Bearclaw Valley Play with me, I wanna go find you

*summons children* @Sesi @Desna @Nanook Father-children bonding tiiime~ Slight PP of Scarlett leaving to do something. I can edit that if you'd like, Mar.
@Chevalier can pop in if you'd like, since it might make sense for him to want to follow his 'siblings'? I dunno, it's up to you. c:

The Inuit was, truth be told, neglecting many of his duties. He was a warden, and yet the only thing he was standing guard of was a den. Then again, his children just so happened to reside within said den, so that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was bad, however, that he hadn't been spending much time with them. He'd seen them here and there, but had yet to actually go up and spend any real time with them since they'd been moved from their old den. Every now and again he'd babysit, but he didn't count that as actually being with them. So, when he happened to take notice to Scarlett leaving the den, the man pulled himself up and started at a steady trot towards the entrance. His gaze wandered up to glance at the sky, seeing a few clouds, but not too many. After giving a quick sniff to the air, he was relieved to find that it didn't hold the scent of rain. It was perfect, he decided. While the children were still young, he believed them old enough to leave the den—plus, he'd already spotted some sneaky whelps wandering away before. He still wouldn't take them far, just right outside of their sleep-place so they could get some fresh air, and perhaps even play. There were a few games he could teach them, and saw it as a good opportunity to get closer to his children.

As Kove reached the den, he stuck his head inside and looked around for the children. "Sesi," he called, hoping to get all of their attentions. "Nanook, Xan, Desna." He stepped back, about to pull his head from the den, but then stopped as he recalled the presence of the other whelp. "You can come too, Leo." He wouldn't force any of them to follow him out, not even his own children, but he was hopeful that they'd follow. The ghost moved his head out of the way and sat outside the entrance, waiting there until he saw a little white snout poke out. He then stood and walked a meter or so away, his son following after him as he did so. Kove looked back towards where the other's were, sat, and waited. His tail wagged gently as his copper gaze would shift to his son every now and again, amused by the child's actions.

Xan had been napping, having tired himself out the day before. He'd become a light sleeper, much to his displeasure, and was easily woken up by the sound of a voice. At first, he was annoyed and wanted to go back to sleep, until his mind finally woke up completely and he recognized the voice. It was his father! Not only was he there, poking his head in to look at them, but the older Inuit had said his name. Of course, he'd said the names of the others, too, including the mommy-thief, but he ignored that. Or, at least, he tried to. The boy wanted to spend some time with his dad, but it seemed he wouldn't be able to do so alone. Not yet, anyways.

Quickly, he scrambled up to his feet and ran towards the entrance, happy to find that neither his mother or the smelly wolf were there guarding it this time. Once he'd reached the entrance, he slowed down to a walk, poking his nose out, and then his head, but then stopped to look around. As soon as he saw Kove, his tail started wagging and he exited the den entirely, following after the larger wolf as he walked a little ways off. Xan was happy to see him, though he'd have been happier had the adult not called for his siblings, too. Even so, he didn't pout, because so many awesome things were happening at once. First of all, his dad was there. Second, he was outside. He'd finaly suceeded in his mission to get out of the foul-smelling place, and couldn't be any more excited about it. Even though he had a babysitter, still, this one didn't force him to stay in a place he didn't really like.

While his father sat in wait, Alexander tried to sit, too. It didn't go so well, though, since he was full of energy. Eventually, he'd stood up and started moving in and out between his father's front paws, tail wagging a mile per minute behind him. He wondered what they'd be doing, and hoped it was something fun. He liked hearing his dad speak words no one else seemed to know, and also liked trying to say the words himself, but he was in the mood to play, not learn.

The little lion boy had had a tough time falling asleep. He was feeling very homesick. This place was nice and all, but he'd much rather have his own mother and siblings with him. They were missing out on so much cool stuff! He tossed and turned a little ways from the real Bearclaw children. For once in his life wanted to be alone. Soon he had entirely given up on sleeping and decided to watch over his adoptive siblings. He wouldn't let anything hurt them. Even if it was that scary storm. That storm. It both made and ruined him.

 He watched as the motherly presence walked out. He didn't complain. Maybe she would be back with his real mom. He stood and started digging a hole in the ground. It was a good way to pass time. It had been nice and quiet until Leo heard a voice. It made him jump with fright. Light blue eyes looked over to the exit and saw the bigger pale wolf poking his head him. He had called the names of the others, so Leo just turned his head down and worked on his hole. That was until his name was called. "Leo!" He called out out, tiny tail thumping on the ground.

 When his older brother went up to follow the pale wolf, he followed as well. He saw that he was a little ways back, so he started to do an awkward run. Of course the clumsy pup had tumbled over his paws when he caught up. He quickly got up and went into a playful crouch, looking at his bigger brother. "Xan! Pleema!" he chirped to him.

Desna wasn't even aware of her father calling her since she was napping, frankly she hadn't even heard her mother leave. She had a very tiring morning already filled with playing. She was in the weirdest position ever, yet when some of her siblings started to tickle out Desna woke up. She was keen in joining them. She was also hungry! Desna saw her father and then sleepily trotted after him. She let out a cute puppy yawn and then got outside.

Her eyes needed to adjust for a moment. Then she rushed to her papa and jumped up against him. She tried to lick his jaw and nip against it because she really wanted food. Her papa couldn't give milk like her mommy could but she learned that every big wolf had nice other food in their mouth. Desna whined softly, still a big fattie that was usually hungry. "Fwwoo. Fwooooooooo," she let out, ending in a mini howl. Desna plopped down on her butt and looked expectantly at her dad.

One minute, mama's warmth surrounded them. The next, the warmth disappeared, and Nanook cracked open one eye in time to see the white shape of her mother leave the den.

No one to watch them now.

A smile twitched across her maw. Easing herself to stand, Nanook tiptoed around her sleeping siblings, breaking into a trot once she cleared their napping place. She eyed the strange pup as she passed him and gave him a hard stare. When mama wasn't watching, someone else was. With one final look, she pulled her gaze away from Leo and set it on the far wall of the den. Her stomach fluttered as she neared the branching tunnels - off limits when mama was watching. But as she began to slink around the bend, a familiar voice echoed through the den, and she would have ignored him if she had not heard him say her name.

Nanook scowled at her missed opportunity, but turned in time to see her siblings stir. Her eyes dashed across their movements, but it was Xan's prompt obedience that made something rise in her. Mystery tunnels could wait: Nanook brought herself around and chased after her kin, slowing only when she neared Sesi. She was the last, and Nanook nosed her sister as a beckon to join them. Then she was off again, and disappearing through the tunnel she'd seen mama pass through earlier. Nanook burst into the outside world and slowed at the sudden rush of daylight. She narrowed her eyes to shield them from the brightness and blinked in an effort to adjust.

The others gathered a few paces off, and once the daylight became her norm, Nanook trotted to join them. Though her gaze roamed over her siblings, she settled her attention on papa and approached him slower than before. For a fleeting second she thought of raising her voice to rival the cries of Leo and Desna, but then her eyes fell on quiet Xan, and she remembered the day the river had swelled. She hadn't made a noise, and the adults hadn't helped her then. But they had given her something better. They let her walk when her sisters were carried - she'd walked, as Xan had walked. So Nanook stayed quiet now and turned her bright eyes to papa. Maybe being silent would bring her that satisfaction again.

To keep this fair, I went ahead and rolled a die for the two pairs. The results were that Nanook and Desna will be the winners in their little 'matches' for the first round. uwu

As the children slowly exited the den, many having just woken up from naps, Kove couldn't help but smile. He waited an extra while to see if Sesi was going to join them, but once it became clear she wasn't yet ready to come out, he turned his attention to the four before him. The adopted child seemed interested in playing, though the previously excited boy didn't appear to be reacting to the younger's actions. Assuming it was due to his presence, the ghost's minded started to work over some games from his youth. There were the classics that nearly every child knew, such as hide-'n-seek and tag, but he had something else in mind. Instead, he wished to teach them a game he'd been taught by his elder siblings, and had always witnessed the young of the pack playing in his homeland. Some might find the game to be an aggressive one, but that was far from the case. It centered around physical strength, and had a competitive edge to it, but he believed it would be perfectly fine. If those of his birth pack could play it without an issue, then so could his children and the little lion. Before he could start it, though, his attention was pulled to the largest of his daughters—a chubby puppy by the name of Desna. The motions she performed made it clear that she wanted food, but instead of giving it to her, he gave a shake of his head. "Later, I will bring you each something tasty to try," he started, giving each of them a glance before settling his gaze on the darkest of the children. Though his eyes were soft, there was a firmness to them that clearly stated he would not argue on the matter. "For now, you'll have to wait. Alright, Desna?"

Standing up, Kove then lowered his head back down to nudge the children closer. He moved Alexander closer to Nanook, and then gently scooted Desna towards Leo. "Pay close attention, little ones," the man started, doing his best to keep their attention as he explained and demonstrated the game. "This is called the 'musk ox push', and is a very simple game that relies on your strength." Lowering his head again, he started to give them a visual aid as he continued to speak about the challenge. "Keep your head down like this, and press it against your partner's shoulder. You have to keep all paws on the ground, and the goal is to push your partner passed a certain point." Standing back up again, the Inuit looked around the area, before heading off in a seemingly random direction. Seconds later, he was back and holding two sticks in his mouth. He set them both down in a spot behind the children, then picked one back up again and placed it opposite the other. It was his way of marking the spot in which the children had to get their opponent across. It'd be a challenge for them, he was sure, but he was also confident in their learning capabilities. Or, at least he was for his children. Kove did not yet know what to expect from the young knight, but he was still hopeful that the child would be able to understand and play the game. "I'll mix your partners up after each round," the ghost then added, a smile never leaving his face. Though he would not be playing, for obvious reasons, he was still very excited. For a brief moment, he wondered if his parents had felt the same sort of excitement when witnessing his elder siblings play, as well as when he and his littermates had started to learn the game. It made him feel as if Scarlett should be there with them, too, but that feeling didn't remain very long at all.

When the mommy-thief came running out behind him, Xan had to keep himself from letting out a little growl of annoyance. Seriously, who'd this kid think he was? He even went and crouched down, almost as if he wanted to play. The young albino ignored him, more or less, not wanting to risk getting into trouble for playing too rough. Then again, it seemed it was only his mother who punished him for that. Maybe his dad wouldn't be the same? He contemplated taking action, then, to test his theory, but ended up deciding against it. If Kove felt the same towards the matter, then he certainly didn't want to risk upsetting or angering the elder Inuit. That would probably mean he wouldn't be allowed to participate in whatever was planned, and he wanted to join very badly. So, the child ignored the other boy, and was even relieved once he found himself being moved away from him and close to his one sister. Personal space was still a big issue for him, and he soon realized it would be further invaded as their father explained the activity he had planned. Oddly enough, it didn't make him any less excited. In fact, it probably increased his excitement, since it would give him the chance to show off.

Xan gave a nod to show he was listening and had understood the game. Some words he didn't quite know, but the demonstration given was enough to fill in any blanks he'd been left with. Looking to Nanook, he couldn't keep a grin from spreading across his maw. The boy, as arrogant as he was at such a young age, actually believed there was no chance his sister would be able to beat him. Even though he understood how powerful determination alone could be, the idea that his sister would beat him never even crossed his mind. The poor boy didn't know what was coming.

Single cameo post from me!

Sesi was absolutely not interested in leaving the safety of home, and Kove did not push her. Good! She scuttled into the shadows when the others moved outside, pressing her slim body against the cool wall. It had taken time, but she had come to accept their new home. Like the first, it was dark, and smelled of cold earth and secrets. A wisp of logic told her early on that there was nothing to be afraid of, but it was like watching someone touch fire and claim it didn't hurt. She had to feel it in order to believe it, and for Sesi, that sort of thing took time.

Sesi curled up on the floor like a house cat, beady eyes watching the light move on the back wall. The sound of excited voices nagged at her. A small part of the introverted pup wanted to go outside - at least to see what was going on. But maybe later. Or tomorrow. With mommy, and no Leo (he too was new, and therefore not to be trusted - not yet).

Xan didn't seem like he wanted to play with the lion, so he just gave up. He wouldn't push his older brother into playing with him. Getting in trouble wasn't on his list today. It was time to have fun, not be angry with one another!

Soon the lion boy was pushed closer to the nicer girl, Desna. Leo listened very closely as the larger Alexander began to speak. It wasn't that helpful though. He had no idea what he was talking about. The visual help did indeed help him understand. They were going to play a game, but nothing he had known. He guessed from the gestures that they needed to.... push each other? Okay, he could try. The sticks that Kove placed beside him confused him even more. This was very confusing.

He looked at Desna with a dumbfounded look on his face. He didn't know what to do.

Desna fell back on her butt when her daddy said no to her. The dark pup was ready to burst in tears. She wanted food! Big wolves were always gave her food! She let out a long whine in protest. She jumped up against her father again. Her grey daddy would give her food and mommy too! The plump girl yipped. "Daddy. Give. Daddy. No. Daddy listen to Desna. Desna food!," she spoke on a bossy tone. But her father was moving on.

Leo was placed by him. She licked him over his cheek and looked at her daddy, the nonfood giver. She scowled at him, though the game he explained sounded fun. She had to give him that. She looked at Leo and decided he would be in her team. She could totally win this. She was maybe twice the weight in him with all the fat she carried. She was a strong little super wolf. Or well the confident like to think that. She stood next to him and leaned against him. So ready for this!

With Desna squabbling away, Nanook took a moment to cast a long glance back to the mouth of den and squinted to see through the darkness. Stillness met her, and nothing moved to signal the arrival of her sister. The girl couldn't help but feel disappointed, but papa brought her attention back to focus with his booming voice. When she turned to face him, the arrival of Xan by her side took her by surprise, and a heat rose under her fur at the sight of him.

He was watching papa, and Nanook pried her gaze from Xan to do the same. If papa was talking, then she would listen. Nanook perked her ears and lifted her head, though many of the words that fell from papa's lips flew over her anyway. Didn't matter. She managed to piece together what they were supposed to do from the fragments she understood - words like push, game, head-down, shoulder. His words and demonstration turned through her mind, and she flicked her gaze to the stick papa set behind Xan before she turned to watch him place another stick at equal distance behind her.

A queasiness turned her stomach when she realized why papa had set Xan by her side, and Leo by Desna's. Partner. She was playing against Xan, and Nanook diverted her attention back on her brother. The queasiness remained, a flurry of heat thudding through her heart. Xan's face contorted and a grin seized his lips, one Nanook had seen before, and one that rushed an icy sheet through Nanook, stony and cold.

Her gaze closed off. She set her jaw, rocked on her paws, nerves fired with new energy fuelled by that smile plastered all over Xan's face.

Nanook glanced at Desna before she moved herself into a similar position against Xan. Their fur touched, shoulder to shoulder, and the little warrior lowered her gaze. There was no way she was losing today. She readied herself and glowered at the burn of Xan's grin on her thoughts. She would shove that stupid smile right off his face.

My apologies for holding this up, everyone!

Kove watched over each of the children as they got into place, wondering if placing the smallest with the largest had really been the best of ideas. When his gaze lingered on the other team, however, such thoughts were instantly dismissed. Between the way Xan was known to act towards the other boy, and the current fiery look in his daughter's eyes, his mind was quick to draw the conclusion that Leo's safest bet was with the pudgy pup. Large or not, she seemed to have taken a liking to the little boy, leading the Inuit to believe she wouldn't risk harming him. That was good, as the point of the game was to have fun, not wage foolish wars.

It was then he noticed the young lion didn't seem to be as caught up as the others were. Moving closer to him, he used his nose to try and adjust him gently, before returning to his previous position. Believing it to be the best he'd get with them still so young, he gave an approving nod, before sitting on his rump. "Once you get the other past the stick, you're done. I don't want this to lead to any fighting," he commented, the words meant for none of them in particular. "You may begin." With that, he gave a nod of his head, and allowed his copper eyes to flicker back and forth between the four children. Desna had size on Leo, but perhaps she'd let him win. Then the other two... he couldn't even begin to decipher what the outcome of their match would be. The body language of both showed they'd accepted the challenge a bit more seriously than he'd been expecting, and while that could potentially lead to trouble, it was also fascinating. Kove enjoyed seeing them so lively, and with a sort of 'fighting spirit' burning within them.

You can go ahead and PP Xan being pushed backwards. c:

If there was anything the boy liked best, it was proving he was the one on top of things. He liked letting those around him know that he was in charge, and totally unbeatable. It was almost perfect, to him at least, that he'd been paired with the little polar bear child. Sometimes, it seemed as if her intentions were to one-up him, which wasn't something he enjoyed. Defeating her would be a wonderful feeling, he was sure of it. Wasting no time, he lowered his head down and pressed it against her shoulder. The space between them was so minimal, he could feel her natural body heat colliding with his own. It was an odd sensation, and one of the many reasons he despised having his personal space invaded. For once, he'd allow it, though, since it was to play a 'game'—which he totally wasn't even viewing as a game anymore. It was a battle, and he would win.

As the young albino heard his father say they could begin, he started leaning his weight into Nanook almost instantly. His determination urged him forward, and his arrogance continued to repeat how he could not lose. Over and over again, a little voice whisper-chanted in the back of his mind, telling him he could do it, he could beat his sister. If only he knew that the end result would not be to his liking.

Forget about this thread! Sorry for the holdup!

When Kove said go, Leo stood there, staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. He didn't know what to do! He glanced around, watching Xan push into Nanook. So they were supposed to push eachother than? Ok, he can do that.

He looked back at Desna with a determined face. He immediately went forward pushing with all his might. To him, he felt like a giant, but all he was doing was making himself look dumb. Only his legs were moving forward, and he grunted with annoyance.

Desna didn't have to do much for Leo to get knocked over. She was rather competitive and didn't want her foster brother to win this! She was boss and super wolf after all! The girl pushed harder and harder and then jumped on top of Leo not sure if that was expected from her but the fattie girl had a lot of fun. She hummed softly as she laid on top of him. The dark female got off him since she learned her heaviness wasn't pleasant for others, now starting to grab Leo's ears for the fun of it and trying the chew on them. She was in a very playful mood today.

The press of Xan's head against her shoulder sent a hot zing through her bloodstream. A pulse of adrenaline, and her heartbeat raised. Nanook placed her head in a position mirrored to Xan's and readied herself. She could feel every inch of her body, every blade of grass against her legs, the heat of her brother against her skin. She fixed her thoughts of the stick before her, on the smug smile across Xan's lips, and the face of her father steadily watching them both.

Still, she was not prepared for Xan's forceful push when papa called for them to start. Nanook staggered back, but before he could shove her any further, the grey girl braced her hind paws against the ground and brought she and Xan to a stop. Her body quivered, and for a moment they lingered in a stalemate. Nanook's breath came fast and her heart poured rhythm into her ears. Without giving time for dismay to take hold, she redirected her weight along her haunches, shoulders, and spine and pushed. At first her brother still moved against her, but slowly she slipped her forepaw forward, then the other, and slid them closer to the stick placed on her brother's side.

As the children began, Kove watched both of the pairs, making sure they were all doing okay. He was disappointed to see that Desna hadn’t really stuck to what he had said, but had instead went on to do her own thing. Letting out a quiet breath, he witnessed her hopping on top of the smaller boy, then getting off and going for his ears. Perhaps he had not explained the point of the game good enough. No matter, seeing as they were done, his entire focus was brought back to the other team. Nanook and Xan were doing as they’d been told, which pleased the elder greatly. The boy had started off well, but then the little bear had brought them to a standstill. At that, he smiled, growing far more interested in their match as it progressed. The silvery girl was moving her brother, slowly pushing him in the direction of the stick the Inuit had placed on the ground. She reminded him of his elder sister, Pia, and how she’d been practically unbeatable in the little game. It amused him, as was made clear by the smile that spread across his maw.

One more post from everyone, then I think we can archive this finally. c: Thanks for the thread, everyone. @Nanook @Desna @Chevalier
Edit; @Nanook & @Chevalier — Maybe a concluding post from one of you, and then I'll archive this?

Alexander had been bound and determined to win the game their father had told them about. It was a game of strength, after all, and he believed himself to be stronger than all his sisters combined. He had wasted no time in shoving his own body forward, his grin growing when he felt Nanook’s form move back. That was about it, though, as she managed to stop herself from moving any further. At that, he frowned, continuing to try and push his little sister back towards the stick behind her. He was met with no movement, however. That is, until it was he who was the one moving backwards. He tried to dig his little nails into the dirt, wanting to bring them to a stop as his sister had, but was left unable to do so. Xan continued to be pushed backwards, until he felt his back paws touch the stick, and heard his father’s voice telling them to stop. The young albino pulled his head back quickly, sending a glare at Nanook, unhappy with the outcome of the match. For a second, he contemplated lunging for her ears as he’d once done to Leo, but decided against it once he remembered Kove was there watching.
 
As the boy stood there, staring daggers at his sister, their father had stood and come over to them. He congratulated the both of them for a good game, before leaning down and giving the girl a gentle nudge on the cheek, offering her a smile and a wag of his tail along with it. Xan’s frown deepened at that, but he said nothing. The elder Inuit looked to the other two, then, praising them slightly, but also pointing out that that wasn’t what he’d had in mind. The ghost went on to say they could rest, if they wanted to, but mentioned hanging around for awhile if they wanted to stay out of the den a bit longer. Alexander decided to stay out, wanting to avoid the smelly place for as long as he was able. He also wanted to be able to think over the match and figure out what he could have done to beat his sibling.

Desna clearly won from Chevalier, it wasn't like he could win from her bulk. Desna didn't mind that she was heavy. She liked food and she liked not having hunger. Though possibly the pup never experienced hunger before. The young girl let herself fall back on her butt and watched Leo. She didn't want to squash him after all. And it was probably that she did that a little bit. The girl licked him to cheer him up, she was still nice. Nice like her mommy.

Desna looked around at her other siblings and briefly at her father. Why was he teaming them up. What kind of game was this? Would she use this later? Maybe she would. Desna liked eating more than this.

She appraised her brother with a scrunch of her face and a prolonged flash of her tongue. For once Xan's stink eye did not rile her; his disgruntlement was a crown upon her head as much as the burn running through her blood. She had really won this, somehow. Only once papa bent down with attention fixed on her, and only her, did reality truly set in.

Her eyes grew wide before she met him with a nuzzle of her own, and she beat her tail wildly across the ground. When papa drew away she glanced to Desna and Leo to see if he praised them the same. A moment passed before she knew her father's touch had been meant for her alone, and she treasured this away. She had finally earned his attention, and no amount of glaring from Xan would take this memory from her.