Deep in the thicket of the grove, Pasha tore after a grouse. The fowl had been originally caught off-guard by the inexperienced pup, but hadn't been caught. Not that Pasha was interested in catching it by any means — though if he were to! That thought alone had spurred him into giving it chase, and a chase was certainly what he was earning. It stayed ahead of him just enough to keep his interest, not quite fast enough to entirely outpace the growing youth. So at any rate, it was hoping to simply lose him through the still dense undergrowth of the woodland.
And lose him, it did.
While the grouse managed to elude Pasha by leading him into brambles, the young wolf felt he only lost it because he had become ensnared. Not enough that he didn't think he could get out because lord forbid him having to call upon someone, but enough that he knew it had to be somewhat delicate. Which delicate... wasn't entirely a word one would have attributed to the gangly Frostfur's descriptors. For when he pulled one way, he felt pain pinch and pierce him in another direction. And if he had known any creative and crass language, it would have surely been uttered then. Instead a hushed whine followed him as he slowly worked with and against the thorns therein, and slowly Pasha began to work his way out.
At least he thought he was out, until the last remaining coil of what was none other than a raspberry plant seemingly had a supernatural grasp of his tail.
glass animals — jdnt
Jorunn had been patrolling the borders, as he often could be found doing. He enjoyed the routine of it, and it kept him busy for if there was one thing that Jorunn couldn't stand it was being bored. The teen wasn't hyper by any stretch of the imagination, but he certainly wasn't lazy and he didn't enjoy sitting around with nothing to do; and the truth was there was always plenty to be doing when it came to being a integrated and helpful part of a pack. Patrols to be run, territories to be scouted, herds to be observed, caches to be filled ...the list seemed to be endless. Yet, Jorunn found a comfort in the tasks that were laid out for him to assist in completing; and the best part it wasn't all work and no play. Not that Jorunn really 'played' so to speak, but still. Leg lifted to mark the border he was at, before he kicked behind him to up-heave the soil beneath his paws and leave the scent from his paw pads on it, just in case; and so he could return to it a little later.
Though they had been in Jade Fern Grove long enough for Jorunn to feel like he pretty much had the lay of the land, he was still pleasantly surprised to find places he didn't recognize within their home, nevertheless. He enjoyed exploring but was always hesitant to stray too far from their borders, though this had less to do with his fear of the outside world than it did of Bazi. Even though he was growing, he still respected her subtle threat, and kept it, always, at the forefront of his mind; but the truth was he had no reason to bring turmoil to them. They were his family, and he had grown to love them as his parents and siblings, even Kaskara as an aunt. His memories were almost all gone of his biological family, unfortunate as it was. Jorunn had been extremely young when he'd been separated from them and Scimitar and Bazi had been there during the most crucial stages of Jorunn's short life. During his most impressionable.
Jorunn was drawn from his thoughts when a soft whine caught his attention, coming from somewhere close by. Steps paused as his platinum silver ears perked, and swiveled back to rest at half mast atop his skull as he picked his way towards the source in time to see Pasha break free of the bramble that snared him, only to have his tail get snagged on a raspberry bush. “Gotta watch those raspberry bushes, Pasha,” Jorunn teased his brother with clear affection and a half snort, half rumble of laughter. “You want help?” Teasing aside Jorunn did feel bad and was prepared to assist.
He struggled for fleeting moments, but it seemed whichever way he turned, the bush would not relent. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he stepped back towards it, trying any and every possible thing he could think of to convince that awful shrub that it did not need his tail. Pasha needed that tail. That tail was probably part of what made him what he was wolf. Raspberry bushes were not keen on making good wolves.
Yet before he could huff another convoluted thought to himself, he heard laughter rise up. His actions ceased quickly as his attention was left to focus on Jorunn, and the younger Frostfur splayed his ears awkwardly at his statement. "I was," he protested, "but I was trying to catch a bird. I was hunting." As if stressing what he was doing made his situation any less amusing. But even through his mockingly hurt expression, he knew that Jorunn meant well. Chances were had the roles been reversed, Pasha would have still been laughing.
And at first, he ignored that request for help just to wrench himself about one more time. He tugged one way and the bramble simply came along. It didn't give up his tail, but it was willing to extend itself ever so slightly to give him a few inches. Figures. Aggravated, Pasha turned towards his tail, trying to grasp at the thorny tendril before resigning. It just was too awkward. "Help me," he finally said, admitting defeat to the fact that this time, those goddamn bushes were going to win. He had gotten snared before but had gotten away... not this time. He was resigned to taking aid and no doubt the memory of an embarrassingly good story.