OOC: Set before Thor and Baldur come back with the other Hroovy pups.

Finally coming to a halt, Loki surveyed the new home Thor and Baldur had spoken of before they left with a certain amount of... skepticism. He sure hoped that the land was better in the warm months, because beneath the cover of snow it certainly didn't look like much. He guessed he'd just have to learn to trust their judgement, if they were going to make this living-together thing work. He certainly had his doubts about that but at this point he was willing to try anything to keep his children with him. Seeing his daughter with that Valhallan pup - a pup that had looked startlingly, nightmarishly like the female he had horrifically, stupidly attacked, had raped, a pup that had rather bright green eyes... - had galvanized him to escape the grasp of Valhalla before something more happened. He would not leave his pups parentless, no matter that they had their uncles to look after them. He would be there to raise them, to give them the sort of life they deserved to have, not rotting in a ditch somewhere because he'd made a stupid mistake and then stuck around to be killed in punishment for it. Casting acid green eyes around at the weary group of pups trailing around him, he had a new worry though. Had it really been any smarter to drag such young children on such a long journey in the middle of winter? Aksel was better than ever, but Acadia hadn't been looking so good the last few days and he was worried. He'd taken it slow, but... "Here we are, guys," he spoke up with forced cheer, unobtrusively tucking the shivering Acadia closer to him. "Home sweet home. Uncle Thor and Uncle Baldur should be around a bit later once we've set everything up nicely, then we can be just a big happy family, right?" He really hoped so anyway... "Speech"

"I'm tiiiirreed?" Aksel said for the fiftieth time since they'd begun moving. "When's mom gonna come?" Not even miles and miles of travel could stop the boys incessant questions. They were off on a trip with uncle Baldur and Thor but mother hadn't come with them and he'd been off playing in the mud so he hadn't quite gotten the chance to say goodbye. He was surprised daddy had taken Acadia. She hadn't been doing so well. She'd fallen quiet and was moving really slow.


Ears flicked forward as he bounded over to his father, moving to rub against the males front right leg as he peered at where they were. He frowned. "It's just a bunch of snow! What are we supposed to do here?"


Talk, Think

For most of the way, Hel had played at her father's paws, eager to get his attention in any ways possible. She had frolicked around, seemingly incessantly full of energy. Nothing could slow her down, not when she was on top of the world like this. Having her father's (mostly) undivided attention and getting to spend time with her siblings ensured that Hel was overjoyed -for most of the way anyways. And then she'd finally begin to tire out, lagging behind all but Ace. Even Aksel was ahead of her, and he'd been sick for so long. Hel gave a gasp of relief when her father announced that they had reached their new home. She flopped down, sending a puff of snow up in the air. "The ground is comfy," Hel proclaimed solemnly, lifting her gray head to gaze at her father and siblings. She was almost jealous of Ace and Aksel's proximity to their father, but Hel want motivated enough to get up -she just wanted to rest her paws for a little while. Still, despite her exhaustion, Hel managed to nod enthusiastically when her father mentioned being a happy family. " Right!" Hel enthused, tail thumping against the snow. She did like the thought of having a big family. maybe Cece could come too!

From the start, Everest was uninterested in the trip. At least, that was the mood she put forward. Her exasperated sighs could be heard from miles away as the child trudged along, kicking small objects irritably as she went. Deep down, however, the dark princess was a bit curious as to where they were off to. Their father had uprooted them rather suddenly, suggesting that they come to this new place and meet up with their uncles. Everest allowed her tail to give a brief wag. Though she couldn't stand to be around her siblings most of the time, she enjoyed the company of her uncles. They seemed so strong and mature, holding their honor the way a wolf should. In contrast, the way these pups pounced around and shouted like banshees was laughable. Everest chuckled as if to prove this point, her small green eyes glinting as they moved along. She kept a polite distance from her father, but was far from bringing up the rear of their little crowd. Aksel was also not far behind, to her surprise. He must have been feeling better. Not that she cared either way.

At last, their farther brought his steps to a halt and looked around at the scene. Little Everest followed his lead, giving a disdainful glare to the wintry landscape around them. It really wasn't much to look at. But judging from his words, it was their new home. Everest grumbled, her irritation exposed and unveiled. She heard the false cheeriness in his voice. Her father wasn't fooling anybody. "Really? We walked all that way for this, Daddy?" Needless to say, the young princess was incredibly disappointed. But then again, most things fell short of her standards anyhow. So she put on a sarcastic grin and hoped her family saw through the ruse. Everest would have to deal with it, just as she always did.

The children's reactions for the most part brought no reaction past the irritated twitching of his ears. He knew they were tired, and probably hungry, and no doubt bored, but so was he and it made it very, very difficult to answer calmly and without irritation. It was Acadia's reaction that worried her most - she didn't say anything at all, just slumped quietly at his side. "Imena," he began with Aksel's first question, emphasizing the name as his only reaction to Aksel calling her mom, "isn't coming. She has responsibilities in Valhalla. She's their lead healer, you know, and she and her mate want to be able to have puppies of their own." He grimaced, thinking about Imena's pale-colored mate and all his lovey-dovey maturity. Blah. "And yes, Everest, we walked all this way for this. This is where Uncle Thor and Uncle Baldur picked out for us all to live together." And you can blame them for how boring it looks, not me he mentally added. Couldn't they have at least picked someplace more interesting to look at, like someplace with a waterfall or cliffs or... on second thought, he amended, glancing at the pups, with so many intrepid explorers and troublemakers among them, this place is fine. "So!" he said out loud brightly. "Do you guys want to pick out a spot for us all to make our home? What about you, Hel?" he asked, grasping on her for her enthusiasm earlier and hoping it would motivate some competitive enthusiasm from the others. "Where would you think would be a great spot to sleep here?" "Speech"

Will you recognize me

In the flashing light?

Aksel was a bit put of by Loki's tone as he responded. Little ears flicked back and he turned to look away. That was right. Imena wasn't his mom? A sudden feeling of bitterness and jealousy swelled up in his chest. Bitterness over the fact that for some reason he couldn't understand he didn't have a mother. And the jealousy was over the fact that Imena was going to have pups of her own to love and to hold and to raise and it wasn't fair. How come he could have a mom and a dad? But Aksel, for once bit his tongue, he didn't know how to ask this question. He frowned and took off quietly in a random direction, pretending he was looking for a place to sleep but secretly his mind was whirling.




"Speech"

I try to keep my heart beat

but I can't get it right

Hel's ears pricked towards her father as he explained about Imena's absence. For a second, the gray and black female frowned, poison green eyes fixing her father as he mentioned this. Imena wasn't coming? She felt slightly abandoned by this knowledge - and then even more abandoned when her father casually mentioned that Imena had her own mate and wanted her own children. Hel curled her tail around her paws, making herself smaller at that as she gazed at Loki. They had been abandoned, it seemed. Still, when her father turned his attention towards her, Hel brightened obviously, padding up to her father as Aksel retreated and butting against her father's leg. "Right here is good!" Hel proclaimed happily, beaming up at the black male. He would be happy, right? If Imena wasn't going to come, and all that was left was her father - and uncle Thor and Uncle Baldur and everyone else, but her siblings and her father were the only really important ones. Tail wagging easily against the earth, Hel nuzzled up against her father. "But maybe we could look together?" Hel offered, glancing at Aksel's retreating figure. "Speech"

Everest sighed again as her father spoke. He sounded as irritated as she did, but she tried not to look wounded by his sharp tone. She had to be the strongest sibling, the most mature and emotionally stable sibling. She couldn't let a few words from Loki scare her into a quivering ball of fur. The dark princess huffed a bit instead, casting her eyes downward but otherwise holding her posture high. Everest had always known that Imena was a temporary mother, but Aksel seemed to have a harder time understanding this. She frowned at his retreating figure and made a move to follow him when her father began to speak again. He seemed to solely address Helena, which didn't surprise her less enthusiastic sister. While Everest had to admit that she felt some motivation to please her father, she also did not want to become like her sister. Bubbly, adventurous, annoying Helena, always cuddling up to their father with that squeaky little voice. No, little Everest would gain the love of her father in a more respectful way.

She turned her head away for a moment to roll her eyes and then redirected that toxic stare to her brother. Clumsy black paws moved through the snow as she followed her brother. Already these things were unusual for her. On any other day, Everest wouldn't have bothered to turn her head away. She would have rolled her eyes in plain sight, uncaring of whether or not it hurt anyone else's feelings. On any other day, she would have let Aksel explore on his own. But maybe Everest could make a difference today. But she wouldn't make a habit of it, of course.

The pup shook some snow from her dark and majestic pelt, smiling arrogantly as she trotted over to her brother. She was genuinely glad that he was feeling better lately, but now he was sad and she would make it her duty to figure out why. Her lips pulled into a grin as she bumped her small body against his. "What's wrong, Aksel? Do you miss Imena?" She kept the satire out of her voice as she asked. Everest, for once, had managed to keep a friendly tone. "I miss her too, if that makes you feel better. It doesn't seem fair that we don't have a mommy."

The first part was a lie, she could care less about Imena. But she wanted to be friends with her brother, if that was possible. Mismatched ears flicked expectantly as she awaited a response from Aksel. They wandered in the direction he had chosen, abandoning the rest of their family to their own affairs.

Walk. "Talk." Think.

Small black and red paws would strike the terra below her with an agonizing lethargy, the very marrow in her bones aching as her body strained to grow faster than it should, taking what little food she could manage in her state and using it to add inches, muscle, whatever it needed. It was hard to notice that she was even the slightest bit taller than the rest, her head drooping between her shoulders as she heaved her already thinning frame along. The snow bit through her paw pads, wormed it's way through her thick pelt, numbed her nose. Every now and again her tired green eyes would trail up to fixate on her father's tail, just ahead of her, swishing across his tall heels and goading her on. She had to keep moving, or they'd forget all about her. A shuddering breath would work it's way from her lungs, and she'd continue trudging along silently. Breath and energy was not there to be wasted on speech now, she had to keep pace. Finally the caravan of a family halted in this odd place, with endless fields of snow and emptiness. However, the mirthful mind of the youngster was still managing to work up a few ways to make their new home a fun place. Where the rolling plains dipped and rose, they could make a place to slide down and roll in the snow. If the snow managed to deepen further, maybe they could make a patchwork of tunnels for only the pups, to hide and play, maybe sneak up on their da? Easing up to her da's side, she flopped down beside him and tried to regain her breath. His meager escaping body heat was enough, even as she rested her head against his leg and watched her siblings frolic. Oh how the girl wished she could join them, but her aching body protested to the slightest movement as it recovered from the trip. Where would they make their home, she wondered. Here seemed like a good place, it would mean she didn't have to move, to haul her carcass off the ground and wander about looking for a suitable place. However, there was an odd little knoll in the snow, like it had buried a boulder, that might be more fun. Thumping her tril coloured tail upon the snow bound terra, she whined weakly to get her da's attention. "What's there, da?" She inquired with a hoarse, but undoubtedly curious melody, pointing her muzzle and training her gaze upon the spot. She wanted to know, oh how it burned her not to know what that odd little bump was. A rock? A cave? A bush, even? What could it be? OOC: Den apologizes for crappy post and haitus. Den will try harder to be good alacritian. "Speech"

Will you recognize me

In the flashing light?

Aksel brightened a bit as his sister Helena said he could go look with her. Yea? that sounded fine. He knew his father wanted him to forget Imena but it particularly hard for the little boy as he'd spent so much time with her. Being sick for most of his early life he was rarely anywhere but by her side. This? this was new. "Sure Hel! let's fine the best spot before Thor and Baldur get here and take it." He nodded as Everest mentioned their mom. Well he was glad he wasn't the only one. Sisters were alright sometimes after all.


Aksel was trotting off, starting his search but he turned back to Eve. "Yea? it is weird. If Imena isn't our momma-momma? then who is? And where is she? Did she die?" He turned to stare at Loki for a minute before he was distracted by a raven. He watched, eyes narrowed for a moment before it took off into the sky and disappeared. Curious he bounded over toward the tree it had been perched in. The roots were thick and gnarled and they scoured over a pre-dug den.


"Found it! This is perfect!" Aksel grinned, tail high and wagging. Oh yea, he found the best spot! His sisters could suck it! Suddenly there was a growl and Aksel froze, the fur on his body standing straight on end. Shrieking Aksel rolled to the side just narrowly avoiding an angry wolverine that had come barreling out of the den. Oops?


"Speech"

I try to keep my heart beat

but I can't get it right

The little temptress batted her lashes as she listened to Aksel speak. She feigned a look of modest understanding, her brow puckering as she nodded along. But as quickly as she had captured her brother's attention, it was gone again. Perhaps their mother was dead. It was a valid guess, though not the most desirable scenario. Everest rolled her acidic green eyes again as he lumbered off to sniff at some kind of den. She, too, watched the raven take flight. In fact, she was entranced by the creature and its dark beauty. Her stare was locked as it fluttered into the distance, so much so that Everest didn't notice the wolverine as it came out of its den. She turned her head immediately, though, when the snarl tumbled off its lips. Aksel squealed, and his sister felt her hackles stand on end. Her lip pulled back to reveal a set of sharp young teeth. But her strength would never be enough to take down such a beast. So, in the end, the dark princess had to call for her daddy. Unable to come up with the proper words, she just screamed at the top of her lungs. "DAADDYYYY!!!"

Walk. "Talk." Think.