Arrow Lake endrega workers

For @Stag, @Mesa, @Monarch, and @Ego!

"yes, i think it is a fine day to name them," the general bobbed his head to @Takiyok, his typical sullenness forgotten as a rare and immutable grin began to wrinkle  the fine crooks of his muzzle. he turned his muzzle briefly upwards, feeling grateful for the sun on his face and the breeze that ran cooler here as it picked up off the lake. he would allow himself this emotional reprieve, and temporarily disregard his personal issues in favor of enjoying this momentous occasion, but he couldn't stay in this moment for long - making him eager to initiate them sooner than his culture dictated.

"first, second, third, fourth," stigmata called out for the little heretics - who were each involved in a nearby independence - using a tone that was meant to collect them posthaste; his authoritarian mien leaving little room for disobedience. "come sit before me and your mother. it is time you received your names."

He wasn't the first, but he arrived before the others in an effort to prove his zeal. The sound of his father's voice carried across the range and while the boy wasn't too far, he responded instantaneously to the gruff timbre as it caught in his ears. The boy was taken by surprise as he came upon the general because he was sporting an uncharacteristic grin and the juvenile did not know if it was a good or a bad omen; but it did not deter him from a hasty advance, nor an enthusiastic thud as he ducked against the dirt, then straightened to attention, before the patriarch. Whether his siblings joined in or not, this particular child was hypervigilant of their father's typically grim mood and all too eager to court his affection with good behavior.

Very few wolves could rein First in quick order, Stigmata among them, The barbed tone of the baron commanded obedience, which First responded with an almost militaristic impulse. Coming to sit silently alongside his more eager brother, First's long gaze traveled upwards, scanning the unusual excitement in his sire's face with hedged uncertainty.

He was young, but First was not oblivious. The rare excitement that rippled off of the gargoyle's frame was noted with distrust, sniffed at curiously, and then set in the back of First's mind to be examined once he was out from under the eye of his father.

She was busy killing a very large stick, one she had been working on for days, and the sound of her father's summons caused a flicker of irritation; she was so close to chewing all the way through it, and she wasn't ready to give up yet. She knew what his tone meant, but she had decided to ignore it anyway, set on finishing her task before moving on to anything else. But, her two brothers gathered before their parents had her finally glancing over, and she noted the excitement in both her mother and father's posture. She thought maybe she was missing out on something, so third quickly abandoned her stick and trotted over to where her brothers sat, attempting to shove in between them and take a seat in the center where she belonged.

She was willing to put aside her anger for the sake of the pups, at least anytime she was in their presence, so when Stigmata suggested that today was the day to finally name them, she nodded and said: I think that sounds like a great idea. She couldn't help but feel a little excited despite everything; they had already somewhat discussed name ideas, and she was ready to stop calling them first, second, third, and fourth. They were plenty old enough to have real names, and each of them had their own distinct personalities already. 

She watched them gather, their second son arriving first with enthusiasm and curious excitement, and their first son joining soon after, his uncertainty clear in the way he cautiously inspected the situation. And, their daughter, who was becoming more obstinate everyday, very purposely ignored them at first. When Taki was about to get up herd her over to the group, she finally jumped up and trotted over, arriving with her usual distruptiveness. 

They were still missing one, the youngest, and she glanced around the area, wondering what was keeping him.

pp'ing ego

stigmata watched as their pups paraded in one by one, feeling particularly amused as he imagined fitting their young, malleable personalities with titles that would hopefully live long after they had gone. he noted how second arrived competitively in the forefront, and how first rather skeptically came to join him. his eyes lit up as his stubborn princess came to insert herself dominantly between the two - declaring herself as a young queen - and then his gaze darkened as it settled upon the ambling approach of their most touchy and rebellious child, fourth. their lastborn settled like a dark cloud behind his siblings, and seemed disinterested at best with what was happening.

stigmata tore his gaze away from their darkling child, trying to ignore the urge to take him by the scruff and shake him. hard.

"first," he addressed the collared boy in a snap. "we shall start with you." he seemed to scrutinize their lanky firstborn for a minute, though mostly he was considering his son's approach to this meeting. which had been both cautious, and unafraid. the makings of a good leader and a better survivalist. stigmata leaned in to takiyok.

"do you remember the night after having them, and i asked you what order they had been born in? i do not think you meant to, but you answered me in your native tongue." he smirked, knowing that she'd fallen asleep mid-answer, and likely remembered no such conversation ever occurring. especially since he had brought up the topic again, a few days later, without ever mentioning what had happened the first time. "you pointed to him and said sivullik. i think that should be his name."

a pause, then: "he also reminds me of a stag."

My bad for holding this up with my absence! Feel free to skip me in future.

When the last of the children arrived, the pale boy turned his attention away from his father to briefly level a sharp eye upon them, and then with a snicker, he rolled awardly towards them, reaching and grasping at the air with his gnashing teeth. He hoped to grasp at his sibling and pull him closer - perhaps in to a pile - but wasn't able to reach them on the first pass. He scrambled against the dirt and lunged with all the grace of a fish out of water, ending with an exasperated sigh as he collapsed upon his sibling as if to pin them, forgetting all about the serious overtone as he goofed off.

I'm super sorry to have let this sit for so long. I was struggling with how to close it. I hope this is okay. I'll leave it open for a week or so for anyone who wants to reply.

She did not remember the initial conversation to which he referred; she was exhausted for the first few days after giving birth and had slept quite a bit, so she wasn't really surprised. She had also picked out possible northern names long before they were born, despite the fact that she told Mahler they hadn't decided on any yet. She wanted the first time they were spoken to be to the children.

Sivullik, she repeated, looking down at their first born. It means first, Taki explained. And he also reminds me of a stag. Their handsome, proud first born.

She looked to their second born next. Tuvak Taki said after a few moments. It means thick ice. She turned to Stigmata as he added Mesa. She nodded. Both are sturdy and resilient, she added. She thought it fit their second born well.

Their only daughter was next, and Taki looked to her and said: Simmik. She raised and eyebrow and continued, It means clear ice. Stigmata quickly added Monarch, and Taki nodded. Straightforward and confident. Both names fit their blunt, strong-willed daughter well.

She turned to their last born. Atanik. She smiled. It means King. She also liked that it sounded like her surname since they would be taking their fathers. Stigmata then offered Ego. Intense and proud, Taki added, thinking those names fit their last born well. 

She looked to each child then. You can choose which name to go by.  She wondered what they thought about their names. Taki felt like they had all been named aptly, and she hoped they would grow to be proud of both sides of their heritage.