The sun was dazzling off the water, and it was the glinting of the far out sea that captivated Kevlyn now. He was still very young, only just eating regurgitated meat, so his attention span was still unfortunately short. Shiny things were much more interesting than the rest of the world, so the fat grey pup stared for what felt like forever out to the winking ocean. In reality, it had been scarcely one minute.
He only looked away when a shadow fell over him, signaling even to him that someone was coming. His instinct was to curl into a ball and allow himself to be lifted by the scruff of his neck, but he was distracted from this instinct by how unfamiliar the female was. He watched her with his tiny face twisted into the beginning stages of suspicion, but when she smiled and spoke to him, he was unable to realize it wasn't the kind of smile he should reply to.
Having always been told by his parents to be responsive to those who visited him, Kevlyn returned Caiaphas' sinister smile with a wide-mouthed grin of his own, showing off his little needle-sharp teeth in perhaps the sunniest fat kid expression ever. "Buhhhh," he tried to repeat back at her, but wrapping his lips around the "oo" sound was much too difficult for him, so he settled with something resembling the sound a zombie might make.
A derisive snort issued forth from her narrow muzzle as the small puppy attempted to mimic her -- Caiaphas instantly retracted as if struck by some sense of repugnance.
But the distance between them was short-lived - Caiaphas was inwardly absolutely delighted the puppy was far too young to have developed any sense of danger. The unrestrained smile that engulfed his slate muzzle seemed to testify this thought -- and Caiaphas surmised that at such a young age he had yet to experience anything negative save for infant discomforts.
She tilted her head to the side, pulling close so that he was now directly beneath her as if she were shielding him from the elements. "Are you even old enough to know your name?" She asked somewhat coldly, her muzzle brought down to his level to peer inquiringly at him.
If not for the simplicity in saying half his name, Kevlyn would have been stumped and may have responded with something less than helpful. Fortunately for Caiaphas and probably himself as well, Kevlyn did know his name, and also knew what she meant when she said the word. Verrine prompted him often to say it, as he prompted all his children to say theirs. They knew the smallest collection of words at the age of one month and three days, chief among them being ma and da, but third on Kevlyn's list was his much-adored name.
"Kev!" he brightly chirruped from somewhere in Caiaphas' shadow. He craned his head back but found that she was too tall for him to see all the way to her eyes. Instinct told him that he didn't want to meet her eyes, anyway. "Kev, kev, kev, kev," he repeated jovially, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he chanted it.
It appeared the youth did know something of his name -- and the response he proffered caused Caiaphas to recoil slightly in surprise. The adamancy and enthusiasm in which he joyously chirped his name was met only with a somewhat indifferent expression.
When he was done bouncing (as much as a rotund thing like him could -- Caiaphas would have equated it more to jiggling) she swept sideways, turning on her little feet in a neat and small pirouette. Sharply she rose her muzzle and sampled the air once more -- and her sharp little eyes scanned the vicinity carefully for any sign of witnesses or family. Finding none she looked back at the pup -- who in some ways would have been adorable if Caiaphas were better company.
She bit her lip and paused as if deciding but in truth she had made up her mind when she first bespotted him on the pale strand. "Brilliant." She commented somewhat dryly, a rejoin to both the prompt offering of his name and the fact that he appeared alone. "Okay big boy, up we go." And then in the most unceremonious of manners she brought her narrow muzzle downwards between his little legs, hoping to lift her head up and support the entire of his weight on her skull -- and if she was successful with the maneuver she would bring her head up and hopefully shift his weight backwards onto her shoulders -- where the prominent rise of her withers would serve both as a a seat and a resting place if he was so inclined.
She didn't seem as impressed as other adults with his ability to speak his own name. The disappointment was what eventually silenced Kevlyn, who peered up with eyes both confused and hurt. She did say something, but its meaning was lost on Kevlyn. Caiaphas was a mystery to the boy as someone who had never visited and didn't seem to care too much what he did.
She dropped her head and wedged it between his legs so his pudgy belly rested on her snout and crown. Kevlyn made a series of excited babbles and giggles as she lifted him and dropped him over her shoulders. He wriggled in place, assuming she was playing some sort of game with him, but made no true effort to get down—that would have ruined the fun!
can u show me how u flawlessly write every character
Kevlyn did not resist Caiaphas' motion -- but the ascent to her withers was not entirely with grace. Caiaphas hunched her shoulders and dropped her body slightly as he wriggled atop her, trying her best to acclimate and accommodate his weight.
Most wolves would have likely just thought to scoop up the pup between their jaws -- but Caiaphas did not entertain the idea. Larus had tasted wretched and as a coywolf with a most pretentious palate she did not intend to make that mistake again.
Besides, she had a plan.
She canted her head to the side as Kevlyn babbled behind her -- she tried to arc her neck so she could see him but all her vision was awarded with was the blurry peripheral of his jubilant face. Without ado she flicked her tail and jolted off into a jarring trot -- and it was not until she realized she had a passenger did she alter the smoothness of her gait.
Slyly she turned towards the ebbing water where the sea mouthed the sand in sighing flows -- and she hissed as her paws were consumed by the coldness of the water. She waded deeply so that the water lugged around her stifle and elbows in gasping crests. This way, the Stavanger wolves would not detect her (and Kevlyn's) departure. So long as Kevyln did not fall off, they would be on their merry way to Ankyra in no time.
it's easy you just smash your phone keyboard and words come out. Srsly though I got a new phone and textboxes are great unlike my old phone but it only has stupid IE on it and it makes Wolf look so nasty because some text is enormous. Like posts. But not the sidebar part. Anyway 1 more post needed for EXP!
"Baaabaabaa," bleated Kevlyn joyously as Caiaphas moved under him. Soon they set off and as her steps grew quick and choppy, his constant stream of noise began to stutter and staccato. Miraculously, his loud mouth didn't draw the attention of any pack members and Caiaphas made a smooth transition from solid ground to see.
Although his position atop her narrow shoulders was undeniably odd, Kevlyn didn't topple off even as the natural resistance of water jarred them. He continued babbling, talking to himself, until they were well beyond Stavanger Bay's borders. Not even at this point did the little Ostrega twin realize the significance of these events; he stopped not because he sensed something was wrong, but because he was falling asleep to the ocean's lullaby and Caiaphas' repetitive motion under his belly.
last post for me! we can archive if you want. sorry for the wait.. i forgot i had a crazy schedule this weekend rofl
Kevlyn seemed completely settled atop her withering shoulders, and as Caiaphas treaded the water she carefully shifted under him so as not to unseat him. His voice carried a strange stutter and for a moment she wondered if he had hit his head during his wanderings -- but she concluded it was likely from her own unsteady gait, as it receded entirely once she entered the cold and rushing water.
It was not long before he fell asleep and while Caiaphas was not aware of it, she was somewhat taken aback by her stroke of good fortune -- he had been silent the entire time, and no wolves had risen from the tree line to intercept them. She continued towards the Sound with the small creature in tow, and once she reached the grotto she would set to preparing small accommodations for his sake -- and in the morning he would be presented to Aktaie as a token of Caiaphas' loyalty and servitude.