Redhawk Caldera Shadow me.

@Wildfire

Sebastian kept mostly to himself instead of socializing with the others of the pack. In the beginning he wanted to but lately he wasn't feeling like socializing. He was disgusted that it might turn out more like his father but so be it. He needed some time to thing about his life. And how he was going to handle talking to his father. Sebastian ended up laying down in a big meadow which was usually meant for meetings. Often Sebastian would place some food on the nearby caches. But today he came empty handed. 

He was told that the pups would start to head out on their own more and even though he wasn't ready to have young himself he didn't mind watching the youngsters for the alpha pair. With them he didn't need to go into a deep conversation. No with them he could just mindlessly interact and play. He really liked to play around with them, playing tag or chasing them down. It would also give them a sense of pack interaction after all. Sebastian entered the site, wondering if there might be some pups around.

The young Naturalist apprentice had spent the morning hustling and bustling around the rendezvous site, padding her already sizable collection of odds and ends in the dead badger's den. Around midday, her growling stomach sent her back to the clearing. Her brow furrowed when she found no one there. The dhole lookalike stood there a moment, the tip of her black tail twitching, then turned to go in search of someone to feed her.

That's when she spotted Sebastian. Wildfire froze, eyeing him. He was vaguely familiar, though she wasn't prepared to run up to him like she would with her relatives. She woofed lowly, letting him know she was there, and offered a quiet, "Hi," after which she paused and guessed, "Choo lookin' fro mama 'n' duddy?" After all, it wasn't unusual for wolves to come by in search of the Alpha pair. Hell, she was currently on the lookout for her parents.

Sebastian didn't even stop the little dhole look-a-like until she voiced out a woof. Sebastian's attention grew and then search for the one that made the noise. He realized it was wildfire. A soft smile tugged on his lips when he saw the little girl. He instantly shook his head in reply to her. "No I am not," the tank spoke. Sebastian looked at the young girl once more. She was growing quick. My my. She was nothing like the sky girl he had met with Peregrine. 

"I was looking for you and your siblings actually. Do you want to play?,' he asked, voice rising at the end to challenge her more. The large male stayed where he was so he wouldn't startle the girl. Sebastian knew he was probably a giant in the pup's eyes. He them plopped down so he was laying on his tummy. Huge paws stretched out in front of him.

When he said that he wasn't actually looking for Fox and Peregrine, Wildfire's golden eyes shifted to the side, unsure of what to say next. Luckily, Sebastian elaborated. He said he had come here for her (and her siblings), which made the cub chew on her bottom lip. He openly invited her to play and her eyes shifted again. She loved to play and it was a tempting offer but Wildfire was the picture of uncertainty.

"No," she answered with the bald honesty of youth. She didn't think he was a stranger, per se, but she didn't know him either. Wildfire wasn't comfortable with the idea of playing with him. Maybe Nightjar or Raven wouldn't have shared her reservations (hell, she knew her brother would have jumped at the opportunity for a wrestling match) but they weren't here. Nobody was here except her and this guy.

The youth swallowed and sat, looking awkwardly in Sebastian's direction. For a long moment, she was silent. Then she said, "I's hung-er-y," enunciating each syllable to properly emphasize the level of her hunger. There was a slight whine in Wildfire's voice as her eyes shifted yet again. Then her stomach burbled, as if to punctuate her point.

Sebastian was mildly surprised to get a 'No' from the female. He had not expected that to say the least the young grey male, pushed himself up into a sitting position. Was he even getting rejected by a pup now? Oh well that sucks. Luckily the young girl told him what was bothering her. Oh she must not want to play because she is hungry, Sebastian thought in relief. Well that was something he could solve. "Hold on. I will get you something." The large male got to his feet and trotted off. He then decided to give the princess a fresh meal instead of the old ones in the caches. 

Sebastian returned with a dead rabbit in his mouth within 30 minutes, he even thought it was quite the record. He placed the meal in front of the pup. He didn't know much about them. Would she eat herself already? Or did he had to chew it for her? He hoped that the latter wouldn't be the case it would feel awfully intimate. Sebastian was totally willing to play the older brother here but that was maybe something he would draw a line. 

It took her by surprise when he offered to fetch her some food. "Okay," she replied with a blink. She watched him head off in search of sustenance, then sat there ponderously. She wondered how long it would take and what he would bring back. While she waited, she slipped forward onto her belly, though she did not exactly sit still. Wildfire fidgeted impatiently, shifting positions every three minutes or so until Sebastian finally returned.

The smell of meat caused her to bounce to her feet. She did not immediately move forward to accept the food, though. She looked down at the carcass, then sniffed it, but kept her golden eyes fixed on Sebastian. After a minute or two, her black tail broke into a tentative wag and she settled herself in front of the rabbit to enjoy the meal. Fortunately for him, she made quick work of the rabbit and didn't require any assistance.

When she finished, she smacked her lips together and then looked at Sebastian. "Fanks," she said. His gift had obviously made a good impression. "I's Wifi," she told him. "Chore name?" the cub asked. Maybe she would remember him if he properly introduced himself. At the very least, she would start to become more familiar with him.

Sebastian laid down in front of the girl while he let her feast, as it turned out the girl was still a bit skeptical about him. Her golden eyes were on him which Sebastian didn't mind he would look right back at her with his pale blue eyes. Although his glance was far from dominant. He was relieved when the girl started eating. "You are welcome," he grinned. Sebastian tipped his head a bit. "I'm Seb, remember? Sebastian?," he offered. He knew she was Wifi, or well, Wildfire. 

Sebastian sniffled the remains of the raccoon and nibbled on it just for his own sake. "You have grown so much since last time. You like exploring by yourself?," he asked curiously. He wondered what the female would think of being left alone and hungry instead of taken care of by her parents. Not that Sebastian would blame them. The kids were fun but to a certain amount of time. 

His name was vaguely familiar, just like the rest of him. The tot shook her head no when he asked if she remembered him. Wildfire didn't, not really. But Sebastian bringing her food had definitely begun to earn her trust. She even managed a slight, bashful smile when he spoke to her admiringly, then inquired as to whether she enjoyed exploring.

"Ya," she answered simply. Wildfire almost mentioned the badger den, yet pressed her lips together instead. Sebastian hadn't earned that level of trust just yet. "I like voo site," she said instead, "'cause it biiig." As she spoke, her golden eyes scanned their surroundings before eventually finding Sebastian's face again. There was still no sign of her family, so he was her only company for now.

"D'you... Nachorist?" Wildfire inquired, nose wriggling curiously.

Sebastian smiled at the red colored girl and nodded. "It is big. Way bigger than the den you sleep in," he admitted. It must be so big for this little one while he wasn't that mildly impressed by the field that they were located. No he had other things on his mind. Oh the wonders of being a child. So innocent and full of wonder. Sebastian tipped his head in an adorable way. "A what?," he asked. He speech wasn't the greatest. 

Sebastian stepped closer not sure what she meant with what she was saying but he had some knowledge about hunting and wildlife. He wasn't very spiritual or anything like that. He also didn't really look or anticipated on the weather. What could he learn this girl? Was he even allowed to teach her things. He could basically tell the girl everything and she might believe it. He felt evil even thinking about it. 

"No den no more," Wildfire informed him. She sort of missed the den, though she rather enjoyed sleeping out in the open wilderness too. "Sleep in gas!" she said, accidentally mispronouncing grass. The little cub enjoyed that upgrade particularly; the grass was a much softer bed than the den's hard-packed earthen floor.

"A Nachorist!" she repeated when Sebastian didn't seem to understand. "I'm a apprincess!" Wildfire added, excitement in her voice. "Duddy tol' me."

Sebastian looked impressed for a moment. "Oh! You are so big and tough already that you sleep in the grass," he beamed, happy for her. That was a huge accomplishment. He was more of a den kind of wolf, always had been. Especially due to his family pack. He liked to just curl up under the ground knowing that nothing would hurt him for at least those hours he was under ground.

Sebastian still didn't get what she was trying to say, but the last bit he got. "Oh yes you are. Will you rule the Caldera after your dad steps down?," he asked, it was probably a difficult question for the little one to answer. "Well you make a wonderful, princess." Somehow he felt a bit sick saying that. It felt like he was kissing the paws of this young one and he didn't want another cracky self absorbed leader ever again. Now he was turning her into one. "But being a princess is hard work," he then added.

Funnily enough, Wildfire had been attempting to say apprentice, though she wasn't wrong about being a princess, either. She didn't realize Sebastian's misapprehension, smiling a bit shyly as he told her she made for a wonderful princess. He told her it would be hard work, though, to which she pressed her lips together and nodded. Peregrine had done his best to explain trades and she knew (as well as any toddler could) what having duties meant.

As for the part about her father stepping down, Wildfire wasn't sure what to say, mostly because she didn't quite know what he meant. Things like aging and death were still beyond her scope of comprehension. Yes, Peregrine and Fox had commented here and there about how the children would inherit the caldera. But Wildfire still didn't know what any of it meant. She was still too young; she lived only in the present.

"Choo a apprincess too?" she wondered after a beat, eyeing Sebastian. He didn't seem to know what a Naturalist was, so maybe he was a guardian like her parents? Or maybe a hunter? Or storyteller? Those were some of the ones Wildfire could remember, if not their actual names.

Sebastian studied the girl and then placed his head on his paws as he looked her. his eyes on her in a non dominant way. He had to laugh when the girl asked if he was a princess. He snorted. "No. I am not," he laughed and then shook his head after he lifted his head again. "I am... not a prince anymore. But I was, when I was little," he tried to explain. "I left my home. And now I live here."

Sebastian then licked his maw. "I do the hunting, so you have food. And I protect the borders," he explained. Maybe that would spark some interest in the girl. Maybe that was what she meant all along. Sebastian sometimes couldn't keep up with all the pup babble. At least it distracted his mind from all the worries he had on his own. 

Sebastian's answer didn't make a whole lot of sense to the youngster. They were definitely on different wavelengths. She pressed her lips together, trying to decide how to respond to that, when he mentioned hunting and protecting the borders. That captured Wildfire's attention. Maybe they were talking about the same thing after all!

"Duddy too!" she told him. And... speak of the devil! The Alpha male suddenly appeared on the edge of the clearing, a dead rabbit dangling from his jaws. Wildfire gave a cry of delight, immediately abandoning Sebastian as she ran to greet her father.

But she hadn't forgotten him, nor what he'd done for her, especially when she looked at the food in her dad's mouth. "Seb... ass... chin... feeded... me!" Wildfire told Peregrine between licks to his chin, earning a smile from the leader and prompting him to offer the rabbit carcass to Sebastian.

Sebastian looked up when Peregrine approached the field. The young male was slightly proud that he had gotten the girl a meal before her father did. It somehow felt good that he was helping the pack. To his wonder he also got offered the rabbit that was hanging from the alpha's jaws. "Yes, please," he then politely took the rabbit. He instantly attacked it until there was no meat left on the bone. 

Sebastian smiled at the cute little girl. "She was hungry so I hunted down a raccoon for her. She seemed to like it. Our communication isn't going to so well though," he chuckled. 

"Did he now?" Peregrine replied to Wildfire once he was free to speak. He smiled and nodded, encouraging Sebastian to eat the entire rabbit if he wanted. "Did you say 'thank you,' Wifi?" he asked in a pleasant, though slightly stern voice. Although he kept an ear out for the child's reply, he looked to Sebastian for actual confirmation.

"Yass!" Wildfire chirped. She then lowered her voice and stage whispered, "He perty nice." She smiled tentatively at Sebastian. She decided she liked him... not as much as those she knew better, but he was off to a good start!

With that said, Wildfire had eyes only for her daddy now that he was back. At the same time, she was suddenly having trouble keeping said eyes open. "Taaard," she announced, then yawned hugely and slumped onto her hip. Like most young children, she didn't want to nap but she was terrible at overcoming the urge.

"Here," Peregrine said, spotting his child's sleepiness, "I'll be your pillow pal." The large Alpha male made good on his promise, stretching out on the ground and providing his soft black flank to Wildfire, who quickly curled up beside him with her cheek flush to his fur. Peregrine gently licked her head, remaining quiet. He would have to catch up with Sebastian another time; right now was nap time.

Thank youuuu. Wifi is so cute. I will put it up for the archives. 

Sebastian smiled when the girl was so proud on the fact that she thanked him. And she did. The male ate from the rabbit as Wildfire got closer to her father and became tired. As always it looked super adorable to see her snuggle up to his dad. Maybe one day he would have one of those. But not now. Sebastian finished the rabbit and then nodded to Peregrine. 

"I will let you two be," he spoke with a quick nod. Sebastian felt like he was intruding once again. Why was he always feeling like that? Luckily he was also feeling good about the fact that Peregrine saw him taking care of his daughter. That would definitely be a plus.