Surreal Adravendi

Her decision had been made. Falk had been made aware of not only that, but the fact that she was planning on not having a litter this year. So that left plenty of time to spend with the four children she had already. She was taking a day off from planning to spend with Tornach today, and as she paused at the mouth of the ravine long enough to call him out before continuing on her way, trusting her large and still growing younger son to catch up, she reflected that soon, none of her four children were going to be pups. She had another decision that affected Tornach in particular. The night he had slipped out of the den without permission, she had given him a firm ground rule; never leave the den without permission until he was a yearling. He’d done so well with that rule, never once breaking it, that she had decided to expand the boundary to the Plains. He could come and go from the den as he pleased, as long as he made someone aware that he would be out, and where to find him. Baine would be getting the rule as well. Surreal regretted not enforcing the same rule as strongly with Baine as she had with Tornach; it felt like favoritism, and that was a stigma she wanted nothing to do with. She wanted her children to never feel like she loved one of them more than the others. They all held special places in her heart. Each had an individual little piece that could never be replaced if they were lost to her. And that empty chink in her heart was from Faite, still gone. Surreal came to a stop at the edge of the wooded area the den lay hidden within and waited for her younger boy to reach her, tail curling around her hips, the last two inches tapping in an effort to shed some of the restless energy brought on by the heat cycle. Damned thing was driving her near to batty. What else would she do with Tornach, today? Take him for a run? Just the two of them? Take him on his first deer hunt? Teach him a few moves on fighting? She knew Regulus had been giving small lessons to both Tor and Baine. The possibilities were endless. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Curled in the den as his family began to stir, Tórnach's still-floppy ears perked up at the sound of his mother's voice calling him from the entrance to the cave system. Getting to his oversized paws he followed after her, careful not to disturb anyone with his clumsy movements, but once clear he moved with a long, increasingly graceful stride to catch up with her. For a moment upon catching up, he stared at her quizzically. When had his mother gotten so small? He wasn't a year old yet, he still had months of growing yet to do, yet his lean body still overtook hers easily, a few inches of height over her and it was so strange because it seemed like yesterday that he was barely able to reach her belly when she stood. "Mamaí?" he asked gently, seeking to press his cheek to hers. "Cén chaoi a bhfuil tú ag mothú?" She had begun to smell strangely lately and Tór - too young to be affected by the pheremones but sensitive and observant - had been worried that she was getting sick again. She had only just gotten better... ""

Surreal Adravendi

Her younger boy was quick to catch up, and she pressed back into him before dropping a kiss on his muzzle in typical mother’s fashion. “I’m alright, my little one. Goodness, I can’t hardly call you little anymore, can I?” She answered in Common, then switched to the Old Tongue with a smile. "Tá mé iontas a insint duit, beag scamall toirneach.." She offered in a conspiratorial whisper, leaning close to nose her son’s floppy ear playfully. "Ach caithfidh tú a ghabháil dom ar dtús!" A laughing nip toward his ear later and she was off like a shot, laughter trailing over her shoulder as she opened up her stride, though kept it down so he might more easily catch up. She aimed to lead him on a chase through the plains, tail high in the air and wagging, steps prancing and light. It felt good to let loose and play with her children, and it served another purpose as good training for his muscles and endurance. And it was perfect for bonding. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Tor blinked at his mother's words. A secret? What was she... But she was already off, bounding playfully away, and for a moment he could only stare after her with his head cocked to the side. Was this... playing? Or training? The tip of his tongue inched out in indecision, but he launched himself after her regardless. He was young, but very leggy and his stride ate up the distance between them swiftly, the tip of his tongue still caught between his teeth in an expression of serious concentration as he followed close behind his mother's footsteps. He probably could have caught her if he really tried, but he chose instead to just give chase through the plains as his mother pranced along before him. Perhaps she really was feeling better, despite the odd scent she carried, because she hadn't seemed this light and playful in a long time. He didn't want to spoil it by ending the game early. ""

Surreal Adravendi

It was play, with a touch of training, as all play truly was for pups. Every play tussle a litter indulged in was training for when those bites to the ears would carve rips into flesh instead of pricking skin with needle sharp puppy teeth. Every pounce on a leaf was instinctual training for hunting. Every bite to their parent’s tails and heels as they walked by the precursor to the day they would bring down a bison with the pack. Surreal crashed through the stream, sending water flying in all directions with a bright laugh flung over her shoulder as she bounded up the bank and down a rabbit trail, deciding to kick it into full speed and give her youngest boy a real chase. She took a winding path through the patch of woodland, breaking out into the open expanse of grassland, though admittedly into the taller grass, bounding down a deer trail, tail still wagging madly behind her, tongue lolling out of one side of her jaws. Play had always been a part of her personality. She had merely had to bury it in favor of serious things. Gods, it felt good to let go of the worries for a bit and run with her child. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

His longer stride stood him in good stead until his mother poured on the speed, and his endurance - so far lacking from so little use - finally failed him and he trailed behind not by choice, but because it was a struggled to follow. Tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, blue gaze narrowed in utterly serious concentration, he gave a finally desperate surge forward in an attempt to tug on his mother's tail, before his oversized paws overcame him and he tumbled tail over ears into the grass with a thump. Dazed, he contemplated for a moment a blade of grass that had been crushed by his fall, now lying cockeyed across the top of his muzzle - which was currently the bottom, because he was upside down. A rather disgruntled caterpillar scooted along the grass blade until it found a grip on the interesting texture of wolf pup fur, and instead climbed along that - scooting along the bridge of Tor's nose instead. Slowly the black and silver boy untangled himself and raised himself back to his paws without dislodging the caterpillar, who blithely continued to scoot its fuzzy bum along. Blinking the cobwebs out of his dizzy brain he moved his gaze from the bug to look around. Did he catch her? ""

Surreal Adravendi

Her younger son made a bid, and Surreal felt a few hairs tug free of her tail before he crashed to the ground. She grinned, turning to prance to his side, allowing him to pull himself to his paws. "Maith thú, mo scamall toirneach." She praised gently, grinning at the sight of the caterpillar clinging to her boy’s nose. She gave Tor a like kiss on the cheek and turned, walking along the path, allowing him room and time to catch up before she spoke. "Anois le haghaidh do choinne." She grinned impishly at her son, drawing it out as they crossed another stream. Finally, she let the announcement drop, regarding him proudly as she spoke. "Lean tú mo riail chomh maith sin, tá cinneadh déanta agam a ligean tú amach go luath. Is féidir leat teacht agus dul ó na nead mar atá tú le do thoil, ach seasann an riail fós; ná fág na teorainneacha na Plains gan cead, ach amháin má tá tú ag dul le mé féin nó do deartháireacha níos sine. Dearbhófar do dheirfiúr a shocrú leis an riail seo, freisin." She smiled at Tor, tail waving behind her with pleasure. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think