|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:12 pm
The yips echoed across the expanse of land, echoing across the land as yip after yip escaped the young pups mouth. He wasn't scared, he was terrified. But he couldn't admit it. He couldn't go back to the den without finding it, it was a dare and he just couldn't bring himself to tell them he wouldn't do it.
Mustering all of his determination, the pup strained his eyes to see more than a foot in front of his snout. But it was futile, it seemed like the more he stressed his sight, the weaker it got.
Frozenheart sighed to himself as he plopped down in the dirt, his mind quickly wandering to the stars in the sky as he gently rolled onto his back to gaze up at them.
"Let's see, Momma always says that the stars will guide us home...." His voice trailed as he tried to remember exactly which star she had lectured him on, but he couldn't quite grasp it..
"Maybe it was that one, or maybe that one..." Frozenheart growled his puppy growl of frustration, "THEY ALL LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME!"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:20 pm
 The young female had been out all night scouting. She found it preferable to returning early to the pack and having to deal with so many other dogs when the kill was brought in. So she usually stayed out and only went back late at night when the rest of the wild dogs had already gone to sleep. She could scavenge off the carcass quietly and catch a few hours nap before she moved out again.
It had only been a month or so since she had joined the pack itself, and it had taken her this long to acclimatise to the lively energy of the pack. So many dogs in one place unnerved her after the wide open space and sheer loneliness of the roguelands. Not that she regretted joining, she was beyond grateful that they had let her in.. but she just needed to take things one step at a time and go slow as she gradually learned how to socialize with others of her own species and not simply run away in sheer panic.
This night she was trotting along slowly, making her way back to the pack when the high-pitched yips of a pup reached her sensitive ears. Pausing, one paw lifted from the ground, she pricked her ears, trying to locate the direction the sounds were coming from. Moments later she had altered direction and was running in an easy lope towards the origin of the noise.
Pulling up as her keen eyesight picked out the shadowy figure of a pup, she paused a moment before padding forward shyly. "Hello?" Her soft, uncertain voice called out a little timidly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:06 pm
All thoughts of the night sky quickly disappeared from the pup's mind as soon as he heard the new voice break the panic of his own. It wasn't a familiar one, and he liked to think he had a decent memory. But not only was this one unfamiliar, it sounded fearful or at the least nervous of him. HIM! A simple pup!
Frozenheart perked his ears to try and pinpoint the location of the stranger that had picked up on his presence, but he was never cut out for that type of work and his attempt was a complete failure. Thoughts quickly began to rush through his head; should he run, call out, hide? His Mother had always told him to trust his pack members, but ever to trust a stranger. But, even though he was positive he was still on pack grounds, he couldn't be sure he hadn't bumped into a rogue wandering carelessly? Then again, running wasn't an option either, he had no idea where he was and running would only make that problem much worse.
Reluctantly the pup forced himself up and off his back and raised his voice, hoping the stranger whom had called out to him was still around and willing to help.
"H-Hello?" The pup froze in place, quickly blurting out the first words that popped into his head. "I mean you no harm - i'm just a pup."
Great! Now not only was he in possible danger, he had pretty much knocked on it's door. Good job Frozenheart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:14 am
Listening intently, ears quivering a she strained to catch any tell-tail sounds of movement, she started to think she had possibly imagined the pup-cries when finally the small voice called back to her. Relief flooded through her body as she released the breath she had desperately been holding.
Ok, so far so good.... she wasn't going slowly crazy and the noises had been a pup, not a large male who would bite her for disturbing his sleep or something... Though on the heels of that thought came another. What if the pup's parents were close by? That was enough to make her lower her head nervously. Possessive parents could be very deadly to a small lone female as she well knew. But... he had sounded frightened? So maybe he was lost.....
Knowing she couldn't go on without at least making sure the pup was alright, she gathered her tattered courage and lifted her voice. "My name is Lightfoot. Scratch at the ground so I can find you." She could track him by his voice but she was fairly sure he would rather paw the ground than start singing or making some other strange continuous sound...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:52 pm
The silence was killer. Being such a young pup lost in such a vast area of the unknown would horrifying, but knowing that help could be just inches away seemed to help lighten that feeling a bit. But it disappeared the longer the silence held, and his mind began to fill once more with the scenarios that could have happened. Had the voice, chosen just to ignore his cries for help? Was it because he was a pup?! Frozenheart shook his head no as fiercely as he could, as if trying to convince every fiber of his being that this was not the case
The more he sat alone, the more thoughts began to flood his mind. But as if by magic, the voice of his possible savior soon returned. This time, he discovered who exactly he was speaking with. It was a female, but her name, though definitely Peke Na, was unfamiliar in every sense of the word. Of course, knowing that she was a fellow pack member he was less worried about possible danger from Lightfoot, and more worried about their voices attracting a different type of visitor.
Frozenheart gulped down a large swallow of air, and attempted to raise his voice. He was unable to raise it very high, having now overpowered his mind with the possibility of further danger. "My name is Frozenheart, my mother is Winterwind." The pup paused a moment, taking in Lightfoot's command.
Although at first he didn't quite understand how scratching the ground would help, he wasn't exactly in the mood to try and tell her no. With a quick twitch like motion the pup began to slowly paw at the ground, lightly at first, but quickly picking up in momentum. Trying to distract himself from his endless possibilities by concentrating on the hole now forming at his feet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:06 am
For a long moment she was afraid she had imagined the voice after all, the silence descended and even her sensitive hearing was useless, but then it came again, a small, scared voice almost too faint for her to catch this time. But it was a name, two names, though neither of them really rang a bell she was used to not knowing her own pack mates. At least the pup was of the pack, that made everything a lot simpler.
The faint sounds of claws in dirt slowly threaded through the night, blown this way and that by the brisk breeze but still traceable. Striding forwards, ears pricked and eyes closed (all the better to concentrate) she slowly tracked the pup. By the time she got close she had no need to keep her eyes closed, for he was making a real attempt at digging, and then the weak moon picked out his shape in the darkness.
"Frozenheart?" She asked softly as she padded up to him, wanting to make sure this was the right pup, though how many pups could be lost close by and scratching at the ground she wasn't entirely sure."I'm Lightfoot... are you alright?" She was a delicate female with a soft, submissive voice and unusual large, luminous eyes that glowed softly in the darkness, themselves framed by blackness. It made her seem exotic and foreign, as indeed she had come to the Peke Na from a far away place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:23 pm
No voice returned his calls as he continued to dig furiously into the ground. Clueless as to why this was so crucial to his survival, but accepting it as a form of help. His paws began to tire as the hole took shape, he'd never actually had to work this hard to dig a hole before, nor had he actually intended to ever dig one. But now he could proudly sit back and wait for the day when he could brag about an accomplishment like this one. Though - perhaps this hole wasn't as up to par as adult holes, he still felt proud of it. As his time passed, and he heard no signs of the female, he began to worry that perhaps she'd given up on him, and that maybe she'd had him dig the hole as .... a resting place?
The thought immediately sent the young pup into chills. No adult among the Peke Na would dare be so cruel! Or - at least he hoped to the gods that there weren't any.
Looking up from his proud hole, the pup cowered as he took note of a figure deep in the shadows, his eye sight wasn't all that great in the evenings, and well, whatever the figure was looked super intimidating... Until it spoke. When it spoke, the pressure that had been building within his chest released and he knew he'd be safe, at least for now.
"I-I am Frozen heart." He commented half heartedly, "Thank you Lightfoot for coming to my rescue! I - I think i'm all right, but my paws are really tired from digging, and I can't see all that well at night either." The pups mood seemed disapproving. He so desperately wanted to be like his Father, the strong brave, heroic leader of his family. But deep down he knew his insecurities would never allow for it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:10 am
Smiling with relief she dipped her head and sniffed the pup's fur gently, glad she had found him and that he was safe. "It's alright." She replied softly in her warm, soft voice. "I am just glad I heard you." Tilting her head at his depressed expression she touched her muzzle to his shoulder, trying to reassure him despite not having a clue how to.
"Its a way to the pack from here... and you dug a really big hole." She sniffed the pup's efforts appreciatively. "I could take you on my back if you wish? Or we can walk together." She smiled gently. She may be a female, and a small one at that, but she was lean and fit, having been a rogue for as long as she could remember until only recently.... she could trot all through the night without rest and not get tired or sore. Carrying the pup the brief distance to the pack's dens wouldn't be too difficult on her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 4:23 pm
As the female bent down to nuzzle the pup's shoulder a warmth spread through him. Allowing him a brief moment of relaxation. But it was soon back again as soon as she mentioned their return trip. No, no, no he couldn't allow her to carry him back, he would be imposing far too much. Especially on a female! He had always been taught that female's were to be respected and treated with care - most definitely not used for pack mules!
Frozenheart began to shake his head fervently, and forced himself up to his feet with a bit of effort. "No, no I can walk! My paws may hurt but I have dealt with it before. I'm sure I could make it back with just your guidance!" He paused a moment, his ears dropping at his sudden realization. "That is, if you wouldn't so much mind helping me get back..." Putting on his most charming smile, he thumped his tail against his bag leg cheerfully. "Pretty please?" He nearly had to bite his tongue off not to add 'with sugar on top.' His sister absolutely loved to add that onto the end of her requests, and he'd always found it a bit ... odd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:43 am
Despite his insistence she was worried that he was young and had been out here awhile, but she also understood his need to not show any weakness, since she herself had learnt the hard way that weakness made others want to exploit you.
So instead she gave him a reassuring, if shy smile and dipped her head. "Of course. I am going back to the pack anyway, I would quite like the company." His 'pretty please' made her smile, as he must not have realised there was no way she was just going to leave him out here on his own after managing to locate him.
Turning so she faced the direction the pack lay in, she tipped her head, tail wagging slowly. "Shall we go then?" She asked with a gentle smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:21 pm
Hardly able to contain his relief, the young pup let out a yip of relief, allowing himself to a small puppy dance right at her feet. It was such a relief to find someone willing to help him for once, and with that relief came an understandable amount of excitement. "THANK YOU!" He barked, quickly pulling himself back to a more respectable pose. "I-I mean ... I can keep you company!" Smiling happily, he puffed his chest out bravely and stood tall.
Paying close attention to the female, he noticed her tail beginning to wag, and allowed his to wag slightly as well. He too dipped his head as she did, and softly tip toed to her side, ignoring the pain in his paws. "Yes! Let's go!" He said, smiling back up at her, the appreciation in his eyes quite noticeable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
