Deepwood Weald if we shine

Peace on the mountainside let the yearling Ostrega range beyond today. First into the foothills, then across the open fields that edged the range. Antares felt secured enough in his momentary absence to go further still--pressing westward, occasionally angling a harder north with it. A forest of tall trees rose to greet him, eventually, and the dark yearling kept going into its depths carpeted in ferns. He sought to note the prey, or the other wolf traffic. The fresh memory of the cougar his packmates had warded off from the area came with him, too. So, he kept on alert.

He learned swiftly that not all routes through were viable, or all that interesting really. Soon, he took some solace near a small waterway. First it was just a drink, and a brief cool-off, then this loitering keyed him into the pathway the stream granted him. For the time being, he went with it, alternating his travels along in the water itself and just on the shore when the underfoot didn't quite suit him. This carried him on, and he was content enough with the progress that brought so far.

all welcome. late day/not quite dusk, clear skies and warm

though 'lost' is not necessarily a concept asmoses yet grasps, he has nevertheless managed to wander past the borders of his home. having never been so far before got hopelessly turned around. he thinks he makes the journey back to the safety of neverwinter, trekking thru muck and grasses taller than him, needles of evergreens sticking to the supple muck that has splashed upon his coat as he, at first unaware of his dangerous predicament, parades thru it with unhindered, childish joy. it is only as the day wanes and he searches around at unfamiliar surroundings that a stone of dread begins to weigh in his chest. a ragged breath, trembling with the cold wash of fear leaves his lips as he searches the darkening sky; painted a myriad of colors.

his heart thumps rapidly in his chest as he gasps for breath, circling in place. a shadowy figure up ahead catches his attention and for a moment, asmoses slinks down into the grasses like a fawn awaiting it's mother's return; hoping the stranger can't hear the rumble of his belly in hunger. he blinks owlishly thru the tendrils of swaying grasses for a moment before he springs up and with a bravado that is very much faked bellows, hey! to alert the stranger of his presence.

go ahead and skip her, just a cameo. :)

asmoses’s adventurous nature would eventually drive liliana insane, but she found it tolerable for the time being. she woke up without him by her side, something which she was becoming more accustomed to, and immediately knew to search for his scent trail. 

it was strong, especially against the backdrop of their packmates. being one of the only scents she’d come to know in their short lives, liliana knew well which direction her brother took.. though it led further than she might have expected.

by the time he came into view, liliana was properly starved, but she managed to keep an upbeat attitude if only by nature. i come, i come! she called to asmoses. tiny paws continued carrying her closer, until..

there was someone else there, someone she didn’t recognize. liliana wanted to go to her brother, but fear kept her planted in place somewhere near the boys’ stomping grounds. what was her brother to do now?

He prowled on, quite content with himself, and keen to drink in the scenery that accompanied the small waterway. It is already further in that he has ever gone before, especially on a solo trip, but he is also coming into an age where he is hungry for his own experiences--and wielding just enough perception of what spread before them that he is confident to dip his toes, at least in this stretch of the wilds.

First, it was only a noise that gave him pause. Over the stream's sounds, however, he did not immediately know the details and he moved himself onto the shoreline in full to listen better. Still.. he had his doubts, and proceeded slowly until a voice (a young one) called out. Given this cue to follow, he turned instantly towards the source, navy eyes swift to narrow and the rest of his gait to follow for a few curious steps.

It was a very young wolf, not far from the age of his siblings if his guess was correct. That unfamiliarity, paired over the youthfulness brought up a wary half-ripple of his hackles and tilt to his head. Where was his family? Antares never knew pups to not have a watchful eye or three over their shoulders. Some distrust in the situation came with this knowledge, he sensed as he gathered up his own height out of his lonesome lurking mindset. What? he asked back, not so loudly, but his confidence had solid ground to stand upon at least. He closed more of the distance between himself and the little boy as well, not yet entirely aware of the girl, and wondered what he was supposed to do with this finding--for it was not exactly what he expected here, neither was he equipped to handle such foreign young.

Little to their knowledge, their larger brother, presently in his most major growth spurt, was tracking their trails like prey. When he'd tried to wander, he recalled being sent home again. So why did these two get to go wherever? Was this another privilege of being dad's new kids? Having a healthy parent, and free roam?

No. He would keep his eyes on them, and as soon as he caught sight of the larger darker stranger in the distance, Caerus narrowed his gaze. His lavender siblings lie ahead, but not much longer. To Asmoses, he breathes out a huff of shut up! And strides up between them, stepping past them to face the stranger, though his heart beat wildly.

The man was trying to get closer to his little brother, but something told him he ought to put himself between them. they're my little siblings. they're fucking dumb, sorry, Caerus apologized in his still-high-pitched voice, shaking his head like he was ashamed of them, turning a scornful gaze back to them before looking up at the stranger again.

if asmoses had hoped to venture off on his own, it was thwarted by his twinshine whom was usually always found at his side. he didn't mind her presence for her presence was always like having his own personal sun: warm and encouraging. she hangs back though and trusting that she will not be bothered where she hides asmoses braves forward despite the trepidation he feels at the knowledge that he's wandered too far and can no longer scent his own trail back when the shadowy stranger answers his false bravado bellowed 'hey'. what? greets him back, not exactly cruel but not what asmoses knows to be necessarily friendly either.

for a moment, the boy's ears flutter back against his skull before he remembers 'fake it 'til you make it' and they push forth. a breath is sucked in, mouth parting to speak h — before he can even get out the second syllable of his greeting he's interrupted.

by caerus. using a fowl word and hissing tone that causes asmoses chest to puff with indignation even as his jaw clamps closed with an audible click.

he blinks rapidly at his older brother, feeling a messy bubbling of annoyance in his chest, boiling his blood.

breaching the surface only when caerus informs the shadowy stranger, rudely, that he and liliana are 'fucking dumb'. how dare — nOT `UCKING DUMB!!! asmoses shouts at caerus, putting his whole body in the action; unaware until that moment that he was even capable of shouting or feeling such hot anger. weave us awone! he tells caerus, forgetting the stranger's presence. we dunna want yew `ere.

In peering expectantly down at the mottled boy to await his answer, he did not see the oncoming bigger one until he had truly made himself known among them. Somewhere in the mix of it all, too, he realized another little one not so far flung from the blossoming situation too, perhaps adding an extra layer of complication here, or not. It was too soon to say for sure. What was going on here, though?

Antares remained planted where he was, only lifting back his head when the older boy came striding up like he had some business to attend. The dark Moonspearian glanced between him, with his bolder shades and marked forehead, then down the dustier-looking pup's subtler hues. They all smelled about the same, so that matched up. Appearances too made him awfully suspect for ties..

Next, he tilted his head, still absorbing this even as some explanation comes forward--about how the little ones are fucking dumb, siblings and all, but the boy rebuked this quickly with a shout. Antares quirked a brow, vaguely amused by this fiery display, and wondered what bigger spots will have to say about that. There a problem..? he asked between them both, though settled on the younger who seemed pretty riled by being titled as such so suddenly. Then again, Antares knew nothing about what was going on behind the scenes wherever they had all come from.

When Asmoses shouts back, Caerus temporarily forgets the stranger, ruby gaze looking down at the dust bunny, repulsed. Not a thought crossed his mind that the boy shouldn't be taught bad words (Cupid said them rather freely, after all,) and all he could think when the boy was talking was that his lisp made his speech sound foolish. Nevermind that Caerus had had a lisp once, too- the time he had come to greet them had been to Liliana anyway, while Asmoses had slept, so it was totally available material to bully him with, especially since distinct memories from that early were likely no longer with the sister, either.  

When the child was finished with his outburst, Caerus snickered, ear flicking up to acknowledge the Moonspearian again. No problems here. I think this little asshole is just sensitive. Caerus laughed, nudging the boy's backside rather roughly with his snout, fantastic joke material right there going straight over his head. But seriously, Asmoses. You're too small to be coming out this far. I really don't give a fuck if you want me here 'cause I'm gonna protect your sorry ass from hungry hawks 'n' shit. He muttered down to the boy. Ruby gaze flit back to the stranger, ears flattening in a slightly apologetic look, as if he was a mother consoling a crying toddler in the grocery store.

I'll have him show up next post for reals, but I think this makes more sense. >P

He'd found the scent of the younger two children first -- they'd gone across the borders not too long ago, which definitely sent a spike of anxiety through him. Had they snuck off together when Miriam was asleep? Well, Caerus seemed to be pretty good at it when he was younger, so probably.

He was getting closer, but honestly, he didn't know how often they had zigged and zagged. For all he knew they were just on the other side of the trees after looping back. At some point Caerus had joined the track as well, but he'd found it before Mal had. He'd gone to find them too then?! It was all he could think of. Mal had been calling out as he went along, but it was only now that he probably got within hearing range. He went through the three names in rotation, Caerus! Asmoses! Liliana! with a bit of a pause in between each to listen to see if one came running back -- okay, less of a pause between Asmoses and Liliana, they were probably together, right? He still followed the trail but right now he didn't know they were just up ahead, but he hadn't heard them yet.

keep skipping her! y'all can powerplay her hogging all of dad's space.

liliana was brought from her shock by the urgency in mal’s voice. abba! she called back, little legs racing to find her father, abba! it didn’t take long for the pair to cross paths, and immediately she was weaving herself between his legs, whining like a lost.. puppy.. yeah.

moses and cae, yana told him, shaking her head. she stepped out from beneath him and bit her lower lip, staring at mal with an apologetic gaze. c’mon, abba, she told him, then began walking back toward the main scene.

Hm. He might've received an answer, but it didn't feel like it cleared much up for him. Antares offered back a small nod in return, unable to help the last lingering look he had for the younger (evidently sensitive one) of the pair. He was, however, swiftly beginning to decide that this was not going to be his problem for long; pack mates had come to gather the youth, it seemed, judging by the voice a flicking ear caught in the distance. The search party was closing in.

Yeah. There could be wolfeaters about, even. Or worse, he supplied, tipping his nose upwards a notch. He knew his mother had enemies out in these distant wilds, and others had their stories too. Other predators were just the very beginning and as far as he was concerned, all of these wolves were pretty young. But, anyway, that was as much detail as his warning was going to go. He would remember the packscent on these strangers, though, despite the odd encounter on his end--Antares was keen to see it end, though, before more spotty dudes with foul-mouths showed up to outnumber him. I will be on my way, then, he said, this time aiming the words for the older mottled boy before he turned on a heel, pivoted, and prepared to press onward to cover some more ground in the woods unless they had more for him (which he hoped not).

The distant call was heard from behind him, as the stranger agreed that there were dangers- like wolfeaters- and Caerus shot a smug look to his younger brother. While Liliana scampered off to where her name had been called, Caerus remained, nodding as the stranger said he would be on his way. It wasn't Cae's fault that his little siblings were out here, and he knew that, but part of him felt sorry that the stranger had had to witness their personal business. bye. Cae offered to the dark male, and then turned, nudging Asmoses along if he was reluctant as he guided them back towards their father.