also backdated a few days heh
and sorry for the uber long post ;o;
After a good hour of rambuctious playing and toppling the dried up leaves that had piled up on the side of the Sveijarn's home, the fire-kissed baby began to stray away,taking clown-sized steps over the different treasures laying on the floor. Though she was afraid to go to far, she quickly left those worries behind, especially as the scenery began to change.
Though everything looked pretty much the same under the russet blanket of Autumn, there was a strange structure in the distance that made her gasp in awe. Without even a second thought, the girl sprinted to reach the fallen log. While other's might've considered the huge log frightening, the little girl had not regrets when poking her nose inside, to her the darkness was not a problem, nor the particular earthy odour impregnated to the leaves scattered at the bottom. In the girl's eyes, this was nothing but a palace, just what a princess like her would need!
After throroughy inspecting the contents of the log, she plopped down in the middle. Signing the imaginary contract that made this place soley hers. God, she hadn't spent more than five minutes inside the log and she was already planning to make it her own clubhouse! What would her siblings think of it?
They could not find out., she decided while furrowing her brow. All the exciment she had felt before was replaced by a sense of worry, if anyone else was to find this place they would surely try to claim it for them. The mere thought of having to share her palace with her brothers was enough to make the girl frown.
MINE, MINE MINE! she growled silently, as she stretched her legs in a failed attempt to cover as much of the log's surface as possible. There had to be a way of protecting it. But how? Quickly the babe sprung back to her paws and walked to the edge of the log, the little engines in her brain puffing out steam.
Finally, an idea, inspired on her father sprung to her mind. She had seen him patrol around the den lately, (because of Hassun) if she did so too, she'd be able to chase away any potential enemies. (even if she knew that this idea required physical activity, she had decided she was willing to make the sacrifice --all in the clubhouse's honor)
With her stategy planned out, the girl hopped off the log and proceeded to squat at the very entrance. Many times she had also seen her mother pee near the den. And though she was imitating this behaviour to make a point.. she was also doing so to relieve her bladder.
![[Image: girl_gang.png]](https://image.ibb.co/b82KNa/girl_gang.png)
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Two days passed since Arabella was invited to be part of the Glacier pack, and the blue eyed beauty's optimism grew stronger with every second. The pack was relatively new compared to her father's reign, but it was strong and had a bright future ahead, and the former outcast was now to be a part of that future.
Arabella was a shy creature by nature, but she was already itching to meet her packmates, specially the Alpha pair's children. She had a weakness for puppies, maybe it was their big eyes or their clumsy paws, but Bella melted for the little ones. So when she got the surprisingly strong scent of one of Tuwawi's kids, her face lit up and her tail went maniac mode.
The girl's resemblance to Tuwawi was incredible, like a tiny clone of the fiery Alpha, except for her gleamy hazel eyes. She was squatting in the entrance of a hollow trunk, pissing. Was she marking it? Bella slowly moved closer, making sure not to startle the little girl "Hey there, little one."
she said with a silky voice, smiling.
After the girl finished her potty-duty she began to kick leaves and dirt with her hind paws, as she mocked the pos-marking ritual she had seen her father perform once. Debris was thrown all around her, scattering the scent she had so desperately tried to impregnate onto the ground. Satisfiied with her work, Maera prepared to leave her clubhouse --but before she could begin to trace her way back home a voice called out to her.
Though the voice was soft and gentle, the pup's first instinct to the unknown was to coil up into a little ball, with her hair all fluffled up and her brow furrowed. Her hazel eyes searched inmidiately for the intruder of her precious palace, at first with fear but then as the protective instict (and envious monster)inside of her awoke she rose her tail in alert; all while curling her lip back to reveal her tiny set of teeth.
When her eyes fell finally upon Arabella, all growls and snarls had been silenced. She blinked up at the female with curiosity, wondering why was she wearing a tinge of Mommy's perfume. "Who 're you?" she chimed as she relaxed a bit.
Though the pretty stranger was not yet welcome to the club, the fact of being a girl gave her a big advantage.
Bella took a step back at the sight of the mini-Tuwawi's tiny set of daggers, and with a giggle she sat down in her slender thighs to let the pup know she wasn't a threat. "Who 're you?" asked the tiny creature, who looked like she had just walked across a tornado, for her messy fire coat was dirty with rusty leaves and dust. Maera's high pitched voice melted the blue eyed beauty, who came even lower to level herself with the child.
I'm Arabella,
she said in a soft and friendly tone, You're Tuwawi's daughter, right? The little princess?
she said aiming to flatter the red furry ball. She had a thing for puppies, specially the cutie pies like Maera, and she was excited to find out what she was up to with the little palace there, Bella was a girl at heart and if there was a highly secret girl club she definitely wanted to get in.
Never did the little cub look away, though she knew better than to stare into another's eyes she could not help but to do so, the soft aquamarine color of the female's eyes was mesmerizing for the young babe. As she lowered herself, Maera wriggled her meatball nose furiously, trying to commit this new friend's scent to memory.
Soon she gave her name, which along with her odour and face would be forever stored in the archive files inside Maera's brain. "Awabella" she echoed, while beginning to shift her paws in a little dance-like motion; just like when she had first met Danica.
After flashing a happy grin back to the pretty female, Maera got the urge of shouting out her name as well -- but before she could do so, Arabella continued to speak. The mention of Tuwawi made her squirm like a happy worm, with her head bobbing wildly. It only got worse when the blue eyed adult gave her the title she had always dreamed of.
Princess Maera.
Well that didn't sound bad. Not bad at all.
"Yes! Pwincess Mae" she yipped with a sing-song tone. Arabella's sweet talk was getting her a full membership to the club..
The blue eyed beauty didn't mind the princess' stare, instead she thought it was insanely cute that the babe was so intrigued by her eyes, and when Maera attacked her with her nose, Bella giggled and allowed the pup to recognize her aroma. At the time, the baby smelled like dirt and piss, but hidden somewhere beneath that was a sweet perfume that reminded the newcomer of Tuwawi, and the thought made her smile, she was immensely grateful with the Sveijarn for taking her in and that feeling was probably gonna grow into something bigger soon.
Mae? Is that your name, little princess?
she asked with a airy smile while she touched the red fur-ball's little nose with her bigger paw. If the pup's voice was shrill Bella didn't mind, for her innocent babbling was beyond cute.
Quickly the baby glanced back at the hollow log, her eyes running across the wide entrance and the dry-leaf flooring. Then, not yet deciding to invite the female in she turned back to her,"Yes, do you know mommy? " she piped up while shovign her nose into the female's waving paw. The small hint of her mother's perfume mixed in with Arabella's was unmistakable; and at the same time comforting.If the pretty-eyed female happened to be a friend of her mother, she would automatically become hers as well.
"And Daddy? And Jo? And Val? And Lawus? An-" she asked before her little lungs ran out of air. It was a crucial part of the acceptance ritual to know whether the aspiring member was a friend of the Glacier wolves or not. She didn't know many of the members (outside her family circle) only Danica -- though to Maera she was also family.
Bella noticed how the furry fireball shifted her eyes towards the hollow trunk behind her, was she hiding something? I know your mommy
she said answering to the numerous questions that drained the air from the babe's lungs, she hadn't met her entire family, but she did remember Tuwawi, You look just like her!
she giggled, and then remembered the scar featured in the Alpha's face, which, even though it seemed painful, it didn't damage her foreign beauty.
What do you have back there, Mae?
she asked pointing at the pup's secret club. It looked like the girl had spent quite a while arranging the place for something, so far Bella didn't know what for, but if she was invited to join, whatever it was about, she'd be happy to spend some time with the tiny fireball.
Knowing at least one of her family members was enough -- for now. With a wide grin and a small jiggle of her bottom Maera waltzed in front of Arabella her nose touching gently the female's paw. "AHA" She agreed happily, giving the former Princess a prideful glance.
While Jo had inherited Daddy's lush silver coating, and Valtyr and Larus had fallen somewhere in between the two, Maera proudly wore her mother's same crimson dress. Together the whole family shone like jewels: Jo and Njal as diamonds, Larus was a golden child, Val was a rare sapphire bathed in gold and Mom and her -- they were rubies that lit up with the sunlight.
Then pulling the girl's thoughts back into the present, her new blue-eyed friend asked about the log. Maybe she was a mind reader, or maybe Maera was just terrible at keeping secrets -- either way her cover had been blown. The girl stared at the female and then at the log, still not convinced about revealing her newfound castle to the world.
"It's... a secret" she whispered finally, her ears flattening as she spoke. Maera was not usually one to trust easily --even if pretty much every stranger she had met had ended up becoming a friend, she always started up with doubts in her mind. Telling her secret to Arabella could be like a double edged knife; she could either become an ally and member of her club or in the worst of cases she could try to take the palace as her own..
Sharing was hard, but keeping bottled such a juicy secret was harder.
Bella smiled when the tiny Tuwawi clone agreed on her resemblance to her beautiful mom, and waved her tail to let the girl know she was a friend. But her attention was all set upon the puppy's "secret" A secret, hmm?
she murmured playing along, her eyes widening as if she herself was a puppy who's biggest treasures were hidden within the trunk.
Bella looked over bot her shoulders as if checking for spies, she had the most wonderful idea. Did you find...
she said before coming closer to the princess' ear The treasure?
she whispered. There was off course no treasure to be found, but she liked to play with children. She already had plans of becoming a caretaker in the glacier, there were plenty of puppies, and she loved to interact with them, it would be a task she would enjoy for sure.
The grown-up was impressed.
She widened her eyes like plates and began to whisper as if there were others around. This only excited the little red fireball even more, she began to peek over her shoulders as if expecting one of her brothers to pop out with an AHA! expression on their face. After making sure they were utterly alone, she turned her head again to face the pretty-faced female; then with her little teeth nibbling on her lower lip she nodded.
There was a secret inside the hollow log.
Maera clenched her jaw, in order to prevent the so-precious secret from spilling from her mouth as word-vomit. That until the female spoke about a secret of her own. Treasure? What treasure?!
Now it was the girl's turn to look amazed. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped a little. She had walked down the whole thing and she hadn't found the presumed treasure. Had she missed it? Her instinct told her to run back in there and raid the place in search for it, but she forced herself to remain still-- or at least to try to.
"Um.. which one?" she blabbered, her tail wriggling like a snake and the tip of her meatball nose twitching wildly.
She had to tell, she just had to!
If not, then she would have to face the wrath of the loudest Sveijarn.
Tales were one of King Caspian's strongest abilities, Arabella loved listening to her father come up with the most magical tales, which was what made her the dreamer she had turned out to be herself. Have you never heard about the treasure?
Arabella gasped as she got comfortable for the story time. She had never done it herself, but she had seen her father do it so many times that she was confident of what she was doing.
They story says,
She started with an inspired tone in her voice. That there was once an young wolf who spent his time exploring these mountains.
said the beauty nodding to a side with her head, towards the great mountains in the background. He visited the tip and the rivers, the forests and the lakes, but one day, he found a place more beautiful than all the others together.
The beauty asked wagging her tail. She hoped the babe would easily believe the story, she knew she was hiding something, and so far she seemed like an adventurous child, so it would be fun to seek the magical treasure with her. Who knows? maybe she already found it and was hiding inside the trunk...
It was a cave not so far from here, and its walls were covered in a shiny crystal that hypnotized the young explorer. He fell in love with the crystals, and obsessed with them, he stole a bunch to take back home with him.
But he just loved the crystals too much to share them with anyone else, and decided that he would hide his treasure in a place where no one would ever find it.
No one alive has found that place till today.... So, did you?
This was also a first-timer for the flame coated girl. She had never been told a story, well not aside from the gentle whispers her parents used to mumble when the nights were exceptionally long, even then she had always failed to stay awake for the ending. But this time, in the midst of the afternoon she would not fall asleep.
Unless of course the story was boring -- Maera still had the attention span of a mouse.
As soon as Arabella started talking, however, Maera knew she would not need to make any effort to keep herself up and alert. The female's spectacular narration was enough to keep the young Sveijarn at the edge of her seat. As soon as the word 'shiny' was mentioned, Maera's jaw fell open. The infamous green beetle that had once tried to eat her nose had been the most beautiful thing she (ok Valtyr) had ever found. If it were not because of it's spindly legs and gooey interior (ew!) she would've snatched it for herself.
So, it hasn't been found, she thought, well not yet. "No - but I WILL" She barked, emphasizing the last word with a sassy lash of her stail. She would claim the log as her palace and retrieve the treasure that laid within it.
"and you can help.. if you pwomise that you won't give it away to anyone else but me. And if you join the club" she barked, a little hesitant at first. The girl would sure be a good addition to the club.
Maera's cute little tail swayed in emotion with Arabella's tale, and it made her feel amazing. Not only because the puppy had liked her story, but because she got what she wanted from it. Oh I bet you will!
she said with a smile in her face, and then she rose a paw to touch the baby's nose. Her coat wasn't the only thing that was on fire, but her inside too. It was this kind of adventurous instinct Arabella bet she got it from her mother, because although Tuwawi looked so regal and stoic in the outside, you could tell the fire that lived within her.
"and you can help.. if you pwomise that you won't give it away to anyone else but me. And if you join the club" the tiny Sveijarn said, and a grin traced the lips of the young beauty. WAS THAT SO HARD TO SAY? She thought to herself as she finally got a formal invitation to join the HTC (Hollow Trunk Club of course...). I would love to join the club, Mae. But hey!
Bella said lifting a brow, If I join the club I'm gonna have to get some of that treasure too. I'll help you find it after all!
she barked and lifted her chin a little to look as if she was placing the conditions for her sign up. It was all for the fun of it, Maera would probably take her in after all the bonding they had gone through...
The child's excitement could barely be contained inside her tiny body, she wriggled whined joyfully as Arabella deposited her trust on the young scavanger's skills. She was also certain that she would find it, but hearing the older female say it was somewhat more comforting -- even if the treasure was non-existent, Maera's self-steem was very real.
And it continued to grow strong! The girl's quick response on her invitation made the girl's ego even more palpable, if adults kept inflating her like that she would end up spoiled -- or she would have a hard time reacting when life threw conflict to spoil her. "Right-y so yo-" she began before being interrupted by a much less pleasant proposition from the female.
Instantly, Maera's grin turned into a frown. That was not the deal she wanted, it didn't sound fair in her head. If she already got the honor of being on the club, why would she greedily ask for more? A small grumble flowled from her mouth as the girl shook her head no. "UH-NUH UH"
"I'm the leader of the club.." she barked, figuring it was a very Jokull-like thing to say, and that it would surely kick some sense into the female's head. Jokull always used the 'it's my game, my rules' tactics on her before, and they had always worked like a charm..