Redhawk Caldera Come and get it

Set July 19.

After practically fighting his equally reluctant father all the way into the depths of the earth, Nightjar kept to himself. As the storm raged outside, the temperamental youth paced restlessly, snarling a warning at any who got too close to him. Although his face contorted, it was with signs of fear and panic rather than true aggression. All in the pack would know it wasn't personal, not coming from him, even if none of them really related to him on the same instinctive level he lived on.

As thunder boomed overhead, the sound amplified by the hollow tunnels, Nightjar decided he'd had enough. In an uncharacteristic show of disobedience, he slunk away from the group and disappeared into the pitch darkness of the tunnel. He flinched when Wildfire's voice echoed after him, but he sped up, using his whiskers and highly attuned senses to guide him through the darkness. He was cautious and bumped his snout once or twice, but found his way down a side tunnel surprisingly easily.

That side tunnel took him out onto the Caldera's northern face. He didn't need to look far to know that hell had broken loose: the sky was churning and trees and rocks were lifting off the ground in the near distance. Whining, the frightened Redhawk youth struck out into the storm, unwilling to seek refuge in such an unnatural place as an underground tunnel network again, in search of shelter. Once or twice the wind buffeted him sideways, proving superior to even his strength, but Nightjar pressed on until he reached the rendezvous site.

Once there, he crammed his body tightly into the badger den that Wildfire kept, no doubt upsetting her collections inside with his bulk, and remained there until the storm blew over, after which he emerged, soaking wet and extremely stiff and sore, but alive. Once he was standing once more, the burly pup shook himself and flopped down in the center of the rendezvous site, intent on ignoring the destruction all around him and trying to get some sleep.

Sebastian was a bit a loss after they met up in the cave. Wildfire and Nightjar were missing. Sebastian couldn't really walk quick to help the others scout for the babies. But he was worried for the two of them. Especially with this storm. The tank of a male decided to move back to the makeshift infirmary and see how much damage was done. He was definitely keeping the cave in mind he just walked to as a second place to have the infirmary. It was dry and storm proof. He could have his patients there. 

Sebastian was on his way to the make shift infirmary he was resting before the storm hit when he noticed a faint scent. He moved to the rendezvous site and saw a sleeping Nightjar in the middle of it. He looked a bit surprised but Sebastian was pleased the youngster looked fine. Sebastian walked toward him. "Nightjar," he called out to not startle the pup. Sebastian was tired of his small journey and flopped down beside him to keep him warm. Sebastian had a thick coat even in summer so he would have no problem to give the young child some heat. "Are you okay?," he asked.

Though he was on the verge of slipping into a deeper sleep, Nightjar was only dozing when Sebastian called out to him. His ear twitched and he opened sleepy eyes. He swivelled his head to look at the adult over his shoulder. Naturally, Nightjar didn't realize that anyone was worried about him at all. He didn't think of things like that. He rarely worried about anybody when he couldn't see them; it stood to reason that others thought similarly. He didn't worry about Peregrine or Fox or Raven or Wildfire because surely they were fine, just as he was fine, and besides, they weren't here right now.

Sebastian flopped down next to him. Nightjar didn't move from his spot, though soon enough they would both be too warm to maintain it. He rumbled a quiet greeting, preferring body language and growls to spoken words, but when the older male asked a question, he knew speaking was unavoidable. "Yes," he said shortly and then, with a frown that betrayed his confusion about why anyone would worry, he asked, "why?"

Sebastian looked over the wolf pup with his pale eyes. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't hurting anywhere or that he had a cut or gash. He was the pack's healer now after all so that was something he would need to fix if there was something wrong with Nightjar. But over all, the pup seemed more sleepy rather than injured. "Everyone is worried sick," he explained. "They are looking for you and your sister!," Sebastian let out. He wondered if he should howl for Peregrine. 

Would the dark male hear him? The storm had settled by now so maybe it was wise to howl for @Peregrine. "I'm going to call your dad because then he can at least stop looking. He is very worried," Sebastian explained and then threw his head back to howl for his alpha. He would let him know that Nightjar was safe and found. Sebastian then struggled himself in a bit of a sitting position. "Why did you go through the tunnels?"

They were worried. Well, that was silly, thought Nightjar. He was right he re, safe and sound. There was no reason to worry. He supposed he would worry about someone if they inexplicably went missing as well, but Nightjar didn't make the connection. His brain was too slow. He hadn't gone missing as far as he knew, hadn't even left the territory, so even that explanation failed in his nonexistent logic.

"Which sister?" he asked, as deadpan as if he was asking about birds or rain or something else uninteresting. It wasn't until hours later that even a hint of concern would hit Nightjar; right now he supposed his sister, whichever one it was, was somewhere in the territory just like him. No reason to worry yet. "She's up here too somewhere." Okay, well, "somewhere" was a broad term, and he wasn't really sure about that, but he bet she was. She'd just done what he did, he was sure of that.

"Didn't like 'em," was his explanation for leaving the tunnels. It was a poor explanation but it was one nonetheless. Just the memory of being that deep underground, the most unnatural place for a wolf aside from the sky, made his hackles ripple and his face pinch with agitation.

Permission from Peregrine to PP the howling reply ;D Also written on an iPad so we will see how well this goes!

Sebastian wasn't sure what to think of the youngsters nonchalant demeanor. He could have show a it more concern for his sister for example or just the worry of his parents. Nope it didn't seem to be in the kids nature. Sebastian was a bit worried for Wildfire since he didn't want anything to happen to her. He was relieved that at least Nightjar was found. That reminded him that he hadn't seen Raven around either. Though since Sebastian made it through the storm I. His own he hadn't seen that many members. She could have been with Finley and Elwood jr.

"Well I am glad that you are more than fine. Next time you could save us a lot of trouble by telling that you were going," he lectured, only gently. He wasn't feeling interested in playing the father role here. Thinking of fathers Peregrine's howl reached his ear. That was all Sebastian needed, he was pleased that Peregrine could at least stop searching for one child. "Is there a reason you don't like tunnels? Don't you like dens either?," he asked curiously.

"Sorry," Nightjar muttered, a little sullenly. It was no secret that the young, free-spirited wolf didn't like being told what to do, especially when his instincts told him otherwise. He would always heed his instincts over the words of another wolf—that was just the way he was born. That was the reason he'd left the tunnels, and as for telling no one, well, he'd been too irrational to think of that. Too stupid, truly.

Sebastian didn't press the issue, for which Nightjar was grateful, and instead asked why he didn't like tunnels. "It's not natural," was the only response he could think of. Wolves did not live underground. Wolves did not live in dens either, with the exception of whelping mothers, though Nightjar had noticed that many of his brethren on the caldera ignored this rule of the wild and made their homes in holes in the ground. Not him. He felt claustrophobic underground, like he couldn't breathe and shouldn't be there, and absolutely refused to sleep in a den. Hiding in the badger den was the first time he'd stepped foot in a den since he was just over a couple months old. "No. Dens are not natural either."

Sebastian accepted the apology. The silver and charcoal male sat up, looking at the pup next to him. He couldn't do much about the pup leaving without saying anything, or scold him for that. The male nodded slowly when the pup spoke about not liking to be underground. He felt the same way, he always slept under the open sky. He was usually too big for a den, or had to make it bigger to fit, it was too much effort for a night sleep. Plus it was too hot for him under the ground. He thought of making a den but he never got to it really. 

"I feel you," he agreed. "But this was a emergency. Oh well, you are more than safe and not hurt. I will let you sleep now," he spoke. He winked at the young in a good natured way and smiled. "Sleep well," he wished and got to his feet. His large body grunting in response because he was not fully healed yet. He limped away from the site, back to his own spot under the tree.

Sebastian's explanation that this time was an emergency didn't change the fact that Nightjar felt going underground was unnatural. He supposed he understood, or at least he told himself he did. In reality, Nightjar would sooner tempt fate than do something that didn't feel right to him. Standing in a tornado felt wrong, but being deep in the earth's belly felt moreso.

"Bye," he rumbled as the adult excused himself. Rather than heading off himself, Nightjar curled back up into a ball with nose tucked into his tail and drifted back to sleep.