Merrill: Why would they kill each other over that?

Verse: Well mom becuase she thinks Songs are better then poems...which is clearly wrong

Merrill: Aren't songs simply poems put to music?

Verse: *stares at her aghast* Of course not! Poems are thoughtfully worded works of art...songs are just nutty things said to a beat

Merrill: *gives him a slightly amused look* Have you listened to a song closely, little one? Not all are simple ditties, just as not all poems are nonsense rhymes.

Verse: Well I've listened to HER songs..which I guess are okay and..somewhat..entertaining..but singing is jut a cheap trick t make up for lackluster wording *seems quite convinced of this*

Merrill: Cheap tricks? *brow raises* Where I was born and grew up, there was little else to do to pass the time between harsh winter storms than singing and trading stories, huddled in our mountain dens.

Verse: Well I didn't say they were bad, just that they weren't as good as poems. *paws shift slightly* But she did help me with a poem once...

Merrill: A matter of opinion, Verse. You can recall that I had much trouble understanding you little compositions at first, and I still seem to lose something in translation. *This was not said unknindly, but in the Merrill fashion of "motherliness".* So, you let the minstrel help you?

Verse: *blinked at Merrill* Well yes...but thats just because I'm not a /great/ poet yet. She helped me come up with a rhyme once..well she made a suggestion anyways

Merrill: Oh? May I hear what you have so far, or are you one of those individuals who won't allow anyone to hear anything less than a final product?

Verse : *shifts his paws sightly* well, I suppose you can hear it...I mean I was making it for you...*he admitted after a few moments thought and began to recite*

"When I was but a young pup,
scared and all alone,
When my world was lost
uncaring and unknown,
You came up form the shadows
a voice so strong and kind
You took me home
and all the fears were left...behind"

Thats all I have so far...

Merrill: *just blinks for a few seconds, surprised that she was the center of any poem of his and not sure what to say* Me? Well, this is . . . unexpected. *she breaks into a smile and nuzzles him* It seems like a fine poem so far, if you take non-artistic wolves' opinions seriously.

Verse: *beams at her* Of course your opinion matters! Your my mom and you've been a good mom you know...not all wolves would take in an abandoned pup like you did - I sorta thought you deserved at /least/ a poem

Merrill: *chuckles a bit* And you have not stopped babbling since. If I might redirect the conversation for a moment, I woudl like to know your plans for the future. You aren't that pup I saved anymore, and YMCA is not a binding pack.

Verse: *tipped his head slightly in thought* Well I hadn't really thought about it to be honest...I rather like living here though, I think I'd like to stay and help the pack somehow.

Merrill: *secretly relieved* Alright, then as a beta I need to start figuring out what you should be trained as. Every wolf here is a hunter, yes, but there are other jobs to be had. I know that Derecho has expressed interest in being an ambassador for instance. Have you any ideas?

Verse: *being rather unure of all the differant positions avalible to a young wolf considers for a few moments * Well..How about a guard? Could I do that?

Merrill: It is half what I think and half what you consider. Can you see yourself a protector for this pack, Verse? You must be ready to defend at all times, given the tension that is slowly building around us. Ours is a strangely fragile pack because of its loose beliefs about its members, and a defender must be a permanent member. You will nto go back on your word?

Verse: Well to my way of thinking...I've already los one home in my life, and one family - even if I don't remember exactly how - and I'm not keen to loose another. Like you say, this isn't a very strong pack when it comes to things lke that, Ki-adi probably can't fight and Mherrik would probably run away. Derecho and Aleu don't think much of Tempest or Raiden since they came back and they say
Chvosi even questions Mene's link to things since his return....I don't know about the others or even if they'll stay but it seems like being a guard is something that makes sense for me and something the pack might need

Merrill: Very well, then you will begin training as a guard. Your teacher can be anyone who is willing to give their time to your lesson, usually me or perhaps Chivosi even should she feel inclined. Normally another guard would do this, but we have no official one. You may of course look to any of the adult males, though Ovian is more on night vigil detail than a guardian. *The blank eyed male was
a strange one to be sure*

Verse : *nods slightly* I guess I'll try to talk to them all, maybe a few permanant guards is something I can talk to chivosi about building - I know i'm young...but she seems the sort to listen to ideas.

Merrill: She is. *nods* And speaking of, I need to speak with her children about their goals as well, Derecho excluded. Did Aleu mention to you anything of her plans per chance?

Verse : *blank look* Well no why would she do that? We don't like each other..remember? *He prompted her with a sense of urgency. They didn't like each other, really they didn't, and to add to that she scoffed slightly* "she probably wants to be pack entertainer or something...

Merrill: *For an adult, she was rather unaware of what his status was with the girl and merely blinked at his strange insistence* Is that so? Well, why don't you two like each other? You seem to get along just fine with Derecho.

Verse : *sighs in a manner that suggests great tolerence on his part* Because..we just don't, She's always doing strange things - one second she's nice and helpful and then the next she's fussing at me for something.

Merrill: You describe many adolescet girls with those words, including myself. Sometimes I fuss upon you, other times I dote, whether you realize it or not. *smiles a little*
Yet we get along just fine. What is it about the minstrel that riles you so?

Verse : *frowns at her* I don't know, i mean we really didn't like each other at first - she tried to fight me the firsttime we met! But lately...I don't know she's just been acting stranely around me and I keep thinking abou her and I don't know why. It's irritating!

Merrill: *settles on her haunches, tail close to her legs* Strangely how?

Verse : Nervous and stuttery..and today when she caught me making a poem she sota...stepped closer..did you know she has really pretty eyes? *gets a far away expression for a few moments before shaking her head* I mean..you know it was too close and she was distracting me so..i made an excuse and ran off. I think she yelled at me after that but I was too far away by then to hear what she said.

Merrill: Mmm. You might have hurt the girl's feelings, young one. Does she approach you often?'

Verse : Well...she never used to, she used to just make faces at me when no one was looking. But now she's hiding out in bushes and wanting to be chatty. It's confusing.

Merrill: Hiding in the bushes? *snorts softly* Ah, you might have gained an admirer, Verse. I thought poets were more intune with such things like romance?'

Verse: What? An admirer...no that can't be it, she was probably hiding there to ...pounce on me or something.*shifts his weight slightly* But ah..so what do I do if your right?

Merrill: It depends on how you feel in return. Certainly you will not spurn affections or else risk the horrible fate that is to be a woman's scorn; especially Aleutian's.

Verse: *thought about this for a few moments, he really did think she had pretty eyes..* Well...She's not disfigured or horribly ugly or anything..and she does a least like the arts - even f it is songs..

Merrill: *chuckles again* At the least you are honest in your opinions. Court her as you like, Verse, but be wary not to tread toes. She is the daughter of the alpha, and I will not stand for disrespect to her children. Though . . . *an amusing thought pops int her head* If I am their "aunt" and your "mother", is this not incestuous?

Verse: *blinks at her* ewww! now why'd you have to go and add that to my already muddled brain mom? *makes a face* But it dosen't count right..I mean your not /really/ thier Aunt.

Merrill: Indeed. Have you anything further to say? I feel a nap coming on. *yawns*

Verse: Er no..I don't think so, I think maybe I'll go and think about things some more.

Merrill: Careful not to think too hard. Some things in life are meant not to be thougth out. *nuzzles him again in passing before trotting off towards her den for a nice, long nap*