Beginnings (Hachisu/Animus Pack only.)

[Vivid]

Orange eyes opened slowly as something interrupted his nap, taking the time to look around past his dark muzzle to find out what it was. A blade of grass caught the wind and danced a bit though still firmly placed in the ground, unsuspecting the dark pups fiery red paw to land on it to stop it from moving playfully. Jaws parted in a yawn to reveal a shining set of pearly white puppy teeth, closing as soon as they opened. Seeing nothing of interest besides the blade of grass that had caught his amusement for a moment the pup slowly stood to stretch out his lanky limbs, nearly stumbling over his own paw as he walked from his sunny spot just outside the den.

Ears twitched atop his head as he sauntered a bit away from the protection of the den, not dangerously, though. He knew how easily he could be seen by any wandering wolf, the read tips of his tail, ears, and the red on his face alone would give him away, the only thing about his colouring that was useful was his coal-like fur, giving him the ability to stay quite well hidden in the dark, even with his bright red markings. Once again his fiery eyes shifted around in boredom, curious to where his litter mates had wandered to while he was asleep.

OOC: Bleh, not the greatest, but a start.

[ulrica]

<sub>Pups were a bothersome thing, extremely adorable, but bothersome all the same. One could not hunt when watching a puppy, one could not sleep well when watching a puppy. When Semei comes back I'll kill 'im... Ula thought grumpily, an empty threat. The femme respected and liked her alpha, he was strong and kind leader and the whelps he had fathered already showed the promise of his bloodline. A certain pup was attempting to show the world who was boss at that moment in fact... With lazy eyes, the shadow beta watched as one the small males batted with a clumsy paw at a blade of grass. She smiled ruefully as he stomped it to the ground to stop its dance with the wind. Simply adorable... The fae thought, lifting her head from the ground and giving a massive yawn.

She watched from her resting place, a shady area a few yards away, as the young pup walked confidently a small bit away from the den. The she-wolf's body tensed with natural protectiveness, he was wandering straight for danger. Each step he took taking him closer to an impending doom. With a small grunt, the scarred fae pushed herself to her paws and limped leisurely to the pups side. "Where do you think you're going now?" She asked him gently, nudging him in the side with her nose; not hard, but enough to let him know she would play. Her tail swayed a bit, one side of her mouth curling upward as she watched him and waited for his reply.</sub>[/color]

[Vivid]

Daichi pawd at the grass again as it moved in the gentle breeze, ruffling his fur as well while he found something to amuse himself at least a bit while he was out alone. At least he thought he was alone. He'd fallen asleep in the sun, and woken up in it a few hours later, to find himself more or less alone. Not that he minded. In the least, he'd be able to test out his magic without being told what to do, or scolded for nearly burning something.
His almond shaped reddish orange hues shifted around while he played with the grass, oblivious to the wolf stalking up on him. His ears twitched as his tail swayed slowly behind him until a nose nudged him and a femmes voice was heard, cursing himself for not paying attention as he was caught off guard.
His lips parted to bare small puppy fangs playfully once he recognized the femme before him, gently nipping at her maw in a playful way.
"No where Auntie Ula." He replied in a soft tone, the 'auntie' part simply added in as a form of respect for the beta. "I was just exploring a bit. I wasn't going to leave eyesight of the den, or go much further," He added in after giving it a thought, not wanting to get in trouble for his minor exploring.
He looked up to the beta warmly and sat back on his haunches, red tipped tail swaying happily behind him as he puffed out his light grey chest. "Where are all the others?"

[ulrica]

<sub>Ula smiled at Daichi's behavior, responding to the pup's playful nip on her muzzle by gently tugging on his ear with her front teeth. She flopped down as he spoke, a harmless thing though she made sure to lay between the small whelp and the threatening forest. "No where Auntie Ula." The beta smiled at the title he gave her, a low chuckle emanating from deep in her chest. "I was just exploring a bit. I wasn't going to leave eyesight of the den, or go much further." He said, obviously not wanting to get in trouble for exploring a bit. Ula smiled though and eased over onto her side. "Exploring eh? Now why on earth would you want to explore when everything you could possibly need is right here?" She asked, concerned for the pup's well-being. He was young and ignorant of the world's dangers. How could he know the perilous world which surrounded him? A shadow briefly flashed across her visage as thoughts of a particular male came to mind. The face which still haunted her dreams.... Kaaluk... The name echoed in her mind with the haunting sound of agony and death. Nothing could make her forget that day. The scars she bore were testament to this. She would never forget.

"Where are all the others?" Ula was snapped back into the present by Daichi's question. She sat up onto her belly and gave a great yawn, laying her head over crossed paws afterward with her hind legs splayed out to her right side. The side the little fluff ball was on. She smirked and lifted a paw to bat him playfully on the head, granted he didn't dodge. "What, am I not fun enough for you?" However, she continued with the answer to his question, as unhelpful as it might have been. "Dunno." The she-wolf said without much concern. "I assume they're either with others in the pack or with Droz, wherever he is..." Ula yawned again, watching the pup with tired but affectionate eyes. Gods how she adored these whelps. And just think of what he will become... The wicked voice sneered in the back of her mind. Just think of the power this male will control. Another shadow crossed her face, this just as brief as the first. Daichi was still just a pup, there was no reason to fear him. But already, there was the definition of muscle beneath that coal colored coat. The sharpness of his eye, and the delicate points of his fangs. Sure, now he was a little whelp, but soon... What would he grow into...?</sub>[/color]

[Le Mad]

The soft sun flickered ever-faithful on the marshes. It shown through the treetops and jungle-like foliage of the Hachisu packlands. The den of the pack lay cozy in the grass, holding the promise of warm life.

After her brother had deserted the den, the slumbering pup remaining had stirred a bit but remained where she was. She was comfy, and her napping was not to be disturbed. Unfortunately, as alert as the she-pup was, she was unable to continue sleeping for long. She lay upon her left side, right eye exposed to the world. Her eyelid flickered upward, orange iris exposed for what it was.

Her paws flexed, and the lump of fur slowly rose from her sleeping place. She stretched, front legs first, then back legs as she began to walk. Emiko looked with bi-colored eyes out of the den mouth. She heard talking, and slowly began to trot up to the mouth. The ashen pup slowly found her way to the rim of the den, where a small bit of sunlight had settled on the ground and made it warm.

She looked at Ula and flashed a shy smile, and then to her brutish brother. An eyebrow arched on her slender face before she yawned, her needle-like puppy teeth glistening in the sunlight. She then trotted to a shady spot close to her brother, but not too far away from the den to lay down.

[Vivid]

The pup let out a playful growl when his ear was tugged by the beta, watching as she flopped down in the grass with a yawn, still shaking off the sleepiness he had earlier. Daichi rose from his haunches to stand to lower his belly to the ground, paws outstretched in front of him, stretching himself like a cat before he sat again. His sharp eyes looked her over as she rolled to her side, his tongue lolling out as the sun beat against his dark pelt, not minding the heat so much since as a rule, he was always warm.
Her question made him think a bit and his bright fiery eyes eventually met hers upon giving his answer. "Well... One day I'll have to hunt for the pack. I'll need to know what it looks like, then." His answer was straight forward, smart, but he kept some to himself, secretly wanting to explore just because. The den-site stayed the same all day, every day, and he was a little tired of it. That didn't mean he'd run off, but he wanted to push his boundaries, slowly make his way to the marshy forest he ached to see.
He noticed a slight change in her eyes but took it as her processing his answer, watching her move again. His bright tipped ears folded back as he was hit by her paw and without much warning he pounced on the fae gently, wobbly paws braced on her back, but her breathing was enough to make him stumble. Eventually finding himself upside down, with his nose to her belly, head on the ground until he rolled himself onto his back. The markings on his body aside from the ones under his eyes burned with a soft glow, embarrassed about his fall once he noticed his sister laying not too far away in the shade.
He whined when she spoke but had no chance to reply until she was finished, still on his back as he nuzzled his nose into her side. "Auntie Ula, you're plenty of fun! It's just that usually there are more of the pack around."

[ulrica]

<sub>He would need to know what the territory looked like for hunting. Ula chuckled, silver eyes watching him with a tender softness. Silly pup. But she let the subject drop, her eyes turning upward to the little fae who came sauntering out of the den. She headed for a shady area and laid down, she was close enough to the den for Ula not to worry so the beta returned her attention back to the nearer and more rambunctious Daichi. "Auntie Ula, you're plenty of fun! It's just that usually there are more of the pack around." The she-wolf chuckled again, nudging his belly playfully with her muzzle as if trying to tickle him. "Oh you selfish creature!" She said playfully. "My attention isn't enough for you, huh? Now you need the whole pack around? You're an utter daemon." Ula smiled to let him know she was only kidding before yawning and standing with a stretch not unlike the one he had just performed.

The beta let her gaze watch over the forest, its welcoming shade suddenly seeming foreboding and threatening when faced with the task of taking care of these pups. She suddenly wondered where Droz was, knowing his easy smile and relaxed nature would surely put her fears at ease, but he was nowhere in sight. Maybe that was a good thing, however. The mind numbing fear she felt every time she was in the male's presence was irritating. The weakness it gave her annoying and infuriating. Especially if such behavior was shown in front of these pups... Ula sighed then turned back to Daichi and gave him a gentle but assertive nudge with her nose. "Come now, you two go in the den and I'll get some dinner." The dark wolfess said, her eyes flashing upward to the forest once again. Why did that horrible feeling suddenly descend on her then? Why did she feel that something was wrong? Surely it was just her imagination running away with her... Yes, that's all it is.</sub>

[Le Mad]

Emiko was still waking up, but after seeing her brother act the way he did, she began to feel the urge to play bubble up within her. Her tail thumped on the ground when Ula mentioned getting food, and her stomach growled inaudibly. Emiko rose to her big, oversized puppy-paws and watched the others. She yapped obediantly and began to make her way into the den, looking at Daichi once before she descended out of sight.

..

Droz hadn't been far off. In fact, he had been watching the densite, though he kept a courteous distance. He was afraid that he had hurt Ula's feelings somehow during their last meeting. Now, he watched as she looked off into the forest. He cocked his head, lavender orbs reading her features. She was scared for some reason. Could it have been him?

The black wolf had been resting in a low branch of a tree, both of his large right legs hanging down in a languid, relaxed state. Now, he stepped down from the branch, his paws hitting the ground with a dull thud. The mostly black wolf slowly appeared, head bowed in a respectful greeting to Ula. He had heard her speak of getting a meal for the pups and felt he could be of some assistance.

"Hello, Ula." He said calmly, a lopsided grin moving over his face. He was embarrassed, though he had no idea why he should be.

[Vivid]

Dai squirmed as his nearly white belly was 'attacked' by the faes nose, his tail swaying a mile a minute out behind him. Although he knew her words were just playful to him it frustrated the young male, feeling like she shouldn't even think it. He kept that to himself though, just going along with it. "Of course, I need the packs full attention don't you know!"
He laughed and watched her stand and stretch, rolling over onto his own puppy paws, shaking out his fur if any grass had remained. To her nudge and words he nodded, giving her leg a nudge with his nose before he turned and watched his sister go, running off after her to the den, pausing before turning back. "Be careful Auntie Ula. And hello Droz!" Without anymore interruptions he carried on to the den, seeing his sister turn to look at him. Instantly the want to play sent shivers through his spine, nearly tumbling over his large paws as he raced after her to enter the den.

[ulrica]

<sub>As if her thoughts had summoned him, Droz appeared from out of the forest like a shadowy vision. With his sudden arrival, Ula's muzzle twitched as if to smile, but the instinctual tightening of her gut quickly cut off any sign of emotion. The fear in the presence of any male quickly welled up in her throat, a growl choked down only by the nearness of the pups. The beta dipped her head at the male, nudging Daichi's rump with her nose to get him into the den quicker. An ancient instinct rushing to separate Droz from the younger creatures, and a recent fear wanting to separate herself from him as well. However, along with that fear was the same pull there always was, since the first time she had met him. The same day she had stumbled across Semei...

"Hello, Ula." The she-wolf swallowed hard, glancing back toward the den to ensure both the pups had gotten safely inside. "Droz.." She replied with another nod, her body stiff with anxiety and her tail swishing across her heels; not with eagerness or happiness to see him, but the fear and annoyance of his gender. "I, um...was just about to hunting for them.." The fae continued, motioning back at the den. "Would you like to come?" Though she hated to admit it, there was a note of hope in her voice.</sub>[/color]

[Le Mad]

Once in the den, the small fae had listened hard for her brother. She heard his gallumphing paws behind her far before he got there. She turned around and grinned, her dark fur making her fangs stand out brightly. Her rump stuck high in the air, tail waggling and waiting for Daichi to make his move, while her paws splayed out in front of her.

..

Droz couldn't help but feel relieved that Ula had not run away this time. He enjoyed her presence, but she didn't seem to enjoy his. He listened to her as she told of hunting for the pups, and inviting him to join. He was flattered, and the grin on his face showed it.

"I would be honored." He said with a bow of his head. His lavender orbs scanned the forest briefly. "I don't think the two of us alone can take down a deer or elk, but perhaps we can find game of a smaller sort." He thought for a moment, eyes glancing upward. He thought quickly. "Feral hogs are plentiful around the drier marshlands, if you felt like walking a little farther than usual." He suggested, waiting for her answer.

[Vivid]

The young pup entered the darkness of the den without caution, not expecting his sister to be ready to pounce. Blinded in the darkness for just a few moments he relied on his sense of smell to sniff her out, eye sight slowly getting better.
Sharp fiery hues widened to see her sitting, ready to pounce, her glistening fangs startling him a moment. Diachi flopped down on his front and rose his rear as well, tail swaying as he awaited his sisters move patiently, grinning all the same with his own pearly white puppy teeth.

[ulrica]

<sub>Ula's ear flicked back to ensure both of the pups had made it to the safety of the den, giving a nod to Droz's reply when it came. Feral hogs, he proposed, something she didn't quite agree with when it came to feeding youngsters. The creatures were tough and chewy, not to mention difficult and dangerous to bring down for just two wolves. Especially in the spring when they would be birthing. "Whatever we come to first, I don't want to spend too much time away.." The shadowy fae replied numbly, eyes looking shyly over the male.

No one could say he wasn't handsome, and while Ula didn't have a problem with starring, he might so she yanked her gaze away and lurched forward. "Come on.. We should hurry.." The words were hardly breathed into existence as the slender she-wolf brushed by Droz. They would be alone. No one else to act as a buffer between the male's fangs and the scarred female. If push came to shove, she would die or be forced into submission. The rational part of Ula's mind knew this entire scenario was highly unlikely if not impossible, but the fear which had been ingrained upon the betess was ever present and seemingly all knowing. How could all males not be the same? And with this truth, how could all males eventually turn, and attack in a flurry of blood and agonizing pain...?

As if to confirm her fears, the familiar ache of her hip returned. The gnawing sensation which left the femme with a limp. The silvery fur of her scars were nothing compared to this constant reminder of that night... With a sudden surge of fear, Ula paused and turned to make sure Droz was following her. If he was, she would wait until they were shoulder to shoulder to continue on. While traveling in such close proximity to the beta could be dangerous, she wanted to keep and eye on him. Besides, this close the rugged wolfess would be able to tell by the movement of his muscles when to dodge his strike..</sub>[/color]