Bearclaw Valley take me to the jungle

rendezvous site time, a bit overdue! :D

"No!" @Wyatt scowled with a frown on his face as Laurel told him that they would move to the rendezvous site. "You're gonna love it there," Laurel said, though the tone of her voice showed little friendliness at that point. She was worn down to the bone. After forcing Wyatt outside -- which didn't happen without some yelps and complaining 'no!'s from his end -- Laurel gathered @Nunataq, @Marten, @Lucas and @Piper as well so that they could take off. She had already informed @Indra with her little @Merrick and they were all ready for the move, too.

Laurel patiently waited for everyone to gather as she had instructed before they would take off; she'd told them briefly they would move to a new place, like the den but bigger and more open, and that the rest of the pack'd help look after them there.

Lucas empathized with his brother when Wyatt began throwing a tantrum about leaving, but chose to stay well out of it. He was excited about going somewhere new, but didn't want to come between Laurel and Wyatt in any way by siding with one or the other. It was their ordeal, and he wasn't keen on conflict anyway. He would rather avoid it. Instead, he went through a small pile of furs at the back of the den, searching for a particular one to bring with him as a reminder of home. Sentimental fool, this one.

He found the squirrel pelt that Mona had brought by when she visited them and tugged it out from under several rabbit hides and a badger's tattered back fur. It still had the fluffy tail attached, and that was why he chose it. Cramming it into his mouth and fighting the brief urge to gag against the wispy hairs, the cherub swung around, portly gut swaying, and evacuated the den. He cast his brother a sympathetic look, flinched away from the heated glare Wyatt pinned him with—though it was more of a scowl for the world at large than one aimed at him—and waddled over to where Laurel was waiting for them with his prize in tow.

Nunataq did not have the slightest idea of what was all the commotion about, but it did not matter anyway. Where there was action going on, she would definitely be there and join the party, even if it was for the sake of participation.

She would have had no regret to leave the densite, because with her heading over to the fourth month and growing rapidly, the current home had gotten to small. And with the ongoing heat she preferred to sleep outside. But by the time she would reach the new home, she would find the spacious den a welcome change.

When she arrived - Wyatt was upset, Laurel was annoyed - therefore the puppy tiptoed around the adult as inconspicuously as possible and slid by Lucas's side. He seemed to be of a much more content and happy demeanor. Plus, he had an object in his mouth that caught the brown cub's interest immediately. She bumped her hip against his in a friendly manner (a greeting) and with a wagging tail examined the rabbit hide, drawing in the old, but still delicious smell of it.

Perhaps, when they were on the road, she would try to steal it for herself.

if something was wrong, marten didn't care. they were moving! and he was oh so excited to see more more more. he padded happily alongside laurel, not interacting with her because subconsciously he kinda figured she wasn't having it. he wished indra was coming, he loved his mama. a few times he looked over his shoulder to see if she was here-- but she never was, so he eventually just kept his eyes forwards, happy and quiet and little tail awavin.

COMIN IN HOT.. and late. oop

laurel had told indra the night prior her plans to shift the densite -- it was a welcome change, for the old den was well at capacity. each of the pups save merrick had grown exponentially -- and indra, tired as she was, looked forward to their reactions to their new digs.

after talking to laurel that night, indra realized that would leave her and @Merrick alone. he was still quite small, but he needed the socialization of the other puppies, and indra quite frankly needed laurel. she had decided then she would go with them, with merrick -- the move might be hard on him and certainly sooner than she had envisioned, but he had no competition for her milk, and she was confident he would adjust... eventually.

carrying merrick then gingerly, indra left the den and arrived in time to see laurel eject a protesting wyatt from the den. she placed merrick carefully down and watched as nunataq flanked lucas -- and caught marten glance behind his back as if searching for something. she did not catch that he was looking for her, though she affectionately pulled close to the pups to give each a tender nudge in greeting should they allow it.

The rest joined; Marten looked content enough, though Laurel found it hard to gauge what he was thinking most of the time anyway and he left her alone today too. Lucas brought his favourite squirrel hide, which was adorable, and Nuna joined by Lucas' side. @Piper presumably joined them too and Wyatt spent a minute or so sulking at the den's exit before deciding that he didn't want to be left all alone and dashing after them.

Laurel was glad that Indra was coming, too; she didn't know what she'd do without her sister's support. She smiled as Indra, carrying Merrick, exited the den and joined them (surely to @Marten's immediate delight) and continued the way to the rendezvous site near Bearclaw Valley's center where they would have a varied terrain at their disposal; there was a large open field with some boulders spread here and there, a shallower part of the river to play in and a slightly deeper part where they could learn to swim, and patches of maple trees scattered around the edges.

The troupe chugged along at last, with Indra and her tiny pup joining them. They got Lucas' attention for a short while, his eyes lingering on the red-ruffed babe swinging from his aunt's lips, but soon enough he was back in his head where imaginary music pounded. His walk transformed as they went, first into a playful bop and then into a full on strut with him bouncing his head and rear along to his inner beat. The squirrel pelt dipped and bobbed in his mouth and he giggled through his nose each time its fuzzy tail flopped across his muzzle.

When they reached Bearclaw's inner valley, Lucas' pale blue gaze widened and he gaped, dropping the squirrel in the process. He stumbled on his over-large paws and pudgy belly when he stooped to scoop it up, though @Nunataq was faster and almost certainly snatched it away when the opportunity presented itself. He didn't bother much over the loss, though, because his eyes found the river and a huge grin split his sexy little face.

"Cool!" he exclaimed, and without further ado, broke into a slow, waddling sprint for the shallow river to look for the shiny rocks Laurel had told him she and Indra enjoyed so much.

That squirrel pelt in Lucas's jaws was like a luring toy to a cat - Nunataq's eyes followed it's movement up and down and she kept her pace so that she would be able to run right next to him and have a chance to snatch it the moment an opportunity presented itself. And it did - only at the end of their walk, where her brother, entirely consumed by the scenery around him, dropped it. A second later it was secured safely in Nuna's jaws, except her joy for having it all to herself waned, when she saw that something else had caught the boy's interest. She let out a muffled bark and, still holding on the squirrel pelt, ran after him to see, what he was up to.

for a moment, marten hesitated to sprint after nuna and lucas. whoa that looked fun. but one more glance back for indra and!! there she was! marten forgot all about the pelt, instead galloping ungracefully towards his mama and head butting into her legs. "we're goin!" he announced chirpily, "alluvus!" he relished in his little nudges, wiggling and walking alongside indra as they traveled.

marten was the first to notice her arrival, and indra smiled kindly as he bounded over to her in excited steps. when he butted her leg she supplanted a soft nibble along his ears, nudging him after merrick's already bounding form. the other puppies were playing amongst themselves - indra watched as lucas discarded the pelt in his jaws, and nunataq swiftly pounced upon it.

it was not long that they traveled. laurel drew to a stop at a familiar place, and indra was glad for it - merrick was much too young for long distances, and would have tired before long. once they had all crested the small rise indra looked down across the grassy knoll, shouldering laurel affectionately as she watched their family cavort around them in delighted discovery.

Marten was the one -- except Merrick, of course -- who stayed closest. Piper seemed hesitant to join Lucas and Nunataq in their game over the squirrel pelt as they travelled, choosing the safe route as she tended to. Wyatt stayed close only because he was grumpy being forced to go anywhere at all, a dark frown on his face and every question that was asked or thing said answered with a recalcitrant "no". This place would grow on him, Laurel knew, but for now he was not convinced this was for the best.

At Indra's bump to the shoulder Laurel smiled. She watched as Lucas ran over to the creek, followed closely by Nuna. Fond memories of playing in the water with Indra passed her mind momentarily before she settled on a small hill where she'd rest for now -- maybe they could dig out a small den for Merrick and Indra later, in case bad weather would come.

Last one for me.

Bingo! The shallow water had just what Lucas was looking for. Its banks were comprised primarily of pebbles of all shapes and sizes. Some were large and smooth, others were small and jagged, and some were merely broken rock chips hidden in the coarse sand. The current was swift but the water didn't rise too high, so he could wade into its shallowest parts and hunt about for eye-catching stones.

Nunataq joined him in short order and he spent the next little while finding the prettiest of rocks the river had to offer and presenting them to his half-sister.

That's it? Water? Nuna was slightly disappointed in Lucas's choice of interest, especially, when up close it turned out that the roundishly flat hard objects at the riverbed were more exciting than the pelt his half-sister had stolen from him.

Out of courtesy, she meandered around the banks a little while and pretended to be just as curious, but then hopped out of the water, lied down in soft grassy spot nearby and with the pelt between her paws, she began to disintegrate it. Maybe Lucas would come to his senses eventually and realize that THIS was the really cool stuff to do.

Last one from me as well.

archiving <3

the puppies played and frolicked, while the two parents fell in-step alongside one another, quietly conversing. indra believed this change would be good; it would broaden the cub's horizons while giving them more to explore -- all without the sacrifice of safety, for they were now deep in the hearth of their homeland, and well secured.

indra could not help the sigh of relief that left her then, as she gazed over her home -- and more importantly, her family.