The Hope of Spring [Open]

[Le Mad]

She couldn't help but giggle when Sacha returned her playful gestures. Her tail wagged rapidly as he jumped at her. She leapt backward, her front paws still splayed out in front of her, her chest still pressed against the ground. It had been so long since she'd played like a pup. She leapt up, her wings splaying out as she ran in a sharp circle around the pup, her wing feathers aiming to brush his fur.

That was until Kaj spoke. Her ear twitched, registering his voice. She had begun to go to tackle Sacha, until she heard what he said about two pups causing mayhem. She slowed her speedy run, her body halting. She watched as the older male began to walk away and her ears slowly swiveled backward. She couldn't help but let a small frustrated growl.

Tristesse hated being categorized with other pups. She knew she was different, and in reality was probably a lot more mature than pups her age. She turned to Dez, her head cocking to the side lightly. Her baby blue orbs glistened with inquiry as she stared, thinking about what to say. She knew she didn't trust the male, but this she-wolf seemed to trust him whole-heartedly. She sat her haunches upon the ground, her wings dangling at her sides.

"Désirée.." She said softly, looking in the direction of Kaj, "Why do you trust him?" She asked. The question didn't sound exactly the way she'd wanted it to, and now she almost regretted saying it. It had already been said though, and there was not a lot to do now but wait for an answer.

[shrinerbaby]

Désirée and Sacha

Désirée was glad that Kaj was not put off by her child's behaviour and she dipped her muzzle slightly in thanks for his words. She found the end of his sentiment a little strange, however, when he looked a little flustered and turned his head away. A hint of discomfort bloomed in her and she was grateful when he said that he was leaving to go hunt and that he'd rather her stay here. The prospect of joining him on a hunt all of a sudden felt unwise. Still, she gave a small smile and offered her thanks again.

Sacha had been keeping an eye on his mother, as always, even as he played with Tristesse. This split in his attention caused him not to notice his playmate's halt and he ran square into her with an "oomph!" He fell back on his haunches and looked up at the older female and blinked, seeming a little dazed.

A grin spread over his black lips as he spoke, "Tu es très jolie, mademoiselle." His puppy love only seemed to grow with her distrust of Kaj. His tail swept behind him quickly as he stared up at her with adoration. His ear did tick to the side, however, when he heard his mother turn to face them.

The silver gray wolf offered a soft smile to the younger female, so near to her full adulthood. For a brief moment she envisioned her son at the same age and a dull ache hugged her heart. The moment quickly faded, however, and she turned a soft, loving face on the love-struck pup that was her world.

"I do not entirely trust him, Tristesse," she began, shifting her paws until she found a more comfortable position. She was treading delicately. She always seemed to. "Sacha and I are far from my traditional home. We are in a world full of strangers after a vicious winter. We cannot simply barge into the midst of things and insult every beast we encounter. It is far better to be polite and to attempt to stay on the good side of those we meet until we've found a new home and some security. Kaj is far larger than I. While you could easily outrun him, I am weak and I do not think I could manage should he anger and turn upon Sacha and I. I hope that he means well and that he will be true to his word and return with a meal for my son and I. But I do not trust blindly, ma chère."

The young mother's voice was soft as she spoke, sadness coloring the words. Still, she smiled at the young female. "You, however, I do trust. You are young, and that is not something to be ashamed of. Your heart is yet pure and unblemished. I hope that you carry it with you into your coming adult life. As I trust you, however, I expect that should Kaj not live up to my hopes, you will take Sacha and go." A quick look at the rusty pup's scowl brought out a chuckle in Dez and she continued, "Although he will fight you every step of the way."

[skylark50]

Kaj had heard what the females had said and turned with a broken sigh. He picked his head up and loped away accidentally breaking a twig on his way to find food. He cursed himself and ran away. He searched desperatly for the scent of a deer or elk finding none. He grumbled and began to turn to the north when the scent hit him like
A blow. A herd of elk was to the north. He grunted in glee and began running parallel with the herd. He gave a deep crashing bark and the animals scattered. He zoned in on two crippled elk at the back and he went on a chase.

There was a large old buck that limped on three legs badly that fell behind. Kaj saw his chance and lunged forward only to be caught in the jaw by a flying back hoof. He helped in pain as blood spilled from his nose and cut jaw but he kept chasing the buck. He was to determined to catch the elk. He saw sacha's cold gaze on him he heard DEz words ring in his head. With a savage snarl he launched upon the bucks haunches, his long fangs digging into the back deep trying to teach the spine. Hind legs battered the dire wolfs body and belly and he let tears of pain slip down his cheeks. He let the tears rain down till the buck gave way and they both crashed to the ground.

The elk gave a pitiful bleat to his herd as Kaj walked to front of the elk.
" I thank you brother. You shall go feed a mother and two young ones. May the pastures with the gods be green for you and your mates before you." Kaj growled before he lunged forward and silenced the bull forever. Kaj grunted and lifted the bull by his neck partially off the ground and began the long way back to the other wolves.

It took him hours, judging by the level of the sun but he made it back, bloodied and bruised. He dropped the bull then gently called out to the others.
"come eat."
Kaj turned and walked a ways away to relax and just rest.

[Le Mad]

The young femme listened with curious ears as the older she-wolf explained her actions. It all became so clear to Tristesse: The accents, the foreign words, and the almost too polite behavior. They weren’t from Shinkou. She didn’t understand how she’d missed it, but the thought was dismissed. Tristesse’s petite muzzle angled toward the ground, her eyes focusing on the grass beneath their paws. Once more, if she didn’t have such dark fur, her blush would be very prominent at the female’s kind words.

Her dark wings slowly folded across her back, resting comfortably in place as she shifted her weight. Tristesse raised her head once more and began to speak.

“That makes a lot more sense. He is a big wolf. I wouldn’t wanna tussle with him.” She grinned sheepishly, knowing that if she were to get into a fight with an older male she would end up running for her life. “Though I don’t think you have anything to worry about, I mean… He seems nice enough.” She said this truthfully, though she was still slightly uneasy with Kaj.

She looked down to Sacha, who was barely half her height. Tristesse wondered briefly why her own pack did not yet have pups, but she realized that her alpha did not have herself a mate. She looked back up to Dez, her blue eyes sparkling with a budding question once more.

Her mouth had opened to speak but she heard Kaj approach, dragging his kill. It had been faster than she’d thought it would take him, but it had taken a fair amount of time. She wagged her tail, which caused her whole hindquarters to wiggle with the movement as she stood up. Her ears folded back and she lay down, waiting patiently for the older creatures to go for the elk. There was certainly enough to go around.

[shrinerbaby]

Désirée and Sacha

Désirée smiled as she watched the young winged wolf. She really couldn't help but like her. Part of that had to be attributed toward her motherly instinct and inclinations, but it still had much to do with Tristesse herself. The silvered wolf, of curse, couldn't claim to know her well, but she had a very confident feeling about her.

She was glad then that her explanation made sense. The young mother really felt as though she had to walk on eggshells until she found a place where she and her son could belong. That was another thing, though. The scents that lingered around the young one spoke of a pack. It put a touch of hope into her heart, but she would wait and see. "He does seem nice enough," she agreed, tuning back into their conversation.

Sacha was growing bored with all the talk, however, and he pressed his nose against Tristesse's side to get her attention. A wag of his tail and an adoring grin would greet her if she did turn her attention back on the red, roly poly puppy. "Triste means sad. Why is your name sad?" He sat back on his haunches and cocked his head to the side. She certainly didn't seem sad and he didn't ever want to see her sad. It seemed to him like a mean name. Why would anyone name their baby "sad"?

Dez lifted and turned her head as she first smelled the coming of fresh meat and then heard Kaj dragging the kill. Honestly, it frightened her a bit. A brute strong enough to take an elk down and then to drag it all the way back to where they were gathered. She didn't express this fear, however, and she simply gave a thankful smile. Really, she was grateful. "Thank you," she said softly and gave a dip of her muzzle.

His condition upon his return didn't avoid notice and so she motioned for Tristesse to dig in while she herself padded over to the large male. "Are you alright, Kaj? It seems that although you brought back a feast, it took its toll on you." She might not fully trust the dark brute, but it didn't mean she wished harm upon him. "We would have been more than grateful for another hare. You did not have to expend yourself so on the account of a couple strangers."

The yellow-green eyes of the rusty pup didn't leave his mother as she went to go speak to Kaj. Perhaps it was heartless of him, but he didn't care if Kaj was hurt. He was eager for the food, but he didn't want the male talking to his mother. "Mama, I'm hungry," he called to her. It was the truth but it also served the purpose to bring her back away from the male and over with he and Tristesse.

Dez smiled apologetically at Kaj and padded back to her son. She ran her nose over the crown of his head to his ruff, nuzzling him fondly before she approached the elk's underbelly. The winter months of near starvation caught up to her and with a snarl she began to tear savagely into the flesh, opening up the cavernous abdomen to let the gore spill steaming into the cool spring air. She'd press her maw into the gaping wound and feast on the more delectable and choice portions of the organs. Only after she had gorged herself to the point of discomfort did she pull away, face stained red.

With a low, contented rumble she padded a few feet back and lay down in the grass. It had been so long since she'd felt the comfort of a warm, full belly and she was going to enjoy every moment of it. She rested her head betwixt her paws and watched as Sacha climbed about on the big bull's head, chewing on the prong of its antlers. She rested in the full-bellied haze for several minutes until her instincts told her it was time.

The too-slender female climbed to her paws once more and Sacha knew the signal immediately. He leaped from the great herd animal's head and pranced over to his mother, nuzzling up against her until she dropped her head for him. He kissed at the corners of her mouth until they cracked and a gentle heave brought forth a puppy-sized portion of partially digested elk meat. With tail wagging he set himself upon his breakfast, scarfing the softened meal with delight.

Dez licked her lips and then sat back on her haunches. She felt better than she had in several weeks. It was a wonder what the satiation of hunger would do for you.

[skylark50]

Kaj watched as first Desiree and sacha ate. He was so tired and hungry now but he waited. He was not alpha here. He nodded back to the mother wolf. He would speak to her later before he decided what was best for him to do. He knew sacha didn't want him here and that Desiree was somewhat frighten by him. Tristesse had a pack.

Kaj laid down with a sigh and his blue eyes flickered. His bruised ribs were making his breathing shallow and his jaw and nose burned like fire. He grunted gently and just waited.

[Le Mad]

Tristesse had looked down to Sacha, the chubby little ball of fluff. A smile crossed her features as he began to speak. The words took a minute to register, but when they did, an icy jolt struck her chest. Her ears flattened for a moment, before standing upward. She was launched back into her early months.

She remembered being chased and beaten by her siblings. The elders had looked down upon her, and her presence had only seen to make her mother sad. Her mother had her eyes, the bright baby blues that they were. She remembered seeing her reflection once in her mother’s eyes, and wondering why she was so different. She didn’t understand the bad treatment then, but she knew now. Her heart hurt and her appetite slowly faded. She let a sigh, blinking away the thin film of tears that had brimmed in her eyes.

“My Mama named me for my coloring, Sacha.” She had smiled down at the pup, and as he ran to get food from his now full mother, Tristesse didn’t know whether to go and eat or lay down and think for a while. Her stomach growled, obviously having made up her mind for her.

She slowly loped over to the carcass, looking up to Kaj. She was close to asking why he didn’t come and eat, but her stomach growled once more. She leaned downward, inspecting the elk briefly, before she began to remove the hair from the hindquarter. Eventually she tore into it, beginning to gorge herself, at least until the hunger pains started.

Her right ear twitched, and she looked up at Kaj once more. Leaning down, she sought the liver from the pile of organs that Dez had spilled onto the ground. Her tail waggled as she trotted gleefully toward the older male. She placed the liver at his feet, her ears folding backward as she slunk backward. She wanted him to eat as well.

[skylark50]

(ooc: sorry if Kaj seems weird in this. He is in pain and he wants to prove himself to Tristesse and desiree)

Kaj opened his non swollen blue eye and saw a nice hot liver right before his bloody nose. A look of delighted surprise crossed his face as he looked up at the young female wolf who backed away from him. He grinned gently at her then beckoned to her with his black and red tipped tail.
" Tristesse have you ever had the liver? If not come try it. Don't worry about ne I can eat after you three are finished. Why don't you bring sacha too. A little chewed up piece for him I bet will be easy on his digestive system. Is that all right with you? " Kaj rasped, his voice started to fail him and he turned and coughed violently as bloody spittle graced his mouth. He grunted whipped his mouth with his large paw and turned back to the young female.
" sorry bruised ribs are hurting is all." he paused and smiled.

" I promise I won't move tword you if it makes you uncomfratable. Im just trying to make some friends." Kaj explained, his story ready to come from his mouth to put the two females at ease about him. He looked hopefully at Tristesse in friendship and fascination.

He stood up stiffly and sat on his haunches.
" no one cared enough about me to make sure I ate. Thank you."

(ooc

[shrinerbaby]

Désirée and Sacha

Sacha would have been heartbroken if he had realized that his question had made his new friend sad. Luckily, Kaj and the elk distracted him from that and he likely forgot about the whole thing. Now he lapped up the last of the warm breakfast his mother had supplied and licked his lips. "Thank you, maman," he yipped, tail wagging eagerly behind him. He bounced up to her and nuzzled her face and neck affectionately.

She kissed her son's face, cleaning him up after his messy meal. She felt lethargic with the weight of the meal in her stomach. She rumbled contentedly then rested her head on her crossed forepaws. "You are welcome, mon cher. Now, go and play with Tristesse, Sacha. I need to rest a moment." With one last tug of her ear, Sacha turned to look for the winged wolf. His ears perked up as he saw her talking with Kaj and he bounded over.

The chubby little pup wriggled underneath Tristesse, nipping at her paws playfully. He kept his beady little eyes on Kaj, however. They were suprisingly cold for such a young critter. "Tristesse, come and play with me." He bounced around her, jumping up to lick at her face. "Play!"

Dez smiled and let her yellow eyes drift closed for a rest. Her ears, however, remained tuned into the activities of the other three. She was not asleep, but at least she was relaxed and at ease. For now, at least. Soon, however, it would be time for her to gather Sacha and continue their search.

[skylark50]

kaj stood up weakly and padded past the two pups, nodding and smiling to them and went over to Dez. His large paws padded softly in the grass and he stopped a few feet from her and he dropped to the ground with a agonized grunt before lifting his head to the mother wolf.

"Desiree, can i tell you something. I need someone to talk to and i think this will clear up your misgivings about me." Kaj said in his own raspy voice, before his chest heaved with a agonized cough and bloody spittle again graced his lips as he whiped his mouth on the grass.