Green eyes peered out through the dense brush, searching for something. The little pup was still young, experiencing her first spring after her chilly winter birth. She was still small, scampering around everywhere she went. But she wasn't allowed to stray far from the den, mother tended to get a little upset. Her brothers where around, Rune probably hanging back like he always did, waiting for herself and Vixe to try something out before doing it himself.

Today was no different, mother was sleeping, father was off somewhere. And she had quickly slipped away, trying to be as quiet as possible. Little protest came from her brothers, and it was easily ignored, for they had followed her out, but had now left her alone. Tiny ears twitched on top of her ebony skull. Her pelt was slowly lightening to a dark gray. Her ringed tail twitched above her, while eyes masked in white searched for her brothers. They couldn't have gotten to far.

But the little wolf had yet to realize that she had gotten a little to far from the den, out of her mothers ear shot. She continued her playing, a butterfly catching her attention until her brothers appeared. She wasn't allowed to meet any of the wolves of the pack, and she always questioned why, but never got a real answer. What could possible be so bad about Tortuga? The youngster was still naive, thinking the world was her playground, that danger was only a nightmare.

Having been resting quite well inside the comfort of their den, snuggled up with their mother while she napped, Rune had been irritated when his adventurous sister had gotten the wild hair to go exploring. He had whined quietly, almost a pitiful growl, but not so loud as to wake their sleeping mother, as she had shifted and subsequently moved him out of his comfortable position in the process, complaining but allowing her to skip away from the den without question. Leave it to Maia and Vixe to go wandering off when they should have stayed close to the den. There was no telling what their parents would do if they stepped out of line.

But not being one to be considered cowardly by his siblings - the only other beings aside from his parents in his small life whose opinions truly mattered - he had crept quietly from his mother's side and trekked outside of their den, his dark paws surprisingly silent as he maneuvered after his siblings.

Eyes the color of blue frost shifted about as the tiny youth's careful steps became less cautious and quiet, plodding along slowly, almost leisurely, as he took in the sights of the wide world around him. Without Mother and Father there, everything seemed considerably bigger and potentially more dangerous, but for the most part Rune was unafraid. In fact, if he was anything, it was really only mildly curious. There was so much to this world, so much of it to learn about and explore, but he was in no rush to do any of it. He was quite sure Maia and Vixe would do so before he did, and that was perfectly fine with him. Let them leap before looking; slow and steady always won the race.

With that in mind, it surprised him when he happened upon his dark grey sister alone, hopping around in pursuit of a low flying butterfly and likely too distracted with her game to immediately notice his presence. As he paced forward, his steps just as unhurried as they had been during his entire walk, Rune realized his brother was still missing. His soft brow fell slightly over his bright blue eyes as he slowed his step, glancing around another moment before speaking up and trying to get Maia's attention. "Where's Vixe?"

-- rune

She hadn't heard her brothers approach. She had assumed that he had followed, slowly of course behind her, enough to fall behind. But his sudden appearance distracted her enough to allow the poor butterfly to soar up and out of her reach. With a frown she turned her emerald eyes to her brother, Rune. With a shrug, she looked around her, "I haven't seen him." The lack of Vixe's appearance sparked her curiosity. Perhaps he had found something more interesting. But until he decided to find them, she was stuck with Rune, the least exciting of her brothers. An excited bark was released from her tiny jaws and she jumped at her brother, an attempt to playfully wrestle with him. Small legs only allowed her to get so far, but she managed to bulldoze the other pup over. Giggling she stood atop her brother, waiting for him to either get mad or fight back.

ooc-muse is shot

The young pup had slithered off almost as soon as everyone's breathing had steadied and hinted towards sleep. He paid particular attention to his mother for the simple reason that he could loose his siblings if needed. His mother wouldn't approve of him sneaking off every day during nap time after all. Most of the time it was to be alone, allowing the usually vocal and adventurous pup some time to himself to think. But sometimes he saw his father, often they would sit and share some small talk that often lead to Kylar teasing his son in a way that made Vixe laugh it off in the beginning but after having time to think about it often it hit him quite hard. So as they seemed to drift off the dark grey pup took his leave and slithered from the cave entrance. Today was an odd day, at only 6 months old he was a strange mix of mature and immature.

With his siblings and parents it seemed that he truly believed that the world revolved around him. But as he slid off and took time to think waves of insecurity and the need for solitude crashed over him like a tidal wave. The pup moved slowly, rather absent mindedly following a path he had walked many times before. He didn't have to focus on where his paws were going, they knew, so it gave him time to think about everything that was said and everything that was not here. Half of him wanted to bound back and tackle Maia while she was still sleeping; it seemed to be the only time he could get the upper hand with her after all. But still he walked.

He was small for his age, still at that awkward fluff ball stage where his marking were there but not well distinguished in his fur. He hoped that one day he would grow up big and strong like his dad, not all skinny and weak like his mom... The separation between his two parents had caused a bit of a rift for the young boy, often thinking badly of his mother for not taking Kylar as her mate even though Ky had on many occasions said that they were better as friends. Grown ups were confusing and stupid... Vixe grumbled quietly as he let his haunches fall to the ground in exasperation. He was too young still to figure out all the grown up problems that swirled around in his head.

'Where's Vixe?' came his brothers voice drifting towards him and a small fluffy ear twitched towards the source of the sound. Slowly the pup pushed those thought from his mind and slowly stood. He smiled evilly, apparently his siblings were up and looking for him? Perfect! He went into stalking mode much like his father had showed him, keeping his body low to the ground as he approached them from down wind. His sister was trying to tackle Rune but his brother seemed far from impressed. Well obviously Vixe would have to help him out!

The pup crept as close as he could while staying under cover before crouching low to the ground in a way that his father had showed him how to pounce of leap at prey. Vixe... Had a lot of learn. But still he bared his teeth and watched them from his hiding place for a moment. The he leapt at his sister shouting, "Fear not dear brother! I shall slay the hideous beast!" as he soared through the air, looking to tackle his oblivious sister to the ground. His father had always told him never to jump if you could help it but it was only his sister after all...

He knew the moment that the butterfly flew off that he was caught, and sighed inwardly. Without something else to occupy his sister's attention, to give her a new target for her rambunctious behavior, sooner rather than later it would be turned on him. Her answer was not exactly surprising; loyal as each of them were to each other they were not the type to keep excessively close eyes on what they did, satisfied enough to know that somewhere the others wandered with plans of their own. He responded with a quiet and thoughtful, "Hm," to show he had heard, but gave it no more thought than that. If their brother wished to be found, he would make his presence known. He did tend to like an audience anyway.

A slow and subtle smile crawled across his face as his sister initiated their play, his tiny muscles bunching and tensing where he stood in preparation for her to make a move that was sure to follow her bark. She leaped and fell short, and bounded again, the momentum carrying her more forward than up, and he turned to allow her to collide harmlessly with his side, letting his balance go so that he could roll with her to the ground. Even as he toppled to his side, Maia landing over him, he pushed against her with his paws, tiny jaws parting with playful growls as he reached up and around in an attempt to get a tiny bit of her neck, her ear, a paw, whatever managed to get itself within his reach.

And suddenly his brother's voice resounded through the air, halting the pup's resistance so that he could lean his head back and stare upward as his darker colored sibling came flying through the air, clear intent written in his movements to draw his sister off of his brother. Hoping to take advantage of any distraction this might have caused Maia, Rune shoved against her again with his paws and tried to roll and shift his weight in order to hopefully get rid of any balance and purchase she had upon the ground to make it easier for Vixe to assist.

-- rune

Much to her excitement her brother began to wrestle back. He let himself roll with her, pushing up against her with his paws, tiny fangs snapping in her direction. She growled as his jaws clamped shut on the scruff of her neck. She pressed her own front paws down on his chest, jaws aiming for his ear to give it a light tug. Being the only girl in her litter meant she was forced to play rough in order to keep up with her brothers, not that she minded since it was the only she knew. There was a lot she still didn't know about or understand, like the fact that her parents spent so much time apart. Shouldn't they be mates? Her mother had tried to explain it a thousand times but she still didn't understand. It not like either of them neglected her, if anything her father spoiled her with attention and mother taught her everything she could, along with her brothers.

She was far to occupied with Rune to notice her second brothers approach. The only indication was his words claiming to come rescue his brother. She looked up, pausing her assault on Rune, which he quickly took advantage of. His paws pushed her back, causing her to stumble on her still puppyish legs. While Vixe lunged towards, knocking her even farther back. She growled, jaws snapping at him, latching onto any part of him she could reach and then proceed to shake her head, tugging on his pelt. Pushing up with her legs, the little dame attempted to push her brother back and regain some of her balance. All would be lost if they both managed to pin her down. Maybe she could turn it into a game of tag while she still had a chance?

If he had pinned her by now, she would prance away from him before running away giggling. "Catch me if you can!." she squealed, emerald eyes bright with excitement as she bounced away. While she was growing fast, she still looked puppish. Her pelt was still fuzzy, her markings not yet clearly defined, her frame not yet filled out. She couldn't wait to be old enough to be able to go wherever she wanted without her parents pestering her about it. She wanted to explore, go beyond the den and beyond the borders of her home. She wanted to see the world.

Rune was staring at him, Vixe attempted a wink as he had seen his father do so to his mother a few times and not knowing what it might mean he wanted to try. Sadly it came out a pitiful, slightly exaggerated blink with his head tipped slightly towards his brother. Rune's paws shoved at Maia and he attempted to get clear of the massacre that was about to go down. He collided with his sister but was not quite coordinated enough and only succeeded in pushing her back and tumbling further past her. He came to a halt a little ways off, covered in dirt and groaning lightly. He was pretty sure he had bitten his tongue in the whole scuffle and wasn't quite ready to get up and continue playing though he half expected one of or both of his siblings to tackle him right then and there. Especially Maia after he had called her a hideous beast. But he heard his brother coming to his rescue and pushing Maia back, wrestling with her.

Vixe was just starting to pick himself up when he heard her call back to catch her if they could. Oh god he hated his game, he always lost no matter what unless he could tackle her before she took off. Normally he would say screw it but a devious look was cast towards Rune. Rune was faster then Vixe and if he could catch her then Vixe could hopefully pin her. "Lets get her" he said, tone holding an evil edge as he rolled back into a play pounce, bum wiggling in the air. He would launch himself off after his sister if Rune went first but he knew that on his own he had no chance at all in catching her and might as well stay back here and hang out and wrestle with his brother. He was not built to be a runner, though it wasn't super obvious yet it would be in a few months.

At last! As Vixe's valiant attack connected with Maia and sent them both tumbling to the side of him, Rune quickly rolled to his other side and pushed himself to his paws, giving his rumpled fur a good shake while he set his frosty blue eyes on his siblings. Locked in battle, the two growled and bit, tugged and wrestled, pretty evenly matched all things considered. For a moment, he thought about jumping in, about helping neither of them and merely making a mess of things, but that would surely cause them to double up on him and make him pay for not taking a side. Tail wagging, he continued to watch, observing, expectant.

His chance to jump back into the game came when Maia managed to wriggle her way out from underneath her brother, the dainty girl quickly putting distance between them while she called for a chase. A single glance from Vixe was all he needed to know that it was his turn. He had been tagged back into the game.

Even as his sibling spoke, the light grey pup dropped into a crouch and sprang forward, launching himself after his sister as she kept the lead. His mouth was stretched into a mischievous smirk as he ran, hoping that Maia might slow and glance back to see if they followed, anything that might give him and Vixe an edge in catching up to her and ultimately stopping her progress. "Better run faster!" he called in warning, voice playful and yet filled with deviance. She could run, but it was only a matter of time before the both of them caught up to her.

-- rune

All she heard was her brothers warning as she sprinted off. Better run faster! With Rune chasing her, the chances of her getting away dropped. She could easily out run her burly brother Vixe, but Rune was the faster of the two males, almost always able to catch Maia. Paws drummed softly against the earth, carrying her away from her brothers, she had no idea where she was going or how far she was getting from the den. A tiny pink tongue lolled from parted jaws as she moved with what would one day be grace, but for now she was still wobbly on puppy legs. Muscles soon grew tired propelling herself forward, slowing her down. She couldn't let her brothers catch her or she'd be done for. She stumbled. A surprise cry falling from her small jaws. She went head of heels before coming to a bouncy stop on her back. She frowned, picking herself up and shaking the dirt from the pelt. Emerald eyes searched the ground for what tripped her. A growl vibrated her frame as eyes landed on small fallen branch. How had she missed that. Nostrils flared. Ears pinned and skull dropped low. Mom was coming. Haunches dropped the ground as she waited for her arrival. They were all going to be in trouble. Looking around she realized they had gotten far from the den, Momma wasn't going to be happy. She waited for her brothers to catch, watching as a familiar ebony shadow stalked towards her. OOC: Gonna throw in secret to wrap this thing up as I have no muse for this thread anymore. Ill throw her in after you guys reply and have her exit with them in her one post Speech,