Redhawk Caldera now what

It felt like forever ago since Eljay had gotten hurt in the dark woods. He'd wanted to return to Drageda after, he really had, but he'd been there with his relatives and returning home seemed like so much of a better plan than going to Drageda, where he wouldn't be able to share any heroic stories of how well he had succeeded at all — only of his failure. This prospect was too daunting and so he had not objected when his family'd taken him here. Home.

Yet the joy of being home and the victory they had made in the war felt stale to Eljay considering how he had contributed little. He was afraid of the life he'd left behind here and how it may come to bite him in the arse. @Raven took care of his wounds but Eljay knew that she thought poorly of him — their last meeting when he'd visited here had proven as much — and he was afraid those kind of relations may never be mended. Besides, @Towhee was Alpha now, he had gathered, and Eljay thought she was pretty scary. Now that he was practically all healed up, would she kick him out again? He wasn't sure it'd be smart to return to Drageda, though he wanted to, if not only to explain. But he didn't think it'd end up very well for him. And besides, this was home, and it felt so good to be back here...

Eljay went out for a brief stroll, hoping to catch @Finley or @Elwood for some much needed catching up time with mommy and daddy.

She had slowly worked through the list. Sebastian was around (if very ill) and Whip was too, complete with a new look. It seemed Allure was gone; she'd probably absconded in search of her mate. Although none of this was particularly good news, Towhee felt better for placing all of them—all except for Andalusia, who was still missing in action. The outlook seemed pretty grim there. Maybe they would get answers out of Sebastian, eventually.

There was another face she wanted to see, though she had no doubts of his whereabouts. She knew Raven was looking after Eljay after he'd come home with them following the battle. Towhee had mixed feelings about the wolf she thought of as a cousin versus a brother like the rest of the Blackthorn progeny. She thought him weak and wishy-washy. But he had fought with them. Even though he'd done a poor job of it, he'd been there nonetheless. He'd put himself on the line to aid the Redhawks.

Finally, it seemed, they crossed paths. Towhee stopped and peered at Eljay from a distance of about ten yards, then began walking straight toward him. "Looking for your parents?" she guessed.

When Elwood's gaze lit on Eljay in the distance, he perked up and began to move towards his son. It was good to see him up and about after spending a considerable amount of time under Raven's care. Eljay's return to Redhawk Caldera had been unexpected -- as had his participation in the war in the first place -- but Elwood was happy that another piece of the puzzle that comprised his family had returned. While he had been proud of Eljay for attempting to make a name for himself, he couldn't help but feel that perhaps the caldera was where the boy truly belonged.

As he approached, Towhee intercepted Eljay first. Elwood continued toward them, focusing his mind on the present (as it had a tendency to wander to things like Finley's pregnancy or the mysterious thing that had appeared around Fiadh's neck). "How are you feeling?" he asked once he was within earshot, drawing up alongside Towhee.

When Towhee came into view, Eljay's stomach felt like a pit of tingly help-feelings. He didn't know how his cousin felt about him at all, and the last time they'd really interacted was when she had told him not to drag out his choice of what pack to stay at for too long. He had taken quite some time after that to decide until he eventually returned to Drageda. Now he was here, though he regretted it — he should've returned to Drageda right away, as obviously they'd hate him forever for deserting them now. Towhee was now the Alpha here and therefore decided about his fate directly, a thing that terrified Eljay. What if she thought him as much of a dweeb loser as her brother had once..?

"Hey," he said with a sheepish smile that showed his discomfort. "Thanks for everything. Yeah, uh — Oh!" At that moment Elwood arrived and Eljay's tail wagged a few beats. It'd been entirely too long since he had seen daddy properly. "Oh, uhm, I'm feeling much better. My muscles aren't as sore anymore." He smiled uneasily, still not feeling entirely at ease with how everything had gone, but knowing the only way was forward now. "Did... Has anyone told the Heda about, uhm..?" He trailed off there, not really sure what she should be told about but knowing that someone should've told her something about his whereabouts, probably.

Showing a flair for impeccable timing, Elwood materialized, earning a smile and nod from Towhee, who then retrained her focus upon Eljay. She squinted at him, though it wasn't emotive; she just needed to pay close attention to his lips since he tended to stammer a lot. It frustrated her a bit, though rather than feel angry at him about it, the Alpha concluded that it was something—among a few other things—she could ask him to work on now that he was living here.

Speaking of which, Towhee answered his question honestly: "I don't know. But I wouldn't worry about it. You're here now and staying here." The young Alpha gave him a pointed look, brooking no room for argument. "And now that you're feeling better, I need you to do some things for me." What exactly she was going to ask of him remained a mystery for the moment as she shut her mouth and let him absorb what she'd said so far. Towhee glanced at Elwood, wondering what he made of her demands.

While there was a little bit of uneasiness lingering around Eljay, Elwood did think that he appeared to be happy to be home. It helped, too, that Raven had been taking good care of him and that he was in better physical shape than he had been when he arrived. He nodded as Eljay verbally acknowledged that his body was healing, then his brows drew together slightly when the boy asked about the Heda.

He glanced at Towhee, and she was prompt in her response. She answered him with an easy confidence that Elwood hoped would reassure Eljay. Whatever his situation with Drageda and Thuringwethil, Towhee was right; he was here now, and he needed to focus on that. Drageda was awfully far to send a messenger just to tell them that Eljay was at the caldera, although Elwood reserved that thought in the back of his mind in case an opportunity would present itself in the future.

When Towhee indicated that she had some expectations for Eljay, Elwood bobbed his head again as her gaze shifted to him. His ears tilted towards the pair of younger wolves; he was curious to see what the new Alpha would say.

Towhee was quick to reply with a sharp tongue, or so it felt to Eljay — he didn't mean that he should return right now, he just.. thought they should know that he was gone, and why. He didn't want them to think he'd just ran away; he had only left to help in the war, and then this had happened. It wasn't like he'd wanted to leave. "I didn't mean I should go back, I just meant — I thought — What if they think I just left without a word? What if Wiffle is worried?" He frowned pensively, not wanting Wildfire to worry or the Heda to get mad at him, though he also feared that it might be too late already.

Towhee had also mentioned that he needed to do some things for her. Eljay glanced briefly at daddy before turning back to his Alpha. He bobbed his head in a nod and waited to hear what she had to say, a tentative expression on his face as he tried to settle into the conversation and life back at the Caldera.

She made no answer, beyond a noncommittal shrug. There was very little to be done about the situation, so why concern themselves? There were more pressing issues at hand, like how Eljay could integrate into the pack and contribute to his new (old) home.

"First of all, I want to say thank-you for risking yourself and joining the fight," the Alpha began. "I respect that you were trying to help but I need you to work on your combat skills. I'm happy to train with you. I'm sure your dad is willing to help too." She glanced at Elwood, then back to his son. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you about the puppies," she continued, her tail giving a little wiggle. "Our main priority will not only be caring for them but protecting them. I don't expect you to be the best warrior in the world, I just need you to be," she finished, "capable."

Eljay's concerns about Drageda and Wildfire were legitimate, although Towhee made it clear that this wasn't the time or place to discuss it. If he really wanted to send word to his former packmates, Elwood would assist Eljay -- but for now, he gave a gentle nod of encouragement to his son, then pricked his ears to listen to what Towhee had to say.

She praised Eljay for his perseverance and willingness to fight, and then urged him to work on improving his skills. He would be responsible for the puppies as their caregiver, but after what had happened with Blackfeather, there was a new requirement: he had to be willing to get physical to protect them. Elwood believed that Eljay would step up to the plate, even if he didn't consider himself the most adept fighter. "I can certainly help with that," he said after Towhee sent a quick glance in his direction.

Eljay didn't really expect a thank-you and the surprise was vivid on his face. He wasn't too sure if what he had done was really the right thing, because he'd disobeyed orders given to him by the Heda and he should've really just stayed in Drageda. Overall it made him feel like a failure and to hear Towhee praise it as if it were a good thing felt awkward to him. "Oh, uhm," he muttered, though didn't get very far before Towhee continued about his fighting 'efforts' (which was good, as he didn't really know what to say anyway).

She offered to train with him and said he should get better at fighting. Eljay frowned with a concerned expression on his face, as he didn't think he was very good at fighting at all and doubted he ever would be. To learn that was like.. well, he couldn't really find something to compare it with, but it seemed an impossible task to him.

"Okay," he said, though the word came out more defeatedly than intended. Considering he didn't want to piss Towhee off, Eljay added an uncertain: "I'll try." In his experience trying was rarely enough to make something work, but it was the most he had to offer right now, unfortunately.

Luckily for Eljay, Towhee couldn't detect tone. She did see the slightly stricken look in his eye, though she largely ignored it. It was enough for her when he promised to try. She nodded in acknowledgement, then added, "Here in a minute, I'd like to do a little spar with you to assess your strengths and weaknesses. First, though, I have another task for you."

She paused again to give Eljay (and Elwood) a moment to process this, smiling inwardly. She thought he might enjoy this assignment a bit better than the first one. "I'd like you to lead the pups' first hunt. They need to start pitching in more with providing food for the pack, especially because of Finley and the upcoming litter." It would be a few months before they were proper adults, though with new siblings on the horizon, it was time for them to really start growing up, with a little guidance from their eldest brother.

Elwood could read the doubt in his son's expression and tone, although he didn't look too far into it. Eljay had always been doubtful of his own abilities, even when he proved himself to be perfectly capable. He hoped that these tasks of Towhee's would help build up Eljay's self-confidence; that was something he and Finley had never been able to do, it seemed.

Her next request was a pleasant surprise to Elwood, and his feelings were reflected in his face. His ears pricked and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. It was a great idea because Eljay had some experience with hunting, and this would allow him to showcase his skills guiding the puppies. He was also glad that his youngest children would have the opportunity to experience their first hunt. "I can help with that, too," Elwood offered with an encouraging nod.

When Towhee said that she wanted to do a spar with him in a minute, Eljay let out a wary "Now?" accompanied by a worried frown on his face. Though he managed to wash the frown away after a little bit he swallowed thickly and glanced uncertainly at Towhee nonetheless. Eljay had hoped he'd be able to get some practise in, at least, before having to face real opponents. He shifted weight from paw to paw and then listened as the next assignment came in: organising a hunt for the pups.

This was something he was a little less uncertain about. Though Eljay had never lead any hunts he was naturally fairly good at large pack hunts when given directions. It unnerved him that he'd have to give directions rather than simply follow them but he knew that he was alright at the gist of what he was asked to do, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. "I can do that," he said, a little bit more certain this time, though he could still feel his heart thudding in his chest loud and clear.

He agreed, perhaps with slightly more confidence this time, and Towhee bobbed her head approvingly. She then immediately reverted back to the prior conversation. "Yes, now." She could sense Eljay's discomfiture but it didn't deter her in the least. In order to develop his skills, they needed a starting point. "It'll only take a few minutes. I just need an idea of your capabilities so I can come up with a training plan."

Even as the words sprang from her tongue, an idea struck her. "Actually," Towhee said, facing Elwood, "could you two spar so that I can observe? Just a few basic offensive and defensive maneuvers, so I can make an assessment."

With the plan for the pups' first hunt settled, Towhee returned to her first requirement. Eljay seemed a little uncertain about sparring right then and there, but Towhee didn't give him much of a choice. Elwood prepared to step back and let his son and goddaughter engage in a faux fight, only to have Towhee ask for his assistance as well. It made sense; if she wanted to truly see what Eljay was able to do, then watching him spar with another wolf would provide her with ample opportunity to observe.

"Sure," Elwood agreed readily. He squared up in front of Eljay and smiled at his firstborn. "Show me what you've got," he said, taking on a defensive stance to allow Eljay to make the first offensive move.

Yes, now. Eljay instantly felt panic creeping up on him, and he tried to steady his breathing while also trying to listen to what else Towhee was saying. He didn't think that she needed to see him fight to set up a battle plan, because he already knew what level he was at -- Level Suck. He doubted that his actual skills didn't align well with the skills Towhee thought he had, because both were probably at aforementioned level.

But he squeaked out a tiny "okay" anyway as he looked at daddy. His breathing was still steady, but only because he made it so: he took in deep, long breaths and let out long breaths because if he stopped focussing on his breathing he would likely hyperventilate and he knew it. Eljay had never learned to play fight much, at least not with wolves his own size, and clambering over your parents and pulling their ears was nothing like actual fighting, not even in a spar.

Unhindered by knowledge in the fighting department Eljay watched as daddy took a defensive stance and invited him to attack. Eljay sighed and awkwardly, stiffly trotted over to daddy and pawed at his face, not really having a clue what he was doing. Realising he should probably do something with his mouth he reached for one of daddy's ears with his teeth, though the touch, if he should succeed, was so careful that a simple pull would render him free... if he felt the bite at all.

Elwood readily agreed. His son still seemed reluctant, though Towhee wasn't going to relent. She kept a sharp eye on them as they got into position, tracking Eljay's every movement as he trotted toward his father, lightly batting at and chewing on him with the force of a small kitten and the grace of a robot in need of some oil. It was amusing but it was also ridiculous.

"Are you serious?" Towhee called, rolling her eyes. "I need you to take this seriously, Eljay. I need you to give it your best shot to come up with a proper training program." She paused, then said, "Pretend your dad's one of the Blackfeather wolves and that he's a threat to your mom and the pups." Maybe a little bit of role-playing would help the situation.

LOL Eljay <333

Elwood kneaded the ground with his forepaws, crouching as he waited for Eljay's imminent attack. He could see his son taking deep breaths to steady himself, and he could almost hear Eljay's inner monologue as he psyched himself up. Elwood's tail flicked back and forth in anticipation as his junior finally began to make his way toward him, although the back and forth motion stilled when he noticed how slowly and stiffly Eljay was moving.

Then, rather than make any sort of real attack, the boy proceeded to bat at his father's face and nip his ear. Had they not been under Towhee's scrutiny, Elwood might have burst out laughing, but he recognized how serious the new Alpha was -- especially when she called out to correct him. She suggested that Elwood take on the role of a Blackfeather wolf, which made him wrinkle his nose at first with distaste, but he stepped into the role a moment later.

Lowering himself further to the ground, he pinned his ears and pulled his lips back from his teeth in a slavering snarl. His hackles stood in a stiff ridge along his back, and he found it was easy to channel his remaining anger towards the pack of criminals as he pretended to be one of them. He took a menacing stride towards Eljay, looking past him as though feasting his eyes on a tasty meal of puppies (though the thought turned Elwood's stomach, truthfully).

Eljay was really trying, but it was hard for him to imagine any real sort of fight. This was all he had learned with a lack of siblings, from the perspective of the young puppy bouncing around adults -- and then, alter, the adult teaching the pups once more. Normally he might be a bit faster and more playful, but under Towhee's scrutiny and not wanting to make any mistakes his movements felt awkward and stiff.

It didn't help that before he could hardly try anything Towhee called him out. Eljay's head and ears lowered, tail tucked slightly between his hind legs as he looked at her with a droopy look on his face. He wanted to say I'm trying after she said that he wasn't taking it seriously, but it seemed impossible to get any words in between her lecture. It also seemed pretty impossible to pretend daddy wasn't really daddy.

Eljay looked back to daddy and was met with a snarl that surprised him. Eljay couldn't really tell that daddy was looking towards the imaginary pups, because he had always had a bit of a hard time imagining things that weren't really there (the things that were there were already were quite overpowering to him a lot) so to him it just seemed as if his gaze was a bit off for some reason.

Eljay took a step backwards when daddy took a step towards him, tail still tucked as he looked at the angry face of his father. Nervously he took a step forward again to slowly close the distance between himself and daddy, though his movements were still stiff and awkward and everything about this felt wrong and weird to him; he also realised that he was looking very submissive, but in the light of the reprimand and daddy's aggressive posturing his instincts were screaming at him to be so — it felt to him as if there was no way to look angry or intimidating right now.

It was extremely difficult to gauge anything from Eljay's oddly stilted attempts to engage his father. Towhee sighed through her nostrils, quickly realizing that this wasn't going to pan out quite the way she wanted. -Stop,- she signed, the motion so universal that even Eljay would understand without an interpretation.

"I'll come find you when I'm ready to start training. I'm not going to take it easy on you. I won't hurt you, on purpose, but when we spar, it's going to be the real deal." As she issued this fair warning, the Alpha gazed steadily at Eljay. "You may want to practice and prepare in the meantime."

She'd given him plenty to think about and work on, and Towhee knew Eljay had originally been looking for his parents. "I'll leave you two to catch up," she said with a wave of her tail and a bob of her snout. "I'm sure I'll see you around," Towhee added to Eljay specifically, "but I'll come find you about this specifically in a few weeks."

With a final nod, the young Alpha turned. She'd accomplished what she'd set out to do today. It would make sense to go out for a patrol, though Towhee decided instead to go find her sisters and enjoy a bit of free time.

Elwood knew that Eljay wanted to please Towhee and do what she asked, but he was simply in over his head at present. Perhaps with some proper training and lessons, he could make the improvements that the Alpha desired, but it appeared that he just wasn't going to be able to perform on the spot. Before Eljay could do much more than creep timidly towards his father, Towhee was calling the whole thing off, with some stern instructions for Eljay. Elwood dropped his offensive stance, straightening and nodding as Towhee departed.

He glanced at Eljay, hoping that the boy wouldn't be feeling too badly about what had happened but knowing that he probably would be embarrassed and disappointed in himself. "You just need some practice. It's not easy, but I think once you get used to the idea of it, you'll be able to learn and show Towhee what you can do," he said. "Why don't you just let me know whenever you're ready to practice with me, and I'll be happy to help," he offered; this would be a mental task for Eljay as well as a physical one.

Eljay did not see the signed 'stop', so he was a little confused when Towhee suddenly started speaking and spoke as if they had already decided to call it off. His ears drooped, tail between his legs as he realised that he had failed Towhee and daddy both. He wanted to be good, but Eljay lacked any sort of experience, even in general sparring or wrestling with his peers. He had done this a lot as a pup but only ever with opponents bigger than him that let him win -- never with his own size, as he had had no siblings to practise with. Then as he grew up, his interest in it had waned and, well, here they were.

"Okay," he said with disappointment rigged in his voice, clearly sad that he had failed, as Towhee said that she'd find him some other time to start proper training. He watched as she left, stance still submissive and tail still tucked, then looked at daddy with sad eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured, but as always daddy just had consoling words to offer. He nodded at daddy as he said he just needed practise and that he would be happy to help.

Then Eljay pressed his head into the nook underneath daddy's chin and murmured, "I missed you," with a soft sigh.

is it okay to assume they have been doing a bit of practise between threads / in 'downtime'? :-)

Yes, of course! :) Also, you can fade with your next post or just archive if you want!

Although Eljay was a fully grown adult, there was still something touching about the way he tucked himself into the crook of Elwood's neck in that moment. "I missed you too. We're really glad you're home," he replied honestly. And while it seemed like he was off to a rocky start in regards to impressing Towhee, he knew that Eljay would make improvements.

"Why don't we go check on Mom?" he suggested, hoping to get Eljay's mind off of sparring for the moment.

Eljay smiled into daddy's fur when his feelings were reciprocated. He had missed being loved by someone; it felt like such a long time since he had had that. Drageda had been an experience, surely, and he was sad to have left behind Wildfire's children there without even saying good bye, but this... Nothing could replace the love he felt when he was with his family.

"Yeah," Eljay agreed fondly as daddy suggested they go check on mommy. He was glad to push aside the whole getting-better-at-fighting-thing for now. Eagerly Eljay set off alongside daddy to go and find Finley.