After her conversation with Laika and Saena's dissapearance, Spring went straight to Laurel and Indra. At a time of both parents absence, the pups would need some guidance help in life... some who could help her when she needed it, and Spring wanted to be someone in this pack who could help provide that. So that night Spring went to the den where the pups were currently resided at and poked her head in.
"Laurel? Indra?" Spring called into the den in a whisper, in case the pups were sleeping. Then careful not to accidently step on the pup, Spring walked quietly into the den. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the pitch black darkness of the den.
Laurel was hiding behind the den's entrance, ready to pounce on any intruder. They would be so surprised to see her face, thinking that she wasn't there and then she suddenly would be! Little amused giggles escaped her mouth, unable to stay entirely quiet, as Spring approached. Laurel crouched small as she listened to the rustling outside, and she hoped that there would be food. For a while she stayed quiet, an excited jitter in her tummy as she heard Spring call out her name.
Without warning, Laurel jumped from her hiding spot right at Spring and screeched, "BAAAHHHHH!" as she pounced straight at Spring, hoping her babysitter would be scared shitless.
indra had not yet connected her mother's absence as permanent - to her, it was any other day in which her mother had gone to stretch her legs, secure a meal, or enjoy time outside of indra's unfavorable company. she was aware, however, that her mother seemed gone an awful long time. to her, the world was still whole -- and she had no idea that maybe, that morning may have been the last time she would see her mother.
she had been waiting near the entrance away from milo and laurel, her batlike ears oafish and strained. she grew excited as she heard the tread of another, though her pudgy face gave pause in confusion: it was not saena, it was spring. "SPRIN!" the red child announced, presently turned into a waggling bundle of wiggles in 'Sprin's' presence.
As she walked in the welcome committee appeared. As Spring carefully padded into the den, first their was Indra who announced her name, only missing the g, which Spring found kinda cute, despite the sad situation these pups were currently in and then started to wiggle. The peace only lasted for seconds though. Soon enough out of no where, Laurel screeched a very loud and exagerated "Bah" and pounced at her, although SPring was lucky and dodged, eyes wide in suprise and amusment.
It was so sad to watch this though... sure the pups were happy, but Spring doubted that they knew what had happened with their Mother, since they were only a few months old. Spring sighed and gave a single sad whine and gazed at the pups sympathetically. She had to tell them about their Mother... but she wasn't sure how... just yet. After a few moments of thinking an idea came to her. "Do you girls want to hear a bedtime story?" Spring asked them, but wasn't sure whether or not they would they would agree to this idea... or even understand what she was talking about.
Instead of hitting her mark, Laurel jumped at thin air and tumbled to the ground. She quickly leaped to her feet and looked at Spring with a haughty expression, clearly not amused that Spring hadn't been phased by her brilliant surprise attack at all. Indra was a little more modest in her greeting and Laurel was quick to chime in with a loud "SPING!" while she pounced at Spring again. She was about to try and grab one of Spring's legs when the prospect of a story was offered.
Though it wasn't time for bed in her opinion, Laurel did want to hear a story, and so she shouted, "STORIES!" and settled on the ground, for now, having about three seconds of patience left and looking eagerly at Spring.
indra clumsily bumbled after spring as the female dropped into the den, her expression bright and hopeful. she playfully licked spring's hocks, trailing behind her as quickly as she could. her ears propped ahead comically as laurel spoke and she looked from her sister's expectant face to spring's, breathless and excited. "story! story! STOR-REE!" the little imp chanted, taking residence right next to laurel with a loud whumph.
Spring was glad that they were quick to accept her offer, but also a little sad. A small greedy part of her wished that they hadn't wanted one, but they had, so Spring would tell them the pieces of the story that she knew... but leave some parts out and sugar coat it a little. The Alpha sat down, before beginning the story she was about to tell them. For a few moments she thought back to the little pieces of information that Saena had given her about the family that she had been born to and the rest she would just pick off of what she knew. She began.
"Once upon a time there was a beautiful female wolf that was born into the world alongside her brother. She was raised by the Alpha pair of the pack who were relatives of her family." Spring began leaving the death of Saena's birth mom out and her Father leaving, not sure that she was ready to tell the sisters about that just yet and sure hoped that they didn't ask any questions about Saena's biological parents. "One day the beautiful female left her family and started her own pack. Life was pretty good for her there, she had a mate, a good pack and soon pups were on the way." Spring didn't know about Redtail Rise, so she didn't add that information in. Spring also sugar coated those sentences, although she knew that one day when the pups had come of age that she or someone else would hopefully tell the pups the full and true story about their Mother. She paused for a few moments in case the pups had any questions before continuing.
Laurel instantly made to engage in play with Indra as her sister sat down beside her, opening her mouth and nipping at Indra's ear with a playful growl. But when Spring started the story she was distracted and stopped playing around, focussing on the story itself.
The beginning did not really seem to go anywhere, but if Laurel knew stories, she knew they often got better as they went along. Laurel sat and listened in silence while leaning into Indra.
laurel's mouthing was met with a distracted jawspar, though indra's attempt at thwarting her sibling was half-hearted. rapaciously interested, the red youth simmered down with her bat-like ears pulled forth in interest. laurel's closeness was a comfort, and as the chestnut pup leaned into indra she rested on her stomach, wide-eyed and silent as spring spoke.
Spring was glad to have caught both Indra and Laurel's attention with her story. The Alpha paused for a few seconds longer, in case there were any questions or remarks to be made about the story so far. When neither pup spoke though Spring contiuned on with the the pieces that she knew and could connect from their Mother's story. Saena's story.
"One day though something terrible happened..." Spring trailed of and paused for five long seconds, to add on suspense. "The beautiful female's mate, who was named Reek, left her because he was greedy and wanted to be with someone else." Spring paused for a moment, to take a breath. "The beautiful female was devasted. The pups had yet to be born and her mate had left her! What was she to do? But all was not lost... the almost every wolf in the pack supported the beautiful female and when the pups came they were wonderful. Beautiful and handsome. There were three of them." Spring paused once mroe to check how the pups were taking the story so far.
Laurel listened in silence at first, leaning into her sister while Spring continued the story. The bad guy was named — Reek — and Laurel screeched, "BOOOO! BAD REEK!" through the story before settling to listen again. Still she had no idea this story was closer to home than one might think. It didn't even occur to her this might be about her mother.
little indra had not realized the parallel yet; she sat anchored by spring's story, her eyes wide with wonder. she drank spring's words the way a beggar would hungrily devour sweet milk; each word was savored and reflected upon and needed. she started suddenly as laurel shouted her disdain for reek -- caught unawares, indra followed up with a somewhat softer rejoinder: "yea!! bad!" she chirped up, feeling ashamed she had been so involved in spring's story she had not thought to voice her dislike for this reek!
Spring was glad to hear that neither pup liked Reek. That was good. She had to make sure that they stayed away from that horrible Father of theirs. "Soon after the pack decided to move to a new place, because of threats from nearby packs. Meanwhile Reek wanted to claim the puppies as their Father, but the Mother of the puppies did not want this, so that is why the pack moved." Spring paused for a bit to catch her breath before continuing. "The pack moved to a beautiful place with wonderful silver water and a forked creek." Spring stopped here, to give Laurel and Indra time for comments and questions.
As Spring waited for the qestions and remarks to start, suddenly another thought came to mind. So she spoke her thought. "So if you both ever see a wolf named Reek I want you to get very far away from him. Understood?" Spring then watched them, waiting for them to say the only answer she would accept, which would be some sort of a yes or a nod of their head. She didn't want to scare the pups, but she would much rather scare them with Reek, than let them get abucted by him someday.
It didn't even occur to Laurel that this story might be about her in any sort of way. She just viewed it as any other story she'd ever heard. She didn't remember being moved here either, so that didn't help in the understanding she held of the story. And so by the end of the story she felt she'd just listened to a regular story.
It was very confusing, therefore, when Spring said that they should stay away from a wolf named Reek. Laurel frowned and then started to giggle uncontrollably. She said, "Nononono silly Spring! Bad Reek is story!" And then she continued to giggle, flopping over on the ground while she did so. Then her attention was caught by Indra's fluffy tail and Laurel started to catch at it, trying to grab it between her paws and tiny teeth.
indra might have put together the pieces were it not for laurel's grab of her tail. her concentrated frown turned into a wide-eyed look of surprise -- she reared clumsily upright, though laurel's motion toppled her and she fell like a sack of potatoes. this bad reek was forgotten -- but laurel wasn't -- struggling to get up the pudgy child clambered towards laurel with little milk-teeth flashing. despite indra's hot insistence, there was no malice in the motion and if she collided with laurel she would almost instantly crumple.
Spring was disappointed that Laurel and Indra did not seem to grasp the importance of keeping away from Reek, as Indra did not reply and Laurel said that he was just a story. Although their play fight was cute, so Spring just watched them, considering whether she should contiune the story and/or tell them that Reek was not just some made up character in her story, but a real life wolf that would probably steal them away if he had the chance. Spring decided against continuing the story, as she decided that it would be better to leave it at it's current end for now and the Reek matter could always be saved for another time.
Her eyes warmed as the pups play fought, wondering if she and her siblings had ever been this small, this playful and cute. The sight brought back memories from when she had been a pup. That had been quite a long time ago now, over three years, but still Spring remembered. She remembered speaking in French as fast as she could to her siblings, because she thought it sounded cool back then and play fighting with her littermates. All those thoughts made her smile. She hoped that all pups had a chance to have a start in life like she had had, yet she would never wish upon anyone to have such a terrible ending as her pack had. No one deserved to die like that. The thought dimmed her smile and she resumed her full attention on Laurel and Indra.
Laurel giggled when Indra reacted to her assault on her tail. Spring was completely forgotten when Indra launched a counter-attack and the two rolled over the floor like an entangled ball of puppy.
When Laurel was freed from Indra once more she let out a long drawn-out yawn and looked at Spring. "Nap time!" she exclaimed and she nipped at Indra's ear, gesturing to her sister that it was time for them to go sleep, before starting towards the den where she'd curl up for a nap.
indra was delighted laurel rose to her 'challenge' -- the two tousseled like tawny and red tumbleweeds over the stone floor. with a few nips and growls on both ends they disentangled and indra looked to spring curiously. she was still too young to be keen, still too young to recognize the importance of spring's words -- instead she assumed it was simply a story. as laurel announced naptime indra perked right up -- her favorite activity!! "YA!" she bellowed, her voice booming sharply down the den. without second thought the little red pup trundled happily right after laurel, content to follow her lead.
Soon enough the pups were ready for bedtime and Spring watched them with a sadder smile, before going after them towards the den. "Do you want me to stay with you both tonight or do you guys want to sleep alone?" Spring asked Indra and Laurel, but she gave them no reason why she was limiting their options to these, especially no option that included there Mother, Saena.
Spring waited for the pups to decide and while she waited, Spring began to think about what Saena's disapearance would fully mean. What would it be like to be the Apha now with Saena gone? It had all happened so fast and Spring knew that she may never get to live up to be the Alpha that Saena had once been, but maybe, just maybe, she could get somewhere close. She hoped.
Laurel didn't realise the gravity of the situation yet, unable to gauge what was going on fully. Ears pressed forward attentively as Spring asked them a question. Laurel looked briefly at Indra to gauge her reaction before she cheerfully announced: "Sleepover Spring!" She didn't really get why Spring'd want them to sleep alone, but whatever her reasons, they were invalid now, 'cause, sleepover!