The sky rumbled for a long time before finally unleashing another rain shower on the lands. Having been delivered to the rendezvous site by now, Junior spent a few moments running joyful laps and splashing in the puddles that accumulated at the clearing's fringes. Eventually, she sought out her dad's favorite spot beneath the sycamore tree and fell onto her haunches, tongue lolling from her black muzzle in a wolfish smile.
She hoped others would soon join her. Osprey Jr. wanted to see everybody in the pack; she had missed each and every one of them. As she pictured their faces, some others found their way into her head: those of Ragnar, Thistle and their three pups. Her face fell a little and she felt a sudden stab of guilt for just leaving Thistle there on the riverbank after the confrontation with the cougar.
Junior rose onto all fours, prepared to jet right back to the river to find Thistle and thank her this very instant, when the sound of voices nearing the rendezvous site gave her pause. She realized the stupidity of her plan—Thistle had probably already gone home by now—and sank back onto her sleek haunches. Hopefully it was her daddy coming back. She would convince him they needed to go directly to Stavangar Bay to visit its royal family.
As Rina explored here new home, a rumbling started above. Eyes glanced above just in time to see the first drops of rain fall. Before the girl knew it a heavy downpour had begun. Just my luck. I finally find a new pack and it immediately rains on me The girl didn't really mean it. Not much could dampen her mood today.
She ran towards a denser clump of trees for shelter, shaking out her fur. The still dripping canine trudged towards a sycamore, looking for a place to dry off. She mumbled to herself along the way. It was just as she rounded the corner to see a muddy looking pup rising to all fours only to sit back down again. Taking a quick whiff and examining the child, Rina stepped forward. Greetings She said, her royal bloodlines evident in her voice. My name is Rina. What might yours be? Rina's eyes held a kindness in them, along with the excitement of meeting someone new. A chance of perhaps making a friend. Those were something she had lacked all of her life.
The sound of the voices faded into the rainstorm and the pup frowned thoughtfully, wondering why nobody was here with her. She'd only just gotten home and nobody wanted to spend time with her?! Before Osprey could start feeling really put out about this or consider going out and looking for company, someone did appear at the clearing's edge. The face was disappointingly unfamiliar.
"Hi," the youth responded hollowly, failing to mask her disappointment. "I'm Junior," she answered. "What're you doing here?" she added, quirking a brow questioningly at the stranger. All she wanted was to see all her dearly missed loved ones and the only wolf on her welcoming committee was some pretty stranger?
Rina sat down carefully beside the pup. Small drops off water hit the ground below here, contributing to the puddles all around. The woman noticed the disappointment in the girl's eyes. Hi, I'm Junior. What're you doing here? Rina smiled. Quickly turning her head to the side and sneezed. Achoo! The woman shook her head and turned back to Junior apologetically. If she were at her birth pack everyone would be staring at her with cold eyes. Such manners were not approved of. If you needed to sneeze you stepped away for a few moments. A shiver ran down Rina's back. She must've caught a cold. Shuffling backwards a bit, she said Excuse me, Miss Junior. I am, as you have probably realised, new to the pack. I don't really know anyone here or know my way around yet so I've just been wandering for a little while, well, until this rain started to fall. I'm sorry if you were expecting others
After a sneeze that made Osprey's over-large ears flick backward in surprise, Rina explained that she'd been wandering around when the rain had started to fall. "You sick?" the youth demanded, albeit in a tone that was more curious than imperious. "My Aunt Willow can probably help ya feel better," she said, a warmth tingling in her nose and her toes when she remembered that she was back home near wolves like Blue Willow et al.
"I'm a wanderer too," she shared after a beat. It was the first time she'd identified as such but it was true in its way. "I just got back from being lost for a long, lo-o-ong time, y'know. While I was away, I became a even better Warrior, a Shield Maiden!" she declared impressively.
Rina watched as a look of surprise crossed Junior's face at her sneeze. You sick? My Aunt Willow can probably help ya feel better The woman smiled. She answered happily to the curious pup. It's probably just a cold. Hopefully, it will go away soon A sudden change in the tone of the rain made Rina look up. She wouldn't have thought it possible, but the already steady downpour was becoming fiercer by the second.
Junior spoke, making Rina snap back to attention. I'm a wanderer too, I just got back from being lost for a long, lo-o-ong time, y'know. While I was away, I became a even better Warrior, a Shield Maiden! Rina grinned at the pup's enthusiasm at the end. Wow! You must be very brave! Leaning a little closer, Rina said a little quieter. Could you explain to me what a Shield Maiden is, Junior. I'm afraid I'm not from around here
Rina seemed genuinely impressed, which made Osprey Jr. warm to her. Forgetting that she was disappointed by the lack of familiar company, the puppy ignored the increasing downpour and shifted to more fully face the other wolf. She would be more than happy to explain all about Warriors and Shield Maidens!
"It's a special kinda Warrior," she began. "My, uh, guardian taught me about it. His name's Ragnar. I stayed with him and Thistle when I was lost," she explained before refocusing on the topic at hand. "A Shield Maiden is a girl Warrior. 'Cause girls can be super strong and fierce too! Boy Warriors are called, um, Ber... Berserkers, I think?"
The woman smiled while she listened to the pup. Her ears bent forward intently. It's a special kinda Warrior. My, uh, guardian taught me about it. His name's Ragnar. I stayed with him and Thistle when I was lost, [u] Ragnar. I remember him. She met the brute beside the seashore. They hadn't spoken much but he seemed okay.
Rina re-focused her attention on Junior. [U] A Shield Maiden is a girl Warrior. 'Cause girls can be super strong and fierce too! Boy Warriors are called, um, Ber... Berserkers, I think? A warrior, huh? Very cool! I'm sure you'll be a great Shield Maiden one day Junior. I think I've met Ragnar before a while ago, actually. You must be very skilful at your age to have such a goal. I myself aren't much of a fighter. More of a thinker. I wish I had some better fighting skills, though Rina sighed a little.
"I already am a Shield Maiden!" the youth cried with a touch of indignation. "I've been in lots of fights! I know how to feint and everything! I can prove it! I'll kick your butt!" she threatened, albeit with a mischievous smile and a playful lash of her tail as she bounced suddenly onto her feet. She stood on her toes, her fur puffed up and her ears thrust forward, leering at Rina.
Rina was taken aback slightly at the indignation in the youth's tone. I already am a Shield Maiden! I've been in lots of fights! I know how to feint and everything! I can prove it! I'll kick your butt! Rina smirked. Watching as she jumped up. Rina followed her lead. Leaning down, she balanced herself, watching the pup with pastel blue eyes. She would let Junior make the first move.
Rina jumped to her feet too, her muzzle angling downward to protect her throat. Noticing this, Osprey did the same. Her mismatched eyes locked on Rina's pastel gaze, trying to exhibit dominance through the pressure of her gaze alone. Her huge ears pressed forward and she bared her teeth even as a dull rumble of thunder echoed hollowly in the distance.
Like an over-wound jack-in-the-box, Osprey sprang forward, her black muzzle angling right for her opponent's nose. At the last second, she dove, jaws yawning open to grasp Rina's left foreleg instead.
Rina watched the pup with calm but excited eyes. She smirked as Junior also lowered her chin, obviously learning everything she could. Rina locked eyes with the pup, glaring back with just as much fierceness. The echo of Junior's snap seemed to rumble through the sky. Rina unwashed her teeth in return. Ready.
Rina watched the pup sprint towards her, following every move with keen eyes. The girl moved her head upwards, but Junior instead dove for her leg. Junior's teeth locked onto her leg. Narrowing her eyes, Rina dug in her back legs and stood up, balancing with all her weight. Her foreleg now high in the air, Rina aimed with the other paw to try and remove Junior, hoping to pin the pup to the ground in the process
She successfully managed to grab Rina's leg in her teeth. As ever, she was careful to exert enough pressure to hang onto the limb without breaking the skin. She didn't have much time to concern herself with such matters, however, as the she-wolf reared like a wild stallion. This motion dumped Junior onto the ground unceremoniously, causing Rina's free paw to smack painfully against one of her bat-like ears.
"Ow!" the pup cried, then growled to show Rina she wasn't some baby. She wasn't giving up! As Rina moved to pin her to the ground, the puppy rolled onto her back, yet not to submit. Instead, she pushed her hindquarters upward and began to kick her hind legs at Rina's belly. Meanwhile, her forelegs struck out, stiffly braced, to keep her opponent at arm's length.
Rina manger to shake Junior of her formerly successfully, but the rest of her attack didn't go exactly as planned. Her paw landed on Junior's ear. Ow! A flash of worry crossed her, but we're lifted as Junior quickly rolled over and started attacking relentlessly at Rina's underside. This pup was clever.
Instead of trying to get close to the pup to attack, Rina lowered herself (which hardened the pan on her stomach and sprang over the top of Junior's head, landing just at her head. The woman quickly spun around and swiped at the youngsters head, clawless and not full force, of course. Rina grinned. For been a while since she'd done something like this.
(I'm going on holiday tomorrow for a week so if we don't finish this tonight then it might have Wait until next Frdau/Sat. Sorry o~o)
No worries, we can wrap it up. :)
Nimbly as a deer, Rina leaped over Osprey's prostrate form, landing on the ground just inches from her head. Junior attempted to rapidly flip herself onto her belly, yet Rina's paw came down too quickly for her. Although Rina didn't put much force into it, the pup's movement caused her paw to thwack her right in the temple. Spots popped in front of Osprey's eyes.
"Timeout!" the pup said.
"I'm seein' stars... ooh." She blinked a few times and, luckily, her vision cleared. Still, she could feel a headache developing already.
"You win, I guess," she acknowledged grumpily, sliding forward to sprawl on her belly, forelegs outstretched like a sphinx's.
"I'll get'chu next time, Rina," she promised.
With the fight over and not much else to do except listen to the rain and wait for the throbbing in her temple to recede, Osprey Jr. gave a light sneeze—perhaps she'd caught her pack mate's cold—and then let her chin drop onto her paws. It was only minutes before she was dozing.
Again, Rina's hit hit something, but not exactly where she wanted. Shaking her head, Rina removed her paw. Timeout! I'm seein' stars... ooh. Rina smirked slightly and sat down a bit further into shelter of the tree, right beside Junior. You win, I guess, The woman winked before settling down, her paws tucked underneath her chest.
I'll get'chu next time, Rina, Junior promised before falling soundly asleep. I'm sure you will. Rina whispered, and she meant it. Soon Rina too had fallen asleep, lulled by the rain.