Sawtooth Spire this whole rhapsody

Quick trip to the Pukulria. Paging any one puppy!

Those milk teeth were terribly sharp. He'd been gnawed on enough that just when he thought he was growing numb to their biting, their teeth slipped and he was reminded how terribly painful those very same teeth were. Today, it was time to teach these children a valuable lesson: their Atatak was not a chew toy. It was time to get these boys something real to chew on so he could save his own hide. This would be a lesson in Iqniq's own survival and for the boys to know other wolves were friends, not food.

Time to visit the Pukulria. The meager bone pile held nothing of the grandeur of their former pile back in the Spine. The one here was a work in progress filled with the bones of their previous kills. It wasn't... necessarily a pile so to speak. There wasn't quite enough ivory to call it that. It was more like a scattering of bones that would continue to build and grow with each of their successes. Here, he'd be able to pick out more suitable chew toys for the boys.

He picked one pup at random to accompany him and left the rest in the tender care of @Aariak. Together, father and son picked a short path through the woods to visit the bone pile and pick out a shiny new toy from their makeshift toy store.

Assuming they arrive at the bone pile in this thread, since it's a short path. I can edit if you want a few travel posts!

For each step he took he bounded forward four, such was his excitement to be going somewhere with dear old dad. The third born was not content to be left out or left behind in any context, so he was fortunate to have been the random selection. He trailed after Iqniq in a winding, snake-like manner as he wandered from side to side of his father's path in order to sniff new scents or get a closer look of some new thing. A plant, a rock, a different shaped clump of dirt - the fox took all of these details in.

When he caught sight of the bone pile in progress, he stopped and stared. His lower jaw dropped into a gape, his eyes wide with wonder. He was a child at the doors of the toy store, and he quivered where he stood. Hardly able to peel his eyes off the bones, he stole a glance at his father as his tail widly battered the air. "EEE?"

All good!

It didn't take too terribly long to reach the pile. Three was content to pounce around and explore while Iqniq kept an eye on him. Gently and subtly, he encouraged the fox-pup in the right direction. True to work nature, and encouraging in Ping's efforts to take in every scent ever, Iqniq turned his nose to the ground and pointed out curious things here and there as they made their way to the Spire's beloved pile of bones.

"Pukulria," he murmured, announcing the place as soon as they arrived. He wolfed lightly, to catch his son's attention before he gave the kid a nod. Go for it, champ. The boy seemed excited. Who could blame him? This pile of bones made Iqniq eager too even though he was a full fledged adult. Age didn't really matter when it came to bones. Or sticks. Or anything they could get their mouth on and worry at. It was all good.

When his father spoke, Ping watched his mouth, as he had been doing whenever anyone spoke to him. "Puuuuu," he drawled as his head turned back to the pile, and his attention was stolen. If he was going to pronounce the name of the grand thing before him, it would have to wait. His father whuffed, gave him the nod, and the fox sprinted ahead. "Eeeeeeee!" he projected with glee, adding the bounce of a hare to his liquid gait.

He ran to the nearest bone, a long, stained thing, and pounced it, his rump and tail wiggling in the air. He moved his eyes up and glanced another bone, which he traded the first for with another pounce. He repeated this act on several more bones, until he arrived at the upside down skull of a coyote. He swatted it with a paw, flipping it up right, and exposing clearly to the boy its clenched teeth.

He paused with a sound that was like a hiccup and gasp blended together. Dried flesh and fur still clung around its muzzle, giving the appearance of a snarl. The fur rose along the silent fox's back as he stared fixedly at it.

A grin spread upon Iqniq's lips as Pingasut attempted to say the name of this new place. Puu. They could run with that. Might be fun to see the look on Tonravik's face when he explained he let Ping go play in Puu today. He chuckled at his terrible not-as-funny-as-he-thought kind of joke and watched as his son explored through and about the various bones of the pile. Moose. Bighorn sheep. Coyotes.

He huffed, nosing at a ram's horn as he gnawed at the point of it. The tip of it fell off and he pursed his lips about it, blowing through it like a deep, brassy trumpet. Ha! That had worked. He picked that bone up between his teeth and carried it atop the pile towards where Ping was exploring. He seemed transfixed by something. Time to see what it was.

Coyote skull. The thing had not yet rotted and fur still clung in lingering patches. Coyotes were bad. They were scavengers. He hunkered down next Ping and looked towards the skull. He growled at it too, confirming the child's hesitations about the skull and trying to cement the fact that coyotes were bad.

Except, dead, there was little harm the coyote could do. So, with the lesson learned, Iqniq picked up the skull between his teeth and settled it atop of Pingasut's head so it rested upon him like a mask or hat. Ha. Kid looked like a bad ass. Ghostrider-ish.

Playing in puu, hahaha!

It was not fear, but an innate sense of knowing that something was off. His father came to his side, and he cast him only a brief sidelong glance before returning his suspicious stare back to the skull. His father's growl confirmed to him that whatever this was, was not friendly, and he rumbled softly himself. He lifted a paw, about to give the skull a tapping and a poking, when his father lifted it.

The skull was placed upon his head, and he grew still. His eyes looked upward at it, and though his head swayed slightly, he kept it balanced for a few moments before tilting his muzzle downward and allowing it to slide of. It landed upside down, the way it had been before he swatted it. He leaned down to sniff it loudly, and then he seized it by the arc of bone on its cheek. He scampered off with his tail flying in the air, looking back to challenge his father to a game of chase and take the thing!

The skull cap was short lived. Ping froze beneath the weight of it, before the head slipped off of his crown and back into the pile. Iqniq's ears drooped for a moment. He was hoping to engrain the image of the bad ass fox pup into his memory, but it seemed the window of opportunity for such a thing was short lived. No matter, the boy decided to make a game of it, something at which Iqniq immediately bright up at. Yesssss. His kids were playfully fun.

A yip escaped him as he scrambled over the pile of bones and moved to chase after his little fox. He kept his strides short, so as not to overtake the youngster's strides too quickly, but in the same instance, put up a good chase. There was learning and survival instinct to be found in little games like these. He hoped his children would have an opportunity to learn these little lessons in safe company so they might later apply them in the wild.

He gained at Ping and nipped at his flying little tail, encouraging him to run faster. He nudged the pup's flank, encouraging Ping to weave as he made away with the coyote skull.

His father was a good sport, breaking into chase at his child's prompt. The fox did not have the size or strength of his siblings and never would, but already he had noteworthy sure-footedness and grace, and speed to go along with it. He raced across and around the bone pile as though he had practiced every step for months before hand, delightedly increasing his speed as Iqniq nipped as his tail, and bending in the opposite direction of his father's touch on his flank.

He giggled as he ran, and as his giggle ramped into joyful laughter, his grip on the skull slipped. It dropped to the ground between his legs as he flew over it. He skidded to a stop, pivoting as quick as he could until he was at a standstill facing the skull that now laid between his father and him.

He ambled along behind his fox-son. He kept his strides intentionally shorter so as not to overcome the child, while still giving him a good chase. Compared to Atuaserk, Pingasut was faster. The eldest bumbled along, while the smallest was nimble and quick. It was evident enough to Iqniq that Pinq would figure out how to survive. If he wasn't a fighter at heart, he most certainly could run. The child could always use that to his advantage if need be.

His nosing of the child cause Ping to weave. The boy's footing upon the pile of bones was surprisingly capable. Iqniq remembered struggling on the bone pile of the Spine. It'd been taller. More majestic. Harder to stabilize ones footing. As this Pukulria was still in its infant stages, it was significantly easier to navigate. Still. Even with that coyote skull in his mouth, the boy did not trip. Impressive.

Ping laughed. Iqniq grinned, tongue lolling as they continued their game of chase. The skull slipped. Iqniq came to a sudden halt, skidding over the layer of bones as Ping flipped and placed the skull between them. Iqniq dipped into a playful bow. It'd be easy enough to steal that coyote head away, but this was a game and their fun was not over yet. Iqniq feinted forward, curious to see if the pup would call his bluff.

He was stopped. His father stopped. The pair faced off and his father dropped into a bow. His son mimicked him, an impish grin laid upon his lips as his rump swayed in the air. Time seemed to stand still. His eyes were narrowed in a shrewd focus, never deviating from his sire. The slightest twitch in Iqniq's muscles he was sure to catch (if you ask him). This was a game, but he wanted to win, even he had his own ideas on how to win in a game that had no clear rules or outcomes.  

The red king of the spire feinted forward, and the fox reacted fast. He sprang ahead, rushing past the skull and making a leap for his father's nose, his mouth parted and teeth armed to make a nip on the soft black leather.

Ping echoed him. Iqniq feinted forward, trying to see if the child would flinch. Fox-boy took it as an opportunity to dart forward and steal the skull back. Good for him. Wait no. He wasn't stealing the skull, he was going for his nose. The father realized this too late and suddenly his face was filled with the gnawing of puppy teeth. Oh no! Not the puppy teeth! Those suckers were sharp.

Iqniq flipped, tossing his body to the ground so he was upside down. His nose was still exposed, but at least now he could bat at the child with his paws and wiggle and squirm on the rest of the thin smattering of bones. He twisted, shifting a little bit away as he snapped back. All soft teeth, nothing threatening, but those little puppy toes were totally worth pretending to nom on.

Several times had he tried this move with his mother and always to the same result: she would lift her head out of reach of his little teeth and he would be forced to choose another point of aim. At least until such a time that he could reach that damned nose without her evading with such ease. So, when he darted as his father, he did so expecting the same reaction that the she-bear had, believing this would buy him the time he needed to scamper away with the prize; the skull. Indeed, the third born not only looked like a fox, but he was starting to think with the same craftiness that earned the red creature a place in lore and myth.

But, as he would come to understand more and more as time went by, his parents were two very different wolves. Iqniq did not lift his head, and his little teeth connected - gently - with his nose before his father flipped to his back and started to bat at him with those big ol paws. This is something his mother never would have done. The skull was momentarily forgotten, for Pingasut was still but a child that could not think of too many things at once. He threw himself into the game, gently biting at whatever he could and swinging his own, much daintier, paws. His father soon claimed his toes with his own soft nips, and as the boy shifted sideways to try and escape, he caught sight of that skull again.

Remembering his plan in the first place, he darted free from Iqniq as soon as he could and rushed for that skull with all the speed he could muster; as if he thought his father was privy to his thoughts and would be on his tail and nabbing him before he could get there, having known what the fox was up to. Of course, if he was not caught, he was going to put on a good show of scampering away with the prize.

800th post!

There was something good to be said in the differences between himself and Tonravik. Two different beasts. Two different ways to be learned. Where Tonravik did not so much understand the value of play, Iqniq saw much gain in these little lessons. No two wolves were consistent. Battle and sparring strategies had to be flexible and able to change on the fly. The same was true for hunting. No matter the scenario, these times of play encouraged quick, critical thinking. It built up instinctual responses and crafted reflexes. Iqniq would not discourage play.

On his back, the playing field was leveled. Ping nipped at him just as Iqniq nipped back. Their paws both bantered each other. Their teeth, falling upon fur with gentle nudges as Iqniq waited to see what Ping would make of this mock battle. The pup darted free. The father flipped back to his stomach and lay there with his hind paws coiled beneath him. Fox boy was demonstrating his sly nature. Perhaps now was also a good time for a lesson in humility.

Ping bolted for the skull. Iqniq was ready for him. He let the pup get his teeth around the bone head and turn away before Iqniq snagged Ping by the tail and put an end to his escape. He pulled the boy back towards him and wrapped his arms around him, tucking the child against his chest as he nuzzled him. His nape. His belly. He snuggled the boy relentlessly and made every effort to trap the boy within his affections.

Grats! :D

His teeth clamped around the skull, and he felt a surge of pride as he believed that - once more - he had outwitted a member of his family and was about to make off with the reward. Then yank! His father grasped his tail and pulled him backward. In his surprise, he dropped the skull and soon found himself buried against Iqniq's chest. He squirmed and swatted his paws about, finding himself wholly trapped between strong limbs and set upon by a nuzzling snout. His struggle was short-lived however, as he was soothed by the gentle affection.

Next to winning, cuddling was his favorite thing so far, and so with a croon of happiness he gave in. He turned his softly licking tongue on the first thing within reach - his father's foreleg - and preened the fur as his tail wriggled back and forth happily.

He snuggled his son. Laughing at bit as he did so, the pup wiggled and squirmed and began licking whatever he could find. As they settled, Ping took to licking his forearm. Iqniq ran his large tongue up the boy's spine, backwards towards the top of his head. The fur rustled, but he paid it no mind. Dad teasing. Now fox-boy had a bit of a fauxhawk.

He grinned as he lifted from the spot and ventured over to find the discarded coyote skull. He plopped it back on Ping's head and gave the boy a yip. Time to head home. Time to show off his shiny new toy to the rest of his brothers. He herded his son with his paws as he encouraged playing and exploring on their walk back.

He had been content until his father licked him backwards, ruffling up his fur into a fauxhawk of sorts. Immediately he set about correcting this as his father rose to his paws in search of the skull. The fox swooped lowered his head and used a paw to restore order to the fur upon his crown, until it felt right, laying as it was intended by nature to lay. Then he craned his neck to lick as much of his back as he could, and when that did not quite suffice, he gave himself a shake. This re-arranged his fur to satisfaction. Meticulously maintaining his coat was becoming a thing of his.

With tongue lolling happily, he turned to pursue his father, but Iqniq had returned and deposited the skull back on his head. He tossed his head back to dislodge it, playfully pouncing it and seizing it in his jaws before trotting after the king of the Spire.

Iqniq grinned. It appeared as though Ping wasn't so fond of a little rustling of his fur. He was starting to notice the boy was quite finicky over his appearance. For better or for worse, since this one took after his side of the gene pool, he imaged Pingasut would be quite the stud later in life. A little vanity would serve him well so long as he didn't obsess over it. Time would tell. Lessons would be learned.

"Ready to go show your brothers your new skull?" he asked as they trotted along. Ping didn't seem to like it on his head. Perhaps fox-boy would learn to share and one of the other boys could enjoy peering through the empty eye sockets of that skull while their heads were still small enough to fit.

Fade here and have another? :D

The third born nodded when asked if he was ready to show his brothers, grinning around the skull as he picked himself up and trotted proudly with his head held up. Yet, as the pair moved forward toward home, he felt a different feeling toward this idea, and it caused him to ever so slightly knit his brows and to set his teeth firmer into the bone. Nevertheless, he continued on, his posture remaining lifted.

When the duo returned home, he shared his skull with his brothers, allowing the family to play with it until they turned their attention on to something else. It was then that the sly fox seized his chance to sneak in, reclaim the skull, and cart it off to hide it somewhere before rejoining them. If anyone had noticed him doing this, he did not notice them noticing him.

@Pingasut Let's! This one is open if you'd like to join, or we can start something fresh. Either way!

They trotted along through the forest and eventually made their way back to the den site. All and all, Iqniq was pleased to consider one of their first outings to be something of a success. Even at such a young age, Pingasut was already displaying smart characteristics that would no doubt be helpful for him later in life. Iqniq's mini me would do well. Tonravik had nothing to fear. Nothing, except maybe that their children would all squabble over that skull until they grew bored of it.

They made it home and Iqniq watched them all discover their new play thing. He tucked himself into a corner of the den and watched them play for a while. Eventually, he'd notice that the skull disappeared, but he'd not suspect his son. Instead, he'd be ever curious that Tonravik had removed it simply because of what the coyote skull meant to this pack, but he'd keep his thoughts to himself as there were other, more important things to be concerned over.

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