Stone Circle Kill the beast!

Things were happier lately after the attack on Leta. It seemed her girl was surviving her wounds. Though she would never be the same she was alive and Valette was grateful for that. Valette's own body recovered from the sprain as well. She could put her full weight on it. The mother would take an injury any day if it meant her own children wouldn't have to suffer. Valette also talked to Greyback and it gave her confidence that the male wanted to be with her just as much as she wanted to be with him. She just needed to be better at communicating and not shutting him out.

Valette decided it was a good time to learn the pups some hunting or let's say, killing. Valette had a raccoon between her jaws but it was still alive. It was not fighting as much as it did before. It was tiring from fighting against her. Valette approached the clearing the pups stayed in these days. She placed the raccoon on the ground and woofed to call her children @Clay @West Tyree @Newt @Leta. She wondered if @Greyback was around as well to see. She would love to co-parent this. "Who knows what this is?," she asked her children. She had told them about wildlife and what they ate. She glanced at Newt, since he usually knew those things.

Valette had taken them on trips to spot prey and stay silent. The staying silent was tough with four children but at least they would learn that if they made any noise their prey would spook and run away. The raccoon was breathing heavily and tried to move but didn't really get far. "What are the weak spots of prey?," she then asked. It was a simple question since it was the same for wolves. Valette always took her hunting lessons very seriously. She wanted her kids to know how to feed themselves.

The boy had been wrestling with Clay when his mother approached. Relinquishing his grip on his youngest sibling, his attention turned to his mother who approached with a weird creature in her maw. He was asked if he knew what it was, but to be honest he wasn't too sure. He knew about the bison and smaller creatures like rabbits, but this one escaped him. Newt probably knew the answer so he too looked to him expectantly.

However the next question he actually did know! Before he was outshined by one of his siblings, West spoke up, possibly interrupting someone else. OH- the neck! And uh, legs and bellies.

Watching how West interacted with Clay, the greyscale boy is still determined to figure out how his older brother got to be so strong. As days pass, he continues to grow, and Newt remains lanky—scrawny, even. What he does not realize is that he’s growing, just more slowly than his older brother.

At the woof of their mother, West is quick to separate from Clay. Newt inspects the younger for any injuries, giving him a wag of his tail tip and a gentle, almost motherly smile. He does not wish to keep mother waiting long, however, and turns to follow after West.

Instantly, his eyes go to the creature at his mother’s feet. His fur raising on end, and he lowers himself towards the ground, leaning towards it to sniff and jolting when the beast turned towards him defensively. His ears round and pulled towards it. Valette asks them what the creature is, and eyes suddenly land upon him. The spotlight is weird, but he feels a sense of pride to be trusted with such knowledge.

“A coon… ra… raccoon.” Newt tries to seem confident in his answer, but he is uncertain. This masked creature isn’t often on the menu like rabbits were.

Clay had been eagerly enjoying his brother's play when the woof of their mother sounded. However, he was reluctant to let go, and when West turned the small boy rushed forward and gave one last offending shove before prancing ahead with his nose turned high. Hmph! West was always pushing him around and getting the last word, it was about time for him to do the same.

He was glad that Newt had approached him, but as soon as he saw the nature of the approach Clay quickly backed up and gave a growl. He didn't need any love or nurturing from him. Clay was big! He was strong like his brother! He was fine.

Clay approached his mother to see the animal hanging from her jaws. He had no clue what it was called, but remembered seeming them around. His brows furrowed as he tried to think about it, his head turned down as he looked at his paws in concentration. Sadly Newt had gotten to an answer first. "COoon?" Clay echoed, his o drifting off in a drawl as he glared at his brother.

It sounded dumb.

Clay just ignored everyone in favor of staring at the racoon, taking in it's ragged state as it tried to get away.

Valette had mentioned something about teaching the pups to hunt earlier, and Greyback—eager and proud as ever, was excited to see how his children would take to the newfound subject.

He had been present for the event so far, standing silently next to Valette like a statue and looking upon their kids with a stoic air that would crack momentarily to reveal a soft smile. The racoon had been wrangled and exhausted to the brink of collapse, therefor he paid little attention to it, only snapping at it to round it back towards the group when it strayed too far.

West and Newt were curious as ever, their answers fumbling from their mouths in a fury. West was loud and pushy with his answers, something that did little to surprise to the father, while Newt was hesitant. He supposed it was only reasonable that the little scholar would be tentative in his knowledge. He hoped that such a trait wouldn't stay too long.

And clay; Clay was aloof as always, a habit of his that irked the Patriarch to no ends. "Clay," he called roughly, his voice authoritative and sharp as he attempted to catch the boy's attention to the question.

Leta had a mind of her own, though often deferred to her brothers judgment first. It was not that she felt timid or overwhelmed around them, only that she loved them so much that she felt everything they said was right, or the best. What more could she add? Only when Clay mocked Newt did Leta first begin to participate, darting to the bullies side and attempting to nose his shoulder gently for his attention. Be nice to Newt!!! she whispered, but the words were hardly a command or demand coming from her. Even as she said it, her tail waved and her eyes were bright and loving. After hearing her fathers verbal reprimand, Leta's ears flattened at the inflection of his tone. Grimacing, she now offered a comforting nudge to Clay, though he might avoid her touch altogether. 

Darting over to West, her tail waved all the more. She knew that much from watching their family hunt, but... uhm... can tails be??? Leta asked, curious. The tail of the raccoon was much bigger than a bison tail. It looked easier to grab!

Valette soon had the attention from all the children. She soon had West eagerly answering her question. He had been right, then again he had been the most interested in hunting from the four. She nodded to him. "Yes, the belly and the neck," she agreed. "The legs can be convenient but with bigger animals they can also be dangerous," she lectured on a serious tone. She smiled at Newt when he knew the answer. "Very good, Newt!," she praised, though it seemed to overshadowed by Clay making fun of Newt and Greyback's thunder.

Valette's hazel green eyes fell on Clay with a strict expression. She would have nipped him if he was in reach. "Instead of making fun of your brother, Clay, why don't you show me where the neck and belly are on raccoon," she stated. Then Leta's voice caught her attention. Valette really had a soft spot for her after the attack. "Not all animals have long tails, like rabbits and hares. So it would be really tough to catch those. The neck and belly are the best," she assured her daughter and then her attention moved back to Clay.

"Clay, I also want to know why the neck is better to grab instead of the belly," she questioned him. She glanced at West and Newt with a soft warning to not just yell it out even though they might know it. This was for Clay to answer.

West's tail wagged happily behind him. It wasn't often that he had the right answers, or even the chance to answer first. Newt was always the go-to for things like this, but with good reason. His attention turned to his youngest brother as Valette disapproved of Clay's interruption. Catching his mother's glance he'd sit silent and wait for Clay's response.

Greyback's harsh tone was quick to grab the boy's attention while he trotted over and nudged him back towards the group. Though he was nearing the end of his wits, the father's touches were always gentle. "Pay attention to the class, you'll need it." He whispered softly to the gray boy, hoping that changing his tone would garner the kid to listen.

Once the boy ran back the Patriarch would yawn and sit down behind Newt, Clay, and Leta, his gaze raking over them as they eagerly answered. He would even give them a lick when they got one right.

I lost Leta's PW and I AM NOW RESTORED. Can pls be titled??? derp

Her mothers response made sense, and Leta's thoughtful expression lingered as she turned her gaze back to the animal. The neck and the belly were the best, her mother had said, and so it was so. Tails... yes, rabbits did not really have them, did they?

But why was that? Leta thought she knew; the throat was the most sensitive spot on a wolf, and since that day she had been instructed the basics of self-defense. Protecting that vulnerable area seemed to be the top priority... but why exactly? Her bright eyes moved to Clay, wondering if he knew.