halloween themed thread i; tag(s) for reference!
though phoenix maplewood is further from the glacier than wintersbane has travelled in some time, he nevertheless makes the trip.
@Meerkat had mentioned ( at some point or another ) about a wild pumpkins growing there and the tundrian seeks the wild patch out now. though he is, admittedly, not one for traditions he does not dare deny the fun a cub could have with a pumpkin ...or perhaps a tasty snack it might offer.
it is easy enough to find it; though the pumpkins are a range of colors: some are pale as bone, some as green as the grass underfoot; others the tell-tale jackolantern orange. he ventures up to one: a rotund, lumpy orange one and grasps it by the vine it's tethered too, attempting to lift it up —
only to find that it's heavy and that if he budges it a few inches from the ground it is not for long. it falls with a thump back to the earth and the tundrian gives a low grunt of contemplation.
Wayfarer, once a child filled with confidence and joy, had darkened considerably over the weeks of her mother's absence. Her relationship with Lane would be forever strained as a result, for she was certain that she could never forgive her dam for her flighty nature. Didn't she care that she and Veteran needed her?
Clearly not.
She dared to venture beyond the glacier in pursuit of her father, not really caring if she got into trouble for it. Mom clearly thought she could handle herself without her and she felt like Dad didn't give a crap anyway, but she wasn't quite bold enough to head out into the unknown by herself. With Wintersbane within her sights, it'd be easy enough to attract his attention should danger present itself.
He leads her somewhere that doesn't sit right with her, and her hackles rose at the sight of weird orange things. Wayfarer scrunched her nose at them, veering carefully between the unusual vegetation with uncertainty and eyeing one in particular that was rather suspicious - long enough to toppled right over a smaller pumpkin with a surprised yip.
Wayfarer wasn’t the only child in chase of its father. Makatza had barely seen her father, and it felt like forever since she had seen him. Oh the horror of a daughter being neglected by her own father! (Maybe he would sense her knack for drama?) In either case, she still had much love and admiration for her father. He was king, she was princess, it was only right she followed him wherever he went, learned from him, that he taught her everything he knew of being king. One day she was to be queen after all, probably not a good queen, but who was counting mischief among kids?
She followed his scent rather than stalking him, she did not want to be discovered too soon. She had not seen of smelled Wayfarer at this point, all she wanted was her dad’s affection and love all to herself. When the scent stopped, she found her father among vegetables of some sort. She looked puzzled at the act and wondered what he was doing and why he hadn’t just ordered someone else to do it. She came into the scene, happily oblivious to the fact another child was present. ”Dad!” She called with her sweetest voice she had, which was very sweet – too sweet. Like she had done something wrong.
Which she obviously had by coming here this far from the border, but she would hear of no such thing! She wagged her little tail and ran toward her father. ”Daddy! I am so glad to see you!” She tried to snuggle up against his front leg, if he did not allow it, she would likely cause a scene. A big one. She did not like to be refused, especially not by her father. Should he allow it she would coo happily and rub her head against his leg for a few seconds, before stopping.
”What are those?” She asked as she looked at the pumpkins. Unlike Wayfarer, fear was not her first reaction to – well anything really. What did she have to fear with dad around? She smiled as she looked at him her tail still wagging. ”Do we need them?” If yes, she would call upon someone to help carry them. No chance in hell was she going to do hard labor.
wintersbane is tailed by not just one but two of his children.
he becomes aware of wayfarer first, if because of the girl's unceremonious topple over a pumpkin. her surprised yip draws her's father's attention and eyes and glacial gaze studies her — searching for any visible injuries — as he makes his way towards her. are you alright, wayfarer?
wintersbane asks, tone soft and lingering with concern.
his gaze then rises towards makatza in the distance as she garners his attention upon her approach. though he cannot help but soften beneath her words, he does not forget that she has been causing issues among the pack as of late. issues that he knows he cannot allow to continue. he sees this day as an opportunity; however, to spend time with his daughters as well as give them an outlet.
hello makatza,
wintersbane greets; reminding himself that their curiosity is natural and keeping them within the safety of the glacier's borders wasn't going to last forever. they are called pumpkins,
wintersbane adopts his best 'teacher' voice, though it sounds no different than his usual smoky, rasping timbre. we don't need them ...but they're fun to chew on. and you can eat them.
She squirmed in the dirt, quick to find her paws, though her tumble had drawn Dad's attention. The girl shook her pelt roughly and shot the offending pumpkin a sharp glare, before lifting her muzzle to observe Wintersbane's approach. She let her tail hang limp at her rear, as much submission as her father would receive, and twitched her ears forward to catch his words of concern.
The only thing hurt had been her pride but, as Wayfarer parted her jaws to assure him of that, another child invited herself onto the scene. She swung her crown in the direction of a dark-furred cub - ugh, Makatza - as she demanded all of the Alpha's attention.
Which she was sure to receive, of course. Wayfarer was in no mood to argue or fight for a parent's affection, however, so she did not let her stare linger for long. She withdrew herself from the scene while the Tundrian answered his more favoured daughter's curiosities, and the lesser one slunk away with the sour taste of neglect on her tongue.
Sorry you both had to wait on me. Here I am!
It wasn't until her father took notice of Wayfarer that Makatza truly noticed her. She stood silently for a moment and watched this half-sibling take away much needed attention from Makatza. She didn't like it one bit. She had never had much interaction with this
sibling. She didn't seek to change that today either. She wanted nothing more than her to leave.
"hello makatza," Her eyes darted back up to her father with much adoration and love. The king of the Glacier.
Her father answered her questions.
"they are called pumpkins" Pumpkins? She watches them with a bit of interest, but her gaze is fixated on Wayfarer for a moment, wondering how she was going to get her to leave.
"we don't need them ...but they're fun to chew on. and you can eat them." She got what she wanted, as always! Wayfarer was leaving and finally Makatza moved her eyes to her father giving him her full attention. She had her dad all for herself.
She wondered why he brought up they were good to chew on. She didn't feel the need for some chew toy and so she was progressively losing interest in the orange things.
"Dad. I was thinking." She looked away from the pumpkins and at him again. She adored her father more than anyone (probably the only one she adored), and her tail was swinging in a slow wag to show this.
"Maybe you should begin training me?" It wasn't the first time an adult had thought of some kind of outlet for Makatza, probably thinking she was just a child with a lot of anger she had to manage. She wasn't having any of that, she didn't want to be placed in front of some chew toy like a baby and told to go nuts. No she wanted proper training, a proper fight. With someone who could truly teach her.
"Please dad?" She made her best puppy eyes and wagged her tail a little faster.