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Thayne lifted his nose to the sky, sniffing the atmosphere. It smelled heavy and wet -- like rain or snow or ice. Coming close and fast.

He turned his attention to Loki. "Loki, I think we ought t' get inside. Shelter'd be nice 'bout now, 'specially wi' th' storm comin'. We can eat in there, aye?" With no further comment, he gently picked up Winter by the scruff of the neck and carried her to the den entrance. He was fully expecting the rest of them to come along. The storm would probably hit soon enough. Might as well get the pups inside and some extra meat saved up. Maybe they could find a deer to keep for a while...

[[ Moving along, friends. ]]

[[ EDIT: CLAIM! xd ]]

RP.with.Tatiana.

Finally. There he was...

Coming over the small makeshift horizon, Hige paused as he caught a second wolf's scent with Balan. Young, and female. Another pup...?

He gave a soft wuff to let them know he was approaching, and did so slowly, eyeing the leopard spotted pup with curious, warm eyes. (Hige has a thing for strange markings. XD *lol*) "And you might be?" He quipped, slowling to a stop next to the sand and earth colored wolf. He held his head a bit high, but let his tail sway to and fro a bit so as not to alarm the 'kid'.

Tat was enjoying her rabbit happily and barely registered the sound of another wolf approaching but once her eyes fell upon the warm toned wolf she slowly backed away from her rabbit unsure of what he wanted. Barely glancing at Balan, Tat lowered herself into the snowy ground once more, her body making an imprint in the cold whiteness. As he spoke she didn't raise her eyes, afraid this wolf would act like many of the others she had run across in her past should she stray from her show of subbordinance. "I am Tatiana." Her voice was soft and gentle yet held a small quiver that caused her to wince internally.

His ears twitched, picking up on the fear in her voice and somehow feeling responsible and guilty for it. He wasn't one that liked to see pups in discomfort, physical or emotional. For a minute Hige felt humbled. He had only had to observe Devvyl and Selia taking in uncertain pups before, including himself... He had yet to be on the other end of the stick before...

He almost shot a look to Balan, but refrained, instead lowering his head to get a better look at her, as if he couldn't see her from where he stood.

"You'll get cold lying like that. You're a friend of Balan's...?"

~It doesn't seem like she has a pack,~ Hige thought, noting the lack of any stronger scents on the young one. He went on in an easy tone, trying to soothe the distress she felt with a more friendly voice.

"My name's Hige, are you out here alone?"

Ears that had been laced upon her head perked up slightly as the voice drifted in the air around her. Carefully and slowly she rose from her crouched position in the snow, tail still firmly tucked between her hind legs. A friend... was she a friend of Balan's? She had only just met him. "Um, I am not sure. We just met." As the words left her she turned her head to look at Balan. She hoped they were friends. He was very nice, he was the one who had given her the hare after all.

As the voice of the stranger wolf broke through her thoughts she turned her attention back to him. His voice seemed warmer and more inviting... or was it only her imagination? Oh well, did it truly matter? Hige... Tat liked that name she decided.

Alone? "Yes." She's been alone for such a long time and her emaciated body proved it, but that hare had done wonders to lift her spirit. If only mother was around to help her.

Hige had finally taken that moment, as well, to look at Balan, meeting the other wolf's eye. He could tell just by that expression that Balan had already taken to Tatiana. Hige trusted Balan's judgement, and Tat was left in a tough spot. He wondered briefly... why was it that so many abandoned pups wandered into these woods?

((he doesn't know about the hunters,))

"Well then, if he hasn't already asked: Would you like to stay with us? There's a storm that'll be upon us soon, we have shelter just over the ridge." He looked that way, then back to Tatiana.

She looked hopeful. "Balan asked me as well. I didn't realize you were of the same pack." She moved a bit closer the Hige and took in his scent and could easily smell Balan among many others around the Alpha. Her tiny tail lifted from it's wedged position to begin a small motion behind her. "Are there others my age in your pack?" She was hopeful. Maybe she ould have a playmate. After loosing her mother then being seperated from her two remaining sisters she had not seen another friendly wolf since Balan and Hige. To have someone with her that she could trust would fill the empty void in her. The life of a loner certainly didn't suit her. She had decided this quite a long time ago.

"Yeah, my mate and I are leading this pack further South to the warmer lands." Hige's muzzle formed a bit of a grin, relaxing. That was much better, seeing her tail showing signs of life instead of staying hidden beneath her. He never wanted any young ones to have to be afraid like he and so many others he had come to know did. He found that priority added to the growing list. A place where Shilah, Kaya, Winter, and Tatiana could all have normal puphoods.

He lowered his head a bit to familiarize himself with her as well, sniffing at the top of her head quietly.

"Three, though one walks on two legs. They're all pups about your age."

Tatiana didn't shy away as Hige moved his head closer to her, in fact it only managed to increase the constant back and forth motion of her rear appendage. As the other pups were brought up the movement grew stronger if it was at all possible. "Yea! Playmate!" She said happily but stopped her joyous words at the mention of one on two legs. "Two?? How does he walk on two?" Her head cocked to the side slightlyquite curious about this new discovery.

Hige chuckled a bit, then gave Balan a secret grin, managing a wink. "You'll see. It's pretty cool, actually. She only has fur on the top of her head, sounds weird, right?"

This made four pups to provide for. They had wanted to start the pack small, Hige had thought seven members was big enough to start, then to gain three more before they even got on the actual journey?

"Finish eating, there's more food back with the others."

Fur only on her head? How strange. Was this pup subjected to some horrible torture? Probably those horrible creatures mother called humans. She'd never forget what they looked like with their hairless bodies that were covered in the furs of other cratures and loud booming sticks that had caused her mothers death. The memory caused her to shudder but she did as Hige suggested and turned back to the hare which was just about devoured.

Resuming her original spot in the snow she continued to pick her way through the carcass, her tummy happily accepting the red meat that was being sent its way. Tearing apart the light hued fur of the creature she reached the last bit of flesh that still clung to the bones and uncerimoniously tore it off, eagerly munching on it till there was nothing left.

With a maw marred crimson she looked up at Hige and Balan ready to go join her new pack, and new life that awaited her.

He didn't want to alarm her, but he did take the liberty of licking her muzzle clean after a moment before straightening and placing a lick to her forehead. "Well, come on Tatti, the pack is waiting." He grinned, turning and waiting to lead both back.

Winter quietly sat at the edge of the cave where Thayne had set her, close to Shilah, though she said nothing to the cub. Instead, she gazed out at the terrain from the small entrance, leathery nose twitching lightly in responce to the wind. She'd heard talk about a storm.. apparently a large one. Ugh.. how she hated snow. Far to easy to get lost in..

With an inward side, the female hoisted herself to all fours, immediatly giving a brief shake to her wintery white coat before turning, tail swaying with amusement to and fro. A loose grin hung across her maw while she began padding back towards Loki, who had walked into the small area of shelter not to long ago herself. Silently she tred towards the adult, pace slowing as she neared. "Uhm.. hi..?" she spoke, a brow arching as her head tilted. However before any responce, she'd moved beside Loki, curling up into a small ball next to her, hoping she didn't mind.

The short walk to the cave was the most joyous trip Tatti had ever remember having in quite a long time. She pranced through the snow, trying to land in Hige's paw prints as she followed closely behind him. On several account she almost ran into the older wolf's hind leg but managed to skid to a stop to avoid the impact. She wasn't to sure how much the Alpha would enjoy a head but from her.

Upon reaching the cave the many scents of other wolves filled Tatti's senses but there was one that was ost disturbing. It didn't smell like any wolf she had ever come into contact with, but it did register in her mind as a scent she had come across before...but where? She turned to ask Hige but found him speaking to another wolf of the pack. Turning her head to the side slightly she moved beside Hige and eventually under him to peek out from behind his right front leg to watch the new wolf as they exchanged words. Eventually she grew tired of watching the two and turned her gaze to the other members of the pack that were sheltered within the rocky crevice, but had little time to dwell on them as Hige turned and spoke to her.

Following the Alpha into the cave she looked around, now able to seach wolf better. These were going to be her pack members. That thought alone filed her tiny, emaciated body with warmth and a thrill for a wonderful future to come.

Tatti followed Hige closely, feeling quite safe with him so near just like she was after getting to know Balan. It was a wonderful feeling, safety, something she hadn't felt for quite awhile.

Upon reaching the back of the cavern Tatti's eyes fell upon the white pup and her rear appendage quickly went into action as she yipped playfully to the white pup but stopped as Hige pointed out Loki. Her tail lessened it's activity but didn't stop, instead it moved side to side gently in a curious manner as Tatti looked up at Loki as if examining her, but let little time pass before she leapt out form under Hige to stand in front of the Alpha to look up at Loki more properly.

"Hello!" She spoke jovially. "It's nice to meet you, Hige and Balan are very nice. You're lucky to have Hige as your mate." She spoke as any child would, not really taking heed in her own words nor bothering to contemplate what was spilling forth.

Loki was deep in thought, but snapped out of it when the smallish white pup approached. She was cute, so incredibly cute. Loki's ears swivvled atop her head. "Hello little one." her face bore a look of surprise as the pup snuggled beside her suddenly, and waves of emotion and memories came flooding back to the night in Faenaro's cave, snuggled up with her Gaara. If wolves could cry real tears, she probably would have, it had only been one moon, but she missed him again already. She licked the top of the pups head in acceptance.

She travelled back into her mind, thinking about past events and mulling over them, when she smelled Hige at the entrance. She looked up as he came near, noting he had another pup with him. Wow, they were coming out of nowhere. "Hello Tatiana, what a pretty name." She smiled warmly at the new strangely colored pup as Hige introduced them, grinning wider as the pup spoke to her.

((XD you people and your AIM RP'ing, causing timewarps in the main pack thread razz ))

Loki took the time the males were out hunting to catch a quick nap. She wanted to be awake during the storm, just in case. She saw great things as she slept, running along the edge of the big water with Hige and their own pups, hunting with Thayne and the others by moonlight, finally meeting Tai.. Hige's two legger.

The sound of Hige and the others returning caused Loki to awake quite suddenly. She yawned, and carefully got up, as to not wake Winter if she had fallen asleep also. She stretched and shook herself before trotting to the mouth of the cave to give Hige a welcome nuzzle. She called to the pups to come eat, and sat beside her mate.

Hige gave a soft rumble in reply, licking at Loki's muzzle as the pack started to settle in, Thayne and Balan at least.

He gave a playful n** at her ear, and looked to the sleeping forms in their sheltered crevice.

"You should go ahead and eat something, Loki, we haven't stopped for food since the river." He said just to her, remembering the meal they stopped to have on the way to get Shilah, Kaya, and Hinto.

It felt good to be spending this time together, even if it was with a lot more wolves than they originally planned, that was more than okay. It meant a new life, leading their own pack now.

He padded over to Tatiana and Winter, nosing each pup on her muzzle and licking at their foreheads once or twice. "Hey squirts, wake up,"