Wolf RPG

It was... pleasantly pleasing to know the pups had grown up enough to have a better understanding of their surroundings. He took a considerable amount of pride in their exploration of the outside world and today he planned on widening their world just a little bit more. He bided his time, waiting for a lull or extended period of boredom in their activity before he introduced them to new things.

The sun was high. The pups had eaten, napped, and were starting to rouse. Iqniq nudged each of them in turn, pointing them towards the entrance of the den before he, himself moved outside and waited for all of them to file out. Eyes on the threshold of their home, he yipped eagerly as he coaxed the willing puppies outside.

For once, he was not asleep when his father nudged him, blue eyes cast up as the Bright wolf stood to lead them out into the light again. Immediately, he rose and rushed towards him, lunging at the male's ankle to nip him before tearing off, further out into the clearing. His antics were meant to incite play and roughhousing, a high pitched bark meant to challenge his father though it surely sounded squeaky and youthful, as was natural.

The first one out, he waited for the others, waited for another of his brothers to play fight with him, or even their parents to do so. Since their first adventure out, the eldest had become much more active, though he remained the least fussy of the bunch (presumably).

The fox had his head down licking between his toes when his father nudged him. His preoccupation with his cleanliness was immediately forgotten in favor of chasing his family outside. He followed the first born for a moment, before he swung toward his father and reared up on his hind legs to paw at the red male's shoulder. His attention, however, was quickly stolen as he spotted a stick. He took off toward it seized it in his jaws. He towed it back toward the den, his head tilted to one side as the bottom of the stick dragged across the ground. He settled to creamy white belly, holding the stick in his paws as he chewed. His blue eyes shifted around, expecting a challenger.

He had two. Two. Perfect. He could take them on their little mini adventure and not get overwhelmed by having a mini army of them around. Ata was quick out of the den and quicker to play. Iqniq batted at him with a paw, ducking into a playful bow as Ping ventured out to hop up on his shoulder. Pinned by Ping. Iq grinned, ready to shake the boy off, but he bounded off too soon and was well on his way to claiming a stick.

Iq gave Ata a bark before he charged the pup and herded him towards the stick Ping was playing with. While he was still taller and stronger than all of them, he whisked the stick away and used it to lure the pups after him as he ventured a little deeper into the nearby woods.

Keeping it playful, he corralled them towards a shallow and narrow rivulet. The water was barely deep enough to splash in and posed zero threat of drowning, but it was drinkable and when a wolf was pup-sized it plenty big while similarly appealing the parental version of safety and childlike play. Iqniq splashed through the tiny creek and stood on the other side while taunting his kids with the stick.

The paw was avoided somehow and Ata watched as the giant ball of fire fur leapt away from him to playfully confront his brother. Tail slapping his sides, he rushed away as Iqniq moved for him, inadvertently going exactly where the male was herding him. Suddenly, the stick became motivation, and his fat little puppy legs carried him in an uneven run after his father and brother.

Then there was another New Thing. New sound, new smell. Atuaserk stopped in his tracks, staring down at the tiny stream, head twisting and tilting to the side as he examined it. His bright blues found his brother for a moment to see what he was doing before the first born suddenly bounded in like a clydesdale, splashing water where he could. The cold wetness surprised him at first and he looked at his father, blinking for a moment before he opened his mouth and....

"Ahhhtaaaaa?" Perhaps it was some form of Atatak and perhaps not, but surely it was some form of what the hell is this?

Belly full and comfortably nestled against one of his brothers, Sitamat slept, at his happiest when the basic needs of hunger and warmth were met. He could have lay there all day (and intended to do so), but his father apparently had other plans and rudely nosed them all awake. While Atuaserk and Pingasut were eager to rouse and chased their father out of the den with all the vigour a pup should have, Sitamat took a bit more time to fully wake up, making soft, disgruntled sounds as he did so. He peered out at the bright world beyond the den where his brothers had disappeared to and debated for a moment whether he wanted to follow them or not. He was mighty comfy here. The sounds of play and Atuaserk's faint, questioning voice stirred his curiousity, though, and so the youngest pulled himself to his feet and trotted towards the entrance.

He stopped just before it, poking his head out and looking to where his family were — a fair distance (at least, to him) from where they were usually allowed to play. Even though their father was with them, Sitamat yipped to alert his brothers that they were too far away, before summing up the courage to trundle out after them, though still hanging back a ways as he shifted nervously from paw to paw.

He positioned himself possessively over the stick as his father came toward him, tensing his muscles and preparing to defend it. But the wiggle in his tail and his bright, open expression spoke to his playful nature. He threatened no aggression, and when his father seized the stick, he woofed excitedly and was eager to chase him, gracefully bounding after him. He heard his brother yip, and barked encouragement back to him before continuing on.

He hardly paid attention to where he was going. His blue eyes were on his father and the stick in his mouth. Iqniq crossed the creek, and it was only when Pingasut's little paws touched the cold water did his smooth, fluid chase turn into a helter-skelter scramble to get out of the creek. He raced past his father, flicking his feet in the manner of a dog wearing booties for the first time, and then whirled to face with wide eyes the thing that had caused the new, and decidedly unpleasant, sensation on his toes.

He laid out on his belly, and immediately started to lick his feet.

He'd successfully led the bear-children to water. But he couldn't make them like it. Ata appeared to love it. He took the creek as though it were something amazing and splashed around like he'd been born in water. Iqniq abandoned the stick then, dropping it step forward and plant a heavy paw into the water and splash his first born.

Sitamat was cautious as ever. Hesitant and unwilling to venture closer, Iqniq decided it was time to help with that. He padded towards Four and lifted the pup by the scruff. The carrying was likely as uncomfortable for the child as it was for him, but since he was still small enough that Dad won, he was getting an air ride straight to the creek.

Iqniq plopped the boy down by the edge of the water and walked through the ankle deep narrow towards Ping. It seemed as though fox-boy was unamused by the river. A shame, since Iq's feelings towards water were as passionate as Tonravik's opinion on snow. His love of water was something he wished to share.

He nosed Ping, catching his attention before he lowered his head to the water and lapped up a few quick sips. He was sloppy about it and Iqniq moved to let the lingering drops fall on the wolf-fox's head. "Water," he prompted. "Imik" He licked the rest of the water from his lips and nudged the wolf. "Go on. It can be fun."

The water delighted him, especially as Atatak splashed him. It could be said that in his puppyhood, the boy was somewhat fearless, barreling into the unknown with little more than a thought. Perhaps this would be curbed as he grew older, but for now it was part of his budding personality. Mimicking his father, he took a paw and stamped it in the stream's bed, squealing when drops came up and splashed his face.

He did the same with his other paw, and then the other! More! As fast as he could now, he stomped his front paws in the water to continue splashing, even as the father-unit set Sitamat down near him. "Siiii!!!!" He cried, bounding forward to pounce his brother and share in his excitement. The quick lesson Atatak was giving the third born was lost on Ata then, his goal right now to splash the dark, similarly sized pup.

It seemed he wasn't going to have a say in whether or not he wanted to join in on today's activities. He watched curiously as his father left his brothers to come towards him, only to then try to quickly retreat back to the den as he realised exactly was he was going to do. Too late. The cub was hoisted into the air by the larger wolf, and he fell limp and helpless, letting himself be carried over to where his siblings played in the water. Or, rather, where Atuaserk played in the water. Pingasut was apparently horrified by it.

When he was set down by the creek's edge, Sitamat froze into a rigid sit, staring at the flowing water with a look of both wonder and unease. Droplets from the eldest's splashing hit his fur, and he went to shake it out before suddenly he was tackled by the giant. He went to back-peddle, but proved he was not quite yet in control of his body as he swerved and fell onto his side, rolling down the bank and into the stream. He fell into the water and was quickly drenched from head to toe and, after a quick shake, the boy turned to Atuaserk.

The sensation of the water rushing against his legs and the shock of the cool temperature prompted his excitement. His eyes brightened, and the boy bounced back over to his brother, flinging water into the air. "EEEEE," he cried back at him with glee.

His father nosed him, and three glanced up at him but continued bathing his paws until he was satisfied that the only moisture left on them was the remnants of his own saliva. This, he did not mind, but he had no desire to soak his toes and did not follow his father back to the creek. Unfortunately for him, his father brought the creek to him, allowing it to drip onto his foxy head. His ears splayed to either side, and he scrunched up his face shaking his head as Iqniq spoke, and planting his feet when he was nudged. Nope, he was not doing back into that water.

He looked past his father, to watch his siblings frolic; but while he had demonstrated time and time again that he did not want to be left behind or left out of anything, he had no inkling to join his brothers in this game. Their actions, however, did encourage him to sneak closer, drawing along the ground on his belly until his toes were in line with the stream edge, as close as they could be without touching it.

He peered down at the water, and then leaned forward to touch it with his snout, which caused an instinctual reflex to lap at it. He smacked the water around in his mouth, and discovered he liked the taste and the coolness on his tongue, just not on his paws. He drank some more, tail wagging behind him.

Sitamat did not like the idea of being plopped down next to the water. Iqniq watched him for a moment as Ata moved in to introduce his youngest brother to the creek. It didn't take him too long, but when forced into the water, the pup began to play. A smile spread on Iqniq's lips. See? Wasn't so bad after all. Go puppy sibling team for making things fun for everyone.

He left both pups to frolic and play so that he could turn his attention back to Ping. Fox-boy was less than impressed at Iqniq's attempt to force a little bit of play on him. He refused to budge, which in turn made Iqniq also refuse to budge. The father sat down right next to him and followed Ping's gaze as the pup watched his brother's play. The boy started inching forward. Iqniq grinned.

And then Ping stopped. His grin faded into something of a puzzle as the boy paused with his toes nearly in the water. He watched as the boy drank and appeared to be enjoying tasting something other than the milk and vomit-food that was provided. Welp. That wasn't quite what Iqniq had been going for, but it would do. The father rose to his feet and moved to fetch the stick they'd played with earlier. He dropped it next to Ping in case the boy needed something else to entertain his time with.

Back to the little ones. Iqniq splashed through the river with them, moving to nudge each of them playfully as he kicked up water and joined in on play time.

The youngest brother was, at first, unhappy to be in the water but as soon as Ata showed him how much fun it was, he had a ready and willing playmate to bound around in the creek with. Sita's sounds were mimicked, because that was what he was good at right now. He learned by doing what other's did sometimes, and other times by simply being adventurous. He could manage both right now, and charged at his brother, sending all the water up around them that he could manage.

Their father's presence only added to their mayhem and Ata grinned as they splashed around, not even thinking about drinking it right now. True to his terrorizing ways, the boy charged his brightly colored brother too, raising his front paws up and smashing them into the water repeatedly to splash him.

The sensation of the water was a strange and unusual one, but Sitamat found he did not mind it as much as he thought he would. It looked and smelt weird, but what fun it was to kick up and splash around! He allowed himself to be toppled over by his older brother, only to return a pounce as he got back onto all fours. Droplets flew everywhere, and the boy snapped at the air when he got a chance, trying to catch some as they fell.

Iqniq returned to them after failing to coerce the smallest into joining them. Sitamat was oblivious to his unwillingness, following Atuaserk as the eldest romped towards him. Why was he not playing with them? Unusually loud and rambunctious (mostly thanks to being suddenly and completely drenched in icy waters), Sitamat let out a questioning bark first to their father, and then to Pingasut. He reared and aimed to splash some water in his direction, too, giving encouraging woofs to the reluctant fox cub.

His father had certain hopes of sharing his love of water with his pups, but indeed, he would have to share his love in a different way when it came to the fox, for the third born was concrete in his opinion that the cool liquid, while refreshing on the tongue, did not belong on the toes. He was content where he was: lapping at the water, and soon transitioning to dipping his lips in far enough that he could blow bubbles. That new sensation, and the sight of the bubbles as they rose and broke, delighted the boy, who giggled to himself in between blowing.

His younger brother pulled his attention with a bark. Pingasut looked toward him quizzically, and as he felt the water drip down his chin his tongue slipped out to collect it. His brother then raised on his hind legs and brought himself down, sending a splash toward the red-haired boy and successfully getting him wet. With an indignant yelp he leaped back, retreating some distance from the edge of the stream and casting his brother a brief scowl, before he shook his coat and commenced cleaning. Again.

Ping didn't care for the stick. He wanted to blow bubbles in the shallows instead. Okay then. To each their own.

He splashed around with the other boys who quickly became aware that one of their own was not playing with them. At this point, most of the playing stopped and they quickly moved on to their own attempts to get Ping to join them in their play. Iqniq sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Well now. This could end badly.

Both boys splashed the fox. Ping yipped and retreated onto the shore. Iqniq moved up behind Ata and Sita and pulled them both back into the shallow creek by their tails. "It's okay if he doesn't want to play. We can still have fun." To reiterate that, he lowered his mouth to the river, sucked up some water, and squirted both of them.

He left Ping to his grooming; giving the boy plenty of space to recover from his water traumas.

Dad said stop bothering Ping but he wanted Ping to play. No! Ping had to play with them! Now! As soon as Iqniq released his tail, he rushed their red brother again, even as he settled down to clean himself. Causing as much of a ruckus as he could, Atuaserk did his best to soak the third male of the brood, yapping incessantly as he demanded that he join them. Why didn't he want to play?!

Growling his squeaky growl, the eldest came out of the water like some kind of adorable swamp monster and went to tackle Pingasut, wanting to drag him in with them.

Even with Sitamat and Atuaserk's...encouragement, the fox cub refused to join them in the water. The youngest gave another yip as his brother retreated up the bank and settled down to groom himself. The eldest was having none of it, racing forward as soon as he was able. Sitamat was not in such of a hurry, acknowledging his father and his words with a wiggle of his tail as soon as he let go of it. Even though he didn't understand much of what Iqniq had said, his actions conveyed his desires enough.

It didn't stop Atuaserk, though.

In an effort to stop his brother from terrorising the poor Pingasut any further, Sitamat grabbed a mouthful of water just as their father had done and stumbled forward. Scrambling up the bank behind the monstrous first-born, he tried to dump the slobbery mouthful of water onto him in an attempt to distract him. Unfortunately, the boy was not quite coordinated yet. He slipped on a stray tail and tumbled into the fox, spilling the contents in his jaws over his brother — the wrong brother.

He licked and preened away, turning an ear to his father as he told his brothers to let him be, but otherwise keeping his attention fixed on his task. He moved to stick his tongue between his toes to dry them and dislodge grit that had become stuck there, and it was then that the eldest started to make a racket, and he glanced up to see the brown cub hurtling toward him, followed then by the momma-bear-look-a-like.

He was not interested in their game, and saw in his older brother's eyes how he wanted to make him play. It caused the fox to react defensively. He rose to his paws and squared off, perhaps expecting to deter his brother with a solid (albeit still decidedly dainty) stance and a lip that quirked enough to reveal a single little canine. None of this had an affect though, and before he knew it, Atuaserk was tackling him and Sitamat was dousing him in mouthful of water.

The fox squawked loudly, and made to scrabble away if his bigger, stronger brother did not drag him off first.

His efforts to dissuade the two who enjoyed the water away from the one that did not was all in vain. Iqniq lifted a brow as Ata and Sita both fled from the shallow creek to invite Ping back into play. Iqniq took a step forward, determined to break up the bunch before he stopped and sat down on the subtle banks of the creek. The children held a hierarchy of their own and since this age and stage of life was all about play, he was curious to see who held the most sway here.

Keeping out of it, he watched as Ata made himself a sopping wet monster and Sita water vomited all over Ping. Amused, Iqniq grinned, realized this, and tried to straighten his face to be as neutral and passive as possible as if to keep up the ruse that he was neither team land nor team water in this particular engagement.

Ata was not in any way, shape, or form deterred by his younger brother's posturing, nor did he even notice Sita's attempts to mimic their father and squirt water at him in some form of correction. Actually, he found quite a bit of amusement in the fact that his similarly dark brother's attempt ended up all over Ping. None of this made him forget his efforts, however.

His teeth reached for Ping's tail as the other boy scrambled to get away, feeling victory blossom in his chest as his jaws took hold of the extremity. His own paws digging in to the earth, Atuaserk heaved his weight back, making another attempt to get his brightly colored brother into the water.

He coughed, choking on the water as he accidentally dribbled it onto his brother. On no, he hadn't meant to do that at all! He backed off as Pingasut squawked and made to get away from them, his tail tucking firmly between his legs as he did so. He didn't vocalise his apology but he certainly conveyed it through body language, dipping low and wiggling away as fast as he could on the slippery, unstable banks. The eldest was not so apologetic, though, instead trying to force the smaller boy into the water with a tug of his tail.

Sitamat whined, torn between wanting to help both brothers, before he turned to Iqniq who watched on. Maybe he knew what to do! He scrambled over to their father, splashing through the water and bumping into his foreleg, glancing helplessly from his brothers to Iqniq a few times.

One's teeth closed on his tail, effectively stopping the fox from doing any more than digging his claws into the dirt and leaving tiny trenches in its surface as he made a futile attempt to pull himself forward. He caught a shift in his father's expression — amusement! — and pinched his brows over his eyes, but before he could make some comment, his brother heaved back, and the fox was dragged with him. He squawked again, realizing that he was outclassed by his bigger brother as he was hauled back to the stream. He dug his nails in deeper, and pitched his shoulders forward, but it was no use. Before he could scheme a way to escape, he was pulled into the stream.

Sitamat did not help him. But nor did he help Atuaserk. Pingasut was not sure what to make of that as he sat in the stream, displeased ears flattened to his skull, lips pursed and eyes narrowed as he stared at the victor in this fight. His chest visibly expanded as he drew a deep breath, held it, and then without warning launched at One with a mighty "RAAAAAA!" as he expelled that breath. He was wet now, his brother was not going to escape without getting his head shoved into the stream if he could help it. And then, if he could, he'd flee back to that bank and keep on going until he was well and far away.

Atuaserk had Ping by the tail. Ping protested, trying to flee, but was losing ground quickly. Sitamat had given up and was more concerned about what he should do next. As the chubby boy moved towards him, Iqniq turned his gaze away from One and Three so he could pay Four the proper amount of attention. Iqniq nudged him with his nose, encouraging him to go play with his brothers. It was all okay there. Nothing to be concerned about there.

With something of a yawn, Iqniq settled himself on the ground as the boys splashed around in the water. Their struggle was their own now. They could enjoy the creek or hate it, but either way they were learning their likes, dislikes, and starting to understand the influence of rank. Sort of.

Iqniq watched on. This was not his battle, but when all the boys tired out, he'd be happy to lead this motley crew back to the dens for an afternoon nap.