Post by Pavane on Dec 3, 2011 2:46:38 GMT -5
Ikuna - male adolescent wolf of Ute
Tala - female adolescent wolf of Ute
Ahiga - male adolescent wolf of Ute
Anoki - male adolescent wolf of Cerulean
---Crabapple Tree---
Ikuna still hasn't actually seen those puppies, not as more than vague glimpses when he peers into the den. They've certainly sent the adults of the pack into a whirl of activity, though. Everything's about the puppies, whether it's hunting, or guarding the densite, or whatever. Nobody has time left over for him and his friends. Which is okay, right? They're definitely not babies anymore, they can take care of themselves. Right? Right. If there isn't time for hunting lessons or storytimes or playing games, well... that's okay. He can practice by himself and with his friends, testing deer-trails and chasing after rabbits.
Evening is here, and Ikuna's resting by the crabapple tree, batting the dried-out husk of last year's apple between his paws as overhead the pink flowers of this spring bloom. It's not very good at rolling anymore. He'd probably have better luck with a stone or something. Oh well.
Tala is actually not all that far off from her brother, sleeping away from the looks of it even! One of those old crabapples settled under her forepaw that she was playing with before falling asleep. As for the new pups, she still hasn't seen them, and isn't that interested in them to be truthfully. She has her brother and Ahiga what else could she possibly need?
Ahiga doesn't care about those ol' pups. His interest is on anything but the new fluffy members of the pack who he doesn't really have any thought of meeting anytime soon. The only good thing is that the older wolves have been kept busy by the new arrivals, which suits Ahiga just fine. That means less eyes are watching and waiting for him to mess up somehow! He's up and about looking for his friends now, tail idly waving as he trots towards the tree. Ah-ha! There they are! Grinning, he crouches down, angles himself a little behind them, and begins to creep closer...closer...closer...then... "BOO!"
Another bat to Ikuna's crabapple, and it just falls into pieces instead of rolling at all. He stares at the shattered mess of former toy for a moment, and then his head perks up at the sound, paw planting on the broken crabapple and crushing it further as he rises. There's just the beginnings of fur going up on the back of his neck at Unexpected Arrival, before he turns enough to see - oh. Ahiga. Hackleraise turns seamlessly into grin. "Hey."
Tala is just snoozing away, up until her brother bounces and then of course the booo! She jumps up and glances around having to catch her breath in the process. She blinks and eyes Ahiga before smirking. A half huff escapes her. "Hey guys." Is offered while she gives herself a shake and yawns out after a moment.
Mwuaha! Success! Ahiga laughs at the reaction from his friends. Perfect! While laughing, he prances around the both of them, waving his tail and grinning like a fool. "Gotcha!" he teases to them both, especially the extra fluffy looking Ikuna. "Duuude.." he says, commin to a hopping stop right in front of Tala. "You're always sleepin'."
Ikuna grins at Ahiga's teasing, and shifts his weight before lunging at the other wolf, with a shoulderbumping drive and a snap of jaws for the loose fur at the side of Ahiga's neck. The 'attack' is a playful one, according to his level tail and the perk in his muzzle and ears, but it's still intended to connect! Just 'cause Ahiga is Ikuna's best friend doesn't mean he's not gonna try to wrassle back some of his own, here...
Tala blinks and peers at Ahiga before smirking, a faint snort escaping her. "Your point?" She grins when Ikuna leaps out at Ahiga and she bounces up to try and bump her head into Ahiga's chest. Brother and sister tag team, watch out!
"Woah!" Ahiga belatedly jumps to the side at the sneak attack! Or...ok, so it wasn't a sneak attack, but whatever! Grinning, he twists his head around as he stumbles against Ikuna's weight, snapping at whatever tuft of fur he can get at. "Hey! Don' be mad at me cuz you're slow 'n lazy an AH!" Doubleteam! As Tala joins in the fray, he finds himself horribly outnumbered. "Ahh!"
Tufts of fur? Oh yeah. Ikuna's got those. It's spring. His father was a northern wolf. He is most certainly shedding, and there's plenty of fluff to get snapped up by Ahiga. The youngster grins, feeling the other boy stumble, and tries to press his advantage by rearing up and catching a leg over Ahiga's shoulders to push him down. Of course, as Tala joins in, that advantage veers toward overwhelming!
Tala isn't slow and lazy!.. She'll show him! She grrs out and wiggles about whle batting and nipping out at Ahiga a few times. Her tail wagging about and her paws bouncing against the ground.
"Oh /geeze!/" Ahiga complains as he feels the weight upon him increase, threatening to topple him over. But he...will...not...crumble! He growls at them both, but the sound is accompanied with a grin, even as his legs begin to tremble. "What've you been eatin' Ikuna? Big fat /moose?/" he teases, even as he feels himself going down..down.. floomph! He's down! "Talaaaa! You wouldn't bite a wolf that's down, right?"
Ikuna growls back at Ahiga in the same sort of playful tone. "Herds of 'em!" he retorts. Because, well, as insults go, implying he can catch moose? Not so insulting actually. He wuffs in triumph as Ahiga goes down, though it was clearly a team sort of effort between him and his sister. Doesn't exactly answer which of them would actually win in a fight, which... well, he has been sorta wondering about that lately. Not for any real reason, just... 'cause. He bumps his cheek down against the felled wolf, and aims a similar bump for Tala, before hopping off. Victory has been assured. Vengeance is taken. All is well!
Tala smirks and eyes Ahiga, he tibbits at him playful like before nipping at his head a few times her tail wagging about in the process. "I guess I won't seeing how it is you." She says with an amused tone and chuckles while she stretches out and glances around slightly. "What you guys want to do tonight?"
Ahiga uuuuughs impatiently for the duration of the time that he's pinned down, though he does grin as he's cheek bumped. When he's let up, he pulls himself up and gives his body a very theatrical shake, flashing Tala a grin after. "I knew you were my friend for a reason," he snickers as he plops his bottom down onto the grass. Tala's question is considered with a thoughtful look, head tilting to one side. "Uhhh...anything, I guess. S'not like anyone's gonna stop us now. They're all about the pups."
Ikuna gives a little heh. It's true, what Ahiga says about everyone being busy. This new freedom is coming right at a time when adolescent wolves are inclined to stretch their legs, too. No chance of that leading to any trouble. He considers for a moment. "We could go lookin' for Anoki. He visited us, I guess it's our turn now to visit him."
Tala ohs at this, a ear lowers at the thought before she licks across her maw and glances over to Ikuna at the suggest. A soft hum escaping her and she smiles while hopping up onto her paws. "Say.. Why don't we do that? I bet Anoki would like to see us.. His always talking about having no one to play with after all.."
Hm. Anoki...Anoki... Ahiga feels as if he should know who this fellow is. Apparently, he came here to visit. Their paths must not have crossed. He glances between his friends while raking his brain for a memory for this Anoki wolf. Which means he's quiet for a bit, brows furrowed and eyes slightly turning to the side. Wait...maybe it's coming back to him. Not having anyone to play with.. "Oh!" His eyes light up in recognition. "Oh yeah, that guy! We should go see'm," he agrees, bobbing his head. The idea of going off on their own is thrilling. "You guys know where he lives?"
Yeah, that Anoki! Ikuna grins at the flash of recognition, and the agreement from both the others. "Yeah. It's on the other side of the creek, and down it some." He more or less knows it, anyway. He knows where the packs split when they returned from the mountain. He figures it should be close enough, because they should howl at the edge of the territory anyway, so someone can come out to greet them. They're smart wolves. They can figure it out!
Tala ums at the thought, her maw twitching and she shifts on her paws, pausing to scratch at her side a moment with a hindpaw before hopping forward and glances around. "Well.. No.. I mean I've never even been off the mountain." This said with a soft tone, ears lowering a bit. "But.. We can find it I'm sure." She looks to Ikuna and nods with a smile. "See, he knows!"
Ahiga pricks his ears and turns his head in the general direction of the creek, peering off in the distance. "That's not /too far," he says with a nod. Pft, they can totally do this, no problem. Plus, if Anoki made it over here, it shouldn't be a problem! "Bet it's not hard," he adds, looking back to his friends, nodding. "Let's do it."
Ikuna nods his agreement, and then he sets out! The first part is easy, just down to that field with all the clover by the den, and to the creek. Totally familiar territory, and the creek is easily forded if you know the right spots, which he does. Then it gets more interesting, on account of how the creek is also pretty much the border of Ute's territory, so he hasn't been beyond it. He knows the general direction, at least, and after a few diversions that take longer than he expected, he comes to a spot that looks kind of familiar, and has a bit of the scent of other wolves. This must be it! So he stops, and looks back and forth between his friends... then lifts his muzzle in a howl! No turning back now.
---Fallen Log---
Ikuna has arrived.
Tala has arrived.
Ahiga has arrived.
At the Fallen Log, Ikuna howls.
At the Fallen Log, Tala howls.
At the Two-River Fork, Anoki howls.
Anoki has arrived.
Tala follows along quickly after Ikuna. She's neverever been this far from home that's for sure! Her paws carry her rather quickly along, glancing over this, and looking at that all along the way. An during the whole tripe she doesn't even think about them not being allowed to come this far! Once at the log she pauses and sniffs around this way and then that before licking across her maw. Once Ikuna howls she follows suit to see if Anoki may be around anywhere.
Allowed? Pft! Who cares about being allowed or not? Ahiga is all about this trip, and his bright eyes are wide open to any and everything as they go along. His tail waves behind him as they go along, nostrils flared. He's going to remember this trail, just in case he needs ot visit this Anoki fellow again.
Ikuna has been way farther than this, but it's different when you're going of your own volition. He's pretty sure this is near the Cerulean territory. It looks about right, he thinks? Well, except for it being spring instead of early winter. He's a little nervous that perhaps he's led his companions wrong as they wait - what if this isn't Cerulean? There are strange wolves for sure, and not all of them are necessarily of kindly inclinations toward wandering youngsters. He sure hopes this wasn't a bad idea... so it's with a sigh of relief that he hears Anoki's answering howl in the distance. Right place, right pack, right wolf. He stays where he is, looking about the underbrush for signs of the other approaching. One surprisepounce per day is enough.
Having been, as almost always, playing in the river south of the clearing and log, Anoki comes trotting in high spirit, tail wagging in the air behind him in a confident manner. Hey! Others his age! Who aren't all weird and stuff! He's wet about the legs and chest/belly still and he's carrying a floppy halfeaten fish in his jaws. Hey, best way to welcome people; bring food and/or something to roll in.
Tala hears the howl and glances around curiously, maw twitching while she hops about on her paws. "We're gona have so much fun.. HEY.. maybe he can take us to that river or what ever he was talking about." Did someone gives her sugar or something? Now this is what happens when a young wolf gets excited and is eager to go try something new. So there she is settled upon her haunches, tail thumping against the ground before she glances to the side and catches sight of Anoki. "Hey!" She offers while bouncing to her paws.
Ikuna grins at his sister's excitement. "Maybe he will!" he agrees. The male's demeanor is a bit more reserved... Still, he's got that grin, and when Anoki actually emerges from the trees his tail does wag quite happily, if not quite as hyperactively joyful as Tala. "Hey," he repeats after her, and peers at that fish. "You an otter now?" he asks, tone playfully teasing.
Dropping the fish, Anoki laughs. "Nah, I just found it and was eat some of it when you called. I figured, hey, nothin's better then sharin' so why not not? Food's food." he adds, with a shrug, before he thumps his butt to the ground. "I'm surprised they letcha leave the packlands with as cranky as that Skahla is." he says, with a grin. "Hope you at least told someone where ya was goin' this time, or else there'll be a search party for ya." He grins.
Ahiga pricks his ears towards Anoki, finally /really/ remembering the other male. And he does remember him, the once sickly looking thing that found his way to his sister on the Ute lands. His glances at the fish with a curious smirk. "Yeah? Fish?" he says with a smirk, nose quivering. Hmm..does he life fish? He may or may not find out today! Anoki's last words has him snickering, and he idly swipes a paw against the ground. "Ha, yeah right. They're not even gonna know we're gone."
Tala tilts her head and peers curiously at Anoki and the fish. She giggles and nods while her tail sways about. "Ya well.. There sorta busy so we took it upon ourselves to come see you." This said while she nods and trots on over to where Anoki is. "Figured you could use some friends and what not."
Ikuna chuckles, and nods to Anoki. "I guess. I'm still kinda tired of fish, though." Then he shrugs, because it's just fish. The further comments about their arrival here make him frown just a little. Ahiga's answer gets there first, and Tala's, and he nods his agreement with it before adding, "They're all busy with the new pups." He hesitates a bit, as the last bit strikes him. Yeah, he probably should have told someone. But... they're all so busy, and besides, someone would probably have told them not to come. Or to wait for an adult, like all those hunting lessons have been waiting for adults that never have time because they're running after the new pups or off on their own errands. Yeah, they probably should have told someone anyway, but it's too late now. "We won't be gone long," he says instead, because that's nearly as good. If they get back before anyone notices this is more than one of their hunting-training trips, all is well. Besides, it sort of is. This is totally the sort of thing the adols should be learning, right? Right, though he hasn't entirely convinced himself.
A smirk at Ahiga and Tala, before Anoki says, tail flipping, "Well, if you get in trouble it ain't my fault, so there." he sticks his tongue out at them playfully, then nudges the fish at them. "G'wahead an' try a bite, guests first an' stuff," he says, with a smirk, before he considers. "You made it all the way here by yourselves, an' I suppose you can find your way back. Maybe they'll consider that good! I mean, if you can go this long an' stuff, maybe you can hunt a long time or.. I dunno." He shrugs, then grins. "Guess I'm kinda used to Niyt almost always knowing where I am as long as I'm in the packlands, so I don't think of good ideas." He says, before ducking his head, using a paw to pin the fish's head, and rip some meat off the tail; it being a large trout, there's enough for him to rip off a mouthful at least.
Ahiga pauses and turns his eyes to Ikuna, slightly turning his head as he either senses his hesitation or just his feeling of unease. But, after a thought, he visibly brightens! "Oh, hey, weren't you with me when Skahla said to like...not follow directions?" he says, furrowing his brows momentarily as if he's not /quite/ sure if he's remembering it right. It did sound sort of weird that day too. "So, we're doin' what he wanted us to do, so s'not like we're gonna get in any trouble," he says dismissively, smirking after. No worries! He trots forth to the fish and bends down to take a tentative sniff. "Phew!" he says, rearing his head up. "It always smells like that?"
Tala ohs softly and hehes while settling down to her haunches. "Naw you won't get in any trouble, promise." She offers while smiling. A glance is offered to the fish and she leans down to take a bite from it and chomps down against it a few times. "Don't suppose you could show us how you got the fish?" Well.. its /sorta/ like hunting.
"If we get in trouble, it's my fault. It was my idea to come," says Ikuna simply. That is That, but he's not going to worry about it the whole trip. There are other things to do! Like... eat fish! His ears do perk at Ahiga's comment, and he hehs. "I'll remind him that," he says. And he'll just see how that works out. He pads closer, watching as the others try the fish, but not going for it himself.
"Yeah, woo, it smells somethin' awful, but if you roll in it a few days later, man, hides your scent from other animals around the river and you can hunt'em easier," Anoki says, thoughtfully, smirking. "And if you cover yourself in snow durin' the winter you can sneak up on prey too. Prey or older sisters." he grins cheesily, tail thumping the ground. "It's fun to play in snow, too. Kinda cold, but once you get over the cold.. OH! OH! And when there's snow, the river gets /solid/ and you can /walk on it/.
Ahiga rolls his eyes towards Ikuna, smirking after. "Whatever ya say.." he relents, knowing fully well he's not about to let his friend take all the blame if worse came to worse. But he's not worrying about that now. There's fish to ponder! He eyes Anoki, as if trying to figure out if he's serious or...joking. "Roll in it?" he says, wrinkling his nose. "An' smell like /that/ thing? I'll stick to huntin' rabbits," he says with a grin to the other male, tail wiggling behind him a little. "Now /snow/ is cool. I'd roll in that stuff all day! But..yeah, like what Tala said, how'd you catch that fish?"
Tala tilts her head and peers at Anoki. "How can the river get solid?" That must be a interesting sight! "An you can walk on it?.. That sounds well.. Wild for sure." She offers with a grin at the thought. A glance is offerd over to Ikuna and she smirks. "No one is gona get in trouble your see." This said with a nod before glancing back to Anoki, her tail swaying about a few times.
Whatever happens, they'll worry about it when it happens. Ikuna pads closer and nudges Ahiga. "Naw, you totally should. You could stun everyone senseless," he says, and grins. The mention of the frozen river makes him hmm. "Is it slick? There were these puddles by us in winter, all sorta silver and you could slide on 'em..."
"Yeah, it gets sorta slick, but if you're careful, you can stand on it! But don't never stick your tongue to it, man, you'll so totally get stuck." Anoki says, shuddering. Before he answers the fish question: "Oh, I didn't catch it. I found it by the river, probably got dropped by a bird or something. Fish're kinda slippery, y'know, so." He hmms, and then looks over his shoulder in the direction he'd come from. "I'd uh, I'd take you back towards the river, but uncle Tariro might get all cranky about it. Plus we got someone kinda-sorta staying with us, that you guys might not wanna talk to. So, uh, yeah." He grins a bit.
"Pft, right. /You/ roll in it then," Ahiga says in a darish tone to Ikuna, fixing him with a 'I know you won't' sort of look. But he doesn't seem to want to /not/ taste the fish. It looks...interesting, and if Anoki can eat it, well he sure can too! Plus, wouldn't it be rude or something to deny the treat of a host? He rolls his shoulders back a little and takes a tentative nibble of the fish flesh.. Nibble...nibble-chew...swallow... Fishy! He licks his muzzle a few times, not used to the taste. "S'not.../bad/"
Tala ears perk and a glance is offered to Ahiga before she grins and then looks back to Anoki. A soft oh escapes her. "Is.. Tariro like my brother then?" She questions with a soft unsure tone. Her ears lower a moment and she snuffles at the thought.
Ikuna grins at Ahiga's dare, and shakes his head. "Nahhh. I'm not so sure deer like fish," he retorts. He hmms to Anoki, and says, "We probably should introduce ourselves," about that uncle Tariro who he assumes is someone important, at least to Anoki and quite possibly alpha like Tala suggests. "But we can wait until, uh... you've asked him." He's in no hurry. As for the other bit... "Someone stayin' with you?" he asks, pondering. He doesn't know of anyone he dislikes like that! Not that Anoki's pack would even tolerate, at least. "Who is it?"
Ears lay back, and Anoki siiiigh. "Helaku," he replies to Ikuna, "He followed me an' Niyt back from your lands, and now he's hangin' out around here. I think he's part of the pack, sorta, but I just kinda ignore him, c'os he's like.. weird in the head." He shakes his head, before he considers. "Well, Unca Tariro's not /exactly/ like Skahla is. He's all kinds of fun to play with an' stuff! but it's .. a kinda rough year. My dad's gone, so he had to find a new Beta... and he's gettin' old, so he'll probably have to step down from Alpha like, by the time I'm an adult, and I guess he wanted to have puppies before then to take his place or something but my aunt died like a loooong time ago..."
A cranky wolf? Sure sounds like a Skahla type! Ahiga is listening, even though his eyes are on the scales of the dead fish. He raises his head, not taking any more bites of flesh for now. Catching up on the conversations, he glances from wolf to wolf, settling his eyes on Anoki after a while. "Helaku?" he repeats the name with a wrinkle of his nose, obviously harboring not so kind feelings towards the said wolf. "Pfft, he's way weird in the head," he agrees. "I'm glad he's not hangin' around us anymore. All he ever did was talk down about the "new Ute"."
Tala blinks at the name. "He's here?.." She questions with a faint tone, ears lowering at the thought. "I don't like him.." A faint mutter escaping her at the thought. A frown is seen and she takes in a slight breath with her tail flicking a few times in the process while she glances to the ground recalling the last conversation she remembers from that wolf.
Yeah, no. Ikuna doesn't recognize that name. Seems that the other Ute members do... and it's not good news. "The new Ute?" he repeats after Ahiga, looking between them as though he expects to find some further explanation. He looks back to Anoki after, pondering the rest of what he says. "Skahla's sometimes fun. He's just... not usually," he says, feeling he has to defend his brother at least a little.
Ears twitch, and Anoki realizes that year. "Helaku is this wolf that was apparently part of like, the Ute before Skahla and Asku an' them were born and stuff. He kept talking bad stuff about the Ute to me and Niyt while we were there. He was really kinda.. stupid." Snorts Anoki, with a shake of the head. He hmms. Shrugs. "My uncle thinks he's good enough for the pack, so I guess that's okay. But Iiiii'mma watchin' him and if he does something /I/ don't like, I'll tell him off, yup." He sniffs, then stretches out to lay down a bit. "Anyway! The river isn't all we got, there's also the fields where I got born and grew up. Lot of grass there. My sister was crazy about grass... I kinda miss her. I hope she an' dad are okay."
Ahiga nods in agreement to Tala and allows Anoki to explain the new Ute bit because he never really understood what Helaku meant by that, and asking was out of the question. "Ha, good luck with that," he mutters to Anoki with a shake of his head. "But hey, if ya /do/ tell'm off and he goes runnin', make sure he doesn't come /our/ way, huh?" he says with an emerging grin, but his head soon turns in confusion. "Your sister Niyt? Is she gone or somethin?"
Tala glances over to Ikuna. "That's becasue Skahla likes you." She points out. A glance is offered over to Anoki at the talk of why Helaku is there. "I'm sorry about that.. The wolf is a jerk.. You should tell your uncle that and to tell him to leave." She's never felt so strongly about a wolf before, but something about Helaku really pissed her off it would seem. She tilts her head, ears perking at the talk of everything else around. "Well.. How about showing us around then huh?" Her tail wagging about happly a few times.
Ikuna hmmms at Anoki's explanation. "I never heard of him. I heard 'bout Skelaghe, who was alpha before our parents, but I never heard of any Helaku." He ponders it for a moment, and looks over to Tala. Whoever this Helaku is, he's clearly bad news. At the mention of Skahla liking him, he shrugs a little. "He'd like you too, he's just... Skahla." He does nod at the idea of looking around, though. "Yeah, I mean. It's your lands. You know all the cool stuff."
"Niyt? Nah, she's not gone like that. She's kinda goofy over the new beta, though." He smirks faintly. Then says, "Krisha, my littermate sister. She left with dad." He frowns, and sighs. "Haven't seen either of them in ages." He shakes his head. Then he hms. "Although speakin' of wolves bein' goofy over each other... We got this elder here named Lexus... and he was kinda goin' goofy over a female wolf the other day. I think they were going to go do adulty things. What is /with/ adults, huh?" He asks, with a frown, thoughtful. "I mean, they're all weird and junk over each other."
Ahiga ohs at the explanation of having a sister other than the Niyt sister he met, though the explanation only rises more questions! His mouth opens to ask these questions, but he slowly closes it to allow the other youngster to continue. Going goofy? Adulty things? We're approaching untrodden territory here! "Uh...I don' think any've our adults are...goin' goofy?" he says, glancing to Tala and Ikuna unsurely. Well, not any goofier than they usually act. "Maybe your water's bad."
Tala ears lower slightly as she hears Ikuna, a slight glance offered over to him. "He's our brother.. He should at least like all his siblings, to some degree." Heck he even likes Asku again an yet Skahla won't even talk to her. She shifts up onto her paws padding away from Ikuna. "Can we talk about something else." A ear twitches and she peers at Anoki. "Adults are strange like that at times." At least that's what she thinks of some of the things adults do. "Well.. Asku and Chewy act sorta strange at times. But I guess that's sorta normal."
Ikuna gives a sad look after Tala as she mopes about this. Aw, come on... but he doesn't really know what to say. His ears perk up at Anoki's question, though. Oh! He knows this one, Asku explained it to him and Tala. It went something like: "Girls have this stuff called heat, that makes boys want them 'cause it smells great. That's why they act funny around each other, an' go off to mate."
Anoki was all smirks and amusement until Ikuna explained things and then he's just sorta /staring/ at the other adolescent, before looking warily at Tala. "... Heat? and it smells great?" Anoki asks, peering. He leans slightly in Tala's way, snuffling, and shakes his head. "She don't smell hot or cold either way to me. She's just Tala." He says, looking to Tala: "You're just Tala." Well it's truuuuue! He shakes his head. "And Niyt just smells like Niyt. I don't get it at all, man."
(Anoki wanders off around now, still perplexed by this. Mushy stuff. What is UP with it? Seriously!)
Ahiga must have missed this lifelong lesson, for all this is news to him. Heat? Smells great? Pft, that makes no sense. Heat is what you feel in the summer, and it definitely smells like nothing! And...mate? He gives his head a rigorous shake, trying to clear it. "Yeah, I don' get it either. Nobody smells all that great to me. I mean.." he glances to Tala. "Y'don't smell /bad/, but I don't...like..."want you".." he says a bit hesitantly because this is all starting to feel weird!
Tala blinks as everyone is well, looking at her after that little bit of information from dear Ikuna. A faint er escapes her at first but then she isn't too sure what to say and casts a glance to Anoki and then to Ahiga while just smirking as she settles to her haunches. "He didn't mean that it smells like that all the time.." God she hopes not at least. A unsure glance is offered to Ahiga and her maw opens before closing and she just smirks. "Nice to know." She sticks her tongue out at him.
Ikuna can't explain it properly, because he doesn't really understand it himself. All he can offer is what he happens to remember. He nods at what Tala says, and adds the other bit he recalls, "Asku said it mostly happened in spring, so... I guess maybe we missed it this year?"
"Awesome," remarks Ahiga. "'m glad we missed it. /If/ it really does make ya act all dumb 'n goofy, I don't want it happenin' to me." He shudders and shakes his paws. "M'too cool to act like that. You guys are too. So let's not let it happen to us, alright?" he says decisively, nodding to both of them.
Tala ears perk and she smirks before nodding. "Sure.. I'm totally with you there." She offers while a yawn escapes her and flops down stretching out. "I'm not going to go acting all crazy that's for damn sure."
Ikuna nods agreement to Ahiga and Tala. "Yeah. Even if it does happen to us, we'll resist. We can deal with funny feelings and not let it take over, 'cause we're strong. Real bad stuff can happen if you don't resist, like the thing with Mori."
Oooh yeah, the Mori thing! That...confusing thing that was obviously a Very Bad Thing whose details are still foggy to Ahiga. But it doesn't matter. As long as his friends agree and they're all in this together, it's all good! He snickers at Tala. "Don' get too comfortable. If that..uh...Tariro guy really is a grumpy jerk sometimes, he'd better not find us here sleepin'"
Tala blinks and smirks at Ahiga at that comment, her ears lowering slightly. "Well.. I'll find some other place to lay down then." She mutters out while shifting to her paws and starts to trot off. "Wouldn't want to bother you with me thinking about /sleeping/." Someone is a bit moody it seems!
Ikuna gives Ahiga a look. His sister's feelings have been hurt! He trots quickly after her, and bumps his head at her shoulder. "No, come on. We'll take turns resting, okay? So we'll be ready for this Tariro guy, no matter when he comes. You can sleep first, if you want."
"What?" is said to Ikuna, wide eyes and all. He didn't do anything! At least, he doesn't think he did...and didn't mean to! "Hey, I was just sayin'.. I mean, I just meant that like, we shouldn' stick around here. They might wanna chew us up or somethin', /especially/ if that Helaku dude's been sayin' crap about us," he calls after them, but he doesn't follow.
"Maybe I should just go back home or something since its like this big joke that I'm always asleep anyway." Tala mutters out slightly and peersback at the two once Ikuna bumps into her shoulder. "I don't care what Helaku thinks or says.. I told him what for then an I'll do it again. An Niyt wouldn't let this Tariro fella do anything to us."
Ikuna considers for a moment at Ahiga's parting words. His best friend does have a point, but he can see his sister's tired. "Helaku doesn't know we're here," he says, thinking it through. "Neither does Tariro, unless Anoki tells him, and Anoki's our friend. So I think we're okay... but we should stick together, and not all sleep at once." He glances back to Ahiga. "'Cause you're right. It might be dangerous, from wolves or other stuff." Bears. Birds. All those nasty things. "We're too tired to go all the way home now, though. So we gotta rest, 'cause we're not splitting up. That'd be stupid."
"Big joke?" Ahiga hehs, folding his hears back a little while giving her a doeish stare. "What're you talkin' about? S'no big joke about anything Tala, c'mon." He stands and begins to trot towards them now, ears raising to a more normal level as he gets nearer. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever I did ok?" he exhales, the words directed to Tala. "Ikuna's right. We'll stay here 'n rest. You sleep first, like he said. We'll take turns."
Tala peers slightly at Ahiga, a ear flicking forward. "Ya.. sure.." She offers softly while she settles down on her haunches, her tail swaying a few times in the process. "Fine.. You two pick where we're going to sleep them." She knows it can be dangerous, she's not stupid after all.
Ikuna relaxes as the tensions recede for a moment, though they're sort of still there, like water under crackly ice. Hopefully that ice will keep melting until all is flowing smoothly. After all, it's not like there's any reason why adolescents would be prickly, or oversensitive, or arrogant, or careless of emotions! NONE AT ALL. "Okay," he says to Tala, and glances to Ahiga. "We can go back to those three maple trees. Nice high ground, so we can see stuff coming," he suggests. And it's only a little ways back along the way they came.
Yeah sure? He'll take it! Ahiga nods to Tala, though gives her a slight questioning look. Girls...sheesh! And some day he's supposed to go all gaga over them because they smell nice? In their dreams! He agrees with Ikuna's plan o action with a nod of his head. "Yup, those trees are good. Maybe we'll see Anoki again before we have to go back. He's cool."
Tala peers back at Ahiga slightly while she trots along after Ikuna. Oh yes she is moody! Imagine that an adolescent that has mood swings, watch out world! "Ya.. sure." She offers to Ikuna while she follows, head lowered and she eyes the ground a few moments, tail flicking about in the process.
On some level, Ikuna is quite aware that his sister has been moody lately, and taking offense at things that really aren't meant like that. On a different and rather stronger level, she's his sister, and so it doesn't matter if she's moody, he's still gonna stick by her and defend her. Just, lately... well, sometimes defending her is more emotional and about trying to keep everyone from doing stuff they'll regret. At least they're all still together, heading back to the trees to rest. "Yeah, Anoki's cool," he agrees with Ahiga, and makes sure to keep an eye on Tala.
The maple trees find themselves host to a set of young wolves, taking turns sleeping... and perhaps also wondering: Girls/Boys! What is UP with THEM?
Tala - female adolescent wolf of Ute
Ahiga - male adolescent wolf of Ute
Anoki - male adolescent wolf of Cerulean
---Crabapple Tree---
Ikuna still hasn't actually seen those puppies, not as more than vague glimpses when he peers into the den. They've certainly sent the adults of the pack into a whirl of activity, though. Everything's about the puppies, whether it's hunting, or guarding the densite, or whatever. Nobody has time left over for him and his friends. Which is okay, right? They're definitely not babies anymore, they can take care of themselves. Right? Right. If there isn't time for hunting lessons or storytimes or playing games, well... that's okay. He can practice by himself and with his friends, testing deer-trails and chasing after rabbits.
Evening is here, and Ikuna's resting by the crabapple tree, batting the dried-out husk of last year's apple between his paws as overhead the pink flowers of this spring bloom. It's not very good at rolling anymore. He'd probably have better luck with a stone or something. Oh well.
Tala is actually not all that far off from her brother, sleeping away from the looks of it even! One of those old crabapples settled under her forepaw that she was playing with before falling asleep. As for the new pups, she still hasn't seen them, and isn't that interested in them to be truthfully. She has her brother and Ahiga what else could she possibly need?
Ahiga doesn't care about those ol' pups. His interest is on anything but the new fluffy members of the pack who he doesn't really have any thought of meeting anytime soon. The only good thing is that the older wolves have been kept busy by the new arrivals, which suits Ahiga just fine. That means less eyes are watching and waiting for him to mess up somehow! He's up and about looking for his friends now, tail idly waving as he trots towards the tree. Ah-ha! There they are! Grinning, he crouches down, angles himself a little behind them, and begins to creep closer...closer...closer...then... "BOO!"
Another bat to Ikuna's crabapple, and it just falls into pieces instead of rolling at all. He stares at the shattered mess of former toy for a moment, and then his head perks up at the sound, paw planting on the broken crabapple and crushing it further as he rises. There's just the beginnings of fur going up on the back of his neck at Unexpected Arrival, before he turns enough to see - oh. Ahiga. Hackleraise turns seamlessly into grin. "Hey."
Tala is just snoozing away, up until her brother bounces and then of course the booo! She jumps up and glances around having to catch her breath in the process. She blinks and eyes Ahiga before smirking. A half huff escapes her. "Hey guys." Is offered while she gives herself a shake and yawns out after a moment.
Mwuaha! Success! Ahiga laughs at the reaction from his friends. Perfect! While laughing, he prances around the both of them, waving his tail and grinning like a fool. "Gotcha!" he teases to them both, especially the extra fluffy looking Ikuna. "Duuude.." he says, commin to a hopping stop right in front of Tala. "You're always sleepin'."
Ikuna grins at Ahiga's teasing, and shifts his weight before lunging at the other wolf, with a shoulderbumping drive and a snap of jaws for the loose fur at the side of Ahiga's neck. The 'attack' is a playful one, according to his level tail and the perk in his muzzle and ears, but it's still intended to connect! Just 'cause Ahiga is Ikuna's best friend doesn't mean he's not gonna try to wrassle back some of his own, here...
Tala blinks and peers at Ahiga before smirking, a faint snort escaping her. "Your point?" She grins when Ikuna leaps out at Ahiga and she bounces up to try and bump her head into Ahiga's chest. Brother and sister tag team, watch out!
"Woah!" Ahiga belatedly jumps to the side at the sneak attack! Or...ok, so it wasn't a sneak attack, but whatever! Grinning, he twists his head around as he stumbles against Ikuna's weight, snapping at whatever tuft of fur he can get at. "Hey! Don' be mad at me cuz you're slow 'n lazy an AH!" Doubleteam! As Tala joins in the fray, he finds himself horribly outnumbered. "Ahh!"
Tufts of fur? Oh yeah. Ikuna's got those. It's spring. His father was a northern wolf. He is most certainly shedding, and there's plenty of fluff to get snapped up by Ahiga. The youngster grins, feeling the other boy stumble, and tries to press his advantage by rearing up and catching a leg over Ahiga's shoulders to push him down. Of course, as Tala joins in, that advantage veers toward overwhelming!
Tala isn't slow and lazy!.. She'll show him! She grrs out and wiggles about whle batting and nipping out at Ahiga a few times. Her tail wagging about and her paws bouncing against the ground.
"Oh /geeze!/" Ahiga complains as he feels the weight upon him increase, threatening to topple him over. But he...will...not...crumble! He growls at them both, but the sound is accompanied with a grin, even as his legs begin to tremble. "What've you been eatin' Ikuna? Big fat /moose?/" he teases, even as he feels himself going down..down.. floomph! He's down! "Talaaaa! You wouldn't bite a wolf that's down, right?"
Ikuna growls back at Ahiga in the same sort of playful tone. "Herds of 'em!" he retorts. Because, well, as insults go, implying he can catch moose? Not so insulting actually. He wuffs in triumph as Ahiga goes down, though it was clearly a team sort of effort between him and his sister. Doesn't exactly answer which of them would actually win in a fight, which... well, he has been sorta wondering about that lately. Not for any real reason, just... 'cause. He bumps his cheek down against the felled wolf, and aims a similar bump for Tala, before hopping off. Victory has been assured. Vengeance is taken. All is well!
Tala smirks and eyes Ahiga, he tibbits at him playful like before nipping at his head a few times her tail wagging about in the process. "I guess I won't seeing how it is you." She says with an amused tone and chuckles while she stretches out and glances around slightly. "What you guys want to do tonight?"
Ahiga uuuuughs impatiently for the duration of the time that he's pinned down, though he does grin as he's cheek bumped. When he's let up, he pulls himself up and gives his body a very theatrical shake, flashing Tala a grin after. "I knew you were my friend for a reason," he snickers as he plops his bottom down onto the grass. Tala's question is considered with a thoughtful look, head tilting to one side. "Uhhh...anything, I guess. S'not like anyone's gonna stop us now. They're all about the pups."
Ikuna gives a little heh. It's true, what Ahiga says about everyone being busy. This new freedom is coming right at a time when adolescent wolves are inclined to stretch their legs, too. No chance of that leading to any trouble. He considers for a moment. "We could go lookin' for Anoki. He visited us, I guess it's our turn now to visit him."
Tala ohs at this, a ear lowers at the thought before she licks across her maw and glances over to Ikuna at the suggest. A soft hum escaping her and she smiles while hopping up onto her paws. "Say.. Why don't we do that? I bet Anoki would like to see us.. His always talking about having no one to play with after all.."
Hm. Anoki...Anoki... Ahiga feels as if he should know who this fellow is. Apparently, he came here to visit. Their paths must not have crossed. He glances between his friends while raking his brain for a memory for this Anoki wolf. Which means he's quiet for a bit, brows furrowed and eyes slightly turning to the side. Wait...maybe it's coming back to him. Not having anyone to play with.. "Oh!" His eyes light up in recognition. "Oh yeah, that guy! We should go see'm," he agrees, bobbing his head. The idea of going off on their own is thrilling. "You guys know where he lives?"
Yeah, that Anoki! Ikuna grins at the flash of recognition, and the agreement from both the others. "Yeah. It's on the other side of the creek, and down it some." He more or less knows it, anyway. He knows where the packs split when they returned from the mountain. He figures it should be close enough, because they should howl at the edge of the territory anyway, so someone can come out to greet them. They're smart wolves. They can figure it out!
Tala ums at the thought, her maw twitching and she shifts on her paws, pausing to scratch at her side a moment with a hindpaw before hopping forward and glances around. "Well.. No.. I mean I've never even been off the mountain." This said with a soft tone, ears lowering a bit. "But.. We can find it I'm sure." She looks to Ikuna and nods with a smile. "See, he knows!"
Ahiga pricks his ears and turns his head in the general direction of the creek, peering off in the distance. "That's not /too far," he says with a nod. Pft, they can totally do this, no problem. Plus, if Anoki made it over here, it shouldn't be a problem! "Bet it's not hard," he adds, looking back to his friends, nodding. "Let's do it."
Ikuna nods his agreement, and then he sets out! The first part is easy, just down to that field with all the clover by the den, and to the creek. Totally familiar territory, and the creek is easily forded if you know the right spots, which he does. Then it gets more interesting, on account of how the creek is also pretty much the border of Ute's territory, so he hasn't been beyond it. He knows the general direction, at least, and after a few diversions that take longer than he expected, he comes to a spot that looks kind of familiar, and has a bit of the scent of other wolves. This must be it! So he stops, and looks back and forth between his friends... then lifts his muzzle in a howl! No turning back now.
---Fallen Log---
Ikuna has arrived.
Tala has arrived.
Ahiga has arrived.
At the Fallen Log, Ikuna howls.
At the Fallen Log, Tala howls.
At the Two-River Fork, Anoki howls.
Anoki has arrived.
Tala follows along quickly after Ikuna. She's neverever been this far from home that's for sure! Her paws carry her rather quickly along, glancing over this, and looking at that all along the way. An during the whole tripe she doesn't even think about them not being allowed to come this far! Once at the log she pauses and sniffs around this way and then that before licking across her maw. Once Ikuna howls she follows suit to see if Anoki may be around anywhere.
Allowed? Pft! Who cares about being allowed or not? Ahiga is all about this trip, and his bright eyes are wide open to any and everything as they go along. His tail waves behind him as they go along, nostrils flared. He's going to remember this trail, just in case he needs ot visit this Anoki fellow again.
Ikuna has been way farther than this, but it's different when you're going of your own volition. He's pretty sure this is near the Cerulean territory. It looks about right, he thinks? Well, except for it being spring instead of early winter. He's a little nervous that perhaps he's led his companions wrong as they wait - what if this isn't Cerulean? There are strange wolves for sure, and not all of them are necessarily of kindly inclinations toward wandering youngsters. He sure hopes this wasn't a bad idea... so it's with a sigh of relief that he hears Anoki's answering howl in the distance. Right place, right pack, right wolf. He stays where he is, looking about the underbrush for signs of the other approaching. One surprisepounce per day is enough.
Having been, as almost always, playing in the river south of the clearing and log, Anoki comes trotting in high spirit, tail wagging in the air behind him in a confident manner. Hey! Others his age! Who aren't all weird and stuff! He's wet about the legs and chest/belly still and he's carrying a floppy halfeaten fish in his jaws. Hey, best way to welcome people; bring food and/or something to roll in.
Tala hears the howl and glances around curiously, maw twitching while she hops about on her paws. "We're gona have so much fun.. HEY.. maybe he can take us to that river or what ever he was talking about." Did someone gives her sugar or something? Now this is what happens when a young wolf gets excited and is eager to go try something new. So there she is settled upon her haunches, tail thumping against the ground before she glances to the side and catches sight of Anoki. "Hey!" She offers while bouncing to her paws.
Ikuna grins at his sister's excitement. "Maybe he will!" he agrees. The male's demeanor is a bit more reserved... Still, he's got that grin, and when Anoki actually emerges from the trees his tail does wag quite happily, if not quite as hyperactively joyful as Tala. "Hey," he repeats after her, and peers at that fish. "You an otter now?" he asks, tone playfully teasing.
Dropping the fish, Anoki laughs. "Nah, I just found it and was eat some of it when you called. I figured, hey, nothin's better then sharin' so why not not? Food's food." he adds, with a shrug, before he thumps his butt to the ground. "I'm surprised they letcha leave the packlands with as cranky as that Skahla is." he says, with a grin. "Hope you at least told someone where ya was goin' this time, or else there'll be a search party for ya." He grins.
Ahiga pricks his ears towards Anoki, finally /really/ remembering the other male. And he does remember him, the once sickly looking thing that found his way to his sister on the Ute lands. His glances at the fish with a curious smirk. "Yeah? Fish?" he says with a smirk, nose quivering. Hmm..does he life fish? He may or may not find out today! Anoki's last words has him snickering, and he idly swipes a paw against the ground. "Ha, yeah right. They're not even gonna know we're gone."
Tala tilts her head and peers curiously at Anoki and the fish. She giggles and nods while her tail sways about. "Ya well.. There sorta busy so we took it upon ourselves to come see you." This said while she nods and trots on over to where Anoki is. "Figured you could use some friends and what not."
Ikuna chuckles, and nods to Anoki. "I guess. I'm still kinda tired of fish, though." Then he shrugs, because it's just fish. The further comments about their arrival here make him frown just a little. Ahiga's answer gets there first, and Tala's, and he nods his agreement with it before adding, "They're all busy with the new pups." He hesitates a bit, as the last bit strikes him. Yeah, he probably should have told someone. But... they're all so busy, and besides, someone would probably have told them not to come. Or to wait for an adult, like all those hunting lessons have been waiting for adults that never have time because they're running after the new pups or off on their own errands. Yeah, they probably should have told someone anyway, but it's too late now. "We won't be gone long," he says instead, because that's nearly as good. If they get back before anyone notices this is more than one of their hunting-training trips, all is well. Besides, it sort of is. This is totally the sort of thing the adols should be learning, right? Right, though he hasn't entirely convinced himself.
A smirk at Ahiga and Tala, before Anoki says, tail flipping, "Well, if you get in trouble it ain't my fault, so there." he sticks his tongue out at them playfully, then nudges the fish at them. "G'wahead an' try a bite, guests first an' stuff," he says, with a smirk, before he considers. "You made it all the way here by yourselves, an' I suppose you can find your way back. Maybe they'll consider that good! I mean, if you can go this long an' stuff, maybe you can hunt a long time or.. I dunno." He shrugs, then grins. "Guess I'm kinda used to Niyt almost always knowing where I am as long as I'm in the packlands, so I don't think of good ideas." He says, before ducking his head, using a paw to pin the fish's head, and rip some meat off the tail; it being a large trout, there's enough for him to rip off a mouthful at least.
Ahiga pauses and turns his eyes to Ikuna, slightly turning his head as he either senses his hesitation or just his feeling of unease. But, after a thought, he visibly brightens! "Oh, hey, weren't you with me when Skahla said to like...not follow directions?" he says, furrowing his brows momentarily as if he's not /quite/ sure if he's remembering it right. It did sound sort of weird that day too. "So, we're doin' what he wanted us to do, so s'not like we're gonna get in any trouble," he says dismissively, smirking after. No worries! He trots forth to the fish and bends down to take a tentative sniff. "Phew!" he says, rearing his head up. "It always smells like that?"
Tala ohs softly and hehes while settling down to her haunches. "Naw you won't get in any trouble, promise." She offers while smiling. A glance is offered to the fish and she leans down to take a bite from it and chomps down against it a few times. "Don't suppose you could show us how you got the fish?" Well.. its /sorta/ like hunting.
"If we get in trouble, it's my fault. It was my idea to come," says Ikuna simply. That is That, but he's not going to worry about it the whole trip. There are other things to do! Like... eat fish! His ears do perk at Ahiga's comment, and he hehs. "I'll remind him that," he says. And he'll just see how that works out. He pads closer, watching as the others try the fish, but not going for it himself.
"Yeah, woo, it smells somethin' awful, but if you roll in it a few days later, man, hides your scent from other animals around the river and you can hunt'em easier," Anoki says, thoughtfully, smirking. "And if you cover yourself in snow durin' the winter you can sneak up on prey too. Prey or older sisters." he grins cheesily, tail thumping the ground. "It's fun to play in snow, too. Kinda cold, but once you get over the cold.. OH! OH! And when there's snow, the river gets /solid/ and you can /walk on it/.
Ahiga rolls his eyes towards Ikuna, smirking after. "Whatever ya say.." he relents, knowing fully well he's not about to let his friend take all the blame if worse came to worse. But he's not worrying about that now. There's fish to ponder! He eyes Anoki, as if trying to figure out if he's serious or...joking. "Roll in it?" he says, wrinkling his nose. "An' smell like /that/ thing? I'll stick to huntin' rabbits," he says with a grin to the other male, tail wiggling behind him a little. "Now /snow/ is cool. I'd roll in that stuff all day! But..yeah, like what Tala said, how'd you catch that fish?"
Tala tilts her head and peers at Anoki. "How can the river get solid?" That must be a interesting sight! "An you can walk on it?.. That sounds well.. Wild for sure." She offers with a grin at the thought. A glance is offerd over to Ikuna and she smirks. "No one is gona get in trouble your see." This said with a nod before glancing back to Anoki, her tail swaying about a few times.
Whatever happens, they'll worry about it when it happens. Ikuna pads closer and nudges Ahiga. "Naw, you totally should. You could stun everyone senseless," he says, and grins. The mention of the frozen river makes him hmm. "Is it slick? There were these puddles by us in winter, all sorta silver and you could slide on 'em..."
"Yeah, it gets sorta slick, but if you're careful, you can stand on it! But don't never stick your tongue to it, man, you'll so totally get stuck." Anoki says, shuddering. Before he answers the fish question: "Oh, I didn't catch it. I found it by the river, probably got dropped by a bird or something. Fish're kinda slippery, y'know, so." He hmms, and then looks over his shoulder in the direction he'd come from. "I'd uh, I'd take you back towards the river, but uncle Tariro might get all cranky about it. Plus we got someone kinda-sorta staying with us, that you guys might not wanna talk to. So, uh, yeah." He grins a bit.
"Pft, right. /You/ roll in it then," Ahiga says in a darish tone to Ikuna, fixing him with a 'I know you won't' sort of look. But he doesn't seem to want to /not/ taste the fish. It looks...interesting, and if Anoki can eat it, well he sure can too! Plus, wouldn't it be rude or something to deny the treat of a host? He rolls his shoulders back a little and takes a tentative nibble of the fish flesh.. Nibble...nibble-chew...swallow... Fishy! He licks his muzzle a few times, not used to the taste. "S'not.../bad/"
Tala ears perk and a glance is offered to Ahiga before she grins and then looks back to Anoki. A soft oh escapes her. "Is.. Tariro like my brother then?" She questions with a soft unsure tone. Her ears lower a moment and she snuffles at the thought.
Ikuna grins at Ahiga's dare, and shakes his head. "Nahhh. I'm not so sure deer like fish," he retorts. He hmms to Anoki, and says, "We probably should introduce ourselves," about that uncle Tariro who he assumes is someone important, at least to Anoki and quite possibly alpha like Tala suggests. "But we can wait until, uh... you've asked him." He's in no hurry. As for the other bit... "Someone stayin' with you?" he asks, pondering. He doesn't know of anyone he dislikes like that! Not that Anoki's pack would even tolerate, at least. "Who is it?"
Ears lay back, and Anoki siiiigh. "Helaku," he replies to Ikuna, "He followed me an' Niyt back from your lands, and now he's hangin' out around here. I think he's part of the pack, sorta, but I just kinda ignore him, c'os he's like.. weird in the head." He shakes his head, before he considers. "Well, Unca Tariro's not /exactly/ like Skahla is. He's all kinds of fun to play with an' stuff! but it's .. a kinda rough year. My dad's gone, so he had to find a new Beta... and he's gettin' old, so he'll probably have to step down from Alpha like, by the time I'm an adult, and I guess he wanted to have puppies before then to take his place or something but my aunt died like a loooong time ago..."
A cranky wolf? Sure sounds like a Skahla type! Ahiga is listening, even though his eyes are on the scales of the dead fish. He raises his head, not taking any more bites of flesh for now. Catching up on the conversations, he glances from wolf to wolf, settling his eyes on Anoki after a while. "Helaku?" he repeats the name with a wrinkle of his nose, obviously harboring not so kind feelings towards the said wolf. "Pfft, he's way weird in the head," he agrees. "I'm glad he's not hangin' around us anymore. All he ever did was talk down about the "new Ute"."
Tala blinks at the name. "He's here?.." She questions with a faint tone, ears lowering at the thought. "I don't like him.." A faint mutter escaping her at the thought. A frown is seen and she takes in a slight breath with her tail flicking a few times in the process while she glances to the ground recalling the last conversation she remembers from that wolf.
Yeah, no. Ikuna doesn't recognize that name. Seems that the other Ute members do... and it's not good news. "The new Ute?" he repeats after Ahiga, looking between them as though he expects to find some further explanation. He looks back to Anoki after, pondering the rest of what he says. "Skahla's sometimes fun. He's just... not usually," he says, feeling he has to defend his brother at least a little.
Ears twitch, and Anoki realizes that year. "Helaku is this wolf that was apparently part of like, the Ute before Skahla and Asku an' them were born and stuff. He kept talking bad stuff about the Ute to me and Niyt while we were there. He was really kinda.. stupid." Snorts Anoki, with a shake of the head. He hmms. Shrugs. "My uncle thinks he's good enough for the pack, so I guess that's okay. But Iiiii'mma watchin' him and if he does something /I/ don't like, I'll tell him off, yup." He sniffs, then stretches out to lay down a bit. "Anyway! The river isn't all we got, there's also the fields where I got born and grew up. Lot of grass there. My sister was crazy about grass... I kinda miss her. I hope she an' dad are okay."
Ahiga nods in agreement to Tala and allows Anoki to explain the new Ute bit because he never really understood what Helaku meant by that, and asking was out of the question. "Ha, good luck with that," he mutters to Anoki with a shake of his head. "But hey, if ya /do/ tell'm off and he goes runnin', make sure he doesn't come /our/ way, huh?" he says with an emerging grin, but his head soon turns in confusion. "Your sister Niyt? Is she gone or somethin?"
Tala glances over to Ikuna. "That's becasue Skahla likes you." She points out. A glance is offered over to Anoki at the talk of why Helaku is there. "I'm sorry about that.. The wolf is a jerk.. You should tell your uncle that and to tell him to leave." She's never felt so strongly about a wolf before, but something about Helaku really pissed her off it would seem. She tilts her head, ears perking at the talk of everything else around. "Well.. How about showing us around then huh?" Her tail wagging about happly a few times.
Ikuna hmmms at Anoki's explanation. "I never heard of him. I heard 'bout Skelaghe, who was alpha before our parents, but I never heard of any Helaku." He ponders it for a moment, and looks over to Tala. Whoever this Helaku is, he's clearly bad news. At the mention of Skahla liking him, he shrugs a little. "He'd like you too, he's just... Skahla." He does nod at the idea of looking around, though. "Yeah, I mean. It's your lands. You know all the cool stuff."
"Niyt? Nah, she's not gone like that. She's kinda goofy over the new beta, though." He smirks faintly. Then says, "Krisha, my littermate sister. She left with dad." He frowns, and sighs. "Haven't seen either of them in ages." He shakes his head. Then he hms. "Although speakin' of wolves bein' goofy over each other... We got this elder here named Lexus... and he was kinda goin' goofy over a female wolf the other day. I think they were going to go do adulty things. What is /with/ adults, huh?" He asks, with a frown, thoughtful. "I mean, they're all weird and junk over each other."
Ahiga ohs at the explanation of having a sister other than the Niyt sister he met, though the explanation only rises more questions! His mouth opens to ask these questions, but he slowly closes it to allow the other youngster to continue. Going goofy? Adulty things? We're approaching untrodden territory here! "Uh...I don' think any've our adults are...goin' goofy?" he says, glancing to Tala and Ikuna unsurely. Well, not any goofier than they usually act. "Maybe your water's bad."
Tala ears lower slightly as she hears Ikuna, a slight glance offered over to him. "He's our brother.. He should at least like all his siblings, to some degree." Heck he even likes Asku again an yet Skahla won't even talk to her. She shifts up onto her paws padding away from Ikuna. "Can we talk about something else." A ear twitches and she peers at Anoki. "Adults are strange like that at times." At least that's what she thinks of some of the things adults do. "Well.. Asku and Chewy act sorta strange at times. But I guess that's sorta normal."
Ikuna gives a sad look after Tala as she mopes about this. Aw, come on... but he doesn't really know what to say. His ears perk up at Anoki's question, though. Oh! He knows this one, Asku explained it to him and Tala. It went something like: "Girls have this stuff called heat, that makes boys want them 'cause it smells great. That's why they act funny around each other, an' go off to mate."
Anoki was all smirks and amusement until Ikuna explained things and then he's just sorta /staring/ at the other adolescent, before looking warily at Tala. "... Heat? and it smells great?" Anoki asks, peering. He leans slightly in Tala's way, snuffling, and shakes his head. "She don't smell hot or cold either way to me. She's just Tala." He says, looking to Tala: "You're just Tala." Well it's truuuuue! He shakes his head. "And Niyt just smells like Niyt. I don't get it at all, man."
(Anoki wanders off around now, still perplexed by this. Mushy stuff. What is UP with it? Seriously!)
Ahiga must have missed this lifelong lesson, for all this is news to him. Heat? Smells great? Pft, that makes no sense. Heat is what you feel in the summer, and it definitely smells like nothing! And...mate? He gives his head a rigorous shake, trying to clear it. "Yeah, I don' get it either. Nobody smells all that great to me. I mean.." he glances to Tala. "Y'don't smell /bad/, but I don't...like..."want you".." he says a bit hesitantly because this is all starting to feel weird!
Tala blinks as everyone is well, looking at her after that little bit of information from dear Ikuna. A faint er escapes her at first but then she isn't too sure what to say and casts a glance to Anoki and then to Ahiga while just smirking as she settles to her haunches. "He didn't mean that it smells like that all the time.." God she hopes not at least. A unsure glance is offered to Ahiga and her maw opens before closing and she just smirks. "Nice to know." She sticks her tongue out at him.
Ikuna can't explain it properly, because he doesn't really understand it himself. All he can offer is what he happens to remember. He nods at what Tala says, and adds the other bit he recalls, "Asku said it mostly happened in spring, so... I guess maybe we missed it this year?"
"Awesome," remarks Ahiga. "'m glad we missed it. /If/ it really does make ya act all dumb 'n goofy, I don't want it happenin' to me." He shudders and shakes his paws. "M'too cool to act like that. You guys are too. So let's not let it happen to us, alright?" he says decisively, nodding to both of them.
Tala ears perk and she smirks before nodding. "Sure.. I'm totally with you there." She offers while a yawn escapes her and flops down stretching out. "I'm not going to go acting all crazy that's for damn sure."
Ikuna nods agreement to Ahiga and Tala. "Yeah. Even if it does happen to us, we'll resist. We can deal with funny feelings and not let it take over, 'cause we're strong. Real bad stuff can happen if you don't resist, like the thing with Mori."
Oooh yeah, the Mori thing! That...confusing thing that was obviously a Very Bad Thing whose details are still foggy to Ahiga. But it doesn't matter. As long as his friends agree and they're all in this together, it's all good! He snickers at Tala. "Don' get too comfortable. If that..uh...Tariro guy really is a grumpy jerk sometimes, he'd better not find us here sleepin'"
Tala blinks and smirks at Ahiga at that comment, her ears lowering slightly. "Well.. I'll find some other place to lay down then." She mutters out while shifting to her paws and starts to trot off. "Wouldn't want to bother you with me thinking about /sleeping/." Someone is a bit moody it seems!
Ikuna gives Ahiga a look. His sister's feelings have been hurt! He trots quickly after her, and bumps his head at her shoulder. "No, come on. We'll take turns resting, okay? So we'll be ready for this Tariro guy, no matter when he comes. You can sleep first, if you want."
"What?" is said to Ikuna, wide eyes and all. He didn't do anything! At least, he doesn't think he did...and didn't mean to! "Hey, I was just sayin'.. I mean, I just meant that like, we shouldn' stick around here. They might wanna chew us up or somethin', /especially/ if that Helaku dude's been sayin' crap about us," he calls after them, but he doesn't follow.
"Maybe I should just go back home or something since its like this big joke that I'm always asleep anyway." Tala mutters out slightly and peersback at the two once Ikuna bumps into her shoulder. "I don't care what Helaku thinks or says.. I told him what for then an I'll do it again. An Niyt wouldn't let this Tariro fella do anything to us."
Ikuna considers for a moment at Ahiga's parting words. His best friend does have a point, but he can see his sister's tired. "Helaku doesn't know we're here," he says, thinking it through. "Neither does Tariro, unless Anoki tells him, and Anoki's our friend. So I think we're okay... but we should stick together, and not all sleep at once." He glances back to Ahiga. "'Cause you're right. It might be dangerous, from wolves or other stuff." Bears. Birds. All those nasty things. "We're too tired to go all the way home now, though. So we gotta rest, 'cause we're not splitting up. That'd be stupid."
"Big joke?" Ahiga hehs, folding his hears back a little while giving her a doeish stare. "What're you talkin' about? S'no big joke about anything Tala, c'mon." He stands and begins to trot towards them now, ears raising to a more normal level as he gets nearer. "Look, I'm sorry for whatever I did ok?" he exhales, the words directed to Tala. "Ikuna's right. We'll stay here 'n rest. You sleep first, like he said. We'll take turns."
Tala peers slightly at Ahiga, a ear flicking forward. "Ya.. sure.." She offers softly while she settles down on her haunches, her tail swaying a few times in the process. "Fine.. You two pick where we're going to sleep them." She knows it can be dangerous, she's not stupid after all.
Ikuna relaxes as the tensions recede for a moment, though they're sort of still there, like water under crackly ice. Hopefully that ice will keep melting until all is flowing smoothly. After all, it's not like there's any reason why adolescents would be prickly, or oversensitive, or arrogant, or careless of emotions! NONE AT ALL. "Okay," he says to Tala, and glances to Ahiga. "We can go back to those three maple trees. Nice high ground, so we can see stuff coming," he suggests. And it's only a little ways back along the way they came.
Yeah sure? He'll take it! Ahiga nods to Tala, though gives her a slight questioning look. Girls...sheesh! And some day he's supposed to go all gaga over them because they smell nice? In their dreams! He agrees with Ikuna's plan o action with a nod of his head. "Yup, those trees are good. Maybe we'll see Anoki again before we have to go back. He's cool."
Tala peers back at Ahiga slightly while she trots along after Ikuna. Oh yes she is moody! Imagine that an adolescent that has mood swings, watch out world! "Ya.. sure." She offers to Ikuna while she follows, head lowered and she eyes the ground a few moments, tail flicking about in the process.
On some level, Ikuna is quite aware that his sister has been moody lately, and taking offense at things that really aren't meant like that. On a different and rather stronger level, she's his sister, and so it doesn't matter if she's moody, he's still gonna stick by her and defend her. Just, lately... well, sometimes defending her is more emotional and about trying to keep everyone from doing stuff they'll regret. At least they're all still together, heading back to the trees to rest. "Yeah, Anoki's cool," he agrees with Ahiga, and makes sure to keep an eye on Tala.
The maple trees find themselves host to a set of young wolves, taking turns sleeping... and perhaps also wondering: Girls/Boys! What is UP with THEM?