The slight touch of daylight would gently caress the white and grey fur of the young pup, it's early light finding his emerald orbs. They would slowly slide open as he realized he was on the opposite side of his mother. She and all of his siblings would not be aware of the day's presence for several more minutes. His head would rise from the earth of their den, looking once at his family and then once again towards the entrance. Escape was so easy. With a naughty smile painted upon his features he would push his fluffy body into an upright form. With one more quick glance towards the other wolves he would stumble quietly outside. He had seen glimpses from inside, but as his pale paws touched the dark sand it was much different than what he'd imagined. Large fans of green matter would send dapples of shade onto the curious pup, his face alight with wonder. There was no ceiling above him, just the colorful sky. Birds of various sizes flew overhead, he would watch them with an amazed gaze. He had forgotten about trying to get back to his home before his mother woke up, he was much too occupied by his incredible surroundings. Though he was only a few steps from the den, he felt miles away. Speech,

Emery, curled up on the outside of four of his siblings, was the next one to stir as day came upon the land. He opened his tiny teal eyes as he got to his paws. The little black and white brute shook out his coat before carefully slipping past his mother and siblings as he crept outside. It wouldn't be too long before the rest of his family began to wake, but he wanted to get a good look at the area outside the den before they did.

His eyes fell on one of his brothers, Clover, who was already gazing at the world outside the den. Emery let his gaze travel over the land, taking it all in. There were so many colors, so many scents, so much land stretching out all around. Emery looked up towards the blue sky, littered with clouds here and there. It was so different from the den he was used to, where the only thing to see was earthy walls.

A brightly colored orange flower attracted the young male and he made his way over to it. "It's so beautiful..." He whispered, clearly in awe. The young pup smiled brightly, bouncing on his paws. He sat down, giving an excited half howl. There were so many neat things outside the den! He looked around, his ears perked up happily.

Walk | Talk | Think

Despite the loss Mercianne continued to feel over Awaken's absence, the pups had given her little time to dwell upon the fact. They grew at an alarming rate, quickly beginning to fill the den that she had thought to be big enough to house all of them, herself, and her mate. They were rambunctious, energetic, curious to a fault. She had been having to keep an increasingly close eye upon the entrance to their den because of how much they wished to be given their freedom already, but feeling overly cautious, overly worried that they might somehow vanish just as their father had, she had been reluctant to allow that sort of unsupervised freedom.

So, because she was still asleep when it happened, she paid no attention to Clover as he crawled quietly out of the den and into the bright world of morning, just outside of their home and too dazzled to think of moving further. Emery was only slightly different. She felt the shift of pups as she rested close to them, nestling them within the circle of her legs, but the movement had been enough to rouse her faintly from slumber. At first she wrote off the shift as the group of six collectively resettling themselves into positions of comfort, ready to do the same herself, until she felt the absence of the pups from their proper places as only a mother could.

A tense moment of panic flashed her brown eyes open and they skimmed immediately over the four sleeping figures still snuggled among each other at her side as she lifted her head from the floor. Noting the absence of two, she quickly leaned her head back until it rested on its side against the den to peer outward into the bright morning beyond the small burrow, and sighed quietly when she saw the two figures of the missing Clover and Emery. Very gently her lips began to curl into a relaxed smile, grateful that they were at least still where she could see them even if they were not at her side where she could immediately protect them. But assuring herself that here within the protective network of dens and sleeping quarters of the Snow Rogues they would be more safe than anywhere else, she merely relaxed against the warm earth as she watched them, saying nothing to disrupt their fun and content for the moment to observe whether they knew or not.

Crow was the next to blink open sleepy eyes, his gaze a warm shade of brown like his mother's. His little jaws stretched wide in a yawn and he stretched out his legs in all directions, his forepaws bumping into his mother's stomach and his hind legs brushing the siblings that still lay asleep on either side of him. He glanced around, seeing that the number of siblings that he usually woke up to was shortened by two. His little brows pulled together in confusion and he pushed himself to his paws. Taking a few unsteady steps thanks to the drowsyness that still clung to him, he came around so that he could flop back down right beside her forelegs, leaning into her neck and nuzzling her affectionately. He peered out of the enterence of the den, spotting his brothers wandering off outside. "What're they doing, mama?" he mummbled, watching them curiously. Speech Thought Others

Sage awoke from his slumber, small puppy eyes scanning the den. Nearly all of his sibling were awake. Why? They didn't usually wake this early. Sage stumbled to his little legs and padded over to his mother. He looked inquisitively at the mouth of the den, where his two brothers outside. Why we're they there? We hadn't been there before. What was happening? Panic started to raise in Sage and he staggered to Mama. What's happening Ma? Why're, Em'ry 'n Clove' outside? Sage stood beside his other brother, Crow. Thought Others

~*~ Cloud had been dreaming of something lovely. Of sights and sounds he couldn't put names to - the sort of things that perhaps no one could, but they are the images that come from a mind and soul which have seen nothing of what others know as the world. The little fluffball of various grey hues, twitched in it's sleep every so often - now flicking a paw, now lifting a short fuzzy tail. Sometimes at night he even made little twitchings of his muzzle as though trying to speak in his sleep. The dreams seemed so real when he was in them, but of course whenever he awoke they became obviously fake and were quickly forgotten - to the point that when he tried to recall them, he found he could not. It was just such a case today - when he found himself fading into consciousness under the sounds of scuffling paw steps and high pitched words. He opened a pair of bleary eyes that were still tainted a puppy-blue color. A large, heavy head was raised from the soft, silky haven of his mother's belly. What was going on? - he wondered sleepily. His siblings were moving around a bit. He saw one of them beyond the color-wall that made up a part of their home. Sillies. It was much warmer and nicer here. Washing his paws of his siblings adventures, he peeled back his lips in a yawn, closed his eyes, and burrowed his head deeper into his mother's fur. It was a rather successful attempt to shut out the outside world. He was going back to sleep. ~*~

Small ears twitched at the sound of something moving about. The girl hadn't been asleep, this past night she just couldn't. Deep green eyes peeked silently past her mothers tail, watching as two of her siblings made their way outside. Watching as the rest woke up, except for White Cloud...who just decided to curl up and sleep again. She glanced briefly at her mother, watching and feeling the panic that had gotten a hold of her before she had relaxed. She could only imagine how she must feel, she had to keep extra watch over them as best as she could...after all, their Father was nowhere to be found. She wondered what her Father looked like...she had often heard her Mother calling his name in her sleep, in dreams that often times would be real if they were true. She knew her mother missed their father...and she wondered if it was possible for her to miss someone she didn't know...she supposed not. How could you miss someone you don't know?

She decided to raise herself, stepping quietly over her mothers tail and making her way to the entrance. The colors were vibrant, the smell of sand and salt touched her nose as she neared the opening. She took a seat in the shadows of the opening, silently watching her brothers explore the outside of their den. A slight chill sent a small shiver through her, and her fur fluffed out a little against it. She watched them, thinking. They seem excited...they sound excited about exploring out there...maybe I should join them.

Little did she know that she was a mute...she was born with it yes, but never had she attempted to speak. Now that they were at an age where they could walk and explore, and now talk. But right now, she had nothing to say. Nothing she wanted to say really. She just simply wanted to sit back and watch her siblings outside while waiting for her mother and the others to rise.

OOC//Mouser, I thought the idea of them discovering she was a mute would be neat...but if you don't want that then i shall edit this lol lemme know.

Walk | Talk | Think

Though her dark brown eyes remained on the pups already outside the den, her ears turned as she heard the others beginning to stir at the absence of the bodies usually nestled in their midst. A slow smile spread across her lips as she felt them begin to rise from their resting positions and gather closer for a view at what their brothers were doing outside, only turning her head when she saw them from the corner of her eye. Crow was there beside her quickly, nuzzling her neck to which she placed a few licks across his small back. Sage was there right on his brother's heels, his expression filled with a gentle concern. "They're just greeting the morning," she answered quietly, almost at a whisper as if to keep the fact the rest of the family watched unknown to Clover and Emery outside.

Unlike the others, Cloud merely snuggled more closely into the fur upon her stomach, and for that reason she made no room to rise. She hardly wanted to disrupt his rest simply because his siblings had decided to get a jump on the day and be adventurous for a change. Though, admittedly, a little part of her did want to get up and go outside, if only to keep a closer eye on the pups. It was long overdue that they stretched their legs and ventured beyond the confines of the den, out into the open and where they could finally understand the world that they would soon be a part of. Her eyes shifted to Kestrel as she silently wandered around her other side and stopped within the shade of the den, feeling a sense of concern for the pup unlike what she felt toward her brothers. She was so quiet. Even from birth she had been a quiet one, never complaining, whining, anything of the sort. Whether by choice or because of fate, Mercianne could not yet know, but she sighed gently all the same.

"As long as you stay close, you can join them," she stated to the pups at large, her dark eyes suddenly nervous though she tried to smile for them. Not in good conscience could she keep them inside the den this day. They needed to go out for a change, her insecurities and worries set aside for their well being. "Go on," she added, hoping her tone come out encouraging as she gestured with her muzzle toward the bright morning that awaited them outside.

Clover knew that it would not be long before more of his siblings followed him, the first one arrived not long after he had stepped from the den. Clover let an excited smile leave his cute puppy maw as Emery found his way next to his brother. "It's so beautiful..." He would announce, a half howl would protrude from his lips. Clover was less concerned with his family waking up and more concerned with how excited about how excited Emery was. His owl baby howl would join in the game happily. He could hear the voices drifting from the den, his ears would swivel around curiously, trying to catch the sound that was being made. He could tell that his siblings had woken up. The voices of his mother and siblings, he would call out to them after hearing his mother give permission to them to follow, Cro, Sage, Cloud, Kesrel! Come n' see! Speech,

As his brother let out his own howl Emery looked to him, his tail wagging happily a mile a minute. He was so excited, so intrigued by the world around him. He ran around Clover once before looking back at his mother and other siblings. "Come on! Come on!" He lowered his front half of his body to the ground, his little butt wiggling in the air.

An idea then came to the young male. He got up, walked back over to the flowers and pulled one out of the ground, roots still attached, before running over to his mother and setting it down.

"Here Mama! It's pretty like you!" He looked up at her with shining eyes, a look of love within them.

Walk | Talk | Think

It was positively adorable watching her children express their delight in finally being outside the den. It was a small victory for them, but a huge leap for Mercianne. She knew what the outside world was like, had lived in it herself and known the dangers, the injustices, the trials that each of them would eventually need to face. She had felt like a prisoner before, been abused because of her lack of strength, and singled out as unworthy. All of this was why she had felt so excited to find the Snow Rogues when she had. They allowed for a complete turn around in her life, and she hoped they would help provide the same for her pups now that she had them to look after too.

Her smiling expression was turned upon Clover and Emery just outside the den, listening as they encouraged the rest to follow suit and head out with them. Still she did not move to further push the pups outside, mindful of Cloud still snuggled against her side. But it seemed the youngsters were still eager to include her anyway, whether she intended to join them or not. Emery was the first, padding away and then returning to the den carrying a lovely orange bloom in his jaws, dirtied roots still clinging to the stem. His praise and compliments were answered with a warm smile, her muzzle reaching out to brush gently against the side of his face before adding a tender lick there. "Thank you, sweetheart. It is very pretty," she responded agreeably, a swift glance being given to Clover alone outside. Merci's eyes watched those inside the den again, certain now that they had seen the flower from outside that many of them would be sure to head out soon.

ooc note//It has been plotted that Crow will discover Ketrel's muteness in another thread currently in progress ;D

Kestrel watched with observant green eyes as he brother Emery returned to the den, a flower in his teeth for their mother. Curious, she tilted her head to the side and her short tail began to wag. She moved over to them to sniff the flower, a sneeze ensuing shortly after. Wiggling her nose a little from the sudden attack, she turned her attention towards Clover who called them outside. She glanced at her still sleeping brother, White Cloud and felt a slight annoyance. How could he still be sleeping? She quietly made her way out of the den. Hesitation not apparent in the least as she made her ways towards her brother. The girl bounded over to her brother Clover, soon turning into a short run before she tackled him to the ground. She wasn't sure why, but her mentality craved a playful scuffle. So she nipped and pawed and tumbled with him. Tail wagging furiously. Speech Thought Others

Sage watched as his other siblings went out. His brother Emery had brought in a pretty flower. The smells that came from it were wonderful. A slight tangy sweet smell wafted to Sage' s puppy nose. It made his little heart pump faster on his tail wag behind him. Confidence flooded through him, a sudden urge to jump outside and explore all to other herbs and flowers out there. Safe readied himself, then quickly looked back at Cloud. He couldn't leave his favourite ever brother alone. Resisting the urge to leap outside, Sage bounded back to Cloud. He placed a paw on his shoulder. Cloud. He said softly. He pressed his cool paw on his belly. Wake up. Let's go out. If his brother didn't stir, he would say. Come on, Cloud! Speech Thought Others

Emery beamed, brushing the side of his face up to his mother's happily. His tail waved back and forth, proud of himself that he made his mother happy. If anything the young pup lived for his mother. He looked over at his siblings still in the den before racing back the way he came. If the others wanted to remain in the den just sitting around like bumps on a log then let them! He was going to find something interesting to explore at that was that. Emery looked over his shoulder to see his mother and siblings before he turned back to the plants. He sniffed a couple different ones before he sneezed.

Emery blinked with confusion after the sneeze. He let out a little puppy growl and ran through the patch of flowers. "Rrrrraa! Bad thingies!" He looked around on the other side of them, tilting his head to the side. There was a marked tree... though by what he didn't know. The pup padded over to the spot and lifted his head, sniffing at the spot. 'It doesn't smell like a wolf... and its not really a fresh scent.' The pup raced back to the den, bursting through the flowers this time with a confused look on his face. He went right to his mother and tilted his head to the side.

"Mama... there's a tree over there!" He motioned with his paw. "It has a strange scent on. Is it dangerous?"

Walk | Talk | Think

The happy mother wolf gently returned a quick nuzzle to her eager-to-please son before he ran bounding out of the den once more, obviously far too excited about everything that awaited them outside to stick around within any longer. It was not surprise to her that half of the children were already making their way outdoors, though Cloud seemed less interested. Rather than join in the merry excitement of his siblings, he chose to remain curled up against her side, looking quite comfortable where he was and not the least bit inclined to lose his cozy spot. Sage, looking quite excited himself, seemed to notice his brother's inaction and attempted to prod him into moving, but Cloud refused to budge.

Mercianne smiled with amusement to herself, her dark brown eyes following Kestrel's form as the quiet girl moved to join her brothers outside, not showing any sign of hesitation or concern. It was reassuring to the mother who often found herself worry after her silent daughter, always unsure where her quiet streak stemmed from considering she was just as outgoing and adventurous as the rest of them.

Emery returned, suddenly concerned about a tree that seemed to have had a funny smell to it. Merci shook her head, attempting to assure her son that he was safe. "No, it's not dangerous. They only move for the wind. You'll be fine," she promised, casting a quick glance at Sage who still seemed determined to wake his sleepy sibling. "Maybe Sage would like to go with you," she suggested loud enough to catch the attention of the one she spoke of.