Stavanger Bay Won't see me closing in

A wild Chusi has appeared! @Szymon @Doe @Skellige ( @Lotte @Ingram ) ( @Arturo for visibility :) )

After making sure Dakarai and Olive were settled well, having grown quite fond of the couple, she had gone to her father. He had said she could go on her own to visit Szymon and Lotte, yet did not know the boy she had met on her trip to Stavanger Bay was nearby as well. She had hated the male with a passion before, yet was longing for his presence once again. Of course, she had hoped to run into him on her way to Blackrock Depths, but he had not shown up. Not even the wind carried his scent, and she supposed he was long gone with his traveling companion he had spoken of.

She followed the sea until she encountered the border, unsure if she could cross it or if even she had to stay put and wait for someone to let her in. She was sure Szymon would not hurt her (if he recognized her now she was almost full-grown) and that Doe would be fine with her too, but the rest of them? She wanted to be extra safe for Arturo, so that he would let her come by later again, all by herself.

She threw her feminine head in her neck and let out a summoning howl - a hello from the mountains and the forest they had settled in. She was here! She had made it all on her own, and couldn't wait to see her friends again.

o hay

as a thin delicate howl trawled through the depths, murgash paused from his ruminations in the same, drool and rime both sliding gruesomely from his muzzle. it was a lady -- and as anyone knew, murgash could never let a lady come to his vicinity without thorough visual inspection.

he made haste towards her, a roughshorn and dark tumbleweed -- and when she came to his vision he slowed so that he could have ample time to visually appraise her. she was young, but svelte with muscle -- and she was just at the cusp of adolescence where her body was forbiddingly tantalizing and touched with the golden vigor of youth. he desired her immediately.

"oi! hullo leetle lay-dee!" he crowed, slurping up any last remnants of drool before he closed the distance between them. "wots ye doin 'round heres?" he wasn't exactly creepy yet, but his gaze was hungry -- he kept his distance as to not spook her, but if she was as smart as Doe she likely would see immediately through his guise and see he was just looking for a place to stick it.

Standing, she awaited the white pelt of her Szymon to come to her - to greet her and for him to see how much good the forest had done at raising her. Or would he be more worried about Arturo? Nonsense, she knew Szymon loved her like one of the blackrock wolves, and she returned that love with a smile forevermore. When it took longer than expected, the teenager started to worry. Surely he wouldn't get lost in his own territory or ignore her? He meant much to her, and it would pain her greatly if he would not show up to at least greet her and ask how life had been with Teaghlaigh.

When the footfalls came - her heart fluttered. He had not forgotten the sound of her voice! But, when she finally looked, her expression saddened and her tail drooped a level lower. It was not the stuttering, white male - instead a roughened male, patches of fur missing from his coat with an overbite, had shown up. Did she know him? He smelled of blackrock, but she could not recall meeting him before today - and she did not like how he was staring at her as if she were some fleshy meal he could gobble up without a pardon.

I'm no' "little". She told him, a little grumble leaving her maw. Perhaps she was salty Szymon hadn't shown up (yet), and that's what had put her in a bad mood. I came t' visit Szymon 'n Doe. Ya know if they're busy or somethang? She asked, squinting slightly to make sure he did not try anything with her. The only boy she was still slightly interested in was Ingram - and who knew where he had gone to.

as the male drifted closer he was able to readily read the disappointment that clouded young chusi's visage. to say that murgash was, well, used to such disenchantment was a gross understatement: if anything, a woman being pleased to behold him would have signaled the second coming.

in any event he was not about to let chusi's clear discouragement (after all, there was no accounting for good taste, was there?) dampen his spirits. the impish male rebuked her darkened expression with a ripe and overabundant beam of his own: even a tendril of drool zealously spilled from his parted gums as he smiled.

"indeed ye issn't - it's jus' an ex-pression is awl." he set on his haunches and tilted his head back, regarding her with his one clear eye. "now, theese wulffs ye be callin' loikely heard ye well as oi.. i'm essimatin' it wont be long before wunna dem gets heere. in the meen-toime, pleasant'tries are in ordah. oi'm murgash -- and ye bes?"

Perhaps if the male had begun with introducing him or had not called her "little" (to which she had taken great offense, since she had grown so much), perhaps she had gone easy on such a creature as him. But Chusi was not pleased to see, hear or converse with him at this point. She had traveled here to see Szymon and Lotte - not some slobbering, horny, downright ugly man. Dakarai had been a stranger - how had he managed to make her heart bleed like it had at those borders - where she had vouched for him and Olive to not be separated?

Her salmon colored tongue slipped smoothly over her teeth as he dared to smile. What - had she amused him? Perhaps he just liked looking at little, pretty girls. His drool that was landing near his feet because his smile certainly pointed at that direction, and she had nothing else to judge than what was before her right now. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. 

It's no' an expression - ya just find meh small 'n a nice trophy for yar collection of stol'n goods. She told him. She certainly told him what a lot of things were not. She was no lady nor little, in her opinion. She was a warrior - she was the oidhre of the great Arturo Fearghal, heir to his position as head of The Family. Why was she even still speaking with this mutt if she could wander around blackrock to find Szymon herself? Curiosity, she blamed it on.

Tha' doesn't answer mah question. She said, head lowering to cover her white patch on her neck. Do ya know if they'r busy 'r nah? She pressed on, perhaps now just looking for trouble. Still, with her training, she felt she could beat him. Trained by the best and with a natural talent for fighting, one could expect much of her now and even more in the future. Fearghal - Chusi Fearghal. She answered him honestly. Perhaps he had heard of Arturo and could now connect the dots if he had lived here long enough.

shit-starter that murgash was, it did him no pleasure to see that he had offended her. while he expected most ladies to find him unsavory, it had not been his intention to cause her annoyance. he considered recharting his course, but as they say... the ship had sailed.

he was going to retort, maybe even offer an indignant "hey, not true!" (cause it wasn't) but he didn't think it would do any good.

determined not to sink miserably (certainly not in the presence of such a fine young lady) murgash grappled onto what little mainstay he could: "oi'm not sure," he answered truthfully, for he had never really cared enough about anything other than his truly -- certainly not enough to make note of who or what stripey little man and red-snapper lady were up to. "miss doe has pup-ees. manny squirmy pups. mebbe tendin' them, oi'm not certain." he tried to alleviate her mood by being helpful -- a trait he was rarely known for. maybe it was because he liked how spitfire-fierce she was.. or maybe it was because he thought she was hot as eff: "well then choosi, dis murgash yakoruda the second, is at yah servis."

How had Doe allowed this Murgash? How did she find this all alright? Chusi wanted answers, but knew it would offend him if he asked it right now - and even if he had done that to her (however unintentionally), she did not like lowering herself to his standard. She had not let Ingram walk over her like a pile of dirt and bones, and she would not let Murgash either. How come it was always males that felt superior? So far, only Arturo, Cam and Szymon had been what one called "gentlemanly". Zephyr would've gotten that title too, if he had not thrown her offer on the ground that dreadful day he had found her again after she had been taken by Szymon and Darky.

She let out a held in sigh, glad this conversation had gotten meaningful at last. Of course, he still wasn't very helpful, but he was trying - she could tell. That pleased her and made her feel mature. Finally the big wolves were somewhat listening to her and did not tower over her anymore. Sure, many were still bigger, but not by much anymore. Pops? How'd they ge' 'ere? She asked, not knowing puppies were made and not just brought. More pups meant more play mates her age (somewhat), and she was happy for Doe and Szymon, but she was confused. Did they kidnap them or something? 

M'rgash Yak'ruda, would ya please take meh to Doe 'n Szymon? She asked sweetly - for once her beauty working in her favor. 

a small smile (equally as small as his tiny victory of placating chusi) wormed its way on his muzzle as he saw her soften -- even his tail seemed to for a moment whump against his hocks hopefully. that was, until she asked how babies were made. uh.

murgash's head felt conflicted, but the bottom half of him certainly didn't. he felt a stir in his gut and for a moment seemed as if he were pulling against some invisible tension; on the one hand, he had no intentions of telling her how babies were made... but on the other hand, if she was truly curious he would be happy to show her how...

"uhhh.." he groaned, fumbling how best to mix his normal charm with intelligence. "well... when a pretty wulf such es yerself meets a handsome man loike moiself.. well.. thems sparks flyen, en ye gets to gettin' awful close to one anutha.. and then before ye knows it ye gettin' in-tee-mate." he paused, feeling himself get rowdy from even vaguely explaining it.. "look, oi could show ye. oi wouldn't mind." he grinned widely, excitement coursing through him -- really, it would be no trouble at all showing 'choosi' how babies were made.

She squinted further at his broken face, still wondering if she could trust him. If he were part of Blackrock, he was an alley, but not the kind Chusi really wanted as a friend. He was strange and weirdly affectionate of her looks, ad that made her uncomfortable - more so than conversing with Ingram. For a moment did she regret not taking Arturo along, for he would certainly not allow anyone to treat her like this, but quickly brushed that thought away. She was grown now - she had to handle things on her own, as she had almost always done in her short existence. Resourceful and a quick learner, she was the ideal solo traveler and hunter. 

One eyebrow raised as he seemed a little awkward telling her how the pups had made their way to blackrock. Perhaps if Arturo had just educated her about this all, she would not have to drag others into her urge for knowledge. He had told her much, but not the kind of things she really wanted to know. Only the lessons on hunting and fighting were physically useful, and she supposed the long talks about life had given her some insight of the world too. 

She cocked her head to one side, trying to understand. Two beautiful wolves getting intimate resulted in babies? Was "fucking"  a part of this weird process for life? She made a look of "seriously? I'm a fucking child" when he wanted to show her how, afraid SHE might be the one getting puppies all of the sudden if they did this kind of thing. Besides, she didn't want to get any closer to this slobbering beast of lust - only imagining herself with this guy getting it on made her want to barf. Nuh - I would like tah see mah friends 'n congratulate 'em on their pops. She nodded sternly, leaving not much room for further discussion about getting intimate.

Though she'd been indisposed when the call had sounded, Doe had heard and marked it all the same. The kids were settled, now, and under the care of another packmate - and the red woman had gone out to greet the familiar voice that'd drifted to her from across the shore.

"There are plenty of grown women for you to accost, Murgash," Doe called as she approached, teeth flashing in amusement by eyes in a mother's savage protectiveness. There would be no more children born after Mannoah's if she had anything to do with it, and besides - Chusi was only a child herself. No older than Qilaq, if Doe's discernment was correct.

"Hello, Chusi," she added when she'd come close enough to speak instead of yell. "Are you taking good care of that old coywolf?"

like all females, chusi rejected his half-hearted offer. murgash was not a ship easily sunk (if anything, he was a bit like ironsides... both in the girth and the longevity department), and he simply shrugged the rejection off with a low sweep of his tail. he wasn't exactly thrilled about leading a strange wolf, even a young one like chusi, to the denmother -- he was sure in some way, that would violate the sanctity of the borders. he was about to offer to simply keep chusi company until someone came -- that was, until he saw doe prowling towards them.

his tattered ears fell in deference, and he grinned somewhat stupidly as she rightly put him in his place. he didn't really agree per se that there were plenty; at least not around here - doe wasn't interested and he thought mannoah was a little touched in the head. if anything, pickings were slim!

but he wasn't gonna say that.

instead he just slurped up his remaining drool and turned his attention to chusi, his attention roused by the mention of 'coywolf'. murgash was not aware it was mannoah, and internally he thought: old, hopefully female? and single?

While certainly interested in what these grown up things all meant, actually doing them would be stepping over the very heavily marked line that her father had drawn about these kind of activities. She did not obey easily, but she also wasn't too stubborn. She was a good mix, she supposed - not a pushover, and not someone to get killed by their own stupidity one day. Her nose wiggled as her left paw dug in the sand a little when she saw something moving in the background.

Doe! She called out when seeing the familiar coat pattern of the new mother. Oh, how relieved she was to not converse with this drooling guy about getting intimate anymore. It was surprising to see Murgash submit to his leader, and that earned a little more respect from Chusi. 

Mhm! She nodded with a big grin. 'n he's takin' good care of meh too! I've learned sow much! She let out elated, actually wanting to jump in for a hug but refraining since besides being the mate of her stuttering friend - she actually didn't know Doe all that well. 

Automatically, Doe's tail began to wheel at the younger wolf's enthusiastic hailing, though it caused her to wonder, fleetingly, what life would have been like if she'd thought to keep this gift when her husband had brought her home. It was only an errant thought, but the red woman's ears flickered wistfully all the same.

"I'm glad to hear you're doing well," she said genially, dipping her head to rub her cheek against the other girl's. She was bigger than Qilaq, hardly a child anymore, but Doe was deep into her maternal mode. Everyone was a baby. And, on that note - "Do you want to come see the kids?" she asked, hopping in place as she began to lead the way toward the den, heedless of the girl's answer. Of course she would want to!

Just gonna pp Murgash leaving them vaguely so we can move this along :p

Before the question of the new mother could reach her, Chusi was distracted by sudden footfalls. When she looked over, she saw the slobbering male was finally making his leave. Apparently he only liked grown up children - the ones he could manipulate into doing dirty things with him. The ward was glad she had not fallen for it, and thankful that Doe had come to break the advancing spell before it went wrong. Her attention returned Doe, nodding excitedly.

Never had she seen actual puppies, even though she had been one. Teaghlaigh only had her - both a blessing and a curse if one would ask Chusi. She carefully crossed the border and followed the sea walker wherever she would lead them.

Doe dismissed the babysister when she returned to the den with Chusi, sure that the other wolf was glad to be relieved of duty. Cute as her children were, it was awfully stressful to watch them fight all the time. She'd made some half-hearted attempts to bring peace between the larger two, but siblings always squabbled; this was natural, as far as she was concerned.

"The bigger girl is Julep, the boy is Isengrim, and the littlest one is Whiskey," Doe said, tail wagging as she introduced her children. She did not speak of the one that'd perished at Qilaq's paw, nor did she speak of Qilaq herself. It was folly to dwell on the past, and more than that, Doe did not want to speak of the ones they'd lost and remind her children that they'd had more, once. Why allow them to miss something that could never be returned to them?

But they were sleeping, now, and Doe let them be. "Did you come here all on your own, Chusi?" Doe asked, turning her attention back to the older girl. She did not know Arturo well, but he had seemed the protective type, from what little she had seen.

She was led to a den where it was fairly quiet. Then again, did pups make a lot of noise? Chusi was not considered an adult, but did she make a lot of noise? If you asked Ingram she did, but his judgement did not matter - at least, not to her. She was a heir - a warrior, and she knew she was good at what she did. Her warm, ochre gaze landed on three little babies and a smile was painted on her own young face.

The names were told, and Chusi smiled even brighter. The names felt so foreign - much like how Doe looked and how Arturo ruled. She guessed there were a ton of cultures mixed together here in Teekon - the place she was born in and forever her home. They're so smoll... She whispered with a soft giggle. Heeelloo, pops... She greeted the children even softer.

At Doe's question, she nodded excitedly. I did. She added proudly. I'm droppin'  by Donnelaith lat'r, too.

Huh. Good for her.

"Good luck on your travels," Doe offered, surprised and a little bemused by this little wanderer. She certainly had a free spirit. The red woman could admire that, even if she hoped that it would not be present in her own daughter. It was a good thing they shared no blood - Doe didn't want wanderlust to infect her good child.

"And give Deirdre my love," she added, as an afterthought. She could always just visit the borders herself, but Doe rarely had time for social visits now that she had young children to deal with.

Chusi smiled appreciatively. Doe was not as bad as she remembered her; which was good. Chusi believed she would make a great mother and hoped to play with them whenever they were older. There were no other children in Teaghlaigh, and her childhood had been very lonely too. Little did she know that the girl named "Qilaq" was actually her real, biological sister. And never would she know of that - no one did. 

Thank ya - 'n I will. quoth the little raven girl. She did not know Deirdre very well; but she was sure that she could find her if she just asked. surely if she carried with her a message from Doe, they would not think badly of her. Thank ya for showin' me yar pops - they're cute. She added with an honest grin.

I must be goin' then - dun't think I'll come across Szymon 'n I need to get home within a day or so. said she.

"I'll make sure he knows you came by," she offered. "Maybe he and I will visit you in Teaghlaigh when you go back, or maybe he'll catch you in Donnelaith a little later."

feel free to archive or post one last time ♥

Chusi nodded at the new mother, giving one last glance at her "pops" before giving the woman a soft nuzzle on her shoulder, if she would let the little warrior. Then I'll be goin' - seeya! She said one last time, already trotting a distance away.

Whether the goodbye was returned or not, Chusi left Blackrock Depths confidently - tail slightly wagging behind her.