Two Rivers Isle New land, New rules

@Aeronwyn @Burke @Pyro @Vassago They traveled for a few days and have finally found a place they want to settle at.

Malice, who had only carried Pyro in their whole trip to a free land, was tired. She had barely slept and food was still scarce. Luckily Burke was such a good hunter, otherwise she had been a goner. The rain, though it had gone on for at least 24 hours, had finally stopped, and the bright summer sun lit up their pelts. They were an odd group for sure, but that made them so unique. A scarred mother, a docked tailed gray male, a white female and 2 little pups. They almost looked like a small pack like this, but finding a land was difficult.

After 2 more small rivers, it had been flat land with the towering mountains behind them and woods at both sides. For a moment Malice had thought they could settle somewhere in the woods, but she quickly shove that thought away. It would all remind them too much of the Dark Brotherhood. And so they went on, her concept of time growing dimmer and dimmer until they reached another peculiar river. Malice stopped a few feet away from it. She looked past the river and saw a nice forest, as well as some hills in the distance. Water; Burke was a fisher, right? Perhaps they could... Should she ask?

How about past this river? She looked at the bunch of them, her voice muffled by the body of little Pyro. It looks nice... She mumbled after, her eyes going back to the river. She started moving again, whether they wanted to settle here or not, and stopped at the edge of the river. She looked down into the water and saw fish, living their dream life in a home that Malice so desired. She looked for a shallower place she could cross, but without the approval of her friends and family, what would be the point?

Vassago seemed pretty thrilled about it, but honestly most things excited the boy these days. Though hearing and understanding was still beyond the Lanius' grasp, he was a master or so he liked to believe of walking and thought his eyesight was phenomenal. After all, it was the best he'd ever been at anything  and fully intended to get even better! Now that he was doing his best to advance in these things, he was much harder to keep track of. Pyro was always encouraged to follow, but whether the younger brother followed or not it was clearly Vassago being the ringleader. 
As he watched his mothers form at the river bank, no doubt with his brother with her, the little chestnut boy began to wiggle and whimper. When his wishes to be put down were not immediately fulfilled, however, he started to paw at Burke's face and whine louder; eventually those whines and paws would turn to barking and puppy-mangled howls, maybe even start to thrash should Malice move further.
           "Ma! Ma!"
His crude, garbled words could either be "mama" or "Malice", for those who wanted to hear it as such, but it was really only the chosen syllables to be yelped at the given moment.

Burke walked next to Malice while traveling. They had gone so many miles, and even Burke's head was starting to droop a bit down because he was tired. The male was not the youngest anymore, and he felt terribly weary. He had denied several other territories, but when Malice liked this location Burke grew a bit alert.

The large male watched the river, wondering if it would go all around the territory, it didn't look like it... Alas. The male followed the black female that already made her way across the water. Vassago was starting to get difficult and the father quickly responded with a warning growl, which probably vibrated heavily against the boy because he was locked between his jaw.

Burke made way through the shallows, missing the fish within the water because he was tried and carrying a pup he did not want to drop. Burke waded through the water and climbed back on the bank on the other side. He sniffed the air while holding Vassago. He placed the young down, but kept an eye on him. "We will rest here for now. Tomorrow we could explore and see if it is a well enough location," he agreed. He didn't know anything about the land for all he knew it was a bear or cougar hotspot. He did not like that.

Burke might hunt fish for them in the next few posts! :D

She had followed, at their tail, for a period of time she had no name for. Her ears had been pricked, her eyes constantly roaming, as the silver orbs searched for any flickers of movement she might see. She was beginning to feel a feirce protectiveness for the tiny pups, even though they couldn't do much beside roll around and were silent except for tiny peeps, they were strong. They had survived so much, and yet there was still so much to come. They were three weks old now; quite an accomplishment for the little bundles. 

The land across the river looked promising, and she stood by Malice's side, albeit a few meters off, as she spoke and surveyed the water. She followed as they made their way across, eyes on the pups lest they fall out of the grasps of their parents (however unlikely that was).

She nodded in agreement with Burke, for her paws were sore and her paw pads, tough as they were, were cracked and bloodied. "Yes. Should we sleep in shifts? We know naught what wolves dwell here."

Her attention flicked to her back when she heard the noises of Vassago, but knew not to worry. Even though the little troublemaker very much loved his dad, it was only natural for the babe to feel as if he must stay close to his milk-producer. She smiled at the little one's... words? Surely it was just babbling, but still- it told her they at least somewhat knew what was going on around them. Had they left any later, perhaps they would have scarred the boys for the rest of their life. What a story to tell, what lot they had to learn.

The band made their way across the river that prevented them from entering what they somewhat liked to have, and Malice dropped Pyro at the other side, her pelt soaked for the who knows what time. She shook her coat softly, hopefully not startling the children too much, and then settled near Burke. She hoped Vassago would waddle his own way to her, but she picked the sickly small Pyro up and placed him at her belly. 

Yes, please. I think a rest- we could all use. She sighed, taking everything in at the moment. Never had she been so free. She listened to Aeronwyn, and finally replied with. I suppose. I am willing to stay awake for a little while longer, if you would all rather rest first.

Burke looked across the territory, his eyes following the river they just waded through. These lush lands that didn't seem claimed, at least he could not smell anything for now. Malice spoke that they should rest, but Burke was still more than awake mentally. "No you two sleep. I will be awake for the first part. Good thinking Aero." Burke decided to quickly mark the banks they just climbed on.

Before going back to Malice and Aerowyn. He sat down, keeping his eyes on the world around him. The river was calming and the forest seemed quiet in a good way. Some birds were still busy. Burke wondered if this would be his forever home, or if they had to move once again. He sat there for a few hours, being on the lookout for any danger. When he noticed he was starting to fall asleep he nudged Malice awake. Letting her keep guard now.

Malice offered to stay awake, and Aeronwyn was about to contradict here when Burke spoke. He offered to take first watch, and Aeronwyn did not disagree. His nichname for her though...she would accept it. For now. She had never been given anything resembling a nickname before, and this was a new experience, it seemed. 

She settled a short distance from Malice and the pups, the forest sounds calming her, and soon the slept, though lightly. The wraith found sleep elusive after a couple of hours, the oddness of being in this new place and whirling thoughts keeping her up. So when Burke nudged Malice, she got to her feet and tread silently toward the pair. In a soft voice, as not to wake the pair, Aeronwyn said "No, you two sleep. You have pups to care for, and rest eludes me at the moment."

She turned without waiting for a response, settling into a sitting position a short distance from the pair, eyes and ears growing more alert as whatever sleep remained in her ebbed. She had absolutely no intention of waking either of them until morning, as this journey was much harder on them then for her. She was happy to sit alone and watch the world as it progressed around her.

Last post? Archive after?

She nodded, only now feeling the strings sleep had attached to her, and she placed her head on her paws. She knew not to go against what Burke wanted, knowing he was a stoic old man- yet lovable all the same. He truly did not belong in the Dark Brotherhood between all those crazed out wolves, and neither did Aeronwyn. And at the moment, not even Malice belonged there, even though her past self would have died for a spot among them had Nemesis not attacked her. But these thoughts were only temporary, and soon after they roamed her mind, she fell asleep after whispering: Goodnight, you all...

How long had passed, she had no idea, but a nudge awoke her. First she thought one of her potatoes had kicked her again, but that was not the case. She opened her yellow eyes, only to hear she could return to sleeping. Any other mother would have been grumpy, but not Malice. She just dealt with it, and closed her eyes again, hoping to sleep until morning.