Redhawk Caldera Which someone must sail

I'm turning on the clock, here we go!! Let's see if I can keep up now :0

catching him up as I go, I don't have time really to go back and look for references so if y'all see something that isn't right here lemme know? ^^

A silence that had once been merely peaceful had soured, turning moody and dismissive, if subtly so.  He still hadn't forgiven his parents for replacing Peter with another, and as a result of this he avoided most the newly dubbed 'Jackrabbit', who he had decided on no uncertain terms would never be any brother of his.  

He'd pulled away from Eljay too, once the truth of Peter's fate finally sank in.  It was too confusing, being around his role model, when he constantly wanted to talk about his absent brother.  Gannet's young mind had already almost forgotten what the smallest of the siblings had looked like, though he remembered the absence.  Months were almost a lifetime to the pup.

He carried the lesson with him now, though - strangers did harm, and home needed to be protected to prevent more from disappearing.  Growing lankier as time went by, he continued to pounce, chasing small creatures and foliage as he 'trained' for the day he met an unlucky foe.  Or an unlucky meal.

He'd managed to catch a grasshopper that morning and currently had it clasped between two paws, feeling it squirm as it tried to get free.  Uncertain, he sniffed at it.  Did they taste good?

Try as he might to avoid the rest of his family, the "little river" (as her mother often called her) was not so easily deterred. It was as though something in Liffey's genetic makeup demanded that she glom herself onto those who seemed the least eager to be in her company, for even though she was surrounded by wolves that gave her their time and attention, it was Gannet the eldest of the Blackthorn pups was determined to pursue.

At two months old, Liffey was not exactly the most graceful on her paws. She had quickly discovered that while running was very fun, it was also the easiest way to fall down a whole lot. And so it was with slow and steady steps that the little wolf tracked down her cousin. A grin spread across her face when finally she spotted him and with her tail wagging like a furious little propeller upon her bum, she toddled towards him.

"Gaddy!" Liffey chirruped as she bounced towards him. In her excitement, she forgot about the whole running=falling down thing and stumbled, topping to the side and smacking her shoulder upon the ground. Unperturbed, she stood and shook herself, then set her happy eyes upon the pale boy.

It was true that Gannet wasn't much feeling company at the present, mostly because he was so absorbed in determining whether he wanted to try eating his catch.  The locusts had been ok, but his taste for those had gone after a while of eating nothing but, it seemed.  

When Liffey yelled, Gannet's head and ears shot up to attention, and when he shifted instinctually, his grasshopper friend managed to squirm free of his paw prison.  

Gannet let out a soft wuff of surprise, hopping after the thing and attempting to corral it back into his grasp.  He managed to set a large paw on it and froze, then got an idea.  Suddenly eager to share, he beckoned Liffey over with an pointed nod and a grin.  Wanna see what I got?

Gannet greeted her with a woof, sending Liffey's tail flapping about once again. She was prepared to ask what he was up to when he beat her to the punch and gestured towards the patch of ground he had just leapt at. Her ears perked as her curiosity drove her paws forward.

Once she came to his side, she crouched low until the short grass brushed against her belly. Her head was tilted quite severely and her mouth gaped slightly as she peered at his paws. She recognized the smell of whatever critter he had, but couldn't place it so she had no idea what he might shortly reveal to her.

To his delight she came to investigate, staring at his paws to catch a glimpse.  He held it there a moment in anticipation, then ducked his head playfully before lifting the one holding the insect down.

The grasshopper was ready and immediately took off, buzzing a short ways away.  Gannet hopped up excitedly, bouncing on his paws as he waited to see if Liffey would go for it! If not he'd try to reclaim the prize himself.

Liffey edged closer until she was smushed against Gannet's shoulder. Her crown was lowered level with his elbow as she gaped at whatever secrets he held within his paws. She felt no fear as she waited those few seconds before the reveal, and yet she pressed even closer to her older cousin as her ears fell slick against her head, eyes widening.

"Oh!" Liffey woofed in surprise as Gannet's pale paws separated to set free the grasshopper. She jumped back instinctively, leaning her cheek against a back haunch briefly until her pounding heart began to settle. Understanding of what the creature was came with a jovial giggle. Liffey pranced forward after the bug with outstretched paws, falling short a few centimeters which allowed the grasshopper to leap forward yet again. A tiny growl escaped her lips as she crouched and then sprang again.

The pup's second attempt gave her the same results as the first. With a desparate huff, Liffey turned to Gannet with an imploring, anxious whine. "Gaddy!" she cried, requesting his assistance. Obviously he was better at this than she was, considering he had caught it in the first place.

She came closer and attentively watched, so his anticipation to show her grew.  She'd love this!!! He loved this!!

When she leapt after it he gave a couple yips of eager encouragement, bouncing after.  Despite her early startle, she got so close!! But could not quite match the insect's agility.

Finally she implored him for help and he tore off after it, skidding sideways when it switched direction and pushing off to leap.  His paws snapped down and he felt it flatten, squirming futilely against his paws.  Luckily he hadn't killed it (yet) but likely the thing was not too happy.

He glanced at her with an unspoken question.... Want to try again?

Gannet seemed to understand her call, which eased the anxiety that had grown inside of her as the bug hopped yet again, further away from them. The last thing she wanted to do was lose this new friend that they had made, especially when Gannet had been the one to find it. Her cousin was clearly more skilled than she, which she had recognized even before he dove after it and snatched it again between his paws. Though it had been exactly what she'd expected, she woofed happily as he nabbed it, and hopped forward to sniffle eagerly at the paws that contained the creature within.

Liffey caught his gaze when he looked at her and saw the question there. She stepped back a pace and eyed him nervously. Her gaze flickered between him and the cricket between his paws, her ears falling slightly. She didn't know the words to express her anxiety, and so she fell back to non-verbal cues to communicate to him - she was worried that she would miss again, and she would lose his toy for him.

She hesitated and Gannet picked up on her anxiety.  He couldn't know for sure, of course, but he could guess what she was nervous about.  She didn't need to worry about the game though!  The fun was the practice, and even when you missed, that just meant you could chase longer!  

He felt the squirming and bent down.  3.... 2..... 1!  He let it loose, then snapped at the bug with his teeth, laughing as it flew away.  Sometimes you just had to do scary things together, so he hoped she'd join him in chasing after it.  Likely they wouldn't catch it now, but he wasn't all that interested anymore in finding out what it tasted like anyway.

Liffey was quiet as he leaned down in preparation of the next release. Though there was a tightness in her own chest that was silent begging her to stop him from letting the toy go, she kept silent in the wake of the obvious excitement that gleamed from his self. He was so happy, and he was so confident. Without even knowing it, it inspired her.

She smiled self-consciously as he let the bug go and leaped after it. He missed, but he didn't stop. Liffey grinned before jumping after him. The grasshopper leaped forward thrice before settling, thinking itself safe. But Liffey was determined this time, and so she sprang wildly at it with little focus but tons of determined eagerness.

And while it made little sense considering how poorly executed the attempt truly was, Liffey landed with the creature fluttering about between her forepaws. It should have been a victorious moment, but for the pup it was just startling and overwhelming. The feel of the thing flapping against her toes was uncomfortable, and she'd had no faith whatsoever that she was going to actually manage to nab it and so it was completely startling that she'd done it. So, with a yip of surprise, Liffey bounced backwards onto her rump. The grasshopper flapped away while she fell onto her back, shaking her paws above her as though there were some bit of the bug on her paws that she needed to whip off of her toes.

There were two possible happenings here - either she'd join the game, or she'd decide to let the grasshopper go.  Either way, Gannet wouldn't mind, but of course the boy hoped she would continue the game and have fun while doing so.  

And she DID.  He bounced with obvious delight as she leapt after it, her eager determination making him all the more wildly excited when it paid off and she caught it!!!!!!

That she couldn't hold it didn't matter, and Gannet promptly forgot about it in his excitement to congratulate his friend on her wonderful accomplishment!  Heedless of her wild flailing, Gannet nosed her side, equal parts in affectionate praise of her fine bug-hunting skills and to help her roll over onto her paws.  "Good catch," he congratulated her, obviously in admiration that she'd been able to bring down the quick bug herself.  Hunting was fun!

Liffey was at first oblivious to Gannet's excitement as she flapped her paws in the air. It wasn't until she had rolled back onto all fours with his help and given herself a good, hearty shake that she really noticed him again. Her head tilted as she gazed at him, even as she leaned into his touch and grasped for his words of congratulations. She felt as though a bucket of icy water had been dumped upon her when finally she recognized his now obvious happiness for her, and she smiled demurely at him with her chin tucked shyly against her chest.

She giggled and moved towards him, bumping her shoulder roughly against his chest. It was her wordless way of saying thank you, highlighted by the affectionate nip towards his chin. She pranced a few feet away from him then, stopping suddenly to shift her gaze across the ground. She turned to him after a moment with a simple statement of fact - "He's gone." "He" meaning the grasshopper, but "gone" not necessarily meaning as gone as another wolf with more skill in tracking might consider it to be.

Gannet was completely oblivious to his effect on Liffey, noting only with satisfaction that she leaned into him rather than away.  Into was better.  He was a physical being and contact was his favorite form of closeness.  He'd cuddle with just about anyone, anytime.

He laughed as she nipped at his chin, standing up and taking a step back; was she going for a game of wrestle?

No, she was looking for the bug.  Where did it go?  He looked around, curious, but didn't immediately see any sign.  Not much of a hunter yet, he cocked his head.  "Must have run away," he said with a half shrug, indicating he wasn't sure where it was now.  They could go look if she wanted! Or they could find another fun thing.

Wanna wrap up? :D

Gannet didn't seem too upset by the disappearance of their toy, which Liffey was pleased to discover. She gave him a bright smile and turned her gaze to their surroundings. Her stomach gave a grumble as she looked about, causing her to pause. Her ears slicked back and she peeked over at him. "Wan' get snacks?" she asked, peering hopefully at him. She knew where to find her older brother at this time of day and she was confident that Eljay would be happy to get them something to eat.

Sure thing!

Seems like 'something else' was the way they would be going, and Gannet nodded at the suggestion.  Snacks sounded great!  He wasn't yet an accomplished hunter, so he knew they'd have to find a willing donor to the food fund.  Luckily both he and she had generous families.  

She took the lead and he followed eagerly, tail waving behind him.  There were few things he didn't do wholeheartedly, and hanging out with her was definitely not on that list.