Two Stories

[Pavane]

The Lone Crabapple Tree

This comes before meadowmuck.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ute&action=display&thread=1860 and meadowmuck.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=ute&thread=1861
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Tala yawns out and shifts and she licks across her maw while she slowly lifts her head to peer around the area. The talk she and Ahiga had the night before weighing heavy on her mind and she is slow to get herself up upon her haunches, wondering if anyone has returned.

What's different about Wachiwa this day? Not much at all; save that the mud she'd been covered in days ago has hardened in places, and has begun to flake off in clumps, creating a bit of a dirt cloud following her as she comes slowly walking up to the tree; head down, ears back, tail limp and listless. She's feeling rather bad; but must, as always, keep trucking along, yessir.

Niyt is still tired, but the worst of exhaustion has passed, and in its wake, she has a growing sense of urgency. The wind is still mostly quiet, but what little she can hear is enough to make her concerned. Her own brother is safe, but there is still danger, and she can't turn her back on it. She paces slowly. She will set out soon. But who else will come with her?

Tala ears perk as she peers around and she then shifts up onto her paws as she catches sight of Wachiwa. Its been a few days since she's seen her and after a moment she hops up onto her paws and eagerly runs over to Wachiwa and attempts to 'latch' herself onto the other wolves foreleg in a tight hug. Clearly glad to see her it would seem.

A yip of surprise comes from chewy-- oh dear, she has a KLINGON! .. er, Cling-on! She grimaces a bit as the pup clinging to her foreleg tugs at the fur and mud there a moment, then ducks her head to lick at Tala's ears, murmuring, "Hello, Tala.. I'm glad to see I didn't lose you, too," she says, softly, as she nuzzles at the she-pup, ears twitching as she catches sound of Niyt's pacing. She looks up to see the other adult, watching her a moment, before giving out a chuff of noise at her. "My friend, you have ants in your fur.. I bring word from the Great Spirits.."

The pitter-patter of puppy paws makes Niyt stop in her pacing. She lifts her head, turning it slightly to listen more carefully. When Wachiwa speaks to her, she actually pads in that direction, nodding. "What have you heard?"

Tala stays clinging to Wachiwa's foreleg for a few moments, rather glad to see her it would seem. Her steel blue gaze drifts over to Niyt and she peers up at the bind wolf as the other moves closer. She lets go of Wachiwa and settles there at her side, pondering what they are talking about spirits for.

A grim countinence comes over the lighter-if-muddier-furred adult as she glances briefly to Tala, then looks back to Niyt. "They could not tell me what is going on. But they did say... There are bad omens afoot; we will need one of each afflicted group to settle the score." .. She then considers, and adds: "And they said to look to the river; there where two lands meet, we will find answers." She looks to Tala and smiles slightly, "Tala, hon, have you been doing well, even with Ikuna gone? We're working on finding him, you know.."

Niyt nods. "Then we will do that," replies Niyt. "But... we must act soon. I don't know what's going on either, but what little I can hear... it is angry, and it is urgent." Things are not as they should be. "I will come to the river, if that is where the Spirits say; I think I and my brother can speak for Cerulean." A slight smile, there, despite the seriousness of the situation. When Wachiwa speaks to the pup, she is silent, simply lowering her head slightly.

Tala peers at one and then the other listing to the conversation and seeming a bit confused. "What spirts you talking too Wachiwa?" Well she is curious to say the least. For a moment she pauses and she licks across her maw, nodding slightly before looking down at the ground. "I'm alright.. An.. ya I know.." This said softly, she's worried about her brother to say the least, and still unsure if she'll ever see her again. Her stomach grumbles after she says this.

Chewy turns her head to lick at Tala's face, and murmurs, "I was talking to our Ancestors, Tala. Alpha, and Beta, and the ancestors of every animal there is; The Great Spirits." She smiles, nuzzling the pup. "They are where I learn my stories from, and to them we turn when we need help we cannot give ourselves," She says, softly, licking at the pup's face, before she looks to Niyt, and smiles. "I am glad your brother found us, Niyt, I am sure he can give us a lot of help!" Her muddy tail wags a little. "But we should also remember to let him be a puppy when he wants." She hmms, then asks, "Say, Tala. Did you remember to do the ritual to greet the sun this morning?" playfully. Well, there may not be actual rituals, but, giving the pups silly things to do does help them.

Niyt listens as Wachiwa explains her spirits to the puppy. She doesn't hear from those spirits; but she's heard of their mention before. As a child of merged packs, she understands how different beliefs can come together. "I am very glad," she agrees about the return of her brother. "Perhaps he will have a chance to play with the pups here before we go. He'd like that." She smiles. It will be harder, on the journey - but once they find the other younglings, there will be more chances to play.

Tala ohs softly and nods while she glances down to the ground, her forepaws rubbing at the dirt a few times. She tilts her head at the licks, eyes half closing and she makes a face but doesn't pull away fully, a soft sputter escaping her. "Well.. no I didn't.. I didn't want to do it without Ikuna.." This offered with a soft sad murmur, her ears lowering a few moments.

A gaasp! And Chewy scolds, in play, "Oh, Tala, you should never ever forsake the sun when it rises!" She fusses over the puppy, licking at her ears, nibbling at one of them with a weak grin. "Let's do it now, I'm sure the sun won't mind. And Niyt can join in with us, right, Niyt? It's very easy," the muddy wolfess looks to the blind with an amused smile, her attempts at silliness, though tempered by stress, evident in her voice.

Niyt smiles, listening to Wachiwa tease and coax her puppy to play. "Of course," she agrees. Not that she has any idea what the other wolfess has in mind, but... what difference does that make? "The sun here is kind. It won't mind. Now, the desert sun... ah, that one can be mean. It dries the whole world to sand, and wolves hide from the day and come out at night."

Tala erks out slightly and titls her head to the side at the nips and licks across her ear, a faint giggle half escaping her for a moment. Her forepaws lifts to press and bat out at Wachiwa's form. She licks across her maw, a faint smile seen and she looks over to Niyt and nods slightly. "Alright.. We can do that.."

A chuckle at Niyt's amusement, and then Chewy ah-hems. "Well, now since it's not exactly morning, the rules have changed," Wachiwa says, thoughtfully, musing, before she sitts. "We begin by asking for blessing from the grass, by wiggling our toes in the grass!" Wachiwa splays her forepaws slightly abd geins scrunching them in the grass at her feet, nodding to Tala to follow, and looking to Niyt for help. "We accompany this by saying, 'Oh, mighty grass! let our paths always be soft, and our hunts silent so that the hare does not hear our approach!'."

Ahh, silly puppy games. Even often-serious Niyt appreciates them. She spreads out her paws, rubbing them along the grass and making it rustle. "Oh, mighty grass," she repeats, smiling. "Let our paths always be soft, that our paws take pleasure in travel, and our hunts silent so that the hare does not hear our approach, and through him we may share in your bounty."

Tala follows through and copies what Wachiwa does, her front paws splay out within the grass, toes gripping at it as her tail wiggles about. "Oh might grass, let our paths always be soft, and our hunts silent so that the hare dose not hear our approach!"

"And now," Chewy says, "We must all take a deeeeep breath of the wind, to show our appriciation of it because it aids our hunts, and tells us songs when we are alone. It is through the wind that our ancestors speak to us, and it is through the wind that we shall travel to the stars to be with them when our bodies are tired, and we must move on." Chewy takes a deeeeep breath; and holds, and holds, and then.. lets it out, falling backwards into the grass with a series of pants.

Niyt lifts her head, closing her blind eyes as she listens to the wind. She takes in a deep breath, and then lets it out, half-voiced, in a soft howl underneath her breath. The wind around her picks up a little, in that moment. It ruffles through her fur, little swirls that bring scents to her nose and words to her ears. For all the relaxation of deep breaths and silly games, that wind is far from soothing to her in this moment. The distant echoes of anger and fear still touch it, and that growing urgency... Her eyes stay closed, her body growing slightly tenser as she listens.

Tala eagerly follows after Chewy and lifts her head to take in a deep breath of air and hops up on her haunches before blowing it out while her ees close and she wiggles about. At the end she falls backwards upon her back and half giggles out while squirming a few moments.

Niyt's reaction to the wind doesn't escape Chewy's mind, as she rolls over to grin at Tala. See, now, that giggling is what she was looking for. "And now that we're done.." chewy says, drawing the last word out and rolling to her belly, tail wagging slightly, "I'm.... GONNA GETCHA!" She pounces for Tala with a grin, trying to pin the pup between her paws so she can blow a raspberry at Tala's poor, defenseless, exposed belly.

Niyt is too distracted by the whispers of the wind to even register Chewy and Tala's play, for a few moments. When she does, when her head lowers and she shakes it slightly to clear it, she lets out a soft sigh, and though she smiles, it's tempered with sadness. She keeps silent, not wanting to disturb the cheerful play.

Tala blinks and ees! she bounces back trying to escape but is just to slow in her movements seeing how she's on her back. She wiggles about and kicks out with her paws. "Wachiwa!" She cries out betwen burst of laughter.

"Ooooh, I got you, yeah, I got you," the silly not-grown-wolf says, as Chewy grins, licking at the poor belly before her, then letting Tala up. "Laughin' and giggling, that's what I been missin'." She smiles.. then casts a look to Niyt, before she looks to Tala with a playful grin, using a paw to motion that she should 'shhhh', as Chewy turns and starts crawling for the Blind wolf with a big sloppy grin on her face.

Soon the journey must begin again. Where will it lead? There is something strange behind this, and the more Niyt learns of it, the less she likes it. Her thoughts are turning dark, and she notices not a bit of the quiet sounds of Wachiwa sneaking up on her.

Tala giggles and struggles to try and get away from Chewy. "Ya.. I miss it to.." She offers between pants. She licks across her maw and peers over the edge and looks towards where she is pointing at. Her steel blue eyes rest on Niyt and she slips quiet.

Neek neek neek. Because to catch a unique wolf, yu /neek/ up on it. Huh huh. Ears flattening slightly, a goofy grin on her face, Chewy creeps up on Niyt... wiggles her butt in the air.. and then leaps. "I GOTCHOO!" She bellows, attempting to tackle-pounce the other she-wolf with a great big grin, going for Nity's scruff with a playful nip or two meant only in jest. At least Wachiwa, though dirty, and worried, and full of concern and stress, has not lost sight of one important thing: laughter is the best medicine in life.

They wi- WAIT WHAT NOW? Niyt lets out a surprised yelp as she's pounced, falling over onto her side with limbs all aflail! There's a moment when her body starts to tense up in earnest, the fears of a wolf who has long traveled alone coming back to haunt her. A half-moment's snarl, before the scent reaches her nose and she feels the warm glow of Wachiwa's spirit in that muddy wolf pouncing her. Oh. It's just... just her. Niyt laughs as much with relief as amusement, and reaches up a paw to bat at the other female.

Tala licks across her maw and she shifts to rest on her belly and watch as Wachiwa move slowly towards Niyt. Her tail swaying about while she hops up on her paws and bounces after Chewy towards the pair. She attempts to snag hold of Chewy's tail in a playful grab with her maw and gives her head a few shakes while giggling.

Easy Prey, a blind wolf! Chewy grins, tongue lolling, as she licks at Niyt's face and then yips at Tala grabbing her tail. The silly clown of the three wolves gasps. "OH NOES, I HAS BEEN CAUGHT BY A MONSTER!" as she lets Niyt loose to flop to her side, and then her belly, paws flailing over her chest as she 'writhes' and cries out, "Oh, horrible monster, do not eat me, for I shall sing you a song to make you happy, and tell you a story to ease you!"

Serious Niyt is caught up in play again, and she clearly knows how. Just as long as she remembers to do it! She rolls back around to her belly, and licks at Wachiwa's face in return - then half-rises, nosebumping down at her flailing paws and mouthing them playfully whenever she happens to connect. Now that she's paying attention, she can hear Tala moving around at the other end of the silly wolf, and she laughs. "Don't forget to demand a cushion!" she instructs Tala. What are stories without a comfy place to listen from?

Tala grins and grrs out softly while she eagerly pulls against Chewy's tail a few times before she pauses, ears perking and soon lets go of the tail. "Oh.. Alright.. I hope its a good story.." This said while she peers up at Niyt then looks back to Chewy. Her form wiggling while she settles herself down upon the ground, forepaws pulled to her chest.

From behind the tree emerged the creeper wolf, white-eyes, that serious-wolf as some called him. Helaku had been off on his own for a short time since he and Niyt talked at the river and now he returned to the tree to the sounds of...play. What is play? Helaku did not quite grasp this unusual, strange concept he witnessed region to region. There was no such thing as 'play' in the Miakoda...only seriousness. He was Ute by nature when among wolves, but whenever by himself he was Miakoda--two contradictory philosophies as opposite as the sun and moon. He silented watched the trio, sitting there in silent observation.

Giggling at her paws being mouthed, Chewy makes them harder to catch, but only in play. As Tala lets go of her tail, Wachiwa hmmms! And then moves to roll over, sitting up. "Well I have a story I Cooooooould tell you, but it'd be super scary, and I wouldn't want to give you nightmares, Tala." Chewy says, sniffing. "You'd have to be a real brave puppy to listen to it. You think you can be really super brave, and stuff?" She asks, grinning at Tala, and looking to Niyt as well. "If you get scared, Niyt can hold you, too. But she might get scared as well, c'os it's a very scary story!" Chewy warns, though giving a wink to Niyt, even if the blind wolf might not see.

Can she see the wink? No. But she's very good at hearing the intonations of voices. "A super scary one?" Niyt repeats. "Maybe I can hide behind Tala for those bits." Grown wolf hiding behind little puppy? Nope, not silly at all. Of course not. She lies down, and spreads her forepaws. "How about it, Tala? Will you come and let me hide my head behind you for the scary bits?" That way, the other wolf can prance around and act out the story all she likes. Not that Niyt will be able to see, but she's sure the pup will appreciate the show.

Tala ears perk and she ohs while peering at Chewy a few moments, her ears lower at the talk of it being a scarey story. "Why you gona tell a scarey story?" She questions while peering at Chewy and tilts her head. As for the part of her being brave her tail twitches. "Of course I'm brave!" She states out as she sits up and sits tall, though she does inch over closer to where Niyt is and settles down between the other's forepaws. "Sure!.. But.. I bet you're braver then me Niyt."

Helaku sat there, still in complete silence as he watched them. How vulnerable...they were off in their own little world when on their land. It was no wonder the pups went missing so easily; if the perp was someone like himself, the job would be simple. To steal a pup, he could sneak right by without any worry if he was interested in such useless ideals. How long would it even take for them to notice him there? This amused Helaku...and so he remained silent just to find out.

"Okay, if you're sure," grins Chewy, as she lifts her head. She gives a howl into the air before starting her story as a means to draw a hush upon the area around them, before she bows her head. "Great Spirits, we thank you for the stories we can share, for they bring us closer to one another; for we are all family in flesh and fur, wether from one pack or another, linked in brotherhood by the gift of life." Then, she lifts her head: "Once, not so long ago, there was a pack of wolves. There were two wolves named Wachiwa and Askuwheteau in this pack, and they had just finished growing up to be big wolves," Chewy smiled at this thought. "One day, they met under a crab-apple tree, not unlike this tree here, and they spoke to one another of many things.. And by and by, like Alpha and Beta before them, Askuwheteau and Wachiwa decided they would be sun and moon together."

"Only when I have to be," replies Niyt to Tala. There's always been some reason or other why she has to be brave for a very long time. Without those reasons of her family, her friends, and the important things that need to be done, she'd never have the courage to stick around. The fog-cloud wolf would drift away into nothingness. She smiles, though, settling down to a comfortable position to listen to Wachiwa's story. Her ears perk at the names listed. Ah. Perhaps this will help her understand some of the things about this pack she doesn't yet know.

Tala nods a few times while peering up at Chewy. "If Niyt is ok with it then I am to." She offers eagerly for the story. Her ears perk at the howl as she watches Wachiwa. The pup settles down upon the ground once more, tail twitching a few times. A smirk is clearly seen. "Is this a story about you and Asku?" She questions while tilting her head and presses close to one of Niyt's paws. Though within a few moments she gets that sinking feeling that someone is watching them and glances one way and then another. Between Ikuna and herself, she has always be the more warey pup and she still is. Her ears lower as she peers at Helaku and she frowns as she stares back at him with her steel blue gaze. "Why you watching us?.." She questions, a faint tone in her voice to show she doesn't like it!

Quite a curious young wolf, this Tala, though he didn't yet know her name. Helaku met eyes with her, his sharp face one of expressionless prestige. "To see how long it would take one of you to notice me here," he answered, ears shifting slightly towards Wachiwa. "Sun and Moon..." He shifted his neck to ever slightly move the human scarf around his neck to show the Tobba on his shoulder. It was the old Ute symbol, but at it center was something the Ute never had--a Moon. "Continue your story, Wachiwa?"

Blinking at Helaku, Chewy sorta wags her tail, but turns a little sheepish at Tala's assumption. "Keeeee-rect, little heart," Chewy says, smiling a bit. "This is a story about me and your big brother." She grins.. and then continues. "To be Sun and Moon, is to be like the Alpha pair; they would forever be together. But they were young wolves, only just adults... and Askuwheteau had his doubts. After hearing from an Elder of the pack, Elder Hinto, how finallizing, how perminent it was to be the sun to another's moon, Askuwheteau, in fear that he would not be worthy of Wachiwa, told her he could not be her Sun. And Wachiwa was very sad. And so they were afraid to talk to one another because of this."

Ahiga wasn't going to stay at the tree til a certain young wolf returned...but he had to pee, and it's no good to relieve oneself where everyone's been hanging around and continues to hang around. So he's been off to do his business, but how he's back! He arrives with his ears pressed forward, hearing familiar voices, which is a grand relief. His tail begins to wag in greeting as he gets nearer, though falters at the sight of Helaku who earns an ugly look. Keeping a distance from him, he approaches Wachiwa and Tala, plopping himself down along his friend. "'Sup," he greets though says little else after. He knows when it's story time, and he has to listen to catch himself up.

Tala watches Helaku a few moments, she gets an uneasy feeling around this adult for some reason or another. She continues to watch him for a few moments, and then looks back to Chewy, a ear staying perked towards Helauk though. A face is made as she hears Chewy. "I knew it was.." She offers before sliping quiet to listen to the rest of the story, rather curious about the talk of a sun and moon. A slight glance is offered towards Helauk and she catches sight of the marks upon his fur. Tala at the movement and voice she looks over to Ahiga and bats out at him. "Chewy is telling a story bout the sun and moon.." She leans over and whispers a bit more. "An.. that wolf over there is strange.. He was watching us.."

Helaku ignored the disdain he received from the younger wolves. He'd received too much of that in life to be affected by it any longer. He simply closed his eyes and sat there, listening. To everything he could possibly hear.
Mori slowly pads back toward the group looking quite worn out after a few days of useless wandering looking for the cubs mother, his gaze quietly surveying the group as he makes his way over to Aeron's side and gives him a friendly nuzzle before offering everybody a respectfull dip of his head in greeting

"One day, Askuwheteau, Wachiwa, and Elder Hinto, were in front of the den of their pack. A rattlesnake had recently made his home in the pack lands, and Askuwheteau and Elder Hinto were trying to ask it to leave as politely as they could, but the snake was being stubborn. Wachiwa was nearby, resting, because she had spent the last few days hunting food for the pack, and had also been sleepless since Askuwheteau said he could not be her Sun. Askuwheteau, in his youth, was not as wise, nor as trained at being nice to others, and in his attempts to ask the snake to go away, had managed to anger it. Suddenly, the snake lunged, and bit Askuwheteau on the face! And then it went and hid in it's hole. The snake was a very poisonous one, and while Elder Hinto went to try and find help, Wachiwa, in a panic, went to comfort Askuwheteau, for both thought he was surely to die."

Niyt listens curiously to Wachiwa's story. When another young wolf approaches, who she recognizes by scent as Ahiga, she smiles. This has a familiar and pleasant feel; a pack coming together at rest. Her father used to tell all sorts of stories, if one caught him in the right mood. Wachiwa's stories are new ones, and that makes them good in their own way. Helaku's voice, and the murmurings about the pups about him, makes her get a considering expression for a moment. But she doesn't let that distract her for long. It's storytime!

Of course Wachiwa is telling a story about the sun and moon. The words "sun" and "moon" are heard a lot around these parts, especially from the mouths of the local storytellers, and thus Ahiga seems not surprised by the content of this particular tale. And she he nods to his bud and nods a bit more firmly in affirmation to her thoughts regarding the strange wolf. "Yeah. 'N what's that weird thing he's always messin' with around his neck?" he whispers back distastefully. "It's weird." But enough about that stranger, this story just got a bit more interesting cuz...he knows the characters! His ears perk up at that, especially at the snake bit. ".../Really?/" he can't help but interject, his turquoise eyes growing as wide as moons in awed shock. His hero....snake bitten?! "Asku got bit by a snake?" And thus...Asku just got a whole lot cooler.

Tala watches Helaku a few moments and then peers over at mori before glancing back to Chewy an leans against Ahiga while she listens. Her eyes widen as the story goes on. "Asku was bit by a snake?.. He never told me that.." Darn brothers! She looks up to Niyt and leans up to nose at her while her tail sways a few times. Well this story is getting rather interesting to say the least.. But Asku is alright as his still here after all.

Helaku quietly moved down and next to Niyt so she could feel his presence. Despite how he felt at the things she unknowingly said, he didn't have any tension with her. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know. Asku, bitten by a snake and survived? Now there was something one didn't hear every day...

Mori stays silent as he remains by Aeron's side being content to listen to now, after all one should never disturb somebodies storytime.....especially not Wachiwas. The wolfs eyes instead studying the others listening to see their reactions.

"When Elder Hinto returned, it was with Askuwheteau's mother, Wyanet, and father, Hahtalekin, in tow. Wyanet was frightened very much for her son, and acted in anger because of it, attempting to dig the snake out of his hole, while Hahtalekin came to see how his son fared; Wachiwa was crying because she was afraid Askuwheteau, who had always been her friend since she was very very little, was going to die. However, the snake did rear his head, and said, 'Stop, and fear not, fo I have withheld my poison to teach him a lesson. Life is a gift, and one should never take it for granted. The words he spoke to me were an insult; for he spoke as if life had no meaning, and I was angered, and decided to teach him otherwise." And then the snake left lest he be chewed to bits by Askuwheteau's distraught mother, and his now angry father, who, though appriciative of the lesson learned by Askuwheteau, was not happy that the snake could so easily have made a mistake and left his son dead."

Hinto soon strolls back into the area. The parent in him wants to get something taken care of. Aeron has been away from his mother for some time, so he wishes to fetch his boy. He heard a bit of the story, and decides to add his contribution as he heads toward Mori and Aeron. "The snake was certainly a scare."

Niyt chuckles at the shocked responses of the pups - sometimes, even siblings keep unexpected secrets! She smiles at the nosing from Tala, and leans down to nuzzle the pup lightly in return. She even tilts her head to attempt the same for Ahiga, as she finds the male pup beside the female, though Ahiga's been more standoffish about the strange female in the past. She can hear and smell more wolves approaching - to listen to the story, for all that some of them lived it.

Ahiga barely acknowledges the presense of the grown males, so engrossed is he with this tale of Asku and the snake. Wachiwa's wrath he's never seen, nor did he have the opportunity to meet the former alpha, but he's heard enough about her ot know that no one wants to be on the receiving end of her anger! And so he begins to grin as he hears of her anger to the snake, mentally cheering her on. He's momentarily jolted from his thoughts by a sudden touch, and he looks up towars Niyt, the one with the weird eyes. He leans away a little, though eventually offers and slight, very slight, smile...though little does he know that his effort is wasted! "What did Asku's dad do?" he asks curiously, his gaze returning to Wachiwa now, "since he was mad?"

Tala blinks and ohs softly, her ears perking and then lowering. She knows her brother can be very loud to say the least. As to the talk of her parents she smiles, her tail wagging a few times. She loved her parents that's for sure and is tickled at the talk of her mother digging after the bad snake! "Ya.. What did dad do?"

Wyanet...crying? The idea of that wolf crying over anything made Helaku's eye subtly twitch. On the otherside, it was about time something taught her a lesson...other than the bear. Oh what dark humor--Miakoda humor. His thoughts remained unspoken and un-alluded to. Yes, indeed...what did old Haht do then?

Mori looks over at Hinto and offers him a nod of greeting as he hears his voice before he turns his focus back on Wachiwa finding it somewhat interesting to hear the story told in her way.

"Your father, for he was quite wise," Wachiwa said, amused, "Gave Askuwhetau a scolding, for he was very foolish indeed to treating life as if it were not worth the gift that it is. And then he and Wyanet both filled in the snake's old hole, so no one would get hurt again." And Askuwhteau vowed from that day on that he would appriciate life for all that it is. Although sometimes, he is forgetful, and doesn't remember to enjoy life. But that's what Wachiwa is there for. I keep him in line," she winks a little, "And I remind him what it is to enjoy life. The same way I try to remind everyone," she settles her eyes on Mori, smirking: "Even my dumb poopyhead brother." She grins.

Hinto clears his throat and sits by Mori and whispers in his ear, watching the rest of the group.

No yelps of terror or anger at her nosing. Good enough! Niyt lifts her head again. Not that she can see, but it makes for a better perspective to hear from. She's beginning to get a deeper sense of the former alphas here - well, the one-step-former ones. The ones older yet would be known to Helaku, more than Wachiwa; or perhaps Hinto, though she hasn't spoken much to that wolf. This pack has history, of a sort her own Cerulean both has and doesn't. The move from Lazuli and Viridian was a fresh start, and for all the members of the old packs brought their heritage with them, they also recognized that they were part of something new. At the mention of poopyhead brothers, Niyt can't help but smile. Her voice is soft but earnest as she says, "Those reminders are very important things."

Tala peers at Wachiwa and ohs softly, she nods a few times, her tail slowly swaying about. "At least the snake left and isn't around to cause a problem anymore.." Well, hopfully at least. "I'm glad Asku learned something.. An I'll remind him as well if he does something stupid!" Leave it to a little sister to remind a older sibling of something.

Helaku tilted his head. He hadn't been much for storytelling except once with Wachiwa and a tad with Asku. He never had an audience either, but the inspiration he received from Alpha Skelaghe had made him into somewhat of a storyteller...and perhaps it was a good time to tell a story that she might appreciate the moral being conveyed despite the content. "Curious that you mention snakes," said Helaku. "My father had a confrontation with a snake in a very strange place before he refounded the Ute with Alpha Skelaghe. Now might be a convenient time to share with you a story that I know for its lesson applies to the now." His eyes shifted to Wachiwa. She would find this story important...specifically where Askuwheateau was concerned.

Mori chuckles softly at her comment. "And your dumb poopyhead brother has learned a lot since that time oh most wise and couragous sister." His voice all calm and serious even as he offers her a wry smirk. "Its good to see you again tho after all this time." He then returns to silence as he looks over at Helaku curiously.

"Of course you will!" Chewy says, grinning, "It's the job of all sisters to remind their brothers to behave themselves," a grin spreads on Wachiwa's face, tpongue lolling a little. She bobs her head then, and adds, "I know it's not as much an exciting story, but I thought maybe you'd like to hear a story about your brother, and how even he makes mistakes sometimes." She grins a little. Her ears perk though at Helaku, and she blinks a little to find she's gathered quite a crowd. She grins in merriment, then says, "Is it a tale the young ones can hear, Helaku? Or should they be sent to bed before you begin?" Before she looks at Mori with a sniff. "You and I need to talk later," she smiles dangerously at him, as she stands, and plods the few steps needed to lay down next to Niyt, Tala, and Ahiga, laying her head on the other she-wolf's shoulder with a comfortable smile.

It wasn't a bad story. Any story with Asku in it is bound to be good, right? Ahiga glances over to Tala as she speaks, and he snickers at her. "He doesn' do stupid things," he says, feeling it right to defend his...uhm...guardian-type fellow. He grins, taking the opportunity to try to nip at her ear before bounding away in hopes of dodging retaliation. In the process, he trips over the nearby Niyt's paw, stumbling, but not outright falling. "Ops! Uh..sorry," he offers, ears falling back momentarily. Though, what's this? He glances Helaku's way, nose wrinkling a little. "I ain't going to sleep because've /him/ an' his stup-.." a glance to Wachiwa, "an' his story," he amends.

Tala peers up at Niyt and then glances over to Chewy. "I like the story.. I'm going to bug Asku about it later!" She eyes Ahiga a moment and nips right back after his tail. "If he is saying stupid things to make a bad snake mad at him then his doing stupid things!" She offers with a firm nod of her head. When Chewy comes over to where she and the others are she hops up to bump and nuzzle against her before peering at Helaku. She isn't going anywhere it seems..

Hinto looks at Mori curiously. That was an unexpected course of action he suggested. He may have to consider it, though. Something about Lupin lately has something worrying Hinto in a small way. He hasn't voiced it yet. "Mori... perhaps we should speak in private."

One story, it seems, may lead to another. Niyt tilts her head curiously to Helaku as he proposes another snake-related tale. It's hardly her place to insist or refuse, though; after all, she's just a guest here. But it could certainly be interesting - well, assuming it meets the others' standard for suitable pup fare. By the time unwilling puppies could be chased to bed, the moment would almost certainly have passed. She smiles, as Wachiwa comes to join her and the puppies, and noses at her cheek before relaxing in this comfy position. When Ahiga teases Tala, and then bounces away, she chuckles. "It's okay." She's had puppies climbing over her far, far more wildly than that! Her thoughts go to her own family, both here and absent. "And the job of brothers, to remind their sisters of what's important."

"There is one story that is only for us older wolves," answered Helaku as he gazed at Wachiwa. "But that story is not the one I will tell." His tail subtly flickered against Niyt as he continued. This was partly about himself. "Before I remember Elder Hinto being Ute...before Wyanet and Haht became Alpha is when this story occured." He merely grinned at the younger wolves...and Hinto. "You will learn several things about packs, their security and myself." He threw a wink at Wachiwa. He was sure that would interest her as much as Niyt.

Mori offers Wachiwa a nod in acknowledgement then moments later dips it again to Hinto "I am sure we all will find this story quite facinating" his eyes somewhat more focused as he studies Helaku.

Ears twitch, and Wachiwa sticks her tongue out at Helaku. "Dirty old man," she teases at him, with a grin, and a flip of her tail, though she never means any of her 'insults'. Heck, te only real time she's ever been angry angry was the time-- well, that's something one doesn't mention around puppies! She hmms thoughtfully, then says, "Well, as long as the pups aren't going to be asking us stuff like 'where do rabbits come from' or something like that."

Ahiga whips his tail around a few times in order to keep it from getting nipped upon again, and he flashes a grin towards Tala afterwards. And he's rather glad that Niyt isn't a grumpy type who minds a clumsy youngster. Though as the talk continues to circulate about Helaku's story, his smile begins to fade, and the grin offered by the said wolf is given the cold shoulder. He lifts a paw to press against Tala's shoulder. "I don' care about this weirdo's story," he says hushedly. "You can listen if ya want. I'm outta here."

Tala glances to Wachiwa, her ears perking forward. "Where do rabbits come from anyway?" Well Wachiwa did just say it, one of them was going to ask at some point right? She glances over to Ahiga and her ears perk forward. "Where are you going?.." An she looks torn, wanting to follow after Ahiga but stay here as well, darn boys.

Niyt pays most of her attention to Helaku, since he is the storyteller now. The voices of stories are enough to distract her from the urgency of the quest before her and these other wolves - for now. They can't wait forever. Knowing more of those she may travel with seems a good idea, though. She will have patience. A patience which, it seems, Ahiga doesn't share. He is a young boy, after all, and one who's already sat through most of one story. She smiles when Tala picks up on the question Wachiwa had hoped to avoid. Kids're like that. She... well, she kind of learned the answer to that one accidentally, before her parents meant. Sound carries, in the desert, and there's not much cover.

Aeron yawns widely as he stands up slowly, his head slowly turning first to the left then right to figure out what woke him up, his eyes blinking rapidly a few times. "Yea, where are they from?" He might fully aware of whats going on, but that WAS a good question he woke to.

And Hinto noses his son gently. "Aeron. What do you think about the idea of living here with the pack?"

Ears flatten slightly, and Wachiwa uuuuhhhhs, "I'll tell you that story when everyone's here for it. Ikuna included." .. Yeah, that'll hold things off for a while.

"I'm not old..." said Helaku, mockingly hurt. "I'm far younger than Hinto." Oh dear. The motion of Ahiga briefly distracted him, but his response to it was silence. If he ran into the same situation then he'd probably not know what to do. Some learned the hard way. He coughed, hoping to cancel out the question about rabbit multiplication. "I've told you up to this point that I am Ute, or that I am according to certain wolves and not according to others," said Helaku. "I am of Ute...but I am also not of Ute. How this came about begins long ago, many seasons ago...so far back into Ute history that it goes back to the time of Alpha Aquene, when the Ute lived far from here, near a lake." Of course, he wasn't going to go into the entire mess with his father searching for the cure...if they wanted to know, then he would share that later. Wachiwa all ready knew about it. "Alpha Skelaghe and Alpha Helaku, my father, were from Alpha Aquene's Ute, my father having been her Beta.. The Ute of old died from an epidemic my father, at the command of Alpha Aquene, tried to end by finding a cure. There were only four survivors of the Ancient Ute: Alpha Skelaghe, Alpha Helaku, Honorable Ixkin, and another Ute named Dakota, whose fate is unknown..." And this is where his story begins.

"They come from holes, duh," Ahiga replies to Tala, fixing her with a "why don't you know this already?" sort of look. Ugh, girls. They're so slow! "An' the holes are there cuz El-Chibaba-llama, the Rabbit Prince, made Alpha and Beta mad cuz he didn't listen to them, and /they/ made everybody want to eat rabbits, so they had to hide." Oh, so he /does/ listen to the stories told! He grins a little as some of her interest has now turned to him instead of the Helaku's tale. Where is he going? "Uuuhmm..." Hm! Good question. Not /far/ by any means but...away. "Like...oh! Asku said there was secret fort by the den, remember?" he reports, suddenly inspired. An ear turns to Helaku as he begins, but he does his best to be stubborn and look as disinterested as ever, going as far as not looking at him. "...Uh oh, weirdo number two's up," he remarks beneath his breath, eyes sliding over to Aeron.

Tala eyes Ahiga a few moments, her ears lowering and she shifts to press closer to Niyt. "I know they come from /holes/.." She states with a matter-oh-fact like tone. Clearly she is not happy with her dear friend at the moment, stupid boys. A ear twitches forward slightly. "Ya.. So? I want to stay here and wait for Ikuna to come back not go looking for some forest." She pauses and glances over to Aeron and then towards Helaku as he goes about starting his story.

Niyt has learned far too many names in the last couple of days. At least these aren't even current ones she'll have to recognize! Even if one of them has the same name as the teller of this tale. She tries to make sense of and remember them, but it's a challenge. As Tala presses closer against her, she noses gently at the pup, though she doesn't say anything.

Aeron blinks slightly as he looks up at Hinto "We are of the Ute are we not?" His voice somewhat confused as to him being of the ute obviously means being with the pack. A soft smile offered Tala as he notes her look in his direction.

"We are of the Ute, but we have never truly lived among them." Hinto says. He will definitely need to speak to Mori. "How would you like it if all of us, you, me, uncle Mori, Ishara, and your mother all come to live with the rest of the pack?"

"-- Ahiga, don't go into the hiding place by the den, please. Us big wolves can't get there, which is fun for little wolves, but after what's happened to Ikuna, us big wolves would all be very scared and sad if we couldn't find you." Wachiwa says, with a frown. She moves to stand, stretching. "Plus you look like you could use a bath," says the wolf covered from head to toe in dried, flaking mud. She's starting after him, attempting to snatch him carefully up by the shoulders and scruff, and drag him back. "You don't have to listen, but don't be rude, either." Granted, she's kind of unsure what to say of Helaku either these days. Her mom and dad certainly never told her about him, which is one thing she just can't figure out.

Helaku met eyes with them as he began the actual part of his story. "The four were divded by circumstance and life," he said. "Alpha Helaku roamed and ended up in a place very...very far from here, a place you never want to go, ever, even if the curiosity would kill you...a place known as the Redwood Barrens. There lived a pack with such territory and power that no animal in their right mind dared to ever strike against them. They were known as Miakoda and their idol was opposite the Ute, being Luna, the moon. Whereas Ute in tradition is warm, friendly, generous and very benevolent..the Miakoda were just as much benevolent but held within their way of life intense focus on security, militarism, subterfuge, deception and very little tolerance for disobedience...the Miakoda came together at the direction of an Alsatian named Lincoln, the toughest dog you could ever have met. He was trained by Man to fight in their conflicts, eventualy tired of it and became as natural as us. When Lincoln found my father captured by Man and forced to fight other animals...my father met Wuth, my mother. My father eventually became one of several Alphas in the Miakoda and soon I was born. Unfortunately, my father had to leave because his old Ute roots called to him. He went to find the other three, found Alpha Skelaghe and became her mate as they restarted the Ute in this very place you call home. In time, Bodhi and Honorable Ixkin appeared. Eventually as a juvenile I followed under order from my Alphas to find my father...and so I came here...and here I found a rebellious young wolf-dog among the Ute named Rowtag, the actual subject of this story."

Mori keeps half his focus on Helaku even as he gets distracted by the conversation Hinto and Aeron has..

Grump. If /IKUNA/ was here, he'd totally be game for going to the fort with him! Boys + Forts = Wicked Awesome Times! Ahiga exhales a deep breath, giving an exhasperated look towards Tala. "C'moooon Tala," he pleads, bouncing on his paws a little, trying to coax her away from the creepy eyed wolf. Not that she's bad. In fact, of the new faces around, she and her little brother seem the most normal. He backs up and playbows, his tail wagging in the air like a flag. He lolls his tongue out in a happy grin, but it's one that falters upon hearing Wachiwa's warning. What...no fort? "Aww, but..." Wait, BATH? Run away! He begins to make a break for it, but he's a beat too slow about it. Glomp! Ugh, caught! He doesn't struggle (much) as he' dragged. "But I'm not dirty," (yes he is) "an' I'm not rude, /he/ is. Tellin' us what to do like he's the Alpha or somethin'." Insert a minor struggle here, though try as he might, he can't not hear Helaku's words. "Pft, plus he's makin' stuff up. What's Man? An' what's Dog? That' stupid." He's certainly never heard of such creatures, and thus they must not exist!

Tala lifts a forepaw to rub and scratch across her nose and then back against her maw a moment while she shifts and stays near Niyt. "No.. I'm staying here with Chewy and Niyt." She offers while her tail flicks around a few times. Her gaze drifts back to Helaku at the talk about dogs and man and she peers up at the two she-wolf near her. "What's a dog.. An that other thing his talking about?" A ear flicks at Ahiga and she sticks her tongue out at him. "We're go later.. I wana find out what them things are."

More names. Is there going to be a quiz on this? Niyt sure hopes not. She giggles at Ahiga's protests to Chewy, though. Oh, baths. How pups hate them. At the pups' questions, she's forced to shake her head. "I've never met Man. I met a dog once, though. They're.. sort of like wolves. As like to us as coyotes or foxes, but in a different sort of way."

"A dog is kind of like a wolf, only they look different," Wachiwa says, as she lays down, pinning Ahiga between her paws and begins licking the dirt and stray hair away, somehow ignoring the fact that he tastes like dirty little wolf pup. "They're kind of like uhm... If a wolf got dropped on his head alot as a puppy, but wasn't as nice as Asku is." A teasing crack, and she also tries to tickle at Ahiga's belly to make the bath a little more pleasent. "I don't know what Man is, but from the sound of it, they're very bad."

Aeron opens his maw to answer his father then closes it again as he watches sleep overtake him. The young wolf shaking his head slightly as he pads over to Tala, Niyt and the others "and are...tame" his nose wrinkling as Mori's explanation of it didn't make it sound like a good thing back when. "Whatever that means."

Helaku softly chuckled. "Just because you've not heard of it before doesn't mean it doesn't exist," he said, softly wagging his tail. "There are many things in this world you've not heard about." He wrinkled his nose and continued with the story. "Man...good and bad. Very hard to know when...furless, walk upon two legs and cover themselves in things much like the scarf around my neck--it is a human-creation," he said. "Little Rowtag was a mix between a wolf and dog, something many wolves dislike as much as dogs dislike. This made poor Rowtag question what he was, where he truly belonged and caused him much turmoil. His father, Vincent, was banned from the Ute lands by Alpha Skelaghe and this was enforced by Alpha Helaku. Still, they treated Rowtag as part of the pack. Rowtag kept wanting to find Vincent because he never met his father. And one day...near the border of the Ute land...Little Rowtag encountered one of the worst things a pup could ever encounter...a bear."

Tame. What in the world is that? A thing like a wolf...but not like a wolf. Apparently, a very dumb wolf. That is tame. Dogs sound like very confusing creatures, and Ahiga can only hope not to run into one. Pinned where he is, he tolerates the grooming...though it's not without a lot of faces and grunts and overall noises of complaint. But he doesn't run away, at least! But he can at least somwhat beleive that dogs exist. Man, on the other hand... Helaku's description sounds like something that couldn't possibly be in this world, and thus he refuses to believe it. He snorts in answer to him, but remains quiet, turning his head away to make sure that it's clear that he's not happy with this story that he's not listening to.

Tala peers over at Chewy at the comments on what a dog is. "Well.. that sounds.. strange.." A shake of her head is seen before she looks back to Helaku and just blinks at the comment on a bear. Her ears lower and she hunkers down letting her head rest between her forepaws. "Bear's are bad.. Very bad.. Don't like bears.."

"Now is this a story about snakes, or bears?" Asks Wachiwa amusedly, looking at Helaku with brows raised. Yes, he's strange, but he's also a guest and that's someone you have to be nice to! Which is another thing! She starts about Ahiga's ears then, scolding, "As for you, little man, how do you manage to get so much mud in your ears? Digging for gophers?"

Aeron snickers slightly "Its an educational story if nothing else" the young wolfs voice soft as he settles down and watches Helaku curiously finding the story facinating even if he dosn't understand half. A slight smirk appearing on his lips as he listens to Ahiga and Wachiwa partly.

"Bears," replied Helaku. "And how to deal with bears." Yes. He knew how. He did so, and that story is the one he was telling. "Among the many skills the Miakoda taught was how to handle bears," he said. "Can any one here tell me how you'd deal with a bear, a fully grown angry female bear that believed you looked like a tender...chewy...morsel of meat?"

Ears flatten then, as Helaku speaks up, and suddenly he's shot a narrow, piercing glare of blue eyes. "Well for starters, we stuff a crab apple into the mouth of the /wolf/ bragging about beating them up to a pair of puppies who lost their parents /to/ a bear not long enough for a story like this to be appropriate," Wachiwa says, not so helpfully but certainly very astutely. Because suddenly she's not sure she likes where this story is going because she doesn't want to deal with sobbing puppies all night.

Aack! Ear lickings! It's a tickling sensation to say the least, and Ahiga can't help but duck and wiggle (and lightly giggle) when Wachiwa's tongue invates his fuzzy ears. "No. We were diggin' for rabbits," he corrects, snickering here and there. Oy! Get that tongue out of her ears. But...wait, did someone say bear? No, he's /not/ listening to the story, but...somehow he did hear that word. Instantly do his eyes dart to his pal Tala, and his grins subdues considerably before disappearing altogether. Then his head tilts up to Wachiwa as she interjects, and an almost smug look is given to Helaku. "Your story's too long, anyway. You've been talkin' like...forever." ... Just sayin.

Tala ears slick back as she looks wide-eyed at Helaku at the talk about the bear. "Your story is /stupid/.. And I don't like -you-.." She states with a rather mad tone, seems she has some of her mother's anger in there somewhere. "I think you should leave if your going to tell stupid stories about stupid bears.." This offered while she turns around and moves over to the hole Ikuna started and settles down into it, her head ducked down over her front paws.

Aeron gazes at Helaku with curiosity and interest before Tala suddenly 'lashes' out verbally at him and pads off to the hole, The young wolf giving the older wolf an apologetic look and dip on his head as he heads directly after Tala and offers her a comforting nuzzle in silence..

Helaku glanced back at Wachiwa, and he shot back a narrow piercing glare of his own white eyes. Why did everyone always jump to a conclusion on what he was about to say? Once again, those old feelings stirred within him. Now was the perfect time for this story--the bear that killed the two Alphas could still be around somewhere. For once sounded displeased. That was the reason by this story...an example of what to do. "I was going to give you an idea of what to do if anyone encounters that bear so they don't end up dead...because Rowtag did not end up dead, neither did I." Was that a bit of pain underlying his voice? Perhaps. Every time he tried to help someone, it went unappreciated except for when it was Skelaghe, until he met Niyt. no. Helaku was more than just miffed, though he softened his look to Aeron. Helaku slowly turned and began walking away, but he wasn't finished. If they were going to strike at him when he was only trying to help, then he'd return the favor. "I'm through trying to help this pack because every time I try, it is never taken appeciately..not by this generation, and certainly not by the previous pair of Alphas." He glanced back over his shoulder at Wachiwa, his ears erect. Helaku was a fully adult wolf, but being back in this place was opening old wounds that ran far too deep. His snouttensed under the stress. "I never got to know your mother though Bodhi spoke to me kindly once," he said. "There's a reason why I call your mother Honorable and it is because of little nasty truth about your recently departed Alphas that almost tore this pack apart. My father fancied your mother, but he was devoted to Alpha Skelaghe. He was devoted even when the appearance of Wyanet and Haht drove a huge divide between them. He was devoted even when his own daughter, my half-sister Aquene was at such odds with Wyanet they nearly fought. By the time I got here, my father was dead and Wyanet continued her grudged against him with me. All that time, Wachiwa, my father struggled with Tobba's Rage
...a form of rabidness that he was slowly losing control over. In the end, your mother was the only one..the only Ute...that would go near him, comfort him, and see him off as he voluntarily left so he wouldn't be a danger." The truth came out of him almost like a flood. "Just Ixkin. Maybe Alpha Skelaghe loved him deeply and didn't speak of it, but nobody else gave a damn that he endlessly patrolled this land." And with that he trotted off. Niyt would know where to find him.

Mori gets to his paws and starts after Helaku after offering his sister a less then friendly look "It would seem you haven't changed much since we last saw eachother sadly enough" a deep breath exhaled as he increases his pace to reach up alongside the older male "Do you mind if I accompany you?"

Ears lay back, and Chewy ... growls in frustration, but sighs. Her mother knew this wolf, and she knows in her heart that he being a guest, she should have been kinder to him. Her parents always taught her kindness, before they went away to be with the other ancestors among the stars, and now here she's spat in the face of that. She ... sighs, and shakes her head, letting Ahiga go. Then stands, and shakes her fur our a bit, letting a cloud of dust come up. First things first, she nudges at Ahiga's backside: "You're in charge of taking care of Tala for me, please? I need to go eat some crow." She smiles weakly at the young boy-pup, before turning to look in the direction Helaku left, with tail twitching slightly. A sigh. Head ducking, she starts to trot in that direction, murmuring, "Can you please watch the pups for me, Niyt? I'm sorry to abuse a guest's favor like this, but.." She smiles weakly.. even knowing Niyt can't see it, before she continues.