Firefly Ravine One year old and counting.

A fresh swipe of wind flew by rain's muzzle in the morning air, lifting her from her drowsy state of sleepiness. It wasn't until she had fully exited her den and headed to the clearing she realised what day it was. 
She had officially turned one year old. 
Tail flapping back and forth in excitedly, she bounded back to her den, nudging her mother with an happy shriek.
'Mom! Mom! It's my birthday today!' 
Unable to control her ecstatic attitude, she sprinted out again, skipping through the trees yapping. She was an adult now she guessed, but in reality, she wasn't really, Rain was still just as much her puppy self. Finding herself in the centre of the territory, she lay down and wriggled on her back happily within the tall grass.
'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!' 




OCC:
Who wants to wish the derp a happy birthday? :D 

Upon being greeted with a army of nudges from her daughter, she lifted her body and listened to her excited ramble. 
'Happy birthday babes.' 
She nibbled behind her ear, cuddling her, before she squirmed out and ran away, probably to share the birthday cheer. Watching her daughter sprint away, she thought for a second. Had it really been only a year since she had Rain? It seems like only yesterday they were waddling up to Phoenix Maplewood's border attempting to join. It had also been a year since she lost her other pups to that harsh storm, not only a birth date but a death date. Immediately pushing the selfish thought away, she focussed on Rain. Climbing out of the den, she went off to into the heart of the woods, to her secret cache in search of the birthday girl's gift.

Teci had been less frequent around the territory, finding things to do so she might keep busy. It had led to her falling to Epsilon in rank which she didn't mind, her adoptive mother rising to Gamma above her.

It was said female that she now came across as she headed to a cache to get breakfast. It was a cache she had dug herself that she filled with food for her to take from though she was open to sharing. Teci still filled the pack's caches but she felt better having one to put prey in without taking away from the general total of food.

"Morning, Lyric,"she greeted cheerfully as she fell in step with the woman.

After bellowing into the quiet morning light, she sat upwards, letting the warm sunshine cushion her muzzle with heat. Head low to the ground, she began to sneak through the grass in search of a potential playmate. It was morning and some wolves did prefer to sleep in, Rain was not like those wolves, preferring to get up as early as possible and embrace the day, making the most out of it. 
'Is anyone awake yet?'
Rain spoke into the empty clearing.

Lyric was still drowsy from the night before, Rain had been so excited about today that she kept her awake half the night, so when she did finally fall asleep, it wasn't long before being woken again. Upon seeing Teci approach, she chuffed a light greeting, smiling. 
'Morning dear, '
Laughing dryly. she told Teci the news. 
'You'll never guess what day it is today?' 
Pausing for a few seconds to regain her sanity from lack of sleep, she continued. 
'It's a certain someone's birthday today and that certain someone is turning one, I need to get things ready. Wish to help?' 
Upon reaching her cache, she stopped and began to rifle through in search of her surprise for her daughter.

[size=x-large][/size][size=x-large]"I'd love to,"[/size][size=x-large]she adressed Lyric, tail wagging excitedly. She considered Rain her baby sister and was eager to help in any way she could. Teci imagined that it was probably fish that Lyric was digging up as they were Rain's favorite food. She moved to help, scooping dirt out of the way with her smaller paws.[/size]

Zephyr was indeed up, and actually already out and about. He didn't know what a special day it was, but as luck would have it Rain had popped into his head the moment he woke up. He'd moved dens in order to be closer to them if they were to call for him, but right now he wasn't in the hollow fallen log he claimed as home. The ebony giant was out hunting.... Kind of. He knew his wolfdog daughter was rather partial to fish, and so there he was sitting patiently next to the river. Two decently sized fish were behind him, lying still and limp and just waiting to be fed to the lively female. He'd hoped to get a good couple, as to feed not only Rain and Lyric but himself too.... Didn't look like it was happening. He'd eat four fish to himself at the least, and he was sure Lyric would eat a few as well. He kept his grassy eyes trained on the water, waiting for a fish to get within his striking range.

When receiving no response, Rain drooped slightly but did not let the fact unsettle her. As a new scent entered her snoot she began to track it intensely, haunches up and tail in air, sneaking through the grass, looking for the source. It did not take long to find the perpetrator behind it, noticing Zephyr by the river. Seeing that he was fishing, Rain scampered forward, head-butting him from behind. 
'Guess what day it is? ' Barely giving him the chance to respond, she splashed into the river with him, spraying them both in the warm spring air. 

'RAIN'S BIRTHDAY!'














OCC: What do you think of the new profile pic? yay or nay? I drew it myself. so it's pretty shit.

With Teci's help, they both lifted the soil away from her cache, sat there was a few pieces of food, some herbs and flowers, and resting on top, a auburn collar studded with a sleek light blue stones. But how could a wolf in the wild obtain such a domestic item?, a long story it is. 
Speaking before Teci could ask a question, she told the tale. 

'Rain's father gave it to me. After I grew pregnant, and I was banished from my pack, I went to visit him again in hope that maybe I could stay there. When I reached the farm, I softly called out for him, not wanting to attract the humans. A few minutes later, he arrived, meeting me by the end of the fence. (which I easily climbed over). I told him the news, and my problem, but he didn't react the way I hoped. He said that he was so glad to be a father, and that he loved me but, there was no way I could stay. The humans had noticed my presence, and apparently one of them was out to shoot me if I was in there grounds again. He told me it was far too dangerous for me to be there, and I should get going. I understood and was about to leave, until he told me to stay there for one more minute. He had scampered back into the house again, staying there for a short time before jumping right back, and brown ring in his muzzle. 
It was a light umber leather collar, turquoise gemstones studded around the ring. It was beautiful. He told me to take it. As a reminder of him and his love for me. We embraced one last time before the back door creaked open and I had to flee away back into the forest, the collar gripped in my jaws.'

Lifting the collar out of the dirt, she nosed the earth back over her cache. The colour had dulled over time, but the stones remained just as beautiful and bright.
The collar was much too small for herself, but realised it would be a perfect fit for Rain. The brown and blue colours would contract beautiful to her multicoloured fur. 
'What do you think? It doesn't fit me so, I thought it would be the perfect gift for her.' 

Teci knew exactly what collars were and had to physically stop herself from recoiling from the leather ring in Lyric's jaw. Collars were not so pretty nor were they signs of love to Teci. On her old farm they had come in the cracked, charging leather or painful chain variety and had been used to keep wayward or violent dogs contained.

The wolfdog forced a smile,"It's beautiful." The stones were truly, it was just the cultural symbol of the accessory that had repulsed her so.

I love it!

Zephyr was about to into the water to look deeper when he heard commotion in the woods behind him. He grinned, the scent hitting him after the fact that, well, who else would make so much noise? He pretended not to hear and let her come at him, but the momentum brought them both crashing down in the river. His giant frame splashed water far, sloshing some even up on the bank. He howled in laughter, staying on his back and aimed his massive paws to wrap around her frame. Should he succeed, he would draw her atop his belly and nuzzle her affectionately. 
       "Happy birthday Rain!"
He turned his grassy gaze back up at the shore to be sure the fish he'd caught had stayed, sighing in relief when he saw them right where he left them.

Sitting atop Zephyr, she pressed her nose against his, making a soft 'Boop' noise affectionately. Both now soaking wet, she shook all the beads of water out of her soft fur, spraying him violently with river water. 
'I'm one now!' She stated, in case he still had not understood what she meant, batting his muzzle with her paws excitedly. She would of kept on playing if it weren't for the familiar scent nearby, head turning to the embankment, fish were lying in a line, just asking to be devoured by Rain's lips. Jumping off of his stomach, back legs digging into his spleen, she landed onto the soft grass and sunk her teeth into one of the fish. 
'MINE!' 

Noticing the slight recoil and fake smile, Lyric knew she'd fucked up somehow. Then remembering the talk they'd had months earlier, she had spoke of a farm, beatings and chains. 
'Shit, I'm sorry Teci, I didn't to trigger anything, I just want Rain to have something of her Father I guess. It was his after all. '

Letting out a soft, sad laugh, she thought back, memories of their walks together and secret conversations between plank wood fences. Although the connection between them had lessened since the departure, It'd seemed that her feelings had transferred to a certain someone else, a soft charcoal wolf with snowy paws to be exact. Blushing violently from the thought, she couldn't help but gush at little about her new situation, 
'Although, Rain might be having a new father figure at the moment, you know Zephyr don't you? He's very, nice. He's good to her, and me. '
Her face was now positivity beetroot.
'It's early days but, but I think we have a chance I guess. '
 

Teci instantly felt guilt, she wasn't as good at hiding her emotions as she thought apparently. "Don't sorry about me, Lyric. It's a wonderful gift really, I just haven't had good experiences with them myself.

Hearing her mother figure speak about Zephyr she grinned impishly. Teci was sexually mature, understood things like attraction despite never really being drawn romantically to someone. "Ooo,"she teased. "I've met him, he's a good man. If he weren't I would squish him like a bug,"Teci informed matter of factly. No one would hurt Lyric with her around.

Zephyr chuckled and heaved his way out of the river, shaking his pelt out. He was glad she liked the fish, and laughed at her exuberance. But where was her mother? He had no idea that she and Teci were talking about him, but he'd have been honored. Other things were more important.
        "Rain, if I went and started my own pack, would you think I'm a wolf to follow?"

After taking a large bite of the fish, Rain tore at it happily, swallowing great mouthfuls of salty goodness. The fish turned sour on her palate as she heard Zephyr's idea. Zephyr had become a father to her, she didn't want him to leave so soon. Eyes widening, she felt hurt, did he not want to stay with them anymore? She ignored his question and ran over to him, nuzzling into his fur. 
'Don't leave! please. I've started to see you as, like a dad to me. I don't wanna lose you.' 
Stepping back, she answered a question before he could say it. 
'And before you ask, I'm not sure I'd wanna join. Even if me and Mom came, I'd need Teci to come too! She's like my sister. But if we all left, Sen and Depp wouldn't have a pack anymore, and they'd be alone. I don't wanna hurt anyone!' 
Her eyes starting to dampen, she rubbed at them fiercely with his pinkish paws.  Feeling conflicted, she didn't know what to do, She just sat there in front. Waiting for his response, a few stray tears rolled down her cheeks.

Giggling like a schoolgirl, Lyric nuzzled into her affectionately, laughing. Holding Rain's Gift in her jaws, she folded the earth back into her cache and began to walk downstream to the clearing, in which the 'Ceremony' would begin. 
'C'mon! We need things ready!' 
Lyric began to run down the water beneath her, letting the coolness of it all sooth her hot furry body.

Teci laughed, following after her adoptive mother as she fled from the cache. She led them down to the clearing near the river, the cool water soaking their fur. 

Sorry it's short, I wasn't sure if they had joined up with Rain and Zephyr or not

Rain seemed to completely miss what he was getting at, and the smile on his face was soon replaced with something close to horror. He stumbled around words, all unintelligible as he focused more on her than his own speech. She pulled away from him, and the ebony wolf would've sworn that he felt his heart twinge in pain. After she seemed to be done, he was able to form something to say.
       "Rain honey, relax, I wouldn't ever leave you alone.... Nor would I leave Depp and Sen defenceless like that."
He owed the two his sanity and health, and considered them both friends. He wouldn't leave if it meant leaving them like that, but he also wasnt above going out and recruiting wolves for Seadog. He wasn't sure where Teci would have stood, but I guess he knew now. He didn;t like the idea of taking many Seadog wolves, but simply decided he WOULD have to go out and find loners in need of homes, for not just himself but this pack.
              "I'll go out and look for new wolves to join here as we go, alright? If I did that, do you think you would come with me?"

Upon being reassured, she relaxed slightly. Thinking about the idea of a new pack, she wondered if perhaps she would want to join.
 'Maybe it would be fun, as long as we're not hurting anyone though.'
She paused, questioning what the status of leadership would be.
'Would Mom be your co-alpha since you wanna smooch her?' 
Grinning suggestively, she raised one eyebrow. Tears beginning to dry, she batted him around the face, starting yet another game.

When reaching the large clearing, Lyric scouted around the area, wanting to make the area special. Then an idea came to mind. 
'Teci, could you get me some flowers?' 
Beginning to pick some herself, she made a small mound of pansies, before resting the collar on top.

sorry for the delay!

With a nod the husky wolf cross hurrried off to pick flowers. She wasn't sure which were Rain's favorite but upon spotting the blue morning glories, much like the ones Rain had given her upon first joining she grinned widely.

Gently plucking some up in her jaws she delicately carried them as she scampered back to Lyric's side.

Zephyr laughed at her change of heart and bounced away a couple prances away, stopping and spinning towards her in a play bow. 
         "I would never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it Rain, don't ever forget that."
He waited another moment to answer the alpha question. Would Lyric become his mate? Did she have what it took to be an alpha? It wasn't something he'd thought about, who would lead with him. A beta of course couldn't be chosen without other followers, but it looked like he had a candidate for co alpha.
                         "I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it."