Post by Pavane on Jun 14, 2012 23:09:45 GMT -5
Ikuna, Tala, Ahiga, and Miakoda
---Waterfall Pool---
After Ikuna left on an early-morning patrol, he returns... oh, sometime about mid-afternoon, with the summer sun just past its peak and making everything rather on the warm side. Long patrol, evidently. Oh! Musta been a good one, though, 'cause he's dragging along about half of a fresh deer carcass. Also, there's a lingering smell of cougar about him.
Tala is settled down next to waterfall, forepaws stretched out in front of her with a light yawn escaping her in the process. Looks like someone just woke up! She shifts and settles upon her haunches giving her head a great shake in the process. Her maw smacks a few times and a half snort escapes her before she catches the scent of wolf and deer...and cougar? With a brow raised she peers about. "Ikuna?"..
See, when Ikuna is off on patrol, that means Ahiga can sleep! And boy oh boy does this wolf love to sleep! He's taking advantage of sleepy goodness now, for once not pressed up against Tala. He's snoozing a bit from the waterfall itself, sprawled out on his back, muzzle halfway open in classic lazy wolf pose. He snortles a little and kicks a foreleg, then gets this goofy grin on his face as he paws the air. Seems as if someone's having a happy dream! Snortle-twitch! His subconscious hears something off int he world of the wakeful..but noo, he doesn't want to wake up yet!
Ikuna has a mouth full of deer. Ikuna does not answer Tala, except with a lift-and-wag of his crooked tail. Tailwags are not very good at explaining things, to be honest. He continues on, to a flat bit suitable for depositing the deer, and does so. His muzzle is licked, and he smiles. "Hey Tala!" Ahiga... is still sleeping. Pff, lazywuff! No deer for him.
Of course Ahiga is still sleeping, does this surprize anyone?! Tala gives himself a good shake and hops up onto his paws troting on over to Ikuna and eyeing the dear. She grins and a soft wruff escapes her. "Where did you get the deer?" This questioned while she bumps her head against his shoulder.
Omg stop the voices! It's making his dream world look vague and fuzzy as it begins to dissipate. Nooo. Come back! Another hindleg twitches and a soft whine escapes him. But..ah, drat. Too late. He's awake. With a murfle, he rolls onto his side and nuzzles his cheek against the ground a bit, eyes starting to blink open. The light! Hiiissss! "MEh.." he squints them closed again and drapes a paw over his muzzle. "Five more minutes...promise I'll be good. Jus'..five more!"
Lookit Ikuna, having missed all the naptimes. He bumps back at Tala and nuzzles her, then... "Well," he says. "I found it on patrol. Had a limp, so I figured it was worth chasing." A pause, while he glances back at the carcass, and he chuckles. "Then, well... things got interesting." Still smiling, so it can't have been the bad sort of interesting, right? "I found Kachina again." So much talking. He's so mean to the snoozing Ahiga. Apparently, if Ikuna can't have naptimes, nobody can!
Tala eyes the deer and then looks back to Ikuna, a soft oh escapes her at the talk of the deer and Kachina. "So you found her? Well good, how has seen been?" Her tail swaying a few times before she casts a glance towards Ahiga and grins. "Wakey wakey!" She calls out to him.
Grump! Some /best friends/ he has! As Ikuna and Tala /insist/ on having a conversation despite his attempts to stay as asleep as he can, Ahiga grumbles, mumbles, and uncovers his face to send a sleepy glare at th- oh! A deer! His ears perk at the sight of akill. Well...if they insist he be up, might as well snag some breakfast! He rolls onto his stomach, then stands to streeeeetch his legs, then streeeeetch his back, then yawn hugely. It's all topped off with a brisk shake. And he's up! He strolls on over to the two of them, pricking his ears as he tries to pick up the conversation. "Found who?" Sniff sniff. "Ikuna, you smell like feline.." He headbumps the both of them in greeting, tail waving.
"Yeah," says Ikuna to Tala. "She was -" Oh, hey, here's Ahiga, finally up and about. He grins, and bumps back at the other wolf. The other, behind the times, wolf. This is what happens when you nap too much! "That'd be from the cougar," he explains to the other male. "Got the kill from her." A tilt of his head, to indicate the feline-jaw bite marks on the carcass. What? He can have a bit of fun, can't he? Tala will probably figure out the correct events, but Ahiga... well, let's see what conclusions he'll find!
Tala nips out at Ahiga's cheek and then his neck. "Woah.. Figure that out all on your own?" At the fact that Ikuna smells like a cougar! Her tail wiggles about and she settles to her haunches. Tilts her head to peer at the kill eyeing the killing blow before she looks back to Ikuna, a grin seen while she waits to see what Ahiga says.
"Yeah, I figured it out all by my lonesome," retorts Ahiga to Tala, smirking. "See, I got a crazy wonderful nose like that. Can smell all sorts've things without needin' any help!" Snickering now, he pokes at her with a paw before settling to listen to Ikuna. Cougar. A cougar giving up a kill? He glances to the deer now, taking note of the puncture wounds. Blink. "What?" He quirks a brow at his pal, eyeing him with a narrow eyed look. "Why would a cougar give its kill to you? I mean.. no offense or nothin', but you're not all that scary lookin'. To a cougar. What'd ya do? Threaten to make her tail as crooked as yours if she didn' give it up?" he teases.
"Nahhh," goes Ikuna, smirking just a little. "We just had a conversation, see. About life among wolves versus life among cougars. And after that, well..." He shrugs, like 'what more would possibly need to be said?' After a few moments, he can't hold himself back anymore, and he laughs. "It's 'cause I already knew her. Kachina. Back from... then. She's come off the mountain, on... some sort of vision quest thing. Apparently the cougar tribe does that, some kinda tradition or something."
A conversation. With a cougar... Ahiga stares at him, trying to figure out if he's being serious or pulling his leg. He must be pulling his leg...right? He continues to stare til he begins to laugh, and when the joke is revealed he exaggeratedly rolls his eyes. "You butthole," he says, reaching to swat at him, grinning after. Kachina! He ... vaguely remembers the name from a recent conversation with one of the Cerulean. "Did she recognize you?" he asks, looking curious about this... quest thing. "Did she...uh, win her quest?" Does one win a quest? Heck if he knows.
Tala smirks at nips at Ahiga. "Butthole?" Is questioned with an unsure tone and she tibbits before grinning. "Of course Ikuna could totally make a cougar give up it's kill. By putting it to sleep." Her brows wiggle and she leans over to slurp at Ikuna's cheek. "On a quest huh? Sounds different."
Ikuna makes a very vague and token effort to dodge the swat, grinning as he does. "Yeah, she recognized me. We talked some." Does one win a quest? At least of the vision type? "I dunno. I guess... she was still working on it." Huh. Thinking back on it, she didn't actually say all that much about her personal quest, as opposed to the quests in general. Well, maybe it's just... personal. Tala makes him laugh. "I'm not /that/ bad. Honest!" Besides, it's a good thing when your stories put puppies to sleep... right? Well, maybe.
"Oh. Well .. good luck to her, I guess." What does one do on a vision quest? Kachina likely would be the one to ask, though Ahiga doubts that the opportunity will ever arise. Cougar chats don't happen often in his life! He plops down onto his haunches and yawns once again, shaking of the last bit of lazy sleepiness. "So, what'd you learn about the ways o' the cougar?" he asks, smirking. "Do they live in packs?"
Tala giggles a moment as she hears Ikuna. "Oh I know.." This said while she leans against her brother's shoulder while listening. "Would a feline live in a pack?.. That wouldbe sora scarey though."
"Not packs," says Ikuna, settling down himself for relaxation and conversation. He's had a busy day already, unlike these lazybutts! "They call it a tribe, and... it's sorta different. Like... she said there's only one guy, in the entire tribe. I think... they're not really as much... together... as a pack, either. I mean, they don't hunt together or anything."
One guy? Ahiga blinks, brows raising a little. "Jus' one male in the whole pac-...er...tribe?" Woah. Lucky guy! To be surrounded by females all the time with no other males to be bothered with? .. To be surrounded by females all the time...and deal with their female problems? Er, maybe not so lucky. "That... /is/ different," he says after thinking it over. "Is he the alpha then?" he continues to pry, apparently finding this a bit interesting. "I wouldn't like not huntin' together though. That's weird." To a wolf anyway.
Tala peers at Ikuna curiusly. "A tribe?" She quesitons curiously and licks across her nose. "An one male.." There is a thought! An she can only imagen what Ahiga could be thinking right about now. "Ya, but I guess that is what makes us different you know?" She questions with a flick of her tail. Her gaze rests on he deer and she shifts over and snags a bite from it, chompchompchew!
Just one! "I... guess he's somethin' like alpha?" Ikuna sounds uncertain, because, well, he wasn't exactly asking those sorts of questions at that point. "But, yeah, cougars're different. They... they spend a lot more time alone, than we do. I mean... like, Skahla's always goin' off on his own, right?" ...and, lately, it seems his daughter's been following in those pawsteps... "Compared to a cougar, though, he's like... super social."
Ahiga snickers. If a cougar's life makes Skahla seem like a social butterfly, he is more than happy that he wasn't born a cougar! He likes being around others. Talking and playing. Building bridges and such. "Hey Ikuna," he says, ears perking as he remembers a topic that he's failed to mention. "Tala an' I were talkin' the other day about .. things. The pack, mostly. We need your opinion on somethin'." He tilts his head a little. "What do you think about tryin' to go back home?"
"Well wolves are suppose to live in a pack." Tala points out. "Cougars are always wandering around I thinks." She ponders he alk of Skahla. "I think that is just becasue he wants to wander." You know away from the pack.. At least he seems to be doing better about hanging out with the pack at least. A curious glance is sent from Ahiga to Ikuna. "We figure that we should talk about it by now."
Whooof. Now there's a question to go and spring on an unsuspecting someone. But... Ikuna's not unsuspecting, is he? Not really. It's not like the dogs and their exile and all that hasn't been a consistent topic for his thoughts. He frowns, and gives those thoughts a few more moments before he speaks. On the one side of it... "Home," he says softly. The word itself says to want it; that it's where he and his pack belong. On the other... well. Those dogs are still there, and they drove Ute away before. "If... we do. Kachina said she'd help," he adds, but that doesn't make his frown go away. He sighs. "I don't know. It's... there's good memories, but... it's just a place. Maybe it's not worth fighting for." Dying for, maybe. He looks to Ahiga, then Tala. "What're you thinking?"
The help of a cougar. That'd ... be nice. Great actually. Cougars are big and powerful, but would one cougar and a handful of wolves be enough to take on a pack of dogs? As much as Ahiga loathes the thought that the dogs may be stronger than them...it's a fact that he can't quite escape. "We're thinkin' the same as you," he admits, though it sounds as if it's something he doesn't like admitting. "Goin' back wouldn't do us any good. Even if we were ready this time, there are to many've of them, an' who knows if there are even more now. Nah.. We think...I think it's time for us to go somewhere new. Find someplace for our pack that's ours, not borrowed Cerulean lands."
"Home it where you make it Ikuna." Tala says with a soft tone, a faint frown seen and she shakes her head a moment. "I don't think we can go back to are 'home', I think we need to look for a new place. We can start new memories at, a new life.." A nod is seen as she hears Ahiga, her gaze resting upon her brother though to try an see what his reaction might be.
Ikuna nods slowly, listening to what Ahiga and Tala have to say. At the mention of someplace new, his head tilts slightly, but then he nods again. "I'm glad Cerulean's let us stay, but..." He glances around, as if to make sure none of those wolves are lurking nearby, and leans in closer to his friends to speak quietly. "I'm sorta tired of... being treated like we're crippled. How... they're so noble, letting us stay and helping us." He frowns a little. "We needed help, but... I don't want pity."
New memories and a new life. Ahiga slowly nods in agreement, watching both of his friends in silence for a while as he exhales a slow breath. The first step is always the hardest to take, right? Well, in a sense, the first step has already been taken. Now, they just need to continue til they find this new life of theirs. "I know what you mean," is said to Ikuna with a slow nod. "And now, we don't need the help anymore. We're hunting for ourselves, no one's sick or dyin'. We're better, but now I jus' feel stuck. Like, nobody knows what to do next. I know for me, I don't want to stay here forever. These aren't our lands an' they won't ever be. This is Cerulean's turf an' they're a different pack than us. I'm thinkin' it's time for us to go, but...Skahla's alpha. It's his call."
Tala ears perk and she nods as she hears Ikuna. "I agree with you." She murmurs out softly at the thought. A faint glance sent around the area before she looks back to Ahiga and Ikuna. "I think we should start looking. Its summer now might be a good time." A ear flicks at the talk of Skahla. "Yes he is alpha, and it's his call.. But we need to talk to him on it. WE can't stay here forever.. AN I hink we should find a place before fall comes.."
"I wanted to talk to Skahla anyway," says Ikuna. "I'll see what he thinks." He sighs, mind already running after all the things that'll need to happen. "It'll be hard for the pups." His gaze is steady on Ahiga for that part, though he goes on quickly enough. "And..." Now he frowns in earnest. "Has anyone seen Althaea lately?" He glances back and forth between the two, and sighs. "Maybe she'd rather stay here." Unspoken; that it seems his niece has no interest in being part of Ute anymore, at least not with any of them. Even her scent is barely present. Perhaps she's found a Cerulean wolf more to her liking.
Oh yeah...them. Ahiga has found it easy to pretend that the newest members of the pack don't exist. They stay in the cave. He stays out of it. Easy! But as time goes on, they're likely going to be out of the cave more, and when they do move...it'll be hard for him to disregard them without possibly being seen as jerkish. And so as they're mentioned, and as Ikuna's eyes rest on him, he defiantly doesn't look away. Bleh. He's not going allow some sniveling half breeds to make him feel uncomfortable in his own pack! As the topic turns to the wayward adolescent, he can only shake his head. "Nah. Ever since we got back from meetin' with Cerulean's leaders, she's been...hell, I dunno. Not with us." Physically and mentally. "Maybe she would. Dunno what Skahla'd say about that, but if she doesn't want to be with us now, why force her?"
Tala ehs sofly and nods a the talk of the pups, a slight glance sent towards Ahiga as well and she gives his neck a firm nip at the look he has taken! "Althaea? No not recently. But then she's always spoken with you two more then me to start with." A slight shrug is seen. "I was going to try and take her and Miakoda hunting if I found them before it got too late. Though evertime I try to find Althaea she isn't around." A faint huff escapes her. "If she doesn't want to be with us then she can stay." Nope, she isn't about to force anyone to stay with the pack if they don't want too!
So neither of them has seen Thaea either. Hmm. Ikuna nods. "Even if it's just the three of us... that's okay." He smiles, just a little. "Cerulean's a good pack, and I haven't seen any sign of the dogs coming this far. If the rest want to stay here... that's up to them." Maybe this is just the restlessness of the young; maybe the older (and younger) will be okay continuing to take the charity of another pack. Ikuna just... isn't, not anymore. "If Skahla wants to stay..." Huh, now there's a question. If Skahla stays, and they go, which pack is Ute? For that matter, when did Ikuna start thinking he'd leave with whoever's willing to follow him, regardless of what his alpha thinks? He's not sure, and yet... he's thinking that. "Well. I'll talk to him."
"Not lately," replies Ahiga to Tala. "She hasn't said a word to me since we got back. Probably mad or somethin' with me. She was actin' weird on the trip for a lil' bit, but that was a while ago. Figured she'd be over it." He lightly rolls a shoulder, apparently not too willing to try to delve into the thought process of adolescent females. He had hard enough time trying to straighten out his /own/ thoughts at that age! But hey, here's a thought that hadn't occured to him. What if Skahla /doesn't/ want to move on? He blinks, brows raising a bit. "You don't think he'd want to...stay here, do you?" he asks, looking from Ikuna to Tala. It is a possibility! After losing his mate, the fight might've left their Alpha's spirit.
"Ikuna.." This said with a soft tone while she akes in a breath. "You know I'll go with you anywhere, an so witll Ahiga." Yup she is speaking for Ahiga! She makes a face as she hears Ahiga, a slight shrug seen an she takes hums. "I dono.. I have no idea what Skahla might want to do. It's not like we have ever talked a lot." Try like never..
Ikuna did know that, but he still smiles as Tala says that he'll be followed. He nods, then shakes his head. "I don't know what Skahla's thinking. That's why I'm going to talk to him." Imagine that, talking to people instead of just making assumptions about them! "We'll have to talk to everyone about this, sooner or later. Skahla first, but then... Wachiwa. Althaea. Althaea, Hadir, Asku..." All the wolves that have been Ute. Even... "Miakoda, too. And Grim and Brutal. We've sort of... lost Ute, since the attack." Since before, some might say; since Ute forgot about Tobba, forgot the marking of the Sun and the spirits that they used to follow. "We need to find Ute again. We need to /be/ Ute, because this isn't going to be easy. We won't have Cerulean to help us, we won't have a territory we know. Anyone who comes... needs to know that, and /want/ to be Ute." And to listen to Ute's leadership! Whoever that may be.
"Duh," says Ahiga to Tala as she adds that he'll follow too. And he agrees with all those names til Grim and Brutal come up, and he wrinkles his nose. "Aw c'mon, really? Why them? They're not in our pack and obviously don't wanna be from how Grim talks. Why include them in our plans? That'll jus' make'm think they're entitled to come around whenever they want an' be more annoying than they already are." He has no clue what Ikuna means by 'lost Ute', though the only Ute he's known doesn't include brothers who do what they can to get under his skin and act as if they are so much wiser and better in every sense. He stands then and moves to the waterfall pool itself, if not only to get rid of agitated nerves, and bends to drink.
Tala rolls her eyes and grins at Ahiga, a wink offered to him. A nod is seen to Ikuna. "Of course we need to talk to the others.." There is a tilt of her head and a faint snuffle escapes. "I don't mind Miakoda being here. But.. Brutal and Grim.." A snort escapes her. "Ute can be found.. It lives with us an we have to remember that."
"Right," says Ikuna to Ahiga. "They /aren't/ in our pack, and don't seem like they want to be, and that's why we need to talk to them." Huhwha? Okay, he's going on talking, presumably that's an explanation. "We need to tell them that. That... if they want to come, they need to ask us, and convince us they'll be good guests or good packmates, who will respect us and be polite." And won't that be an uphill struggle? Ikuna's at least claiming to be willing to listen, though. "If they don't want that... they can ask to stay with Cerulean, or they can go on themselves." Or maybe go with some wolves who /don't/ want to follow on this journey. Ikuna doesn't know, but what he does know is this. "Once we leave here, we're Ute again. Not refugees. Not guests of Cerulean. Not lost wolves. Ute. We're a pack, and we decide what that means."
Drink drink, pause. Ahiga lifts his head a fraction of an inch above the water's surface, indeed listening to Ikuna. He turns his head to watch him, droplets of water dripping from his muzzle. Respect and be polite? He can hardly imagine Grim doing so for very long, even if it is an act. But Brutal seems more calculating. Able to put on a show if it means getting what he wants. Whatever that may be. "I don' even like the thought've given them the chance to lie an' say yes to all that," he says as he fully turns away from the water. "I don' trust those two. It always seems like there's somethin' else that makes them do what they do. Like some plan they've got that they're just waitin' for the right time to pull off." He snorts as he ambles back to the both of them. "If you think it's a good idea to invite'm along then guess I'll have to go with that. For the record /I/ don't think it's a good idea," he says, glancing to Tala after.
Ikuna listens to what Ahiga says, considering on it. "Maybe you're right. I don't know if I've seen them as much as you." After all, those times when he's tucked away in the cave with Wachiwa and her pups... just because there's no sound of fighting doesn't mean there isn't conflict of subtler sorts. He frowns, considering on that. "I... don't want to invite them, but I do want to tell them. Otherwise... they'll just come trailing along anyway. Besides. We're. not Ute if we don't give them a chance." A pause, and he asks another question. "Have they done anything to... not deserve that chance?" From his tone, it seems an honest enough question.
"Better idea. We thank'm, though we've already done that, an' send them on their way," suggests Ahiga brightly, though the tone is used in a condescending way, which isn't really aimed toward Ikuna. "You even said it doesn't look like they want to be here. Grim told me that outright, so there's no doubt in my mind about that. So them still bein' here is concernin' me because it makes no sense for anyone to stay in place they hate so much with wolves they've got no respect for when nothin's stoppin' them from leaving." A pause. "Unless they're plannin' on doin' something that they haven't bothered telling us about," concludes Ahiga tensely. "Or don't want us to know about. That's my problem with them. That an' Grim wantin' to mount Tala, and Brutal's roughness with Hadir, and how they both always sneak off for days an' days and waltz on back as if we owe'm something."
Tala snorts out as she hears Ahiga. "He can want all he wants, but it an't gona happen. I'll rip his damn ears off next time he tries to even touch me." She says with a few snaps of her jaws. "Oh sure.. give them a chance. Tell them the rules, and also tell them that if they don't follow the rules then they are /gone/." That is her thought anyway!
Ikuna closes his eyes as he listens to Ahiga, thinking about what the other wolf says and nodding from time to time. In the end, he opens them again, but it's to stare out at the forest instead of looking at either wolf. "So. Maybe I should ask them that," he says. "Ask Brutal what they want here." Since it seems Grim's the one who follows Brutal, not the other way around. "If he can't answer that..." Ikuna gives a shake of his head. "Well. I said I wasn't going to take anyone who didn't want to come. If they don't have a reason, and don't want to come..."
Oh yeah Tala, you tell'm! Ahiga can't imagine getting tired of hearing that spiel of hers, and better yet, /seeing/ it happen! Thus, he can't help the smidge of a smirk that plays over his muzzle as she speaks. But drat Ikuna for being so reasonable and chance-giving and... Ute. Exhaling a breath, he seems to give in a little. "Alright, alright.." he says with a vague nod. "I wanna be around for that. See if the snake in the grass actually gives an honest answer o if he jus' gives some line of poetry an' play nice for a time." Golden eyes are given a roll, though after, his grin makes a reappearance. "Anyhow, other than /them/ I like this thought. Yeah yeah, I know it'll be tough findin' a new place or whatever, but still..think about. A new place that's /ours/. Havin' a home again." He grins, poking at both of his friends in turn. "Rabbit traps."
Tala is quiet for a moment, ears perking as she hears Ikuna, a slight nod seen but she would rather Brutal and Grim didn't come. "We're speak with them.. Find out wht they truely want. If they don't want to offer anything to the pack though I don't see a reason for them to be here anymore. Everyone has to do a job after all." An other then standing there and looking stupid she isn't sure what the brothers could possible do. A ear twitches to Ahiga, a slight grin seen and she chuckles softly. "Rabbit traps.."
Miakoda has decided that there has been far too much melancholy and tension since the group came here however long ago it was. And what better cure is there for those kinds of things than... a stick! A big stick, with some leaves still attached, and some smaller offshoots from the main limb to catch pieces of grass and shrubs while its being dragged along. This is how the she-wolf arrives, holding the thickest end of the stick in between her teeth with the other end being pulled over the ground like an awkward rake. Her appearance is anything but quiet, the branch clattering along and Mia making little laughing, whuffling barks.
Ikuna is just difficult like that. Nothin' but trouble. Er. Patience. How is it that he inherited so very little of his mother's temper? Oh, right. Tala took all of it. Which is probably part of why she's a better match for Ahiga, even besides that whole... being a girl... thing. Ikuna nods to Ahiga. "Yeah, we'll talk to him together." Just in case Brutal turns vicious. Or even if not; maybe Ahiga or Tala will see something Ikuna doesn't. The frown and thinky looks of hard decisions is already fading at the talk of new places and... oh, rabbit traps. "Hah. Nah, rabbit traps are for puppies. We'll make a deer tra-" Wait. What is that loud bumping scraping sound? Also the barking. He rises to his paws, peering over to see... a very large stick, moving of its own accord. Oh, no, wait, there's a wolf behind it. A Mia! Ikuna laughs. "I think I've just been outclassed as a hunter." He grins, and his tail wags.
It's tooootally rabbit trap season! Ahiga snickers and likely would wholeheartedly agree with Ikuna on the deer trap suggestion...if he had been able to finish his thought. But as it is, his friend's attention has turned, and it isn't long after that his is too. Ears perk at the big ol' branch that's being dragged by another wolf, and his grin grows wider as he nods in agreement with Ikuna. "Oh yeah," he says. "Outclassed by leaps 'n bounds. That's the best stick kill I've seen in my life!" He rises to his paws, tail waving in greeting to the younger she wolf. "Hey!" he calls. "how long it'd take for you to bring that thing down? How much stalkin' did ya do? How far did ya track it?"
Tala grins at Ikuna and chuckles. "Deer traps! Perfect idea.." Then she is looking over curiously at the movement and a soft ah escapes her before she figures out whom it is! "Miakoda.." A laugh escaps her as she shifts to her paws, giving herself a shake and she snickers hearing Ikuna. "She /totally/ beat you. I don't think anyone could get a better stick in all the lands!"
Miakoda can already sense that there had been an air of seriousness about the trio before she decided to show up. But that is nothing new and different, although it is something she is hoping to change in the next minute or so. Speeding up to a trot, which subsequently creates more racket, the she-wolf bounds down onto the wet rocks and somehow manages to keep from slipping on the wet stone and falling over. She marches right over to Tala and with a flexing, twisting motion in her shoulders and neck, she swings the leaf-and-grass bedraggled end of the stick at the older female in a playful whack. Stick wars, whee!
And Ahiga knows sticks! Why, when he was a puppy... Ikuna laughs, watching Miakoda's charge, and ducks to avoid getting smacked by the trailing edge of that stick. He's within the danger zone! He manages to /mostly/ evade it, and only get a bit of wet grass flung into his fur... but then, he wasn't the target. Serious conversation time is so very over now. There'll be time for that later, because while Ikuna may be (technically) grown up, it's not by very much, and he's certainly not going to pass up an invitation like this for play. He bounds off to the side, looking for a stick or something of his own! Gotta be somethin' around...
She isn't talking, but she's coming with that big stick. And she's getting closer, and closer, and.. woah! Ahiga ducks out of the way as Tala is thwacked by leafy bits of wood. So much for protecting her! In stick wars...its every wolf for himself! "Ha ha!" he he jibes, pointing a paw and laughing, but he can't dwell on her comical misfortune for long. He needs to defend himself! Gotta find a stick gotta find a stick! He /is/ the master of sticks, after all. Like Ikuna, he bounds off in search of his own weapon, finding lots of rocks and such, but nothing... oh hey! Is that vine? Perhaps not the best weapon against a stick, but it's better than nothing! Gnawgnaw. He chews off a portion of the flimsy weapon, but the way he holds his head up high, the snakelike thing dangling from his mouth, you'd think he was wielding King Aurthur's sword. *cue trumpets!*
Tala tibbits at Ahiga and bounces about on her paws as she watches Miakoda. Her eyes widen at the sudden 'attack'. A half wruff escapes her and she ducks down just avoiding a face full of leaves an whom knows what else! She bounces back on her paws and like Ikuna is looking around for a stick herself. AH she catches sight of one over /thar/ and moves towards it quickly. Once ther she picks it up and its about maybe two feet long and she blinks, well it looked bigger then this!
Miakoda realizes that her opportunity to be on the offensive is going to be quite short. The other wolves are already scrambling to find equal, if not better, weapons... so she has to take advantage while she can! When her first attack isn't a masterful success, Mia turns around and heads for the next closest target, who happens to be Ikuna; he also doesn't seem to be armed yet. Bwaha! A few bouncing steps are taken to close the space between them, and then another turn of her head to swing the branch back... and then oomph! Her enthusiasm is too great and the momentum she creates not only results in the branch flying toward Ikuna but also in swaying her off her own feet, and she thumps over onto her side on the wet rock with a surprised yelp.
Ikuna is stickless! Without a stick! Non-stick-having! All his friends have their weaponry, and he has nothing at all! Nothing to defend himself, his pack, his very honor! "Nooooo!" he cries out in fake anguish, and tries to strike a dramatic pose - just in time for the stick to go flying toward him! Branches and leaves and THWACK it hits him squarely in the chest, knocking him back. He tries to scramble up again, but his paws tangle in the smaller twigs and slide on a bit of grass and... whump. Again. After falling backwards, Ikuna manages to /also/ tumble forwards. He's so talented!
Done basking in the glory of his vine finding, Ahiga is ready for battle! He trots off with his weapon in his mouth, not realizing that the vine is, in fact, incredibly long. It drags on and on behind him, a good five yard's worth, though he seems not to notice just how useless his newfound weapson is going to be. Miakoda's attack is aimed towards Ikuna. He must defend! But, oop...she has a catastrophe and down she goes, along with Ikuna. Don't worry buddy, he'll reclaim your honor! UPon reaching the fallen Miakoda, he turns his head to the left and then whips it round to the right. What was /supposed/ to happen was him beating her with a vine! But what actually happens is the vine is too long to be whipped about in such a way, and the portion nearest his jaws merely flops uselessly near his paws. Say wha?
Tala turns about with her STICK and is making her way towards Ikuna and Mia but tilts her head before snifing out softly as she eyes Ahiga with the vine? She can't help herself and leans over to poke at Ahiga with her stick HAR..
What a sorry bunch of warriors they all turn out to be! Miakoda has fallen and lost her stick in the process, Ikuna was clobbered and is falling all over the place, Ahiga's weapon is about as ferocious as a baby rabbit, and Tala's idea of an assault seems to be a mild poking. But all that's on Mia's mind at the moment is reclaiming her stick, and the she-wolf is squirming about on the wet rock as she tries to regain her footing, claws scratching at the stone. As the same time, her head is twisting about, jaws hanging open and golden eyes darting around as she tries to locate the 'grip' end of her lost stick... ugh where is it where is it where is it?!
Okay, so maybe if he shifts this way? Erk, no. How about like that? Ikuna squirms around, trying to get free of the stick. His flailings bring the grippy end swinging out toward Miakoda - but then he tries something else, and it disappears behind him again. It does still exist, though! It's there! Somewhere! Ikuna is oblivious to that part of things, but his wrigglings about are bound to bring... ah! There it is again, as he twists halfway onto his side and tries to use one paw to pry those tangly sticky bits off the other one!
Ok so his wonderful weapon is a flop. Bleh! Ahiga spits it from his mouth and gives it a glare. "You've failed me..ow!" Pokepoke! Who is jabbing at him? Grrrr, Tala! Apparently her two foot long weapon is better than no weapon at all, which is what Ahiga finds himself with. "Hey, get away with that!" He abandons his vine to instead jump away from her, nearly tripping himself up on that branch that Miakoda's hellbent on reclaiming. He doesn't blame her...it's the best weapon of them all! And if Tala weren't poking him to death, he'd probably give a try at stealing it, but as it is, he flees from the pokeystick!
Tala lets Ahiga take off running, why, she has spyed Mia's fallen stick! Her eyes widen and she grins whle dropping the stick she has and bounces over towards the large sick trying to get hold of it! Whom ever started this game it was a great idea in her book!
Miakoda gives up temporarily on trying to get ahold of the stick again, instead deciding to concentrate on one thing at a time, and the thing that comes first on her list is standing up. With a couple of grunts, she rolls over without getting poked in the eye by the stick as it wavers back and forth, promptly pushing back to her paws... although she is something of a mess now, her entire side now wet with the fur sticking together in clumps.
Now, Ikuna has no objection in /principle/ to these two females competing over the stick. They're both fine wolves! Quite capable of holding a stick, wielding it effectively, and promoting positive stick-based behaviors! That's not the issue here. There is, however, a slight complication, on account of /he's/ tangled up in that there stick! Uh. Li'l help? He looks around for Ahiga. Come on now! This would be a great time for that 'boys versus girls' thing! Come on come on... seriously?! No Ahiga? Ikuna's in trouble now for sure! As Miakoda gets up off her side, he flops down on his... and from there, onto his back, kicking up and pushing the stick away from him. Begone, thing of stick-ness!
Tala WINS..the stick it seems.. She has hold of it and swings her head about a few times which threatens to poke or brush against Ikuna and Miakoda in the process! There is a pause as she flicks her gaze one way and then another, where did Ahiga skitter off to? Oh well she'll find him later. "Who won?" Is questioned with a playful mumbley tone around the stick.
Miakoda stands there looking the worse for wear, eyes landing on Tala as she claims the stick as her own and brandishes it at both herself and Ikuna. "Pah!" she says, the sound somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "Stick stealer!" Her tongue sneaks out in a loud raspberry.
Yay! Tala took the stick! That means Ikuna isn't tangled in it anymore! Thwapped by it, yes. Tangled in it, no! He'll take it, despite the bit where he yalps as it goes thump. At his sister's question, he blinks, still in a graceless half-sprawled position despite his attempts to scramble up. Who won? Uhh.... "Not me!"
Tala giggles out and gives her head a mighty shake which sends leaves falling an everything else in the process! She tibbits out at Mia around the stick and then drops it. A snort escapes her and she coughs a moment. "I'm totally ok with being a stick stealer."
Miakoda tilts her slender muzzle up just a little with a grin toward Tala. "Just you wait till next time! I'll get a... a boulder or something!" She has no idea how exactly she'd carry a boulder and wield it effectively, but she'll worry about those minor details later. Turning her eyes to her soggy side, the she-wolf wrinkles her nose. "Yuck," she states matter-of-factly, before looking back behind herself to the pool below. "Well, since I'm already halfway to a bath... guess I might as well go the rest of the way!" She pivots on her heels and begins to make her way down the rocky terrain toward the edge of the water.
Ikuna pushes himself around to his feet, and shakes his head to his sister. "Just think what kind of stick-stealing example you're setting for the puppies!" he says, and grins. Mia's threat of boulders makes him laugh. "Avalanche, huh?" He peers up along the cliff beside the waterfall, then looks back down and mutters, "Note to self. Avoid mountains." With that important fact handled, he seems to notice the amount of sludge in his own coat, and when a brief shake does little good, decides to trail after Mia toward the water.
Tala grins and gives herself a good shake. "A boulder?..." She ponders this and chuckles. "If you can carry a boulder then your totally win." She offers with a grins and nods. She soon flops down, forepaws settled in front of her an she half chews against one. "Avoid mountains indeed.."
Miakoda is more mindful of her footing this time and because of that, she manages to make it to the edge of the pool without teetering onto her face. The toe of a front paw is warily stuck into the water and the she-wolf immediately cringes. It's cold, bleh! Her ears turn backward in distaste, but even still, she forces herself forward and begins to wade in. "Uuuuuuuuugghh," she says unabashedly. She doesn't particularly enjoy getting wet, and being cold on top of it is just an added insult.
Ikuna chuckles at Miakoda's distaste for the water. Well, if he knows anything, it's that drawing out the suffering won't do any good! So, instead, he climbs up onto a rock and leaps into the water, forthrightly! He'll show her how it's done! Cannonba- OHCRAPTHATISCOLD! YEEEEEEEP! What is at the top of that waterfall? Solid ICE? Yipe!
Tala grins while peering over at Miakoda and shifts up onto her paws and inches forward. A faint giggle escapes her and she is soon bouncing upwards upon a rock a bit higher then Ikuna. She wiggles about with her rump in the air before she jumps forward and lands into the water once her brother appears. SPLASH
Oh no, now there are waves and they're splashing her and they're cold too! A howling bark escapes Miakoda as she's soaked much faster than she'd been planning on, the water sloshing over her sides and across her back and slopping over her head. "What're you two, a bunch of beavers?" she hollers through her dripping muzzle. But hey, since she's now completely drenched, she might as well get her revenge! She uses one of her shoulders to slog a wave at the others, although given her smaller size, it's anything but a tsunami.
Ikuna is wet. He is so wet. Also cold! Was the river this cold in the middle of winter when they fell through the ice? He doesn't think so! He flails his way up again, only to be splashed by Tala's dive! Yalp! "What no I-" Yipe! More water! Admittedly, it's kind of token compared to how wet he already is, but he still attempts to dodge and paddle away to calmer parts! Maybe also warmer ones? He can but hope!
Tala's head pops up about the water and her gaze flick one way and then another while a half giggle escapes her while she lifts her head up more and gives it a great shake. "Beavers?.. Possible!" She giggles and paddles about in a circle a few times. "Oy.. The water is cold!"
Miakoda has decided that this isn't quite what she had in mind, especially the part where the water is so cold! "I think this is gonna be the shortest bath I've ever taken!" Spinning herself around, the she-wolf starts to head back to the shore, to a part which is more gently sloped than where she came in. "There's gotta be another stream or something around with warmer water."
Tala giggles while she makes her way up and out of the waterhole, she gives herself a good shake which sends water flying. "Oh there are more around that are warmer then this one for sure. Have to work on finding them I'm thinking."
Miakoda does the same as Tala, roughly shaking out her wet coat in an attempt to remove as much of the water as possible. Next on her list? Lay out in the sun somewhere! Her head lowers to aid her balance as she scrounges her way up the rocky slope, seeking higher ground that's as far from the lingering mists of the waterfall as possible. Eventually she gets there, having only slipped two or three times along the way. "Then finding those warmer water spots is gonna be my thing to do tomorrow!"
Ikuna is such a smart wolf! He seems to have taken the long route to shore. Or maybe he got turned around? It's cold, okay? He's not really thinking straight. Or... at all. Finally he manages to flounder his way to something like a shore, staggering up onto it and then flopping down onto his side. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Tala chuckels and nods while grinning to Miakoda, her attention turns over to Ikuna. Head tilting and she giggles as she watches him 'flounder' his way over to the shore. "You look worse then a fish.."
Miakoda lies down on her belly and an oval of dampness quickly stains the rock beneath and immediately around her. Hopefully the sun will take care of all of that soon! She turns to watch as the others also exit the pool, her eyes lingering on Ikuna and his less than graceful way of going about it. She laughs at Tala's observation and says, "He just needs to start flopping around and it'd be perfect."
"A fish," offers Ikuna with a tone of hurt dignity so long as you ignore the lingering bit of a grin, "Is meant for the water. I am not. Besides. I had more than enough fish when I was a pup, and have no intentions of liking or /being/ like them. Hmph!" With that, he closes his eyes, pretending to ignore the two females... though his ears still twitch to listen.
Tala grins at Ikuna and giggles. "Well yes.. But.. Come on you do sorta look like a fish right now." A wink is sent towards Miakoda. There is a pause as she watches her brother an she slowly creeps forward inch by inch..
Miakoda catches the silent message from Tala's wink, but rather than fall silent, she pretends that the two of them are still having a normal conversation. Less suspicious that way, so hopefully Ikuna will keep his eyes closed! "Nothing all that wrong with fish, though. I mean, if you can't catch a rabbit or a deer or something, fish will still fill your belly. Doesn't taste quite as good... not to me at least... but fish is better than going hungry."
Fish. Hmph. Ikuna snorts at his sister's comment... though he doesn't seem to notice her sneaking toward him, ears twitching instead to Miakoda's continuation of the conversation. "It is, yes. I was hungry an awful lot too, back then. If it came down to it, I'd eat fish again, but... I'd rather not. Anoki can have my share." He half-smiles, eyes still closed.
Tala frowns slightly as she hears Ikuna knowing very well what he is talking about. She lowers her head to nose at Ikuna's cheek and soon settled down next to him. "I wouldn't make you eat fish again.. Promise."
Miakoda senses that a topic that is at least somewhat sensitive has been brought up, somehow... and she pauses, not sure if she should ask the pair about whatever time it was when they were short on food. But after a moment of additional consideration, she decides not to; who wants to talk about back when they were half starved? Looking to Tala now, the she-wolf says, "Your brother suggested you and I maybe trying our luck at a hunt one of these days... You know, so maybe everyone could have something to eat other than rabbit."
Ikuna smiles at the nosing from his sister, and opens his eyes again. He looks to her, then over to Miakoda, and he gets a thoughtful expression for a moment as well. That's right. She wouldn't know... His mouth moves slightly, as if to say something, but Mia's faster than him this time. Well, it's not important, anyhow. Not now. At her suggestion, he chuckles. One paw is stretched out, pointing to where a half-eaten deer carcass was deposited in an alcove between the rocks not so very many hours ago, by him! "It's still a good idea."
Tala smiles to Ikuna and lets her head settle against his shoulders. Her gaze drifts over to Miakoda and she ohs softly before nodding. "Yes that is a lovely idea. An I was going to talk to you and Thea about it. Thought us three girls could go do it and then Ikuna here came home with a deer."
Miakoda follows the direction that Ikuna's paw indicates and she spots the deer, or what's left of it, tucked away amongst the rocks. She chuckles and returns her golden eyes to him, saying, "Well aren't you a showoff!" Her tail gives a few wags across the stone and she then nods to Tala. "Now we almost have to, we can't have him outdoing us! Maybe we can get a... a moose!" Yeah right!
Ikuna grins, shifting a bit against Tala and looking back at Mia. "Well, I didn't exactly catch it myself," he admits. As a careful inspection of the carcass would show! The killing blow was, in fact, from a cougar. At the talk of them catching a moose, he laughs. "You'd better. We'll invite Cerulean, and all party and eat until we're round as boulders."
The idea of a good old fashioned gorge followed by hours of a food induced coma is quite appealing; and while Miakoda doubts that the trio of she-wolves will be able to catch a moose, maybe they can catch something like a good sized caribou! Time will tell. But with the evening settling down and after excitement of stick wars and an ice bath, Mia is ready for some rest. She lays her head down on her front legs and yawns, golden eyes closing a short time later as she falls asleep.
---Waterfall Pool---
After Ikuna left on an early-morning patrol, he returns... oh, sometime about mid-afternoon, with the summer sun just past its peak and making everything rather on the warm side. Long patrol, evidently. Oh! Musta been a good one, though, 'cause he's dragging along about half of a fresh deer carcass. Also, there's a lingering smell of cougar about him.
Tala is settled down next to waterfall, forepaws stretched out in front of her with a light yawn escaping her in the process. Looks like someone just woke up! She shifts and settles upon her haunches giving her head a great shake in the process. Her maw smacks a few times and a half snort escapes her before she catches the scent of wolf and deer...and cougar? With a brow raised she peers about. "Ikuna?"..
See, when Ikuna is off on patrol, that means Ahiga can sleep! And boy oh boy does this wolf love to sleep! He's taking advantage of sleepy goodness now, for once not pressed up against Tala. He's snoozing a bit from the waterfall itself, sprawled out on his back, muzzle halfway open in classic lazy wolf pose. He snortles a little and kicks a foreleg, then gets this goofy grin on his face as he paws the air. Seems as if someone's having a happy dream! Snortle-twitch! His subconscious hears something off int he world of the wakeful..but noo, he doesn't want to wake up yet!
Ikuna has a mouth full of deer. Ikuna does not answer Tala, except with a lift-and-wag of his crooked tail. Tailwags are not very good at explaining things, to be honest. He continues on, to a flat bit suitable for depositing the deer, and does so. His muzzle is licked, and he smiles. "Hey Tala!" Ahiga... is still sleeping. Pff, lazywuff! No deer for him.
Of course Ahiga is still sleeping, does this surprize anyone?! Tala gives himself a good shake and hops up onto his paws troting on over to Ikuna and eyeing the dear. She grins and a soft wruff escapes her. "Where did you get the deer?" This questioned while she bumps her head against his shoulder.
Omg stop the voices! It's making his dream world look vague and fuzzy as it begins to dissipate. Nooo. Come back! Another hindleg twitches and a soft whine escapes him. But..ah, drat. Too late. He's awake. With a murfle, he rolls onto his side and nuzzles his cheek against the ground a bit, eyes starting to blink open. The light! Hiiissss! "MEh.." he squints them closed again and drapes a paw over his muzzle. "Five more minutes...promise I'll be good. Jus'..five more!"
Lookit Ikuna, having missed all the naptimes. He bumps back at Tala and nuzzles her, then... "Well," he says. "I found it on patrol. Had a limp, so I figured it was worth chasing." A pause, while he glances back at the carcass, and he chuckles. "Then, well... things got interesting." Still smiling, so it can't have been the bad sort of interesting, right? "I found Kachina again." So much talking. He's so mean to the snoozing Ahiga. Apparently, if Ikuna can't have naptimes, nobody can!
Tala eyes the deer and then looks back to Ikuna, a soft oh escapes her at the talk of the deer and Kachina. "So you found her? Well good, how has seen been?" Her tail swaying a few times before she casts a glance towards Ahiga and grins. "Wakey wakey!" She calls out to him.
Grump! Some /best friends/ he has! As Ikuna and Tala /insist/ on having a conversation despite his attempts to stay as asleep as he can, Ahiga grumbles, mumbles, and uncovers his face to send a sleepy glare at th- oh! A deer! His ears perk at the sight of akill. Well...if they insist he be up, might as well snag some breakfast! He rolls onto his stomach, then stands to streeeeetch his legs, then streeeeetch his back, then yawn hugely. It's all topped off with a brisk shake. And he's up! He strolls on over to the two of them, pricking his ears as he tries to pick up the conversation. "Found who?" Sniff sniff. "Ikuna, you smell like feline.." He headbumps the both of them in greeting, tail waving.
"Yeah," says Ikuna to Tala. "She was -" Oh, hey, here's Ahiga, finally up and about. He grins, and bumps back at the other wolf. The other, behind the times, wolf. This is what happens when you nap too much! "That'd be from the cougar," he explains to the other male. "Got the kill from her." A tilt of his head, to indicate the feline-jaw bite marks on the carcass. What? He can have a bit of fun, can't he? Tala will probably figure out the correct events, but Ahiga... well, let's see what conclusions he'll find!
Tala nips out at Ahiga's cheek and then his neck. "Woah.. Figure that out all on your own?" At the fact that Ikuna smells like a cougar! Her tail wiggles about and she settles to her haunches. Tilts her head to peer at the kill eyeing the killing blow before she looks back to Ikuna, a grin seen while she waits to see what Ahiga says.
"Yeah, I figured it out all by my lonesome," retorts Ahiga to Tala, smirking. "See, I got a crazy wonderful nose like that. Can smell all sorts've things without needin' any help!" Snickering now, he pokes at her with a paw before settling to listen to Ikuna. Cougar. A cougar giving up a kill? He glances to the deer now, taking note of the puncture wounds. Blink. "What?" He quirks a brow at his pal, eyeing him with a narrow eyed look. "Why would a cougar give its kill to you? I mean.. no offense or nothin', but you're not all that scary lookin'. To a cougar. What'd ya do? Threaten to make her tail as crooked as yours if she didn' give it up?" he teases.
"Nahhh," goes Ikuna, smirking just a little. "We just had a conversation, see. About life among wolves versus life among cougars. And after that, well..." He shrugs, like 'what more would possibly need to be said?' After a few moments, he can't hold himself back anymore, and he laughs. "It's 'cause I already knew her. Kachina. Back from... then. She's come off the mountain, on... some sort of vision quest thing. Apparently the cougar tribe does that, some kinda tradition or something."
A conversation. With a cougar... Ahiga stares at him, trying to figure out if he's being serious or pulling his leg. He must be pulling his leg...right? He continues to stare til he begins to laugh, and when the joke is revealed he exaggeratedly rolls his eyes. "You butthole," he says, reaching to swat at him, grinning after. Kachina! He ... vaguely remembers the name from a recent conversation with one of the Cerulean. "Did she recognize you?" he asks, looking curious about this... quest thing. "Did she...uh, win her quest?" Does one win a quest? Heck if he knows.
Tala smirks at nips at Ahiga. "Butthole?" Is questioned with an unsure tone and she tibbits before grinning. "Of course Ikuna could totally make a cougar give up it's kill. By putting it to sleep." Her brows wiggle and she leans over to slurp at Ikuna's cheek. "On a quest huh? Sounds different."
Ikuna makes a very vague and token effort to dodge the swat, grinning as he does. "Yeah, she recognized me. We talked some." Does one win a quest? At least of the vision type? "I dunno. I guess... she was still working on it." Huh. Thinking back on it, she didn't actually say all that much about her personal quest, as opposed to the quests in general. Well, maybe it's just... personal. Tala makes him laugh. "I'm not /that/ bad. Honest!" Besides, it's a good thing when your stories put puppies to sleep... right? Well, maybe.
"Oh. Well .. good luck to her, I guess." What does one do on a vision quest? Kachina likely would be the one to ask, though Ahiga doubts that the opportunity will ever arise. Cougar chats don't happen often in his life! He plops down onto his haunches and yawns once again, shaking of the last bit of lazy sleepiness. "So, what'd you learn about the ways o' the cougar?" he asks, smirking. "Do they live in packs?"
Tala giggles a moment as she hears Ikuna. "Oh I know.." This said while she leans against her brother's shoulder while listening. "Would a feline live in a pack?.. That wouldbe sora scarey though."
"Not packs," says Ikuna, settling down himself for relaxation and conversation. He's had a busy day already, unlike these lazybutts! "They call it a tribe, and... it's sorta different. Like... she said there's only one guy, in the entire tribe. I think... they're not really as much... together... as a pack, either. I mean, they don't hunt together or anything."
One guy? Ahiga blinks, brows raising a little. "Jus' one male in the whole pac-...er...tribe?" Woah. Lucky guy! To be surrounded by females all the time with no other males to be bothered with? .. To be surrounded by females all the time...and deal with their female problems? Er, maybe not so lucky. "That... /is/ different," he says after thinking it over. "Is he the alpha then?" he continues to pry, apparently finding this a bit interesting. "I wouldn't like not huntin' together though. That's weird." To a wolf anyway.
Tala peers at Ikuna curiusly. "A tribe?" She quesitons curiously and licks across her nose. "An one male.." There is a thought! An she can only imagen what Ahiga could be thinking right about now. "Ya, but I guess that is what makes us different you know?" She questions with a flick of her tail. Her gaze rests on he deer and she shifts over and snags a bite from it, chompchompchew!
Just one! "I... guess he's somethin' like alpha?" Ikuna sounds uncertain, because, well, he wasn't exactly asking those sorts of questions at that point. "But, yeah, cougars're different. They... they spend a lot more time alone, than we do. I mean... like, Skahla's always goin' off on his own, right?" ...and, lately, it seems his daughter's been following in those pawsteps... "Compared to a cougar, though, he's like... super social."
Ahiga snickers. If a cougar's life makes Skahla seem like a social butterfly, he is more than happy that he wasn't born a cougar! He likes being around others. Talking and playing. Building bridges and such. "Hey Ikuna," he says, ears perking as he remembers a topic that he's failed to mention. "Tala an' I were talkin' the other day about .. things. The pack, mostly. We need your opinion on somethin'." He tilts his head a little. "What do you think about tryin' to go back home?"
"Well wolves are suppose to live in a pack." Tala points out. "Cougars are always wandering around I thinks." She ponders he alk of Skahla. "I think that is just becasue he wants to wander." You know away from the pack.. At least he seems to be doing better about hanging out with the pack at least. A curious glance is sent from Ahiga to Ikuna. "We figure that we should talk about it by now."
Whooof. Now there's a question to go and spring on an unsuspecting someone. But... Ikuna's not unsuspecting, is he? Not really. It's not like the dogs and their exile and all that hasn't been a consistent topic for his thoughts. He frowns, and gives those thoughts a few more moments before he speaks. On the one side of it... "Home," he says softly. The word itself says to want it; that it's where he and his pack belong. On the other... well. Those dogs are still there, and they drove Ute away before. "If... we do. Kachina said she'd help," he adds, but that doesn't make his frown go away. He sighs. "I don't know. It's... there's good memories, but... it's just a place. Maybe it's not worth fighting for." Dying for, maybe. He looks to Ahiga, then Tala. "What're you thinking?"
The help of a cougar. That'd ... be nice. Great actually. Cougars are big and powerful, but would one cougar and a handful of wolves be enough to take on a pack of dogs? As much as Ahiga loathes the thought that the dogs may be stronger than them...it's a fact that he can't quite escape. "We're thinkin' the same as you," he admits, though it sounds as if it's something he doesn't like admitting. "Goin' back wouldn't do us any good. Even if we were ready this time, there are to many've of them, an' who knows if there are even more now. Nah.. We think...I think it's time for us to go somewhere new. Find someplace for our pack that's ours, not borrowed Cerulean lands."
"Home it where you make it Ikuna." Tala says with a soft tone, a faint frown seen and she shakes her head a moment. "I don't think we can go back to are 'home', I think we need to look for a new place. We can start new memories at, a new life.." A nod is seen as she hears Ahiga, her gaze resting upon her brother though to try an see what his reaction might be.
Ikuna nods slowly, listening to what Ahiga and Tala have to say. At the mention of someplace new, his head tilts slightly, but then he nods again. "I'm glad Cerulean's let us stay, but..." He glances around, as if to make sure none of those wolves are lurking nearby, and leans in closer to his friends to speak quietly. "I'm sorta tired of... being treated like we're crippled. How... they're so noble, letting us stay and helping us." He frowns a little. "We needed help, but... I don't want pity."
New memories and a new life. Ahiga slowly nods in agreement, watching both of his friends in silence for a while as he exhales a slow breath. The first step is always the hardest to take, right? Well, in a sense, the first step has already been taken. Now, they just need to continue til they find this new life of theirs. "I know what you mean," is said to Ikuna with a slow nod. "And now, we don't need the help anymore. We're hunting for ourselves, no one's sick or dyin'. We're better, but now I jus' feel stuck. Like, nobody knows what to do next. I know for me, I don't want to stay here forever. These aren't our lands an' they won't ever be. This is Cerulean's turf an' they're a different pack than us. I'm thinkin' it's time for us to go, but...Skahla's alpha. It's his call."
Tala ears perk and she nods as she hears Ikuna. "I agree with you." She murmurs out softly at the thought. A faint glance sent around the area before she looks back to Ahiga and Ikuna. "I think we should start looking. Its summer now might be a good time." A ear flicks at the talk of Skahla. "Yes he is alpha, and it's his call.. But we need to talk to him on it. WE can't stay here forever.. AN I hink we should find a place before fall comes.."
"I wanted to talk to Skahla anyway," says Ikuna. "I'll see what he thinks." He sighs, mind already running after all the things that'll need to happen. "It'll be hard for the pups." His gaze is steady on Ahiga for that part, though he goes on quickly enough. "And..." Now he frowns in earnest. "Has anyone seen Althaea lately?" He glances back and forth between the two, and sighs. "Maybe she'd rather stay here." Unspoken; that it seems his niece has no interest in being part of Ute anymore, at least not with any of them. Even her scent is barely present. Perhaps she's found a Cerulean wolf more to her liking.
Oh yeah...them. Ahiga has found it easy to pretend that the newest members of the pack don't exist. They stay in the cave. He stays out of it. Easy! But as time goes on, they're likely going to be out of the cave more, and when they do move...it'll be hard for him to disregard them without possibly being seen as jerkish. And so as they're mentioned, and as Ikuna's eyes rest on him, he defiantly doesn't look away. Bleh. He's not going allow some sniveling half breeds to make him feel uncomfortable in his own pack! As the topic turns to the wayward adolescent, he can only shake his head. "Nah. Ever since we got back from meetin' with Cerulean's leaders, she's been...hell, I dunno. Not with us." Physically and mentally. "Maybe she would. Dunno what Skahla'd say about that, but if she doesn't want to be with us now, why force her?"
Tala ehs sofly and nods a the talk of the pups, a slight glance sent towards Ahiga as well and she gives his neck a firm nip at the look he has taken! "Althaea? No not recently. But then she's always spoken with you two more then me to start with." A slight shrug is seen. "I was going to try and take her and Miakoda hunting if I found them before it got too late. Though evertime I try to find Althaea she isn't around." A faint huff escapes her. "If she doesn't want to be with us then she can stay." Nope, she isn't about to force anyone to stay with the pack if they don't want too!
So neither of them has seen Thaea either. Hmm. Ikuna nods. "Even if it's just the three of us... that's okay." He smiles, just a little. "Cerulean's a good pack, and I haven't seen any sign of the dogs coming this far. If the rest want to stay here... that's up to them." Maybe this is just the restlessness of the young; maybe the older (and younger) will be okay continuing to take the charity of another pack. Ikuna just... isn't, not anymore. "If Skahla wants to stay..." Huh, now there's a question. If Skahla stays, and they go, which pack is Ute? For that matter, when did Ikuna start thinking he'd leave with whoever's willing to follow him, regardless of what his alpha thinks? He's not sure, and yet... he's thinking that. "Well. I'll talk to him."
"Not lately," replies Ahiga to Tala. "She hasn't said a word to me since we got back. Probably mad or somethin' with me. She was actin' weird on the trip for a lil' bit, but that was a while ago. Figured she'd be over it." He lightly rolls a shoulder, apparently not too willing to try to delve into the thought process of adolescent females. He had hard enough time trying to straighten out his /own/ thoughts at that age! But hey, here's a thought that hadn't occured to him. What if Skahla /doesn't/ want to move on? He blinks, brows raising a bit. "You don't think he'd want to...stay here, do you?" he asks, looking from Ikuna to Tala. It is a possibility! After losing his mate, the fight might've left their Alpha's spirit.
"Ikuna.." This said with a soft tone while she akes in a breath. "You know I'll go with you anywhere, an so witll Ahiga." Yup she is speaking for Ahiga! She makes a face as she hears Ahiga, a slight shrug seen an she takes hums. "I dono.. I have no idea what Skahla might want to do. It's not like we have ever talked a lot." Try like never..
Ikuna did know that, but he still smiles as Tala says that he'll be followed. He nods, then shakes his head. "I don't know what Skahla's thinking. That's why I'm going to talk to him." Imagine that, talking to people instead of just making assumptions about them! "We'll have to talk to everyone about this, sooner or later. Skahla first, but then... Wachiwa. Althaea. Althaea, Hadir, Asku..." All the wolves that have been Ute. Even... "Miakoda, too. And Grim and Brutal. We've sort of... lost Ute, since the attack." Since before, some might say; since Ute forgot about Tobba, forgot the marking of the Sun and the spirits that they used to follow. "We need to find Ute again. We need to /be/ Ute, because this isn't going to be easy. We won't have Cerulean to help us, we won't have a territory we know. Anyone who comes... needs to know that, and /want/ to be Ute." And to listen to Ute's leadership! Whoever that may be.
"Duh," says Ahiga to Tala as she adds that he'll follow too. And he agrees with all those names til Grim and Brutal come up, and he wrinkles his nose. "Aw c'mon, really? Why them? They're not in our pack and obviously don't wanna be from how Grim talks. Why include them in our plans? That'll jus' make'm think they're entitled to come around whenever they want an' be more annoying than they already are." He has no clue what Ikuna means by 'lost Ute', though the only Ute he's known doesn't include brothers who do what they can to get under his skin and act as if they are so much wiser and better in every sense. He stands then and moves to the waterfall pool itself, if not only to get rid of agitated nerves, and bends to drink.
Tala rolls her eyes and grins at Ahiga, a wink offered to him. A nod is seen to Ikuna. "Of course we need to talk to the others.." There is a tilt of her head and a faint snuffle escapes. "I don't mind Miakoda being here. But.. Brutal and Grim.." A snort escapes her. "Ute can be found.. It lives with us an we have to remember that."
"Right," says Ikuna to Ahiga. "They /aren't/ in our pack, and don't seem like they want to be, and that's why we need to talk to them." Huhwha? Okay, he's going on talking, presumably that's an explanation. "We need to tell them that. That... if they want to come, they need to ask us, and convince us they'll be good guests or good packmates, who will respect us and be polite." And won't that be an uphill struggle? Ikuna's at least claiming to be willing to listen, though. "If they don't want that... they can ask to stay with Cerulean, or they can go on themselves." Or maybe go with some wolves who /don't/ want to follow on this journey. Ikuna doesn't know, but what he does know is this. "Once we leave here, we're Ute again. Not refugees. Not guests of Cerulean. Not lost wolves. Ute. We're a pack, and we decide what that means."
Drink drink, pause. Ahiga lifts his head a fraction of an inch above the water's surface, indeed listening to Ikuna. He turns his head to watch him, droplets of water dripping from his muzzle. Respect and be polite? He can hardly imagine Grim doing so for very long, even if it is an act. But Brutal seems more calculating. Able to put on a show if it means getting what he wants. Whatever that may be. "I don' even like the thought've given them the chance to lie an' say yes to all that," he says as he fully turns away from the water. "I don' trust those two. It always seems like there's somethin' else that makes them do what they do. Like some plan they've got that they're just waitin' for the right time to pull off." He snorts as he ambles back to the both of them. "If you think it's a good idea to invite'm along then guess I'll have to go with that. For the record /I/ don't think it's a good idea," he says, glancing to Tala after.
Ikuna listens to what Ahiga says, considering on it. "Maybe you're right. I don't know if I've seen them as much as you." After all, those times when he's tucked away in the cave with Wachiwa and her pups... just because there's no sound of fighting doesn't mean there isn't conflict of subtler sorts. He frowns, considering on that. "I... don't want to invite them, but I do want to tell them. Otherwise... they'll just come trailing along anyway. Besides. We're. not Ute if we don't give them a chance." A pause, and he asks another question. "Have they done anything to... not deserve that chance?" From his tone, it seems an honest enough question.
"Better idea. We thank'm, though we've already done that, an' send them on their way," suggests Ahiga brightly, though the tone is used in a condescending way, which isn't really aimed toward Ikuna. "You even said it doesn't look like they want to be here. Grim told me that outright, so there's no doubt in my mind about that. So them still bein' here is concernin' me because it makes no sense for anyone to stay in place they hate so much with wolves they've got no respect for when nothin's stoppin' them from leaving." A pause. "Unless they're plannin' on doin' something that they haven't bothered telling us about," concludes Ahiga tensely. "Or don't want us to know about. That's my problem with them. That an' Grim wantin' to mount Tala, and Brutal's roughness with Hadir, and how they both always sneak off for days an' days and waltz on back as if we owe'm something."
Tala snorts out as she hears Ahiga. "He can want all he wants, but it an't gona happen. I'll rip his damn ears off next time he tries to even touch me." She says with a few snaps of her jaws. "Oh sure.. give them a chance. Tell them the rules, and also tell them that if they don't follow the rules then they are /gone/." That is her thought anyway!
Ikuna closes his eyes as he listens to Ahiga, thinking about what the other wolf says and nodding from time to time. In the end, he opens them again, but it's to stare out at the forest instead of looking at either wolf. "So. Maybe I should ask them that," he says. "Ask Brutal what they want here." Since it seems Grim's the one who follows Brutal, not the other way around. "If he can't answer that..." Ikuna gives a shake of his head. "Well. I said I wasn't going to take anyone who didn't want to come. If they don't have a reason, and don't want to come..."
Oh yeah Tala, you tell'm! Ahiga can't imagine getting tired of hearing that spiel of hers, and better yet, /seeing/ it happen! Thus, he can't help the smidge of a smirk that plays over his muzzle as she speaks. But drat Ikuna for being so reasonable and chance-giving and... Ute. Exhaling a breath, he seems to give in a little. "Alright, alright.." he says with a vague nod. "I wanna be around for that. See if the snake in the grass actually gives an honest answer o if he jus' gives some line of poetry an' play nice for a time." Golden eyes are given a roll, though after, his grin makes a reappearance. "Anyhow, other than /them/ I like this thought. Yeah yeah, I know it'll be tough findin' a new place or whatever, but still..think about. A new place that's /ours/. Havin' a home again." He grins, poking at both of his friends in turn. "Rabbit traps."
Tala is quiet for a moment, ears perking as she hears Ikuna, a slight nod seen but she would rather Brutal and Grim didn't come. "We're speak with them.. Find out wht they truely want. If they don't want to offer anything to the pack though I don't see a reason for them to be here anymore. Everyone has to do a job after all." An other then standing there and looking stupid she isn't sure what the brothers could possible do. A ear twitches to Ahiga, a slight grin seen and she chuckles softly. "Rabbit traps.."
Miakoda has decided that there has been far too much melancholy and tension since the group came here however long ago it was. And what better cure is there for those kinds of things than... a stick! A big stick, with some leaves still attached, and some smaller offshoots from the main limb to catch pieces of grass and shrubs while its being dragged along. This is how the she-wolf arrives, holding the thickest end of the stick in between her teeth with the other end being pulled over the ground like an awkward rake. Her appearance is anything but quiet, the branch clattering along and Mia making little laughing, whuffling barks.
Ikuna is just difficult like that. Nothin' but trouble. Er. Patience. How is it that he inherited so very little of his mother's temper? Oh, right. Tala took all of it. Which is probably part of why she's a better match for Ahiga, even besides that whole... being a girl... thing. Ikuna nods to Ahiga. "Yeah, we'll talk to him together." Just in case Brutal turns vicious. Or even if not; maybe Ahiga or Tala will see something Ikuna doesn't. The frown and thinky looks of hard decisions is already fading at the talk of new places and... oh, rabbit traps. "Hah. Nah, rabbit traps are for puppies. We'll make a deer tra-" Wait. What is that loud bumping scraping sound? Also the barking. He rises to his paws, peering over to see... a very large stick, moving of its own accord. Oh, no, wait, there's a wolf behind it. A Mia! Ikuna laughs. "I think I've just been outclassed as a hunter." He grins, and his tail wags.
It's tooootally rabbit trap season! Ahiga snickers and likely would wholeheartedly agree with Ikuna on the deer trap suggestion...if he had been able to finish his thought. But as it is, his friend's attention has turned, and it isn't long after that his is too. Ears perk at the big ol' branch that's being dragged by another wolf, and his grin grows wider as he nods in agreement with Ikuna. "Oh yeah," he says. "Outclassed by leaps 'n bounds. That's the best stick kill I've seen in my life!" He rises to his paws, tail waving in greeting to the younger she wolf. "Hey!" he calls. "how long it'd take for you to bring that thing down? How much stalkin' did ya do? How far did ya track it?"
Tala grins at Ikuna and chuckles. "Deer traps! Perfect idea.." Then she is looking over curiously at the movement and a soft ah escapes her before she figures out whom it is! "Miakoda.." A laugh escaps her as she shifts to her paws, giving herself a shake and she snickers hearing Ikuna. "She /totally/ beat you. I don't think anyone could get a better stick in all the lands!"
Miakoda can already sense that there had been an air of seriousness about the trio before she decided to show up. But that is nothing new and different, although it is something she is hoping to change in the next minute or so. Speeding up to a trot, which subsequently creates more racket, the she-wolf bounds down onto the wet rocks and somehow manages to keep from slipping on the wet stone and falling over. She marches right over to Tala and with a flexing, twisting motion in her shoulders and neck, she swings the leaf-and-grass bedraggled end of the stick at the older female in a playful whack. Stick wars, whee!
And Ahiga knows sticks! Why, when he was a puppy... Ikuna laughs, watching Miakoda's charge, and ducks to avoid getting smacked by the trailing edge of that stick. He's within the danger zone! He manages to /mostly/ evade it, and only get a bit of wet grass flung into his fur... but then, he wasn't the target. Serious conversation time is so very over now. There'll be time for that later, because while Ikuna may be (technically) grown up, it's not by very much, and he's certainly not going to pass up an invitation like this for play. He bounds off to the side, looking for a stick or something of his own! Gotta be somethin' around...
She isn't talking, but she's coming with that big stick. And she's getting closer, and closer, and.. woah! Ahiga ducks out of the way as Tala is thwacked by leafy bits of wood. So much for protecting her! In stick wars...its every wolf for himself! "Ha ha!" he he jibes, pointing a paw and laughing, but he can't dwell on her comical misfortune for long. He needs to defend himself! Gotta find a stick gotta find a stick! He /is/ the master of sticks, after all. Like Ikuna, he bounds off in search of his own weapon, finding lots of rocks and such, but nothing... oh hey! Is that vine? Perhaps not the best weapon against a stick, but it's better than nothing! Gnawgnaw. He chews off a portion of the flimsy weapon, but the way he holds his head up high, the snakelike thing dangling from his mouth, you'd think he was wielding King Aurthur's sword. *cue trumpets!*
Tala tibbits at Ahiga and bounces about on her paws as she watches Miakoda. Her eyes widen at the sudden 'attack'. A half wruff escapes her and she ducks down just avoiding a face full of leaves an whom knows what else! She bounces back on her paws and like Ikuna is looking around for a stick herself. AH she catches sight of one over /thar/ and moves towards it quickly. Once ther she picks it up and its about maybe two feet long and she blinks, well it looked bigger then this!
Miakoda realizes that her opportunity to be on the offensive is going to be quite short. The other wolves are already scrambling to find equal, if not better, weapons... so she has to take advantage while she can! When her first attack isn't a masterful success, Mia turns around and heads for the next closest target, who happens to be Ikuna; he also doesn't seem to be armed yet. Bwaha! A few bouncing steps are taken to close the space between them, and then another turn of her head to swing the branch back... and then oomph! Her enthusiasm is too great and the momentum she creates not only results in the branch flying toward Ikuna but also in swaying her off her own feet, and she thumps over onto her side on the wet rock with a surprised yelp.
Ikuna is stickless! Without a stick! Non-stick-having! All his friends have their weaponry, and he has nothing at all! Nothing to defend himself, his pack, his very honor! "Nooooo!" he cries out in fake anguish, and tries to strike a dramatic pose - just in time for the stick to go flying toward him! Branches and leaves and THWACK it hits him squarely in the chest, knocking him back. He tries to scramble up again, but his paws tangle in the smaller twigs and slide on a bit of grass and... whump. Again. After falling backwards, Ikuna manages to /also/ tumble forwards. He's so talented!
Done basking in the glory of his vine finding, Ahiga is ready for battle! He trots off with his weapon in his mouth, not realizing that the vine is, in fact, incredibly long. It drags on and on behind him, a good five yard's worth, though he seems not to notice just how useless his newfound weapson is going to be. Miakoda's attack is aimed towards Ikuna. He must defend! But, oop...she has a catastrophe and down she goes, along with Ikuna. Don't worry buddy, he'll reclaim your honor! UPon reaching the fallen Miakoda, he turns his head to the left and then whips it round to the right. What was /supposed/ to happen was him beating her with a vine! But what actually happens is the vine is too long to be whipped about in such a way, and the portion nearest his jaws merely flops uselessly near his paws. Say wha?
Tala turns about with her STICK and is making her way towards Ikuna and Mia but tilts her head before snifing out softly as she eyes Ahiga with the vine? She can't help herself and leans over to poke at Ahiga with her stick HAR..
What a sorry bunch of warriors they all turn out to be! Miakoda has fallen and lost her stick in the process, Ikuna was clobbered and is falling all over the place, Ahiga's weapon is about as ferocious as a baby rabbit, and Tala's idea of an assault seems to be a mild poking. But all that's on Mia's mind at the moment is reclaiming her stick, and the she-wolf is squirming about on the wet rock as she tries to regain her footing, claws scratching at the stone. As the same time, her head is twisting about, jaws hanging open and golden eyes darting around as she tries to locate the 'grip' end of her lost stick... ugh where is it where is it where is it?!
Okay, so maybe if he shifts this way? Erk, no. How about like that? Ikuna squirms around, trying to get free of the stick. His flailings bring the grippy end swinging out toward Miakoda - but then he tries something else, and it disappears behind him again. It does still exist, though! It's there! Somewhere! Ikuna is oblivious to that part of things, but his wrigglings about are bound to bring... ah! There it is again, as he twists halfway onto his side and tries to use one paw to pry those tangly sticky bits off the other one!
Ok so his wonderful weapon is a flop. Bleh! Ahiga spits it from his mouth and gives it a glare. "You've failed me..ow!" Pokepoke! Who is jabbing at him? Grrrr, Tala! Apparently her two foot long weapon is better than no weapon at all, which is what Ahiga finds himself with. "Hey, get away with that!" He abandons his vine to instead jump away from her, nearly tripping himself up on that branch that Miakoda's hellbent on reclaiming. He doesn't blame her...it's the best weapon of them all! And if Tala weren't poking him to death, he'd probably give a try at stealing it, but as it is, he flees from the pokeystick!
Tala lets Ahiga take off running, why, she has spyed Mia's fallen stick! Her eyes widen and she grins whle dropping the stick she has and bounces over towards the large sick trying to get hold of it! Whom ever started this game it was a great idea in her book!
Miakoda gives up temporarily on trying to get ahold of the stick again, instead deciding to concentrate on one thing at a time, and the thing that comes first on her list is standing up. With a couple of grunts, she rolls over without getting poked in the eye by the stick as it wavers back and forth, promptly pushing back to her paws... although she is something of a mess now, her entire side now wet with the fur sticking together in clumps.
Now, Ikuna has no objection in /principle/ to these two females competing over the stick. They're both fine wolves! Quite capable of holding a stick, wielding it effectively, and promoting positive stick-based behaviors! That's not the issue here. There is, however, a slight complication, on account of /he's/ tangled up in that there stick! Uh. Li'l help? He looks around for Ahiga. Come on now! This would be a great time for that 'boys versus girls' thing! Come on come on... seriously?! No Ahiga? Ikuna's in trouble now for sure! As Miakoda gets up off her side, he flops down on his... and from there, onto his back, kicking up and pushing the stick away from him. Begone, thing of stick-ness!
Tala WINS..the stick it seems.. She has hold of it and swings her head about a few times which threatens to poke or brush against Ikuna and Miakoda in the process! There is a pause as she flicks her gaze one way and then another, where did Ahiga skitter off to? Oh well she'll find him later. "Who won?" Is questioned with a playful mumbley tone around the stick.
Miakoda stands there looking the worse for wear, eyes landing on Tala as she claims the stick as her own and brandishes it at both herself and Ikuna. "Pah!" she says, the sound somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "Stick stealer!" Her tongue sneaks out in a loud raspberry.
Yay! Tala took the stick! That means Ikuna isn't tangled in it anymore! Thwapped by it, yes. Tangled in it, no! He'll take it, despite the bit where he yalps as it goes thump. At his sister's question, he blinks, still in a graceless half-sprawled position despite his attempts to scramble up. Who won? Uhh.... "Not me!"
Tala giggles out and gives her head a mighty shake which sends leaves falling an everything else in the process! She tibbits out at Mia around the stick and then drops it. A snort escapes her and she coughs a moment. "I'm totally ok with being a stick stealer."
Miakoda tilts her slender muzzle up just a little with a grin toward Tala. "Just you wait till next time! I'll get a... a boulder or something!" She has no idea how exactly she'd carry a boulder and wield it effectively, but she'll worry about those minor details later. Turning her eyes to her soggy side, the she-wolf wrinkles her nose. "Yuck," she states matter-of-factly, before looking back behind herself to the pool below. "Well, since I'm already halfway to a bath... guess I might as well go the rest of the way!" She pivots on her heels and begins to make her way down the rocky terrain toward the edge of the water.
Ikuna pushes himself around to his feet, and shakes his head to his sister. "Just think what kind of stick-stealing example you're setting for the puppies!" he says, and grins. Mia's threat of boulders makes him laugh. "Avalanche, huh?" He peers up along the cliff beside the waterfall, then looks back down and mutters, "Note to self. Avoid mountains." With that important fact handled, he seems to notice the amount of sludge in his own coat, and when a brief shake does little good, decides to trail after Mia toward the water.
Tala grins and gives herself a good shake. "A boulder?..." She ponders this and chuckles. "If you can carry a boulder then your totally win." She offers with a grins and nods. She soon flops down, forepaws settled in front of her an she half chews against one. "Avoid mountains indeed.."
Miakoda is more mindful of her footing this time and because of that, she manages to make it to the edge of the pool without teetering onto her face. The toe of a front paw is warily stuck into the water and the she-wolf immediately cringes. It's cold, bleh! Her ears turn backward in distaste, but even still, she forces herself forward and begins to wade in. "Uuuuuuuuugghh," she says unabashedly. She doesn't particularly enjoy getting wet, and being cold on top of it is just an added insult.
Ikuna chuckles at Miakoda's distaste for the water. Well, if he knows anything, it's that drawing out the suffering won't do any good! So, instead, he climbs up onto a rock and leaps into the water, forthrightly! He'll show her how it's done! Cannonba- OHCRAPTHATISCOLD! YEEEEEEEP! What is at the top of that waterfall? Solid ICE? Yipe!
Tala grins while peering over at Miakoda and shifts up onto her paws and inches forward. A faint giggle escapes her and she is soon bouncing upwards upon a rock a bit higher then Ikuna. She wiggles about with her rump in the air before she jumps forward and lands into the water once her brother appears. SPLASH
Oh no, now there are waves and they're splashing her and they're cold too! A howling bark escapes Miakoda as she's soaked much faster than she'd been planning on, the water sloshing over her sides and across her back and slopping over her head. "What're you two, a bunch of beavers?" she hollers through her dripping muzzle. But hey, since she's now completely drenched, she might as well get her revenge! She uses one of her shoulders to slog a wave at the others, although given her smaller size, it's anything but a tsunami.
Ikuna is wet. He is so wet. Also cold! Was the river this cold in the middle of winter when they fell through the ice? He doesn't think so! He flails his way up again, only to be splashed by Tala's dive! Yalp! "What no I-" Yipe! More water! Admittedly, it's kind of token compared to how wet he already is, but he still attempts to dodge and paddle away to calmer parts! Maybe also warmer ones? He can but hope!
Tala's head pops up about the water and her gaze flick one way and then another while a half giggle escapes her while she lifts her head up more and gives it a great shake. "Beavers?.. Possible!" She giggles and paddles about in a circle a few times. "Oy.. The water is cold!"
Miakoda has decided that this isn't quite what she had in mind, especially the part where the water is so cold! "I think this is gonna be the shortest bath I've ever taken!" Spinning herself around, the she-wolf starts to head back to the shore, to a part which is more gently sloped than where she came in. "There's gotta be another stream or something around with warmer water."
Tala giggles while she makes her way up and out of the waterhole, she gives herself a good shake which sends water flying. "Oh there are more around that are warmer then this one for sure. Have to work on finding them I'm thinking."
Miakoda does the same as Tala, roughly shaking out her wet coat in an attempt to remove as much of the water as possible. Next on her list? Lay out in the sun somewhere! Her head lowers to aid her balance as she scrounges her way up the rocky slope, seeking higher ground that's as far from the lingering mists of the waterfall as possible. Eventually she gets there, having only slipped two or three times along the way. "Then finding those warmer water spots is gonna be my thing to do tomorrow!"
Ikuna is such a smart wolf! He seems to have taken the long route to shore. Or maybe he got turned around? It's cold, okay? He's not really thinking straight. Or... at all. Finally he manages to flounder his way to something like a shore, staggering up onto it and then flopping down onto his side. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Tala chuckels and nods while grinning to Miakoda, her attention turns over to Ikuna. Head tilting and she giggles as she watches him 'flounder' his way over to the shore. "You look worse then a fish.."
Miakoda lies down on her belly and an oval of dampness quickly stains the rock beneath and immediately around her. Hopefully the sun will take care of all of that soon! She turns to watch as the others also exit the pool, her eyes lingering on Ikuna and his less than graceful way of going about it. She laughs at Tala's observation and says, "He just needs to start flopping around and it'd be perfect."
"A fish," offers Ikuna with a tone of hurt dignity so long as you ignore the lingering bit of a grin, "Is meant for the water. I am not. Besides. I had more than enough fish when I was a pup, and have no intentions of liking or /being/ like them. Hmph!" With that, he closes his eyes, pretending to ignore the two females... though his ears still twitch to listen.
Tala grins at Ikuna and giggles. "Well yes.. But.. Come on you do sorta look like a fish right now." A wink is sent towards Miakoda. There is a pause as she watches her brother an she slowly creeps forward inch by inch..
Miakoda catches the silent message from Tala's wink, but rather than fall silent, she pretends that the two of them are still having a normal conversation. Less suspicious that way, so hopefully Ikuna will keep his eyes closed! "Nothing all that wrong with fish, though. I mean, if you can't catch a rabbit or a deer or something, fish will still fill your belly. Doesn't taste quite as good... not to me at least... but fish is better than going hungry."
Fish. Hmph. Ikuna snorts at his sister's comment... though he doesn't seem to notice her sneaking toward him, ears twitching instead to Miakoda's continuation of the conversation. "It is, yes. I was hungry an awful lot too, back then. If it came down to it, I'd eat fish again, but... I'd rather not. Anoki can have my share." He half-smiles, eyes still closed.
Tala frowns slightly as she hears Ikuna knowing very well what he is talking about. She lowers her head to nose at Ikuna's cheek and soon settled down next to him. "I wouldn't make you eat fish again.. Promise."
Miakoda senses that a topic that is at least somewhat sensitive has been brought up, somehow... and she pauses, not sure if she should ask the pair about whatever time it was when they were short on food. But after a moment of additional consideration, she decides not to; who wants to talk about back when they were half starved? Looking to Tala now, the she-wolf says, "Your brother suggested you and I maybe trying our luck at a hunt one of these days... You know, so maybe everyone could have something to eat other than rabbit."
Ikuna smiles at the nosing from his sister, and opens his eyes again. He looks to her, then over to Miakoda, and he gets a thoughtful expression for a moment as well. That's right. She wouldn't know... His mouth moves slightly, as if to say something, but Mia's faster than him this time. Well, it's not important, anyhow. Not now. At her suggestion, he chuckles. One paw is stretched out, pointing to where a half-eaten deer carcass was deposited in an alcove between the rocks not so very many hours ago, by him! "It's still a good idea."
Tala smiles to Ikuna and lets her head settle against his shoulders. Her gaze drifts over to Miakoda and she ohs softly before nodding. "Yes that is a lovely idea. An I was going to talk to you and Thea about it. Thought us three girls could go do it and then Ikuna here came home with a deer."
Miakoda follows the direction that Ikuna's paw indicates and she spots the deer, or what's left of it, tucked away amongst the rocks. She chuckles and returns her golden eyes to him, saying, "Well aren't you a showoff!" Her tail gives a few wags across the stone and she then nods to Tala. "Now we almost have to, we can't have him outdoing us! Maybe we can get a... a moose!" Yeah right!
Ikuna grins, shifting a bit against Tala and looking back at Mia. "Well, I didn't exactly catch it myself," he admits. As a careful inspection of the carcass would show! The killing blow was, in fact, from a cougar. At the talk of them catching a moose, he laughs. "You'd better. We'll invite Cerulean, and all party and eat until we're round as boulders."
The idea of a good old fashioned gorge followed by hours of a food induced coma is quite appealing; and while Miakoda doubts that the trio of she-wolves will be able to catch a moose, maybe they can catch something like a good sized caribou! Time will tell. But with the evening settling down and after excitement of stick wars and an ice bath, Mia is ready for some rest. She lays her head down on her front legs and yawns, golden eyes closing a short time later as she falls asleep.