The Sentinels give me your hand — save me

Special delivery! One small, adorable puppy as previously discussed.

@Chusi, Szymon is using the name that Lotte gave him, Kitku [which is a false name, but it is how she introduced herself to him].

Szymon moved with slow, measured steps, intent on setting a pace that was appropriate for the tiny dancer who had graced the shores of Blackrock Depths. “Y-You may v-visit us anytime you l-l-like, @Chusi,” he told the ocher-eyed girl, fixing her with a solemn glance of golden eyes. “Doe, Arturo, and I w-will t-teach you to s-swim and fish like a true s-seawolf.” The time for the Drop had not come for Chusi — it would have been uncouth for Szymon to chuck her into the sea in front of all the wolves gathered at Doe’s Den Night. He cast an uneasy glance at the oddly marked female who walked on the other side of Chusi, her argent eyes flashing a suspicious glare of equal measure toward him. “K-Kitku will c-care for you and help you g-grow strong and t-t-tall.” The female’s eyes seemed to soften at this, but she said nothing as they stopped at the borders of the wood and Szymon set his call upon the wind, his sonorous bass timbre calling specifically for @Aria. He had never spoken to her before, for their first and only meeting had been terse and businesslike, but his tone was respectful as befitted his coming to her borders.

The call was close. Very close. The male spent his free time in the service of the pack and combed the borders, scrutinising many who might come along. This call was close enough that Castiel rounded back to find an usual prospect. A male, the stench of the Depths heavy on his coat, and a small child. A nod was given to the masses, his gaze softening a bit as he looked down upon the small child. "May I help you?" The guardian asked curiously, wondering what their intent was.

She had made sure she had said goodbye to everyone- or, almost everyone- before Szymon had taken her to what she thought to be Donnelaith. She was sad she couldn't stay at Blackrock Depths, and especially sad that Szymon and Arturo wouldn't be there at all times. She had also learned her golden and black friend was not called something as silly as SneezeMoms- instead something just like her with no meaning. Or, if it had meaning, she did not know of it. With happy hops she had followed, hiding the painful emotions inside her tiny head. She thought of Zephyr, and Aggie, and Darky and all of her Blackrock Depths friends that she would have to miss at Donnelaith. What had she gotten herself into? Still, this was her calling, she felt deep inside, and at least she would have Lotte.

Also fight like wolfy of the sea? She chipped happily up at her bigger friend. She had always wanted to see a true fight, but never had one happened near enough got her to see. She smiled purely up at him- he was right. Lotte was nice and butterfly, and she was sure the Donnelaith wolves couldn't be that bad. 

Her call joined that of her founder- voice breaking here and there but definitely howl-like. She then plopped her tiny, black butt on the ground to wait for whoever she would live with here. She scampered back up as a massive brown mass went for them, and hid close to Szymon and Lotte.

Aria came and stood beside Castiel, nosing his shoulder gently. Her gaze looked the visitors up and down for a moment before resting on the child. "Is something wrong?" she asked. She knew the Depths wolves were allies, though she did not think them as friends-- a chummy visit was less than expected. She held genuine concern in her voice, eyes narrowing with confusion. Who's child was this? Why did she come with? She prayed there was no illness, even though they promised to heal the other pack she was not keen on the possibility of the illness spreading into Donnelaith.

Melting from the shadows, Lotte brought up the rear of the caravan from Stavanger Bay — she had completed the task Constantine had set before her, but her affection for Chusi bade her set greater importance on seeing the ocher-eyed cub safely ensconced in the sheltering wood than to sing of her newfound knowledge. Argent eyes settled upon the stammering wolf with obvious suspicion; she was given no incentive to hide her dislike for the wolf’s abandonment of the child, no matter his reasons. Capturing Chusi’s tea-colored gaze with her silver one, “I will not always be with you,” Lotte stated forthrightly, “for I am meant to travel far and wide. I will be your isosisko — in your tongue, older sister — and spend what time with you I can, but in my absence you must still be strong.” She disliked the male all the more for putting such immense responsibility on her shoulders; she would be out of the territory more than she was inside it as befitted her place as an aspiring scout, and did not wish Chusi to feel as if her isosisko had abandoned her.

Before Aria and her blue-eyed guardian, Lotte curled one foreleg beneath the swell of her breast as the other outstretched in a graceful bow. “Rakeet, comrades,” she said in her warm, rich alto. “Chusi, this is Aria — the johtaja of Donnelaith — and one of its most ardent suojelija.” She did not know the male’s name but took it at face value that he was one of the sentinels of the wood, for his quick response. She smoothed a gentle lick upon the girl’s crown, the bridge of her broad muzzle nosing comfortingly at the foundling’s shoulder. “You must greet them with politeness, for they are kind and good wolves, and this is their forest. I will show you how. Rakeet, herra, my name is Kitku — Iota of Donnelaith. I am pleased to meet you.” Again she bowed. She refused to explain the situation — that she would leave to Szymon, for it was entirely his fault that the child was being delivered unto the wood’s proverbial doorstep.

She listened with perked ears to her "older sister", not quite knowing what a sister meant. Was it like a mother? But Lotte was no monster, Chusi could tell just by looking at her silver scarf and her kind face. Why can't I travel with ya? I'm big 'n strong! She chipped happily. I love explorin'- pwease, isosiska? She asked with a huge, hopeful grin. It was true- exploring and perhaps fighting one day was her true calling, whether it was with the Depths' wolves or the coastal wolves. Soon she'd find out that her home was at Arturo's side, but she didn't know the masked man would come close to Donnelaith in just a few days or weeks.

A white female came to them when they were at the border of what Chusi assumed to be Donnelaith. She froze and went a little closer to her older sister for protection. She listened, not understand what exactly the words were that Lotte was speaking. Still, as she continued, she understood somewhat. She bowed her tiny frame down the way her older sister had done, carefully repeating the weird words she had spoken too. R'keet, herra, I'm Chusi... uhmm... Päiväperhonen of the coast. Pleased to meet ya... She greeted.

“Of c-course, Chusi,” Szymon assured the small girl with a roguish grin, “y-you will learn to f-f-fight like a good seawolf.” His attention was immediately drawn by the presence of a chocolate-patterned wolf with startlingly blue eyes, salt-crusted fur bristling like porcupine quills as he grasped desperately for polite composure. The situation was not ideal. Szymon was not a capable ambassador or caretaker, and the thought of stuttering in front of the heavily-muscled guardian whose lithium blue eyes regarded him with curiosity was utterly distasteful. “Yes. I am S-Szymon, Gamma of B-Blackrock D-D-Depths,” he rumbled in a low, expressionless bass, dipping his muzzle in a cordial way toward the sepia-toned male. Swinging his narrow skull around, he nosed soothingly at Chusi — nearly bumping muzzles with the argent-eyed bard as they both hurried to cater to her comfort.

Aria’s presence begged even more respect from the black-banded Cairn, who knew her rank and respected her ownership of the forest. He made his already respectful stance lower in her presence, golden eyes casting themselves at her paws. “Aria J-January,” he said formally, believing she would recognize him, not exactly sure how to properly entreat her. He waited as the silver-eyed female made the proper introductions and led Chusi to introduce herself — grateful for her leadership in the matter. “Chusi is — ” The words stuck in his throat, choking him, and he felt like the lowest, weakest wolf in that moment. Compassion lingered within Kitku’s stormy eyes in that moment, and although they were far from friends, Szymon clung to that understanding and used it to fuel him further: “Chusi was alone,” he amended, his auriferous eyes telling the tiny girl she would never be alone again if she did not wish to be. “Our n-numbers are s-s-small, and the L-Leviathan is r-r-recovering from w-wounds won in b-battle. I am s-sorry,” he said, hating the weak way the apology tasted, “to c-come to you at this l-l-late hour. M-May she s-stay with the wolves of D-D-Donnelaith?” He was swift to assure the woman: “I w-w-will provide meat and f-f-fish for your c-caches.”

Castiel's gaze drifted between the trio, waiting for the appropriate explanations to be offered until Aria arrived. Her gently touches soothed him for a moment, put on edge by the involvement of the child. He did not truly know what to do around children but still the question was put to mind of just what was happening. "Castiel." He offered simply in way of introductions, not sure that his rank was relevant when it came to the presence of the Alpha next to him. The two adults in the situation were quick to offer the story - at least partially - of why the child was there. She was too much to handle, apparently, for the still-fledgling pack. 

"Were you hurt, little Chusi?" Castiel asked curiously, his gravelly voice softening a bit in a surprising show of kindness to the child. Castiel was not an unkind man, not at all, but he was frequent to fumble through social interactions and he often came off as gruff. His gaze turned to Aria for a moment, and if need be, he would have vouched to the care of the child if it was for her best interests. 

"It is good to see you, Szymon," Aria says, dipping her head in slight greeting. She remembered him briefly from their encounter-- but the pale queen never forgot a name. She watched the child curiously for a moment, her tail swaying a few times. 

"Chusi is welcome here, Donnelaith is a friend to Blackrock Depths, we will not turn her away." For a moment, the alphess hesitates to accept his offer to their caches. It is fall now, and winter soon, and they could use all the extra food. But Blackrock Depth is an ally, and if they could not stand to allow a child amongst themselves for-- what she could only assume was lack of resources-- could they stand to put food into Donnelaith as well?

"We would appreciate anything you can spare, but if your pack needs it then you should focus on keeping them healthy," she added finally, feeling that was a healthy medium. Her head bends to the child. "Castiel is a warrior-- when they cannot be here, I am sure he would love to teach you to be a warrior of the ocean," she added, glancing to Castiel with a small smile. Even if he was not a fan of children, she knew he would be more than capable of handling one every now and then. 

Last post from Lotte! @Chusi, you can choose where the den is and what it looks like if you want to [since I never decided on a den for her]. ^^ Please assume that Lotte will sleep with Chuschusbus and stick by her if that is what you want; otherwise you can play it out however you wish. ♥

EDIT: If this post appears multiple times, it should fix itself if you refresh.

Grateful that the Donnelaith wolves had accepted her alias, Lotte nevertheless found a bitter taste in her mouth. Why had Kitku raised her head? The Daggerspine only made an appearance in times of dire need, and this had been a mere trifle in the grand scheme of things. Lotte had been commanded to get information, which she could have done without ever using a false name at all. A bard was not unlike a bartender — her patrons were glutted on story and made drunk by song, and in the sharing of tales she became privy to many things. Chusi herself had been a grand example of that, telling her life story and its happy ending — which Lotte still feared would not come to pass — without even being prompted. Pleased to hear that the small girl would be granted a place here among the sanctuary of sequoias, Lotte bowed low in her typical fashion, one leg tucking as the other grandly outstretched itself. “I will do all in my power to help care for her, johtaja,” she vowed, dipping her muzzle as well to Castiel when she learned his name. “Castiel, herra, I am pleased to know you — and would welcome a spar at a later date if you desire.” Perhaps if she immersed herself in being simply Lotte the unsettling feeling that snaked down her spine would ease. Regarding the golden-eyed wolf with an unreadable, stoic expression, Lotte bent her head to Chusi. “Pikkusisko, I will let you spend time with your protector and make a bed for you in my den.” With that, she drew back and took her leave.

Alone? I was with Darky fo' the whole day ya found meh. She defended Doe's shadow with confidence. Anyone barely recognized the tuffed one, she knew, for she hadn't even joined them at the story-telling night. But today was going to be different; everyone would know how her friend had protected her without words and had caught a fish with little effort just for her. She caught a fish fo' meh. She praised the dark one's existence with a smile. She didn't mean to say that Szymon was wrong, she really just wanted Darky to be recognized.

The name male, Castiel, he had said, asked her a ridiculous question. Who in Teekon would ever hurt her? Even her mother hadn't physically abused her. Nope- I'm fine. She chipped up at the male. She was elated to hear Aria accepted her-unlike Doe- and pressed her wet, cold nose against the white female's leg. Thank ya! She barked, but quickly got distracted by her scarfed caretaker.

Okaay, Isosisko. She called after her- looking at the adults present still to see and hear if they had anything more to say.

We can wrap this up this round if you guys want. ^^ If so this will be my last Sizzle post.

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The white queen was as gracious and regal as Szymon remembered. “I am in y-your d-d-debt,” he uttered when she calmly and swiftly accepted Chusi as one of Donnelaith’s own. “I am an Angler,” he explained, “r-r-responsible for s-stocking the c-caches. I w-will tend to D-D-Donnelaith’s as c-carefully as I t-tend my own.” Szymon could be taken at his word — he had provided meat for Donnelaith’s caches before. Carefully he kept his expression neutral and offered no comment when the northern woman spoke of Castiel teaching Chusi to be a seawolf; the sepia-toned wolf was not a Cairn and had no business speaking of the Sea in any way, but Szymon would not trample on Aria’s judgment after her act of kindness. He bowed his head to Kitku, who seemed to be less than enamored of his company, and smoothed a gentle lick across Chusi’s shoulders. The girl seemed eager to be off, and Szymon would not stay her. “You may v-visit us anytime,” he reassured her again. “C-C-Call for Doe or me or Arturo.” As an afterthought, he added to all present: “My mate,” he said, pride filling him at the word that marked Doe as his, “is p-p-planning another Den Night. All of D-D-Donnelaith is invited. Chusi t-told a story tonight; p-perhaps she will tell another at the n-n-next one.”

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Castiel regarded the little wolf as Aria mentioned that he would instruct her. He was not familiar with puppies, children had never before been an option for him and certainly now it was further away even. He licked his lips, looking down at the little wolf as she insisted that she was fine. "Good," He responded in a hum. He still didn't know just what he was expected to do other than make sure no harm came to the girl; that was expected enough. Castiel gave a gruff nod as it was relayed that Chusi had offered stories - Castiel had many, though mostly wrought with virtues and slaughters. Both praise and destruction given all in one and none of it was acceptable for children's ears. Still he gave a nod, glancing over at Aria to see if there was anything else they needed to attend to. He was aware of Lotte's interests, nodding briefly to the woman at the notion of a spar. It had been so long since he was properly tested and stretching his legs, so to say would be welcome.

"I appreciate that, Szymon," she said, dipping her head gratefully. "Chusi will do well here, you are welcome to visit her," she added. 

With that, she glanced to the child her pressed her little nose against her leg, and Aria dipped her head to give her a quick kiss on the head. "Good," she echoed Castiel, and with that motioned for them to come back into the territory, giving the Depths wolves a farewell and Castiel a quick look of gratitude for not arguing with her about childcare-- she didn't have the time.

last post from me