Redhawk Caldera the original

When Kaizer wasn't sleeping, he was working. Working to earn his place, working to integrate, working to please his packmates. The work was almost loathsome, considering he'd already held a heavy position before the unfortunate disbanding of the Sunchasers, but he supposed it gave his life purpose besides leading. Being top male meant a lot to Kaizer -- assuming it didn't mean everything to him -- but he was considerably aware of how close everyone was here; that they were all family and he was just an outsider looking in, overeager to inject himself into their dynamic. If he were the type, he would've taken the advice of the stranger and looked elsewhere, but he was a Bluesummer, and he would drive this car until the wheels fell off.

Dusk settled around the caldera, the sky emblazoned orange and purple as Kaizer moved swiftly to track the badger he had scented a mile back near the rendezvous site. Under normal circumstance, he would let the creature be, but with the alpha female potentially pregnant with his children, he was completely unwilling to let any kind of predator live anywhere near the center of the territory.

Liffey was hunting.

Her dad had seemed pretty determined that she learn how it was done, or so the writers have been assuming. The Blackthorn liked it alright, but it wasn't something she seemed to be naturally taking to. She could succeed when she focused (and let's face it, when luck was on her side), but more often than not she just wasn't interested.

That being said, there was something Liffey had been interested in hunting lately...

The young wolf tried to seem casually as she strolled across the plains near the borders of their territory. The young Blackthorn was not a complete idiot - she stayed far enough away that she wouldn't be in danger of running into any strangers. But she was near enough that she might perhaps spot a certain someone if he just so happened to be doing something dashing and heroic like guarding the territory. Liffey grinned at the thought and lifted her head a little higher, her tail waving a little flashier. Not in an attention-seeking way of course - absolutely not. But if someone did happen to cross her path, she wanted to be looking as interesting as possible.

It wasn't until the sun began to set that Liffey gave up on her mission and turned back towards the rendezvous site for the night. Her hopes felt dampened, but not completely so. She knew chances were high that she would see him there, but it wasn't quite the same as catching him alone by the borders where they could spend some quality time together. She felt melancholy as she headed back, but it was soon enough replaced by surprise as she stumbled upon who the young wolf still knew only as - the new guy.

Liffey froze when she spotted him, uncertain how to react. The Caldera was such a tight-knit family that she'd been rather spoiled thus far by never having to actually learn how to meet someone knew. Her ears flattened anxiously and she lowered her head. He looked busy. She could probably just avoid him and go on her way... Indecision kept her planted as she scanned the terrain for any sign of an adult - preferably one that she knew that would act as a buffer.

Had she kept moving, the Bluesummer would have paid the girl less mind than he did when he found her just standing there. Kaizer became frozen too, his nose twitching and his ears pressed forward as he examined her scent from afar. This was one of the beta male's children, he realized -- whose names escaped him -- though he probably could have guessed it by looking. The slate girl looked quite like her parent and siblings, and he remembered her older brother then, wondering suddenly if he had recovered any from his collapse that day. He had unconsciously avoided any scent of the depressed wolf, perhaps thinking that he might be infected by his mood if he lingered anywhere near him.

But this was not the yearling. She was younger, and somehow more innocent. Even as she seemed to cringe in on herself, Kaizer returned to her an air of confidence and reassurance; red ears and perked tall and tail wagging slowly. "Wanna help me get rid of a villain?"

He noticed her, and Liffey swallowed nervously. The hair along her spine prickled as they looked at each other. There was nothing unfriendly about him, she came to realize as she studied him. In fact, there was something about him that finally caused her to relax, ever so slightly. She bowed her head bashfully and gave him a tiny smile before she heard his voice and her ears perked.

A villain?

Liffey blinked at him like a deer in the headlights. She was not fearless like her mom. She had too much Elwood in her to run headlong into an adventure as Finley would have, as much as she dreamed of doing so. She was more cautious and level-headed, and thus she knew that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with a villain.

But... still.

"What kind of villain?" Liffey asked in a small voice, unable to help herself. Villains were dangerous and better handled by grown ups like this wolf, but if he needed help and she was the only option... Then maybe there was a little bit of Finley in her that could make her brave enough for this adventure.

Kaizer realized, maybe too late, that an ornery  badger wasn't the best first opponent for a halfling girl, but he rationalized that it could be a good learning experience— and he certainly wouldn't let her get hurt— so he continued on the track he was on, without considering consequences because he simply wouldn't let them happen. "Come check this out," he motioned her closer, passing his muzzle over the caniform's scent, indicating where she should sniff, if she was truly interested in the criminal hunt. "It's called a badger, and they're pretty mean, so I don't want one around while Fox starts building her den," he filled her in anyway, regardless of whether she had approached or not. "I can get rid of it myself, but it'd be nice to have some back-up— a sidekick."

Her head tilted lightly as he told her more about what they were up against. He mentioned a badger - an animal that was apparently mean. Liffey might have backed down then had he not mentioned that a badger was not only mean, but a potential threat to her Aunt. The little Blackthorn was afraid of her Aunt, but that didn't keep her from wanting to keep the alpha female and her litter safe. Plus, Finley would be so proud if she pulled this off..

Liffey was convinced, in spite of the continued tingle of her nerves. "I can help," Liffey said with more confidence than she actually felt. She looked at his chin, her gaze flickering only briefly across his eyes out of curiosity rather than threat.

"What do we do?" she asked.