taken for granted ;; joining

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] There was nothing quite like morning, when the sun began to peak over the horizon and shedding its warmth out upon anything it could touch. It cast its light out and turned darkness to brightness, changing night to day. It was something to be treasured greatly, for sometimes one would not always know when the sun would not rise or when they would not wake one morning and find themselves no longer a part of the world. The rising sun was taken for granted constantly, as it gave life to everything in the world. If there was no sun, then the plants would have nothing to feed upon and they would all die. If the plants were all dead, then the herbivores would have nothing to eat, and they would die off as well. Such a thing would create a domino effect until it reached the predators of the world, as they would perish with no food. The light peered into the thickly gnarled roots of a beautiful tree, threading their warm rays into the pink fur of a young female Cael, thawing her skin from the night's cold. Slowly, her eyelids found the energy to lift and bat themselves a few times, ridding her eyes from the blurry film of sleep that covered them. She picked up her head from the relatively hard ground and her tiny jaws gaped in a massive yawn, showing her pretty white teeth. She turned her head and gazed out the root opening with her silver and blue eyes, wondering what was out there beyond the tree she had taken shelter within. She was not too sure how she had crossed into another pack's territory so easily, nor how she had strayed so far from the Cove, but she was here now and everything was suddenly so interesting to her. Fawnda was this female's name and, by just a glance, one would easily come to assume that she was still a pup. However, she had been born prematurely and she was very small for her age, very small indeed. She stood at about 25 inches to her shoulder and didn't even weight 50 pounds, even with her tail half formed out completely. She was a premature baby, that being the cause of many things with her parents. Her heart was strong, though, as she had been raised upon a Yagi's milk until she was weaned off of it. It was believed by her father that such a thing had made her so strong, that it allowed her to fight so much and survive. He had died months ago and there was a hole in her chest that made her ache greatly. She wished she understood what it meant. She was a very smart girl, but she just didn't understand emotions well, as there had been no one to teach her in a long time. She pulled herself to her feet and weaved delicately through the roots, finding herself still trapped within that confusing forest she had stumbled upon yesterday. She had not intended to stray so far from her real home, but at this point she was not so intent upon turning back. Perhaps the pack here could offer her some sort of shelter, something to live within so that she would be safe from everything that could hurt her. Giving herself a mental sigh, she padded forward, hoping that possibly someone would stumble upon her. She prayed that perhaps they would offer her a home here, for it seemed nice enough. The only thing she would have a problem with at that point was the lack of water there seemed to be. She did not like to leave the water nor did she like there being a lack of it. She wondered if there was any water in this frozen place. Fawnda's prayers were partially answered when she walked out from the forest, finally free from the horrid labyrinth it seemed to really be. Where she found herself placed a smile on her beautiful maw, eyes glittering like diamonds in the sunlight. There was a massive lake in front of her, reflecting the sun as it shone down upon it, casting an even brighter light on the trees. Shadows danced all over, creating an effect that took her breathe away. She had never really seen a lake before, only the ocean, and it was rather strange to her. It was exotic to the female, but it was very gorgeous nonetheless, and she could not help but stare right at it. Her overly fluffy fur stuck out even further when she walked towards it slowly, approaching it with a certain tentativeness. She lowered her head and sniffed at it, ripples flowing from a point.

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] Ahote was having a mood swing, which was not uncommon or the large Yagi male. The number of intruders, his offspring growing right before his eyes, his pack growing to near unheard of high numbers, the meeting coming up with the other alphas, he had a lot on his plate. He was still doing patrols but only when he felt it, honestly he had enough members now that he could hunt, patrol and spend time with his children, which was always a high priority but not something he could have done before without jeopardizing his pack. Now that things seemed to be moving along quite well he could take beautiful mornings like this to hunt something down and drag it back for the females and numerous pups that lived so close to his heart. His dark forest green fur was fluffed out and puffy, growing longer over his spiraling horns on his head and the bighorn horns on his hips, curling down in massive thick points so that he looked like an armored tree. His eyes, a bright shade of yellow with amber flecks around his pupil reflected the light of the sun, making them seem to glitter with a new brightness. His mouth parted to reveal thick fangs and white teeth, his tongue hanging out for a moment to scent the areas around him. Hunting for breakfast or not, he was hell bent on keeping his land safe and so far most of the threats had come from those damned Keiyous. Damn wolves with wings, he thought bitterly. Although Alucio and Rava were Keiyous and they were loyal, and loving, and would actually make a perfect match for keiyou pups he thought with a smile. Shaking his head slightly, he knew they would mate when the time was right, just like he expected others in his pack to mate when and as they could. Right now, ten puppies was enough to keep them all busy. He had found himself close to the lake, looking for early morning prey who might have ventured out to the lake for a drink, or to find any grass which was surviving or clinging to life as the temperatures dropped. The lake would freeze over during the coldest nights he assumed but little did he know there was a hot spring near the middle which allowed the ice to give way to water, at least at a certain point. The rest would freeze, most members of the pack had been warned to be cautious about approaching the lake as it began it’s freezing process, and Ahote preferred to find little rivers and streams within the territory, something that if he did indeed fall into, he could simply walk about. A lake, might kill the brute. As he looked out from the forest he saw a pink form find it’s way to the lake, and even manage a drink from it. For a moment he thought she might be a lyxxus, but if she was, she was very young with no extra tails. She was certainly not a Yagi, or a Keiyou, he tried to wrack his brain, and in the end he could only assume she was a lyxxus….or a Caella who simply was not transformed yet….His head tilted, and although he smelled she was female he approached cautiously…if she were scared enough she might dive into the water and he might never find her, as he sure as hell was not going in after her. Caella could swim in almost anything, and he as a Yagi could sink in almost anything, but he would not trade his size, his bulk, or his horns and fangs for anything. He shook himself and slowly approached, the snow cushioning his heavy paw steps. “What brings you to Enclave territory un-escorted and unguarded Lady?” He knew not her name and so he decided to dispense pleasantries. If she had no other pack, which by the smell of her she didn’t he would happily take her into his ranks. He liked all these colorful, beautiful females. Not only were they perfect to look at, he was sure their colors would breed true as well. He stretched his back legs accordingly and stared at her, waiting for a response. “I am Ahote, Drott or Alpha of the Aurelian Enclave, the pack’s lands to which you have stumbled in to….what name graces such a colorful, beautiful female such as yourself?” Oh yes, he could pour on the charm when it suited the situation just as easily as he could smash skulls when that suited him, one in the same really.

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] Fawnda's dark paws kneaded lightly in the snow beneath her, flattening it out. It made her paws cold, something she was not used to, and somehow she found herself liking it. The Cove was constantly warm, sometimes even incredibly hot during the summertime, and it didn't leave room for one of its inhabitants to experience something other than warmth, except for the occasional chilled breeze, which was received sparingly. Snow was just an interesting thing to the female, so cold and white and plentiful. It seemed to her that the lands had been coated with a light blanket of it, like it was trying to freeze the land on purpose. Of course, she was well aware of what winter did to places, especially when the temperatures dropped, but it could be a good thing too. She wondered if snow was fun for pups to play in. Since she had so much extra fur, she did not really feel the effects of the cold on her body, though took tinges of it now and then. She stared into the non-salty water, holding her own silver-blue gazes steadily, listening for anything to come her way. She did not talk much, only really having done so once, and to her father no less, and getting her to do so was a major pain, because she just didn't speak. It was really a mystery why, but that was just the way she was. It did benefit her in one way though. Through all of her silence, she had been provoked to listen, and her hearing was superb, much better than that of the normal wolf. Her ears were larger than usual as well, leaving her to pick up sounds more efficiently. She sniffed at the water some more, ears twitched when she heard the snow softening the steps of someone approaching. Fawnda remained motionless for a moment, feeling the fear well up inside of her. She was aware that she had crossed onto a pack's lands, but didn't know how packs worked. She didn't know what would be done to her if a pack wolf found her here, though she intended on finding just a home, what if they thought she was planning some sort of attack on them? Yeah, a fuzzy pink wolf is going to kill them all. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying not to shake, flinch, or run when the male began to speak. Just without looking, she could tell he was much bigger than her. His voice was deep and strong, a light graveled touch to the base of it all. Definitely a male that was strong and had authority. That in itself terrified her, and the last thing she wanted to do in those seconds was anger someone this large. She whirled around, trying not to come in contact with the water, and faced the male who was standing there. Her eyes widened in fear and her breath caught in her throat. She felt herself begin to back away and sink down slightly, showing her sheer terror in the situation. His words had been kind, gentlemanly, but his size scared her. He was twice the size that she was and was definitely stronger than her, meaning he could kill her in an instant if he wanted to, but she did have the advantage of water nearby. Most Yagi couldn't swim, if she remembered correctly from the Yagi mother that she had nursed from and from that mother's own pups when they would not join her in swimming lessons. Her ears went flat against her head, debating on fleeing into the water, but she knew it was cold out and that it would not be good for her scales. Ahote? Not a name she had heard before, but it was powerful sounding. As she backed away, her brow furrowed in confusion. What was an Alpha? Aurelian Enclave? That was the pack that was here, she could tell that much, but she had no clue what an Alpha really was. She was aware of leaders in a pack and descending ranks within them, but she had no clue how these things really worked. She was still young, having lived in the Cove since she was born, and packs were a foreign thing to her. Of course, a pack wolf would straggle onto her beach every now and then, but she would never approach them in fear of an ambush. She mentally sighed, keeping her eyes on the male. She did not want to be harmed here, and she wasn't sure if she should answer his question. She was terrified, another reason to keep her mouth shut. She opened her mouth slightly as if to answer, but only a small whine of fear escaped her throat.

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] The pink wolf in front of him was definitely making an impression on him. She was beautiful, and demure, and even if she was stupid or not entirely smart she was smart enough not to speak. All of these qualities were highly valued by the Drott of the Enclave and he felt his body tense in response to being near to her. Smelling her, she smelled like the ocean, of salt, and water, and sand, and heat. It was an intoxicating aroma and he inhaled deeply, the scent rolling his mind. He had not been to the sea, or the Cove but one time previously, and it had ended with him taking a mate. He sighed inwardly to himself and pulled back the memory of Seven enough to put his head back on straighter than it had been before. The fear he saw in her eyes and her body posture shocked him. Did she really think he would hurt her? Had he not spoken with the kindest of words? He sniffed lightly and backed up a few steps to give her her space. “Lady I mean you no harm, please do not feel threatened.” He tilted his head to the side slightly, although he wouldn’t lower his eyes from hers. He was a male, and he was the dominant male, even though he was trying to be ice and comforting his tail still was high, and his muscles taunt, especially since she saw him as a possible threat. His eyes turned and flipped slightly back not knowing how to calm her or how to tell her she was not in any danger. It was a complicated situation and he had only spoke three sentences to her. He sat back on his haunches and sighed, in taking a breath. Maybe he could tell her something about himself and the pack and then give her the option to join. Yes that might work. When she turned and whined, the only sound coming from her voice he was assured she was not mute. For if she couldn’t talk, then she couldn’t whine or socialize so perhaps she was just too frightened to speak. He tried to lighten his voice but he actually came out rather high sounding….he cleared his throat obviously embarrassed by his attempt. “As I said Lady, I mean you no harm, my name is Ahote, and being the Drott, or Alpha means I am in charge of this pack. I decide which new members stay, and what ranks to give them such as a hunter, or a fighter. But our pack is different than most packs. In the Aurelian Enclave, which is the pack, my pack that lives here females don’t have to hunt or fight. They have their own tree with dens carved out of it to stay in, sheltered from the elements. The males in the pack hunt for them, and protect them, and even escort them when they wish to travel. Females can hunt small animals but nothing big that might hurt them. Also females cannot ever fight, it’s too dangerous for them and they could end up badly injured, which is why we also tell males to escort them if and when they want to go places. Our pack also has ten new pups, if pups interest you in any way, some of them are mine….” He deliberately left off which ones, even if she was not speaking now she would eventually and he had his own secrets to keep. “I hope I have explained everything to you, so that you might see that I am the last male who would ever hurt a female. I spend my days patrolling and protecting and providing for the females in my pack. If you decided to stay with us, you would be well cared for, protected and cared for. But I will by no means force you, if you choose to join the pack you can follow me back and I can show you to the female Home Tree where you can have your own den, but if you choose not to join, I must ask, no demand that you leave our territory by morning. Beautiful as you are, I cannot allow loners to take up residence in my family’s home. It just leads to trouble.” He stood, shook out his pelt and took a few steps away from the female, his steps were smaller than usual, giving her the opportunity to follow…but only if she wished.

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] Her stomach's fur was just barely brushing the snow and stones beneath her, causing her to begin to feel the effects of the cold around her. She wasn't quite suited to the cold, but she did seem to like it. It was much different than the cove. Somehow, she had brought herself to slightly miss the salty scent, the waves crashing on the shore, the feel of the sand between her toes. She remembered the warm breeze upon her skin and in her eyes, watching the fish flash by and avoiding the blindserpents that came by occasionally. Pausing, she cast her gaze out upon the lake, wondering if any blindserpent could get in there, and she doubted it. Lakes rarely held them, from what she had learned from her father, and the generally only showed up within salt waters and rivers. Not all lakes had a river source. Her gaze snapped to his feet as he stepped back a ways, seeming to give her some type of room. She lifted herself from the ground slowly, though kept her ears flattened. She was only scared due to his size, but she wasn't sure why she should be. Her own temporary mother had been a Yagi and she had fed off of her milk to survive. The thought of this made her stand to her full height, a whopping twenty five inches tall. Tiny, this vibrantly colored female was and she was rather proud of it, despite how many disadvantages it gave her. Her ears steadily perked back up just to pick up his voice as he spoke, seeming to soften his tone a little, but she didn't focus on it. She appreciated that he was trying to be nice and wanted to do something in return, just to seem normal. However, she was well aware that normal was something she was far from. He sat back on his rump, beginning to explain things to her, of what an Alpha was. A pack leader? Made sense, especially with his stature in the moment he had arrived, and slowly it was starting to register within her mind. Ranks, duties, all of it. Steadily, it seemed to piece together with ease. Something caught her attention. Females didn't have to hunt or fight? That sounded...lovely. She couldn't fight in the least and she found hunting hard, sometimes even when she was in the water, despite she had a speed advantage against the fish. It was strange, a Cael having a weakness within the one thing they based their home off of. Water. So calm and beautiful, yet so powerful and destructive. She often had to wonder why wolves took to the water to live off of, whether it be living in it or just getting a drink. Pups? She was not too sure how she felt about them, but she bright and colorful, leaving her to somewhat think of how they would probably go nuts if they ever saw her. At least, that was how she remembered Kazz and Kass reacting to bright and shiny things in her childhood. The memory made a small smile grace her lips and, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she was being childish. She was scared, yes, and she didn't know what to do in this situation, but she knew that she needed a new home or that she could very well die remaining a loner. She was very small and she death could come to her easily. Swallowing the lump in her throat as he gave her a choice to join or not, she knew she had to move forward, and she knew that she would get nowhere if she remained silent forever. Fawnda understood that he could not allow loners to live in the territory, no good alpha would allow it. He took a few more steps away from her, and in an instant she felt her voice flow from her throat, smooth and beautiful, having a tone like a bell, though soft. "Wait..." Hesitating, she did not know what else to say. Her ears flicked when there was a light splash in the water and she turned her head, eyes spotting a silver fish beneath the surface of the water. Unable to fight instinct, she swiftly kicked off from the ground and darted into the water after it. Her legs changed into her beautiful rainbow tail, pink hued all throughout it. She beat it several times and opened her jaws, snatching the scaly being within them tightly. Quickly, she turned and made way to the surface, paddling to the shore with the fish wriggling in her mouth. The pink female, as cold as her scales had suddenly become, dragged herself out from the water and pulling her colorful tail behind her. Carefully, she approached the male and laid the fish in front of him, sitting there silently and waiting for her tail to dry. She pushed herself back a ways and watched him with carefulness. Her quiet voice emerged once more, speaking more than she had to someone in a very long time, "Forgive me... May I stay?" Her silver-blue eyes darted all over the place, almost trying to focus on something to calm her raging emotions. Fear, anxiety, confusion, frustration. All of these things went through her with such incredible speed that she didn't know what to make of all of them. She hoped she could stay, she wanted a better home, and needed something to protect her.

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] Ahote was slightly saddened by the fact that the female seemed so terribly submissive, almost as if she thought he would ravage, or kill her on the spot. It was true in general he liked his females, especially within the pack to submit to him, and his laws, they helped everything run smoothly. But he had quite a few females who were rambunctious, spontaneous, and had minds of their own. Simply because one submitted themselves to a pack and it’s alpha did not mean you had to cower with each step you took. Although Ahote himself realized, and rather soon that everyone had their own personal sob story, everyone had something happen to them that changed the essence of their very being, and in many cases not entirely for the better. Even when he moved his position back, and sat down to show her he was not a threat he was still cautious. Even as she rose in posture, her ears were still flat, and although this could be taken a number of ways, most often ears back were a hostile measure, as well as fearful. Although the two emotions seemed to more often than not run hand in hand. When her ears perked up he smiled, careful to not completely unveil his fangs, there was no need to frighten her again by showing off how armored he truly was. He sniffed the air lightly around them and bobbed his head slightly, she was even more beautiful when her ears came up, and he was rather jealous she would hopefully, soon to unveiled to the other males. He saw something in her eyes while he was explaining things about the pack, hopefully it was recognition and intrigue. He knew some females were not cut out for the life he was making. But he found more often than not, females while they wanted to be able to hunt and care for themselves, if they had someone else to do it, they would use that person. Most females just wanted the chance to prove they could, and he indulged that desire in that they could hunt small animals, they could run, and explore and stay healthy. Things like fighting, patrolling and big game were just too much for most single females, let alone a group to handle, so he merely took those could-would be situations away. His bright eyes tried to chase the emotions that flashed across her face one after another, after another. It was hard to try to even guess at what she was thinking at this very moment. He hoped she was considering joining his pack, soon he believed he might have the most colorful pack as well as the largest. Between her, and Lorelaia, and all the Sennyo the females would all be a burst of color, and the males, most seemed more earth colored. The exact opposite of peacocks apparently. He smiled mischievously at the thought and had to look up for a second to hide his amusement. When her voice finally did slither from her maw, it captured his heart, and in that moment with just one word he knew she was Caella, and the second one to join his pack. He sighed contentedly and nodded at her to let him know he had heard that one beautiful word. He watched with fluid motion as she hit the water and began to swim beneath the surface. He would say he was jealous, but Ahote was more than content to be a land creature. More than content. When she arrived back on the bank, he looked at her tail, just as beautiful as the rest of her, and he just wanted to sigh. He had to be the luckiest male in the universe to keep attaining these beautiful and rare females. She had offered him the fish and he smiled once more at her. “I would say I envy your skills in the water, but I am rather heavy, and I’d rather sink into my den than that water. But I do see your tail is as beautiful as the rest of you, thank you for your offering…” He leaned down and with one crack of powerful jaws he split the fish in two and offered her half in return, after all he was her transformation that had helped catch the small meal. “There is nothing to forgive my fair, finned lady. Of course you may stay, I will make it my personal mission to protect you, and hope that you can find peace and friends within the Enclave.” He thought for a long moment…”As I have said, my name is Ahote, would you mind telling me yours?” He knew they would have to wait to travel to the Home Tree, but he didn’t mind, not as much as others might have…

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt a familiar nagging, one that had before told her to run, to bolt on all four legs as fast as she could far away from her standing place. However, for once she put the noise down, blocked it out of her mind. She pushed instinct away, allowed herself to trust her own judgement. All this time living in the cove had given her a reason to flee from anything that was much larger than her, which pertained to every wolf except maybe pups and Lyxxus. Small and premature, her first reaction had always been to run and hide, keep herself safe from the things that could kill her easily. If she wasn't careful, her delicate bone structure could be snapped with such ease. Though she felt some regret in reacting the way she had to Ahote, it had only come to her because he was literally twice her size. He could step on her and kill her. Exaggeration or not, that was how her mind processed it. When he smiled, she did not feel the intimidation rise in her chest as it had the first time. No longer did he appear even slightly menacing to her. His grin nor his features had been twisted into something from nightmares or scary stories mothers told their pups to keep them out of trouble. She felt a heat rise in her skin at his compliments of her appearance. It was a strange thing, emotions. She wasn't sure how to react to them, but she did know that the more and more she interacted with others, the more she would have to deal with them. She did not find herself beautiful. Then again, she had often not bothered to stop and look at herself in the smooth surface of the water just to see what she really looked like. All she ever really saw was an over fluffed ball of pink fur, not to mention completely misplaced with all this color. She watched him intently lean down and snap the fish in half. For a moment, a pang of fear swept over her and her paws kneaded the ground in discomfort. Her ears went back again, confused when he offered her half of the fish she had caught. She had given it to him, more as a question of if she could receive forgiveness from him for not having said a thing, but she had to wonder why he offered some back. Did he not want it? The more she stared at the lifeless scaled creature, she felt a pit grow within her stomach, rumbling slightly. It was demanding something to eat, more or less. After all, she had gotten lost in that forest the day before and hadn't eaten a thing since. She reached out and bared her white fangs, pulling it towards her. Pinning it down with one paw, she grasped the tail with her teeth. With one motion, she tore the bones from the inside, for the purpose of not choking on them. The female steadily picked at the outer layer of scales of the fish, eating them with a strange quickness. Most land wolves she had seen attempt to eat the scales couldn't even choke it down. Perhaps it was just her strange ways that allowed her to eat these things so well. Besides, she was aware that there were nutrients hidden within the scales, having trapped specific algae that was healthy. Her tongue protested for a few moments, though, not quite used to lake fish. She was more accustomed to saltwater fish. As she ate, her scales dried out and steadily returned to their lupine form. At that point, she was laying there in the stones and snow, having eaten her share of the fish. Her bright pink tongue swept over her mouth a few times, giving it a thorough cleaning. She would be tasting freshwater fish for a few hours. "Friends..." She wasn't too familiar with the term, having been alone in the Cove for some time. She knew siblings, even though Kazz and Kass hadn't even shared her own blood. They were pure blooded Yagi, just like their parents. She was lucky that they had come by one day, lucky that Emily had nursed her until she was healthy enough for her father to care for her for awhile before he died. She smiled at the memories she'd had with all of them, the good and not the bad. Her mind was pulled from her reverie when he asked of her name once more, and she found herself hesitating. She often wondered why she had been given the name she was bearing, but she did not question her mother's ways, though she had never had the chance to meet her. "My name...is Fawnda."

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] Ahote knew what he said to be true, this Caella, this Fawnda was beautiful, but delicate. He would make it one of his personal missions to protect this female from anyone, even members of his own pack. An image of an overzealous Raust flashed in his mind, and it took much of his control not to roll his eyes. He knew the little lyxxus would not doubt fall head over crotch for the small female in front of him. With her lusty color, and beautiful voice it was no wonder any male did not humbly beg to hunt for her, to be in her sheer presence. Had Ahote not had the dignity he had and his pride, he might be among the masses to fight for her favor. However, the male had another issue besides pride, his sheer size would make mating near impossible, with her, a lyxxus, or even a Sennyo. His mind flashed to Gypsy and a slow smile appeared on his maw, oh yes, the female was dangerous, but had he been in the right mood, and there been less talking, things might have been fun. Most wolves thought Yagi had life much easier because of their size but the opposite were true, many other wolves could not hold a full heavy yagi up, let alone birth their pups, Avalon herself had almost died. His mind grimaced for him in sheer guilt, and even though the pups were healthy, albeit a bit on the small side for her nursing ten puppies, he loved them, and through them their mother. Ah yes he could not help but love Avalon, the mother of his pups, as well as Pyke’s, but he knew she was not mate material, at least not for him. Pyke would do much better to take care of her, and his pups. While he was not overtly cruel to the hybrid pups, he was not welcoming and nurturing either, which is why Ahote considered all pups in partiality to be his, it gave him the perfect excuse for caring for the other pups without letting it out they were indeed his. His eyes were for Fawnda the whole time, even while he was thinking of the others in his pack, she seemed so vulnerable and it brought out the softer side in Ahote. He was hell bent to make her feel welcomed, loved, and at home within these cooler lands. But this would also bring out the most ferocious side of Ahote, considering she had just made his list of people not to screw with, hurt, or bring harm to in any fashion. He watched as she finally ate, having also caught her ears going back down for a moment. He had completely forgave her, but by her sheer size she was a punitive little female, and thusly he would not gorge himself on her catch, it was just as fair to share it with her and so share he did. More often than not he went hungry when it came to feeding the pack and his own pups and others. It was a labor of love, literally. His hearty system allowed him to pretty much eat anything he wanted if he could get it past his teeth and throat, which he did with the small fish. The scales hardly concerned him, nor would they concern him later. You are what you could, when you could as far as he was concerned, even bones had their fair share of nutrients you could use. He smiled and for a moment padded close enough to the water to take a few long laps, but he wouldn’t go much further than that. As a Yagi he was well briefed during his puphood that water was a Yagi’s enemy and would pull him into the water where he would drown a slow, silent death. The words still hung with him as an adult and when he had drank his fill he turned on point and trotted back over to where she was, now with four legs instead of two. “Fawnda….” His voice made the name sound even more gentle, for he spoke the word with a slow exhale of breath, it was such a gentle, and demure name, and completely suited the female in front of him. She even looked like some of the fawn he had seen in his lifetime, in the forest, huddled against the foliage, trying to stay alive with their parents foraged. Prey were just as interesting to Ahote as predators were, and each had their strengths and weaknesses. “Well Fawnda, I think it’s a beautiful name…if you wish now you can follow me and I will lead you to the Tree you may call Home for as long as you are with us…” He turned and began slowly walking back into the forest, the shadows becoming intimidating, but he did not go far before he looked back to make sure she was close. “Many of the members are friendly, and will do anything for you, but if you find yourself uncomfortable or in any trouble, I would prefer it if you come directly to me….and I will handle the situation…” The last few words were said with a low threat of violence, for he would take care of anyone who dared to bring her pain, just as he would any other female under his care.

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] With the fish having gone down her throat so quickly, she felt well with herself, like she had managed to do something good. Her stomach was mostly full, for she even knew that she could not eat a full sized fish on her own, as her stomach was smaller than most's would be. Then again, she was born prematurely and she was much smaller than she should have been if she had been born normally. Fawnda was definitely small, but with living in a pack like this, there seemed to be only one physical thing that she would need to worry about and that would be giving birth, should she choose to. She doubted such things would happen though, for she did not do well around others in general, let alone men. However, since Ahote was a Yagi, she already felt some sort of bond tying her to him. The female who had saved her life by nursing her had been Yagi. She stood herself up and fluffed out her already overly fluffy fur, turning to him when he approached her once more from the water. Her ears twitched when he repeated her name, then proceeded to state how he thought it was beautiful. A heat rose to her skin and if her fur weren't already pink, then she was sure that the blush would have been visible. Of course, she was unaware of these feelings that were the reaction to what he was saying. Not having been around others most of her own life, there were certain things she was not quite used to. Compliments were one of them. Talking was another thing, and she found that part the most difficult. At least when she was complimented she could remain silent about everything, but when it came to a normal conversation, it was the hardest thing to do for the small female. Fawnda followed him as he made his way into the forest, stepping into the menacing shadows tentatively. She tripped over her paws now and then, including a few roots. Scared somewhat, she remained close to Ahote, though did not touch him. Despite the cold, she could feel the heat radiating from his pelt and thought of how warm he must have been. However, she knew there was a chance that she would grow her own very thick pelt soon enough, just so her body could adapt to the cold as soon as possible. She listened to him intently. Home Tree? Sounded good, and she just hoped that everyone there was as friendly as he was making them out to be. However, even she was aware that there were several wolves in the world who would not be as nice as some people were. Besides, he said most of them were nice. She could detect the threat sitting beneath his words, and she had a feeling there was someone in the pack that could pose a threat to her. "Who...?" She asked gently, wanting to know of anyone she would need to avoid. {ooc: totally implying Nautic here xD} She tripped over a branch and tumbled to the ground, but scrambled to her feet and kept walking. As graceful as she was in the water, land was not entirely her thing. That was another thing she would need to get used to. She also wondered where she could swim during the winter here, if there was a source of warm water somewhere, for she knew she would not last long without swimming in general. Any other time of the year would not be a problem for her, but winter would be cause for some concern in the female. However, she remained quiet and waited for an answer to her first question.

[Ahote]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/ahotemid.jpg] Ahote had a feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he tried not to let on his tension to the smaller female, doing everything in his power to keep the female as comfortable as possible. But in a weird way Ahote was having a moment of shock, he realized that being the alpha of a pack was not just about having brute strength or a powerful political mind, but it was literally about being a father figure to the pack. His brain synapses were on fire as the realization hit him, not only was he responsible for all other pack members, and their puppies, but he was literally a father figure, protecting and providing for them. It had not hit him until that very moment, this moment when this small seemingly un-impressive pink Caella had entered his world. He looked over at her for a long moment, truly considering her worth, in all actuality her worth to him had risen exponentially since he had come to this realization. It was his overwhelming need to protect her that had instantly changed his thought processes from a typical male with mating on his mind to one of a fatherly protector type of mind process. For him, for once the silence was refreshing, he did not feel nearly as bad when his mind retreated in on itself to think his private thoughts. He had already explained the ways things worked in the pack, and if anything else by simple observation and interaction with other pack members he was more than sure she would come to an understanding of what to do, and what not to do within his pack. He doubted he would have trouble with her, but he remembered the last time he had said that and it ended up with big trouble. He listened to her trip and fall, and while he did halt his steps, he made no move to aid her. This would be a test of many if her body and will were to make her live within his home. The winters here would be unforgiving, not nearly as much as the tundra, but the temperatures would be dropping to a low point soon. Many males and females alike would begin to share a den strictly for the sake of shared warmth, his own pups remained in his den, and he knew they would until they felt comfortable completely branching out. He would keep them safe and warm, just like he knew Pyke and Avalon would keep theirs, and his other pups safe and warm. Fawnda would have to become tough, and in addition to her silence she would become like the ice that fell over their homeland, strong and silent, but nigh impassable. “It will get cold here, very soon. There are certain parts of the lake that will freeze, but other parts seem to be melted by underwater heated water, a spring of some sort I suppose. That will afford you a way to swim if you should have need of it, or a male could always escort you to the ocean…I highly recommend finding someone to sleep near, or next to keep you warm, or start collecting the pelts of animals in the prey cache, they might help you stay warm, it is highly unusual for any wolf in this territory or anywhere north of here to find any comfort sleeping in a bare den, with no one and nothing to keep you warm.” He hated that he had to tell her this, but the fact of the matter was he would rather her be alive and warm and with someone that frigid, and dead within a lonely den. He snorted slightly, still leading the way, letting her pick up her own legs and keep moving. “There are certain members, certain male, lyxxus members that I would simply prefer you look out for. In our pack because mating is encouraged, and males are encouraged to woo females, some males take that very literally, and intend on wooing any female that crosses their path. I encourage mating within my pack, it brings new life to my family, and as I said we have ten small mouths already but they will be the promise of our future. I would just caution you to be aware of any male that approaches you, always remember you can say no, or come to me if any male seems to get too….pushy with you.” His eyes lit up as they entered the clearing where the two Home Trees stood, “We are now home…the tree to the right is the female’s tree, prey cache is inside in one of the lower meeting dens, and to the left is the male’s. Males are not ever encouraged to spend the night in the female’s den except perhaps when she gives birth. If you need me, my den is the highest one in the tree, for now, and I will come any time you have need of me.” He sat back on his large haunches and looked at her from the sides of his eyes.

[fawnda]

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[atrb=background,http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/lilDiablo_/fawndamid.jpg] Certain parts of the lake would freeze? That would not bode well for her, but perhaps she could ask if she could return to the cove a few times during the winter, just for health's sake. She knew that being a Cael meant that she could not be without water for a very long time, and there was tons of it here, so she was sure she'd be all right. However, she was not as adjusted to cold water as she was to warm water. There had been weeks before in the Cove where the water would become near unbearably cold for some wolves, and even for her father when he was still with her, but she learned that she would need to be tough in some way. Learning to tolerate things that others couldn't would be one of them, and cold water was a way for her to do so. Of course, she'd be careful not to catch herself a nasty cold or pneumonia while doing so. "I can...try to make friends...but I've never had any..." That part was directed mostly at how to keep warm during the harsh winter months, and she was definitely admitting in those moments that she'd never had friends before. The only wolves she'd ever acquainted herself with were the Yagi family that had saved her life as a very young pup and her own father. Other than Ahote, she hadn't ever conversed with a stranger. Well, she supposed he wasn't a stranger to her anymore, for they had somewhat gotten to know one another in the small amount of time. Besides, there was a hidden respect she had held for him from the start, just because of his Yagi heritage. Every Yagi she had seen on the beach she had so desperately wanted to approach and see if they had been the family that had once saved her life. Fawnda twisted her face in confusion, realizing she did not know how to make friends, since she had never done so before. She could not picture herself, outgoing and friendly, walking up to a random wolf within the pack, introducing herself and becoming friends with them. Besides, with her extremely fluffy fur and very small size, someone could easily mistake her for a pup that had yet to grow full size. However, she was fully grown and sexually mature, but she had just been born prematurely. That was the cause for her small size, and she believed it could have been part of her odd coloring. Perhaps because she was born so early, her pelt color became stuck as this before it could change into a mature coloring that any other normal Cael had. Of course, this would probably seem silly to anyone else. Her ears twitched. Certain members? Specifically a male Lyxxus? Pondering a moment, she recalled what Lyxxi looked like. If they were old enough, then they had more than one tail. Plus, they were a small species, usually with bright warm colors for fur and cool colors for eyes. Their pupils were slitted and they had retractable claws like those of cats. She remembered seeing a male Lyxxus go into the caves once, and a female follow not too long after. Of course, that female had fallen asleep and was obviously following him without his knowledge, but the small pink Cael had not stuck around long to see what had followed. Sighing, she brought her attention to the conversation. So, mating was encouraged, and she found herself having no problem with that, but she had a feeling that she would run if anyone approached her with such an intent. She nodded to his comment of her going to him if they got too pushy. "I will." She stopped in the clearing as he did so, moving up by his side. What she saw made her silver-blue eyes widen in disbelief. Two massive trees stood side by side and, judging from Ahote's words, they were the homes of the wolves in the pack. She gaped up at them, amazed by their size. Her stomach twisted slightly at the mention of prey, so she had a feeling she was hungry from either the walk or the anticipation she was feeling about meeting the other wolves. She padded closer to the tree on the right, hesitantly, of course. Halting, she stared up at it and sniffed lightly. There were so many strange scents that she did not recognize, but she was comforted by the thought that the males would not bother her in a den. She nodded once more of his statement to come and find him if she ever needed him. Fawnda stepped back a few inches, afraid to go any closer.