Redhawk Caldera dead of winter

They had absolutely made the right decision in relocating underground. Raven sat up in the dim cavern, blinking around at the pack mates sleeping all around her. She smiled softly, particularly when her gaze wandered over the pile of warm, dozy puppies. Eyes still lingering on them, she slowly rose and shook out her black pelt, then stepped over to eat a few bites of cold meat stashed in a corner.

When she glanced outside, it was still dark and snowing heavily. The young she-wolf stood in the cave's mouth, watching the snowflakes twirling in the air, then turned back and padded deeper into the warm crypt. She saw that one of the puppies had woken and was watching her in silence. Raven grinned as she walked up to the girl "twin."

"Wanna see something cool?" she whispered. The puppy didn't respond, of course, nor do much more than tilt her head slightly. "C'mere," the Gamma said, reaching down and latching onto the little girl's scruff. She turned into a dead weight as Raven toted her over to the cave's mouth, then plopped her gently between her petite black forepaws. "What'cha think?" she wondered, voice still soft as she looked down at the top of "Teehee's" head.

I'll be making a cameo post with Tow, so others are most def wanted and welcome!

KAT! ;DD

Among that pile of warm, dozy puppies, was one much larger looking grey puppy. Lagan loved taking naps with his cousins, who he sort of considered his brothers and sisters. They were like pockets of hot, or hot pockets. He snuggled down under them, letting them drape their little warm selves all over him like a blanket. He was sleeping pretty well until he felt one of them leave his side. The absence of warmth by his rump awoke little Lagan, and the boy raised his head lazily. 

He watched Raven pick up one of the little pups and carry her over to the mouth to the cavern. He stared at them for a moment, then decided to go to over to them. He carefully slid away from the others, making sure not to wake them, and trotted over to the two, plopping himself beside them. His ears perked, he looked up at Raven and smiled. Hi Raven! He exclaimed, though in a hushed tone. He was good with kids, and knew how not to wake them up.

Hi Pom! :D

The puppy stared out at the snowfall, blue eyes wide enough that Raven could actually see reflections of the snowflakes in her sisters' wide black pupils. She was marveling at this when movement and scuffling caught her attention ("Teehee" remained transfixed). Raven turned and grinned at Lagan and his hushed but enthusiastic greeting.

"Hey, I was just showing 'Teehee' her first snow," she shared warmly. "Isn't it pretty? Makes it feel all the cozier down here," she thought aloud, stepping sideways to make room for Lagan in the doorway.

Lagan smiled a toothy grin, once again proud to show that he'd grown in some more chompers. That didn't mean he had any less of a lisp as he did before, but now at least he didn't look like a gummy baby. He shrugged when she asked if he thought the snow pretty. Yeah. It's pretty. Pretty obnoxious! That last words came out like one big spit, but he was proud of himself for trying. He liked trying to impress people with his knowledge, especially people as cool as Raven.

Lagan scooted forwards happily when Raven made room for him, his fluffy grey tail skimming the surface of the cold stone. I like the summer better. I like trees a whole lot, 'specially when they got green on them. Teehee do you like trees? He asked the little pup, encouraging her with a smile. Lagan had put it on his bucket list to hear one of the little pup's first words. He though maybe he could make Teehee talk if he tried hard enough.

Lagan's comment surprised a laugh out of her. When he joined the two of them in the doorway, he said something to the puppy. "Teehee" didn't react right away—unsurprising, considering there was no way she understood words just yet—but she did eventually turn toward the older pup, complete with a little jump as if he had sneaked up on her. The Gamma's amused smile grew.

"I don't think she's seen a tree yet," Raven said to Lagan, bending down to give the girl's ear a fond little lick. "Once this weather clears up and they're old enough, I'm sure she and the other pups would love it if you showed them around."

Snow had a way of softening sounds, not that Towhee knew the first thing about any of that. She couldn't hear a thing as Raven spoke to her, then carried her over to the cave's mouth and showed her the flurry of white just outside. The puppy stared, the glistering snowfall certainly capturing her attention and imagination, only to twitch in surprise when another wolf abruptly joined them. Towhee quickly got over her surprise and peered up at Lagan's familiar face, smiling a little crookedly as she watched his lips move silently.

Although the snowfall was enchanting, as was her older cousin's expressive face, Towhee quickly grew bored. She turned away from the pair of adults and slunk back into the cave, seeking out Phox in particular. She butted her head against her sleepy sibling, who fidgeted but did not stir otherwise. She huffed and stretched out beside him, letting her little black cheek rest on her outstretched legs as she creepily stared at Phox's sleeping face.

Unfortunately, little Towhee didn't respond to Lagan with words, but she did do a cute little jump that made Lagan giggle. He wondered if he was ever as cute as her. She's so cute! He exclaimed, watching Raven give Towhee a little lick. The black wolf proposed that when she was older, maybe Lagan could show the little pup around, and he nodded vigorously. Yes yes! That'd be awesome thanks Raven! He replied, his tail wagging softly. 

As Towhee turned to leave, a thought popped into Lagan's mind, something he hadn't really thought about before. He turned to look at Raven and spoke quietly. Do you think I can be as good an uncle as Uncle Pee was? He asked, remembering the way his uncle had always played with him. He really missed him, and aunt Fox too. He couldn't imagine losing his mom and dad, it made him wonder how Raven must feel about it. Did she still think about Peregrine sometimes too?

"Teehee's" attention span didn't last long, which didn't surprise Raven at all. Her tail twitched as she watched the puppy pad back over to her heap o' siblings, though she quickly refocused on Lagan. He was nearly an adult now, though he still had a baby face and a youthful air about him. The Gamma felt a wave of affection for him as he asked her about her father.

Technically, he was more of a cousin or older brother figure, though Raven didn't feel the need to point this out to him, much like she hadn't had any desire to correct his confusion about godfathers back in the day. "Absolutely, Lagan, you're going to be one of their greatest role models. You already are," she clarified. "They already look up to you, figuratively as well as literally," she quipped.

Thinking on his comments a few minutes ago, Raven hazarded a playful guess: "I s'pose you're not interested in a snowball fight...?"

Lagan beamed at Raven's compliment, and with a jubilant smile on his face, he turned his head to look at the pups inside. He would do his best to be a great uncle. Just like Uncle Pee was. Good. He hummed contently, glad to know that Raven approved of him as an uncle for her brothers and sisters. He didn't speak next, for once he was content to just sit, but when Raven brought up a snowball fight he flew to his oversized feet. I'll win! He roared, rushing outside of the cave and into the snow.

The moment his feet touched the cold, he sort of regretted it. He pranced about from paw to paw for a moment, then turned back to Raven. Come on! Don't be a b-baby! He said with a shiver. He shook the cold off his pelt, determined to play- and win.

J'adore Lagan! :D

An unladylike snort escaped Raven as Lagan not only declared he would win but immediately dashed outside, clearly happy to rise to her indirect challenge. Her mouth opened in a wolfish laugh, pink tongue lolling, as she hopped to join him outside. It was still brutally cold, though if they were busy lobbing snowballs at one another, perhaps they could stave off frostbite.

With a playfully challenging bark, the Gamma hunched down and began scooping at the white powder with her toes. It was a little loose for this, yet it wasn't like she was going to form a perfect snowball with her feet. As soon as she had a proper glob mashed together, she stood up a little straighter, positioned her paw and then kicked it in Lagan's general direction.

:D

While Raven was pulling together her first snowball, Lagan was on his second. They were both unstable, and completely non spherical, but as long as he could kick it at her he didn't care what shape it was. He was about finished with his second when he felt a rush of cold and a lump of snow collide with his face. He sneezed out some snow and shook his head, then looked up at her with a mischievous grin. Lagan wasn't a serious boy, but he did love winning. He wasn't about to let that one snowball lead to his surrender.

He kicked up his first, then his second right after. A snowball barrage would be more effective than one well put together snowball, or so he assumed.

Her mouth opened into a wider smile when her snowball struck Lagan smack dab in the face. She didn't get to enjoy her victory for long, though. He shot two in her direction and Raven not only got a face full but a mouthful of snow. She laughed and spluttered simultaneously, the white powder quickly melting against the heat of her tongue.

"Good aim or lucky aim?" she teased her cousin before whirling around suddenly. Instead of bothering to make shapely missiles, she simply started kicking waves of snow at her playmate.

Lagan fell over laughing, quite literally. He plopped himself down in the snow and rolled around in it, not even the cold could stop him from reveling in his victory. He sat up when Raven started talking, Good aim or lucky aim? she asked. Lagan smiled and wagged his tail. Umm great aim obvious-oof! He started to taunt her when all of a sudden his mouth was full of snow! He started to spit it out, when he had a great idea. His cheeks still packed full of snow, he rushed towards Raven at full speed.

When finally he got close enough, he spat it all out onto her, sprinkling her black coat with white. He stood there with a boyish smile upon his fluffy face, waiting anxiously for the older girl to make her next move.

She heard his muffled shout as the wave of snow hit him. Raven smirked but didn't let up on the siege. By the time her hind legs tired a moment later and she turned to see whether she'd made a snowman of Lagan, he had... vanished? She nearly screamed when he popped up in her face, snow crystals clinging to his ruff as he spat a mixture of snow and ice cold water over her neck and shoulders.

"Lagan!" she screeched in surprise. "You butt!" she added, somehow managing to grin and grimace simultaneously. Raven laughed, then made to sock the boy playfully in the jaw. Forget the snow, it was down to fisticuffs now!

He'd really gotten Raven this time, and a large smile spread across Lagan's face. You butt! She shouted, and Lagan burst out laughing. Haha, butt. He snickered to himself, and when he looked up again there was a black foot flying towards his face. Lagan yelped in surprise as the paw socked across his snout. It didn't hurt like at all, but it still shocked him. His ears perked, he stared at her blankly for a few moments before grinning again. If it was a wrestle match she wanted in was a wrestle match she'd get!

With a playful growl and a butt wriggle, the pup launched himself at the black furred female. He tried his best to knock her to the ground, hoping he could pin her in the white cotton snow.

Her hit connected, though a few seconds later, Raven was flat on her back in the snow. Little bursts of laughter squeezed out of her even as she used all four legs in an effort to push Lagan's weight off her. When that didn't prove particularly effective, she gave one last shove and then rolled, slipping to her feet in the process.

She considered taking off and challenging him to a race. But it was still snowing pretty heavily and Raven knew she could get lose easily. Lagan too. It wasn't worth the risk. Instead, the she-wolf immediately doubled back and playfully head-butted her young cousin in the ribs. It was barely a tap, certainly not enough velocity to get him off his feet.

"What do you say we take some snow back into the cave, show the Firebirds?" she suggested, panting and grateful for the exertion that had put some warmth in her blood.

Wrap this up here or continue? <3

Lagan managed to hold Raven to the ground longer than he'd expected, but soon she threw him off, and he landed in a soft pile of snow. Laughing joyfully, the boy rolled around in the snow for a moment, nuzzling into its soft yet cold embrace as if it were his snuggly little family. When he got back up, he was rammed playfully in the chest. He batted at Raven's head as she pulled it away, swatting her ears softly. 

Raven asked if he wanted to take some of the snow in for the babies, and Lagan's face lit up. That was such a great idea, why hadn't he had it before? Yeah! They can play in it and have a snowball fight like we did, and while they do that we can snuggle cause I'm cold. He said, not phrasing it as a question. It was more of a, 'this is exactly what's gonna happen' kind of thing, because he didn't expect Raven to decline. His tail wagged behind him happily, boy was he glad he'd gotten up to go talk to his cousin.

I'ma wrap up! :D

Lagan's enthusiasm was so infectious. Raven grinned, tail beating back and forth, when he responded positively to her suggestion, then embellished on it. "Sounds good to me," she replied warmly, feinting in his direction but only nipping affectionately his cheek.

Raven then spun lithely on a black heel, kicking snow toward the cave's entrance. Much of it wouldn't make it in there, yet they could accumulate a smile pile in the doorway. Hopefully the other pups would be a little more enthusiastic than the stoic "Teehee."

I'll archive <3

Great! I bet I'll beat you there! Lagan barked, spinning around as well and shoveling as much snow as he could towards the mouth of the cave. He followed Raven eagerly, every freezing step he took he culminated more white stuff at his chest. He shoveled it like a penguin would an egg, until finally he'd pushed his pile into the cave's mouth. He couldn't wait to see the look on the firebirds faces when they got a good look at what their awesome Uncle Lagan had brought. They'd really love him then.