Redhawk Caldera pritty!

The pup had found his voice when he'd been faced by the terrifying beetles some time ago, but since then he had grown quieter again, not bothering his parents too much. Out of natural instinct, it wanted to give its parents as little worry as it could, so even though the pup's venturing into the world was oftentimes scary and intimidating and everyone's emotions were tiring, the pup was often docile and did not let it show overly much.

Like it did most days, the pup sat by the den's entrance waiting for an adult to take him someplace new or cool. He let out a sigh -- the pup wanted to go outside and play, really -- and stared out into the world with his big, bright eyes, wishing for an opportunity to come by...

At that moment, he saw a butterfly dance by. The pup got off his pudgy butt and started to waddle after it, while under his breath he went, "ohh," out of interest and marvel. The pup watched the butterfly, not attacking it. Once, the butterfly tried to dance back towards the pup, but he quickly backpedaled (probably looking very comical), nearly tripping over himself to get out of the way of the scary, albeit pretty bug.

Sebastian was scouting for herbs along the Caldera. It was something that he wanted to do for a long time, but he hadn't gotten the energy and stamina for it. After his shoulder had been badly injured he couldn't walk very far. The male had watched the birds with jealousy. He wished he had wings to carry him. Yet, now after swimming daily he was doing much better. He was walking around and sniffling plants. There weren't that many interesting ones but he had found some mushrooms. 

He had his big leaf with him that he used as a carrying basket. He wasn't going to be like Tiger. He wasn't going to carry herbs, mushrooms and roots in his mouth too long. With his big tree leaf he found he could carry them better if he didn't put too much in it. He was on his way back when he stumbled on a pup he hadn't seen before. Oh right!!! Finley and Elwood had a baby. He never went to visit or congratulate them. He felt horrible now. He walked up to the pup and placed his leaf down. "You must be Elwood Jr.," Sebastian let out. "I'm Sebastian but you can call me Seb."

The pup had been too absorbed into the fluttering butterfly to notice someone's approach. When he suddenly heard a voice not far from him, the butterfly was completely forgotten. With a terrified look on his face, the pup stared at the complete stranger and he nearly stumbled over himself while he walked backwards, and eventually did stumble over himself and flopped down on his butt. Big teary eyes stared up at him as he introduced himself, but the pup felt a churning feeling in its gut like he just wanted to get away from the stranger.

A noisy sniffle erupted from the pup's nose as he stared at Sebastian, and he looked like he was about ready to burst into tears.

OMG. DON'T YOU DARE BREAK MY HEART!!!

Sebastian's eyes widened when he scared the pup. Oh no! Oh no! He didn't mean to. It was probably his big size. Oh no. He instantly lowered himself to the ground. His chin against the ground. "Don't cry, i'm nice!," he assured on a softer voice. "Please little one, don't cry okay? Seb nice," he spoke once more on the same softer tone. 

The big wolf's tail swayed gently behind him. "I'm a doctor. I heal wolves, make them better." The healer assured the baby. He was so cute even though he was close to crying. Those big eyes.

The butterfly darted away past Sebastian and Elwood Junior, and the pup paid it no more mind as it fluttered away without a care in the world. Elwood Junior, on the other hand, had many of those. Looking about, he realised he had no clue where he was (a mere thirty meters away from the safe den and his parents, but he didn't know that), on top of being faced with this terrifying stranger.

The stranger lowered himself and tried to convince Elwood Junior not to cry, but it was not an easy task. The only thing that soothed the pup slightly was that the stranger had little worries (beside upsetting the pup) or negative emotions presently, which at least kept his head from overloading and erupting.

"Scurd," Elwood Junior mumbled, staying in the same state as before. A little less shocked, perhaps, but his big shiny eyes still looked on the verge of eruption. Where were mommy and daddy?! Where was his home? Where was he?

Sebastian frowned when the pup still looked like seconds from crying. Now he let out a whine because he didn't want to be scary. The big male inched closer and moved his tongue over his lips to show the pup instinctively that he wasn't going to hurt him. If he wanted to be a good healer he would have to be good with children also. He thought he was good with them since Wifi was rather shy and they were best buds now.

What would he say to a pup that could barely talk back to him. Sebastian let out another soft whine. Oh dear. "Seb is nice!"

Mama to the rescue!

As usual, Finley was never too far from her son.  On the periodic times when she wasn't, she left her little Jay in the capable paws of her mate, her alphas, or their daughter who was quite the budding little caretaker when it came to him, even though she seemed to think he was boring.  Today though, Fin had dozed off in the den while her little one played nearby.  The sound of his whimpers though roused her, and swiftly she picked up her head to search for him.

Before the panic of not seeing him where she'd left him could really set in, her ears caught the sound of a familiar voice - Sebastian's, in fact.  Her heart settled swiftly, but she roused herself anyway to join them, knowing full well that her child was likely crying and making the delta very uncomfortable.

"Eljay..." Fin crooned as she approached, "Are you making that big man cry?"  She shot her packmate a grin before she leaned down to place a few comforting licks on the pup's temple.  She knew perfectly well that it was her son doing the whining - that seemed to be the case a lot lately... - but it seemed like a good opportunity to tease them both and lighten the air.

Even when Sebastian threw himself at the ground and nearly pleaded Elwood Junior to not be scared of him, the pup just kept staring at him with his big watery eyes, on the verge of tears. The problem was that he was not only scared, but his emotions had already overloaded and he felt tense, something that wasn't easily helped. Elwood Junior started to sniffle unhappily and tears started to roll down his cheeks just as his mother came around the corner.

"Mooo-hooomy!" Elwood Junior, as soon as his mother came into view, scuttled towards her and he glued himself between her front legs while tears rolled down his cheeks and he sobbed noisily while he stared at Sebastian. He was clearly not planning to go anywhere else for a good while now that he had finally found the safety of his mom.

Sebastian felt absolutely horrible. He didn't know what to do with the crying puppy. He defeatedly kept his chin against the ground, his head between his paws. Sebastian looked pretty beaten. The large male looked up when Finley came around. His heart jumped in relief and pushed himself up in a sitting position. "Hey Fin," he greeted which was followed by a relieved sigh. 

"I didn't mean to make him cry. I really didn't. I think I accidentally startled him or something but I was just saying hi to him," he mumbled, almost feeling guilty to make the pup cry. He had only registered half of that Finley had said to her young.

Eljay came hurdling towards her and buried his face against her legs.  Fin regarded him fondly and gave him a few soothing kisses, but other than that, she let him be in his misery.  One day, he'd see his reactions were unwarranted by the light-hearted take his mother had on the situations he was reacting to.  So, instead of doting on him with sympathy and affection, she focused her attention on Sebastian as he stood and apologized.

"It's alright, I'm sure you didn't do anything," Fin reassured him with a smile, "Jay tends to be sensitive and wary of strangers."  She glanced down at her son then, gazing at him affectionately.  "Jay, this is our packmate, Sebastian.  He's a friend.  Would you please say 'hi' to mommy's friend?"

Little Jay squished himself against his mother's leg, feeling a lot safer here. He missed the instant attention that daddy would often give when he was feeling unsafe, but all in all he was just glad to be safe again, by his mother's side.

When his mother talked to him, Jay looked up and then turned to look at Sebastian. He timidly stayed squished to his mother's leg, sniffled the last tears away and then said a quiet and bashful: "Hubbo moomy fen."

Sebastian watched Finley and then nodded softly. "I realized that, but he wouldn't listen when I said I was a friend," he explained and looked at the pup hiding with its mother. He wasn't sure what he expected from Finley and Elwood's pup but this wasn't it. He would never comment on that. He didn't see it at bad, he was just surprised. That is all.

Sebastian smiled at Jay and hummed. "Hello," he spoke. "Still think I am scary?," he asked. He looked at Finley with a curious expression. "Wifi is my good friend too."

Like the well-behaved little wolf he was, Eljay muttered a 'hello' to his moomy's friend.  She grinned down at him and placed an approving kiss upon his crown.  Fin looked over at Sebastian then as he explained what had happened.  Though the man was a little exasperated by it, the protective mother couldn't help but be pleased that her son had remained wary.  A stranger that ate wolf puppies for dinner would have claimed to be a 'friend' too.  Though it was unlikely such a wolf would have been so deep in the heart of the Caldera...  Still, if it kept her little buddy safe, then he could make their packmates uncomfortable all he wanted.

Her ears perked when Sebastian told Eljay he was friends with Wifi, and she turned her gaze expectantly to her son.  "Hear that, Jay?" she said with a smile, "Your cousin, Wiffle, thinks this guy's pretty alright.  She does have pretty good taste in friends."  She nudged him gently with her paw, hoping to encourage him.

this best quote: "Still, if it kept her little buddy safe, then he could make their packmates uncomfortable all he wanted." XD

Little Jay stayed close to his mother, even now that they had confirmed that Sebastian was not an unfriendly wolf. He still felt tired from what had happened before and how lost he had been, and a little scared too -- even if being scared now had nothing to do with Sebastian anymore. Jay's tail wiggled a little when Wifi was mentioned, since he liked spending time with his cousin. "Otay," Jay said when Sebastian mentioned he was Wifi's friend.

When Finley poked him with her paw, Jay knew he was supposed to say something, but he had no idea what. Burdened with the pressure, he pressed himself a bit closer to his mother's paw and eventually said, quietly, with his insecurity shining through, as if he wasn't really sure what to say but understood he was expected to reply in some way: "Yah..."

Sebastian decided that it was time to leave. This pup was clearly not a fan of him and it didn't want the little man feel even more uncomfortable as he did before. "I have to put away my herbs now," he spoke in explanation. "But next time we will do something fun okay, Eljay?" The tank of a male got to the big leaves filled with plants. He would need to bring them back to his badger den full of herbs. This was the only way he could help his pack mate now he was still limping a bit. 

Sebastian was definitely doing better. His daily swimming helped. That reminded him that he hadn't done his daily swimming yet. "Have a good day Miss. Finley," he spoke politely. 

thank you <3

Eljay grew awkward and uncertain, and Fin heaved a small sigh to see it.  He did not have her courage, and he did not have Elwood's easy, friendly nature.  He was an anxious, nervous little wolf, and in truth Finley had no idea how to help him.  And so, she stubbornly shoved her doubts and fears for him down deep and told herself that he was absolutely perfect.  He'd find his way out of his shell in time, and if not... Well, he'd still be perfect.

Fin wagged her tail, appreciative of Sebastian's determination to make friends with the little boy.  She nodded her head to him as he bid them farewell and left.  Her gaze went to Eljay again and she kissed him lightly on his little head before nudging him back towards the den, certain he was probably ready to nap after such an overwhelming encounter.

Jay realised that he was a disappointment, but that only increased his uncertainty. The boy felt tired after all the excitement and he watched as Sebastian told him goodbye. "Otay," said Jay when Sebastian said that would do something fun (so he assumed, as he'd only really caught onto the words "fun" and "Eljay").

After Sebastian had gone, his mother was quick to return him to the den. The pup stayed close to his mommy all the way home, and when they were home he settled himself beside his mother and dozed off to sleep, tired from the exciting day.