Home is Where the Insanity is... (Mortil)

[nightblood]

For what seemed like the thousandth time, NightBlood let out a sharp growl. Now that the pups were beginning to wander around, she had taken them back to her own den, away from RavenShard's healing herbs. Now with a bit more room to run around, the Beta would have an easier time shuffling them away from the cave opening. They, however, seemed content to simply gnaw on any of her twitching appendages.

Delerath, Zuka, and Sure'thim were at her tail, completely engrossed in the task of chewing it off, and Khenti was at her ear. Orem and Dakarai were tussling on the rock floor while Tama'rah watched and Khai slept peacefully. Finally a sharp pain went up the large wolf's spine from her tail. Howling incoherent curses, NightBlood jumped up and slid into a corner, growling and hiding her tail behind her. Unfortunately, the howl alerted all eight of the bundles of joy and they were intrigued by the quick movements of their mother, all lining up in font of her, blocking her in.

As sixteen eyes glared up at her, NightBlood was having second thoughts about having them in her den. Perhaps she should have left them with Crow, the caring Sentry. Her thoughts were interrupted when the smallest of the group, Khenti, stepped forward and sat down squarely in front of the large female. Snarling at his bravery, NightBlood crouched down and sniffed curiously at the sack of fur. She was caught off guard when the tiny thing flicked out his tongue and licked her on the nose.

This simple act won the Beta over almost instantly. She calmed down and picked the pup up in her jaws, bringing him to the mouth of the cave followed by a parade of marching puppy paws. There, she laid down and placed Khenti in the gap between her forelegs and began grooming him while the others ran out onto the grass. They began biting everything they saw, including the bones from Blood's old meals. They were yet too young to be weaned, but it didn't hurt for them to get an idea of what their regular meals would be.

As the puppy pack began to settle down into their own groups, Blood noticed how often Sure'thim would annoy Delerath he fought with Zuka or played with Dakarai and Orem. Tama'rah and Khai would stay out of most things, preferring to sleep by their mother. Khenti could probably be anywhere, but he'd most likely be chewing on NightBlood's ear.

Looking out at the scene, NightBlood wondered how soon it would be before a member of Arnlan came to complain about the racket and how many prey animals had been scared off by it.

[Electus]

Mortil yawned absently, padding with one half-closed eyelid towards Nightblood's den. He hadn't seen her since his last meeting, and he had heard by word of mouth that she had birthed her pups. That was the purpose of his rousing himself today. With Umbra still dormant and not bothering him with his sardonic comments, the ash-grey wolf took the advantage and headed out.

Now, trying to shake off the sleepiness that dogged him, he weaved through the dark of Arnlan, moving quickly and quietly to avoid disturbing others in the area.

He heard the racket before Nightblood's den came into view. He smiled fondly as he came into view, pausing before moving forward again.

"Hello, sister." he said perfunctorily, using the family title that he had sworn himself to. "How are you? Have you named them yet?"

[nightblood]

"Hello, sister."

NightBlood's head snapped to attention when the coherent words floated above the odd sounds of puppy-noises. She hadn't heard the gray male approach above the racket that the young ones made. A smile replaced her serious face as she realized who it was. As she slowly began to wag her tail, the pups, who had paused to view this new wolf, returned to their business. Only Delerath, Zuka, and Sure'thim seemed to take interest in him as they stopped their fighting to observe the scared male as he walked up to their mother.

"How are you? Have you named them yet?"

"I'm fine, brother," she replied, "Anek named them on the day they were born."

At the mention of her assigned mate, the Beta cringed. Sensing her annoyance, Khenti reached up and licked her chin. Warmed by the gentle kindness of her pup, NightBlood relaxed, eyeing the young male playfully. She then turned her attention back to the new arrival. He now had a tiny parade following him.

"You've got the oldest one by your foot there," Blood pointed out, "That's Delerath. This one here is the youngest one, Khenti."

[Electus]

"You've got the oldest one by your foot there," Blood pointed out, "That's Delerath. This one here is the youngest one, Khenti."

Mortil dipped his head lower, observing the pups with a soft smile on his face. For once, he seemed peaceful; his muscles were more relaxed, his eye lost that hard gleam that seemed to be there all the time.

"I see." he said simply, sniffing at the pups to get used to their scent.

"Perhaps it's too early, but time to start thinking, I guess. When they're old enough to talk, do you want me to take them off you? Or would you rather prefer them to stay here?"


(( My muse is burning after all the stuff I did for my other site x.x ))

[nightblood]

{{No problem. It's not like we have to finish this thread today. X) }}

"Perhaps it's too early, but time to start thinking, I guess. When they're old enough to talk, do you want me to take them off you? Or would you rather prefer them to stay here?"

Blood considered the question carefully. She had anticipated it, but wasn't sure of how quickly Mortil would be getting around to asking it. Absently, she gave Khenti a few licks behind the ear as she thought.

"I've seen Umbra around pups before. Since they're pack members, I have no reason to fear them being around him. However, I really don't see how any of us could manage eight pups in your den 24/7 and still be sane. At least we'd be able to spilt the time with them between us so I can return to my Beta duties and you could get some rest."

As NightBlood spoke, a fluffy scrap of meat had edged its way behind her. The Beta eyed it carefully and anticipated the attack before it happened. A lighter version of herself jumped at the back of her head and began pulling on the fur back there. Shaking her head, Blood brought the pup in front of her, picking it up in her mouth and dropping it beside Khenti, who fell backwards against her chest to give the other pup some room.

"Speaking of talking," she continued, "Would you rather wait until all of them are forming educated sentences or should I give them to you one at a time after each of them says their first word?"

Question finished, NightBlood lowered her nose onto the pup's belly and began tickling it. A shriek of laughter was emitted from the small mouth, but it was fortunately not ear piercing. Khenti charged forward and began chewing on her muzzle in order to fend her off of his sister. Seeing defeat, Blood lifted her head back up and looked at Mortil, chuckling to herself as she saw tiny scratch marks at the end of her nose.

"Those will be two of your favorites."

[Electus]

"Speaking of talking," she continued, "Would you rather wait until all of them are forming educated sentences or should I give them to you one at a time after each of them says their first word?"

Mortil pondered the question for a short while before answering.

"Keep them together Nightblood."[/b] he said seriously. "I'd like them more or less together than apart...for any amount of time."[/color]

"Those will be two of your favorites."

Mortil smiled. "I'm sure they will be." he sat down on his haunches, then got up and circled before sitting down again.

"I'm going to enjoy training them...the only useful thing I'll ever pass on." he laughed a bit ruefully, although there was bitterness tinged there as well.

[nightblood]

"I'm going to enjoy training them...the only useful thing I'll ever pass on."

NightBlood glared at him out of the corner of her eye as she groomed Zuka. Her icy stare was becoming more frequent as Mortil continued to comment negatively on himself. Call it a side effect of motherhood, but she was growing a little annoyed with his lack of self esteem.

"That's not true," she said coldly, "You've brought me comfort and taught me tolerance. I wouldn't be sane right now if it weren't for you."

At that moment, the pup she was currently tending to lifted its head and gave out a wailing puppy-howl. Surprisingly, it wasn't as annoying as NightBlood had anticipated, and it was instantly quelled with a lick to the pup's head.

"Hush, now, Zuka," she cooed as the younger, lighter version of herself returned the affection.

[Electus]

"That's not true," she said coldly, "You've brought me comfort and taught me tolerance. I wouldn't be sane right now if it weren't for you."

Mortil shook himself. "Of course." he said absently, gazing at the pups as the gamboled around the den. "I apologize. It seems that I'm always possessed in a black mood."

He looked fondly at her, a roguish grin on his face. "Motherhood suits you" he said, chuckling. "You're much less flighty than you used to be."

[nightblood]

"Bah," NightBlood snorted in response, lifting her head quickly as the hyper pup scrambled out of her arms, "I've always hated the little... demons. Apart from Ziko and Ziro, I never had much tolerance for the younger sort. Maybe it's just that they're mine makes them special to me, though I really wish they had been Armageddon's instead."

Before she could get into a depressed state, the Beta caught sight of a few of the pups eyeing Mortil's tail. It seemed that most of them had become interested in the strange new male.

"I wouldn't do that to your Uncle Mortil..." she warned jokingly as a sly smile brushed across her face.

Dakarai and Orem seemed to be the only ones to take heed to her warning, Delerath, Zuka, and Sure'thim didn't seem to have heard her. Tama'rah and Khai opened an eye from their resting spot to watch the situation unfold. At that moment, the three pups sprang.

[Electus]

"I wouldn't do that to your Uncle Mortil..."

"Oh har har." the Lord said sourly, eye glittering. Absently, he shifted several feet to the left, well out of the pups' way.

He looked at them critically, a half-smile on his face. "Their stances are too open, too obvious. Their lead up was noticeable, hardly subtle. For now, their speed is negligent. But I'm sure they'll improve..." He smiled at their mother impishly.

"They'll learn from the best, after all." he said, chuckling. But then his face grew serious again. "I can feel the coming storm in my bones, sister. This new pack...Geera. It is agitating. Synl is as well. What will Arnlan do? We have few as it is."

[nightblood]

"Oh har har."

NightBlood grinned and chuckled as the pups landed on solid rock, tripping over themselves with the unexpected sort of landing.

"Their stances are too open, too obvious. Their lead up was noticeable, hardly subtle. For now, their speed is negligent. But I'm sure they'll improve..."

The Beta rolled her eyes as he critiqued them. "They're days old, brother," she replied.

"They'll learn from the best, after all."

She smiled. "Of course they will. Who better to teach them than the one wolf who could best me in a challenge? I don't expect to win any sort of spar with them after ten days of your training."

"I can feel the coming storm in my bones, sister. This new pack...Geera. It is agitating. Synl is as well. What will Arnlan do? We have few as it is."

NightBlood too grew serious. Even the pups could sense the tension. They grew quiet and looked at the pair of adults with concern.

"Sallin cannot hope to win against three combined packs, even if they are with dogs. Besides- I don't expect they're ready to pull anything anyway. These pups will be more than experienced enough by then. We'll all give them a battle they'll not soon forget."