Sequoia Coast Quick enough

@Koda

Gunnar heard his parents fighting again and he just took off. Getting tired of their constant at each other's throat thing it ticked him off and it would become worse as he aged. He liked Nerian, but why didn't his dad fight with her too, just his mom. He shook his head and just kept running, overly large paws tearing up the ground as he ran. Overly large ears flapping as if they were wings in flight.

As he ran his steely gray eyes took stock of all that was around him. As he slowed to a walk he looked around, and sniffed gently at different things. There were shells and baubles and small things all for him to look into. He was momentarily distracted by a crab shuffling across the sand and nose to the ground he followed it. Only to yelp in surprise when it snapped at his nose. It held on tight and he yelped and yowled finally, shaking his head enough to dislodge it.

Blood welled out of his torn nose and he yipped softly as he looked around the ground for something to soothe the pain. His mother had told him a few things to help, and he wanted it. He didn't find anything, except some seaweed, and draping that over his muzzle helped a little bit. Then he just sat down and looked around, his lust for adventure momentarily snuffed out.

Koda followed the shoreline, periodically glancing up to stare out over the vast expanse of deep blue water as he walked. Cool ocean water rushed over his paws as a wave rolled up onto the sand. The tide was starting to come in. Soon the very ground on which he walked would be swallowed by the sea.

A sharp yelp drew his attention away from the water. A bit further up the beach he spotted a young pup with fur the color of the sand, just sitting quietly by himself. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed no other wolves nearby. Koda furrowed his brow, concerned as to how the pup came to be on his own.

Koda stopped a distance from the pup, to avoid making the youngster uncomfortable. "Hey there," he called out to the young wolf in a friendly voice. "Are you okay?"

Gunnar was sitting feeling momentarily bad for himself, the piteous look on his face enough to let everyone know it too. He wanted to cry, but he was a big boy and big boys didn't cry, even if the pain hurt. He shifted his weight and lay down, gangly limbs and dis proportioned body parts taking up most of his surround area. He was literally all legs, paws and ears. It was endearingly awkward and he didn't even notice.

Large ears swiveled towards a sound, as he jumped to his feet startled. His longer than thou legs splaying in different directions, as he slipped on the slippery sand. He stared at the newcomer and didn't know what to say for a brief moment. His breathing came in rapid bursts from his nose and mouth. He dipped his muzzle down and took a deep breath, lifting gray eyes to stare again at the male that spoke to him. Uh hi. Yea I'm okay the darn crab just bited me.

When the youngster spun around to face Koda, the gray wolf noticed the scratch on his nose. "Ouch, that must've hurt," he remarked as the pup explained how he received the wound. He noticed the sad expression on the little wolf's face, and wondered if something else was troubling his young mind. Koda was pretty hopeless when it came to dealing with pups, but he wasn't about to leave the little guy by himself.

"My name's Koda, what's yours?"

Gunnar frowned and nodded Yes it hurted stupid crab and its pinchers. he made a face at the sand, not quiet a scowl, or a smirk but something in between. Gunnar was used to being on his own at this point, he had always made it home unscathed so he would be curious why another would not want him to be left alone, when he had been going on lone adventures for weeks. His dad would come hunt him, if he wasn't back home by night fall so he wasn't too worried about it.

He blinked as the other introduced himself and gave a small smile and wagged his tail. And par usual he entire body wiggled along with it I'm Tv....no I'm Gunnar. Nice to meet yer.

Koda couldn't help but smile at the pup. The way his whole body swayed when he wagged his tail was infectiously cute. Koda gave a slight wag of his own bushy tail. "So Gunnar, why are you all alone out here?"

Gunnar tilted his head and smiled when he got a tail wag in return. He didn't know how well to answer the other wolf. Other than to tell him he was exploring, when that was really what he was doing. There was nothing to add, no reason nor rhyme to his walking out alone. Besides the fact that he wanted to get away from fighting. He sighed what could it hurt to tell the other, it wasn't like he was part of their pack.

Well mostly exploring. Mom and daddy fighting again, mom's been mad since dad took another wife....they still together so dad has two wives? But today dad started it. Just needed to get away. he shrugged little shoulders and gave a small smile.

This kid's dad has two wives? Koda wasn't sure if he should feel envious or horrified or amused. He did feel sorry for the kid, though, having to see his parents fight. His own parents had always made a point never to fight in front of their children. Koda was certain that even though they had disagreements, the whole two wives thing had never come up. He was at a loss to console the poor pup. Perhaps a bit of exploring could at least get his mind off his parents for a while.

"You come here a lot?" Koda questioned the pup. "I've never been here before, could you show me something cool?"

The whole two wives thing didn't really bother Gunnar anymore. He was pretty much used to it, and it was his culture so he better be used to it as it were anyway. As for the fighting his parents hadn't been near him, his mother's voice just carried when she was mad. His mom was a wild thing when she was up in arms about something.

Gunnar had to think hard about what to show him, and his face lit up with joy. Yes I can show you somethin' cool. He motioned to be followed and started trotting towards the rock pool he had found a few days ago. His nose pain momentarily forgotten. They made it there fairly quickly and he pointed with his small paw. Rock pool! There was a small area of water surrounded by rocks and it went down down down. There were lobster's and crabs and crayfish and fish all through it and it was the prettiest blue he had ever seen.

Koda followed Gunnar at a walk, his long legs easily keeping pace with the pup. Gunnar led the way to a small pool carved into the rock by the pounding sea. He leaned down over the water to get a good look.

"Wow, this is cool," Koda said, marveling at the diversity of little sea critters in this tiny but deep pool. He couldn't even name half of the animals he could see swimming or crawling around in the water. "What's that one called?" He asked Gunnar, gesturing to a star-shaped creature stuck to the side of a rock.

Gunnar wagged his tail, his entire body swaying along with the force of his tail's momentum. He was extremely pleased and proud of himself. He had found something that no one else had seen, and it was beautiful. He would have liked to show his dad or his mom, but well they were busy so he would show it to a stranger.

Gunnar giggled thatsa Sea star. They are pretty aren't they. Be careful they are sharp. He had touched one before only to feel sharp barbs all on it.

"That makes sense," Koda remarked. What would you call a star shaped creature living by the sea? A sea star. Genius. It was a pretty thing to look at, but it wasn't very interesting to watch. The thing could barely move. It had no eyes or mouth, how could it see where it was going or feed itself? It wouldn't even make a good snack itself, being covered in little spikes from end to end. What a boring, pointless animal.

Koda glanced at his young friend, noticing the wonder in the boy's eyes as he gazed into the pool. The enthusiasm in his voice as he told Koda about the sea star seemed to spill over into his entire body. If the pup wagged his tail any harder, he might lose his balance and fall in. Koda had been a pup not too long ago, but he had forgotten how even simple things used to excite and inspire him. He wished he could feel like Gunnar again, just excited to be alive and in awe of the world.

Maybe Gunnar's energy was starting to rub off on Koda, for he suddenly found himself in a playful mood. He decided to pull a prank on his little friend, nothing that would hurt the little guy, but something he'd always loved pulling on his siblings growing up.

Koda pretended to see another unknown creature in the water. "How about that one?" He questioned, using his paw as if to point out something lurking in a dark corner of the pool.

Gunnar did not see the creature as pointless. It was there for a reason, maybe to feed something else, or just to look pretty he didn't know, but he wasn't going to condemn it either. He did wonder what it ate thought, but that left his mind as quick as it entered.

Gunnar was indeed in awe of the world. It was still a conundrum about whether or not he would lose that wonder lust. He enjoyed being excited about so many things. Nature was beautiful. He respected Nerian for wanting to be a naturalist, there were so many things to learn about. He didn't really want to be a naturalist, but he held a healthy respect for the trade. Even if in his mind, much like his fathers it was a pointless trade.

Gunnar saw him point and he stretched his head and neck as far forward as he could. Where? What's it look like? he searched with steel gray eyes, his tail swaying gently behind him.

Koda grinned mischievously as Gunnar leaned over to peer deep into the water. "Don't you see it?" Koda asked, his tone just a little too innocent. "It's right... THERE!" Koda swiped a paw through the water, splashing Gunnar with cold salty water. "Made ya look!" He exclaimed with a laugh.

Koda jumped away, his body bent low to the sand in a playful bow, inviting the young wolf to chase him.

Gunnar gasped as the water his his face, and he gagged at the salty taste at first. Though his gag turned into a bark of laughter as he looked at the other one. He gave a small play growl and splashed his own smaller paw in the water and towards the male named Koda.

Gunnar returned the play bow and ran towards the other male, jumping up towards his shoulders. He was smaller than him, but for his size he would make up in pure heart. I'mma getcha Koda

Koda let the boy catch him, groaning in mock pain as he was tackled. He stumbled, as if the pup had almost knocked him off his feet. "You'll never take me down!" He declared as he seized the tip of the boy's tail in his mouth and gave it a gentle tug.

Gunnar laughed, but he didn't bite at the other one. His adult teeth were starting to come in and he honestly didn't want to hurt the other. So he moved his muzzle and pretended to snap at him, without really snapping at him.

Gunnar giggled and turned his head and tried to snap at the other's tail, as he chased him around in a semi circle. He batted at Koda with his paw a smile on his maw.

The older wolf let the little one's paw connect with his body. Koda let himself fall to the ground, as if Gunnar had knocked him off his feet. "Oh, you got me," he groaned in mock pain. He rolled over on his back and played dead, waiting to see what the pup would do next.

Gunnar fell into a fit of giggles when the other played dead. He approached him and gently nudged him with his nose. A silly smile on his face, and tongue halfway out the side of his mouth, one ear turned inside out. He looked at the other with eyes of youthful innocence and smiled You're fun Koda.

Koda rolled over and smiled at the pup. "You're pretty fun too," he said, messing up the fur on the kid's head with his paw. He stood up and shook the sand from his fur. "Well, I'd better be moving on, little guy," he said. He knew Gunnar had come here on his own, but he still didn't feel right just leaving him alone. "You want me to take you home before I go?"

Gunnar thought about it and he shook his head No I'll go home. I live at Stavanger Bay you should come see us some time. But don't trespass daddy will rip your throat out. he grew quiet then and wagged his tail. Giving the other a nudge with his small nose, he trotted back the way he had came, he would go home and sleep now. He was pretty played out for the most part.

"Yikes," Koda said. The whole throat ripping thing seemed rather harsh, though he knew the youngster was only telling it how it was. Most wolf packs were fiercely territorial, to the point of killing outsiders. It just sounded so wrong coming from such an innocent little face. "Well, I'll try to remember that when I come visit. See ya later, little dude." Koda watched Gunnar walk away down the shoreline for a minute, then turned and departed for the plateau.