THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME The two girls were growing fast, and learning even faster. Already well out of the den, and ready to explore the world that awaited them. My oh my, did the time ever whirl past. He was almost certain the two had been born only a few hours ago. Of course, he was decidedly enamoured with them, but that was a personal secret more than anything. It was not his place to parent them, so he offered only what Miss Shaye asked of him. Once or twice, he'd heard the two call him uncle. Surely that was an error, but he wouldn't dare correct them. The male heaved out a heavy breath. The cold air f the late winter morning was doing absolutely nothing for his lame hind leg. There was an ache in the knee that was screaming at him more than usual. He'd stashed a tiny amount of juniper berries, still attached to their nettle covered twigs, in a small hole he'd scraped out of the den wall. Rolling laboriously onto his belly, he lifted himself ever so cautiously onto his feet so that he could amble over to it. A few of the berries would be enough to help him start the day. He prayed his grunting and groaning didn't wake the children, as it was almost certainly too early for any of the sleeping wolves in this den to be awake. "speech"

Poem lay sleeping curled up with Motif, her little sides rising and falling with her even breath. Usually the young girl was a heavy sleeper, but as the morning krept closer a lightness would take her. She heard a stirring within the den, an not one to cling to sleep she blinked her brilliant eyes open to see uncle Eppy up and moving.

A tiny yawn left her maw as she disentangled herself from Motif’s form and left her mother’s side to get a better look at what the crippled man was doing. She was fascinated with the scars that marred his dark coat. She’d been caught staring more than once before. Quietly she’d make her way to where he was messing with something.

”What’r doin?” She asked curiously as she settled back onto her haunches, her tiny striped tail curling around her too big paws. Her blue and lavender eyes gazing up at him with the full force of her curiosity.

THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME A few of the twigs had started to die quicker than anticipated, and several of the berries were no longer fit for consumption. He was busy nipping a few of the good ones from the twigs when he heard a little voice pipe up behind him. He hurriedly mashed the berries against the roof of his mouth with his tongue, sliding the mixture down his throat. Thin skull, still held low between his shoulders and forelimbs, peered around his right forelimb to get a look at the girl. Ah, he'd woken Poem. He'd been hoping that the children would sleep through his early morning self-medication, but alas. "My bad leg is giving me grief," he maintained a hushed whisper, auds tipped back towards his skull. "I didn't mean to wake you, love, you should go back to sleep." he crooned with a soft smile twitching ever so slightly at his lips, turning slowly about to face the child. A few hobbling steps, dragging his lame leg behind him, brought him back to his bed. He arranged his lame leg beneath him with some effort, and lowered his hind end onto the soft pelts before dropping his upper body down a little too heavily. A deep sigh escaped him, suddenly exhausted. "speech"

She tilted her head curiously as Epitaph quickly finished his previous actions and turned towards her. He was quiet as he answered her, obviously trying to keep her sister from waking up to as he told her she should be asleep still. She enjoyed talking to her uncle, he was always honest with her, especially when it came to his disabilities. Something that had captured her interest very early on. Though both the adults she shared her den with were vague about the cause of his injuries. She had to wait until she was older for that conversation.

Poem remained where she was as the older male rearranged himself to lay back down in his portion of the den. Her brilliant blue and purple eyes watched him carefully as he spread his body as comfortably as possible over the furs that marked his nest. He sighed softly and she crept closer to him.

Carefully, so she didn’t bother any of his injuries, Poem tried to arrange herself between his two front paws. She always enjoyed a good snuggle into his black fur. With a smile on her face she attempted to curl up there. He’d said she should be asleep but he didn’t dictate where she needed to be asleep.

”Why does your leg.. give you grief?” She asked again quietly, hoping this time that she might get a real explanation to his injuries. Poem didn’t hold her breath though, a day later wasn’t exactly her being older.

THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME ooc. sorry for the wait!!! D: Without much in the realm of verbal response, the child crept into the space between his forelegs and began the long winded task of curling up comfortably. He grunted as he widened the space between his elbows so she could press tighter to his chest and usurp his meagre body heat. Once she was settled, he would cross his forepaws in front of himself and enclose her in his embrace. ”Why does your leg.. give you grief?” she questioned after a moment of silence. The wisp sighed softly, not necessarily upset. It was just difficult to decide how to broach a subject such as slavery and maiming to an innocent little creature such as this. The male lowered his cranium so he could attempt to gently lave his tongue between her ears and down towards her spine. Perhaps if he could soothe her into sleep, he wouldn't be forced to tell the full story. He didn't want to upset Miss Shaye by exposing her children to something so traumatic at this age. "When I was young, I lived with a group of... bad wolves." he began softly, rasping vocals a low croon. "They had taken me from my mother when I was born, and they were worried I was growing too big." he let his eyes squeeze shut, powering through the story as best he could. Had he even told Miss Shaye this tale? Now that he thought about it, no. He'd never told any of these wolves the story of how he'd become lame in his hind leg. "My first master gave me a minor limp, but my second master thought it would be safer if I couldn't use it at all. That way I wouldn't be able to fight against them. My second master gave me most of the marks on my face, too." he found himself struggling to speak around the tightness in his throat, and ended his story mostly because he couldn't force the words out anymore. He sought to worry at a tangle in the fur of her downy scruff with his front teeth, delicately combing at the strands. Epitaph had begun to worry after these girls like they were his own spawns. He would never let anything happen to them like what had been done to him as a child. They were far too precious to know the darkest horrors of the world. "speech"

She awoke to the sound of soft murmured voices in the den, and the realisation that Poem’s arm presence was missing from her side. Opening one grumpy eye she would find both her sister, and Epitaph, before letting it slide closed again, and simply listened as she slowly awoke.

Her favourite caregiver was telling her sister the story of his leg, and she didn’t want to interrupt. She waited until it seemed he had finished speaking, before she raised her head and looked at him. There was love and anger in her eyes, why would anyone hurt this soft, sweet man. He had done nothing but look after them and show them love. He often cared for them when their mother was busy doing boring Alpha-stuff. He was the kind of wolf you greeted with happy bum wiggles and friendly swates, not.. Laming, and scars. She couldn’t scarcely understand it.

She got to her feet and wobbled over to join the cuddle-feast going on without her. She leaned against Epitaph’s back, not sure there would be enough room for both of them in the curve of his paws. “But why would they do that?” she said “Whats a ‘master’” his story made no sense to her, as a wolf who had been raised with love and kindness.

Poem snuggled deeper into Epitaph’s chest as he rearranged himself to better accommodate her snuggles. She sighed heavily as she looked up at the dark furred man as she asked her question. He had begun to groom her gently, and his actions did threaten to put her to sleep. However, he was also answering her question and that aloe kept her awake. Poem had a burning curiosity about the world, and being allowed an answer at the taboo subject brought her whole focus.

Her uncle explained that he lived with bad wolves, and that he had been taken from his mother as a young pup. Poem couldn’t imagine that kind of treatment. Even the simple thought of being taken away from her mom forever made her eyes sting with tears. How could someone do that to Taphy?

He went on to explain his story further, buut Poem only understood parts of it. She didn’t know what he meant by master, but before she could ask him to clarify Motif was there. Poem looked over to her sister as she voiced the same questions swimming in her own mind. The girl looked up to Epitaph as he nibbled through a tangle in her wild mane.

THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME And there was Motif, waddling closer to join in on the story time. He lifted his head from where he was worrying at the back of her sister's neck, watching her move about. She leaned heavily against his back and side, but he hardly felt it. The juniper berries were finally beginning to work. He shifted his hindquarters, laying his legs out to the side and pulling his knees up so he could curl himself around her tiny form if she chose to stay where she was. That way she could feel safe and included. Something he had missed out on at that age. “But why would they do that?” Motif questioned softly, and he could see the sleepiness washed away by confusion and fear. “Whats a ‘master’” Oh dear, he was most certainly opening these young minds to a world of hatred and fear. Miss Shaye was going to be so mad at him. Would she banish him from the den, where he could no longer taint their innocent minds? He sighed heavily, a frown pulling at his dark lips. His toxic gaze drifted down to little Poem, whose eyes were glassy with tears. "They did it so I would continue to work and do what I was told, and not argue or fight back." he murmured, tail seeking to curl up along the curved line of his hind limbs and brush against Motif's small body. "When I was little, I wasn't allowed to argue like you sometimes do with your mother. She might be upset with you when you do this, but she would never hurt you. It was not the same when I was your age." he explained softly, craning his neck so he could attempt to soothe the worried young girl with a few carefully placed swipes of his tongue along her shoulder. "My masters were the bosses of me, they were usually bigger than me, and they were not nice. If they told me to fetch them food, I would. I had to, or they would hurt me." he continued, carefully choosing his words so that the children would not be so terrified that they couldn't go out anymore. Neither did he want to truly let on the horrors of his youth; of Grim's brutal rape during the night, or Hemlock's victims writhing at his paws. "But you don't have to worry, my loves." he softly nuzzled into Poem's flank, breathing in her milky puppy scent. There was the inexplicable sense of safety tied to that scent. "That will never happen here, your mother and Rhyme would never allow that." he assured them both as best he could, praying he hadn't ruined their impressions of the bright new world they were entering into. "speech"

She looked over at Poem, and could see the confusion in her sisters eyes, and knew her own questions where for the both of them. Why would anyone hurt their favourite caregiver? Taphy was like family to them, and had been in their lives even more than their mother had. He was there for them when she was off doing Alpha duties. He had told them stories, and comforted them when they couldn’t sleep. She didn’t know of a more gentle soul, and by the nature of the pack that she had grown in, she couldn’t understand how he didn’t have anything but respect. So why would these wolves hurt him instead of respecting him? It made her angry just thinking about it, through she wasn’t totally certain why, Motif cuddled up to Epitaph as he made room to cuddle around her. Fitting in against him was second nature to her, and she cuddled into his dark fur and looked up at him with trusting curiosity. “I don’t understand Taphy, why didn’t dad or mum stop them? Surely they weren’t ever afraid of your masters” she said, confused at the timeline of his story. To her, he had always lived in Abaven. "Speech"

Epitaph explained his horrors in ways that didn't scare the two girls, but both of them held a morbid curiosity of how anyone could hurt their nanny. Of the adults in their lives he watched over them most frequently. Their parents were busy alphas, and though they missed them the girls couldn’t complain about being given to the ex-slave. Poem loved her uncle dearly, and hated to hear how terribly he had been treated. Though she couldn’t comprehend the whole scope she knew what had been done to him was wrong.

Poem snuggled in closer to the midnight colored wolf, she breathed in his comforting scent as he explained how different obeying his master, and obeying her mother were. She had room to argue her feelings to Shaye, Taphy had never been offered that luxury. He was expected to obey without question lest he suffer another scar.

He finished with reassurance, Shaye would never subject them to such treatment. More though, she and their father would protect them from any who would seek to cause the same harm to them. Poem was comforted, she sighed heavily at the thought. Someday she would realize that it would be her responsibility to take up that torch and be the protector or Epitaph and Abaven.

She poked her head around Epitaph’s shoulder as Motif spoke again. Motif made a good point, ”Are there masters in Abaven?” She asked with curiosity as well as fear tinging her voice. ”I don’t want you to hurt again, ‘Taphy.” She told him, using their favorite pet name.

THEY’RE TRYIN’ TO KEEP HEAVENS GATES OPEN LATE FOR ME Motif all but disappeared amongst his fur, their similar pelts blending seamlessly. Those wide eyes gazed balefully up at him, and a plaintive inquiry rose from the small girl. “I don’t understand Taphy, why didn’t dad or mum stop them? Surely they weren’t ever afraid of your masters” she questioned, confusion plain as day upon her cherubic features. Poem, too, had all the more questions to ask. The ashen pup had cuddled in even tighter to his chest. ”Are there masters in Abaven?” she asked hesitantly, and though her eyes were sparkling with curiosity he couldn't miss the hint of fear that showed itself in a faint trembling of her body. ”I don’t want you to hurt again, ‘Taphy.” He folded his forelimbs a little closer to Poem's form, cradling her against his chest. "Not to worry, there are no such monsters here in Abaven. Your parents have seen to that, quite well." he reassured the pair, rasping vocals soft and soothing. "To answer your question, Motif, your father had masters of his own, I recall. He could not fight my battles, and we were far away from here, and your mother didn't know. It isn't her fault, or his. Only the ones who hurt us are responsible for doing that." he murmured, verdant gaze sweeping over the cuddled up forms of the two youngsters. Perhaps he could salvage this morning, and coax them back to sleep with a different sort of tale. "How about I tell you the story of the wolf who found great treasure at the bottom of a lake?" he questioned, hoping they might be torn away from this horrible train of thought and into the realm of fantasy. Miss Shaye would be less upset that way, hopefully. "speech"

Motif Destruction She was a pair of eyes and white marking, staring up at him from the corners of his coat as she cuddled up against his lean form. His scar riddled body didn’t seem strange to her, she had known it for as long as she had known Poem. this was, however, her first time hearing the tales behind them. She didn’t think she liked it, at all. She knew you were suppose to stand up when someone was hurting someone else. She had seen it in Shaye and Rhyme, they swooped in laid down the law if someone tried to hurt someone else, like with those new pups that where staying here for a while. They seemed to like getting into trouble with Noir, their local bully. Her mother had shown her some of the sacred and injured wolves of Abaven, she had told them it was their job to protect them. If she took the path of a fighter, her mother told her, this would be her job. She had looked up at her mother with side gaze, sensing the intensity in the woman, and knew this was important to her. “Is that why you sleep in here?” she asked suddenly. She had always thought it was because he was their babysitter, but what if it was her mother, keeping him close. Watching over him, because she could not protect him well he had those hated ‘masters’ of course, without following her thought process, the bones of her question might well be lost. “Sure, Taphy, I would love to hear it.” she agreed, letting herself be distracted. She could already feel a yawn coming on. Whatever happened, it was in the past. Taphy was there's now, and she was beginning to understand what that meant. "Speech"

Epitaph held her tightly, reassuring her with his affection and his words. No, there were no masters in Abaven, and their parents made certain of that. Poem’s fears at least were put to rest as their den mother explained they shouldn’t put blame on Rhyme or Shaye for the torture that befell Epitaph or their father. They would blame the ones who did the evil.

Poem buried her features into Epitaph’s fur as he shifted the subject, he dangled the prospect of an incredible tale before the two girls. Motif was quick to yay the vote, and Poem didn’t have any reason to object. She could tell that Epitaph hadn’t been entirely comfortable during their talk, but he had answered their questions honestly and in ways Poem had mostly been able to understand.

”I’d like to hear it. Tato says we’ll drown if we go to the bottom of the water though, how did the wolf find treasure all the way at the bottom of a lake?” She grew a bit more bold as she shed her fear, and looked up again with curiosity on her face.

Epitaph Motif piped up readily, a moment of clarity sparking in her round eyes. "Is that why you sleep in here?" she questioned. He held back a sigh. A soft nod of his head was the best he could offer in response. He had remained in the den so that Miss Shaye could be certain he didn't die in the middle of the night, initially. Now he was tied to the den by his role as a nanny. No doubt once the pups were grown enough to be left alone for longer periods, he would be cast out of the den to find his own space. Somewhere to settle within the borders that was entirely his to do with as he chose. The two little ones cuddled up against him would certainly have free passes to invade any space he tried to claim, there was no denying that. Poem pressed her cherubic features into the fur of his chest, snuggling in for the tale. Motif was enthralled by the possibility of a story. "Sure, Taphy, I would love to hear it." she announced. Before he could launch into the tale, Poem lifted her face out of his fur to stare up at him with big, round eyes. ”I’d like to hear it. Tato says we’ll drown if we go to the bottom of the water though, how did the wolf find treasure all the way at the bottom of a lake?” Bold little creatures, these two were. No doubt they would be forces of nature, when they were grown. He released an airy chuckle, eyes crinkling at the corners. "How about you two get comfortable, and I'll tell you?" he teased with a smile. Before he began, he craned his neck to tease a scrap of moss out of Motif's ruff, just behind her left ear. "Once upon a time, long before either of you were but a twinkle in your mother's eyes, there was a brave warrior." he began, voice lilting with the familiar twist of the prose across his tongue. "He was on a quest for riches and fame, searching far and wide across lands that most wolves could only dream about. One day, he happened upon a glimmering lake in the middle of a beautiful forest. As he grew closer, he realized that it was not the water that glimmered, but a thousand pieces of glittering gold and precious gems!" he let loose a soft gasp of excitement, gaze drifting between the children to gauge their reactions. "Determined to have this treasure for himself, he swam to the centre of the lake and dove down deep. But the crystal clear waters were deeper than they looked, and try as he might, he couldn't make it to the riches! He was tired, and out of breath. He began to despair, for he would never have the treasure he wanted." "He returned to the shore of the lake, and watched the water lap gently at the sand. He was quite upset to have failed his task." his tone turned morose, mimicking the hero's mood. He reached down to softly nuzzle Poem. "Then, he looked up. He saw a bird singing gently on the other shore, and not a moment later, a fish tossed one of the glittering gems onto the shore. How astonishing! As he watched, a whole school of little fish began to bring shining treasure to the shore. The wolf began to listen closely to the bird's tune, until he had it memorized. Slowly, he snuck up on the little bird. It was stealing his treasure, after all. In one fell swoop, he gobbled it up. A tasty treat!" he nibbled Poem's ears fondly. "Gathering the trinkets between his paws, he settled down on the shore and began to sing the tune himself. First, a hum, and a few fish began to toss tiny gems to him. He worked his way up, until he was howling the beautiful song to the heavens, and the whole school of fish was hurling the treasure ashore, piling it upon him faster than he could keep track of! By the time the sun had set, there was more treasure on the shore than he could carry, and still more at the bottom of the lake. He covered it all in the hide of a freshly killed deer, and slept soundly knowing he had done well that day." He glanced down at the pups, checking to see if they had fallen asleep yet. If they had, he was considering settling down to sleep away the rest of the morning alongside them. "Speech"

Motif Destruction She settled her head down in his fur, in a way where she could still keep her eyes trained upon him. He had sighed at her question, and offered a bare nod, before moving on story time. She made an exaggerated motion of tucking in tight, showing him she was down and ready. He groomed behind her ear, and she grinned up at her nanny, before he began to tell his tale. His comforting voice filled the den, and this would be the epitome of her childhood. One of the memories she could pull out as an adult, dust off, and simply remember. Being warm in her family's den, with the feel of Poem not far from her. With Epitaph around her, and his voice all she could hear. No matter what life threw at her, this memory would be a part of seeing that she got through it in one piece. She let herself get lost in the story of a great warrior hunting for treasure and fame. She gasped at the right moments, imagining a lake sized bounty of glimmering stones. He told them of a wolf who howled a birds song - after eating the bird he had gleaned it from. She giggled at the imagery of fish tossing the stones to the shore, but was yawning near the end of it. She blinked sleepy eyes up at Taphy and asked through a great big yawn “Did he find the fame he wanted?’ "Speech"

Poem Destruction ”How about you two get comfortable, and I'll tell you?" Epitaph chuckled as he answered her question with good humor. She knit her brows, not quite satisfied with the answer. Poem was pacified quickly though as he made her lie down. The slate pup settled down easily, craning her neck and laying her head on the elbow joint of his left leg. He started the tale as both sisters settled in tight, Poem echoed her sister’s excitement as great golden treasure was mentioned. She nuzzled her caretaker back as he comforted her during the hero’s darkest moments, and squealed excitedly as he nibbled her ears when the bird was gobbled down. She kind of felt sorry for the bird in the story, with the ravens that followed her dad and her mom’s sparrow she had been under the assumption that flying birds were friends. She learned from Tato also that mostly flightless birds were tasty, like turkey. The story continued though, and it was quickly forgotten as Epitaph came to the end of the tale. Poem had thoroughly enjoyed the story, but his soft lilting voice carried her easily towards sleep. Motif asked a question at the end, but Poem didn’t have the energy anymore. She carried a content smile on her face but her lavender blue gaze was closed. "Speech"