees.
Shag glances down at Rockfall. "Don't go in the river?" he asks. "Did you try to swim or something?" he asks him with a rather amused smile. "I like swimming. At least, when the water's warm enough for it... my father thought it was the strangest thing. I had a dream of floating down the river on a giant waterlily I'd go find. Haven't quite found it yet." Eager to be off the subject of his awkward mysticism, apparently.
Trotting her way through the lands is Alaqua, humming a happy song to herself as she goes, tail swinging side to side. Her ears are perked upwards, and her pretty eyes are half lidded in a content manner. "The sun will come out, I'm sure of it! The rain will soon wash away! I can't wait to see the morning, and start this brand new day!" She chirps out in a childish type manner, hopping over a puddle on the ground, then continues on forward, spying Shag in the distance. Instantly, she goes from happy, to sappy, as a dreamy look spreads along her face.
Rockfall sniffles a bit, still wet. "I ... err ... was chasing a fish ... but ... it went swimming farther out than I could swim ... Lexus had to pull me out of the water. It was ... very scary ..." he answers Shag. He wags when Alaqua comes prancing in. She has such a sweet voice! All the pups adore her, of course.
"Oh. Well, I'm glad Lexus was about then. Don't worry. We'll keep you safe from the deep parts." Shag nods, and then looks up, ears perking eagerly when they catch a voice, a voice that he knows well by now. A small, sincere smile spreads over his own muzzle as he identifies Alaqua without even looking in her direction, and then casts his gaze towards her. He lifts his head and gives a short howl in greeting, powered by his large chest.
At the Two-River Fork, Shag howls.
As Shag lets out a howl, the smile upon her muzzle broadens even more, to the point that it nearly hurts to grin as wide. As she catches his eye, she practically wriggles in anticipation as she heads over closer. As she finally grows closer, she leans in to give the puppy a nuzzle first, before tilting her chin upwards to stare at the star covered wolf. She steps forward and pushes her head beneath his chin, giving his throat a soft lick, before softly rumbling. "Good evening, Shaggy." She says with her usual cheerful voice, taking in a deep breath of his scent. "How is my two favorite boys doing?" She giggles.
Rockfall is having a nonstop wagfest. "Fishing," he laughs with a goofy smile. Obviously, he did not win against the fish, especially judging by his drenched state and the lack of the smell of a successfully hunted fish on his breath.
"Dreaming," Shag says, dipping his head to enclose Alaqua's muzzle underneath his for a moment. "How are you, Alaqua? You seem to be in a particularly cheerful mood today. We could hear your singing. You should sing more," he says with blithe sincerity, tilting his head cutely. He nods to Rockfall. "And teach him how to fish. Lexus had to save him from drowning. Rockfall, Alaqua is an expert fisher you know."
"Dreaming of me, I hope.. handsome. Because it's you who are in mine." Alaqua says with a smile as she leans more into his shoulder, as if she was magnetized to his touch. "You like my singing? I have one I could sing for you right now." She says with a giggle, tail swaying back, and forth, then turns her head down towards the puppy. "I am quite a fish catcher, I'd be more than happy to show you how to do it proper, without drowning."
Rockfall agrees. "Yes, Alaqua ... actually all us cubs have noticed there isn't much singing anymore, and ... we notice how sad everyone is. We definitely need more singing! And ... yeah," he giggles. "I would like to learn how to fish. They're nummy, they're always around ... just hard to catch. And ... my brother would be so jealous if I could catch one as well as you can!" he yaps.
The current pose order is: {Shag Alaqua Rockfall}.
"Oh... uh... that's... nice," Shag gulps, a shaky smile developing. He turns his ears down to cover the blush in them. "Uh, so yeah, about the fishing and the singing!" he continues hastily. "Why don't you try it now? Give us a song?" he asks, bumping her with his shoulder in return. "Then Rockfall can get his fishing lesson. Perfect end to the day, I think."
Watching him blush, Alaqua leans forward to give one of his ears a lick, blinking her star filled eyes a few times, before settling herself back upon her haunches. "A song, huh?" She says as she gives him a bright smile, before turning herself somewhat side ways. With a tilt of her head upwards, she begins to croon, her voice so pure, like that of the softest silk, full of emotion. "I'll always remember, when you were lost in the rain. I knew that moment, my whole life had changed. You told me to save you, from all the pain in your heart. I knew that moment..we will never part. I can give you everything you need, if you only say you'll stay with me." She sings, swaying a bit as she goes, turning her gaze subtly towards Shag. "All my love, is what I wanna give you everyday, everyday I love you. I'll be there to lift you just a little higher, fill your spirit with desire.. all my love.. " She thumps her tail on the ground, to provide a bit of a soft heartbeat. "It's never ending.. that flame
"..that flame that grows inside. We're starting something, when our hearts collide." She drawls to him, a song that is rich with emotion, and mushiness.
Rockfall doesn't get the mushy overtones, but his tail whips like crazy in a canine equivelant to applause.
Shag, in spite of his almost criminally low level of experience with things like romance, can certainly detect the look in her eyes, the way the words of the song seem especially directed towards a certain someone. His eyes widen and his ears are flat against his head as the song ends and Alaqua lavishes attention on him, as if he could make his fluffy self smaller by doing it. If she wanted to make him fidgety and bashful, it worked. It *was* extremely mushy after all.
Wagging her tail a bit behind her, Alaqua watches the poor male shrink, and look nervous. Her smile falters for a moment, as her ears tilt backwards. He didn't like it? That is what she thinks, and soon, a sad look crosses her features. "..sorry." She murmurs, pawing the ground a bit gently, staring down at the grass beneath her weight.
Rockfall breaks the tension unknowingly, "Do you know any songs about our ancestors? When Viridian first started? How the pack came to be?" he energetically yaps at Alaqua.
"S... sorry?" Shag says, his ears perking up a tad once again. He thought she had more to go! "I... no, Alaqua... it was wonderful," he says with a quiet, honest smile. One can just *tell* when Shag means what he says. It's like he's not capable of lying. "Really. Thank you." He seems especially thankful when Rockfall breaks in again. "Uh... I don't think she was around for that," Shag mumbles, afraid to steal her spotlight. "But, what she sings now is perfect," he adds with another smile. Don't be sad, you'll make Shag feel guilty!
Continuing to paw the ground, Alaqua seems a bit self conscious now. Maybe Shag is just saying that to not make her feel bad? "I don't have any songs of Viridian, only silly songs that I make up when I'm thinking of stuff." She says as she pushes her nose down against her paws, huffing quietly to herself. "Look into the other's eyes, many frustrations. Read between the lines.. no words.. just vibrations. Don't ignore hidden desires, pay attention.. you're playing with fire. Silence must be heard. Noise should be observed." She hums out once more, before flopping backwards upon her haunches. Perhaps that small little poem speaks volumes for this very moment. That invisible weirdness between her and the dreamer.
Rockfall wags some more, not saying anything this time, but does wish someone could sing songs of the ancestors. He wants to never forget what it is to be Viridian, especially ... if the rumors are true ... that Viridian will soon no longer be as it was.
Shag watches Alaqua in awkward silence as she begins to recite her poem, ears folding back again. He looks incredibly guilty. But what's he going to do with Rockfall right there? "I'll sing about Viridian to you, later," he promises, and then moves forward to nudge one of Alaqua's ears. "Hey," he says quietly. "How about that fishing lesson?" he asks with a smile, and then licks that same ear. "Don't feel bad. Please? It was a good song, really," he tries again. If only he could just understand what she was feeling. But, unfortunately... he does not express himself in the same way as her. It's like a gap he keeps pacing around, trying to figure out how to cross it effectively. And failing, obviously.
"I'll teach you how to fish in the morning, when it's perfect. The fish are sleepy and they're easier to catch." Alaqua says, ear twitching a bit at the lick. She feels weird herself now. She practically threw her heart down in front of Shag, and he still has no clue what to do with it. Turning her head, she gives the wolf a soft nuzzle, followed by a gentle whine as she pushes her muzzle up against his ear. "Was a stupid song." She whispers to him, before she starts off through the grass. "I'm going to get us dinner for tonight, but I promise to teach you how to fish in the morning, Rocky. Be a good pup, OK?"
Rockfall is an awkward thorn in a scene which could otherwise go from mushy songs to ... mushy love. "Hey, that wasn't a stupid song! It was sweet!" the pup yaps, a bit whiny as she gets up to leave.
"Wait, Alaqua! No," Shag is all but pleading now. He knows he messed up, even if he doesn't understand all the implications of it. He nods in agreement with Rockfall. "Yes! It was a wonderful song! A beautiful one! Really!" But she's already leaving. He grunts and sighs, blowing air out his nose. Wonderful, Shag. You're gonna break a girl's heart before you've even fallen in love. He needs advice is what he needs. He turns to Rockfall again. "Don't worry," he says unconvincingly. "She'll be fine."
As she heads off, Alaqua glances over her shoulder towards Shag, her eyes pleading as well. Please, just love me! With a falter of her ears, she heads off into the thick grass, off to catch the pack some dinner. Perhaps some rabbit in her tummy can calm down those butterflies that are flapping about.
Rockfall sits and sighs. "Girls ..." the pup mutters.
Shag turns his head away guiltily when Alaqua looks back, and then virtually mimics Rockfall the way he sits. "Girls," he agrees, though with less caustic exasperation. At least Rockfall won't have to worry about this for a while. Shag is getting a very prompt crash course in how to handle a girl's feelings, and it's not working out at all! Why him? Why couldn't he have been born ugly or something? "So... how about... those Viridian stories?" he offers after a few awkward moments, trying to smile again. Maybe spilling out some ancestral tales will help him deal with the shivering in his spine.
Rockfall shakes his head, looks to Shag and wags. "Yeah!" he says. "Sing them to life!" he begs.