The "dead" wolf sat up suddenly, green eyes popping open and ears coming forward warily as he suddenly came back to his feet, gently dumping Acadia and Helena off into the grass as he did so. He gave an absent lick of apology swiping over Acadia's forehead, pressed his muzzle against Hel, and stalked forward stiff-legged toward the den. His silky black tail twitched behind him in the manner of an angry feline. His eyes drifted over Erani, then Imena - not quite unseeing but less than caring. They stopped with wary precision on the large young male approaching his young son. The diamond sharp green eyes flickered to Aksel as he stalked forward, and his whole demeanor changed to one of relief. Finally, after so long being completely unresponsive, Aksel had woken up.
Stopping before Imena and giving her a characteristically cheeky grin, Loki nudged the large stranger away and swooped down to the squirming bundle of pup at her feet. "Aksel," he said, his voice soft and coaxing, "do you want to come play with your sisters? We've all missed you." He pressed his nose into Aksel's side, inhaling his scent in relief before gently plucking him up - not bothering to ask Imena's permission, since he was their father - and trotting back to the other pups. Setting him down there where Aksel could be somewhat more a part of the action, he flopped himself down. "Where were we?" he asked the girls, his mouth quirked in a sly grin as he reached out to ruffle Hel's fur with his paw.
As he did his eyes flashed back to the stranger pup. Loki was suspicious - how could he not be, with a stranger around his children - but Erani had shown no hostility toward the boy and Imena had not reacted either, so it seemed he was not unknown to them. He could almost, almost feel sorry for the boy with the way he'd looked so crushed when Loki had snarled at him. Almost. Still with one eye warily on the boy Loki settled himself, ready for the next wave of pup attacks.
"Speech"
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