Northstar Vale take everything from the inside

For @Rannoch!

Somehow, someway, Redshank had gotten his jaws around a fresh bone. It was nearly the size of his own foreleg, still layered with stripes of meat which he slowly stripped back hungrily. He roughly tore at bits and pieces before awkwardly throwing his head back to toss them into the air, catching them with a snap of his teeth as they fell back down. The little game had kept him entertained for an hour, though the bone was very slowly being whittled away to nothing.

Grasping it possessively in his maw, the boy stood and shook out his fur, decided to store it for later. Both hunger and boredom spiked at random times during the day; chewing things seemed to be a good way to combat both of these things. He knew the general idea of a cache but did not want to deposit his precious bone in the pack's cache. What if Airi or Titmouse got their grubby paws on it? No, instead Redshank trotted lazily towards the borders to find a hidden place away from the heart of the territory and everyone who could possibly steal his plaything.

In the days since the woman from the Feathery Woods had stood on his borders, Rannoch had taken more time to tend to them. Even with the protective walls and the fence of evergreens of the Vale, there was a section in their territory which laid unclaimed, as their claim would be too vast to manage, and this was often the area in which Rannoch encountered strangers teetering too close to their claim. Tall evergreens in the midsection of the territory made a natural boundary, slicing the fishbowl of an area in half. Though it wasn't another mountainside, that would be a border that would be easier to manage, Rannoch did not mind the trees. 

He weaved among them slowly, his eyes trained to uncharted lands that laid just beyond the treeline's roots. Though there was no evidence of anybody lurking, Rannoch did not let his guard waiver. If there had been anything he had learned recently, it was that he should expect the unexpected, especially when it came to their borders. 

His attention only shifted from the fog-laced lands as the scent of Redshank came to him. Turning, he perked, anticipation the adolescent's approach even though he couldn't see him just yet.

He slowed at the sent of Rannoch, readjusting his grip on the bone. He was growing more tolerant of the alpha with every day, but he still had his usual streak of defiance. That trait was something that would not disappear even when the most dominant wolf of their pack was literally staring him down. Still, he respected Rannoch enough, and the air of command respect the burly male had was admirable.

Redshank came up behind the other and let out a soft woof to get his attention, ears tucking back as he had been taught to do. He gave a wave of his tail to show he was in a good mood but still held fast to the bone in his jaws, unwilling to let even the alpha touch it.

Following the sound of Redshank's exhaled bay, Rannoch soon caught sight of him and smiled. In the Alpha's eyes, Redshank was doing exceptionally in recognizing his standing among the others. It had been this progress, coupled with his interactions with the boy, which had placed him at his lofty position on the totem poll. 

When his eyes did reach the younger wolf, Rannoch caught sight of the prize that was clamped between the child's jaws. "Looks like a nice bone you got there," the Alpha remarked, making no move to clear the distance between them. Rannoch had no interest in the child's prize and did not want to appear as though he was coming to take it. Instead, he found himself voicing the curiosity that followed his first comment: "Where are you taking it?" His brows furrowed at his words as he silently hoped that he was keeping his prize within the boundaries of the pack.

Rannoch's comment caused Redshank to briefly tighten his grip with a near inaudible growl, teeth splintering the bone a little before he realised the alpha wasn't about to take it from him. The reaction was perhaps a leftover of his time with Sol who would almost always steal away anything the boy found, either to keep for himself or simply destroy in an act of malicious dominance. Now, however, the reaction was not needed.

Redshank viisbly relaxed as Rannoch stayed where he was, asking where he was thinking of taking it. The child shrugged, though looked past the older boy's shoulder to peer into the forest that parted the territory. A thoughtful look flickered across his face and he brightened, stooping to drop the bone for a moment. "In there," he replied, nodding to the woods. "I don't want anyone t'find it — 'specially Airi and Titmouse."

Redshank's growl had gone unnoticed to the Alpha, and as such, Rannoch looked on, naive to the aggression that the other had expressed so discreetly. Had the male been a step or two closer, he may have gotten wind of the ragged sound. 

Rannoch's glance wandered with Redshank as he motioned to the trees that surrounded them, his eyes falling on a particular cluster of foliage that was not too far off from where they were standing. Even with their proximity, Rannoch still felt concern in the other's choice as it hovered too close to the scented wall that marked their lands. "You'll keep it within the borders?" He asked with a lick of his chops, his gaze returning to his packmate. Given the fact that Redshank was not raised among a pack, Rannoch wondered how much the boy knew about territory boundaries. The Alpha had mentioned briefly to him about boundaries, but, aside from those mentions, Rannoch had no idea what Redshank knew.

He quirked a brow at Rannoch's response, giving a tch of a laugh as he took a step closer, gingerly pushing the bone forward with him. "Duh," he snorted. What kind of idiot would store their food somewhere where others could freely take it? The other male's suspicions were correct in that Redshank knew little about borders, however. Sol had been a wanderer, never settling in one place for too long and so the concept of pack boundaries was slightly foreign to Redshank.

He paused, hesitating for a moment, before adding, "where is the best place t'put it?"

Rannoch's ears flicked forward at the sound of Redshank's reply. He wasn't all too fond of the way the child had addressed him, and as such, the Alpha growled in warning to remind the Xi of who he was talking to. Though he and the boy had grown closer, Rannoch did not want him to forget his place on the totem poll. With his apprise issued, the two could then advance in their conversation, just as long as Redshank obliged. 

Looking about in reaction to what he was asked, the leader's aquamarine eyes soon settled to a gathering of oaks right next to the invisible fencing of the territory's claim. "Those trees near the border," he said vaugley, his eyes trained on the spot for a pause before he returned his gaze to the Xi. "All of our markings should help mask the smell of your bone," he replied kindly, a smile tugging at his lips, feeling much more relaxed since he had corrected Redshank's behavior.

Like always, Rannoch gave a growl at his response and, for a moment, Redshank was confused as to what exactly caused it. His ears fell back complacently, though, and he averted his gaze slightly. It was a fine line he was walking, trying to form a bond with the Alpha as well as show the proper respect around him. It was a learning process for the boy, but at least the days of being shoved to the ground and threatened with teeth seemed to be over.

He followed the man's gaze over to the oaks and nodded, deeming it a suitable enough place to store his quarry. It was a hidden place, not so close to their main cache — lest the other members take it for themselves — but still within their perimeter and drenched in the pack's scent. "Nice," he replied with a toothy grin, glancing back to Rannoch before delicately gripping the bone between his jaws once more. With a relaxed wave of his tail, the boy plodded over to the where the trees stood.

Rannoch watched after Redshank as he set off with his bone. Though curious, Rannoch did not follow after, allowing the growing boy some anonymity in whatever location he decided to hide his prize. Finding that Redshank might find his not following an oddity, the Alpha decided to speak on his decision so that he could understand why he was hanging back. 

"I want you to find a place to hide it so that even I don't know where it is," said Rannoch, calling after Redshank's retreating form. "It's only fair to you," he added, thinking out loud. There was part of Rannoch who wanted to follow after, but, he figured that the Vale's highest ranked child would want some privacy. He sat after speaking, watching after as he waited for the bone to be stashed away.

He glanced back once to check if Rannoch was following, though whether he actually was or not the boy didn't really care. He figured that, being the Alpha, the man would want to know where each and every food cache was but he quickly found out this wasn't the case. Without his meaning to, a smile slid across his face, grateful for the respect to his privacy. Sol never allowed anything of the sort.

He gave a cheerful grunt and nod towards Rannoch in reply before darting into the woods, his dark form disappearing quickly amongst the trees. He was quick to find a spot to stash the bone; a loamy patch of dirt at the base of a grand oak surrounded by low lying plants. He then cocked a leg to mark it as his own before trotting back out to the Alpha, a proud grin scrawled across his features as if to say now they'll never find it!

Although he didn't show it, he was thankful that Rannoch let him bury it without intrusion. It gave him at least a little peace of mind.

Redshank materialized from the shadows as he returned to where Rannoch was standing, a cheshire-like grin upon his lips. From what the Alpha could deduct, as it was evident by Redshank's expression, he had found a successful place to hide his prize. "Well done," praised Rannoch, his voice a gentle rumble as he leaned forward to touch his nose to the adolescent's forehead briefly. Pulling back, Rannoch looked to the child with a grin as an idea came to mind. 

"Hey, you wanna go swimming?" Though it appeared as though Rannoch had conjured the idea out of thin air the idea had stemmed from the heat in which Rannoch was starting to feel from the early-Summer sun. That, in combination with his thick coat, was causing him to grow rather hot. Knowing that Redshank might still be possessive over the bone, he added: "We can come back and check in on your bone later, too, to make sure that nobody has messed with it." And if they had? Rannoch would see that Redshank did as he felt appropriate, finding the child to be capable of defending both himself and his rank.

The man's praise and gentle touch took Redshank by surprise. He was not used to such acts. He froze in momentary panic, eyes wide and locked on Rannoch as he leaned forward, anticipating a bite or hit. Instead, he withdrew after a simple, encouraging nudge, and the boy relaxed again, though slightly confused. He shook off the unexpected feeling, directing his attention back on the Alpha as he offered another activity.

Redshank didn't feel the heat as much as his thicker-furred pack mate, but he had a strange fascination with the water regardless. "YES!" He agreed with a feverish nod, tail beginning to wag with excitement, until he caught the pup-like enthusiasm and tried to play it off. "I mean, sure."

His cool smile widened into a wicked grin as Rannoch added they would also check up on his stash later, too, just in case. He nodded again, knowing he would not hesitate to hunt down and teach someone a lesson should it be missing. He cast a last glance over to the cache before allowing Rannoch to lead the way to the lake with a casual wave of his tail.