Post by Pavane on Mar 8, 2012 0:38:28 GMT -5
Ahiga - male adolescent wolf
Ikuna - male adolescent wolf
Tala - female adolescent wolf
---Hilltop Vista---
The nip in the air and the colors of autumn were a thing celebrated just a day ago. Now, every leaf that falls from a tree is like time lost in a countdown. A countdown to Wachiwa's departure. Granted, even now Ahiga can't make himself feel too sad about it. It isn't the end of the world, besides, /and/ she did say she was returning in the spring. So it's more like...a vacation. A vacation during the toughest part of the year. Pft. Wachiwa is crazy. The young male has settled himself upon the crest of the hill, peering in the direction of the forest. He hates when his mind is troubled. It's no fun trying to sort out the thoughts that keep tumbling about in his brain. Along with Chewy's journey, now there are these odd thoughts of him and Tala. Why in the world would Wachiwa say such a thing about him and her? Has someone been talking about them? And worse yet, is that what is being /expected/ of them? Pft, ridiculous! He snorts and shakes his head, as if trying to rid his ears of the buzz of an annoying fly.
Oh, yes. There's definitely a lot to think about now. Ikuna went out on a double patrol, because with a lot to think about, he wanted a lot of time to think - and besides, he's gotta make sure he knows all this stuff. With Chewy gone, all that stuff about winter's test and being prepared has taken on new weight. The patrol went well. The thinking... not so much. It didn't go badly, even, so much as it didn't go anywhere. His thoughts went round and round in circles and ended up back where they started. He's returning home now, paws a bit muddy from the patrol past the swamp as he emerges from the forest to start padding up the hill.
Oh yes, he should be patroling! The thought of this hits him the moment he spies Ikuna returning from him. Doh, Ahiga knew he forgot about something with all of his brooding. Ah, he can patrol later, and if anyone asks....he already did his rounds. His ears prick from his vantage point, watching his friend. He looks like he has a lot on his mind too, and Ahiga can only guess what the topics may consist of. He rises to his paws, tail waving a little as he calls a greeting to his friend. "Hey! Where've you been so long? Our lands ain't /that/ big," he smirks, slightly raising a brow.
Ikuna perks up despite his tiredness when he sees Ahiga. "Hey!" he calls back, and then grins. "Like you'd know... it smells like you haven't even been to the part by the crescent pool in forever and a half." His tone is light, teasing his friend as he continues uphill toward him... though there's just a little bit of awkwardness underneath it. Ikuna has never been good at hiding stuff, and clearly, some of what he's been thinking about involves Ahiga. Gee, wonder what /that/ could possibly be...
"Pssh, that jus' means I'm the /master/ of patrols," replies Ahiga with a smug look. "I'm so smooth, y'don't even know I was there." He grins as he begins to move too, trotting down the hill to meet him halfway. He headbutts him in greeting, stepping back with a crooked grin and a somewhat searching look. Is he mad? Can't tell. And if he was mad, would it be valid? Ahem. Let's just avoid that topic altogether, shall we! "So, what d'you think's gonna happen when Asku finds out Wachiwa's plan, huh?" he asks with perked ears.
Master of patrols, huh? Ikuna snorts something that is kinda like a laugh, and returns the headbutt with every evidence of affection. If he's mad, it's certainly a strange sort of mad... but he's looking back at Ahiga, with that same sort of trying to figure something out without actually saying it. Something is definitely up. But oh, hey, look! A distraction. Those're good. They make the tones of voice and the cant of ears go more or less back to normal while he responds. "He might want to go with her..." he starts, and then pauses to consider. "Yeah, probably that. He can't really try and stop her, not when he's always goin' off on things." ...though that's Asku. Chewy's always the one who sticks around here. The last time she left was... to rescue him, and now she's going off because of, well, a number of things but mostly Hadir. Chewy and the puppies, always Chewy and puppies. She'd make a good moOhWhoaThere'sThatAgain. Puppies, and Chewy saying Ahiga and Tala were like THAT and WOULD and... Ikuna gets the Awkward Look, full force, and turns his head away to... watch the forest. Or at least not look at Ahiga.
Ahiga nods his head once, apparently in agreement with what Ikuna is thinking in regards to Asku. Of course the guy will want to accompany her, though would he? Could they both leave the pack at the beginning of winter? "Skahla wouldn' let both've them go, even if it is for Hadir," he remarks with a slight wrinkle of his nose. "Nah, I bet not. He needs Asku here, especially because've the puppies. I mean, /we're/ good at huntin' and all," he says with a bit of a cocky smirk, "but Asku's better." An ear turns now as silence falls. Yup, everything revolves around the youngsters and their needs. Is that how it was when they were puppies? And how it will always be whenever puppies are about? Silence falls and he does nothing to interrupt it for a while, watching his friend's expression change. Then, abruptly, "You know, what Wachiwa said was stupid, right?"
What Ahiga says - once sent through the Ahiga-Arrogance-Filter - is more or less correct, according to Ikuna's perception of things. "He might to keep Chewy safe," offers Ikuna as a small counter-argument, but he doesn't seem to believe it strongly. Chewy can take care of herself, and the pack will need Asku more during the winter. It does seem true that puppies need more help than not, and these more than most. During the silence, Ikuna completely fails to wrestle his thoughts into submission. When Ahiga speaks, he looks up, his gaze going to the other young male's searchingly. "Was it?"
What? What kind of answer is that? What he was /supposed/ to say was something more along the lines of 'Yeah it was, wasn't it? Let's forget about it and go play!' and then they could put this whole awkward silly I'm gonna knock up your sister at some point in her life thing behind them! His ears fall back briefly, though quickly perk up again as he nods. "Yeah it was. Right? I mean puppies...with /Tala?/" He forces a laugh and shakes his head dismissively, eyes rolling. "C'mon Ikuna, really? Could you even imagine that? Wachiwa was jus'..jus' sayin' things. I think she was too worried about tellin' us that she was leavin' that she wasn't thinking before she said it, y'know?"
See, this is the problem with Ikuna. He thinks too much, and he doesn't just dismiss totally crazy ideas outright, as any right-thinking young male would. Probably the fault of that stupid hole, making him spend all his time thinking for a while. Or maybe it's 'cause he had too much of Chewy and her crazy ways as a pup. Whatever the cause, he's taking this all... serious-like. He keeps on looking at Ahiga's expression, watching all the little signs of how he's responding, and is quiet for a moment before he speaks. "Chewy says lots of things," he does grant, but then he doesn't leave good enough alone. "...what if Tala... likes you, though? She probably does, 'cause..."
"Yeah, lots of crazy things," replies Ahiga with a snicker and the hope that it'll be left at that. Crazy ol' Wachiwa and her crazy puppy thoughts! He chuckles a little more, but luck is not on his side. Ikuna is digging deeper, showing no signs of letting the subject drop. Ahiga can either face the music or be a coward and suddenly run off, and running off is sounding pretty tempting...though something soon catches his attention. What if she likes him? He glances at Ikuna skeptically. And, she probably does?? Blinking, he lifts his head, brows raising slightly in an unintentional show of interest. "Really? ..Why?" Erk. He pauses quickly,, ducking his head down a little again, "I mean..s'not like I care. I /don't/ cuz..y'know, I already said it was a stupid thing to say an' it's not like I like her. I mean..uh, I /like/ her, but like...not like Wachiwa said. I mean.." His brain is screaming for him to shut up, and he finally does...after having diarrhea of the mouth. He shifts a paw against the ground.
Ikuna shuffles a little, and looks aside a little in the other direction from where Ahiga is, just to limit the possibility of accidentally crossing gazes. "Well why wouldn't she? I mean... uhm... you look good and you're good at hunting, and you can run fast, and you've known her forever and she likes spending time with you and being close to you and... er... all that." Yeah. Uhm. His ears flit back briefly, and then, "But I guess if it was stupid than never mind."
Hm. Ikuna has made some good points. Points that Ahiga hadn't thought of. Now, this doesn't make this conversation any less awkward though, and he's rather glad that all this is happening without having to actually look at the fellow. Ok Ahiga, you can do this! Maybe now's a good time to sort all of this out...whatever "all of this" may be. "...Not sayin' that it's gonna happen or anything, but...what if we did? Like, what if what Wachiwa said really happened? Would ya be mad at me?" he asks as nonchalantly as he possibly can, idly flicking a claw against a blade of grass.
For a conversation that isn't happening about a hypothetical (that is also stupid), it's an awfully long talk these two are having. Ikuna had maybe just barely started to consider looking back at Ahiga when the other wolf speaks, and then he turns his head away again sharply. There will be no seeing of his face, at least not by /that/ wolf. The face in question... well. He's practically biting his lower lip, his ears are back against his head like he's a puppy looking for dinner, and he's very deliberately looking at nothing. "I..." he begins, and then goes quiet for a few moments. "N-no."
An here comes that she-wolf that everyone is talking about, and yet Tala has no idea about it. She is slowly moving along, a rabbit hanging from her jaws as she goes. Her form like Ikuna's has started to fill out more, she's finally grown into her lanky legs and large paws to some degree, and she has a well stocky muscled look that proves she could chase down any deer in the area without much trouble. She favors her mother a good amount, which she can't even remember what she looked like so has no idea. Her ears flick forward, nose twitching as she glances towards her brotehr and bestest friend in the world and moves on towards them at a quick trot. The rabbit is dropped and she licks across her maw. "Hey guys."
Ahiga watches an unimportant bug crawl near his paw. Do bugs have conversation like these with their best friends? If not, he envies them greatly right now. He chances a half second's glance to Ikuna as he answers, though his eyes quickly move back to the ground. Pft, that wasn't convincing sounding at all. No? "Pft, yeah right. You'd hate my guts," he says matter of factly, nose wrinkling. "Cuz if I had a s-.." he begins, but all words get caught in his throat and swell like a lump as Tala arrives. Eyes slightly widen and his mouth makes an "o", as if he's been caught red-handed doing something naughty. A vaguely panicked look is given to Ikuna before he straightens up and plasters on a grin. "Hey! Tala. Uh...cool rabbit." .. Smooth.
Ikuna does not look very convinced. Of... well, anything. This is the most awkward thing ever, and he has no idea what to do and why did he bring it up anyway way and... and... When Tala arrives, his ears discover that it is, in fact, possible to go further back, and it is, in fact, possible for this moment to be even more awkward. He also attempts to recover his expression, but the tailwag for his sister combined with those ears just makes him look even more like the wee little puppy pathetically hoping for dinner for a few moments before he pulls himself back to vaguely pretending to be normal. "H-hey."
Tala's bright gaze drifts towards her brother and then her friend, she tilts her head ears perking forward and she snuffles. "Uh.. Did I miss something.. Or.. Do something that I dono I did?" She settles to her haunches, a hindpaw lifting to scratch at her scared shoulder a few times. "Thanks.. Caught it down near the crabapple tree." Seems she doesn't totally believe what they say and is eyeing them both.
This can totally be saved. They just have to play it cool. Play it...normal. And the big cheesy grin on Ahiga's face is definitely not normal no matter how much he may think it is. "Miss somethin'? Naw we were just talkin' about....hunting," he says nodding a few times, glancing to Ikuna briskly for confirmation. "Oh, hey by the tree?" he says, ears perking up as if that was the most interesting thing he's heard all day. "Remember when we were gonna make a trap for rabbits by the tree that one time? Dig a hole an' hope they'd fall in?" He tilts his head back and laughs. "Geeze we were dumb when we were little."
Now Ikuna's ears get to go back for a slightly different reason, as he realizes Tala thinks there's something up. Which there is, yes, and it does involve her. It's just not her /fault/, see, or even something she did, unless 'existing' counts. "You didn't do anything," he says, and that at least sounds more or less like normal truth for him, as opposed to the rest of everything about the two males right now. It's a measure of just how rattled he is that the mention of that trap doesn't even get a reaction, despite how it ended up going into the Bad Times. "We were just puppies." So what's their excuse now?
Tala watches the two seeming to not fully believe them at the moment. A faint ah escapes her. "I see.." This escapes her after a moment and she takes in a breath before grinning. "Ya I remember that.. It was fun to think we could catch a rabbit in a hole!" She laughs out at this and flops down to stretch out upon her side.
Ahiga exhales a short breath as Tala replies. Seems like they're in the clear! And for now, he's spared needing to explain anything further to Ikuna, and further spared from saying more than he needs or means to. For now. His tail wags a little and, as is customary, he trots towards Tala to greet her with a gentle bump of his head to her shoulder. "So that rabbit...y'got it for us huh?" he says smirkily, glancing to the prey, licking his muzzle
It certainly does seem that this conversation is over for now. Good to know everything has been resolv- wait a minute. Nothing has been resolved. Nothing at all. If anything, the situation is even more awkward than before, and new unresolveds have been found to join the previous ones. Ikuna gives himself a shake, and then another one, fluffing out the winter coat he's growing. He comes a few paces behind Ahiga, and greets Tala with a nuzzle from the other side. He looks past her at Ahiga, and attempts light jocularity. "Aren't you supposed to be the mighty hunter... uh...." Good tease, except for that awkward trailing off at the end. Partial credit?
Tala is quiet for a moment as she eyes the pair, a faint snort escapes her and she shifts to her haunches. "Alright.. I an't dumb guys.. What is going on?" She questions while watching the pair knowing /something/ isn't right.. "Is it something else that Chewy said after I left?"
"Oh, I am," replies Ahiga who juts his chest out a little. "Jus' like I'm the mighty fighter who would've kicked yer tail yesterday if we had the chance," he jests in reply, thankful for the familiar banter, even if it is still a bit strained. But that puffed out chest of his soon deflates as Tala speaks up again. Yeesh, why are females so perceptive? Though it wasn't as if the two of them were doing a stellar job at playing it cool. He takes a step back before sitting down, ears turning. "Uh.." He could barely talk about this with Ikuna. Repeating what Wachiwa said to Tala is definitely out of the question. And so, of course, he looks to Ikuna, their fearless leader!
Dogs may play poker. Wolves do not, at least not these wolves. They'd be TERRIBLE at it. Ikuna grins a bit at Ahiga's counter-banter, and then... yeah, about that, Tala. Ahiga proves to be no help, and so it's left to Ikuna. It's kinda his fault the subject got brought up, anyway. All that thinking. With all eyes on him, he ducks his head, and uhms for a while before lifting it again. "Yeah," he says. "It is." That honesty is going to get him into trouble someday for sure.
Tala blinks and peers from one and then another while tilting her head. She tilts her head. "An.. What did she say?" She questions with a unsure tone while shifting on her paws, tail lashing a few times in the process. "You guys gone tell me or not.. Cause I get the feeling it was something about me an if that's the case then I should be told.. Right?" Yes she is perceptive as all get out, but it's not like they was trying to really hide it!
Ahiga has a feeling that there's not going to be any crafty way to get out of this situation, for he can't think of any alternate places to take this conversation that doesn't end with the embarassing truth. He shifts from side to side on his paws, avoiding anyone's eyes right now. Does Tala deserve to know the details of the conversation? Sure she does! She has a point, it was about her. /Wachiwa/ should tell her, since she brought it up. He coughs a little. He should probably...say something. "Yeah." See? He said something!
"Well," Ikuna says, and then looks hopefully at Ahiga when the other wolf makes a noise. It is not, however, as helpful as he might have hoped in resolving this situation. Looks like this falls to Ikuna... now how in the world is he going to explain? Preferably without melting or sinking down under the surface of the earth from sheer awkwardness. "Uhm. Chewy... she was... talking about the future. Like all the stuff about having to train and patrol and hunt, and be ready, and take care of the pack because it's the most important thing, and staying together as wolves, because we're going to be adults soon -" Now _he's_ giving that lecture they've all heard a million times. What a weird world, where that's more comfortable than answering the question. He eventually manages to cut himself off. "Uhm. Anyway. So she said that... uh... that there might be puppies."
Tala eyes Ahiga a moment as he goes to say something and then stops. "Oh to the spirits.. Will someone just say SOMETHING?!" There is a pause as her gaze snaps back towards Ikuna, her tail lashing about a few times while her ears perk forward and she tilts her head. For a moment some might say she is acting like her mother, very forceful and eager to have the answer it seems. There is a blink, and then another while she peers at Ikuna. "Puppies?.. With who?.." She pauses a moment. "Is Chewy and Asku having puppies?" Well WHO else could it /possible/ be? Not her.. nope!
Gosh, he needs to man up. It's not fair to let Ikuna do all the talking and spilling of the awkward truth. This does have to do with him, so he should speak up too! Ahiga has a mental battle with himself all while staring at the ground, ears pressed down, hoping that he's somehow gone invisible. Buuut no such luck. There's that p-word and it causes him to cringe a bit. He peers at Ikuna and swallows. Ok, he can do this! A few deep, steadying breaths are taken before he looks up, steadying his gaze on Tala. "/We're/ having puppies!" he blurts out a little louder than he meant to... *cricket-chirp* ... And that totally came out wrong, and he realizes it a heartbeat after it's been said. His ears press back again, and he shakes his head quickly. "Nono. That's not what I meant. Chewy said we should have puppies. Well, she said she thinks...she said, when she'd come back you'd be havin' puppies with me.. I mean.." Panic! It all sounds so wrong!
The show of temper from Tala does not ruffle Ikuna any further than he's already ruffled. Temper from their mother, stability from their father. He's taking in a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say, when Ahiga blurts out the utterly wrong ones, followed by some quite-wrong ones, and others of various degrees of wrong. Oh, this is just not going well. Ikuna to the rescue? Well, he'd love to if he can just figure out how! "She just thought you could... go together. Like... that."
Tala glances over to Ahiga and just blinks, that bright gaze of hers widen a moment and a soft ah escapes her before she pulls her head back to eye Ahiga and then glance to herself and then look back to Ahiga. There is that awkward pause and she looks well, confused as hell to say the least. "We.. are..?" She settles back to her haunches. "I mean.. how..?" Though it did make her hush up for a few moments and swallow at the thought of having puppies! A faint own escapes her once Ahiga explains more, thank goodness for that! She doesn't remember doing anyhing that would lead to her having puppies after all! At least nothing that was FUN.. Her gaze rests on Ahiga a few moments, ears perking forward slightly and her maw opens before it closes and she glances back to Ikuna with a blink. "Really?.. She said that?.."
Ugh. He should've let Ikuna speak. He's so much better at saying things! Ahiga is struggling to keep himself from bolting from this situation. His heart is racing. His breath is quick. And that "deer in headlights" look is one that he can't get rid of. This is a nightmare that doesn't seem to have an end in sight! When Tala's eyes turn to him, he feels his face growing hot, and he ducks his head a little, as if he can hide within himself somehow. Now would be an excellent time for him to be quiet. To let things settle and smooth over with quieter, rational talk, and like the near adults they are, come to some sort of conclusion that is beneficial for everyone. But this is Ahiga we're talking about. "Yeah, she said it," he answers even though Tala wasn't speaking to him. "That's...that's dumb, right? It's silly. I dunno why she'd say that. S'not like it's ever gonna happen."
Yeah, Chewy said that, more or less. Not those words, but... Ikuna nods to Tala as Ahiga answers her, and then... he takes a step back, not speaking but looking between those two faces. He's searching them for... something. What? He doesn't even know, but something. His own expression has gone weird again, kind of... simultaneously awkward and hopeful and afraid.
Tala blinks again and looks to Ahiga, her ears perking forward a moment an a faint oh escapes her. Well.. What can she possible say too that? "I bet Chewy was just joking about. You know?" She offers whie her tail sways a few times and a yawn escapes her while her shoulders roll and she shifts up to her paws and moves back over to the rabbit she caught. "We're friends after all, why would that happen?" She's either ok with it or hiding it veryvery well..
That's the exact answer he was hoping for. The exact thing he's been saying all along! So Ahiga isn't quite sure why there's a heavy feeling in his chest where relief should be when her reply comes. His head slightly angles to one side as he watches Tala move back towards her kill, and he glances down momentarily in reply to her latter words. A soft, near imperceptible breath is released through his mouth, and when he looks back up, a faint smirk is on his muzzle. "See?" he says, looking to Ikuna. "Told you. Wachiwa's just bein' weird, is all."
Well, so that's... that. The fear part of Ikuna's expression shifts toward relief, though the rest of it sticks around for now. He returns Ahiga's gaze, and nods slowly. "Yeah," he says softly. "I guess she was."
Perhaps she was, but perhaps she wasn't. Tala is quiet for a few moments a yawn escaping her an she shifts stretching out and lets her head settle upon her forepaws. "Anyway its all over and done with now right?" Perhaps she does have some feelings towards Ahiga.. Though it isn't coming out anytime soon now!
Ahiga nods to the both of them, still feeling ill at ease. There's just no winning when it comes to matters of the heart, is there? Especially at this age! Tala's getting comfortable, perhaps ready to nap. Ikuna's looking...well, he's not quiet sure the emotion, but it's not exactly a look of contentment. And Ahiga himself feels as if he'll explode if he doesn't move and try to settle his thoughts. "Didn' do my rounds yet," he admits before giving his body a brisk shake. "Better go 'fore Skahla chews me out See ya guys later!" said as he begins to move off.
Ikuna stands where he is for a while with that uncomfortable look on his face. "Yeah..." he says, and then gives himself another of those shakes. "Okay. We'll... hang out, later," he says to Ahiga, with what does manage to be a smile. Just like old times, as if all this awkwardness never even happened. It's all behind them, right? ...maybe not so much. Ikuna stares after Ahiga as the other wolf departs, and then slowly walks over to where his sister is resting and lowers himself to a seat beside her.
Tala nods slightly as she hears Ahiga. "Alright.. See you later then." As for her taking a nap, well no she wasn't thank you! A ear twitches after Ahiga and she glances to Ikuna a moment and her nose twitches before she noses the rabbit over to him to see if he might be hungrey it seems. As for it being all behind them well she isn't srue on that.. At least not at the moment.
Ikuna looks at the rabbit for a long moment, and then he shakes his head. "I'm not hungry," he says. ...he says, after having just done a double patrol to give himself time to think over things - not that it helped. He slowly lowers himself down to the ground, and rests his head on his paws.
Tala ohs and nods while she shifts and leans closer to Ikuna, a soft sigh escapes her. "I wonder why Chewy would say that.." She offers with a soft tone. There is a pause and her maw twitches. "Ikuna.. Would there be a problem if I did have some feelings for Ahiga? I mean.. Would that be a bad thing?"
Ikuna closes his eyes, deliberately breathing deep. His ear twitches at Tala's first musings, but he doesn't answer her, just letting that wondering hang in the air. Why did Chewy say that? It's just... made such a mess of things. He lets out a sigh, and rests quietly. At the sound of his name, he opens one eye, and then at the actual question he opens both of them and lifts up his head. Funny, Ahiga asked him a similar thing, not that long ago. "I... don't think so. I mean... it can't be wrong to have feelings for someone... can it? To want to... be with them, and... do things with them." His ears splay slightly, and turn faintly pink before he adds, "I don't know."
Tala lets her head move and settle upon her brother's shoulder with a soft sigh escaping her. "I suppose so.." She offers after a moment, well what can she possible say now? "I guess it doesn't matter really. Ain't right for one to like someone and the other not feel the back I suppose."
Ikuna thumps his tail softly as Tala leans against him. He's quiet for a long moment, his expression conflicted, and then... he speaks softly. "If you..." he trails off, then starts again. "'member when I was a puppy, and... I said boys were stupid?" He smiles a little at the memory, and how flustered Chewy got at his claims he was going to grow up a smart girl, just like her. The smile fades a little as he continues. "Well, it's true. We are. We're bad at understanding things, and bad at saying things. So... just remember that, when... with boys."
Tala hums softly and nods. "Well.. Ya I remember that, how could I not? It was really amusing." She offers with a soft chuckle and she noses back at him. "Eh.. Its alright.." This said softly while she lifts her head to glance off the way Ahiga went. "Maybe I dono what I'm feeling after all.. Just feelings after all."
Ikuna smiles at the nosing, and then he too looks after the departed Ahiga before returning his gaze to his sister. The smile fades somewhat, and he tilts her head as he listens to her. "Yeah," he answers. "Feelings are... hard to understand. They don't make sense." He sighs, and shifts to lean more against Tala.
Tala nods slightly and takes in a soft breath. "Well.. That is true too." She offers softly while letting her head settle back upon the ground and snuggles against him in the process. "Guess I'll just have to talk to Ahiga later.."
Ikuna bites at his lower lip for a moment, and then he nods, curling his body against Tala's. "Yeah, that... seems like a good idea. And... no matter what... we're still all friends, right?"
Tala nods slightly. "Well.. Of course we're friends.. Always and forever." She offers while glancing to him and smiles while nuzzling at his cheek before letting her head press against his shoulder and starts to doze off from the looks of it.
Ikuna smiles back, and returns the nuzzle before lowering his own head. Sleep doesn't seem far away for him, either; not after that long patrol and the emotional conversations.
Ikuna - male adolescent wolf
Tala - female adolescent wolf
---Hilltop Vista---
The nip in the air and the colors of autumn were a thing celebrated just a day ago. Now, every leaf that falls from a tree is like time lost in a countdown. A countdown to Wachiwa's departure. Granted, even now Ahiga can't make himself feel too sad about it. It isn't the end of the world, besides, /and/ she did say she was returning in the spring. So it's more like...a vacation. A vacation during the toughest part of the year. Pft. Wachiwa is crazy. The young male has settled himself upon the crest of the hill, peering in the direction of the forest. He hates when his mind is troubled. It's no fun trying to sort out the thoughts that keep tumbling about in his brain. Along with Chewy's journey, now there are these odd thoughts of him and Tala. Why in the world would Wachiwa say such a thing about him and her? Has someone been talking about them? And worse yet, is that what is being /expected/ of them? Pft, ridiculous! He snorts and shakes his head, as if trying to rid his ears of the buzz of an annoying fly.
Oh, yes. There's definitely a lot to think about now. Ikuna went out on a double patrol, because with a lot to think about, he wanted a lot of time to think - and besides, he's gotta make sure he knows all this stuff. With Chewy gone, all that stuff about winter's test and being prepared has taken on new weight. The patrol went well. The thinking... not so much. It didn't go badly, even, so much as it didn't go anywhere. His thoughts went round and round in circles and ended up back where they started. He's returning home now, paws a bit muddy from the patrol past the swamp as he emerges from the forest to start padding up the hill.
Oh yes, he should be patroling! The thought of this hits him the moment he spies Ikuna returning from him. Doh, Ahiga knew he forgot about something with all of his brooding. Ah, he can patrol later, and if anyone asks....he already did his rounds. His ears prick from his vantage point, watching his friend. He looks like he has a lot on his mind too, and Ahiga can only guess what the topics may consist of. He rises to his paws, tail waving a little as he calls a greeting to his friend. "Hey! Where've you been so long? Our lands ain't /that/ big," he smirks, slightly raising a brow.
Ikuna perks up despite his tiredness when he sees Ahiga. "Hey!" he calls back, and then grins. "Like you'd know... it smells like you haven't even been to the part by the crescent pool in forever and a half." His tone is light, teasing his friend as he continues uphill toward him... though there's just a little bit of awkwardness underneath it. Ikuna has never been good at hiding stuff, and clearly, some of what he's been thinking about involves Ahiga. Gee, wonder what /that/ could possibly be...
"Pssh, that jus' means I'm the /master/ of patrols," replies Ahiga with a smug look. "I'm so smooth, y'don't even know I was there." He grins as he begins to move too, trotting down the hill to meet him halfway. He headbutts him in greeting, stepping back with a crooked grin and a somewhat searching look. Is he mad? Can't tell. And if he was mad, would it be valid? Ahem. Let's just avoid that topic altogether, shall we! "So, what d'you think's gonna happen when Asku finds out Wachiwa's plan, huh?" he asks with perked ears.
Master of patrols, huh? Ikuna snorts something that is kinda like a laugh, and returns the headbutt with every evidence of affection. If he's mad, it's certainly a strange sort of mad... but he's looking back at Ahiga, with that same sort of trying to figure something out without actually saying it. Something is definitely up. But oh, hey, look! A distraction. Those're good. They make the tones of voice and the cant of ears go more or less back to normal while he responds. "He might want to go with her..." he starts, and then pauses to consider. "Yeah, probably that. He can't really try and stop her, not when he's always goin' off on things." ...though that's Asku. Chewy's always the one who sticks around here. The last time she left was... to rescue him, and now she's going off because of, well, a number of things but mostly Hadir. Chewy and the puppies, always Chewy and puppies. She'd make a good moOhWhoaThere'sThatAgain. Puppies, and Chewy saying Ahiga and Tala were like THAT and WOULD and... Ikuna gets the Awkward Look, full force, and turns his head away to... watch the forest. Or at least not look at Ahiga.
Ahiga nods his head once, apparently in agreement with what Ikuna is thinking in regards to Asku. Of course the guy will want to accompany her, though would he? Could they both leave the pack at the beginning of winter? "Skahla wouldn' let both've them go, even if it is for Hadir," he remarks with a slight wrinkle of his nose. "Nah, I bet not. He needs Asku here, especially because've the puppies. I mean, /we're/ good at huntin' and all," he says with a bit of a cocky smirk, "but Asku's better." An ear turns now as silence falls. Yup, everything revolves around the youngsters and their needs. Is that how it was when they were puppies? And how it will always be whenever puppies are about? Silence falls and he does nothing to interrupt it for a while, watching his friend's expression change. Then, abruptly, "You know, what Wachiwa said was stupid, right?"
What Ahiga says - once sent through the Ahiga-Arrogance-Filter - is more or less correct, according to Ikuna's perception of things. "He might to keep Chewy safe," offers Ikuna as a small counter-argument, but he doesn't seem to believe it strongly. Chewy can take care of herself, and the pack will need Asku more during the winter. It does seem true that puppies need more help than not, and these more than most. During the silence, Ikuna completely fails to wrestle his thoughts into submission. When Ahiga speaks, he looks up, his gaze going to the other young male's searchingly. "Was it?"
What? What kind of answer is that? What he was /supposed/ to say was something more along the lines of 'Yeah it was, wasn't it? Let's forget about it and go play!' and then they could put this whole awkward silly I'm gonna knock up your sister at some point in her life thing behind them! His ears fall back briefly, though quickly perk up again as he nods. "Yeah it was. Right? I mean puppies...with /Tala?/" He forces a laugh and shakes his head dismissively, eyes rolling. "C'mon Ikuna, really? Could you even imagine that? Wachiwa was jus'..jus' sayin' things. I think she was too worried about tellin' us that she was leavin' that she wasn't thinking before she said it, y'know?"
See, this is the problem with Ikuna. He thinks too much, and he doesn't just dismiss totally crazy ideas outright, as any right-thinking young male would. Probably the fault of that stupid hole, making him spend all his time thinking for a while. Or maybe it's 'cause he had too much of Chewy and her crazy ways as a pup. Whatever the cause, he's taking this all... serious-like. He keeps on looking at Ahiga's expression, watching all the little signs of how he's responding, and is quiet for a moment before he speaks. "Chewy says lots of things," he does grant, but then he doesn't leave good enough alone. "...what if Tala... likes you, though? She probably does, 'cause..."
"Yeah, lots of crazy things," replies Ahiga with a snicker and the hope that it'll be left at that. Crazy ol' Wachiwa and her crazy puppy thoughts! He chuckles a little more, but luck is not on his side. Ikuna is digging deeper, showing no signs of letting the subject drop. Ahiga can either face the music or be a coward and suddenly run off, and running off is sounding pretty tempting...though something soon catches his attention. What if she likes him? He glances at Ikuna skeptically. And, she probably does?? Blinking, he lifts his head, brows raising slightly in an unintentional show of interest. "Really? ..Why?" Erk. He pauses quickly,, ducking his head down a little again, "I mean..s'not like I care. I /don't/ cuz..y'know, I already said it was a stupid thing to say an' it's not like I like her. I mean..uh, I /like/ her, but like...not like Wachiwa said. I mean.." His brain is screaming for him to shut up, and he finally does...after having diarrhea of the mouth. He shifts a paw against the ground.
Ikuna shuffles a little, and looks aside a little in the other direction from where Ahiga is, just to limit the possibility of accidentally crossing gazes. "Well why wouldn't she? I mean... uhm... you look good and you're good at hunting, and you can run fast, and you've known her forever and she likes spending time with you and being close to you and... er... all that." Yeah. Uhm. His ears flit back briefly, and then, "But I guess if it was stupid than never mind."
Hm. Ikuna has made some good points. Points that Ahiga hadn't thought of. Now, this doesn't make this conversation any less awkward though, and he's rather glad that all this is happening without having to actually look at the fellow. Ok Ahiga, you can do this! Maybe now's a good time to sort all of this out...whatever "all of this" may be. "...Not sayin' that it's gonna happen or anything, but...what if we did? Like, what if what Wachiwa said really happened? Would ya be mad at me?" he asks as nonchalantly as he possibly can, idly flicking a claw against a blade of grass.
For a conversation that isn't happening about a hypothetical (that is also stupid), it's an awfully long talk these two are having. Ikuna had maybe just barely started to consider looking back at Ahiga when the other wolf speaks, and then he turns his head away again sharply. There will be no seeing of his face, at least not by /that/ wolf. The face in question... well. He's practically biting his lower lip, his ears are back against his head like he's a puppy looking for dinner, and he's very deliberately looking at nothing. "I..." he begins, and then goes quiet for a few moments. "N-no."
An here comes that she-wolf that everyone is talking about, and yet Tala has no idea about it. She is slowly moving along, a rabbit hanging from her jaws as she goes. Her form like Ikuna's has started to fill out more, she's finally grown into her lanky legs and large paws to some degree, and she has a well stocky muscled look that proves she could chase down any deer in the area without much trouble. She favors her mother a good amount, which she can't even remember what she looked like so has no idea. Her ears flick forward, nose twitching as she glances towards her brotehr and bestest friend in the world and moves on towards them at a quick trot. The rabbit is dropped and she licks across her maw. "Hey guys."
Ahiga watches an unimportant bug crawl near his paw. Do bugs have conversation like these with their best friends? If not, he envies them greatly right now. He chances a half second's glance to Ikuna as he answers, though his eyes quickly move back to the ground. Pft, that wasn't convincing sounding at all. No? "Pft, yeah right. You'd hate my guts," he says matter of factly, nose wrinkling. "Cuz if I had a s-.." he begins, but all words get caught in his throat and swell like a lump as Tala arrives. Eyes slightly widen and his mouth makes an "o", as if he's been caught red-handed doing something naughty. A vaguely panicked look is given to Ikuna before he straightens up and plasters on a grin. "Hey! Tala. Uh...cool rabbit." .. Smooth.
Ikuna does not look very convinced. Of... well, anything. This is the most awkward thing ever, and he has no idea what to do and why did he bring it up anyway way and... and... When Tala arrives, his ears discover that it is, in fact, possible to go further back, and it is, in fact, possible for this moment to be even more awkward. He also attempts to recover his expression, but the tailwag for his sister combined with those ears just makes him look even more like the wee little puppy pathetically hoping for dinner for a few moments before he pulls himself back to vaguely pretending to be normal. "H-hey."
Tala's bright gaze drifts towards her brother and then her friend, she tilts her head ears perking forward and she snuffles. "Uh.. Did I miss something.. Or.. Do something that I dono I did?" She settles to her haunches, a hindpaw lifting to scratch at her scared shoulder a few times. "Thanks.. Caught it down near the crabapple tree." Seems she doesn't totally believe what they say and is eyeing them both.
This can totally be saved. They just have to play it cool. Play it...normal. And the big cheesy grin on Ahiga's face is definitely not normal no matter how much he may think it is. "Miss somethin'? Naw we were just talkin' about....hunting," he says nodding a few times, glancing to Ikuna briskly for confirmation. "Oh, hey by the tree?" he says, ears perking up as if that was the most interesting thing he's heard all day. "Remember when we were gonna make a trap for rabbits by the tree that one time? Dig a hole an' hope they'd fall in?" He tilts his head back and laughs. "Geeze we were dumb when we were little."
Now Ikuna's ears get to go back for a slightly different reason, as he realizes Tala thinks there's something up. Which there is, yes, and it does involve her. It's just not her /fault/, see, or even something she did, unless 'existing' counts. "You didn't do anything," he says, and that at least sounds more or less like normal truth for him, as opposed to the rest of everything about the two males right now. It's a measure of just how rattled he is that the mention of that trap doesn't even get a reaction, despite how it ended up going into the Bad Times. "We were just puppies." So what's their excuse now?
Tala watches the two seeming to not fully believe them at the moment. A faint ah escapes her. "I see.." This escapes her after a moment and she takes in a breath before grinning. "Ya I remember that.. It was fun to think we could catch a rabbit in a hole!" She laughs out at this and flops down to stretch out upon her side.
Ahiga exhales a short breath as Tala replies. Seems like they're in the clear! And for now, he's spared needing to explain anything further to Ikuna, and further spared from saying more than he needs or means to. For now. His tail wags a little and, as is customary, he trots towards Tala to greet her with a gentle bump of his head to her shoulder. "So that rabbit...y'got it for us huh?" he says smirkily, glancing to the prey, licking his muzzle
It certainly does seem that this conversation is over for now. Good to know everything has been resolv- wait a minute. Nothing has been resolved. Nothing at all. If anything, the situation is even more awkward than before, and new unresolveds have been found to join the previous ones. Ikuna gives himself a shake, and then another one, fluffing out the winter coat he's growing. He comes a few paces behind Ahiga, and greets Tala with a nuzzle from the other side. He looks past her at Ahiga, and attempts light jocularity. "Aren't you supposed to be the mighty hunter... uh...." Good tease, except for that awkward trailing off at the end. Partial credit?
Tala is quiet for a moment as she eyes the pair, a faint snort escapes her and she shifts to her haunches. "Alright.. I an't dumb guys.. What is going on?" She questions while watching the pair knowing /something/ isn't right.. "Is it something else that Chewy said after I left?"
"Oh, I am," replies Ahiga who juts his chest out a little. "Jus' like I'm the mighty fighter who would've kicked yer tail yesterday if we had the chance," he jests in reply, thankful for the familiar banter, even if it is still a bit strained. But that puffed out chest of his soon deflates as Tala speaks up again. Yeesh, why are females so perceptive? Though it wasn't as if the two of them were doing a stellar job at playing it cool. He takes a step back before sitting down, ears turning. "Uh.." He could barely talk about this with Ikuna. Repeating what Wachiwa said to Tala is definitely out of the question. And so, of course, he looks to Ikuna, their fearless leader!
Dogs may play poker. Wolves do not, at least not these wolves. They'd be TERRIBLE at it. Ikuna grins a bit at Ahiga's counter-banter, and then... yeah, about that, Tala. Ahiga proves to be no help, and so it's left to Ikuna. It's kinda his fault the subject got brought up, anyway. All that thinking. With all eyes on him, he ducks his head, and uhms for a while before lifting it again. "Yeah," he says. "It is." That honesty is going to get him into trouble someday for sure.
Tala blinks and peers from one and then another while tilting her head. She tilts her head. "An.. What did she say?" She questions with a unsure tone while shifting on her paws, tail lashing a few times in the process. "You guys gone tell me or not.. Cause I get the feeling it was something about me an if that's the case then I should be told.. Right?" Yes she is perceptive as all get out, but it's not like they was trying to really hide it!
Ahiga has a feeling that there's not going to be any crafty way to get out of this situation, for he can't think of any alternate places to take this conversation that doesn't end with the embarassing truth. He shifts from side to side on his paws, avoiding anyone's eyes right now. Does Tala deserve to know the details of the conversation? Sure she does! She has a point, it was about her. /Wachiwa/ should tell her, since she brought it up. He coughs a little. He should probably...say something. "Yeah." See? He said something!
"Well," Ikuna says, and then looks hopefully at Ahiga when the other wolf makes a noise. It is not, however, as helpful as he might have hoped in resolving this situation. Looks like this falls to Ikuna... now how in the world is he going to explain? Preferably without melting or sinking down under the surface of the earth from sheer awkwardness. "Uhm. Chewy... she was... talking about the future. Like all the stuff about having to train and patrol and hunt, and be ready, and take care of the pack because it's the most important thing, and staying together as wolves, because we're going to be adults soon -" Now _he's_ giving that lecture they've all heard a million times. What a weird world, where that's more comfortable than answering the question. He eventually manages to cut himself off. "Uhm. Anyway. So she said that... uh... that there might be puppies."
Tala eyes Ahiga a moment as he goes to say something and then stops. "Oh to the spirits.. Will someone just say SOMETHING?!" There is a pause as her gaze snaps back towards Ikuna, her tail lashing about a few times while her ears perk forward and she tilts her head. For a moment some might say she is acting like her mother, very forceful and eager to have the answer it seems. There is a blink, and then another while she peers at Ikuna. "Puppies?.. With who?.." She pauses a moment. "Is Chewy and Asku having puppies?" Well WHO else could it /possible/ be? Not her.. nope!
Gosh, he needs to man up. It's not fair to let Ikuna do all the talking and spilling of the awkward truth. This does have to do with him, so he should speak up too! Ahiga has a mental battle with himself all while staring at the ground, ears pressed down, hoping that he's somehow gone invisible. Buuut no such luck. There's that p-word and it causes him to cringe a bit. He peers at Ikuna and swallows. Ok, he can do this! A few deep, steadying breaths are taken before he looks up, steadying his gaze on Tala. "/We're/ having puppies!" he blurts out a little louder than he meant to... *cricket-chirp* ... And that totally came out wrong, and he realizes it a heartbeat after it's been said. His ears press back again, and he shakes his head quickly. "Nono. That's not what I meant. Chewy said we should have puppies. Well, she said she thinks...she said, when she'd come back you'd be havin' puppies with me.. I mean.." Panic! It all sounds so wrong!
The show of temper from Tala does not ruffle Ikuna any further than he's already ruffled. Temper from their mother, stability from their father. He's taking in a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say, when Ahiga blurts out the utterly wrong ones, followed by some quite-wrong ones, and others of various degrees of wrong. Oh, this is just not going well. Ikuna to the rescue? Well, he'd love to if he can just figure out how! "She just thought you could... go together. Like... that."
Tala glances over to Ahiga and just blinks, that bright gaze of hers widen a moment and a soft ah escapes her before she pulls her head back to eye Ahiga and then glance to herself and then look back to Ahiga. There is that awkward pause and she looks well, confused as hell to say the least. "We.. are..?" She settles back to her haunches. "I mean.. how..?" Though it did make her hush up for a few moments and swallow at the thought of having puppies! A faint own escapes her once Ahiga explains more, thank goodness for that! She doesn't remember doing anyhing that would lead to her having puppies after all! At least nothing that was FUN.. Her gaze rests on Ahiga a few moments, ears perking forward slightly and her maw opens before it closes and she glances back to Ikuna with a blink. "Really?.. She said that?.."
Ugh. He should've let Ikuna speak. He's so much better at saying things! Ahiga is struggling to keep himself from bolting from this situation. His heart is racing. His breath is quick. And that "deer in headlights" look is one that he can't get rid of. This is a nightmare that doesn't seem to have an end in sight! When Tala's eyes turn to him, he feels his face growing hot, and he ducks his head a little, as if he can hide within himself somehow. Now would be an excellent time for him to be quiet. To let things settle and smooth over with quieter, rational talk, and like the near adults they are, come to some sort of conclusion that is beneficial for everyone. But this is Ahiga we're talking about. "Yeah, she said it," he answers even though Tala wasn't speaking to him. "That's...that's dumb, right? It's silly. I dunno why she'd say that. S'not like it's ever gonna happen."
Yeah, Chewy said that, more or less. Not those words, but... Ikuna nods to Tala as Ahiga answers her, and then... he takes a step back, not speaking but looking between those two faces. He's searching them for... something. What? He doesn't even know, but something. His own expression has gone weird again, kind of... simultaneously awkward and hopeful and afraid.
Tala blinks again and looks to Ahiga, her ears perking forward a moment an a faint oh escapes her. Well.. What can she possible say too that? "I bet Chewy was just joking about. You know?" She offers whie her tail sways a few times and a yawn escapes her while her shoulders roll and she shifts up to her paws and moves back over to the rabbit she caught. "We're friends after all, why would that happen?" She's either ok with it or hiding it veryvery well..
That's the exact answer he was hoping for. The exact thing he's been saying all along! So Ahiga isn't quite sure why there's a heavy feeling in his chest where relief should be when her reply comes. His head slightly angles to one side as he watches Tala move back towards her kill, and he glances down momentarily in reply to her latter words. A soft, near imperceptible breath is released through his mouth, and when he looks back up, a faint smirk is on his muzzle. "See?" he says, looking to Ikuna. "Told you. Wachiwa's just bein' weird, is all."
Well, so that's... that. The fear part of Ikuna's expression shifts toward relief, though the rest of it sticks around for now. He returns Ahiga's gaze, and nods slowly. "Yeah," he says softly. "I guess she was."
Perhaps she was, but perhaps she wasn't. Tala is quiet for a few moments a yawn escaping her an she shifts stretching out and lets her head settle upon her forepaws. "Anyway its all over and done with now right?" Perhaps she does have some feelings towards Ahiga.. Though it isn't coming out anytime soon now!
Ahiga nods to the both of them, still feeling ill at ease. There's just no winning when it comes to matters of the heart, is there? Especially at this age! Tala's getting comfortable, perhaps ready to nap. Ikuna's looking...well, he's not quiet sure the emotion, but it's not exactly a look of contentment. And Ahiga himself feels as if he'll explode if he doesn't move and try to settle his thoughts. "Didn' do my rounds yet," he admits before giving his body a brisk shake. "Better go 'fore Skahla chews me out See ya guys later!" said as he begins to move off.
Ikuna stands where he is for a while with that uncomfortable look on his face. "Yeah..." he says, and then gives himself another of those shakes. "Okay. We'll... hang out, later," he says to Ahiga, with what does manage to be a smile. Just like old times, as if all this awkwardness never even happened. It's all behind them, right? ...maybe not so much. Ikuna stares after Ahiga as the other wolf departs, and then slowly walks over to where his sister is resting and lowers himself to a seat beside her.
Tala nods slightly as she hears Ahiga. "Alright.. See you later then." As for her taking a nap, well no she wasn't thank you! A ear twitches after Ahiga and she glances to Ikuna a moment and her nose twitches before she noses the rabbit over to him to see if he might be hungrey it seems. As for it being all behind them well she isn't srue on that.. At least not at the moment.
Ikuna looks at the rabbit for a long moment, and then he shakes his head. "I'm not hungry," he says. ...he says, after having just done a double patrol to give himself time to think over things - not that it helped. He slowly lowers himself down to the ground, and rests his head on his paws.
Tala ohs and nods while she shifts and leans closer to Ikuna, a soft sigh escapes her. "I wonder why Chewy would say that.." She offers with a soft tone. There is a pause and her maw twitches. "Ikuna.. Would there be a problem if I did have some feelings for Ahiga? I mean.. Would that be a bad thing?"
Ikuna closes his eyes, deliberately breathing deep. His ear twitches at Tala's first musings, but he doesn't answer her, just letting that wondering hang in the air. Why did Chewy say that? It's just... made such a mess of things. He lets out a sigh, and rests quietly. At the sound of his name, he opens one eye, and then at the actual question he opens both of them and lifts up his head. Funny, Ahiga asked him a similar thing, not that long ago. "I... don't think so. I mean... it can't be wrong to have feelings for someone... can it? To want to... be with them, and... do things with them." His ears splay slightly, and turn faintly pink before he adds, "I don't know."
Tala lets her head move and settle upon her brother's shoulder with a soft sigh escaping her. "I suppose so.." She offers after a moment, well what can she possible say now? "I guess it doesn't matter really. Ain't right for one to like someone and the other not feel the back I suppose."
Ikuna thumps his tail softly as Tala leans against him. He's quiet for a long moment, his expression conflicted, and then... he speaks softly. "If you..." he trails off, then starts again. "'member when I was a puppy, and... I said boys were stupid?" He smiles a little at the memory, and how flustered Chewy got at his claims he was going to grow up a smart girl, just like her. The smile fades a little as he continues. "Well, it's true. We are. We're bad at understanding things, and bad at saying things. So... just remember that, when... with boys."
Tala hums softly and nods. "Well.. Ya I remember that, how could I not? It was really amusing." She offers with a soft chuckle and she noses back at him. "Eh.. Its alright.." This said softly while she lifts her head to glance off the way Ahiga went. "Maybe I dono what I'm feeling after all.. Just feelings after all."
Ikuna smiles at the nosing, and then he too looks after the departed Ahiga before returning his gaze to his sister. The smile fades somewhat, and he tilts her head as he listens to her. "Yeah," he answers. "Feelings are... hard to understand. They don't make sense." He sighs, and shifts to lean more against Tala.
Tala nods slightly and takes in a soft breath. "Well.. That is true too." She offers softly while letting her head settle back upon the ground and snuggles against him in the process. "Guess I'll just have to talk to Ahiga later.."
Ikuna bites at his lower lip for a moment, and then he nods, curling his body against Tala's. "Yeah, that... seems like a good idea. And... no matter what... we're still all friends, right?"
Tala nods slightly. "Well.. Of course we're friends.. Always and forever." She offers while glancing to him and smiles while nuzzling at his cheek before letting her head press against his shoulder and starts to doze off from the looks of it.
Ikuna smiles back, and returns the nuzzle before lowering his own head. Sleep doesn't seem far away for him, either; not after that long patrol and the emotional conversations.