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 Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:35 am
 Having appointed himself the protector of the group, from everything except mud puddles at least, Taron took it upon himself to start patrolling whenever the group would stop for a rest. He didn't need as much of a break, afterall, so he might as well be doing something productive. He had to contribute something to the growing pack.
The thought pleased him, and his tail swished happily behind him, even as his other senses were trained on his surroundings. A pack! He'd found one at last, and it was a nice one. Okay, a bit small still be called a full pack, but it was still growing. And as he'd said, it was a nice one, which made it all the better.
He took note as he moved of potential resting places, locations with running water, any signs of other Krokotas, or even of other predators, any prey nesting grounds in the area...all the things he thought a good scout should do. The more they knew about the area, the more they'd be prepared in case of any danger.
Of course, there were plenty of surprises one could stumble over as well in such searches. Blinking repeatedly, Taron double checked to make sure that he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. Then, he checked the area again, sniffing the air, ears twitching for any sign...but nothing. Frowning at this discovery, he wondered at first what to do. Then again, the others weren't that far away.
He let out a long, low-pitched howl that carried well over the wind, back towards his new pack and the waiting ears there.
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:19 pm
 A short distance away, Samantha jerked upwards from her reclined pose. Instantly on the alert, her ears twitched at the sound of the howl on the wind; she recognized the voice as Taron's. She leapt to her feet, concentrating on the howl...she heard no note of panic or alarm...good, he wasn't hurt or in danger. And yet, he was calling for them with another type of urgency, calling for them to come to him.
Had he found something?
"Everyone? Stick together; I'll be back shortly," she quipped without a thought, sprinting away from the group, never realizing how naturally she was giving orders. Her paws flew over the earth, speed was her natural element, where she felt most at home, most herself. The world rushed by in a blur and in no time at all, Taron's howl was becoming clearer. She raised her own voice to answer, long and steady.
Taron trailed off, his ear twitching as it picked up Samantha's answering call. She was closing in fast and as soon as he believed she was in hearing range, he called out, "Hey, Chief! I think I found something!"
Samantha slowed, trotting the rest of the distance to join Taron, and rolled her eyes in a tired, but very familiar expression. "I told you, please, don't call me that," she quipped, sounding as if the words were burned into her memory.
Taron merely grinned at her, too wrapped up in his new discovery to pay the repremand any mind. "Sure, Chief. Hey, look though! There's something down here!" He pawed at a small hole, that seemed like a sort of burrow or den.
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:04 pm
 Noise. Movement. Light.
Several stimuli assaulted the pup's senses, all from above, all at once. He reflexively recoiled at first, pulling back further into the darkness, into the relative warmth of the earth. Whatever was up there could just go away and leave him alone for as far as he was concerned.
That was when the light was snuffed out momentarily by an adult Krokotas's head and muzzle blocking the entrance way. With a muffled squeak, the pup tried to retreat further to no avail.Raising her head and shaking some dirt from her muzzle, Samantha murmured in a surprised tone, "It's...a pup? But...I don't smell any other Krokotas around the den, only him. Any other scents are too old. There are no tracks either. Is he alone? Is he healthy?""There have been no other Krokotas through here...until you two," said a voice from behind them both. "So, I'd say he's abandoned, unless he's yours...which I'm doubting."Samantha whirled on her paws, fur standing on end as a snarl crossed her maw. Taron took up a protective position next to his leader, staying silent, but his posture saying more of his intentions than words could say. He'd protect his leader at any cost if the stranger made any threatening moves. But the stranger made no other moves at all. Instead, they were faced with a relaxed, male Krokotas, dark of coat, with lighter markings and brightly colored eyes and ribs. He regarded them with a look that was somehow both amused and disinterested, his feet planted firmly, but with no sign of intended motion.
"The boy is fine otherwise," he said simply. He'd surveyed the area for some time, ensuring that the boy truely was alone, as well as the fact that this wasn't some elaborate and malicious trap of some sort. Couldn't be too careful these days.Still not happy about letting the stranger sneak up on them like that, nor his demeanor in general, Samantha bit back a snarl and tried to force both her temper and her fur back down again. "Well, we can't just leave him here," she snapped, tone beginning to level out a bit. She wouldn't leave a child alone to fend for himself. And this male didn't seem to be so worried, if he'd just been wandering about and not doing a thing for the pup. "How are we supposed to get him out of there without terrifying him?"The dark male hid a knowing grin, instead turning to grab something over his shoulder. "Easy," he answered, stalking forwards towards the hole as he pulled the torn section of meat from his shoulder where he'd carried it. He'd had a successful hunt earlier today, and had brought some back, though he'd had to hold it somewhere other than his jaws, considering he'd had to have pointless conversation just now.
He placed the meat close to, but not right at, the entrance to the small den. They were trying to get the kid out, afterall; didn't want to make it too easy for him to grab the prize and run. "Hey, kid," he muttered near the entrance, just loud enough for the pup inside to hear. "Dinner."
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:15 am
The pup lifted his head at the voice...was it...familiar? Yes! That voice meant food! His stomach growled as if on cue, and he cringed, glancing down at his own tummy. Traitor.
But then again, if they were bringing him food, that meant they were nice, right? That they had plenty of their own food, thereford, they weren't going to try to eat him? Right? Right?
His stomach was winning the fight anyway. So, the pup wiggled and squirmed towards the entrance to the den, poking just his nose out at first to sniff at the meat nearby. So hungry...
Samantha quirked an eyebrow at the tiny nose that emerged from the hole, fighting to hide a slight grin. The nose wiggled and wrinkled, sniffing about before honing in on the smell of the meat. So that the boy wouldn't be alarmed any more than he likely already was, she took a few cautious steps backwards to seem less threatening, motioning for Taron to do the same. She could tell from the pup's scent, he was nervous, but seemed healthy enough. He was likely hungry, yes, but there was no sign of sickness on him, which was good.
The scent was just too much to bare any longer. Tensing his short legs, the pup scrambled up out of the hole and over to the meal, digging his tiny teeth into the meat and tearing at it, even as he used his paws to try and brace himself against it. The sweet sustenance flowed down his throat and he let out a few pleasant growls as he fed, a sign he was enjoying himself completely, even if he was basically ignoring his surroundings now for the time being.
Meanwhile, the dark furred stranger slipped around behind the pup, barely noticed even by the nearby adult pair, as he positioned himself between the pup and his den, then lay down as a living blockade. He cast a knowing look at the pup, letting him continue his meal uninterrupted. Nothing better to convince one than one's own stomach.
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:33 am
Barely noting that the others had left him alone to eat, the pup thought of nothing but feeding until his stomach began to fill and threaten to make him sick if he ate much more. And then, he only slowed, still gnawing slowly on the remaining meat as he started to look around, blinking in the waning sunlight. His eyes widened, passing over the large female and male nearby, and he started to fidget. Then glancing back towards his home, his eyes widened further.
The grey male held his position, guarding the pup from making his retreat back underground. He wouldn't allow the pup to escape now, though he seemed like he was about to run.
And run he did...but not away from the group. Surprising even the grey stranger, the pup took to his feet and dashed straight towards his old home...stopping when reaching the dark male and immediately curling against his front leg. He hid his face against the other, inhaling deeply and feeling secure in his realization. This one had brought him food...and this wasn't the first time.
Even the striped grey male was surprised by the pup's actions, but he hid it well, merely staring down at the pup curled against his side. True...he'd brought the kid food earlier, the day before, but he didn't feel the need to advertise that fact. He was a bit surprised that the pup realized it, or that he trusted the large male so readily.
"Well...now what?" Samantha mused out loud. They couldn't leave the pup with no one to care for him, and from what she'd seen, she wasn't sure she wanted to leave him with the strange male. Well now, that wasn't exactly true. Something about the way he watched the pup, as well as his actions in bringing the child food, implied that he probably would be quite capable in taking care of the young one if he so wished.
Samantha was just still irrationably ticked at the stranger for sneaking up on them earlier. Impressive actually, but she'd be impressed later when she was done being mildly pissed.
"You can't just stay out here. And the kid needs someone to take care of him."
"You offering?" the grey male quipped, tilting his head with a seemingly disinterested air.
"Well, someone has to! So yes, I am," she stated, planting her feet stubbornly and staring down at the male in challenge.
He didn't seem to pay much attention to her challenge, actually, seeming calm and uncaring. Yet, when the pup curled tighter against his leg with a whimper, he reached over with a paw to lightly ruffle the kid's fur on his head.
"Seems you're right. The pup needs someone to take care of him," he agreed, then hiding a cheeky smirk, added, "And you need someone to take care of you, so I guess we're both coming along."
Samantha's eye twitched slightly, but she held up a paw when Taron started forward to defend her. "I'll let that comment slide for the sake of the pup."
"Of course."
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Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:47 am
Samantha wasn't entirely sure about taking the two of them along, but she'd made her decision and she'd stick by it. "Alright, kids," she commentedly lightly, shaking out her tail of any lingering dust before heading out. "If we're going to be traveling together, we might as well know one another's names. I'm Fiery Heart, but you can call me Samantha."
Taron took his place loyally by Samantha's side, still watching the stranger with an apprasing eye. "Earth Streak, but Taron will do," he added with a brief nod.
Nodding at each briefly, the stranger waited, then replied shortly, "Smoke Walker. Lonan." The name seemed fitting, considering the way he moved in such silence. He glanced down, standing carefully then nudging the pup with his paw. "Got a name, kid?"
Still clinging close to Lonan, the pup scrambled to stay behind the male's front leg, then glanced up and nodded. "Dark Streak of Night," he stated proudly, then added, "Nye," as his nickname.
Samantha nodded with a smile, "It's a good name. So, boys, shall we get moving? I'm sure the others are wondering what's going on. I'll try to fill you in on the way."
With that, the small group set off to rejoin the rest of the growing pack, and now that Samantha's irritation had cooled, she set about telling their new traveling companions a bit about the group they'd just joined and its members thus far.
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