After inventorying the pack's caches, Haunt spent the next day catching up with Broken Antler. The two pregnant does had given birth during her absence, totaling three fawns. Haunt couldn't actually recall the number of does from before, though there were presently six. The same stag remained in charge of them all, his impressive summer rack reminding Haunt not to get too close, especially with the babies there.
Speaking of babies, Haunt switched her focus to smaller game with the hope of taking her catch to wherever @Erzulie and @Rosalyn kept their young. She didn't necessarily want to get too close to them either, though she certainly wanted to utilize her skills to keep the next generation fed.
After a couple false starts, she managed to catch a hare near The Tangle. It hung limply from her jaws as Haunt strode deep into the pack's territory. There was an inevitable bounce to her gait, though she fancied it became smoother day by day. She didn't quite glide like a ghost as her name implied, though she still managed to move rather silently as she approached the heart of Sapphique's claim.
She didn't know if they were kept somewhere near here, though she figured calling from a central location would offer the best chances of being heard. Haunt set the slain rabbit at her feet and threw back her head, eyes closing and single ear pinning to her skull as she howled for the leaders.
Speaking of babies, Haunt switched her focus to smaller game with the hope of taking her catch to wherever @Erzulie and @Rosalyn kept their young. She didn't necessarily want to get too close to them either, though she certainly wanted to utilize her skills to keep the next generation fed.
After a couple false starts, she managed to catch a hare near The Tangle. It hung limply from her jaws as Haunt strode deep into the pack's territory. There was an inevitable bounce to her gait, though she fancied it became smoother day by day. She didn't quite glide like a ghost as her name implied, though she still managed to move rather silently as she approached the heart of Sapphique's claim.
She didn't know if they were kept somewhere near here, though she figured calling from a central location would offer the best chances of being heard. Haunt set the slain rabbit at her feet and threw back her head, eyes closing and single ear pinning to her skull as she howled for the leaders.
July 13, 2021, 01:57 PM
OOC: Just a one post faraway cameo!
Howling was Sobo's new favourite thing.
It didn't matter what time of day or what reason or who it was: if someone was a-howling, the chubby Pebble was quick to follow suit. His howls were as squeaky and off-tune as any pup's, and therefore quite unimpressive, but don't tell Sobo that. To his ears, his first attempts at howling were flawless mimicries of the adults and never failed to fill him with giddiness.
No surprise, then, that when Haunt began to howl, Sobo stopped what he was doing — drooling on a piece of driftwood someone had brought up from the beach — and pitched back his head to copy her with such aplomb that he stumbled backward from the force of it. Awoooo!
Howling was Sobo's new favourite thing.
It didn't matter what time of day or what reason or who it was: if someone was a-howling, the chubby Pebble was quick to follow suit. His howls were as squeaky and off-tune as any pup's, and therefore quite unimpressive, but don't tell Sobo that. To his ears, his first attempts at howling were flawless mimicries of the adults and never failed to fill him with giddiness.
No surprise, then, that when Haunt began to howl, Sobo stopped what he was doing — drooling on a piece of driftwood someone had brought up from the beach — and pitched back his head to copy her with such aplomb that he stumbled backward from the force of it. Awoooo!
1 / 3 THREADS · PLAYER INFORMATION
July 20, 2021, 10:13 AM
The sound of the puppy howling in reply made Haunt snort, her lips twitching into a smile. It sort of made her remaining ear want to fall off too, though it was endearing at the same time. It also gave her a pretty clear idea of the whelping den's location, though Haunt didn't move a muscle yet, waiting to hear from an adult first.
But no other reply came. Haunt pondered, licking her lips. She knew so little about raising pups. Perhaps the mothers were exhausted and hadn't heard her because they were catching some much-needed winks? Or maybe they were elsewhere, out of earshot? Was it customary to leave puppies by themselves? She couldn't really remember from her own childhood days.
Tentatively, Haunt picked up the rabbit and began to pick her way toward the source of the puppy's squeaky rendition of a howl. She didn't think the two leaders really minded if she came around their pups, though the yearling would make zero assumptions in that regard. Even if they welcomed her once, she would seek permission every single time she came around, simply because it would make her more comfortable that way.
She paused, the dead rabbit dangling from her jaws for a moment before Haunt set it down again. This time, she let out a questioning yip, her single ear thrusting forward to catch any replies.
But no other reply came. Haunt pondered, licking her lips. She knew so little about raising pups. Perhaps the mothers were exhausted and hadn't heard her because they were catching some much-needed winks? Or maybe they were elsewhere, out of earshot? Was it customary to leave puppies by themselves? She couldn't really remember from her own childhood days.
Tentatively, Haunt picked up the rabbit and began to pick her way toward the source of the puppy's squeaky rendition of a howl. She didn't think the two leaders really minded if she came around their pups, though the yearling would make zero assumptions in that regard. Even if they welcomed her once, she would seek permission every single time she came around, simply because it would make her more comfortable that way.
She paused, the dead rabbit dangling from her jaws for a moment before Haunt set it down again. This time, she let out a questioning yip, her single ear thrusting forward to catch any replies.
July 29, 2021, 12:53 PM
His bottom ached from where it struck the ground, but Sobo's tail wagged nonetheless as both howls tapered off into silence. Usually, that was the end of it. He howled whenever an adult did, but often nothing came of it. He was so accustomed to that that he went back to chewing on the driftwood and immediately forgot all about the howler.
That explained why the nearby yip nearly scared him out of his skin. His tiny hackles flared to life all down his back and he dropped the driftwood, perking both ears into sharp points above his brows. That voice didn't belong to either of his mamans, nor his dad, who also frequented the area. This was a stranger.
The strangers usually didn't come to the den when he howled back at them. Sobo was at a loss for what to do and hovered but curiosity ultimately won out. He crept (read: stumbled loudly) toward the source of the yip, then peeked out from the tall grass ringing the den-site. Haunt would see first a chocolate-swathed nose emerging from the foliage, twitching wildly, then the rest of his dark face mask complete with a pair of inquisitive yet shy blue eyes.
That explained why the nearby yip nearly scared him out of his skin. His tiny hackles flared to life all down his back and he dropped the driftwood, perking both ears into sharp points above his brows. That voice didn't belong to either of his mamans, nor his dad, who also frequented the area. This was a stranger.
The strangers usually didn't come to the den when he howled back at them. Sobo was at a loss for what to do and hovered but curiosity ultimately won out. He crept (read: stumbled loudly) toward the source of the yip, then peeked out from the tall grass ringing the den-site. Haunt would see first a chocolate-swathed nose emerging from the foliage, twitching wildly, then the rest of his dark face mask complete with a pair of inquisitive yet shy blue eyes.
1 / 3 THREADS · PLAYER INFORMATION
None came. Haunt frowned thoughtfully to herself, then decided to simply leave the gift nearby for later retrieval. She lowered her head to grasp the rabbit by the scruff when a rustling in the nearby brush made her freeze. Her single ear flicked forward as she raised her head again and found herself peering into the small face of an inquisitive cub.
She remained still as a statue, yellow eyes trained on the little one. This was the first wolf pup she'd ever seen, not counting her siblings. She wasn't really sure what to make of him. Haunt knew some she-wolves fussed over babies, leaning into their maternal instincts. But she hadn't been raised by an affectionate mother and she remained stoic, though she did observe that he was rather endearing to behold.
"Uh," Haunt said after a time, "hey there." She paused a little awkwardly, genuinely curious when she asked, "Do you, y'know, talk...?"
She remained still as a statue, yellow eyes trained on the little one. This was the first wolf pup she'd ever seen, not counting her siblings. She wasn't really sure what to make of him. Haunt knew some she-wolves fussed over babies, leaning into their maternal instincts. But she hadn't been raised by an affectionate mother and she remained stoic, though she did observe that he was rather endearing to behold.
"Uh," Haunt said after a time, "hey there." She paused a little awkwardly, genuinely curious when she asked, "Do you, y'know, talk...?"
With his siblings, Sobo could be outgoing. He was straightforward and vocal with them, could even be a little brash if the right mood seized him, though often he was gentle and encouraging. With his mothers and father, he was attentive, eager to please, and hungry for knowledge. Prior to today, those were his two modes. If it was a sibling or parent dropping off food, he would've rushed right out to grab a bite.
Today, he discovered a third mode: the Sobo that met strangers. That Sobo grappled with a spiking heart rate and the ineffable impulse to run and hide rather than any inclination toward the food. When Haunt spoke, his nerves erupted in his chest. He sank back in the grass until only the tips of his brown nose and brown ears were readily visible. It was less scary if he couldn't see her, even more apt because she was missing an ear and most of a leg and was particularly frightening to behold. But Rosalyn was also frightening to behold for most, and Sobo saw none of her flaws. There was no real reason for this response, no bad encounter with another amputee Sobo could trace it back to. He should have taken it in stride, given who his mothers were. It turned out that he was less frightened of Haunt's terribly unusual appearance, and more that he was really very shy.
Sobo's brain flatlined over the words Haunt spoke in the midst of his social panic. They went in one ear and out the other without so much as a blip of recognition for their meaning. They slipped through his fingers like water, leaving him to wonder what an appropriate response was when he couldn't remember the question.
Today, he discovered a third mode: the Sobo that met strangers. That Sobo grappled with a spiking heart rate and the ineffable impulse to run and hide rather than any inclination toward the food. When Haunt spoke, his nerves erupted in his chest. He sank back in the grass until only the tips of his brown nose and brown ears were readily visible. It was less scary if he couldn't see her, even more apt because she was missing an ear and most of a leg and was particularly frightening to behold. But Rosalyn was also frightening to behold for most, and Sobo saw none of her flaws. There was no real reason for this response, no bad encounter with another amputee Sobo could trace it back to. He should have taken it in stride, given who his mothers were. It turned out that he was less frightened of Haunt's terribly unusual appearance, and more that he was really very shy.
Sobo's brain flatlined over the words Haunt spoke in the midst of his social panic. They went in one ear and out the other without so much as a blip of recognition for their meaning. They slipped through his fingers like water, leaving him to wonder what an appropriate response was when he couldn't remember the question.
No,he attempted in a very quiet and mousy voice, unwittingly contradicting himself and answering Haunt's question in the affirmative.
1 / 3 THREADS · PLAYER INFORMATION
August 02, 2021, 10:34 AM
In response to her query, the pup seemed to shrink away from her. His obvious nerves made her nervous in turn. Haunt took several pronounced steps backward, moving slowly and leaving the rabbit where it lay. She paused after withdrawing several yards, taking a seat momentarily to free up her single foreleg to raise it in a placating gesture.
She stilled, paw still midair, when he actually replied, "No." Haunt found that answer cleverly funny, though she carefully schooled her expression. She didn't want to frighten him any further and, for all she knew, laughter would send him scurrying into the bushes. The last thing the yearling wanted was to upset the leaders' kids in any way.
"Okay, well, this food is for you and your family," she said, angling for a quiet, soothing tone of voice as she pointed at the dead rabbit. "I'll just leave it there and you can take it whenever you're, ah, ready. Okay? Okay. I'll go now."
Haunt drew in a breath, then raised her forepaw again to flick it in a brief wave. Still making no sudden movements, she gingerly lifted back onto all threes and began slowly turning away to take her leave.
She stilled, paw still midair, when he actually replied, "No." Haunt found that answer cleverly funny, though she carefully schooled her expression. She didn't want to frighten him any further and, for all she knew, laughter would send him scurrying into the bushes. The last thing the yearling wanted was to upset the leaders' kids in any way.
"Okay, well, this food is for you and your family," she said, angling for a quiet, soothing tone of voice as she pointed at the dead rabbit. "I'll just leave it there and you can take it whenever you're, ah, ready. Okay? Okay. I'll go now."
Haunt drew in a breath, then raised her forepaw again to flick it in a brief wave. Still making no sudden movements, she gingerly lifted back onto all threes and began slowly turning away to take her leave.
August 16, 2021, 08:53 PM
In the grass, Sobo squeezed his eyes shut. He had no reason to be frightened of Haunt besides her unusual appearance, but he was strangely relieved when she announced she was leaving, and then proceeded to do just that. Sobo peeked out of the grass to watch her strange ambulation — two steps and something a little like a tiny hop to make up the balance for the missing paw — but made no motion to follow or otherwise flag her attention.
When Haunt was well and truly away, the chubby Pebble waddled out of the grass with a surreptitious look around, then he fell upon the rabbit with aplomb. He was still a nursing pup, but the feel of soft fur in his teeth was instinctively enticing, and he understood enough of language to know it was meant as a gift. With laborious tugs and grunts, the boy began dragging the rabbit back toward the den, pausing now and again to chew on its velvety ears or strong limbs.
If Haunt looked back, she would see it flopping comically into the tall grass, never to be seen again.
When Haunt was well and truly away, the chubby Pebble waddled out of the grass with a surreptitious look around, then he fell upon the rabbit with aplomb. He was still a nursing pup, but the feel of soft fur in his teeth was instinctively enticing, and he understood enough of language to know it was meant as a gift. With laborious tugs and grunts, the boy began dragging the rabbit back toward the den, pausing now and again to chew on its velvety ears or strong limbs.
If Haunt looked back, she would see it flopping comically into the tall grass, never to be seen again.
1 / 3 THREADS · PLAYER INFORMATION
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »