Broken Antler Fen if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms

he's near the borders so it doesn't necessarily have to be a baf wolf who joins this! :-)

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It was only recently that Mato had begun going out on solo hunts: though he had no interest in the hunter trade he preferred to catch his own food. Except when they bring him venison or something much too big for him to take down on his own. The rabbit had almost eluded him — only because Mato had gotten tangled in tall, snow covered ferns as he plowed through them as he gave chase — but luck appeared (for the time being) to be on his side. The rabbit had fallen without much trouble from that point. Mate eats it slowly, appreciating his meal in the way that a gourmet cook appreciated his masterpiece dish and when he polishes off the meat until his belly is full — though he knows it won’t stay that way for long (growing boys need to eat!) — he is content and his hunger is sated as he draws his tongue against his jowls, attempting to clean them of dribbles of salvia, blood and flesh. Slow eater or not he is not exactly a neat eater. He nudges the carcass a bit away from him, smearing a bit of blood across the bridge of his muzzle and despite that he draws his tongue across his nose he knows he cannot clean the smudge from his muzzle with his tongue but he does not worry about it.

With a small grunt he pushes himself to his paws, stretching in the warmth of the morning sun before he gave his coat a hearty shake and padded closer to the borders. He knew better than to cross them and though he wasn’t overly interested in being a guardian he was curious and as most pups are at his age: adventurous. Besides…if he didn’t go on adventures how was he supposed to think of epic stories to tell later? The best tales came from experience, after all! Mato tells himself as he pads along them, though there is a safe distance between the urine markings and him.

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While her brother had taken up hunting and gotten to a point where he was at least decent at it, Nova couldn't admit the same thing. She was still winded easily from how long she'd been sick but it didn't mean that she wasn't eager to get out and do something. Anything. Nova gave a low sigh as she pressed on out of the den, looking around for any of her siblings before she decided to head towards the borders. Like her brother she had interests in the stars, wanting to know them, to map them, but she didn't know what that might mean for her. Would she want to follow them? Would she look into the future and see herself roaming as she learned all their secrets. 

"Mato!" She said with a wag of her tail, catching her brother's scent and speeds up a bit to watch her brother in the distance, eager to see what he was up to without trying to crowd herself into what he was doing. She didn't want to overrun him. 

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He is caught up in his thoughts — in the attempt to string together some sort of tale from his morning so far which was disappointingly boring Mato realizes he recounts it to himself — and does not hear the footfalls of another. He is not truly paying much attention to the borders as he tries to come up anything he might have done interesting but nope! Waking up, stretching, taking a wee, hunting and eating were …well useless facts. He scoffs softly at himself only to pause when he does hear an indication that he is not as alone on the borders as he had blissfully been thinking for the past minutes he startles. He turns quickly and his paw slides in the snow, almost causing him to lose his balance. His face flushes beneath his fur with heat of his embarrassment, warming beneath his fur even as his apple green gaze falls upon a familiar face. “Nova!” His sister’s name leaves his lips partially surprised and partially relieved. If there was anyone that he didn’t mind seeing him almost face plant the ground it was his siblings. He might hold the record of the clumsiest of the Rochester-Iosila brood but they were all in that awkward stage where their paws and heads were too big for their bodies and this makes him feel (haha the brat) a little bit better.

“What are you doing out here?” Mato asks her, not thinking that the question could easily be twisted back to him because he has never shown interest in being a guardian before. Nor will he because the idea of just walking around and peeing on all of Broken Antler Fen’s borders sounded dull and exhausting all at once. Despite his question he offers his masked sister a wag of his tail against his hocks, silently inviting her to join him.

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Nova's lips twitched into a brief smile, feeling a bit of excitement in his voice at the notion of her presence. Maybe it was different, maybe he was just surprised she wasn't a bemoaning little whiner laying in a heap at the den, but she likes to think differently. She butted her head against his shoulder, stealing a longing glance towards the territory beyond their borders. For a second she barely registers the question her brother asks, blinking her blue eyes rapidly before she turns to look at her brother again. "Um...nothing. Nothing." She repeats it dumbly, like it's going to save her, but her intention is nearly a neon sign above her head. "I kinda want to go explore. Not far. Just...just see what's out there." Nova's voice was uncharacteristically timid, not like she's afraid but she knows that she isn't safe much further out.

It's been ridiculously stuffy in her head, she thinks at least, and maybe if she just exhausts her muscles some then maybe it'll be okay. Maybe the cabin fever will abate some and she'll feel better. "D'you think we could?" She didn't care about marking borders and all of that, she wasn't there for the glory or to guard, she just wanted to do something.

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Mato does not entirely believe Nova when she tells him “nothing” in response to his question even going so far as to repeat herself with emphasis but he accepts it with a lofty shrug of his shoulders. They are becoming independent from their parents and from one another and her devices are wholly her own. He does not strive to be the nit-picking brother but offers her a partially devilish, partially charming grin when she admits that she kinda wants to explore. Irises of apple green leave his sister to take in the free and wild territory outside of Broken Antler Fen’s borders and feels his breath hitch in his throat as he is overcome with the temptation of it. Mato cannot remember if they’ve ever been told, specifically, to not stray beyond the borders or if it is one of those unspoken rules that he’s always obeyed just because: because he is awkward and clumsy and would be a laughing stock of anyone that tried to pup nap him …or whatever ill-doers did with young, inexperienced pups that wondered too far.

His gaze flickers back to Nova when she asks him if he thought they could. Certainly they could. Should was a different matter entirely but as Mato has already deduced that surely there cannot be any harm and that someday they would have to be allowed to leave the safety canon of their home that why should today not be that day? His ears slick back to rest at half mast atop his skull as he hesitates for a brief moment, studying his sister’s expression for a long moment. “C’mon,” Mato encourages with a gesture of his muzzle as he steps up to the invisible border marker and steps over it so he is half out and half inside the territory. He hesitates for only a split second before he steps all the way outside of Broken Antler Fen and waits for Nova to join him. “Lets just make sure we stay together, alright?” As long as they stay together and don't get lost from one another he is sure that they will be just fine.

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Seb just wants to be a cool dad okay.... xD Tell me if you want this post in unwanted aka for the sibling bonding!

Sebastian wasn't far off from where his youngsters were. First it was the scent of fresh blood that caught his attention. He was always curious to see who made a kill. The blood on the snow was evidence enough, the scent around it seemed to be of his son, Mato. Sebastian looked up then sniffed the ground. He wouldn't mind spending some time with his son, as he tracked him it seemed that he was joined by his sister, Nova. They had been close to the border but now their tracks seemed to have crossed it.

At first Sebastian was a bit worried for his children to be out of the territory without supervision. But then he reasoned they where together. It was good that they were exploring. However Sebastian couldn't help but to want to supervise them a bit more. He started a trot and caught up with them. He let out a friendly woof, perhaps the two would feel caught for doing something bad but that was not his intention.  His posture was definitely friendly, instead of the mad dad you would expect for doing something that isn't allowed. Sebastian wanted to be a cool dad. "Hi guys! I didn't know you wanted to do some more exploring," he greeted. "I've been waiting until I could take you on education trips and explore more of the outside world!," he added. "How about next time I take you two to Lake Rodney! Then you can explore a bit first around the outside of the borders now before going a bit further with me. How does that sound?," he offered. He didn't want his young to be afraid of the outside world, yet he did want them to know there were dangers too.

At the notion of going out, of being somewhere else even just briefly, Nova's tail began to wag. It was important that she shared such a moment with people she cared about, and Mato was at the height of the list among their family. "Always." She said brightly, nodding towards her paler sibling as she watched him consider it for a moment and then crossed the borders. The girl followed, big eyes blinking at the surrounding word as she took her first steps past what was safe and known.. 

It seemed barely a second for that exhilarating sensation - unknown scents! sounds aplenty! - to be broken by the approach of her father and Nova turned to face him, wondering if it was considered too soon or not. Sebastian offered to take them to a lake, which sounded nice, and Nova glanced over at Mato before answering. "I....did you want to come with us now, Dad?" She asked, a little tilt to her head that she hadn't quite shaken from when she was much younger.

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As Sebastian comes up to him and Nova as they cross over the borders of the Fen, Mato stops, freezing in his tracks, his ears smoothing back to his skull as he thinks for a moment that they will be in trouble. By all rights, they should have been, but Seb, always proving himself to be the coolest dad ever, didn’t get mad. Didn’t raise his voice and chide them for being curious. Nova looks to him and the two siblings share a look for a moment before she speaks, asking their father if he wants to go with them now. Mato remains silent, his gaze flickering between his sister and father, unable to help but doubt that Sebastian will let them continue on with their path of wandering just outside the borders without his supervision. Still, he does not mind either way. Mato just does not want to be forced to return to the pack before he's sated some of his curiosity for the world outside the safety of the Fen.

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Sebastian looked at his two kids. He could tell Mato was feeling like he would be in trouble for a moment. Sweet Nova offered to him if he wanted to come with and for a moment he really wanted to say yes. "I don't want to interrupt your exploring session. How about you don't go too far away. I will stay here by the borders. If something wrong I am only a call away," he spoke. He didn't want to limit them in saying they couldn't do something. Surely some things he did have to say no. But he couldn't see why they shouldn't explore just outside the pack lands. They didn't have any dangerous packs close to them. "I can take you further next time! Alright?,"he offered in return.

Her tail was working a mile a minute, they hadn't been sent back to the packlands and she looked from Mato to their father. Sweetly she approached Sebastain, pressing her snout to her father's cheek and pressing a little lick to his chin. She was growing, they all were but while she was smaller than her father she nuzzled against his chin and stretched beneath it, scenting herself like a little security blanket. "Next time, we can all go." She said with a nod before she turned back to her brother to begin their exploration. "We should try and find something for Odie, Benny and Ivy." She suggested. Someday, probably when he brought his first date home to meet the fam, Benjamin would hate her little nickname. Nova didn't think she'd care - she certainly didn't now. 

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Sebastian speaks that he can join them next time but sets the perimeters for them: he will remain at the borders to collect them and they are not to stray too far. To Mato this is more than fair as he had expected that he and Nova might meet chiding tongue when their father came upon them (more or less) sneaking out. Their curiosity might be only natural, it may be something that all growing children of their age nurtures but there are correct channels to go about being allowed outside of the Fen’s borders and sneaking out without permission isn’t one of them. Mato knows this. Mato also has a slight penchant for doing things he know he shouldn’t. Not necessarily to inspire young rebellion but because the curious part of him wants to learn how far he can push boundaries before they cease to accommodate and snap. He nods enthusiastically when Sebastian says that next time he’ll take them further. It is an offer that Mato knows he will hold onto. The world outside the Fen is a marvel - like the night sky and Mato itches to explore it’s vast infiniteness in the same way he hungrily studies the stars because though the pursuit of knowledge will never cease he deigns to learn as much as he can nevertheless.

His ears cup towards Nova as she suggests they should bring a souvenir back for their siblings . He ponders over it a few moments though he has deduced it is a good idea the moment she brings it up. “What did you have in mind?” He inquires of her as the pair move further away from Broken Antler Fen. His heart beat increases for a second as they take the bold steps though his confidence is not so far removed because he feels Sebastian’s eyes on their backs and even when their father is out of eye sight and they out of his, he will still be only a howl away. It reassures Mato enough to enjoy himself though he is alert, nevertheless.

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Sebastian smiled at his kids when they seemed okay with his suggestion. He wished them goodbye and trotted back towards the border. He knew his kids would be okay. They were raised well, in his opinion. They were not bad kids. He hoped they wouldn't run into too much difficulty. The young dad made sure to stick around if they needed him.

- seb exit -

When her father departed Nova returned her gaze to her brother with a thoughtful hum. She wasn't sure what she wanted to bring home to her family but she felt that if this was a moment she was sharing just with Mato they should try and find something for their siblings too. She twitched her lips, pondering. "Well...we can just keep our eyes open?" She wondered. "Maybe we'll find a full set of antlers or some special sort of stones..." She was just spitballing, who knew what lay beyond their borders? 

"So what would you like to do today?" She asked Mato, her smile growing into a little grin. It was exciting to her and she couldn't wait to see all of the new things - although it wasn't likely they'd encounter something they'd never seen it all felt so new and different. 

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Verdant gaze slides to Nova as the pair makes their way into the free territory that borders their Fen. His sister does not have a specific idea of what she seeks for them to bring back as a gift for their siblings though the empyrean druid very much likes the idea of antlers or special stones and wonders if it might be impertinent of him to snag a little something for himself. Probably, he thinks to himself because he had to wonder it at all. Still, he does not so carelessly toss the idea aside because in reality who knew what the pair would stumble across? Nova poses the question of what he wants to do and Mato does not immediately give reply. He ponders it a bit as they walk because he has not actually considered what to do once they are outside of the Fen’s borders; and as he did he realizes, a bit breathlessly!, that the possibilities of what they could do were endless. “Did you have anything in mind that you wanted to do?” The druid deflects the question back to her. His answer would have been just explore, see what there is to see within the safety net of the shadow Broken Antler Fen cast but he is not unwilling to cater to Nova’s wishes.

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The question presented made her ponder for a moment but she couldn't pin down one single thing. She just wanted to take the freedom, the run and explore with it. Her tail swayed behind her and Nova shook her head, smiling sweetly at her brother. "No. This is nice; just exploring." She admitted freely. There was no issue to not having a point or prerogative; to go where they felt was right and worthwhile. It was a welcome change to the mundane day to day they'd settled for. Now that they were growing, both mentally and physically, and it was the prime time for them to begin to stretch their wings and figure out more of what they were going to do with the rest of their lives.