Come back home to me

PapaBear is missing you guys. Come home! @Cicero @Damien @Potema

Burke was a bit at loss, he was alpha of the pack because Meldresi needed a break. Although he didn't mind being alpha he was getting worried about his wife. He patrolled the main entrances for Meldresi or the three kids. Often he would go just over the border and stand guard to wait for them. His family all went to do their own thing, leaving him to care for their lands. Even though he didn't mind the small break in the beginning Burke was starting to miss the youngsters. Today was another of those days. The caches were full, the borders were fresh in scent and Burke was at his waiting spot.

He let out a long howl for his family. Burke didn't mind that the pack members of Black Feather would know he was missing his family. The charcoal tank of a male plopped down on his waiting spot, even though he was laying down his head was held high. His pale eyes looking over the field before him and the river that moved to the sea, hoping to get a glimpse of the three teenagers, or better, the teenagers and Meldresi.

Heyo! Slight PP of Cic' and Damien

Home sweet home.

The familiar dark stain that was Blackfeather loomed in the horizon and it took nearly all of Potema's willpower not to run excitedly towards the comforting embrace of the dark. She liked being away from Blackfeather and feel the sunshine every once and a while, but there came a time where you had to go back to your roots, right? That urge to go back home was lessening with each week, but it was still there nonetheless.

They closed the distance between the unclaimed lands and their birthplace, slowly but surely. That was at least until she heard her stepfather's howl. Excited to see her father again, Potema increased her pace, tail wagging as she saw the familiar shape of the gray tank, Burke. She dropped the herbs that prevented her from calling out a greeting and licked his chin, nudging his neck with her head.

The white teenager looked around, expecting to see her mother's shining indigo eyes somewhere in the darkness. She sniffed the borders, noting the distinct lack of Meldresi's smell. Fear caught her for a moment before she summoned the courage to say it. "Where's Mother?"

In the distance, a splatter of dark and grim contrasted the landscape. It was home. The dark teen had been longing for it almost since the moment he'd left, and now he was coming back. To the shadows. To his den. To the perpetual silence. That was his place.

Bearclaw Valley had not been the experience he'd been expecting, but even if it was completely different he had learned a lot. He'd fought a bear and found strange trees. The sky there was surprisingly blue -although it seemed that everywhere but Blackfeather had blue skies- and he'd seen a litter of newborns wriggling around for the first time.

The howl in the distance could only be from his only father. Burke. He'd missed the big bunny bastard, and he wanted to just run into his warm embrace for once, even if it wasn't a common sight. So immediately the pup sprinted towards his dark nest, caught up with Potema and totally didn't hug Burke.

"Hey," he said apathically, looking around for mother, but when he understood what was going on he stiffened and looked at the Alpha, demanding an answer to Potema's question.

As opposed to his siblings, Cicero did not see Burke as his father. He had not been born from Burke's seed, and so, he was not Burke's son. The adolescent did not talk much about this - as he seemed not to talk about many things, unless provoked or asked - as he did not think it a big deal. Although Burke was not his father, he still held a prominent place in his and his family's life. Especially after he had fallen in love with their mother.

Cicero followed his siblings and upon arrival, looked around to see where Meldresi was. Potema asked for her, and Damien seemed to await an answer too. Cicero moved up to Burke to lick his chin in respect, then distanced himself again and waited for the answers to his siblings' question.

Burke was so happy when he saw his youngsters. Burke saw all of them as their children now. He couldn't help it. After being in the den with them and their mother. He knew Cicero didn't feel the same, or he had a feeling to say the least, but that didn't matter it wasn't like Cicero was disrespectful. Burke's docked tail was going crazy at the end of his butt. He showered Potema with some kissed under her good eye and then Damien, well he was tackled down. He knew that Damien missed him. Burke practically jumped the younger male and a playful matter and gave him a shower with licks too. Burke didn't care. He got up once Potema asked that question. Cicero licked his chin and Burke licked back over the top of his head since it seemed they all demanded an answer. "Your mother needed a break from Black Feather. She is on a scout and herb mission," he explained. "Nothing to worry about!"

Though the tank looked a bit sad, even though his tail was wagging. Burke looked over the three young faces. "C'mon lets go home. We have a lot of new members for you to see. Even new born ones," Burke explained. "I am not sure if Grimnir lets you close but, you aren't the youngest of our pack anymore." Plus now it was great because Potema and Cicero were wanders and they could look for their mom. Burke couldn't leave BFW since then the pack would be without an alpha. In the meanwhile he could teach Damien about leadership. 

Potema's brow furrowed for a moment after the stream of kisses under her eye. "Needed a break"? Her mother was all smiles and calm words when she was with them. Even when she was tired, it was never looked like she was exhausted or stressed. She mulled over it for a moment, then came to a logical conclusion. She missed them. Of course, it had to be something like that. She couldn't bear to see Blackfeather Woods without her children. Or maybe Burke was right and she simply needed a break. Meldresi did do a lot for the pack and her teens. "Did she at least say when she would be back?" She asked. That was all she needed, a vague notion on when her mother was coming home, and if she needed to be worried if another week went by without her.

The worry went away temporarily, however, when Burke mentioned pups in the pack. How adorable! They had had the privilege of being the only pups in Blackfeather, but that was no more. Whether it was a blessing or a curse was unknowable, but she was excited that the pack was growing. "Oh! How many are there? Is Lusa alright?" She wondered how well she was doing without the presence of a healer, but then again, most wolves did without one when it came to birthing. But still, she wanted to test out some of the herbs she had brought back from Bearclaw. Without hurting someone this time.

When Burke's tank of a body tackled him to the ground there was little Damien could do. He was huge, and Damien, although pretty tall himself, was no where near his size. He grunted, not out of harted, he enjoyed woofing around with the big guy, but out of some sort of "stop it dad!" teenage complex. He got up as soon as he could and straightened his hair which looked like a tornado had passed over it (oh he would know how a tornado changed things so soon)...

It came sort of like a shock to Damien that Meldresi had left Blackfeather Woods because she "Needed a break". She was the Motherfuc*iing Queen of the palace, she didn't get to have breaks! but nothing came to him as a reasonable explanation to Damien, not the way it did Potema, but not because he wasn't interested. Burke mentioned Grimnir's pups, and his eyes went immediately to Cicero's. Maybe he wouldn't think of it that way, but all Damien could see in it was one of Grimnir's weak spots, and they would probably get a chance to exploit that.

Damien didn't speak, Potema had made the right question. "How many?" how many weak spots did Grimnir have? In silence, Damien awaited the response, digging deep into Burke's glare with his piercing white eyes.

The difference in greeting did not go unnoticed to Cicero. He had always thought that Burke considered all of them his children, and even though he did not see Burke as his father, Cicero did not think he was looked upon different. While the adolescent watched Burke tackle Damien to the ground and shower Potema with kisses. Cicero was not certain what to do with this information as of yet, but it was clear to him that something was different with him. He wondered to himself if it was that he was too dark or distant himself for Burke -- although Cicero had always thought that pretending by forcing small talk was unnecessary when it came to his family -- or perhaps it was that he was not quite dark enough.

It was for the first time that Cicero felt a rift between himself and Burke, with whom he had discussed personal details of his life. Had he a similar question now, Cicero would not know where to turn, for Burke, at the time, had seemed like the only safe option. It was not that Cicero thought Burke would tell his secrets to others; it was more that he did not feel Burke wished to carry such a burden for him, now, as he was obviously the least favoured of the three children. It pained him that things had gone the way they did -- although he did not harbout any anger for it, for things simply went as they did in life -- but he did not express it. Perhaps if one would take the time to look upon his face, they would notice there was something bothering him, underneath his stoic mask.

At times, it felt like Damien was the only anchor that still held him tightly rooted to Blackfeather Woods.

Cicero was distracted from his personal deductions of his familial ties when Burke mentioned that Grimnir and Lusa had had children. His eyes sought out Damien's, and it seemed his brother had the same idea, as they instantly looked upon each other. Cicero considered whether this would make their task at hand easier or harder. It did not matter much to Cicero, for he was focussed on his goal, but he feared Damien might want to strike at Grimnir's children to get to the man himself.

Cicero imagined Damien was biting his tongue for Burke's remark about Grimnir not allowing them close. They were, after all, 'the princes and princess of Blackfeather Woods'. What idiocy that they would not be allowed to see pups of the pack, borne out of a traitor. Cicero held his tongue and remained in brooding silence.

Last round! :)

Burke turned to Potema and then shook his head. "She did not say. I think she went to a special one far away for rare herbs," Burke spoke, though technically he didn't know that was true. Meldresi also wanted time for herself and he wasn't sure how long that was going to take. He hoped that she would return to him soon. Burke missed her. Luckily he had his tree babies back. "She had three," Burke spoke and then then had a court nod. "But that is all something you can do later! You are home! I missed you all," he let out, not ashamed. "You guys keep me on my toes."

Burke straightened himself and started to walk back to Blackfeather. "Come. Lets return and have a good meal," Burke spoke. "You guys need a dip in the swamps too, you smell all different and not right. We need to fix that. Maybe have a mud fight." He was such a cool dad. Burke was certain of it.

Potema pouted, she was hoping on showing off the herbs they had brought back to Blackfeather, and hoping to learn more from her mother. It was about time that she started her official priestess training, she was close to being of age, after all. It was disappointing and frightening at the same time. Where was she?

She was happy that Burke was happy, but the thought of her mother alone, possibly injured or even — no she wouldn't think that. The idea that her mother wasn't there made an empty spot in her heart that was hard for her to fill, even with the thought of mudbaths and food. Potema plastered on a smile which she thought was convincing, and followed after Burke. "Get ready to eat some mud pies, Burke."

The thought of Grimnir's pups made Damien's mind race with a ton of ideas. All of them probably too dangerous to even try out, but this was certainly going to change his plans, whether it was for good or bad. His target had children now, which seemed completely ironic to Damien. He was not ready to be a father -hell, he wasn't even ever going to be, he was a savage!

Burke's attempt to explain Meldresi's reason to leave made Damien think that he did not actually know what was going on with their mother, which made him anxious. He wanted to see his mother, it had been over a month since the last time he did. But at least he had his home back. He would never, NEVER leave Blackfeather Woods again for so long. This was where he belonged.

The teen looked over at his brother again, this time, it looked like something wasn't going well with him, and it worried Damien. Cicero was so quiet, he never spoke to anyone, and sometimes Damien wished that Cicero trusted him more. They were brothers after all, and it just seemed logical that you would share your thoughts with your brother. Although Damien wasn't, or was never going to be a counselor, he felt the need to comfort Cicero at that precise moment.

Potema seemed to be excited about Burke's proposal of playing in the mud, but to Damien it didn't sound like a good idea at all. He was not going to make 'mud pies' with Potema. She followed after Burke, but Damien chose to walk away in another direction and glanced at Cicero, hoping he would follow. Maybe they could catch something to eat, and meanwhile, they would pick up again the scent of Blackfeather Woods that had wore off long ago, but it would be in a cleaner way, not with mud.

Cicero listened to Burke's explanations; he wondered what happened to Meldresi and where she was. Cicero hoped she would return soon, so he could see her and speak with her himself. He did not notice Damien's attention for him, focussed on Burke's story.

Burke ended by suggesting making mud pies and having a mud flinging contest, an idea that did not appeal to Cicero at all. Were they three months old? As Burke and Potema came into motion -- their sister seemed the only one eager for Burke's suggestion -- Cicero was about to excuse himself and skulk off alone, when Damien went another way and shot him a suggestive look.

Cicero did not hesitate to follow Damien instead, leaving Burke and Potema on their own. It would be nice to spend some more time with Damien alone, although Cicero would not confide in him about the topics that bothered him. Well, other than Burke thinking they were still three month old puppies eager for mud fights, and things like that. Light-hearted things.

It felt good to be back in Blackfeather Woods, despite -- or perhaps because -- of its darkness.

It felt like home.