Verdigris Ravine ochre

belated naming ceremony! optional! no posting order! pp for zougles @Candle @Sari @Koa @Gaara @Aylah @Brac @Ebra @Chisa @Andanari (tagging @Kusuma & @Harta for visibility! <3)

in the middle of the ravine there was a pretty place, a rise of red boulders scattered with tiny flowers, not at all far from the den.

with the red paste at his side once more, zoug invoked the clan spirits of old.

"this man calls the spirits of Wind, Air, Earth, and Water. look upon this tribe. know the ones given into your care." his motions were eloquent, silent all for a grunted word here or there.

with a flourish, zoug gestured his children forward. 

gaara was painted first, a stripe of wet red earth running from forehead to nosetip.

"this boy is gaara. he is given into the protection of the Hare."

second, aylah.

"this girl is aylah. she is given into the protection of the Spider."

third, ebra.

"this girl is ebra. she is given into the protection of the Rattlesnake."

and fourth, brac.

"this boy is brac. he is given into the protection of the Owl."

zoug had mediated for a long while on these protective spirits for the children, allowing images to form and to dissipate within his mind. and he had done it for the others too, knowing each shade which might follow the children of the tribe.

he looked to s'ari now, one eye warmly encouraging if her own children wished to come forward. and with the say of his mother, little harta would have his own ceremony when he was older.

the sun was warm upon them.

On the day of their birth, Candle had given each of her children the gift of names.

Now, they were given a second. Her own eyes were warm on Zoug and their children as she watched. Gaara. Aylah. Ebra. Brac. Their family; theirs.

Andi stayed near her mother. Watching the goings on with bright eyes. New names for the children with both father and mother.

A tilt of her head and she looked out around. Taking the scent of the others and the area in. Letting the wind ruffle her fur. It was pretty outside.

In turn, Chisa too stayed near mother and Andi. This was quite the get together and it was all very interesting. She looked around for anyone she knew, who was the red coyote and her pups? “Who?” Eventually she would gain more and more words, then learn to speak fluent tribe speak.

She also kept her rattly tail from aunty koa nearby, she loved her baby rattle.

While her sisters remained in the shadow of her mother, Ki'ra slunk away to get a better view of the ceremony. Intrigue coloured her eyes a reflective orange, a mirage from the sand perhaps. They followed Zoug's every move as the tribeman marked each of his children, the thrum of his voice echoing a curiosity that stirred something deep within the little girl.

Though she could not name them, the spirits of old whispered to her.

With great difficulty, she tore her gaze away from the ceremony and back to S'ari, a silent request in the odd cant of her head. I want to hear them!

He reached for the red earth with which Windmaker painted. The sun warmed his forehead and crusted the cool edges of mud like clay.

Cavetreader. Teller of the Final Dark. He was already these things, and now, he would be Brac.

Owlish eyes watched as Zoug backed away, ceremony complete. Wondered, what animal protected him. Watched, as the other children watched them - and wondered the same.

He had never seen the bird his father spoke of. Soon, he would learn how fitting a creature to guard him.

There was little words shared between his mother and father. Mother's words were often low and soft. Father's were the opposite, harsh-sounding grunts there after many movements with his paws, tail and muzzle. Due to this, Gaara was adapting the same manner. Quiet and yet his gaze hard with thought and seriousness, determination to learn, even in his youth. It wasn't until he met the others, did he hear so many words. Ko'a and S'ari's words were well more then enough to make up for Candle and Zoug's lacking! 

Now, Gaara's feet stomp the ground with am impatience and it was no wonder he was the first of the pups to be addressed, with how quickly he was to step up to the plate when father was ready for them. 

Gaara, he was then so named and wore it pridefully like the red clay on his brow and with bellowing little woofs.