Redhawk Caldera ARMY BRATS

The black Kappa sat on the far edge of the clearing, watching the pups play from a distance. He didn't dare venture closer right now, since he didn't want to spook Raven. But Peregrine smiled from his faraway vantage point as Nightjar chased both his sisters in circles. Wildfire seemed to be healing rapidly and that was good. Soon, she would join her brother and sister in spreading their wings and starting to explore more of the caldera. The thought caused his lips to draw into a thin, thoughtful line.

Peregrine wanted his pups to pursue whatever trades interested them most, yet he wanted to make sure they all knew how to fight and defend themselves too, especially after what had happened. Fox was a Warrior. He wondered what his mate would think of insisting on teaching all three pups this trade too. Even if they didn't decide to formally pursue it, they could learn the basics. Then, no matter where they went, they would be able to fend for themselves.

Mommy and daddy's little soldiers, he thought, jade eyes still following the trio of cubs as they played and, in doing so, built crucial skills for survival.

Tiger had noted the greyness of Perry just the other day, and wanted some one-on-one with the dude. Why? Because she was an aspiring Healer, and these things made her curious. How could he turn gray overnight? It was an oddity, and god, the know-it-all in her needed to know it all. So she found him easily enough, watching the kids frolic nearby.

"Hello, Mr. Grey," she greets, perhaps insensitively if it was something he was sensitive to. Following his gaze, she grinned. "S'cute," she comments, her tail waving behind her. "Anyway, how are you doing?" Wifi was doing well enough, evidenced by her playing; Tiger was glad she had helped the girl get to the state, legitimately caring for the pups wellbeing.

Tiger! <3

He blinked slowly when he heard someone address him, albeit not by his given name. Mr. Grey? His eyes fixed on Tiger's figure as she sidled closer to join him, though he quickly dropped his gaze. He looked down at his own chest, though there wasn't much whitening there. Most of it was along his jawbone and throat, with a significant peppering along his nape: all areas he really couldn't see for himself.

"Do I really look that different?" he wondered in a dull voice. He ignored her compliment, then shook his head at her question. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then: "It will be a while before I stop beating myself up about what happened. Fox is the only one—in the caldera anyway—who seems to agree that I deserve to be punished," he observed out loud. "I appreciate the benefit of the doubt but I made a hideous mistake. I almost got an innocent baby killed." He realized he hadn't given a direct answer, so he added, "Does that answer your question?"

He forced himself to look at her again, briefly, and changed the subject. "Wifi is alive and well despite me and because of you. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you're caring for her like your own. Neither Fox nor I have overlooked your dedication, not that my opinion is worth much anymore. You seem to be a natural caregiver."

Maybe we can morph this into the pactivity we were talking about. :)

Little did Peregrine know, Fox had been planning on teaching each and every one of her kiddos the basis of every trade. At least the ones she knew well. The other trades would be introduced by other members of the pack, or at least Fox could give them a rundown of what little her brain retained. With the incident, it only meant her children would need wardening and warrior skills sooner rather than later. Hell, the whole pack needed those skills.

Her treatment of Peregrine had softened since her run-in with Saena. He had been harsher on himself than she ever could, and she couldn't bear to break him down any further. Peregrine was meant to be strong, both physically and emotionally. She knew he was not the latter right now, but time would heal that flaw. Fox had returned from yet another sweep of the borders to find Peregrine chatting it up with Tiger. Tiger was not a wolf she knew well, and yet the last tidbits of Perry's conversation with her were well-agreed upon.

"Peregrine's right," Fox added, sweeping in beside her mate. "We are indebted to you."

@Fox edited to include!

Tigers tail waved as he addressed her, even despite his dull voice. "Yeah, lots of grey in your fur... I guess y'cant see it, but here, and here, and here," she raises her paws to point out the areas, so he'd know. They idled in a bit of quiet for a drawn out moment, and Tiger flattened her ears, nervous to have offended or upset him. She'd been filled in, of course, and knew all the deetz; she just wanted to hear it from the horses mouth itself.

But he spoke, to her relief. She looked to him, and understood where he was coming from. She grimaced. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you did wrong. But how could you anticipate that? You can't read minds. You wanted to believe the best. Don't we all?" She was an optimist, and she wanted to believe the best. She knew Peregrine was -- or had been -- too, because he certainly hadn't intended to kill off his cute as hell spawn. "Listen, you did make a mistake, and you DID face a punishment. You defended your kids when they were attacked, and you killed the attacker... a daughter of yours, Fin told me." There is no judgment in her voice. Tiger was empathetic. She couldn't imagine that pain. That wasn't enough of a punishment for him? "You won't make the same mistake again." Tiger looked to the kids, scrunching her brows.

She listened to his next set of words, and she laughed a bit. "Remember when I said I wasn't good with kids...? I actually really like them," and she loved this bunch. As for his opinion meaning nothing, she looks to him. "It means a lot to me, your opinion. One bad judgment call doesn't mean you're a shitty person, Peregrine, or a shitty leader."

Fox came to them, soon, and Tiger remained deferential, though her head lowered a little bit more. Peregrine refused to acknowledge himself as leader, and Tiger wouldn't debate it. Foxes words were met with a smile. Indebted...? "Well, I owe you guys everything. You let me into the fold. You don't owe me anything." She smiles fully, ears slicking back atop her head.

That works! Perry will suggest the kids, then maybe Fox can suggest including the rest of the pack too? :)

Tiger had a lot to say on the subject, much of it very supportive. Peregrine listened to each of her points, digesting them, even if he wouldn't relent on his own self-deprecation. He licked his lips when Tiger pointed out that he had dispatched one daughter to save another, a decided sacrifice. He didn't tell her that Junior meant nothing to him, that she hadn't since the instant she had tried to take Wildfire's life. It hadn't been hard to execute her after that, nor had he struggled with that particular detail since. Peregrine figured most wolves would find his attitude toward it abhorrent, so he kept it to himself.

"Thanks, Tiger, for everything," he said simply, then shifted when Fox joined them. "Hey. I'm glad you're here," he said with next to no preamble. "I was watching the kids and thinking... I want to train each of them as Warriors. That will leave two trades they can pick for themselves but..." He wanted to say, I insist, yet he was in no position to do that with the Alpha female. "What do you think?" he asked her, meeting her eyes briefly as co-parents before respectfully dropping his to her reddish chest.

Modifying our idea slightly, since the two trades are so similar. :3
Tiger's player (Steph?), would you mind writing in third-person past tense in future posts? Switching back and forth makes it harder to read. Thanks! :)

"Nonsense," said Fox, though she said nothing further on the subject. Tiger was a valuable asset, whether she realized it or not. It seemed that unlike Fox, Finley's siblings were far less flaky. It was a shame, but she wasn't about to spend all day comparing families. She had her own to worry about.

Peregrine's suggestion was one that had already been floating in Fox's head. "I think we should include more than just the children," Fox replied. "The plateau wolves seem insistent on coming to our borders again and again, even though it should be clear by now that we won't tolerate outsiders. Each and every one of our own should know how to defend not only themselves, but the land they live on." Fox, Elwood, and Finley were already seasoned warriors. Peregrine was a warden as well, which was an added compliment to the mix.

"They may choose either warrior or warden to pursue, but they must choose one." Fox's eyes laid upon Tiger for a moment, addressing the Blackthorn personally. "Tiger, do you know anything of the offensive or defensive?"

sry! I don't even notice and since I post @ werk, never get the chance to proofread!

Tiger listened, and knew Fox wouldn't be convinced otherwise. Ah, well. There was not much they really could do to prove their debt; she thought it fulfilled in any case, given she lived here. They had to do nothing. The wolf continued to listen as they interacted together, and Tiger shifted her weight. It'd be cool for the kids to learn that stuff, and good for them.

"Oh," she started when she was called again, "Uhm, no. I mean, basics. I never cared to know. I just go with my gut." She admitted this with a bit of a shrug. She had never dealt with wolves as persistent as the Plateau. "Hey... what about Blue Willow, Peregrine, Fox...? She taught me a lot, ...I was hoping she'd be able to teach me more. I mean, it doesn't have to be here... but is that not cool anymore?" How would she learn more? She had a whole crop to take to the wolf; it occurred to her then that might not be the best thing to do.

His dull gaze, though averted, brightened a little when Fox not only cottoned onto the idea immediately, but elaborated upon it. He nodded, agreeing with her assessment. Although he didn't hate the wolves of the plateau (or any other pack, for that matter), their insistence upon arriving at the caldera's doorstep as if it was their right bothered him immensely. It was a privilege, if anything, and an odd precedent that shouldn't have required a near death experience to correct, now that he thought about it.

But the caldera had suffered a close call, so was it not well within their natural rights to react accordingly? Everyone beyond their borders would take it deeply personally, of course, and none would give any credence to the caldera's reasons. That was exactly why their pack mates needed to be ready to get confrontational with those who disrespected their decrees, by training as Warriors and/or Wardens. Even if those who approached the caldera did not respect their wishes, they would be forced to obey them.

"They will hopefully learn quickly, even if they don't like or understand it. We don't need to justify ourselves, though if anyone does ask, I'm fine with taking responsibility for it. I have already learned a lot from my mistake; and so will they," Peregrine concurred. "In the meantime, I agree that it's imperative that our wolves know how to react offensively, defensively or both when presented with an intruder of any kind."

Tiger mentioned Blue Willow then. As far as Peregrine understood it and cared, it was only their territory that was sacred now. The wolves were welcome to mingle freely on neutral grounds. But he didn't answer her. Instead, he looked pointedly at the side of Fox's face. She was the sole Alpha now, so the decision was entirely up to her and she was the only one who should answer the would-be Healer's question.

Surprise pack meeting! :D @Elwood @Finley @Sebastian @Pantaleimon @Nightjar @Raven
Attendance strongly encouraged.

Although he was technically no longer a leader, having Peregrine's support would help in the long run. Besides, he would be reinstated when he was ready. It was only a matter of time. Tiger spoke then, a mention of Blue Willow causing Fox's hackles to flair upon her spine. The healer had always had it out for Fox, and while she had attempted to make amends, she was not sure they were ever received. Now, it did not matter. "I don't care what you do outside of Redhawk Caldera," Fox replied promptly. "But do not think that Blue Willow will be your friend after what I did to Saena. I have no doubt that the plateau wolves will be hostile toward us from this day forth." It was a pity, considering the Willow did have plenty of healing knowledge... though Fox had never been keen on healers anyway. Defense was better than healing any day of the week.

With their plan settled, Fox thought it best to call the pack together immediately. They would all need to begin training. One mistake was all it took for their world to come crashing down, and Fox did not intend to let that happen. "I'll call for the rest of the pack and let them know the new expectations." With no pause for either of her comrades to interject, Fox let loose a howl for the rest of the pack.

When the call sounded, Pantaleimon was just busy dragging the remainders of a deer to the caches. Upon hearing her Queen's voice, Pan dropped the deer, cast it one last glance and mentally noted to return here later, and started to trot towards the source of the call.

When Pantaleimon arrived, Peregrine was already present, and Pan cast him a sad smile; it was difficult to see him so sorrowful. Pantaleimon wondered if Peregrine would ever get over what had happened, although she doubted it. Tiger was there too, and Pan nodded quietly to all three present, keeping tail between hind legs and head low; she did not have any desire to face the wrath of her Queen, a fear that had been instilled by recent events in Redhawk Caldera, and waited patiently for the rest of the pack to arrive.

Wildfire had outpaced her siblings in their game of chase and hidden herself away in a log on the clearing's far side. She discovered a large beetle in there and clasped it between her paws. She studied it now, thrusting her nose right up against its carapace. It struggled to escape and she accidentally squashed it. Lymph dribbled on her paws and the bug tumbled to the wooden floor, twitching and jerking in its death throes.

That's when her mother's call rose into the air. The puppy made the hasty decision to eat the beetle, so she swiped it up with her tongue right before leaping out of the log to heed the call. She made it to Fox's side in a minute or two, considering her proximity. She was not alone. Wildfire found her father, Tiger and Pan in attendance. She smiled at the group, bits of beetle leg stuck in her teeth, then sat and looked expectantly at the Alpha female.

At the sound of Fox's howl, Elwood immediately rose and started to follow the source of the sound. These days, he was constantly on edge and he knew the importance of taking his Alpha's lead. When he arrived, he found that Peregrine and Tiger were already present, and it seemed that Pantaleimon and Wildfire had gotten there just before he did.

Normally, he would have greeted his packmates with cheerful gusto, but Elwood simply glided to a halt, his ears at attention and his tail brushing the backs of his legs. He glanced from Peregrine to Fox, patiently waiting for an explanation for the gathering.

Sebastian lifted his head when he heard the howl. The large male was curled up under a tree, it seemed that he was missing out on something. He yawned sleepily and then got onto his fours. He stretched himself out and rolled his shoulders. Oh yes, that felt good. Then he trotted calmly to the howl, it didn't seem like an emergency. Otherwise it was definitely judged wrong by the young tank. He soon reached his pack members. His eye instantly fell to Tiger, smiling a bit sheepishly at her. He couldn't help it. He wanted to say Hi to her but then he noticed Wildfire. Well he couldn't ignore her right?!

He spotted the girl and greeted her with a nudge of his nose. "How is that throat now?," he asked. He sat down and then greeted the others with a nod. His eyes staying a bit longer on the pale girl with the golden eyes. It seemed his eyes went a lot to the white female, more than often for it to be called casually looking around. 

Finley's immediate reaction to the alpha's call was to turn away - to tuck herself even further into her misery and continue to ignore the entire world that had never stopped moving around her, no matter how it had completely ceased to her.  The pain of losing her litter was still too fresh to her.  She and Elwood had decided not to share their loss with the rest of the pack.  What was the need?  It wouldn't bring them back and they had plenty else to deal with following the "incident".  She knew that she would be incapable of holding herself together in front of others, particularly when they asked her why she looked... off.  So, Fin avoided them as best as she could either by patrolling the borders, tracking herds outside of the Caldera, or simply hiding in her den and drowning in her sorrows.


But...

The beta lifted her head slowly a minute or two after the call had ended, staring at the entrance to the den as though she'd never even realized before that there was an opening over there.  She was still such a mess - on top of having not eaten more than a bite or two since the miscarriage, she somehow felt more bloated and sick than ever, as though her body was intent upon mocking her loss by continuing to put her through the motions.  Nonetheless, for the first time, she felt compelled to join her packmates, and so she dragged her haggard self to her paws and trotted off towards the call.

When she arrived, she immediately regretted it.  She wasn't ready for this at all.  Fin's eyes swept across the gathering, settling upon every wolf that would know in an instant that she was suffering, which was every one of them there.  Silently, she crept up alongside Elwood and stood just a couple of inches from him.  Their relationship had become strained since she miscarried, but what they lacked in intimacy, they had never lost in their need for each other no matter how awkward and silent Fin had made it in her turmoil.  Quietly, she turned her gaze to Fox and Peregrine, the latter of whom looked to be in just as terrible shape as she, which if anything simply made her feel even worse.  She turned her head down to her paws finally and focused on the blades of grass between them, praying that she could hold it together long enough to get back out of dodge.

I'm making the assumption that @Raven and @Nightjar are here (along with Magpie and Dove), since that'll hopefully be easier for you two. Please PM me if not, and I'll edit. :)

They arrived, one-by-one, just as Fox hoped they would. To her children, Fox gave them warm nuzzles of affection. Elwood and Finley seemed... well, not terribly chipper, but Fox chalked that up to the incident and the somber tone it had set. She would have to talk to them soon and make sure they were both doing alright. Fox needed both of her betas to be in tip-top shape, especially with Peregrine's probation. The three leaders would need to make sure that everybody was following the new code of conduct.

"Thank you all for coming," Fox began, feeling like some sort of politician (something she was definitely not). "In light of the recent incident, I'd like it to be known that I want each and every one of you to brush up on your defensive or offensive skills. Even better if you do both. I'm a seasoned warrior and warden, as is Elwood. Peregrine knows his way around the borders, and Finley knows a thing or two about the offensive front. I expect to see progress from each and every one of you in the coming month. Failure to comply is not an option if you wish to remain here."

Fox paused, wondering if this was what the rest of her days would be like: drilling her comrades and whipping them into shape. It was not exactly what she had envisioned. "I care for all of you," she said, letting her eyes rest momentarily on each of the Redhawks. "We can't afford let ourselves be lax toward outsiders any longer, no matter how well we might think we know them." She'd been against the idea from the beginning, and she saw now that it was a mistake. Hindsight really was twenty-twenty. "Any questions?" she asked, opening the floor in case there were any concerns.

He remained silent as Fox called for the pack and as they waited for them to arrive. Normally, he would have stood by the Alpha female's side to receive them. Now, he slipped away several feet and dropped to his belly, remaining lower than the other wolves as they approached. He was too caught up in his own head to notice his Beta pair's strangely solemn behavior, though he did manage a tight smile for the kids when they came. Otherwise, he kept his eyes on his own feet, waiting for the moment when Fox would address the gathered crowd.

She delivered the news succinctly, leaving room for questions at the end. Peregrine had none, of course. He was already a Warden, so he would stick with that and really amp it up in the coming days. He would happily train anyone who needed some guidance too. He wanted to say as much, yet they all knew where to find him. They all knew about his experience too. He might have dropped to the bottom of the ranks but he was still a Master in this particular trade.

Some of the wolves here he couldn't picture as Warriors and Wardens. His own little girls, for instance, didn't have a mean bone in their bodies. Pan seemed an unlikely candidate too. But they all had no choice, really. His error had made that abundantly clear. They would train or die. Peregrine swallowed, making a mental note to make this new requirement as well-suited to each wolf as possible. Perhaps Pan could assist in aquatic combat, for instance (as silly as that might sound) and little Wildfire and Raven could be trained to use their knowledge of the world around them to stymie enemies. There were a lot of ways they could tailor these trades to play to individuals' strengths.

Wildfire's aunt and uncle appeared, though before the puppy could rush up to greet them, Sebastian's great frame blocked out her view of them. She blinked her amber eyes at him, then smiled at her over-sized friend. "Better," she said in a quiet but audible voice. "Thanks," she added, remembering her manners.

That's when Fox began to speak to the gathered group, redirecting the child's attention. She forgot about Elwood and Finley, as well as Sebastian, as she listened to her dam's message. Wildfire did her best to follow along, though terms like offensive and defensive were concepts she didn't understand fully. The young Naturalist chewed on her lower lip, shooting her mother a questioning look. She didn't want to ask outright, since it might be a stupid or silly question.

Perhaps the words that sank in the most deeply were, "Failure to comply is not an option." Wildfire shot her brother and sister an anxious glance. Did they understand what mama meant? She badly wanted to do what was asked of her, especially if she couldn't stay here if not. She just didn't quite get what that entailed and it made her stomach start tying itself into nervous knots.

Finley arrived shortly after Elwood, and though she left only a few inches of space between them, it felt like miles. Elwood glanced over at her, noticing her downtrodden expression and the way she leveled her gaze at her feet. Without speaking, he moved closer to her, so that their grey fur entwined. He gently leaned his shoulder against hers; he might not have known what to say, but he still wanted to reassure her.

When Fox spoke, he lifted his head and looked to the Alpha female. She looked strong and sharp, especially next to Peregrine's slumped form. He didn't like seeing the couple like this, and he chewed his lower lip absently as Fox addressed the crowd. Her words didn't come as a surprise to him; she had already sealed the borders to outsiders, and it only made sense that each and every pack member knew how to adequately defend their territory.

He nodded as she mentioned him by name -- although he might've argued that he wasn't a "seasoned" warrior -- and allowed his gaze to briefly scan the crowd. She then opened the floor up for questions. Elwood didn't have anything to add just yet, though he was happy to offer his services to help train the firebirds or subordinates as a warrior or warden.

Sebastian hummed softly when he was informed by Wildfire that she was doing better, he couldn't say much in return because then Fox started speaking. Sebastian's face went from rather relaxed into a frown. A few weeks ago she spoke to him about needing intellects and now she wanted everyone to be a warrior? Even her daughters? Sebastian didn't say anything, he just listened. He knew that if he would say anything right now it would be his head that would be severed from his body, probably. 

Luckily Sebastian actually had been trained as a warrior and warden. He had killed before and he would do it again if someone would intrude into Redhawk. He then noticed Wildfire looking around, maybe a bit panic like manner, to her siblings. Sebastian, who was still standing by her, gave her a comforting nudge. He wanted to also comfort her with words but it might be better if Fox would do that reassuring herself. He didn't want to say to Wildfire that it would be okay while Fox was actually serious about the failure thing. 

Pantaleimon watched as others arrived and waited in silence for what was to come. When they all gathered, Fox spoke up. Pantaleimon listened silently to her Queen as she spoke, demanding all of the wolves in the pack to learn about being a Warden or a Warrior. A month seemed like a small amount of time to do so, but Pan did not object; she would do her best, as she always did. When the question was posed, Pantaleimon instantly knew which side would fit her best: the defensive side of being a warden, for it meant she did not necessarily need to fight unless it was needed.

"I'll become warden," Pantaleimon said softly, though perhaps not loud enough for everyone gathered to hear. "I d-don't know if I'll be, uhm, in a month, l-like, a real full-fledged warden, but I'll t-try, and I'll keep my eyes on the b-borders." Pantaleimon awkwardly threw out the words and then sat back, looking at the ground, feeling dumb for not even being able to speak properly. Then she waited.

Tiger echoed Pans sentiments mentally. "Same! I'll learn what I can of fighting..." not that she wanted to, but hell, given the events that had occurred, she understood this was a necessary evil at the minute. She hadn't joined the place to be a warrior, or a guardian, but to be a part of her own family again. If that was what was necessary to keep it, fine. "I'll do warden." "Become a warden" was the proper way to say it, but she'd never been all that proper. The eyes of Sebastian went totally missed by the striped Tiger, whose whole focus was on her leaders.

Fin felt Elwood step closer to her and very subtly, she shifted her weight away from him.  It wasn't enough that they were no longer touching, but nor was it really even a move she consciously made.  To be close to him lately was always a struggle for she never knew quite how it would make her feel.  Sometimes she needed it desperately and would cling to him as though she were afraid of what might happen if she let go.  Other times, such as now, the guilt and self-loathing threatened to swallow her whole.  So determinedly, she set her focus on capturing all of the Alpha's words to distract herself.

Had she any normal sense of herself, Finley would likely have been offended when she listed herself and Elwood only as seasoned warriors.  Apparently Fox thought she knew only 'a thing or two'.  Like she did with all things Fox-related, Fin would have brushed it off loyally and teased her about it later.  Instead of reacting at all to it, however, she simply accepted the alpha's latest decree before glancing wearily about as her packmates responded one by one.

Last post for me. Thanks, everybody! I'll leave this open for another week (to get your third post in). Feel free to assume Fox chatted with your character about whatever!

Pan was the first to speak up, and Fox did her best to listen (a trait she'd always struggled with). "As long as you're working toward it, you're in the clear," Fox said, hopefully clearing up any misunderstandings. Pan had always seemed perfectly capable of whatever he was asked, so Fox had no doubt that he would pick up the wardening in no time. In fact, there wasn't a single wolf here that she had doubts about. That was what made her love the caldera so dearly.

Tiger volunteered herself for wardening as well, which brought a smile to Fox's face. She didn't know Finley's sister much at all, but she was a promising new(ish) recruit. Hopefully, she'd keep that spirit up and continue to contribute as well as she had been. With all said that needed to be said, Fox gave her final words as a leader. "I'd love it if you'd all stick around for a bit. Some idle chatter might ease everybody's nerves." Fox wouldn't demand it of them, but they were a pack, and it wasn't all that often that they were able to mingle without too much interruption.

Fox would, of course, be sticking around, and she'd welcome any conversation that came to her, making the rounds and socializing with her comrades.

No one raised any complaints about the new expectations, despite the fact that several of them likely never would have considered pursuing these trades if not required. Their loyalty and adaptability made Peregrine proud, not that he had any right to feel that way any longer. There weren't overly many wolves calling the caldera home these days but they were certainly rocking quality over quantity.

Fox invited the pack to ask questions and converse among themselves. Not feeling particularly chatty, Peregrine batted at his nearest kid's (Wildfire) tail to get the pups' collective attention. "If any of you guys wanna train with me, you know where to find me." He managed a playful wink for them, then slowly rose. He moved to the outskirts of the gathering, gliding past the Beta pair with a murmured, "Hey," before eventually receding like a shadow.