Corbin had already spent a long portion of his life around the bottom of the falls and the cave but it was time to go above and beyond in his exploring.  There was going to be a feast and everyone was supposed to bring something.  A feast was apparently when you eat a whole lot.  You bring either some of the food to eat or decorations to uhm, decorate?  Corbin imagined he’d have a hard time hunting something large enough to feed a bunch of wolves so he’d have to make something.

The black and orange pup had found an area where the ground went up that seemed about right for a pup to climb and he imagined it taking them all the way to the top of the falls.  Why wouldn’t it?  The variety of plants looked and smelled different as they moved.  Pink buds, some brush with leaves that poked while others were softer.

Most of the trees had orange leaves.  The weird thing was, as he climbed up it seemed as if some smoke was coming out of the ground here and there.  When he breathed in its sweet scent the pup imagined his sheep was dancing about in front of him.  This was funny both in the fact that Corbin hadn’t known his sheep could dance, and he could of sworn he’d left it behind them.  “Hey, Rocky, whatcha doin here?” Corbin asked the hallucination that was in fact not a sheep.

The form of his sheep faded after a moment and Corbin’s confused mind shrugged it away.  Moving on he glanced back to Haydee and Lyonesse, “so, I was thinkin.  Everyone knows rare stuff is up high.  So the higher we get the rarer thing we’ll find to use to make a feast décor-decrashion.  Rocky has wool and I bet whatever we find will go good with wool.” Corbin used his sheep as a pillow and figured everyone should like the softness of rocky’s fuzziness.  Glancing away from the rocks and grass he walked on he could smell the fresh water that looked totally different when on the ground several feet higher than he’d ever been before.

"Corbin"

Haydée follows after Corbin, the russet girl trailing slowly along in her brother’s wake. His voice pulls her attention up to where he is standing, the boy slightly higher up on the incline then her. Emerald eyes search for Rocky, the sheep that has befriended her brother since he seems to be calling out to it and finds… nothing. Brows furrow in silent question as she continues to follow after Corbin, the moment to question him slipping by as he goes on to say more.

Corbin acts like everyone knows that rare stuff is up high and, not wanting to look foolish for being the only wolf that doesn’t know that, Haydée nods enthusiastically. When he glances away, the red girl deflates, casting her eyes about for something good to take back for the feast. Birds call from overhead, circling and singing in the magical autumn air. Well, all except for a rather annoyed crow that caws out its anger at the pups that roam a little too close to its tree.

A sparkle catches her eye and Haydée stops to sharply blink her eyes, hoping that it was not some trick of light. But no, it is still there and shinning as bright as ever. Excitedly, the girl calls out, “Corbin, Corbin! In that nest! There’s somet’ing shiny!” She juts a paw at the protective crow hunkered down over a bunch of sticks and twigs and, now that she can get a better look at it, there seems to be a lot of shiny things woven in it.

Tail wags as she looks to her brother, the unvoiced question of, ‘I do good?’ painted all over her features. Maybe they can use that stuff for the feast! It must need pretty things too.



WC: 294
Total WC: 655 /1500


"Haydée Kedieo"

It was clear that Corbin spent some time at the edges of the pack with how the gases from around the statue had reached him more than once.  It made for a funny feeling that wasn’t altogether unpleasant, especially if he did it after licking the cave walls.  Apparently, the statues that were causing the funny feeling weren’t normal so it was unknown if they’d stay.  That just made his curiosity worse.  It was a pure miracle he hadn’t forgotten the boundary lines and gone off to get closer to the statue and see it for himself.

Corbin fully believed cool stuff had to be up higher.  If it was harder to get somewhere then that had to be where good things were hidden just waiting to be found.  When Haydee called for his attention Corbin looked to his smaller sister and then where she was pointing.  Hey, they had gone up higher and put that tree branch at a much more convenient height.  It was convenient to them at least, that bird clearly didn’t appreciate them there.  Watching for a moment, he waited and when the sun was able to get past the bird's black feathers he saw the sparkle also.

“See?? I told you neat things were higher up!  The bird got one of them.  I bet it was even higher up,” he glanced from the bird back to Haydee, “Great job!! Now we just have to get it.” His attention then turned back to look at the bird guarding their prize.  It was a giant of a crow, at least to young wolf pups it had some good size to it and, it seemed pretty confident in its ability to win over two wolf pups.

Maybe it was the gasses that still had Corbin feeling like nothing could touch him, or that the bird kinda shrunk then grew in size but the black pup was fairly certain this wouldn’t be too hard.  “I’m gonna scare it off, ok?  Soon as I do, then you get whatever is making that sparkly look.  Maybe I’ll even catch the bird!!  Think mom and dad would be proud of us if we caught it?"  Corbin hadn’t pondered the dead or alive part in getting the bird, the idea was just to grab it in one form or another.

The young wolf slowly stalked forward, eyeing the branch that hung only a few inches about their rock.  “Hey birdy birdy,” he called to the glaring bird.  The bird was supposed to fly off and he’d grab it, that was the idea.  Instead, the bird spread out its wings, kawed, and then flapped into the air, but not to escape.  Like a little sniper, it flew down with the intent to peck at Corbin’s forehead, a loud squawk in the air even as it dove.

Corbin looked up at the giant monster bird, at least in his mind, with the sun filtering in around its feathers. He tried to snap his teeth at it, missed and yelped as he got a beak to the forehead, and then the bird flew up again.  Corbin wanted to whine as it did actually hurt, but not when his little sister was there.  “You get the thing, I got him!”  The boy announced boldly.  This time as the bird came down Corbin tried leaping up.  The bird missed its attack but Corbin also only grabbed air.  

Never had their been a more vicious fight! Corbin would protect Haydee from this vicious monster bird!  They would win their treasure and show mom and dad what they had to give over for the feast.  They’d show off to everyone and the whole family would be impressed.  That thought came with a yip of surprise as he had to duck to avoid another hit from the bird.  This time he leaped after the bird started its upward climb, two tail feathers were stuck in his mouth, showing he’d gotten close that time.

Word Count 663
Total: 1318/1500

"Corbin"

Haydée looks to Corbin, a smile on her lips as her tail wags loosely at her hips. Nodding vigorously to his statement as she happily chirps, “You’re so smart!” She beams at him before he turns his attention back to the object the bird is guarding, her own emerald gaze also returning to the nest. The bird is huge! It could probably snatch her small body up and carry her off if it really wants to.

At the thought, Haydée shrinks toward her brother, tail tucking and ears flattening in worry as the crow suddenly puffs its chest out at them. Corbin’s confident words pull the girl’s worried gaze over to him and she shakily nods her head in agreement, not wanting to upset him with her silly worry. With that, her brother stalks forward and the girl shrinks back, waiting to do as Corbin has instructed.

Bird and wolf pup tussle and, as a black feather falls from one of the crow’s wings, Corbin’s voice rings out. Haydée immediately rushes forward, short legs churning as she races up the incline and leaps the distance to the tree branch. Paws touch down and the branch wiggles under her meager weight, forcing the girl to stop and regain her balance before making her way to the nest.

The woven together sticks and mud are soon within reach and Haydée reaches for the shiny silver chain that sparkles at her. Teeth close around the prize and the triumphant girl yanks with all her might.... causing the nest to buckle and begin to collapse onto its self. The wobbling branch and sound of its home being torn apart pulls the crow’s attention to her and, for a moment, emerald green eyes meet beady bird eyes.

Time seems to come to a standstill, the moment stretching out forever as their gazes meet. Haydée swears she can see the anger building up in the bird at the fact that she has its prize in her mouth. Before Corbin can react, the crow caws madly at her and flares its wings out beating the air and trying to hit the pup that has its treasure.

Eyes widen as time snaps forward, everything moving too quickly for the pup to keep track of. As the crow directs its wings at her, Haydée unconsciously takes a step backward… and finds only air. Her eyes widen even further as her back end begins to sink down off the safety of the branch, while her front legs aim to wrap her forelegs around the tree limb to prevent her fall.

Tears of fear build in the corners of her eyes as she darts a pleading look at her brother, never once thinking of releasing their prize that dangles from her maw.



WC: 461
Total WC: 1776/1500

"Haydée Kedieo"

Corbin’s confidence was all the stronger with the faith his sister gave him, her assumption he truly could make his plan work.  Spitting out the two feathers he’d got in his mouth from the bird, that thought helped him keep his eyes trained on it fearlessly, despite having already taken one jab of the bird's beak.  Despite also the fact of how fast the bird was!

Corbin was getting ready for another joust with the bird when suddenly its attention swerved to his sister.  There she was, on the branch with their prize and then the bird was flying to her.  “No!” Corbin called out as his sister started to fall and the bird was going towards her.  The boy shoved straight past the crow, ignoring it as he looked at his sister’s plight.

“Slide towards me!” Corbin hollered to his sister, if she got closer then the rock would be under her and only a few inches to fall instead of down to the farther ground below. “You can do it and I’m right here.  I’ll grab ya when you get closer.  Just slide a paw, then the next one at a,” Corbin stopped when the bird tried to fly past him to get at Haydee.

Without thought, simply a need to protect, Corbin's neck snaked out, biting into the bird’s wing.  Had he truly thought about aiming or timing he would likely have missed but this was just some instinctive urge to bite and protect.  Needle puppy teeth were still enough to do damage to a bird's fragile wing, not that Corbin had strategized it.  Even as he held onto the crow’s beach hit his head and bit his ear.  It hurt! It was real pain which Corbin wasn’t used to.  Snarling in anger he shook his head before letting go.  The bird got away but it was fluttering now instead of flying.  It glared at the two, an angry kaw but no longer attempting to attack.

Corbin wanted to cry, it hurt but his sister was in trouble.  He wanted to cry even more for that as this was all terribly scary.  He couldn’t cry right now, his sister needed him.  “It’s ok Haydee,” he offered confidently instead.  “I know you’re good with your paws, this is easy for you if you think about it.”  Honestly, he wanted to be terrified for her but he wasn’t about to admit to that.  He thought of calling for mom or dad and it was a really good idea but, he didn’t want Haydee to know they were needed.  He wanted his sister calm and confident in him.  Once she was safe from the tree they could get mom and dad.

"Corbin"

The bird beats at her with its wings, cawing in anger and the small pup shuts her eyes against the onslaught. Terror floods her brain forcing Haydée’s body to lock up and freeze while her butt slowly slides backwards off the edge toward the unforgiving ground. She wants to cry out and call for mommy but she bites it back, keeping her mouth firmly closed around the prize. No matter what happens, she refuses to drop the item.

Corbin’s voice breaks apart the horror of the moment, forcing the girl to open her watery eyes and lock her gaze onto her brother. He yells at her to slide toward him and, even though he isn’t mad, Haydée doesn’t want to disappoint him. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, the pup follows her brother’s instructions and slides a paw toward him. But the stupid bird is back and flying at her! Body tenses, eyes squeezing shut once more as she awaits the attack.

But it never comes. Eyes spring open at Corbin’s snarl and she sees the fluttering crow and the bright crimson that flows in never ending rivets from her brother’s ear. Tears spill down her cheeks as she feels responsible for his injury but it makes her redoubles her efforts to scoot toward him. Haydée follows Corbin’s voice, latching onto the confidence and warmth his tones offer her.

Paws inch closer and closer, tears spilling down her cheeks with each, snuffling intake of air. Finally, just when Haydée thinks she is going to fall, Corbin reaches out, latching onto her scruff and drags her back to safety. Body quivers as she scoots toward him, pressing into his chest as she buries her face into his fur.

Only when the shaking subsides does she pull away, offering the shinning silver piece of jewelry with a bright crimson stone to Corbin. Tiny diamonds sparkle around the ruby, glittering every time they catch the light.


"Haydée Kedieo"