Thunder Dome And I Discovered That My Castles Stand

Meylodi was... a tad angry after the pack meeting had concluded. She grumbled about Void for a few moments, how he just trod all over her brilliant decision as if it were his own plaything, before calming herself down somewhat. The Alfa had taken @Kiche , as she had said, to go mark the not the secret forest because she didn't want to at that exact moment. They went slightly westward instead.

And she didn't have to do as Void instructed. Because why would she? Telling her what to do resulted in defiance, not compliance.

How ya holdin' up, Kaychi?

The very pronunciation made her feel better. It was better than her other attempts to say the she-dog's name. 

Got any moar questins fer me?

Kiche noted that Meylodi had tensed up a bit as the Void issued new orders, discrediting her partner's plan. But she didn't ask questions.

She walked to Meylodi's side, looking around her and sniffing, in case she detected any danger. She didn't feel comfortable, something was bothering her. However, she did not want to think about it.

She looked at Meylodi when she asked the question. She shook her head, she had no questions. She lowered her head and licked at the fur on her belly, wincing at the taste of milk. That milk should have been for her puppies, but it was no longer needed. She just had to wait for her body to know that it was no longer necessary, that there were no more puppies to feed...

She twitched one ear as if she were waving away an annoying fly and, without meeting Meylodi's eyes, she replied: "No, I have no questions."

Meylodi found a nice rock, her new rock, Midnight Scar's new rock- and lifted her leg just so, as a male would do.

Covered in her marking, she moved away from it. Her nicked ear was on the alert, her nose twitching. Many of the other wolf packs in the area would be southeast from here, her nose foretold. Those that they'd need to get in touch with somehow. 

The worst danger to wolves was other wolves and those creatures far bigger than themselves. Cats could be scared off, foxes and coyotes, too. Bears must be avoided, and it was good practice to even study the herds before hunting.

Even one good kick from an elk could break bones. One needed to know what they were doing.

Kiche followed Meylodi, sniffing when she did and stopping when she did. She had a lot to learn from wolves, and the best way to learn, as a cub would, was by watching.

Her nose was not used to detecting scents from afar, so he could only sense what was close to her: the earth, the grass, the marks left by Myelodi.

She lifted her head and had to narrow her eyes. There were no clouds in the sky, the sun was shining in all its splendor. That relaxed Meylodi a bit, and he kept walking. Until then she had not marked anything, but she decided to try. She looked around her and saw a bush; she then she approached and, raising a paw, she marked him. It was something strange for her, but an unknown sensation of joy filled her: at last she had a fixed place. That territory belonged to her, to her new pack, to her and everyone who lived there.

She looked nervously at Meylodi, would she have done it right? she didn't even know if she could dial, she supposed she could.

The lumbering form of the wolf walked over to Kiche's bush. Her nose twitched as she sniffed it, inspecting it almost. After all, the she-dog did look like she wanted confirmation on it. 

Smelled like she had just wee'd on it more than marking it, but it did suffice as a marking. Plus, the dog perhaps never had to mark her territory before - she didn't have practice. It was as if she were a pup learning how to fit in with the adults, and that was perfectly fine with Meylodi. Kiche was trying, and that was all that mattered to her.

She chuffed a smile, wagging her tail to the young dog.

Ya did well, lass. That be aur bush now.

Kiche sighed in relief when Meylodi gave her approval. She felt that the wolf was a kind of mother to her. She walked without straying too far from Meylodi and found a mark of the wolf.
Smelling it, she realized that the scent was more intense and conveyed a clear message: this is mine.

However, when she looked towards the horizon she realized that the land stretched out to what seemed like infinity, and she wondered if they would have to mark all of that. When she tried to redial, she couldn't. She had left it all at the first mark of hers.

Trying to hide her embarrassment from him, she decided to dial another way. She lowered her head and rubbed it against a rock, leaving her scent on the hard, rough surface of the object. She then got up, satisfied and with her hair tousled, to return to Meylodi. "where will the borders be?" she asked her.

Now that was an odd way to mark territory, rubbing one's face on it. It was odd, not how she'd prefer to do it, but it filled her heart with pride for Kiche to display such cleverness.

It didn't help that the wolf wannabe was smaller than she was, about the size and look of a yearling. The only thing telling that Kiche wasn't a young wolf was her scent - she was too old for that, still... smelling of milk for the pups that were stolen from her, and pack-scent had yet to fill her fur. Something stirred in Meylodi's heart - perhaps her children's birth coming up soon or that the she-dog was so much like a wolf already that the line between a human's pet and the ways of the wild filled her with a sense to protect the dog.

As if she were her own child, one of the litter that had yet to happen. And yet that thought almost... upset the wolf. She was terrified that she'd feel resentment for the loss of her own when Meyl's arrived safe and sound. Though the she-wolf couldn't guarantee such a thing, it was something to be aware of. Only time would tell.

Shaking off those feelings, she answered the question presented to her. 'Long this path should suffice fer us. Grá and Paylai should be almost done markin' their half o' ta border. Sun should be sleepin' soon, an' we be wise ta get back ta the o'hers befere it does.

Kiche nodded his head. He had never walked so far in his entire life and the sun made him sleepy. He would have loved a comfortable bed, a fresh plate of food and his brother by his side...

She wagged her tail, pushing those thoughts away. It had been great to have an owner and a house, but at what cost? with humans, her freedom was limited by a collar and leash. She was now free.

She looked at Meylodi, waiting for her to continue marking territory. Did wolves read thoughts? no, that was ridiculous.

Meylodi continued her marking wordlessly, before stopping to catch a wayward rabbit unlucky enough to hop out in front of her. It never saw her coming, and its death was quick. She set it down long enough to mutter a string of words. bí saor, a mhic. Go raibh do bolg lán sna réaltaí. 

It was a habit she'd slipped out of. Her father had always wanted them to pay their respects to their prey, regardless of how small it was. He had a whole system about wolves and their prey that he believed was true, so naturally, his daughters were among those who were taught such things. 

She wasn't the most religious of them all, though. She didn't think any of the newer wolves in her old pack ever quite believed it.

Habits died hard, and she liked sending the rabbit off properly.

Kiche watched with admiration as Meylodi hunted. As she got closer, he heard her say a few words in a strange language. She didn't hear aggression or triumph in her voice, so she didn't understand what she had said to the rabbit.

What had she said to the rabbit? Did wolves talk to rabbits? Should she do it? she looked questioningly at Meylodi. It had never occurred to her that wolves would talk to her prey.

She supposed they had marked enough territory, but she didn't want to be too intense. She circled around Meylodi, staring at her and wagging her tail, like a jackal waiting for her leader's command. That method always worked for her owner in her old home. She walked impatiently; His paws were beginning to ache.

Dunno 'bout other welves, but me da always liked ta say a lil' somethin' fer ta prey. she said softly, sighing. It reminded her of her first catch, a rabbit no bigger than this one. Her da had insisted she say similar words to that one. Now that she was grown, it had just stuck around, a halfhearted remain of the pack she had turned her back to. 

She nudged it to Kiche, offering a bite before they headed back, and a chance to rest her paws. Meylodi's own set of them were hard and weathered, a life on the move in the mountains did not take kindly to pup-smooth paws. It lent itself to versatility.

It lives just as much as anythin' else does, an' we kill it ta feed aurselves. Picked it up when I learned 'ow ta hunt, I guess. Take it, if ya wannit. Ya've gotta be hungry after all this walkin'.

Kiche sniffed the rabbit suspiciously and made a disgusted face. However, she lowered her head and took a bite.

Soft, furry and...delicious. Kiche loved the taste, she tasted like meat, really delicious meat. She didn't expect that she would taste so good. Surprised, she felt his fur stand on end and began to eat with large mouthfuls, staining the fur on her muzzle.

Still with the exquisite taste in her mouth and a feeling of joy, she stood up and looked at Meylodi before following her. The meat tasted much better than the dry and gritty croquettes.

Like i', do ya now? Meyl chuckled. She grabbed what was left within her maw and her stride led the two back to where they had begun. 

The young wolf was happy, very happy. Just look at her, bonding with her packmates, as any good leader should. A soft spot for the one she had found all on her own, as, naturally and irritatingly, she couldn't do much in her state. 

In fact, so happy was Meylodi that she had forgotten why she had been upset. 

It was a good day, in her mind.