A New Home (Almost) (Attn: Mercury)

OOC: It is maybe on old post or thread, but i made it before it got deleted. Mercury had posted on it it, only was too busy with other things, that i waited patiently on when she got the time. In the period of waiting, the board died out. And is now slowing working on the reboot. So it can be seen as obsolete. The original location was in The Tall Pines Pack Forum Section.

IC:
Its been a while since the three packs had arrived at their final destination to settle down, far away from their previous home. The only thing that the Alpha’s still had to do was making that final call of which pack gets what area to live in, which they can call their new home.

Kotie had made for him and Ciriaco and undeep trench near a tree that has a good view to the makeshift dens of his and other packs. He had seen the Alpha’s taking strolls through the forest, and when the they were far away he went off with Ciriaco in the other direction of the forest, so that there is a very small chance of running into them and being called a stalker, for following them and that can give you an bad reputation.
In the Forest he did his own scouting plus teaching the pup some valuable things, like how to hunt on small prey if they came across it, observing bigger prey, where to look out for when scouting. All with all it was good practice for Ciriaco plus fun. By times Kotie had also captured a relative large prey to feed the whole pack, while Ciriaco was by the puppysitter.

So far the areas they have scouted out has plenty and different kind of food and also trees. Some spaces are more open then others, but sadly there are no caves around, meaning, when really settled down you need to make your own den.

This afternoon he wasn’t exploring, but playing with Ciriaco. Kotie threw a small but thick tree branch away from his mouth, while Ciriaco ran after it to retrieve it. The branch was found on one of the earlier explorations and taken home for playing and to chew on. It had all quite a few teeth marks on it from both wolves, for all on the edges of it.

Shifting Wind was still in a state of slight shock; the war and hellfire that followed had caused the death of her parents and the scattering of the pack that she had birthright to. She was aptly named; the prophet Whispering Oak had warned the Alphess-in-training before she went to the woods to seek out her new name that she would face hardship and that 'times were to change' under her reign. The yellow wolf stepped out of the woods with the name Shifting Wind, and things had not indeed been the same since.

After talks continued with the other leaders of each pack with each other, she slipped away to try and find some sort of solace. Lightly trotting through a wooded area past the dens of other wolves, she ran into her cousin Falling Snow as he was waking from a nap against a fallen tree.

"Ease up," he barked, the white wolf standing and shaking the dirt from his fur, "Where are you going?"

"For a jog," she quickly replied, stopping square and holding tail high, "It is really none of your business what I do, Snowy."

The male curled his lips back; he was no longer the sweet pup his parents would recognize, but instead a young adult who would not back down from a challenge. Whispering Oak, after all, had told him that the wolves in this pack would call him their leader in time, anyways. It better mean, for now and to him, that he would receive respect from his Alphess.

"Use my full name as I use yours, Shifting Wind," he growled, "Maybe it is better that you do go for a jog. It will cool your head."

By the time he had finished his statement, the yellow shewolf was gone. Her trot turned to a run when she heard something being tossed and dropped in the leaf litter closeby. Perhaps it was prey... but, the smell of it didn't indicate that. Instead, all that filled her nostrils was the stink of wolves.

Wolves that she did not recognize.

"Who goes there?" she snapped, "Show yourselves!"

Ciriaco charged after the stick as fast as his paws could carry him. He was just a little bit too slow to catch it in mid air. Say it not being ready in the distance to charge it. On the moment the pup had found the stick happy waging his tail and was ready to bring it back to his adopted dad, Kotie.

When the male suddenly heard a snappy voice from the Alpha. His happy tail wag stopped as the voice sounded not all too friendly. Ciriaco’s ears rose up and twitched to where that voice came from. Pounded on what to do with a front right leg held up. He could just got to Kotie and ignore it, or doing what is being asked. If it was any other wolf the pup could have ignored it but this is the Alpha, afteral who spoke, so he obeyed to it.

His ears dropped and started to trot towards where the voice came from, he took a direct route through a bush what was blocking the view in the first place. A black nose with a gray white muzzle popped out of the bush, which struggled to get free as the stick he held still in his mouth was stuck behind a leaf branch. With some struggle it got free and the rest of the wolf pup came visible. Grayish with white underside.

There Ciriaco dropped the stick in front of him, not to Shifting Wind, as if asking to play, or to show what he had caught. It was more of showing respect to her and made a slight bow towards her.

Kotie had heard also the snapping and demanding voice of a she wolf, and it sounded like that of the Alpha Shifting Wind. Who he had met a couple days, ago or was it already a week or so ago? He didn’t keep track of time, just taking it a day at a time.

The male gray wolf took a sprint to where the sound came from and just saw the tail tip of Ciriaco disappearing in the bush to acknowledge the summing. Self he took a bit of detour around the bush. When almost there he spotted the yellow Alpha, lowering his tail to the ground, his ears folding back, or hanging low, to show her the respect she needs to get. He saw on the look of her that something was bothering her. Only what that is, no idea.

Kotie was wondering if he should ask about it, but decided not to, out of respect, besides it was not something of his business, being the lowest ranked wolf in the pack, after all.

“It’s just us,” The older male wolf spoke kindly. Explaining also what they were doing “Kotie and Ciriaco. Ma’am. We were just playing fetch.”

The faces that appeared to her from behind the bushes stopped her dead in her tracks; the young Alphess could not deny how much of a fool she was making of herself. She thought she was chasing intruders away, but instead it was just her own pack members, new enough for her not to recognize them upon first sniff. Chasing ghosts was what she was doing; perhaps her recent behavior was why her pack was separating...

"Kotie, Ciriaco..." she said breathily, tired from the running and stress, "... my apologies if I had scared you. I mistook you for intruders..."

It was a comfort to her, however, that her pack was playing and being relaxed; she was not selfish enough to feel jealous of them and thanked that God of Mirth (whoever that was at the time) for allowing them peace. It meant that soon enough she took would have rest.

She sat down near them, her relaxing a little bit.

"Fetch, huh? I haven't played that since I was a pup. Do tell me, how are you two faring?"

The two wolves nodded their head as Alphess addressed them. Kotie clearly noticed in the voice of her, that she was going to a rough time. For all for having lost half of the pack members, not necessarily that they are dead, but just gone missing. A few of those members are the parents and siblings of Ciriaco. When he had the time, he searched for them, but incorporated that in an exploring or hunt mission, so that it would not look suspicious.

“It is okay.. Shifting Winds” Kotie replied to her calmly. Reassuring her that there was no harm done and still being submissive to her, but slowly changed to a more of neutral stance. “You didn’t scared us, sooner startled us.”

On the moment she sat down, it was a sign for him that he could do it well and followed soon after that. Also a way of showing the respect to the leader or a higher ranking wolf then himself.

Ciriaco looked at the Alpha, wagging his tail slowly but cheerfully, after that she had apologized from her mistake. He then looked at his adopted father, then to the stick, making a sort of whine noise and moved the stick with his nose towards Kotie. Saying that he wanted to play further, he heard also what the Alpha all said.

As Kotie heard the whining or sooner a begging sound of the pup, he looked to him, seeing what he wanted, excused himself to the Alpha for a moment, took the stick from the ground with his mouth and with a gentle head and neck movement he threw the stick in a random direction but out of harm’s way of the Leader.

The pup dashed away, after the stick to collect it.

Kotie nodded “Yes, ma’am” to acknowledge what they were playing and that she had it heard right. So to hear she missed it and he was about to ask her to join in, if they continued. Only remembering it would be odd, that an Alpha would play with the lowest ranked wolf and a pup.

For that of the question asked, he looked briefly to the direction of where he had thrown the stick to. Only to see that Ciriaco had found the stick and was on his return run with it. Tail happily wagging and ears up.

Then looked back to the leader. “Ciriaco is doing alright. Getting used to me, to be his adopted father. And as you see he has a good time.” Kotie told her in his friendly voice .“And I Try to fit into the pack, helping out where I can, getting used to my rank and teaching the little guy.”

“How, about you, Shifting Winds? As you have changed from when I first met you.” He asked her with some care in his voice. Even he had figured out on his own, That it wasn’t going really great with her, in the sense of leading. All he could do was trying to offer her his support and a listening ear.

It may sound strange, but he liked to help others, with whatever problem they have, regardless rank.

Ciriaco came back and dropped the stick in front of Kotie. Letting out a pup bark, for ‘again’ as he lowered his front half and rear and high up. So Kotie repeated the process, between the conversation.

Shifting Winds continued to relax; a parental-type setting did wonders for her nerves. The scene reminded her of when her parents and siblings would be together. They were relaxed, carefree; the only things that existed were each other and the kinships they shared. As a pup, she did not have to worry about leadership, disgruntled cousins, and digging up the charred remains of dead packmates and family. These weights bared heavy on her back now, but perhaps in observing others she could find peace; it was working so far.

"He looks very healthy and happy," she remarked, looking to the pup chasing wildly after the thrown stick, "A testament to the excellent care he is receiving, especially coming out of that fire." This was meant to be a compliment to the older wolf; he had done a cracker-jack job in watching over the young pup, despite being male and not a blood relative.

"You are just as a born member of the pack, despite my confusing you for an intruder," she continued, "I do hope you are settling in; that blaze destroyed most semblance of pack life for us. If there is anything I can do, do not hesitate to ask."

Seeing that the leader was calming down, and that just two playing wolves, who have a sort of father and son relationship, while he isn’t even the father of the pup, only saved him, did wonders to her. Even she didn’t answered to his question on how she is doing, her body language was enough for him to know that she was easing off. So at least this was helping and pleased him, that he could help her in some way.

“Yes indeed,” the gray wolf answered with a nod to how Ciriaco is handling it. As she mentioned the fire, it recalls him that he didn’t even had told anyone yet what he does with that pup, as he isn’t even the father of him. He decided to ask her if she wanted to hear that story. So she could form a better picture of him. “I’m doing the best I can for him. As I was instructed from his mother, before I lost sight of her in the sea of wolves. I shall raise him up as it was one of my own, even he misses by times his real family. I can understand that and live with him, for his feelings. You want to hear that story?” Kotie told her, why he was taking care of the pup.

It was true what the gray wolf said, throwing again away the stick the pup was waiting for to be fetched. Even it was just a play it was also some condition training for the pup and having his mind setting on that, rather than to wonder where his parents, brothers and sisters are. Where even Kotie had no real answer on, only to keep faith that they are still alive somewhere and told that to him when he asked for it.

For that of mistaking him to be an intruder, he had a few possibilities on how that came. Not having the time to settle down, but still running around and organizing things for the pack, while the others are healing their wounds. It seemed that she placed too much on her to do list, then could take care off.

“Thank you. I will, and I think it shall happen when we all have a new home land and life returns to normal.” How well, normal it shall never be for a while, as they lost their previous home and left behind old friends. That takes allot of time to get over.

“I shall and will do that, if I don’t come out of it. The same is for you, sit with something and don’t know to who to turn or talk to. I am there.” Kotie said to her, offering his help to her. “Oh for that of the mistake, perhaps that it comes from that I haven’t yet my totem?” He questioned her.

As he would have gotten that on the next day after the medical check, from when she found him with the pup, only never came to that. Even he could have gotten to her to ask about it, but didn’t found it really important, as other matters where more urgent then that.

Add-on
On the next return of Ciriaco with the stick, dropping in front of his adopted father, for wanting another round. On that moment Kotie made a bold move and moved the stick with his left front paw towards Shifting Winds, to see if she wanted to have a go with it.

After all what is more fun than only watching it, if you got an opportunity to join in?

"You do not have your totem yet?" Shifting Winds asked; well, it was pretty obvious he did not have his totem. Kotie did not have that characteristic item tied in cord and sinew around his neck like she or her cousin did. He may have smelled like a Tall Pines member, but to everyone else he was no more than an adolescent who had not gone out to dream their name and find the God with their totem.

"We have a problem with that, however," she continued, "The normal procedure that we would follow for you to get your totem would be to send you off to go into the forest to the West to find the respective God that has your totem. This depends on your desired rank; for example, mine is the tip of a ram's horn after I encountered One-Who-Smashes-Boulders on a high cliff near Black Mountain. I had to fight him, sending him running off that cliff and at the bottom only leaving a tip of his horn intact. Being a God, he did not actually fall, of course, but left his horn as a sign of my capabilities of being an Alpha."

"If you were to be a Pupsitter, you would have to seek out One-Who-Digs-Through-Hills, a female rabbit with a whorl of spiraled hair on her back. She will ask you not to harm her, but instead carry her to a small quarry. There, you must seek out a particular piece of flint out of many there and give it to her to be blessed. It teaches patience and gentleness, I believe."

"If you were to be a Healer, you would go and find One-Who-Shakes-The-Ground, a white buffalo who resides on the Yellow Plains. He will chase you away from a hill that grows a highly potent medicinal grass that is blueis. You must find a way around him."

"Both the Hunter and Soldier positions require you to fight a God; either a whitetail deer or a brown bear. Scouts must travel to the top of Black Mountain and chase an eagle across the ridges of the rocks to its nest to find a black rock. Storytellers outwit an owl to have it shed some of its feathers..."

"So, which do you pick?" She noticed that the pup dropped the stick and that Kotie edged it towards her. She stared the male wolf down; as soon as he answered, she would play.

The male wolf nodded his head on the question. His ears perked up on the moment Shifting Winds announced that here is a problem with that. This was a queue for him to pay close attention, and stopped the playing with the pup. Looking at her with his blue eyes.

Hearing that the totem reassembles the rank or position you are going to fulfill in the pack. This got him to thinking, as he had not really stood still on it, for what he wants. In his home pack, he was nominated to be a soldier, but he had to refuse that, as it would be an active role and not in defense. That is something against his own believes and principles, therefor he did not followed that training and in result had to leave the pack.

As she mentioned her totem of a ram’s horn, he briefly looked at it, then looked back at her, as she continued on how she got it. Followed by describing the other available ranks, their totem and what the target is for obtaining it.

As the Alphess finishes with all the options and asking him which one it shall be. He can’t directly answer it and needs to think it over. The wolf looked down to the stick and remained silent for a few minutes, breathing slowly as he walked over the options she just told him. It seemed obvious, so to hear, that a Pupsitter is one of the easiest tasks and that others require more skill and effort to obtain. But that would be nothing for him, but if the situation asks for it he can be one. The same applies to all the other positions. There was only one rank that stood out from the others, and more to his principles… that of helping others.

After a minute or two he looked up to the Alphess “My apologies for the waiting, Shifting Winds.” Kotie said, breaking the silence “I had to think it over as I had not stood still on it. Now I have, I would like to become a Healer, but not only for that function alone, I would like to keep myself also available for other functions also. For when it is needed. If that is okay for you.”

With that said the gray wolf let out sigh of relief, for having that said and finally made a decision of what he wants to do with his life. Including that he would like to do other jobs also and not being bound to only one.

“To come back to your story of the Pupsitter, I believe you are right on the teaching. For all on the patience part, as that is about finding the right flint out of the many. I can image the frustration of returning with the wrong one every time.”

Remembering that she had mentioned that there is also problem with getting said totem, he wanted to know what it is. “You also mentioned that there is a problem with attaining the totem. What is that problem? If I may ask.”

The only thing Kotie could think of is that of the location. As the places she mentioned are far from here, unless all the Gods are in the forest due West. Until he just realized that it also could be… that of the training! Of course that’s it! Even he has the basis knowledge of it, but to fully perform that job he needs to be schooled up. That is one thing for sure.

“It’s the training, right?” Giving self answer to the problem, before she could say it.

"Besides the training," Shifting Winds replied through a sigh, "Since MuddyPaws, our healer, tragically passed from inhaling smoke during the fire... I and Falling Snow know of healing from word of mouth and training with her before the war began in case we needed to heal ourselves."

"The sacred forest where you would dream your new name and encounter the Gods has been destroyed in the flames," she continued, "This has made the Gods angry and homeless. To seek them out without the presence of the Storyteller would be asking for death, even from the most gentle of them. You may be safer, since One-Who-Shakes-The-Ground resided in the plains and not the woods, but I would still advise you go with someone who can ease the God if they are angered."

"But, you cannot dream a new name anymore. The woods blessed by the Gods is now gone. I can say I am pleased with you decision to be a Healer and approve of your choice to remain open to duties. We need as many wolves with that enthusiasm as we can get."

"If you are open to charging headlong into the realm of a raging God, I will approve and schedule you an Falling Snow to seek Him out."

Upon hearing that the training is not the only problem. Kotie hung his ears low, not because of the problem, but about the loss of a pack-member. Nodding his head, yes it was indeed a tragic, for all that it came so suddenly as he had not noticed that she was that sick . “She was a very kind wolf and will be missed..” Kotie said softly “Even I have only known her for a short time. Self I have had only a basic training in healing as a pup, so I know how to deal with minor injuries.”

Now hearing the real problem and what he thought was half correct, that of the location. Which is now destroyed. Lucky that they escaped it too. Only that anger part he didn’t really get. Why would the Gods be angry on them, as they couldn’t have started the fire, right? Besides, they are not the only ones who lost their homes, so do all three of the wolf packs. So everyone is now on square one for finding and building a new home.

On how Shifting Wings it said, it seemed that the situation with the Gods is now more difficult for a lone wolf to do, even it is the job of the one wolf in question to do it on his or her own.

Again the male nodded in understanding that going alone could be suicidal, for this time. That is till the Gods are calmed down. That of the dreaming part, Kotie was somehow glad that, that couldn’t be done. As he did not wanted to change his name and was attached to the one he currently has. Even if it is a tradition, for all to those that gone through all of that. Perhaps that it could be done on a later time? So that he could still be part on that of the tradition, even when he has then already the totem of the healer?

Smiling happily and wagging his tail that she is pleased with his chosen job and with the idea to be open for other tasks, but for all that she approved it! The Alphess could had easily denied it, although the help of one wolf that is willingly to do other jobs also is very welcome. Only I am afraid it is hard to find such wolves like himself.

“I am open for it, Shifting Winds.” Kotie answered calmly. He didn’t really liked the thought to face a very angry God, which could kill him in a few blows, or in one well aimed hit, while he had nothing to do with the fire. Only would the Gods believe him, if he told that?

“Hmm… Is it also possible to offer the Gods a new home here, after we have gotten our own home land? So that the Gods can forgive us?”

"The Gods will find solace in due time," she replied, assuring herself as much as the wolf before her, "Once they begin to see that we have found a new place to den and hunt and live our lives, they will follow. As much as we worship them and rely on their power to continue to thrive, they need us just as much. They feed off our devotion; it is the way that they can be seen on this Plain. Our spirits become their protectors once we pass on. In return, they protect us. I can assure you that once you meet with the God himself and prove yourself worthy, he will make sure that harm cannot come upon you in this life or the next." To believe that fully was more difficult for the Alphess than before; so many of her pack had perished in the Great Fire and through war and injury that she had begun to wonder whether the Gods had actually abandoned them as Falling Snow prophecized. Their pack, after all, had its fair share of hardships.

Well, considering that some of the members had lived, there had to be something to it.

"It is settled then; when you decide to go, you will return to me with the blue grass. I will then, with the help of Falling Snow, make your membership official." Her eyes darted to the stick that the young pup had set down and Kotie nudged towards her. The conversation had turned much too serious for the young she wolf. She had quite enough of all of this talk of death, loss, and new territories.

With her back legs springing up to have her standing, she lunged towards the stick and grabbed it in her jaws. She gave a wild eye to Kotie, a look of a young pup. A look that she thought she had lost once assuming leadership of the Pack.

"Come and get it," she barked through her teeth.

How the leader spoke over the Gods, in a calming tone, for giving them the time to settle down, like what the pack has to do also, rather than asking for it, works also. For all that you don’t want to rush the Gods into things, which can lead to more problems than solving them. The male nodded for accepting her idea as he not seen it that way. Kotie closed his eyes briefly to visualize the concept, where she talked about.

He opened then on the words of ‘I can assure you.. ‘ All of this is a bit hard for him to understand, while it sounds just so simple and easy, as it is balanced out. The Gods needs them to be visible for them in this world, and in return they get the protection of the Gods. Anyhow, he shall find that out soon, when he starts his mission.

In the meantime Ciriaco had gotten impatient of waiting and listening to the two talking adults, then that there was being played with him. He let out a few barks to draw attention, to let them know that he is there also, which seemed to have worked.

Kotie saw suddenly a change in her character, as she jumped up and almost flew at the stick, like it was begging to be grabbed. He saw the look, like the pup inside of her surfaced and took control of her. Kotie got up, smiling very happily, waging his tail in the process as he is ready to play also.

If Ciriaco wasn’t there to accept the challenge of the yellow she wolf for the stick, Kotie would have done it. The pup charged with fold back ears the wolf with the stick, tending to grab it, unless she decided to toss it away in the last second and needed to set chase after it.

While under the play noises Kotie gave one last reply to the Alphess “I would like to go as soon as possible, Shifting Winds.” answered an eager wolf. Even it is just to get over with it and be finally an official member to the pack. “When I go, would you like to watch over him? “ and moved his head to the pup. “It would only take a few hours at most, I think and you, Shifting Winds, could use that.”

He wasn’t sure if she would accept it, to be a Pupsitter for the time while he is fetching his totem. But if he is going to be packs doctor, he would be responsible for everyone’s health and perhaps the morale of the pack. Only right now it is play time!

Shifting Winds turned back and listened to Kotie's request for her to watch his young ward while he and Falling Snow were attempting to battle the bison on the plains. Normally, she would have outright denied this request. It was simply not in her job description unless she had offspring of her own to be responsible for. Other puppies were to be taken care of by their parents or an adequate pupsitter and guardian if the parents were unavailable. Those were the rules.

But, she was feeling in a better mood since talking with Kotie. Perhaps it was right that he was going to be a healer; he had a way with words and just being calming that could put any uneasy heart into a state of well-being. If it could work for her... imagine what it could do to the war-ravaged pack? Best not to, then, stop him from his mission by leaving the pup alone.

"I will watch him," she said through her teeth as she tossed the stick so the pup would chase and catch it, "It is only the least I can do for you saving him and offering to become a healer in such desperate times. You may go when you are ready; Falling Snow is up the path."

That request to the Alphess to look over the pup, was perhaps daunting, as any other wolf would kept it out of his or her right mind, to ask such thing to a leader or high ranking wolf. This wolf had familiarized himself with the pack customs and he has no problem with, if she refused it, as he could understand it. Only it meant well then, that he had to bother the pupsitter with it. Something which he would rather avoid if possible, as it can be for Ciriaco getting dull for being dropped there every time, when Kotie has to do something for the pack, where Ciriaco could only slow him down or fail in a hunt, or worse…. So he did it only if it was really necessarily.

Besides all that, in meant then also for the pup that play time was over. Kotie had seen and heard in her voice that Shifting Winds could really use a day off, or at least a couple of hours from work. And how could you fill in that time any better, then playing with your or someone else’s pups, as they have no worries and can cheer you up?

Just on that moment, that the young male pup was with his mouth in reach of the stick to grab it, turned the Alphess away from him! So he caught only air and no stick, as she looked and listened to his adopted father, probably answering his request too. Ciriaco waited eagerly till the stick gets tossed away, and on the moment it did he was gone in the same direction. On the moment the stick came lower, Ciriaco jumped towards it and grabbed it in his mouth. Returning happily on a trot.

The gray male wolf’s ears perked up, his tail wag stopped and was surprised to hear that she would do it, as he didn’t expected to hear that from the Alpha! Seeing the stick flying away from her mouth, with Ciriaco in hot pursuit of it. Kotie was glad to see, that the young one didn’t bother who the stick threw, so long it is someone who it does!
He turned his head to look at her as she continued, as he was watching the pup chase the stick. Nodding in understanding that this was a special occasion and that he joined the pack at the right time. The leadster didn’t had to say that again, for that he may go when he is ready as he is that, only not where he could find Falling Snow.

“Thank you very much Shifting Winds, “ Kotie said kindly, then made a bow to her. As he rose he saw that the pup came back with the stick, placing it down before the leader, wagging his tail as he waited for a new round. On that moment continued Kotie, turning first to the pup, “Ciriaco, I need to go for a few hours and Shifting Winds is looking after you in that time.” He pointed with his head as he said the Alphess name.
Speaking to both of them. “I wish you two a fun and enjoyable time. See ya all over a couple of hours.”

With that said he left in a hurry in the direction Shifting Winds mentioned, to look for the Storyteller with a white coat, if he had it correct. Long searching for the said wolf was not really needed as he soon caught Falling Snow’s scent. His run changed to a slow trot on the moment he got closer and had him view. Coming to a halt, he let out a greeting bark to the white wolf , followed by “Falling Snow?”

((OOC: If it is okay with you Merc, we can place Shifting Winds and Ciriaco to the background. Till Kotie returns from the mission.))