Wolf RPG

Liffey stepped lightly through the Hollow, keeping a keen, thoughtful eye on her surroundings. Her children were growing like crazy and soon, it would be time to move out of the den to the rendezvous site. Problem was, Liffey wasn't entirely convinced that the one the pack had would be good enough for her litter. Her children were, after all, perfection. And as such, they deserved only the best, and Liffey would be damned to not provide that to them.

So, she left her little ones in @Deshyr's capable paws and headed out to explore the Hollow. She knew the land fairly well at this point, but she hadn't explored it from this particular perspective. There were a few likely locations she remembered that might suit if the one they already had didn't, so it was there she headed first. A kind of backwards approach, but she was pretty convinced already that one of the other spots would be better than whever that harlot had moved her bastard child, so it was the right course to take. If you're Liffey.

Life was funny; somehow, Breccan and Deshyr were almost a year old. They were already in the adult ranks, and it was time to start taking on more responsibility. But Breccan didn't really know where to start. He liked hunting, and he liked his younger siblings, but he still felt like a child himself. He wished that Nuna was still around, because, although she couldn't have literally talked him through it, she could have shown him what it was like to transition into being a grown up.

When he stopped by the den and Deshyr told him that Mom had left her on babysitting duty, he decided to go looking for Liffey. She wasn't hard to find; while he may have felt like he didn't have a calling in life yet, his tracking skills were pretty good. He was able to pick up her scent and follow her trail until he spotted her silver figure weaving through the trees up ahead. "Mom!" the boy called as he approached, his long strides eating up the distance between them.

Liffey followed one of the winding creeks North for about ten minutes before abandoning it to follow the stretch of a long ridge to the West. It was only a four foot drop from one plane to the next, so she felt comfortable trotting right along the edge. She liked to use her imagination and pretend the drop was far steeper than it actually was (and far steeper than any she would truly dare walking this close to), so she didn’t mind that it wasn’t exactly the most direct path to where she was headed.

She was drifting around in her own head when her son’s voice summoned her back from it. She paused to glance over her shoulder and smiled to see him coming towards her. He was growing more and more like his father every day and it simultaneously warmed and broke her heart. ”Hi Breccan,” she said, reaching to nudge him in greeting, ”What’re you up to today?” She wouldn’t be opposed to dragging him along on another exploration.

He had followed his mom somewhat mindlessly at first, through territory that was growing more familiar to him by the day. But by the time he was close enough to call out to her, she had veered off on a ridge, and at first the sight of the ground dropping off just beyond her toes was startling to him. As he continued to trail her, however, he realized that it was only a short distance from the edge to the ground below, and his confidence swiftly recouped.

Breccan leaned into his mother's touch as he came to stand alongside her. Perhaps he was getting a bit old for that, but he couldn't help that he was still something of a mama's boy. It could potentially be attributed to Rannoch's incapacitation when Breccan was young; or maybe it was just because he and Liffey got along well. Whatever the case, he wasn't ashamed.

"Not much," he replied with a boyish shrug of his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

Liffey knew she ought to try and encourage her son to grow more independent from her. Grown men didn't exactly snuggle with their mommies. Kings-in-training certainly didn't. But she couldn't help but allow it, seeing as part of her wanted Breccan to stay her little prince forever. She consoled herself with the fact that he wasn't over a year yet. Once he became a yearling, she would straighten herself out and help him become the man he was meant to be. Until then, they could cuddle walk.

"I was just hunting for a suitable rendezvous site for when the kids are old enough to move out of the den and join the rest of the pack," Liffey answered, "Do you want to help?"

Well, Breccan wasn't quite an Eljay, but he was certainly attached to his mom. More than likely, he would grow out of it as he aged, but really, it made sense in a way -- he had experienced quite a bit of upheaval in his short life thus far. Two of his sisters had vanished without a trace, his father had been severely injured, and the pack had moved when he was only four months old. Hopefully, all of these adversities would make a well-rounded young adult -- but that remained to be seen.

For now, he was simply happy to spend time with his mother. She informed him that her mission today was to seek out a rendezvous site for his siblings, and he nodded to show that he was up to the task. He didn't really remember his own rendezvous site at the Sunspire; maybe that was because they had transitioned to the hollow shortly afterward. So he asked, "What kind of place are you looking for?" Aengus, Sionnach, Tiarnach and Eshe were already outgrowing the den with their personalities alone, so he imagined they would need a lot of space to roam and play.

Liffey considered the question for a moment before answering. "Something open, but also protected," she explained, realizing very quickly that she wasn't going to be making a whole lot of sense, "A place that has enough around to keep them interested, but not that would put them in danger. Think trees, and maybe a little ridge like this. But no cliffs or deep water. A small stream would be nice, but with water that would only come up to their bellies. Somewhere they could play without getting hurt."

She was confident that such a place existed, in spite of how specific her checklist was. The Hollow was full of creeks and clearings and everything else. It was a very diverse territory, all covered in a green canopy. There would be a suitable place, she knew it.

Breccan listened to his mother's description, noting the similarities and differences she ticked off and smiling at the fact that it was all very specific. Each factor could be found within Lost Creek Hollow, but would they be able to find an area that encompassed all of her requirements? He wasn't sure, but he was up to the challenge.

Glancing at their immediate surroundings, he allowed his gaze to follow the line of the ridge they were both currently standing on. "Okay. What if we keep going along this way," he said, gesturing westward with his snout, "and see if we find any good clearings or streams around the ridge?" It was at least a starting point, and really, he was along for the ride; Liffey would be the one to make the final decision, so he could offer suggestions, but he would ultimately go with her word.

Liffey smiled at her son, nodding in agreement to his suggestion. It wasn't the path she had intended to take, but she was willing to abandon it if it meant giving Breccan the opportunity to play leader. He would need as much confidence as he could get if he was to be a king like his father one day, and she didn't want to take any away by shooting down his suggestions. He would be blindly confident to the point of his own detriment someday if Liffey had anything to do with it, which she of course didn't realize. But anyway.

"Have you given any thought to what sort of trades you'd like to pursue?" Liffey asked curiously. She knew he had shown interest in hunting, as all good wolves ought to, but other than that, she wasn't so certain. She also knew what she intended for him and was hopeful their desires would align. Otherwise she would have to change his mind for him.

At Liffey's nonverbal agreement, Breccan began to meander along the path, taking the time to look around in case he spotted an area that ticked all of the boxes for his siblings' future rendezvous site. He and his mother had only taken a few steps when she asked him a question and his ears tilted toward her as he considered his answer. The obvious response was that he wanted to be a hunter; he had been practicing and had a knack for it. Beyond that, he wasn't sure yet.

"Well, I know I want to focus on hunting," he said. His father had been encouraging it since he was a much younger pup, ever since he healed after being attacked by a bear. It was only natural for him to continue with his training, especially if it would please his dad. Casting a sidelong glance at Liffey, Breccan said, "Can you tell me about your trades? And Dad's? Maybe that will help me decide."

The first interest Breccan listed was the one she had anticipated. She gave him a knowing smile and an approving nod. She had no qualms with him being a hunter. It was a very useful skill to have, and a much coveted one. She personally had never had much skill in it, but her other uses had kept her valuable enough to allow it to be overlooked. Or, so she believed. But anyway, this was about him.

"Well, I've always been interested in the natural world and science, so I gravitated towards being a Naturalist and a Scout," Liffey explained, "Being a scout allows me to explore all kinds of different areas and landscapes and learn more about the skies, the stars, and the earth in general." Plus, traveling helped her clear her head when everything became too much for her delicate emotional nature to bear. She left that tidbit out, though.

"Your father found passion in meeting people and helping people, so he gravitated towards being an ambassador, as well as a counselor," she explained further, though conveniently didn't elaborate too much. "He was also an accomplished warrior prior to his injury and devoted his life to protecting his pack and his family. He does that still, of course, though he doesn't hold the title. And if you ask me, there's nothing more noble or admirable than a man willing to put his life on the line for those he loves."

She wondered if that had been subtle enough, but didn't worry too much about it. She wanted her son to be a warrior, if for no other reason than to ensure he knew how to protect himself and how to be strong enough to lead his own pack one day.

"Hmm," Breccan replied thoughtfully as his mother described her duties along with Rannoch's, and the reasons why they had selected the trades that they did. Scouting sounded interesting to him, and it was something he could easily tie into hunting; any time he spent outside of the hollow was already usually related to tracking herds or sharpening his skills.

But he wasn't dumb -- he could hear the note of pride in Liffey's voice as she spoke at length about his father's title as a warrior. Of course, he wanted to do everything that he could to take care of his family, too -- but a small piece of him felt a tremor of fear. What if he got hurt like Rannoch had, or worse? Was he really cut out for that type of physical job?

"That would be cool, to be a warrior like Dad," was his somewhat noncommittal response after a few seconds of contemplation. At this point, the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint either one of his parents, so if that meant working to become a mercenary, he would give it his best effort. Still, he inquired, "What are some of the other options?"

Liffey's tail wagged as Breccan responsed. She missed the obvious signs that he wasn't as intrigued as she wanted him to be, but seeing as she wanted badly for him to choose that particularly trade for himself, she overlooked those signs. She was much like one of those parents (read: my aunt) that is single-mindedly bound and determined that their kid wanted to be a doctor and was going to be a doctor god damnit, regardless of the fact that they had never once in all of the times they'd gone back to school taken a single medical class (my poor cousin srsly). Breccan would have to scream his truth in her face one day if he wanted her to really hear it. Until then, she was deaf and dumb to his reluctance.

"Oh, there are a couple of other soft options," Liffey commented a bit dismissively, "My cousin Towhee with the Redhawks is a Chronicler, so she tells stories and knows some of the histories of the pack and our family. There're Caretakers who help wolves heal or look after the pack's young. Your Uncle Eljay is a midwife, so he's practiced at helping pregnant mothers and caring for infants. You know, your grandma and grandpa are both mercenaries as well. We could go visit them sometime and they could tell you more about it? Grandpa Elwood is a hunter too."

Ohhhh, how the idea of her son taking on the trades of her much adored father thrilled her!

The other trades that Liffey mentioned didn't sound all that appealing to Breccan; although he did enjoy playing with and babysitting his little siblings, he couldn't see himself as a full-time caretaker, and he wasn't interested enough in history to be a chronicler. It was his own opinion and her hidden agenda, expressed in not so many words, that made him shrug those jobs off and rethink the mercenary position. It could be dangerous, but maybe it would be the best fit for him.

"Cool," he replied when she explained that both of his grandparents held the title. Like most children, he thought highly of his grandmother and grandfather, so this was a bonus. "Well, maybe I'll give it a try being a mercenary," he replied with the flippancy of a teenager. He realized then that they had been walking and talking without really paying attention to where they were going -- or, at least, he hadn't -- and he blinked and glanced around.

"How's this spot for the kids?" he asked, gesturing around them. There were trees -- of course, there were trees just about everywhere -- but he could hear the trickle of water nearby, indicating that there was a stream flowing here.

Liffey beamed at her son as he responded to her comments about the other trades. He didn't seem to be going for it with the other options, which had been what she was going for with him. She felt a small rush of pride and victory when he agreed to pursue the mercenary trade (his lack of enthusiasm going over her head entirely), but she held her composure as she gave an approving nod. "I think it's a good decision," she said, considering now where to find him a good teacher. She had a thought already, but she'd keep it to herself for now. They were currently on a different mission, weren't they?

The mother looked around at the space surrounding them, her gaze thoughtful and judgmental. It seemed to be an alright space, but she was not entirely convinced. Something didn't feel totally right about it, even though she couldn't place what it was that didn't suit. After a long moment, she looked at Breccan and smiled. "We'll keep it on the list of possibilities. Why don't we hunt down a couple more potentials for comparison? The more we see, the better educated a decision we can make," Liffey instructed, pausing to hear his thoughts on the exercise before leading them on again to the next.

Although this wasn't the place -- as evidenced by Liffey's critical expression coupled with her words -- Breccan thought they were on the right track. It was good to have options; they could pick out multiple locations that fit his mother's vision, and then narrow it down to the best of the bunch.

"Good idea," he said when she proposed they continue their search, and mother and son moved off together.