Swiftcurrent Creek But at least I can say I tried

Arric moved through the pack lands with a purpose. He had been helping with the babies, staying with Arlette. But the pups were getting big enough now. They didn't need him or her as much. They knew their boundaries well and there were enough wolves to keep an eye or two on them at all times. So he was determined today to be more present on the borders and maybe even do some hunting or meditate or both. He could be hopeful right.

So he went about the borders. Leg lifted, fur rubbed against trees, rocks. Paws digging grooves in the dirt. Everything and anything to make sure all outsiders knew this was claimed. They were larger now than they had been. And he had a strong hope that the creek would survive for years to come.

To whomever gods Arric was praying to give him some alone time from his kids, they either chose not to listen or had great fun seeing this beast of a man being tormented and led to the brink of insanity by his own kin. If the man was smart, he was going to review the religion he chose to be asigned to. If he was the kind to suffer stoically, so be it. Because while he had been busy doing the useful stuff and probably for a moment feeling like a manly man again and not a chewed on, well-worn teddy-bear, he had had a shadow. Who thought themselves to be as sneaky and invisible as a ninja, but most likely had made his presence known to his father long before he caught up with him.

"EEYOOO!!!" Burdock called to Arric, bounding towards him as fast as his short legs could take him. "WATCHA DOOOING?" he asked, when he almost barreled in his father's paws, and looked up at him with a white-toothy grin that had some teeth missing. 

Burdock was not a quiet child. He was loud and blocky and also had the voice of a megaphone on a good day. But Arric would not trade him. One of his son's followed behind him. The sound of a wolf trying to be sneaky and failing. IT was frankly adorable. Arric chose to ignore him, giving him a moment to play along. But the silence was broken fairly quickly. 

Hey you Burdy. I'm patrolling the borders. Making sure everyone knows this belongs to our pack and they can't cross the line. What you doing?

He looked down at his mini, very mini version with a smile. Blue eyes lit up in delight.

"OOOOH, a lot of cool and top secret stuff, so I cannot tell you anything about it, sorry," Burdock replied, smiling ear to ear. Then he went to inspect a place his dad had marked earlier, sniffed around, tumbled over in an attempt to balance on three legs and repeat, what he had done. In the end, he remained on all fours, squatted and weed as well. Plus, he scratched the earth for good measure too, even if his attempts looked nothing like, what Arric had created. 

"But, how are you gonna keep them away from the line, when you are not there?" he asked, jumping nimbly over the imaginary line out in the world and then doing the same the opposite direction. "See - nothing happened? Shouldn't a wall of fire appear? Or a loud - AWOO-AWOO-AWOOO!?"

Amusement filled his chest and it burst out in the form of a chuckle. So top secret things. It was so fun to get a glimpse into the inner workings of his children's minds. And Burdock was unique in his ability to make the world fun. He bit back the grin that wanted to chase his maw, as his son tried unsuccessfully to lift a leg. He had done well. 

Arric chuckled. Well I'll kick their ass. He shook his head. Probably don't say that word around your mother.

he bent his head and sniffed again. Running a claw along the borders. It is why Uncle Akavir and I do patrols to hopefully catch an intruder. Others do it as well. If an intruder comes we call for others then we first ask them nicely to leave. If they don't. Well then your dad gets to fight a little.

Burdock was neither impressed, nor convinced. Arric had been thrown off the "Almighty Superhero" throne a while ago, because the boy had found it more interesting to question every single thing he did (except his hunting abilities; you did not doubt the skill and intellect of the person, who fed you). "Well, but, how do you know that no one is trespassing allllll-the-waaaaay-there," he pointed out in the general direction of the opposite side of the Swiftcurrent Creek, from where they were currently standing. 

"Territory is huuuuge and there is only few of us," he continued to muse. "And what if the trespasser does not know that you and Akavir can kick ass? What if they do not believe you and say that you are two-weaklings, who could not even beat a dead mouse, if it fell on your head?" it was evident that he had got a little too carried away coming up with all kinds of smart descriptions. He had also paid no mind to Arric's swearing. He was used to his eloquent manner of speech.

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Arric had learned quickly, surprisingly so. That he was not his children's hero. It smarted a little, because his dad had always and would always be his. So to know that he didn't inspire such confidences was both heart breaking and ego letting. 

Arric sighed softly. Let me tell you a secret Burdie. We won't always know and we won't always win. That's how life works. Someone could trespass and I wouldn't know it. I am not infallable. However, the important thing is that when I do know someone is trespassing or even in general if i know something is right or wrong. The important thing is despite any past failings. That I continue to try and make sure that I chase out the trespasser or I do the right thing. Because that's all we all can do. Is the right thing in the moment. And if we don't do it and we make a mistake. We have to give ourselves a little grace.

Arric chuckled. If they say those things. Then I guess me and Unc Akavir would have to prove them wrong wouldn't we?

At the mention of a secret, Burdock's eyes lit up and he leaned closer to listen to it, should his father choose to whisper. He did not. Instead he poured a gallon of wisdom and if at first the boy attempted to follow through - evident by his furrowed brow and 100% attention he paid to every word. Somewhere around the sentence number 3 the look in his eyes grew disinterested and he listened to the rest of the monologue visibly bored, shuffling his feet, dealing with invisible fleas in his fur and paws. At the end of it instead of a big round of applause (wolf equivalent of it), Burdock yawned and sighed. 

"What's the point of doing it at all then?" he asked. "What is that right thing?" he asked next. "I took Violet's toy yesterday and I thought it was right by me, but she did not? So, who was right?"