Little Claws (Akree/any)

[nightblood]

A ball of tan fluff walked casually out of the rocky cave that was his mother's den. He blinked in the bright sunlight, but once his eyes were adjusted, Surethim rocketed out of the mouth of the den and onto the dying grass below. The first thing he saw, a falling leaf, became his prey. He crouched down, hind legs becoming a coiled spring. Once the poor thing was within range, the pup pounced on it, bringing it to the ground in one bounce.

"Ha!"

Barking in triumph, NightBlood's son quickly looked into the den. A low grunt betrayed the sleeping beast that was inside. He would have to be quieter, or else his mother would sense danger and run to his side. If there was none, she would be awfully cross.

Returning to a stalking position, Surethim looked around for his next victim. At the same time, he glanced up at the sky, remembering his sister's story about the hawk.

[Akree]

Akree looked casually around from side to side simply enjoying the scenery. She was walking around aimlessly, wandering Arnlan getting to know her sourounding, though she already had done this a lot of times before she wanted to be as familiar with Arnlan as possible.

She squidded to a halt as she caugh movement in her perphrisal vision, she turned her head to face the movement.

-"Ha"

Her ears turned forward to total attention, tilting her head t the side. A pup? She wathced as the pup pounced on a leaf, stopped for a short time and shifted into a crouch yet again. Akree stopped to ponder, what was the pup doing out of its den, where was its mother?

She shook her head softly and decided to go on ahead and talk to the pup, better to have someone watching over the over energetic bundle of fur than let it get harmed by who knows what. She approached silently from the pup's side and stopped a few feet from where the small tan pup was crounched down, pepeared to pounce.

-"Hey" she said softly, noticing the den, so he had exited the den for himself, his mother was probably inside... "What you've got there?'' [/b]she said softly looking down at the pups big paws.

[nightblood]

His caution lifted as an older wolf came came into view. Now he wold have no hawk problems. He wagged his tail as she sat beside him, welcoming the newcomer.

"Hey. What you've got there?"

"I caught a leaf!" he answered excitedly, moving his paws to show the bigger wolf his prize.

Again, a sleepy growl came from inside the den. Surethim's gaze quickly locked into the shadows inside, looking for the red beam that would indicate that his mother was awake. His ears were folded as he searched, but there was no sign to tell him that he was going to be scolded soon, so he relaxed, turning back to the wolfess.

"Hee! That was my mom," he told her quietly, a shy grin on his face. Then he remembered his manners. "I'm Surethim. What's your name?"

[Akree]

-"I caught a leaf!"

Akree couldn't help to grin as she heard the pups excitement, she looked down at the pup's prize, a small leaf hidden between his paws. She smiled and nodded at the pup. Her head snapped up abruptly as she heard a sleepy grunt, her eyebrows furrowed as she though that the figure moving slightly inside the cave was the pup's mother. Glad that he wasn't alone she turned to face the excited pup.

-"Hee! That was my mom,"

-She chuckled "I can see that" she said witha grin "Sneaking out of the den aren't we?" she inquired with a wink at the pup.

-"I'm Surethim. What's your name?"

-"I'm Akree" she said with a wag of her tail "A pleasure to meet ya, Surethim"

[nightblood]

"Sneaking out of the den aren't we?"

The pup'sears folded at the accusation, but he nodded vigorously nonetheless, proud that he had outwitted his mother as Zuka had done.

"I'm Akree," she said with a wag of her tail "A pleasure to meet ya, Surethim."

He grinned widely as he wagged his tail once more, happy that he had made a new friend other than his family members. Ha! He would bet that his sister couldn't top that!

"Hey! Want to play a game?!"

"SURETHIM!"

This was no growl. This time, mother really was awake. He flinched at the rough voice, ears flattening as he slowly turned again to his den. There, standing just outside of the mouth of the cave, was the giant that was his mother, and a smaller, lighter version of her. Zuka had come to see what the fuss was about too. He could tell by her eyes that she was still very much asleep mind-wise. But that hadn't stopped her from getting to mock him again.

"Yes momma...?" he answered meekly, trying to get on her good side by being cute.

[Akree]

-"Hey! Want to play a game?!"

She smiled at the pup, opening her mouth slightly for a yes, she figured that it wouldn't matter that much to entertain the pup for a short while. At least until his mother woke up-

-"SURETHIM!"

Which apparently she did.

Akree turned to look at the huge figure that was the pup's mother. Her first impression- THAT is his mother, sheesh talk about barks and bites, but she shook the thought away. Another miniature version of the mother stood next to her, another of her pups. She turned to Surethim and watched as he walked toward his mother.

-"Yes momma...?"

Akree quickly padded behind the pup, leaveing a few feet of distance from where his mother stood. She sincerly was worried that the pup would get scolded for no good reason and was prepearing some sort of excuse that would blame her and not the pup, just in case.

[nightblood]

"Can you be any louder, kid?" NightBlood asked, calming herself when she saw another Arnlanian with her pup. She didn't mind that the pups left her den, she just wanted to know that they had some sort of supervision.

Now that she paused to catch the other female's scent, she noticed that it was newly Arnlanian. The scent of the territory was just now beginning to cling to her. The Beta smiled at the female. If she was done scouting the territory, she guessed it wouldn't hurt to allow her to mingle with her new pack mates, especially the youngest of them.

She dipped her head when Surethim got close enough. She sniffed him closely, searching for any clue that he might be injured. When none came, she licked his muzzle affectionately.

"Mom."

NightBlood grinned at his protest, thoroughly enjoying it. She caught sight of Zuka making funny face at her brother, sticking her tongue out and shaking her head from side to side. Lifting her foreleg, she brought it on the other side of her daughter and, lightly, flipped her over and pinning her under her massive paw. Her tail wagged at the helpless yip and sudden fit of giggles, but she turned her attention to the new Arnlanian.

"I haven't seen you before. My name is NightBlood. I'm the Beta of Arnlan."

[Akree]

-"Can you be any louder, kid?"

Akree watched carefully from some distance the pup's reactions and the way hos mother eacted. She was pleased to see that he probably wouldn't get scolded, Akree breathed a sigh of relief. She chuckled at Surethim's expression when his mother cheacked him for injuries and gave him an affectionate lick.

-"Mom."

Akree figured that maybe she should go...the pup was with his mother. She turned to look at the horizon, she had wanted to go frather north where it was colder...

-"I haven't seen you before. My name is NightBlood. I'm the Beta of Arnlan."

Akree turned to face the pup's mother, her head inclining slightly to the side...beta? Then she remebered, the second in command, she smiled. She didn't know what she expected, but the tilte took her a bit by surprise, she should have guessed as much...

"Hello Beta NightBlood, I'm Akree" she said polietly eyeing the pup under her mother's paw and then smiling at Surethim, his expression was that of someone who just wanted to take off. "I'm quite new to this place as you may have noticed..." she smiled.

[nightblood]

"Hello Beta NightBlood, I'm Akree. I'm quite new to this place as you may have noticed..."

"I did, yes," the Beta answered as her paws was pushed away by the previously trapped pup, "I expect you were exploring when you came across my son. Thank you for taking the time to watch him. I haven't lost one of my pups yet and I don't plan to start any time soon. Zuka, here-"

"I got into a fight with a hawk," the mini-NightBlood finished quickly, not wanting to be embarrassed.

"'Fight' is hardly the word, kiddo," her mother scolded, though a bit overly gently. She was proud that her daughter was able to find shelter on her own. Even better, the story about training with Mortil and Umbra, well... she was impressed to say the least.

"Anyway. I don't suppose you'd like to take this little guy with you on an expedition? It'd be good for him to get to know the territory." Turning a hard, but playful gaze toward her light-pelted son, she finished, "And some of us would like to get some sleep, youngin."

Surethim giggled and crouched down, away from his mother's glare. Continuing to butter her up, he aimed a quick lick at her nose and hit his mark. Chuckling, Blood brought her head back up to look at Akree once more, waiting for an answer.

[Akree]

-"I did, yes," the Beta answered as her paws was pushed away by the previously trapped pup, "I expect you were exploring when you came across my son. Thank you for taking the time to watch him. I haven't lost one of my pups yet and I don't plan to start any time soon. Zuka, here-"

-"I got into a fight with a hawk,"

Akree chuckled at the pup's enthusiasm. It reminded her when a young wolf made his first hunt alone. She chuckled again, smiling at Surethim.

-"'Fight' is hardly the word, kiddo,"

Akree chuckled.

-"Anyway. I don't suppose you'd like to take this little guy with you on an expedition? It'd be good for him to get to know the territory." Turning a hard, but playful gaze toward her light-pelted son, she finished, "And some of us would like to get some sleep, youngin."

-Akree was quick to answer "Of course I would love to take that bundle of energy along, he's quite adventuring type" she said with a grin and a waink at Surethim. She really wanted to take the pup, mayb play some silly game, she was tired of walking and hunting, walking and hunting and hunting and walking, this was bound to be mre entertaining. "When's his curfew?" she asked looking at Surethim who was bound to make something out of this, the young pup was probably dieying to get out of the den.

[nightblood]

"Of course I would love to take that bundle of energy along, he's quite adventuring type."

Surethim wagged his tail furiously. He gave his mother a quick lick before running back down from the rocks and to Akree's side. From there, he turned toward his mother again, but stayed put, waiting for the female to take him on an adventure. His tail simply would not stop.

"When's his curfew?"

Until she said that. The pup winced at the question, fearing an early end to his play time. Thankfully, it was far off.

"Oh, let's say just after the sun starts to set."

At that answer, his tail returned to it's helicopter speed. He stuck his tongue out at a pouting Zuka, but hurriedly pulled it back into his mouth as his mother scowled at him, threatening to make his curfew agonizingly sooner.

[Akree]

Akree chuckled as the pup hurriedly licked his mother and went to her side, she could swear if it wasn't about to hover in mid air, his tail would fall off. She couldn't help the waves of laughter that exited her muzzle, she all but doubled up in laughter and she couldn't help it. She turned her wild laughter into soft chuckles trying to control herself, trying to stop the laughter....not quite succeeding.

-"Oh, let's say just after the sun starts to set."

She nodded, still not able to help her chuckles and burst into laughter again as the enthusiastic Surethim stuck his tongue at his sister, who was scowling back at her brother. She nudged Surethim to hurry along before his mother went to scolding mode, nudging him away from the den.

-"Well Surethim looks like you could use some fun" she said while looking back at the den "Your mother seems like the type that wouldn't agree to a lot of "trouble" so we have to keep "life threatening situations" to a minimum, so don't suggest one, other than that, whaddya want to do?" she said with a cocky grin.

Akree hurried along to a gallop, taking a few paces in front of the pup and cutting into his way, looking directly at his big eyes, waiting for his answer. Her tail wagged slowly behind her and she couldn't help the grin on her muzzle.

[nightblood]

After saying goodbye to his mother, Surethim bounced after Akree, following her away from the den.

"Well Surethim looks like you could use some fun. Your mother seems like the type that wouldn't agree to a lot of "trouble" so we have to keep "life threatening situations" to a minimum, so don't suggest one, other than that, whaddya want to do?"

"Aww, but I wanted to go poke one of RavenShard's bears!" Surethim replied jokingly.

In truth, the pup didn't know what to do. He would usually pick fights with Zuka or Delerath. If those two were preoccupied, he'd fight with his mom. Maybe Akree would agree to a little brawl.

"Wanna fight?" he asked, preparing to dodge any unexpected blow.

[Akree]

-"Aww, but I wanted to go poke one of RavenShard's bears!"

-"Hmmmm" Akree said playfully "That -maybe- couldn't be considered highly life threathening....I think that falls in the category of kinda stupid so we could give it a try" she said with a grin.

In truth Akree had no bloody idea who the hell was RavenShard, but she kept smiling feeling kind of stupid. SHe wagged her tail as Surethim mused over what to do.

-"Wanna fight?"

Akree dropped down to a play bow wagging her tail playfully while keeping a grin on her muzzle. She looked carefully at the small pup and prepeared herself from a furry assault, flicking her tail and flattening her ears against her skull giving the pup a playful growl.

-"Sure let's go!"

[nightblood]

"Sure let's go!"

The moment Akree's paws hit the ground, Surethim jumped back. He too moved into a play-bow, but quickly changed into a position better abled to pounce. Without wasting a moment, he powered his little hind legs to make a jump. As if they were coiled springs, he was launched up over the older wolf's head. His mark was her shoulders. If he could latch on, he'd burry his fangs in her fur. If she rolled, he'd jump off and quickly jump back onto her, aiming for her soft belly, the weakness of all wolves.

"HA!"