Phoenix Maplewood can't feel my face

Re-post.

Since her encounter with Saena, Reggie had avoided the wolves altogether, including Reek. She only spent time with Sart, particularly when the two of them slept together in the hollow tree. For the most part, though, she sought solitude. She slipped discreetly from place to place, sticking to the forest's heart and alternating between exploring, hunting and scratching at her flea-bitten hide.

This morning, she felt slightly less itchy. Perhaps the cold was helping with the fleas. Whatever the cause, she didn't question it. The whelp set out into the woods, skirting around the fallen leaves to avoid making a sound. It was getting tougher as more and more of them fell to the ground. Soon there would be a veritable carpet of them.

Many small rodents were working on their winter stores and the young coyote was capitalizing on it. In the past few days alone, she had become quite an adept mouser. Fortunately, Regipre's personality lent itself to the patience, silence and stillness necessary to pounce the little vermin. She could catch several a day, which meant she didn't need to rely on Reek and the pack so much.

After capturing a particularly chubby mouse, Reggie crushed its head and carried its limp body toward the roots of a maple. She circled three times and then slumped to the ground, partially concealed as she quickly gulped down her small catch.

While Reek had seen Sart on multiple occasions, her sister Reggie had proven to be much a more elusive presence in the maplewood. He couldn't blame her, no. It was simply her nature as a coyote to not be seen— the behavior she exhibited was to be expected. Sart's behavior, on the other hand, had been more peculiar. But, nature or not, Reek knew if he did not make proper contact with the pup, problems could eventually arise in her upbringing. The notion of nature needed to be broken, soon.

He set out from the heart of the territory with a fresh kill in tow. Another rabbit. Hunting small game had become an easier task with practice; already the coyotes had taught him more than he had taught them. He searched for Reggie in particular. Winding through the trees, Reek walked until he picked up the faint scent of the pup— then he diverted his course accordingly.

Reek took his time and watched the pup before he made his approach. He watched on as she made and ate her own kill and felt something much akin to pride well up in his gut. The rabbit slipped from his jaws as he tried to smile, but he reached down and picked it back up with his jaws before approaching the coyote.

He kept his body low, non-threatening. "Well, look at you!" he beamed after dropping the rabbit at the pup's side. "The master hunter strikes again."

She was just swallowing the last morsel of her meal when Reek approached. Regipre stood, though her posture remained low. When the wolf dropped the rabbit carcass beside her, she glanced at it, then looked at him. Her ears slowly shifted backward and she shook her head, then stepped away from the kill. She wanted no part of his offering. She refused to be a charity case any longer.

"I can hunt for myself," she said. In fact, with each passing day, Reggie became more independent and felt less and less like she needed these wolves in her life. Reek had lied to her, Saena hated her, Auntie merely tolerated her. She wasn't part of the pack by any stretch of the imagination. And though she sometimes heard Sart's voice in her head, whispering, "What about winter?" Reggie was almost certain she would rather take her chances after all.

"Take it to Sart," she suggested quietly. She didn't think her sister shared her qualms. Most likely, Sart wouldn't want to leave should Regipre take her convictions as far as disembarking from these woods. That thought made her stomach twist uncomfortably. She looked at the ground, her expression blank as the young coyote tried to weigh her choices.

Self-sufficiance; a quality he actively admired. However, in Regipre's case, this sort of self service survival attitude was counterintuitive to Reek's endgame. No, he needed to foster dependance. She needed to need Reek. Inwardly, Reek cursed, but on the outside he sported a fatherly grin. So proud. "Yes you can!" He exclaimed, confirming the coyote's burgeoning skills as a hunter. There would be other ways to make her dependent on him he was sure, but he would have to go back to the drawing board...

"—But, I didn't catch this for Sart," he continued. He dipped his head low, down to the pups level, before turning around and plopping down at her flank. "I caught it for you. We could share it if you want— and we could just, well, talk. His tone was light and was complemented by a warm smile. He had yet at actually talk to the pup since she had arrived to the maplewood. It was past due time to get their relationship back on the tracks.

Reek gently refused her suggestion, then flopped down beside her. Regipre scooted perhaps an inch away, then remained motionless. If he wanted a close relationship with her, the feeling was not mutual. She would never look at him as a parent. Sart might, yet Reggie didn't have much time for intimate connections, so his effort was wasted on her. The only reason she didn't run off into the sunset was because she was an instinctual creature who knew she needed Reek for survival, at least until she was a bit more self-sufficient.

If he wanted to talk, Reggie wasn't going to stop him. But her lips pressed together and she said nothing. She wasn't being petulant for the sake of it. She was not really one for idle conversation, even less for sharing thoughts and feelings. In fact, Regipre didn't much like talking at all. This was bound to be a very one-sided conversation.

Silence was her only reply. Nevertheless, the absence of a response spoke far more than words ever could. His brow furrowed and he exhaled slowly with a twinge of disappointment. Reek turned his head and looked upon the pup— his warm smile began to droop into a frown. She was a lost cause; he knew that, but she was still his to take care of no matter what.

"You're not happy here are you?" he asked. The answer was self-evident, but he wanted to hear it himself. He needed to. Whatever his shortcomings were, he needed to know so he could correct them. Especially, for the ever-nearing day when fatherhood would became a much more pressing and important issue.

He asked a direct question and Regipre provided a direct answer. "No." She shifted ever so slightly, glancing at him. The smile had gone from his voice and it had vanished from his face as well. His ugly features twisted into a sad frown. She did not feel bad for him, though Reggie slowly dropped her eyes and scanned the forest instead, still ignoring the dead rabbit.

The pup silently wondered if Reek would take his cue and leave her alone or whether he would keep trying to talk. She gave a tiny little huff, waiting.

He tried. He had tried so hard, but he just couldn't break through. It was odd that something so small and vulnerable could build such a wall around herself. Whatever inner turmoil Regipre felt, Reek was ignorant of it. He knew it was there, like a gathering fog, but he could not pry any deeper. There was nothing to see— nothing left to do. Emotionally, he was at a loss.

This was a failure. Deeply, Reek wished he could truly help the pup feel safe. Home. But, his plans tumbled down like the walls of Jericho. There was nothing left to do but sit with his head in his paws. A silence followed, but Reggie wasn't much of a talker anyway so he wasn't missing much.

Eventually, silence grew dull and Reek finally spoke. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled softly. His eyes watered with a warm and emotional sting. "I didn't know it would be like this— and I know nothing I say will ever make you trust me, but all I wanted to do was protect you and your sister. To do some good for once." He paused and took a labored breath. "I guess I've fucked this up too."

If he was fishing for reassurances or an acceptance to his apology, Reek wasn't going to make a catch. Regipre made no reply after he threw himself a small pity party. Now that she was getting older, she knew that he had essentially stolen her and Sart from their mother. Even if his intentions had been good, it didn't change the fact that he'd kidnapped them. The road to hell was paved with good intentions, after all, and none of Reek's vision had worked out in any way anyway.

Still ignoring both him and the rabbit, Reggie continued squinting off into the forest. Why didn't he just take the food to Sart, who would be much happier for his company? She didn't wish him ill, despite everything, but nor did Regipre want to spend any time with Reek. She bit back a sigh, waiting until this uncomfortable and one-sided conversation was over and the homely wolf went away.

Sorry for the wait! One more post from you and that should do it!

For a long time there was only silence. Reek didn't dare speak a word and neither did the pup contribute in in fashion. It was heartbreaking, but it was time to give up.  Her silence had made him finally realize what a lost cause she was. There was no breaking through the thick walls she had built between them.  She would never trust him, so Reek concluded it would be best to sever all attachment and investment.

He exhaled and picked up the rabbit is his jaws. He promised to protect her, but never set out to take away her freedom. Sart would appreciate the rabbit far more than her and Reek set off into the maplewood without a final word in search for her.

No worries! Reggie may have been a bump on a log but I loved playing with you and Reek! :)

Oblivious to the silent decision he had reached, Regipre made no movement as Reek finally collected himself, gathered the rabbit and plodded away without another word. Her nostrils flared briefly as her sharp eyes tracked his movement through the trees. Finally, he disappeared. Reggie drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She felt decidedly relieved.

She rose onto all fours and pointed her muzzle in the exact opposite direction, then resumed her search for mice. She had made her bed and now she would have to lie in it. Regipre must fully provide for herself if she had any hope for survival.