Wolf RPG

Tonravik had returned in the morning and entered the whelping den, feeding the cubs and speaking with Iqniq on her brief expeditions, filling him in while her sons ate. She had been in and out, but felt she had enough time away to feel as refreshed as she needed to be. Her mate looking after their cubs had done wonders for her, and he had done a great job of it. All were always accounted for and looked no worse for wear.


Tonravik awoke in the evening and felt less guarded as she peered into the outside world with her young brood beside her. She rose to all fours and let loose a yawn before she stepped over them. The sun was beginning to set only now, and so her energy spiked. The alpha female moved out from the cubbyhole and then lay down outside, simply content to rest for the moment. Her ears flicked as she listened for the sounds of her sons...

This time, if they came to take a peek outside, she would not stop them.

His mother moved and this woke the third born, who had become so interested in the world and those within it that he could no longer sleep through the stirrings of others as he had when he was younger. His head lifted from the floor where it laid, ears perked with interest atop his russet crown. He saw his mother was making for the den entrance, and as he was becoming more and more anxious to depart his dark and protected home, he eagerly bolted after her. His chase was one of quiet, sure-footed grace, not the clumsy stumbling that some pups might possess when hastily pursuing their parent.

He did not pause where light met shadow, he followed his mother out and was delighted that she did not push him back in as she had before. No barricading, no growling. His tail started first: swishing side to side, and then his entire body started to quiver with the excitement. He threw himself into a play bow, his rump wiggling, and he woofed as his blue eyes settled on Tonravik. Then he was off. He frolicked around her happily, barking with the joy of this new experience. This lasted only a moment. His demeanor shifted; his nose dropped to the ground and he sniffed loudly among the grass.

His frolic tamed to a slow walk as he followed one scent, and then turned onto a different trail as he found another. All within the immediate proximity of his mother.

Sitamat awoke, too, as their mother moved to exit the den once more. He had become anxious at her very first expedition from the den since their birth, but soon grew accustomed to her comings and goings, as well as the large, fiery-furred entity that was their father. He was now content to rest and play with his siblings, no matter which parent was watching over them. However, the simple routine he was used to was again disturbed as Tonravik moved outside (as she often did), but did not stop the swift Pingasut from joining her.

The youngest watched in surprise as his brother made a beeline for the entrance, fully expecting him to be shoved back inside as was custom. Instead, he disappeared into the brightness of the outside world and did not return. With a whine, Sitamat started forward, edging his way closer and closer to the entrance of the den. He yipped softly, calling for both his mother and Pingasut. He was right at the opening now, and the boy's worry was replaced with fascination as he stared out at the bright world. It was his first proper look at it. An overwhelming amount of scents hit his nose, and Sitamat retreated slightly back into the den, hunching to the ground, blue eyes watching his energetic brother.

Tonravik's return was a welcome sight. He'd entertained himself with the kids in her absence, but he too needed to stand and stretch and be a part of the world. They'd traded on and off as he tended to his own primal needs before returning to the den. He and his mate chatted briefly here and there, but as evening fell and the sun descended upon the horizon, Tonravik eased herself from the den and settled outside.

Ever the eager escapee, Three was the first to dart for the door. He padded outside like a champion and took to the world with all the curiosity he would expect of any wolf experiencing the world for the first time. He glanced towards Tonravik who looked onward, but did not stop their son. He moved from the den and padded towards her, nipping her affectionately behind the ear before he nuzzled her scruff. "Time to expand their wold, huh?" he questioned lightly. They'd been following her instinct on how and what they were ready to do. If she wasn't stopping Pingasut..?

Iqniq moved back into the den. He encouraged what pups remained inside towards the opening so they too might move freely about their immediate outside world. It was Sitamat who seemed most hesitant, most cautious. While those traits would one day serve him well, in this, and surrounded by parents and a pack who cared for him dearly, that fear was misplaced. Iqniq settled in the den nearest his youngest son. He turned his gaze out to watch Ping, just as the boy did, before he turned his muzzle to the dark pup and nudged him towards the entrance encouragingly. "Go on," he murmured softly. "It's okay."

His was a deeper sleep than the others and it took him a while to cool from the lack of bodies around him. When he did, his head jerked up to peer around him, noting only the form of Malrok. This did not cause panic, instead his blue eyes casting about only to find that the others were outside, in the Bright World, the silhouette of his father encouraging the youngest cub to venture out into the light. The dark mass of his mother, and the bright fur of his brother were not in the den so perhaps they too, had ventured out.

Curious, he rose to his tiny paws and trotted closer, nosing Sitamat for a moment before bounding ahead, yet unafraid of this new prospect. Finally, finally they were allowed outside, and he took full advantage of this, his body vibrating with his excitement and now boundless energy. Venturing a little further than his third brother, Atuaserk yipped and barked, trying to goad the smallest of the clutch into playing his game. His tail thwapping his sides, Ata watched Pingasut for a moment before throwing himself into a play bow and barking again.

Tonravik pressed into his face as he nuzzled into her, ear flicking when he spoke. "Feels this way," she responded, tail thumping against the earth. The restrictions were limiting themselves, now... it was time that, as he had said, there world expanded. As she watched the cub do what he would (so long as he didn't make an abrupt run for it), Tonravik gathered that what her mate said was true. It felt like the proper time. There was nothing to tempt her to go and retrieve them and push them back into the den... she was at ease. The sound of her son, Sitamat, did cause her stomach to flutter... but, he was only nervous. Tonravik watched as her mate entered the den to aid the youngest.

She herself rest her muzzle against the earth when she looked at him. Her state of relaxation she hoped would coax him from inside to out here if he so desired. Tonravik looked away, however, to check on the state of the fox. He shifted from trail, to trail, to trail, and she watched him to make sure that none of those trails would bring him too far from them. The eldest soon barreled forth from the den. He went out only just further than the third-born, and her head lifted. "Not too far, k'yush." Of course if they went too far, she would rise to herd them back... but for now, she was at ease. Both Malrok and Sitamat lingered yet within the den, and Tonravik was patient for their arrival.

His trail-following did not lead him too far, and fortunately for those who would later share the den with him, what he found at the end was just some dried rabbit droppings rather than something foul. He dropped a shoulder and proceeded to roll in the small brown turds, his tongue lolling as he wormed on his back. Then he was back on his feet and watching his older brother dart past him, dropping him into a bow and challenging him to stray farther. But mother bear was watching, and called to them a warning. The fox twitched his ears, smiling at his brother as though he had won a bet against him.

He turned his back, and made as though to walk elsewhere, before spinning rapidly and charging his brother with jaws wide open. He did not seek to bite his sibling, only to tackle and romp around.

While the sky was dim from the slowly setting sun, the brightness of the world compared to the dark of the den caused Sitamat to retreat even further. His blue gaze was focused on the outside, though, fascinated yet scared of it. His brothers proved fearless, Pingasut remaining outside playing while Atuaserk rushed to join him. He received two nudges, one from Iqniq who had come to encourage him, and another from the eldest. The boy let himself stumbled forward a little, before looking back to his father, tiny ears pinned to his head.

Though a glance back outside eased his nerves somewhat. Tonravik lay outstretched and calm as his brothers romped playfully, continuing even after a swift warning from their mother. With wary, tentative steps, the youngest eased himself into the outside world, glancing back to Iqniq every so often to make sure he was still there. Eventually, he made it fully into the sunlight and, with a yip, Sitamat suddenly galloped over to Tonravik's side, sitting by her shoulder — where it was safe — and watching his brothers play.

Iqniq offed his mate a nod before disappearing into the darkness to encourage the rest of the pups forward. She was the one calling all the shots... for now. As soon as the puppies were fully out of the den and had met the pack, he was going to start making a few parenting decisions of his own. Since today was the first day of the "great den escape" he was pleased enough to be expanding their little worlds.

Sitamat didn't need much encouraging from him. Simply seeing his brothers out and playing was enough to give him the courage to pad out from the den and sit down by Tonravik. Every now and then, the pup would turn over his shoulder to look at him and Iqniq would nod and catch up with him, following along like a shadow. When the pup was seated and content, Iqniq moved to check on the other two who romped.

Ping smelled something awful. A sniff to the boy told him he'd rolled in rabbit poo. Iqniq wrinkled his nose and decided then and there that Tonravik was on bath duty tonight. No way in hell was his tongue getting close to that... and Tonravik had cleaned up worse. Perhaps a small part of her would enjoy it. Either way, none of that mattered to him as Iqniq stood aside the romping puppies and played ref.

Tonravik was eager to share the responsibility of parenting. It meant that now, she could stretch her legs and once again interact with more than just the four lives that romped around. Well, two of the four romped around. The other two hung back, idling. It was then Sitamat decided it was the right time to sprint to her in a quick movement. She rose a quarter of the way as she heard the flurry of tiny paws drumming the earth in what must have been a sprint. It was a sight that truly amused her, and her stoic expression split into a bemused grin. Did her cold heart warm? (Probably not.)

She swiped her tongue over his face as a reward before peering into the den at the still-observing Malrok. He hovered there, and Tonravik was not tempted to goad him out until he was good and ready. She still lay, Sitamat by her shoulder. Her cubs were not too far yet... she had only warned them against doing such a thing, and as of yet, they had not disobeyed her.

Watching Iqniq with the cubs, she saw him wrinkle his nose. Tonravik could only guess what her son had rolled into, and snickered where she lay, oblivious to his thoughts. After all those months of cleaning up all matters of excretion, her mate would now be fortunate enough to partake. She was more than happy to co-parent with her mate, and give him as much of the reins as she had now that she could... especially then.

Some of the pups frolicked. Others kept their cool and simply observed the new world they were now a part of. Iqniq grinned. It was about to get a whole lot bigger. The arrival of more giants would be an interesting experience for them. No doubt, meeting them all at once would be some kind of overwhelming, but Iqniq and Tonravik, father and mother both, would be nearby and something "safe" should they feel the need to retreat.

"Shall we invite the others, then?" he asked, curious as to how long she wished to let them acclimate to the outdoors before she invited the rest of their pack family in. He saw no point in waiting any longer. They'd meet them sooner or later and Iqniq knew many of the pack was eager to meet them.

Tonravik's ear shifted when her mate spoke, and she looked to him. Should they...? Well, she supposed it was as good a time as any to do so. And so she nodded, shifting to a sitting position (mindful of her son), and then bringing herself to a stand. Tonravik looked invitingly to her mate before tilting her head up and calling to that of the pack: come and see the cubs. She sang to the great many that resided with them currently: @Nanuk @Echelon @Tatsuya @Aariak @Savik were among that present number who could come to meet them, and her ear tipped to hear her mates voice calling along with her.

It was a call that the pack had been waiting for. Most of them, anyways. Nanuk found no joy in pups, no excitement at the thought of meeting them. Yet, Here she was, ducking into the clearing about ten minutes after the call had gone up. As the very first of her packmates to arrive, the female felt larger and taller than she ever had in her entire life looking at these small, fragile creatures. 

Her eyes found Iqniq and Tonravik both then, staring at them rather awkwardly. What the hell was she supposed to do? Say? With a snort, the Beta decided she'd remain present but quiet, moving to lay down where she stood. 

Wait. 

Her head ducked, looking under her to make sure she didn't crush one of them as she reclined in a sphinx-like position.

Her response was to move. Tonravik lifted and stood, throwing her head back in invitation to the rest of their pack. Already standing, he too joined his voice into her chorus. Come and see... Soon the pack would come and meet the children that dwelled among them all. There would be much to learn from one another, but first... introduction were to take place.

He shifted across the clearing in front of the den and positioned himself next to Tonravik. Sitting, he lingered, tipping his ears to wait as Nanuk entered the clearing. The beta's eyes swept to find theirs and Iqniq grinned. He was just as curious to see what the adults would do and think as he was to the opinion of the children. Needless to say, Nanuk reclined. Iqniq clicked a greeting and waited to see how the pups would react to their first guest.

After what seemed like an eternity, Echelon too heard the call that she had been waiting on. Not that she eager to go and meet the puppies by any stretch of imagination, but rather it meant that Tonravik would continuously more and more able to be a separate entity from them. All that call signified to Echelon was that some of them had lived to be welcomed, and that it would become all of their collective responsibility to ensure their success. Of course, the wolves of the Spire had already been doing that, ranging from the coyote assault of days past to the bear that had terrorized them over a fresh kill.

She wound the paths towards Tonravik's location, neither quick nor slow about it. It was an idle pace, happening just as easily to pass the time as it was to make time. And when she did arrive on the scene, emerging from the brush, her paces fell short of joining the group merely to survey them. She could not help but be standoffish, ears splaying in different directions as she paced momentarily. Nanuk was significantly closer to the group and it tempted her to come closer, at least until she spotted the puppies.

They were tiny. She found herself uncertain of how to behave towards them, though they were certainly all different in some way. Maybe a little ratty looking, she couldn't decide. Adorable wasn't a word in her vocabulary that she used often, and it certainly didn't come to her now. She expected them to be bigger; her wavering uncertainty of seeing such pint-sized and frail seeming creatures conveyed in her body language. Still, she waved her tail out behind her, for if nothing else she was mostly happy at seeing Tonravik.

And as for the romping puppies, well, she was also trying to decide if they were eating one another.

Tatsuya was a ways off from the den when the invitation rose, but when the sound reached him, he sped off. Bolting through the territory with jubilant yips and leaps, the Delta's blistering stride did not slow. Not until he scented Nanuk and Echelon. The two were prompt, as always. How would they react to Sawtooth's young? The question followed him the rest of the way there. No doubt his pack mates would hear his obnoxious pants and footfalls. He eased off the gas in part to Nanuk's bright fur through the foliage. She was still, much to his surprise. As is Echelon. You two 'fraid of children? Amusing thought, but understandable.
INDENTSlipping free of his verdure surroundings, he spotted Pingasut right off the bat. The cub's warm coat surprised him even though it shouldn't given Iqniq's fur. Speaking of which...A chuff – clipped in its delivery – directed at the father. He was nowhere near the male but the wolverine wanted to address him first and foremost. The Thing was still, well...a thing. The Delta did not want that to mold what happened here today. Nor did he want to worry about being attacked.
INDENTWith that done, he approached the malodorous whelp. And boy, did he stink. However, Tatsuya's zeal to know them beat out his suffering nose. He's been agonizing over this moment. So deep his love for these fuzzballs...A high pitched whine accompanied an excited thumping tail. Ears slipped back as he nervously began licking his lips. Perhaps he was selfish in this approach, aching to touch Tonravik's offspring. To memorize them by touch, taste, sound, and smell. Sans scent for Pingasut. And maybe touch. My poor nose.

His head snapped around to stare at his parents as their voices lifted in tandem. A chill ran down his spine, instinct causing him to open his mouth and try to utter a similar sound. It was a feeble sound but he attempted it nonetheless, unsure of what they were trying to do. In time he would learn, but for now, he simply continued his romp with his brothers, minding whenever he was warned against leaving their immediate vicinity.

Soon enough, however, there was little reason to as not one but three wolves showed up. Make a sound that was supposed to scare them away, Atuaserk growled and rushed closer, stopping short of the one that had lain down. Baring his tiny teeth, he continued his obnoxiousness with the Beta first before moving on to the next one that appeared, growling at her too. With this one, he darted in close to the female's legs, nipping at her ankles.

Whether or not he was trying to make them leave or he was just being his normal, terrorizing self, even Atuaserk didn't know.

His game with his brother was interrupted when their mother howled. Like One, Three was inclined by instinct to howl with them, and he tipped back his narrow head and uttered a soft, drawn out howl of his own, if it could be called a howl. In no time at all after that, new scents and new faces started to arrive.

His brother was quick to charge them, growling and snapping at them as though they were devils crawling out of the brush. The fox, however, took a moment to consider the situation, casting a glance back at his parents. They were relaxed, and he took his cue from them. His tail wagged, and he felt his body tremble with excitement. He yipped excitedly, and as a dark male came in to sniff him, he whined and reared up on his hind legs to lick at his mouth. Perhaps he had a bit of food in his gut to share.

When the moment he had been waiting for finally came, Aariak was unlucky enough to be far away from the Alphas' den. It took him long enough to get there as to be the last one to show up, and when he did all of the others were already interacting with the pups.

Well... Kind of...

Nanuk looked awakwardly terrorized as a brown -and probably the largest pup Aariak had ever seen- growled at her. Then the same pup attacked Echelon's heels, and she did not seem softened either. He knew that they were both tough females, but it did't occur to him that neither Nanuk nor Echelon would be excited to see their sister's first brood. Did they not have a maternal instinct? Could it be awakened somehow? That was a mistery he would have to solve another day. His real job was just about to start.

Aariak's tail was merely moving as he made his way across the females. He greeted everyone with a nod to each and then sat close to the group to review the pups. First he counted, and noticed that one was missing. He turned his head to look at the den hoping to - and effectively finding the fourth cub still in the shadows.

Was it fear? He would find out soon.

Looking back at the three brave that made it out into the light, Aariak observed their actions more closely. First he looked at the darkest of them. Sitting idly next to his mother. He looked overwhelmed by the outside, and Aariak didn't blame him for that. There would be plenty of time to get used to the huge world, and there would be no fear in the pups, not when Aariak was done with them.

Aariak watched too how the one with pelt set ablaze like his father interacted with Kapvik. Even from his position Aariak could tell that he had been rolling in rabbitt dung. 'An adventurer' thought Aariak. And then, moving to the last one, the caretaker could tell that he would be a force to be reckoned with. He had the Tartok fire, and it burned bright in his pitchy gurgling snarls.

This would surely be an interesting bunch to deal with.

One by one the adults of the pack arrived. He watched all of them, curious as to how they might react with the children. Nanuk and Echelon he was amused by. For as close as they were to the alpha pair, it appeared as though they had no idea what to do with their spawn. He grinned, watching as they remained respectful though it was evident that not a single maternal bone lingered within them. Fortunately for them the pups grew fast. These boys would be fully grown soon enough.

More arrived. Kapvik. Aariak. They seemed significantly more excited to be within the company of children. He watched for a moment before letting his gaze fall to Tonravik. They shared a glance and a subtle nod before they introduced their children one by one. Atuaserk. Malrok. Pingasut. Sitamat. Four strong, healthy, growing boys.

He accepted Tonravik's lick with a soft whine, nuzzling her back before turning to where his brothers played. Pingasut was distracted by...something in the dirt and Atuaserk had quickly rushed over to join him. Sitamat glanced at the den where he guessed Malrok still was, wiggling his tail to show him — if he managed to catch a glimpse — that there didn't seem to be anything to be afraid of. If Sitamat was out here, then things must be safe.

That was until their parent's call went up and, a few minutes later, giant figures began to emerge from the bushes. The youngest shrank back and pressed himself against his mother's own, dark fur. His wide, startled eyes were locked onto each wolf as they appeared, their scents infiltrating the area and forms absolutely colossal to the still small cub. The two that arrived first hung back, a lighter one and a smaller, darker one. Atuaserk was quick to investigate, and then aggressively start letting them know that they were strangers and, therefore, meant trouble. Yet, with a glance back up to Tonravik, Sitamat wondered why they were so calm about it all. The stranger's scents were distinct and varied, yet they all held a sort of familiarity to them, which Sitamat would learn to associate with family.

For now, however, the boy remained where he was, watching Pingasut try to encourage one of the larger wolves into giving him some food.

One of Tonravik's brood made its way towards her in a matter of moments.

Echelon, though seemingly oblivious to the others that had come out to join them, appeared to have the worst case of tunnel vision going on. Her attention was firmly rooted in the one that approached her, interested in the noises that he made with every step. And then it dawned on her — oh, growling.

Well, he was so small that there wasn't much his growling would do to her at this point. If anything, his attempts were awful though a kinder individual would have thought them to be moderately cute. How adult, they'd say! This little boy wants to grow up. Instead, she snorted indifferently towards him. He thought he was tough, all right then.

What she did not expect was for that little spawn of Satan to approach her all the way, invade that personal bubble of hers, and nip at her ankles. At first she merely tolerated the touch of milk teeth against her skinny legs. But by the second and third times, her tolerance ran out and left her with a response that only she would possibly be brave enough to pull off: Echelon snatched him and hoisted him into the air.

Take that, little shit. Her being radiated a sense of pride in snatching him, though she did not do so roughly. Just enough to hold him, subdue him, and perhaps give him something to be leery about. He just wasn't going to scare her away, not today or ever.

She was fine with the fact that non of them came to her, baring her teeth back at the one that had gurgled at her in a tiny growl. Besides that, she simply watched as they bumbled around, Kapvik and Aariak finding some weird joy in it. Why? She did not understand it; the parasites weren't theirs and they were useless and annoying until they were older. Hell, they'd probably still be annoying once they aged a bit, judging by their actions now. Did she know that a pup could not be judged based on its personality now? No, she did not but she had no reason to, either, having never been around such small creatures.

Iqniq introduced them and she took their names in. One through Four. Gold eyes watched Iqniq for a moment, wondering if he'd agreed to such naming. It mattered not; the polar bear remained silent as she lay there and watched them.

His teeth connected, ignoring the others around them as he gnawed at her ankles. Apparently, she had enough of his shit though because he was grabbed and lifted suddenly, a strangled huck!! escaping him as she held him in the air. Enraged, the boy snarled and snapped and batted his paws at her as well as could be expected (which was really not well at all) but this effort quickly tired him.

Eventually, he hung a little more subdued, though he countined to growl at the dark female, teeth bared. Chances were if she set him down in front of her, he'd rush to snag at her legs and paws again, his antagonistic tendencies flourishing in a way that could only spell trouble. This cycle would likely repeat until he tired of it or was distracted from his "victim".

Everything seemed to be going well. The pups were observant or inquisitive of the new adults in their lives. Both were acceptable and everyone was getting along in their own way. Be it trying to steal a meal, watching from a distance, or learning appropriate behaviors the hard way, Iqniq was generally amused and pleased to see everyone getting along so smoothly.

He gave Tonravik's cheek a quick, affection nudge as he grinned and continue to let both his kids and the adults fend for themselves in this scenario. They'd done good so far and hopefully they'd continue to do just as nicely in all of this in the future. Only time would tell.