OOC Notes: Because this is a moving thread, I am posting it here but it begins on the island. Also I do wanna ask for a specific posting order (to begin with at least, it can change depending on what happens) The order I would prefer is this: Myself (Alamea) Mouse, Lazuli, Myself (Keiki), Mouse and then Bri. (Just so those of us with more than one wolf in this family don?t end up posting back to back

Alamea

The young mother had grown restless, it was time. They were going to be leaving the island behind. With the pack dissolved and more and more wolves leaving the island was becoming more and more dangerous for the pups, and the jungle had been treacherous to begin with. Still she had been hesitant at first; She had already moved once before, and this was the only home the pups had ever known. But it had occurred to her that she was being selfish. Didn't the pups deserve someplace better, someplace safer? And certainly she owed Rune more than this, he had given up so much so that they could raise their family in Valhalla, and with it gone (or rather moved and under new management) did she really have the right to ask to stay? It was all decided now, in fact she had discussed the move with Rune last night while the pups slept. Now as she lay in the den, Rune curled around her and the pups piled on top of each other she hesitated once more. She hoped that they met Erani along the way, the old healer had been gathering up those that remained behind, Alamea wanted to let her know what they planned, she owed her that much at least. With a deep breath she nuzzled gently at her mate. "It's time dear." Then rising to her paws she stretched and called for her pups. "Alright kids time to get up, got an adventure planned out for today." She tried her best to sound as cheerful as she could. Just before the exit to the den she faltered. Glancing back at her family, rousing themselves from sleep, she steeled herself and stepped outside.

Walk | Talk | Think He had known since finding out Valhalla was moving that he and his family would not be remaining on the island for much longer. To his surprise, however, they were not going to follow the rest of the pack on their way to Vericona, where they had once lived before. Alamea's decision to strike out on their own, to go back to Mt. Volkan, had taken him utterly by surprise. He had assumed her attached to the pack and life there; had her own faith in them been shaken by the events that had transpired around the challenge? It had all cluttered his thoughts as he tried to sleep, kept awake by the notion of returning to his old home, and there was no denying that he felt a surge of happiness knowing he would get to introduce his kids to that place. Maybe even Alamea would love it there too. Sleep had eventually claimed him and it was some time later that he was woken by a gentle nuzzle and a quiet phrase from his mate. He opened his bleary, pale blue eyes and was silent as they adjusted to the dim light of the den, keeping them fixed on Alamea as she rose beside him and stretched. Today was the day. Moving day. A little Rune worried over the fact he had failed to venture to the Mount in order to scout it out before their move, to ensure it was a safe place, but that was neither here nor there now. Instead he took comfort in the plan to stay close to his family the entire trip to protect them, to be sure in the simplest way he could that they stayed out of danger and to confront it should their luck fail them. A falsely bright phrase spoken by Alamea had the pups stirring from their sleep, tiny bodies wiggling and moving restlessly. The proud young father smiled. He much preferred them this way to when they had first been born. They had been so minuscule and fragile, helpless and defenseless and so desperate for care. Now at least he feared less about harming them accidentally. They were sturdier, stronger, and surprisingly quick on their feet. His mate made her way toward the den's entrance and at last the burly grey wolf rose gruffly to his black paws, head ducked as he peered at their children. For all their being born in a storm, he thought them moving through life rather smoothly. "C'mon, after your mother," he ordered in gently stern tones, hoping that they would set aside their exuberance for the day to make the move as easy on them all as could possibly be. He could tell Alamea was already nervous, and though he was comfortable with their destination he was somewhat nervous her unease would begin to rub off on him as well.

"ADVENTURE! Let's go!" She marched after her mother, close enough to her heels as to make herself an unwitting nuisance. If Alamea paused for even a second, Warja would be weaving between her paws. "Where are we going? Will there be friends for me to meet?" She paused to take a deep breath, "Are we going across the water? Is it really deep?" She hoped it was deep! What if there were water monsters? "Think there are monsters in the water? What if they try to eat us?" None of her questions were directed at any one wolf. Every question that popped into her head quickly ran out of her mouth and soon, if her excitement grew any more, she'd have a rapid fire monologue going.

"WAIT!" Turning suddenly, Warja spun back towards the den and took off running before anyone could even do as she'd commanded. She'd forgotten something. How could she have forgotten it? Oh, that's right. She'd forgotten it because she was talking.

Diving into the den, Warja rooted around for a few seconds before triumphantly rejoining the group with a large feather held carefully between her teeth. "Ohtay, 'm weady." She readjusted the feather, eyes crossing so she could look down her nose at it. When it was held in a way that didn't poke her or make speech too difficult, her eyes uncrossed and she grinned up at her dad, ready for the adventure to begin. Vamanos!

The girl stirred, as the rest of her family did. The thing that woke her though was her sister getting up, the sudden rush of cool air hitting the child, pulling her from dreamland. She blinked the sleep from icy blue eyes so much like her fathers and slowly rose to her paws stretched every which way as she did so. A small squeaking yawn pulled her jaw down and pulled ears back. She glanced at her sister, weaving between their mother?s paws and chatting happily and then at her father. So they were leaving the den then? Giving one last stretch the girl bound after her parents. She pressed up against her father?s leg briefly and grinned up at him. "Where go?" She asked, too loud, the words awkward as if they were too heavy for her tongue to lift. There was a pause as Warja suddenly fled back into the den only to return with a feather. Keiki had to giggle, and ran past her father to bump playfully into Warja a loud puppy growl escaping her grinning maw. "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think

Eirik clenched his eyes closed against the sound of his mother's voice as she attempted to drag the children from sleep and into the waking world. Mornings were not his favorite, even with suggestions of adventure beyond the space nearby the den, and for as long as he could he planned to stay sleeping. Warja, it seemed, had other plans. She was up and excited and sharing it with all of them in that annoying voice of hers, a fact that drew up a grudging groan from her sleepy brother as he rolled from his side to his stomach and opened his mouth into a wide yawn. Well, so much for sleeping in.

But now that he was waking up, adventure did sound a little fun. And the whole family was going to be there, at least from the way his mom made it sound, so there was that too. Blinking her rosy pink eyes, the grey youth pulled himself to his paws and paused to shake the last dregs of sleep from his system before following his father's orders and padding out of the den with his siblings and mother. As he passed beside Keiki he heard her inquiry, but no sooner had he opened his mouth to speak Warja was rushing back past him into the den, causing him to hurriedly sidestep to get out of her way or risk being run over. He cast a swift frown her way before he smoothed it out and looked up at his father again with a quick glance at his mom who still took point. "Yeah, where we going?" he questioned, repeating his sister's inquiry. He was eager to get wherever they were going, eager to start this adventure that his mother had spoken of.

image by Luisiana

Erani

She had been watching from the confines of the jungle as the small family had gathered themselves ready to go. She knew they weren?t staying. Quietly, she slipped from the jungle shadows, a ghost among a lush backdrop of green. ?I had a feeling you would be going your own way.? Deep blue eyes held no blame, only a soft sadness. ?Congratulations on your litter, Rune, Alamea. They?re lovely children.? Her eyes swept the three youngsters, lighting on the female carrying a feather with a small chuckle. ?I?ll walk with you to the mainland. I figure you could use help with the crossing.? She waited for them to accept or reject her offer, one paw raised as though to walk with them as they moved off.

Alamea

She was only given a moment of peace beyond the entrance of her den, being joined rather promptly by Rune and then the first of her children: Warja. Alamea had to smile as easily the most energetic of her children bombarded her with questions. The grey and white form of her other daughter Keiki slipped out of the den, adding her overly loud voice to the questions. Finally her only son emerged his brilliant pink eyes gazing up at his father as he repeated Keiki's inquiry. The girl was about to answer when Warja exclaimed for them to wait, Alamea had to chuckle. Her daughter remerged from the confines of the den with her mouth clamped firmly shut around a feather. "Yes we will be going across the water." She said smiling, answering all her children with the simple answer, where exactly they would end up she was still unsure, but then Rune had lived much of his life on the main land, perhaps he would have an idea. "As for monsters, well they are too scared of your daddy to bother messing with us." She nudged her mate affectionately. Another form approached the gathered family, this one she recognized as Erani. The girl dipped her head respectfully. "Yes; we, just felt it was for the best." She answered awkwardly. This was quickly forgotten as the older woman commented on her children and she felt a rush of pride. "That would be very kind of you." She said accepting Erani's offer and taking the first step towards their new home.

Walk | Talk | Think The watchful wolf hung back inside the den as the youngsters greeted the morning each in their own way, Warja a little more exuberantly than the others. He grinned as he watched her practically bound to her paws and followed closely behind her mother, so eager to go about the adventure that Alamea had mentioned. He certainly hoped the long trek they had ahead of them would be enough to appease the young girl's expectations. Keiki was more mellow, stretching and yawning and quite contentedly moving to brush against her father's leg. Rune smiled down at the little girl who shared his eyes, reaching down to brush his nose across the top of her head as she asked about their trip. Eirik seconded the question but already Alamea was giving her answer outside of the den, informing them of the trip across the small strip of ocean that they would all be making. Rune followed them out of the den and could not stop the grin that stretched upon his face as his mate promised that the threat he posed would keep all the dangerous sea creatures away from their crossing with a little nudge. He hoped it was true. No one had any complications with the crossing to date, but there was always a first for anything, especially with pups as young as these ones. "That's right," he added, "we'll be perfectly safe." He was surprised to see another join their group, and even more surprised to note that it was the new leader of Valhalla, Erani. She seemed concerned for their decision to part ways with the pack, but in no way did she seem inclined to stop them. He was grateful for that. He was not entirely sure how deeply Alamea's loyalties ran with the pack, and it still seemed likely that she could change her mind about leaving at any moment. But her answer to Erani's statement consoled him, eased his worries. "I know of a safe place we can go," he assured the aged healer, "I grew up there. Assuming it's still unclaimed, it should do for these three as well." He accepted her congratulations with a nod of his head and let Alamea speak their thanks, falling into step beside her as the little snowy wolf began to lead them along their way.

Keiki's bump was met with a playful grab for her left ear; a pursuit that was quickly forgotten as Warja's feather fell from her mouth. Quickly, before anyone could snatch it from her, the pup bent and retrieved the plume. Feathers were common, you could find them anywhere, but this one was special and she guarded it jealously. There were very few things that Warja placed any value on, and this was one of those things. Nobody could touch her feather without her permission and if anyone tried, they'd be sorry. ?As for monsters, well they are too scared of your daddy to bother messing with us.? Warja paused a moment to think about what her mother had said. That, she decided, was true, because her daddy was big and scary and nothing would ever mess with him. It was a shame, really. She wanted to see monsters. Once again taking her place at her mother's heels, Warja began to gently twirl the feather between her teeth. For now she would be silent, playing the day she'd found the plume over in her mind and thinking of little else. The feather made her a bit sad. "Speech"

The girl giggled as her sister made to nip at her ear and gave another growl. It had never occurred to her to question her sister?s relationship with that particular feather, simply knew it as a fact of life, it had existed nearly as long as she could remember which was quite a bit considering how young she still was. She bumped her brother as he moved up passed beside her. Her mother?s comments about monster?s was lost upon her but she had managed to catch that they were going across the water. This made Keiki rather happy, her tail wagging happily at the idea of them all going for a swim and getting to see across the water. A stranger approached and she grinned up at the white woman, whom she did not recognize. There was some talking but Keiki paid it not attention instead flashing her blue gaze about, jumping from paw to paw, impatient to get going. Finally her mother began to walk off, and Keiki raced forwards to walk beside her father, brushing up against his leg and looking up at him with a wide smile upon her grey features. "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think

It was his mother who answered the questions that he and his sisters had asked, and as the light grey boy's ears perked he padded more hurriedly forward to catch up with her. The beginnings of a smile spread across his muzzle as she spoke of their sea crossing, feeling finally a bit if excitement starting to build inside. They would get to swim in the ocean! He had known they had been born beside it, in the midst of a storm that had torn across the island no less, but their experiences near it had ended there. This was going to be exciting, getting to actually travel across it to get to the place on the other side, the place their parents had once lived before the move.

Promises were made that their crossing would be safe and sea monster free when Eirik turned slightly to peer at his sisters and father and noted someone apparently on their way to join them. The tall woman wore a purely white coat, eyes a deeper blue than that shared by his family, and though her gaze did alight on the children she had words only for their parents. It suited Eirik just fine - it was the usual talk about the kids that the adults seemed prone to - but did make him a bit impatient. They were supposed to be off on an adventure, not standing around outside of the den chatting. While Keiki almost danced around upon her paws, Eirik was the opposite, falling still and watching his parents for the first sign that they intended to keep going.

But the conversation was short, and at its close the woman offered to escort them to their new destination, a place that his father vaguely made reference to. Already he was moving again, tail starting to wag as he grinned and fell into step beside Warja. Curiously he watche her twirl the feather between her teeth, wondering how she did it but also why it was she was dragging it along with her. But that, he decided, was a small matter. They were going on an adventure, and that was much, much cooler.

image by Luisiana