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 Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:02 pm
Equuleus was on the move. He wasn't entirely sure where to, but that bothered him not at all. He simply let his inner self guide his paws and he followed willingly. He had traveled quite a distance from where he has spent his life as a pup... he was far from his parents' den now. But that didn't trouble him either. In fact, he was quite content with how things were.
He kept his nose to the wind and his ears eagerly pricked. He had always loved learning about the world about him, and now he had an even bigger world to learn about. In fact, his wide-eyed regarding of the world often made him seem younger than his body showed. This was often balanced, for those who stopped to talk very long with him, by an unerring sense of the world. A staggering maturity lurked beneath the youthful exterior's outlook.
For now, though, all that was visible was the adventurous young pup out for a romp. He trotted along gaily, tail waving his happiness. Occasionally he'd dart to the side or flop and roll once before leaping back to his feet. Even though a teen, he still liked to pretend and play with the small things of the world... the plants, the insects, the shadows and light. He appeared neiher overly lean and hungry, nor well-fed and fat. He knew enough of hunting to keep himself satisfied and strong enough to proceed, but wasn't inclined to over-eat.
Overall, one couldn't help but smile to see him capering along in the golden sunshine, dancing and laughing and playing as he went.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:24 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:34 pm
Equus may have been feeling frolicky, but his mother had taught him his manners well. Upon hearing the other approach, and seeing it was a scarred and strong male, he immediately leaped back to his feet and brought his head respectfully low.
"Greetings, elder!" He waved his tail back and forth, though he kept it on a horizontal level. No sense in offending this one, whom he sensed carried power. This might even be an Alpha of a pack! A thrill of excitement ran up his spine, leaving a tingling trail.
This in fact brought to his attention that his normally very black coat was now a dusty color from his previous rollings and tumblings. He gave the older wolf a sheepish look and then promptly set to shaking the dirt free. This raised a goodly cloud of debris, and made Equus himself sneeze once explosively. He again raised a good-natured but sheepish gaze to the other male and again wagged his tail.
"Yes, I suppose it was rather unusual. A new perspective never hurts, though!" His tongue lolled out and his eyes shone with his enjoyment of the day and his exertions. His tail continued to wave as he smiled at the older wolf. "I am Equuleus. Have I come across packlands?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:50 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:02 pm
The young male's eyes danced even more at the elder's comment about his different perspective being interesting. "You'd be surprised what you can learn from looking at something in a totally alien way." He nearly bit his tongue at that point. He could sense a ramble coming on, and he had no intention of either boring or irritating this wolf with his soaring thoughts. Granted, sometimes they led somewhere, but he wasn't sure now was the time to extol the advantages of looking at things from the perspective of hiders or fliers or creepers. Instead, he wisely held his tongue and listened.
At the mention of packlands being nearby, he pricked his ears eagerly towards the east. His nose had been telling him he was near something strange, but he hadn't a clue what it was, or what could create such an unusual tang to the air. "Really? Is it a very big pack?" His ears swiveled then thoughtfully. A big pack could be either a good opportunity for companionship and shelter, even shared food! Or it could be defensive and angry at his intrustion, and have plenty of members to enforce their strict standards.
As if something had suddenly clicked on inside him, he realized he was in a rather delicate position. He was young and alone, and was facing what could possibly be, and probably was, the alpha of a nearby pack. His eyes refocused on the other male. A bit wide-eyed, he lowered his head a little further and his ears wilted some, losing their enthusiastic perkiness. "Your... lands?" He bent one paw and lowered his chest to the ground in a lupine bow. "I'm sorry if I have tresspassed, sire."
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:09 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:28 pm
The moment of sober consideration of his place in the world vanished as quickly as it had come, and once again the young wolf smiled at the grizzled leader. The aplha's relaxed reply had set him again at his ease, his instincts guiding him more subtley again than they had in that moment of understanding.
"You welcome tresspassers... well, if they are welcome I suppose they are simply passersby, rather than...," and here he stopped rather abruptly. He was about to ramble again! He clamped his mouth shut for a moment to recollect his thoughts. "If you welcome strangers, may I come visit for a time? I haven't yet met any others since I left my parents' den." His tail had come up in his eagerness and his tongue lolled out again. It was clear he looked forward to meeting new wolves and exploring further.
Then he paused and cocked his head. One ear flopped down endearingly, once again making him look more like a pup than the adolescent he actually was. "But sire... what is a coast?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:45 am
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:10 am
He wasn't sure if his request to visit this alpha's lands was accepted or not. Was he an honest wolf, or a passerby? Personally he thought both terms applied to him, but apparently one was exclusive to the other to the bigger wolf. He chose to simply wait and see what would happen concerning his presence.
His tail stilled as he listened attentively to the wolf's description of what the coast was. However, it didn't really answer his curiousity. His ears twitched uncertainly. He gave the older wolf an almost apologetic look. "The ocean, elder?" He turned his face then into the wind blowing from the ocean itself, though he did not know it.
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:30 am
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:45 am
Another thrill ran down Equus' spine. The ocean sounded highly mysterious! His curious nature made him want to go loping eagerly in the direction his companion indicated. Aware that this would be rather rude, he decisively planted his hind end on the ground. His tail, however, kept swinging back and forth, creating an arc of cleared space behind him.
"Pardon my inquiry, elder, but might I know your name?" He made himself focus on the other wolf rather than the lure of the faint sound and intriguing smells the wind brought him. He did hope the other wolf didn't consider him impudent for asking for his name, but he was beginning to feel quite friendly with him, despite the clear fact that the scarred wolf was an Alpha. His mind also began to drift with the thought of meeting others who were in this pack. What would they be like? His eyes sparkled at the idea of meeting others.
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:40 pm
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Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:42 pm
Equus cocked his brows at the elder. He certainly wasn't going to mention that he'd said his name already! He simply tucked one paw again, dipping only briefly this time in a sign of respect. "I am Equuleus, son of Atlas." He tagged on his father's name, in hopes that it soundded a bit more official and serious.
He'd begun to wiggle a bit, though. He'd been standing still for a good amount of time, being polite and patient. But he was bursting with explorative energy, and he was currently nearly drooling to get to the coast to see the ocean and to meet more of this alpah's pack. It was with effort that he again focused back on the black wolf. "I am honored to greet you, Phib."
In another startling flash of maturity, he suddenly stopped fidgeting. He still kept his head down as befitted one in the presence of an alpha, but he raised his eyes to meet Phib's. Very soberly he spoke, his tone formal and vaguely deeper than his previous playfulness. "Do I have your permission to come onto your lands and meet those of your pack, sire?" There was no sense of it being any less the same individual who had been wiggling eagerly before. It merely came across as a moment of clarity of thought. Still caught in this moment, Equus waited silently for the alpha's decree. Was he to be welcomed warmly, distrusted but allowed, or refused outright?
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:15 am
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Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:38 am
With a whoosh the exuberant puppy was back. Overjoyed at such a kindly welcome from someone who had met his father, he lunged forward to nuzzle the black wolf happily. His tail was a regular fury of movement, merely a blur in its speedy waving. "Thank you, elder!" He tagged that on the end because even in his puppyish affection, he didn't feel it was right to address this alpha he had just met by his name. It just felt... wrong!
After the loving nuzzle under Phib's chin, Equus spun away and began bounding in circles happily. "I want to go see the ocean!" he cried, yipping and yapping like a pup bent on joyful mischief. The alpha's cautioning of not making trouble didn't even phase him. It wasn't in the starry teen's nature to look for or cause real trouble.
He slowed himself down to a prancing stop and grinned at Phib, tongue lolling again, ears flopping. "Will you show me your favorite spot, elder?" His eyes smiled into Phib's while his paws beat an eager tattoo on the ground. He was so thrilled to be accepted and welcomed, he could hardly contain himself.
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