Dragoncrest Cliffs you’re my crystal and clover

Meerkat slipped to her belly a few feet from the mouth of the burrow, face angled toward the doorway. She let out a low, crooning note, coaxing little @Stingray, @Swordfish and @Mercy to join her outside. The weather was particularly fine today and they were at the age where it was time to expand their horizons, if only a little.

Tagging @Njord too in case he wants to make an appearance. :D

Swordfish gazed out at his mother from the warmth of the den. His heavy-lidded gaze was weighted with sleepiness. It seemed that his mom wanted him to go outside, which he was not certain that he wanted to do. The sun was creeping to the point that it would soon spill into the mouth of their home, right where his plump little belly was stretched out. The boy knew that it would be the key to a deep rest, the perfect nap.

A yawn parted his mouth, ending in a quiet little yip. A small pink tongue flashed, swiping over his muzzle. Swordfish turned his head to look at his sister and brother. He wondered if they would be compelled from the den and into the sun. Even if they were, he wasn’t sure that it would be enough to sway his mind.

Another yawn. Swordfish peered at his mom with the biggest of baby eyes.

Stingray followed Meerkat eagerly to the den's threshold, but when she continued out into the sunlight and nobody came to took her place, he tilted his head and paused. Swordfish wasn't moved by the affair in the slightest, his expression languid as the pair locked eyes for a moment. Stingray felt his own jaws compelled apart in a whining yawn by the sound of his brother's winding down. He cast his sister a look as well, and it was like looking at her was the answer he needed. Mercy wasn't wont to sit around when adventure called. Why should he?!

Excitement and energy bubbled up in him, and before he knew it, he was bumbling past Swordfish on giddy paws, knocking his sibling with his swinging tail as he went. Bright light turned his face to radiant gold and made him screw his eyes up. Reflexively blinking, he swiped his tongue over his nose several times before catching sight of Meerkat again. With a lolling puppy smile, he bounded toward her in an exaggerated and uncoordinated fashion.

A proper visit to Meerkat and her family was long overdue. In the whirlwind of her own interests, Chacal had been slightly absent for a period of a few days,  before returning to devote her time both to her youngest siblings and the borders. 

Her heart ached, still. And she awoke every morning with only a temporary respite from her heartache before realization settled back in again. 

She resolved, though, to be dedicated to her packmates, and felt it was about time to dote on the brood of Sapphique children born to Njord and Meerkat. She brought with her a rabbit caught only hours ago, still fresh as a gift for the young mother. 

When she came within view, Meerkat was outside her den, in the sunlight, beaming down upon one of the children who bumbled their way outside. Amicably, Chacal lowered her head and uttered a soft woof over the rabbit she carried, while still allowing her tail to swing from side to side in hopes of an invitation.

Thought I’d keep this moving, though anyone’s welcome to pop in anytime! :)

Her two sons appeared in the den’s mouth. Swordfish lingered there, making doe eyes at his mother, who was distracted from returning his gaze when Stingray came tumbling outside with surprising speed. Meerkat laughed and pushed into a sit, reaching out a paw to steady him.

Good job, Ray! Meerkat praised, bending to snuffle at the the crop of golden tufts on his crown. You coming too? she said to Swordfish over his head. Where’s your sister? she asked both of them.

Before she could peek inside to see if Mercy simply needed to be woken—the young mother surely wouldn’t let her only daughter be left out of today’s fun—Meerkat looked over her shoulder in response to the sound of footfalls. She saw Chacal approaching the burrow, a rabbit tucked in her mouth.

It may have been a touch naive, yet Meerkat trusted almost everyone in Sapphique around her pups. She woofed to invite the leader closer, pleased for such an important wolf to show up on her children’s first foray out of doors. This was a milestone, after all, where they would begin truly integrating into the rest of the pack.

Chacal, it’s so good to see you, Meerkat said, eyes drifting to the two little boys, pausing on making formal introductions to give her pups an opportunity to react authentically to their visitor.

There was Ray, bounding out of their den and toward Meerkat with alarming speed. Swordfish watched his brother with a nonplussed expression. Mom was swift to make sure that her son did not topple over or harm himself. The sleepy brother blinked slowly before pushing himself up into a half-sitting position. The effort of it was not nearly as enjoyable as the others were making it out to be.

Beckoned by his mom, Swordfish huffed a puppy-sized sigh through his nose.

I guess, mom…

Lazily stretching out his plump frame, Swordfish moved to where Ray and Meerkat were. He waved his tail lightly to them before he found a sweet warm place in the sunlight and plopped back down to his behind. It was here that his gaze shifted to their company.

Where Swordfish was relaxed, Stingray was spirited. Where Swordfish most enjoyed basking in the sunshine and a good nap, Ray most enjoyed getting up in everyone’s face, which often included his lackadaisical brother. His grey-and-beige sibling finally vacated the den as well, prompting Stingray to head for him with the intent of enticing him to play, by force if necessary.

Lucky for the both of them, and Meerkat to boot, that Chacal arrived to break up what could potentially turn into a brotherly brawl. Ray’s head came up and around, ears bobbling at the tips where they were still a little floppy, and his eyes zeroed in on the rabbit.

With an appropriately fierce war cry, Ray charged, seizing the rabbit by a fuzzy paw and attempting to wrench it away from Chacal. Had Meerkat taught him about sharing? Probably, but he wasn’t a very willing study.

Once she was noticed, Chacal lowered her head, deferential toward Meerkat as she would be toward any new mother. She was a leader in the pack, but when it came to densites with young children, Chacal believed that the parents became the authority. Meerkat was a generous and welcoming host though, it seemed, and Chacal had nothing but benevolence in her body when it came to being in the presence of pups. 

The ashen-blonde pup took notice of her first, and her gaze was drawn toward the den when yet another ambled forth, but chose to bask in the sunlight like a sunfish. She lowered her head so she could set the rabbit down and greet Meerkat as well, but the motion attracted the attention of the bold pup, who had made a sudden squawk, and charged toward her with all the grace of a marionette with tangled strings. He grabbed at one of the rabbit's paws, which she held within his reach, and chuckled through the rabbit's fur.

She gave a quick glance to Meerkat- she'd gladly engage in pleasantries and such when she had a moment, but the child had begged for her attention first, and she couldn't ignore such a valiant little warrior. She huffed and lowered herself to the ground so that she might stare eye-to-eye with her grim opponent, and so that she wouldn't be using the advantage of her height against him. With a grin, she uttered a soft growl, and tightened her grip on the rabbit, flicking her nose once to make him feel as though he'd managed to gain a bit of ground before she pulled back gently again.

Swordfish lazily made his way to her, plopping down and joining Meerkat in watching as Stingray launched himself at their guest. Her lips parted on a laugh at her son’s bid for the rabbit, eyes fixed on Chacal as the woman lowered herself to engage the small pup in a game of tug-o’-war.

Who do you think will win, Fish? Meerkat whispered conspiratorially to her younger son, bending toward his tiny ear. My money’s on your brother. Maybe you should try tag-teaming? She gave him an encouraging nudge with her nose.

Once he’d gotten comfortable again, Stingray started making his way toward Swordfish with that look on his face. The boy watched his brother, knowing that they would surely lock limbs in battle and that Ray would probably end up kicking sand in Swordfish’s mouth. And sand was alright. It didn’t really taste like the best thing out there. Not to mention, if Ray was strong enough with his motion, he could really drive those beach particles right up Swordfish’s nose.

Meerkat’s attempt to rouse some life into her young boy was met with a sidelong glance that revealed the whites of his eyes and a thin-lipped expression.

How about you go try, ma? Let’s see you do it. Go on, let’s see.


Swordfish yawned softly, continuing to watch his brother romp around.

In the world of his imagination, Stingray was all bulging biceps and lightning reflexes. He was the strongest wolf that ever lived and no one, not ma, not da, not Fish or Vix, could stand against his might. It was an unwelcome surprise for him when Chacal not only kept hold of the rabbit despite his fiercest tug, but pulled back enough to drag him forward a few steps.

Chacal's growl was all play, but Stingray's responding one was serious. How dare she? How dare she! Flattening his floppy ears, the boy bunched his shoulders up and gave a series of rhythmic backward yanks intended to tear the rabbit from her grasp, punctuating each haul with a louder snarl. His eyes rolled toward his mother and brother as though to say, a little help?

Just in case she somehow didn't admit defeat. She would, of course. He was much too strong. It never hurt to have a back-up plan, though.

He played for a while longer with Chacal in between snippets of adult conversation, but he was never able to wrench the toy away from her. Eventually he grew too tired to continue and was shephered back to the den with his sibling for a much needed nap.