Wolf RPG

The Caldera was steep, but thanks to youth, Ponyboy was unharmed whenever he took a tumble and ended up rolling a few feet before getting caught in a bush, or against a tree. He snickered and pulled himself free, continuing down the slope which was still a bit slippery from the heavy rain the night before. His tracks would be easy for someone to follow- and inevitably, he knew his absence would be noticed and someone would come after him to get him- so he didn't worry about getting lost. Besides- the Caldera was this great big hunk of hill with a flat top- he'd never really get lost as long as he could still see it, right?

The Bramblepoint was a delight. Strawberries were a bit past their prime, but still edible. Blueberries grew now, and the boy feasted upon them greedily. He was nosing his way through a thick clump of wild blueberries, finding that the biggest and juiciest ones grew in the shade, when he noticed something odd sticking up out of the ground. It smelled like bone, and was rounded on the end in what appeared to be a hoof. Ponyboy had never seen something like it, and realized as he pulled back a few raspberry canes that there was more yet to be found. 

His eyes widened. This was a skeleton- now he just had to figure out what it had been when it'd been alive!

As many a time had shown growing up in the Caldera, where Ponyboy went, Bronte often followed. Her close friendship with her golden brother had stretched further, beyond the early days of infancy.

When he snuck away past the familiarity of home, she followed with hardly a glance back in the direction from which they came. Not at all worried of getting lost. They knew the way, and she had him by her side! Two little mischievous youngsters, with a world of discovery waiting for them. 

Up and through the bushes of ripe blueberries she pushed past, following Ponyboy's trail. Her pretty blonde fur in the process, got stained with purplish blue streaks, but she didn't care. Just like she didn't care about the staining around her lips. Mom and Dad might have something to say about that though. 

Forgetting about the berries, she crept up alongside Ponyboy, eyes wide. The bleached curvature of the exposed bone had her in awe. "This is big. Bigger than any bone I've ever seen. We gotta find the rest!" She exclaimed excitedly, unaware that she was perched right on top of the massive span of the ribcage, hidden beneath a scant layer of vines and moss.

He was so enamoured with the surfacing bones that he didn't realize Bronte had followed him. He jumped, whirling around when he heard the sound of something approaching very near, only to roll his eyes and exhale when he realized it was just Bronte. He was relieved that it wasn't one of their parents, or he would have been in trouble for sure. He still remembered the fear he'd felt the day he'd been attacked by the owl, and whether he liked it or not, he startled easily. 

"Well I seen it first so it's mine!" He asserted, though he didn't push her away. "An' you can't rat me out to Mom and Dad, okay? You promise?" He said, furrowing his brow, and leaning in slightly.

She was a little taken aback by Ponyboy's assertion. Standing in place, eyes wide, ears flicking. Then she huffed. "Fair enough, you did get to it first." But she still may press her luck and try to sneak at least one bone for herself.

When he leaned in, demanding that she not rat him out to mom and dad, a confident, smug smile broke out onto her face. "Pfft! C'mon! That's something Boris would do, not me!" She stuck out her tongue at him, bopping his nose softly with her paw. Her being all the way out here, away from home should say plenty about whose side she was on.

Bronte wasn’t so bad. Every now and again he felt the need to check her as his mind cast her as the golden child who could both do silly things and get away with it. Boris was literally the well-behaved one, and Ponyboy caught the blame for everything. 

He liked having someone on his side, though he was too young to be choosing favourites he did anyway. ”Alright, but I’m in charge,” he said, moving to roam around where the bones disappeared into the earth. ”Help me dig this one out huh?” He asked, above the slender curve of a rib bone.

Ajei was further homw than she ever been and honestly she was a bit scared. But she liked the sights and the srea. And she'd head home soon. Perhaps not before dark, but she had told mama of which way she was going so she could find her if need be.

The sound of voices drew her and then surprise colored her face as she stepped into the area where she had heard them.

Bright gleaming bones blinked at her. Half buried in the ground. It was so large. She lay her ears flat to her skull when she remembered the other set of bones they'd found. And how she jqd found them. At least she didn't fall this time and it wasn't dark or underground. And two younger wolves dug at it.

She chuffed, mama had always told her not to approach, to make her presence known, in case they weren't nice or didn't want company.

The kids worked away, carefully scraping away the dirt from the arching ribs, though every now and again the earth would become too hard for them to dig through, so they would choose another spot, and dig until they found another piece. Slowly, a variety of bones began to emerge, rising up from the ground as the pups pulled it away. Ponyboy was so lost in his endeavour that it took Bronte nudging him firmly to get him to look up and see that they weren't alone. 

She looked to be about the same age as them, though she wasn't one of their packmates. He assessed her for a moment, looking past her to see if any adults came with her. From what he could tell, she was alone- they wouldn't get ratted out just yet!

He swung a dirty paw. "C'mon! We're diggin' up a megamonster! Put those paws to use!" He invited.

It was white and gleaming and protruding from the ground. This one was almost worse than the family. That one had made her sad. This one just worried her. It was huge, so big 

She was called,  told to attend so she moved on pristine white paws, fire kissed and slowly began to dig in a spot they weren't. Being as gentle and respectful as she could to make sure it was not going to curse her beyond the grave.

Albeit reluctantly and carefully, the other child began to help. Ponyboy left her to do what she wanted, not comfortable bossing around a complete stranger. He felt perfectly comfortable giving little hints to Bronte though, as she was both his sister, and he was counting on her to not rat him out. "Right here!" he'd say, directing her to an area where the dirt looked looser, and easier to dig. "Careful!" He interjected sometimes, when he felt she was coming too close to the bone. 

Not that he was exceptionally deft or gentle about how he dug either- and in return, he got checked as well. He took his sister's please as genuinely as he had given his. 

He looked over to see how the other girl was making out when he felt himself tiring and become a bit short on breath. "Okay, we can take a break now," he said, hoping to come across as a charitable manager. "What d'you think it is?" He asked, looking up at the partially exposed skeleton.

Ajei wouldn't have minded the bossing, but moonwoman had taught them to be reversnt with dead things.

Ajei looked at it with a frown. not sure maybe big bear?

She titled an ear forward when she realized ahe hadn't been polite.

oh! I'm sorry I'm Ajei.

She dipped her nose in greeting unsure what else to say these were not wolves she knew. Though she did walk a little bit around the giant creature snuffl8ng at it to see what she could of it.

He hadn't considered that it might be a bear. The idea, however, was very enticing. "Siiiiiiick!" He said in a whisper, truly impressed. Of course, she didn't seem certain- and they were just tossing hypotheses around, but a bear would be peak badassery. Maybe he'd get a chance to see how big its claws and jaws really were! 

She introduced herself, and Ponyboy gave her a nod as he wiped dirt from his nose and chin with a paw. "I'm Ponyboy, 'n that's my kid sister, Butthead," He said though he grunted a moment later when he was elbowed in the ribs. "Bronte," He corrected, giving his sister a sidelong grin. 

Ajei seemed more interested in the skeleton than him, though- perhaps she was a bit soft-spoken. Ponyboy followed suit, ready with more questions. "How do you think it died?" He asked. "Coulda fallen down the Caldera an' broke its neck!" He said, abruptly swinging his head to the side, dramatically, and allowing his tongue to loll out the side of his mouth.

She giggled softly at his whisper yell. He reminded her of Chiteo.


She smiled. Nice to meet you Ponyboy and Bronte. I have a big brother Mojag and womb brother Chiteo.

She looked at him and shook her head. Old age maybe? Or something bigger and meaner got him? Or maybe he got real cold and just froze!

Though all those seemed so sad.

She nodded. Coulda, that be a far fall.

"What's a woombrother?" He asked, his head righting itself and then tilting in the other direction at the word. He'd never heard that before- why was it that Ajei had a womb-brother but he did not? It wasn't as though he paid attention to the words for female anatomy, anyway. He knew what he had, and that was good enough for him. 

His lips pulled back in surprise. "Bigger an' meaner than a bear?" He asked, dreadfully, before his expression turned to wicked delight. "Coooooool," He imagined something taller, feathered, and with massive talons that swooped down and shoved the bear over the side of the Caldera- thoughts likely reminiscent of the time he had been attacked by an owl in his youth. "Well, if we wanna know, I spose we should keep diggin'," He said, pawing at the earth near the creature's ribs again. 

The digging had begun to make his paws sore, though, so his attempts became half-hearted, until he turned to Ajei again. "You think we could pull one of its ribs out?" He blurted suddenly.

She blinked and chuckled. Oh littermate.

Sometimes she didn't realize how she talked was confusing. She had picked up her mothers words and moonwomans.

She nodded. But I don't know what it could be.

Ajei looked at it from all angles. Probably.

Ponyboy's mouth opened and he gasped, understanding. He smiled and elbowed his sister. "That makes you my wooooombsister!" The word was new to him, enjoyable, and he would definitely be referring to her as such for some time following the addition to his vocabulary. He was impressed that Ajei had another name for littermate, and though her intelligent for knowing more words than him. 

Regarding the skeleton, he strode forward. He wasn't sure they'd be able to unearth the entire thing, but they could at least try and pull one good chunk of it out of the earth! "Let's give it a go," He said. "I'll grab from here, and you cuh gruhhhh fuhhhh thuhhh," Of course, he'd already grabbed a hold of the rib before he'd finished giving instructions. He flicked his ears forward. "Rerry?"

Ajei couldn't quite hide the small giggle. He seemed to like how she spoke. So that was a plus. 

Ajei blinked in surprise at him and she chuckled as she went the opposite way. She put pesrly teeth too and then nodded at his words. Rerry.

Her words came out muffled and awkward.

His sister joined in the effort alongside him and he shuffled over so she could have a bit of space, brushing shoulders with Ajei. He glanced out the corner of his eye at her and grinning as widely as he could with his mouth already full, and winked once- with both eyes. It would have appeared to both girls as though he was winking at each of them in encouragement. 

"Rurrrr!" He growled, and jammed his back feet into the earth, tugging backwards with all of his might. Beside him, Bronte too exerted an effort, and the bone bended beneath the force.

Ajei watched as yhe other pup joined them. A small snort at the boys antics and she was surprised and felt warm under her fur at the wink. It was uncomfortable for her shy nature.

Ahe growled in return and jammed her front paws against the base to press against something harder so she wasn't sliding in dirt.

A tug and pull could they do it?

The volume of rain that had fallen just days before had washed away a good level of dirt and debris, leaving the skeleton exposed for the children to find- and had also loosened it from its grave. So when all three children combined pulled at one of its ribs, the rain-softened ground gave up its treasure with a surprising thrust- sending a shower of soft dirt in the air as the ribcage, upper spine and skull were unearthed. 

Ponyboy tumbled backwards, and his sister landed on top of him. As soon as the dirt clods began to fall, he rolled over, to protect her from the chunks of dirt- which were quite small, and wouldn't have hurt her anyway. Shaking the dirt from his pelt, he looked out to see how Ajei had fared, before gawking at the exposed skeleton with his mouth wide open.

Ajei was surprised at the give. Even nesr where she braced her paws the skeleton gave a little. So much so that as they tugged she went flying a little.

She landed with a soft yelp and dirt and such rained on top of her head. She covered it with silken dirty paws and it was over soon enough.

Ahe opened one eye and then another amd studied the massive thing. What on earth was it.

"Woahhhhhh," He breathed, as he circled the creature, studying its shape, before he came to the skull. Long, thick canines remained still in place, and Ponyboy bared his own as if to compare his in size, though there was little comparison. "It's a monster!" He said!

"....It's a bear, Ponyboy," corrected his sister. 

He looked over to Ajei, eyes wide, one ear flopping forward slightly. "Woah! Dude, you were right!"

She shuddered a little at the creatures gleaming white skull. It was frightening. Eyeless sockets stared at her dark andcforeboding, long sharp teeth bared in a grimace even in death.

Ajei shifted. Lotta bears in mountains.

She sniffed at its cold face and blinked its sheer size absolutely breathtaking.

"Woah," Ponyboy said, mystified. Ajei was from a mountain, that had a lot of bears? He stared at her for a moment, half expecting her to unhinge her jaw and show him extra rows of teeth- just for fighting off the resident bears. He opened his mouth to say more, but he heard a voice calling that immediately made both him and Bronte turn their heads. From part of the way down the slope of the Caldera, their father howled, having noticed their absence and the tracks leading directly toward the borders. 

"Ohhh, we should prob'ly go before Dad sees how far we went," He said, giving Bronte a faint nod. If they could scamper back to the borders before he reached them, they might even get off scott free! He gave the bear's skeleton one more longing look- wishing he could bring it (or at least part of it) back with him but evidence would be an admission of guilt. He gave Ajei a smile instead. "We gotta go. You know how to get home, Ajei?" He asked.

Ajei hadn't realized what she had said nor what it sounded like. Though she supposed they had more besrs than moet because of the river.

A howl sounded and Ajei's ears went to her head and she thought guiltily of her mama and looked back towards home. So that was their father. She hoped they didn't get in any trouble.

Ahe smiled and nodded.Yes thank you.

If they'd had to escort Ajei home, they would surely get caught- so it was a great relief to know that she knew her way home, and seemed to have given a confident answer. "Cool!" Ponyboy said, bowing forward playfully, tail waving behind him. "Thanks fer helpin' us find this thing!" He said. He would have stayed and chatted with her longer, but a gentle elbow from his sister- who also bid a kind farewell- reminded him that they had to go. 

Covered in dirt and smelling of musty bone, the two kids scrambled back up the Caldera, their aroma so off-putting they got thoroughly dunked in the lake at the top of the Caldera before going to bed.