Yesterday had been surreal. After his meeting with Nayru and their agreement, as well as his reunion with Saluce, the young male had exited the earthen den that would be his home for a little while to track down Hermes and remove the various items that had been strapped to the stallion. Including the little package holding a precious egg inside that Saul was yet to discover whether it was viable or not. He had no idea what was inside the egg, if anything at all, but he would keep it warm none the less and see what happened. He'd exited the den and in just moments, another's voice had called for him and Saul had turned to see an old friend coming towards him. Jace had given birth a while ago and her pups would be up and about by now, which made the young male happy.


His conversation with Jace had been a peaceful one, although he'd learnt that Wretch had left. Sadness weighed heavy on his mind- it was as he'd thought. He'd left to try and bring his family home, and the family he'd left behind had slowly begun to fall apart. He'd tried to tell himself, over and over again, that it wasn't his fault and there was also nothing he could do about it. He was finding it hard to relinquish the control, or perceived control over his family. It would have been nice to speak to Wretch before she'd gone, but he had no idea if he'd even want to speak to him again after he'd left her here alone.


A soft sigh echoed his lips as he thought back to the previous night. He'd finished his conversation with Jace before tracking Hermes' down- he returned the stallion to the ranch before removing the various items he'd strapped to the horse. He'd carried it back towards Saluce's den, entering in his lupus form as he was only able before making his way to Nayru's room. It was a strange sort of intimacy he found them in- bound by the children curled up against the black and white woman and the platonic love for one another that had developed from an early stage. He'd curled up tightly around himself, tail tucked under his chin before he'd dropped off into slumber.


The morning found him waking early, slipping so easily into the routine that had been part of his life for a long time that he couldn't resist rising with the sun and making his way towards the running water that would wash the remainder of lone life away from him. He would soon acquire the joint pack smell that marked him as an Ichikan, but for now he smelt fresh and new. He found himself now, resting against a tree close to the den he'd spent his night, a sharp knife in one hand and a chunk of dark wood in another. He had no idea what he would be creating today, but the need to make was enough to get him out here and with the tools necessary. Green eyes watching his hand move over the wood, removing little chunks here and there, trying to see a pattern his hands were making in the wood.

The comforting sound of the knife working over the wood in Saul's hand acted as a numbing agent to the male. His ears tuned in only to the sound of the swish of metal over wood, the soft patter as tiny chunks hit his lap and the occasional pause in this routine as he carelessly brushed the gathering pile of crumbs away from him. It was so easy to get lost in the work, like doodling on a scrap of paper, it was very easy for the male to switch off the rational parts of his brain and allow the creative aspects of his mind to take over. Green eyes grew slightly unfocused as he gazed down at his working hands, pausing every now and then to look into the clearing around him. Nayru and the children were below and while Saul hadn't specified that he was out here to 'keep watch', the intent was clear.


He was not, however, so far into his work that he didnt notice the hard paws on the ground. From the sound of it, Saul could tell that it was a puppy who made these steps and one who was not so sure of themselves. He kept his head down, green eyes peeking from under his lashes as a dark pup entered the clearing. He could just make out a pair of dark brown eyes before the pup darted behind a log for protection. He allowed a very soft smile at the girls behaviour before he paused, stretching his body out.


"Urrrg...." He groaned, stretching his arms above his head. "I'm all alone out here, whittling my wood. I wish there were someone close to keep me company..." He said to himself, knowing exactly what the mind of a two month old puppy would think. If the little female didnt jump out and offer to keep him company, then she would be incredibly shy indeed. Either that or she wasnt a normal two month old pup. Rubbing his face softly with a hand, he waited, trying to see if she would take the bait.

He knew it would work, and work it did. With a soft rustle, the little female burst from the bushes. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she was almost an exact replica of her father. He knew he would need to find Temo soon and congratulate him on his fatherhood. He knew that the young male was more of an 'old soul' than many others and Saul liked the man well enough. With a grin however, he carefully placed the knife behind him, placing the wooden stump on his lap. Her childish voice broke over him like a relaxing balm and Saul allowed the easy smile to wash over his face naturally. He couldnt wait until Teme was old enough to walk around, to talk and get excited about the world around him. For now, he pushed his son from his mind, focusing on the black puppy in front of him.


"You'd do that for me?" He exclaimed, his whole face lighting up with a grin. He stayed where he was however, not wanting to stand up and intimidate the pup as she exclaimed that her name was Dalgina. "Well, Its very nice to meet you Dalgina! I'm Saul Stormbringer." He offered in returning, gaining genuine joy from this conversation. Saul had always been happy to play with the pups of the pack and he took no expenses in pandering to their wishes. Her questions came faster and he gave a soft chuckle, remembering the days where his questions had never ended. He'd directed a lot of these question towards Conor, but his adopted father was not here anymore. Saluce had stepped up to the roll and Saul was more than happy to take any questions he had to him. For now though, he was happy to answer her questions.


"I was whittling the wood. Making something. I'm not sure what yet, so perhaps you could help me?" He asked, trying to get some inspiration from the puppy. Perhaps she could give him an idea of what to make. "And what are you doing?" He asked in return, before her last question hit him. He'd almost forgotten that he'd lost the smell that she would be used to. "I've just come back from a trip, so I don't smell like the pack at the moment. I will soon though, so don't worry." He said softly, a smile lighting his eyes.

He hadn't thought of the fact that his full name might confuse her. Most people in the pack knew his name anyway, but since his departure, a few new mouths had arrived and Saul didn't know if they knew who he was. So it would be easier to introduce himself by his full name, and then ask that she call him Saul. She was a sweet kid though and Saul felt the instinctive smile flash across his face. She reminded him of Magnolia, although that was so long ago and in such a different time and place that the wave of nostalgia hit him hard. Eyes smarting at the thought of Dahlia, Saul allowed Dalgina's small voice to take over the memories wafting over him. He turned back with a smile.


"Yes of course. It was very scary. But I had Hermes with me and he wouldn't let anything happen to me!"


Saul exclaimed with a grin. Of course, Saul hadn't been scared, but it perhaps wasn't the best idea to plant the idea of exploring in her young mind. Jace would never forgive him if her daughter decided to explore the world outside Ichika and never return. Of course, her next answer made him smile softly. She'd already been exploring when they'd come across each other. Perhaps Saul wouldn't need to plant ideas in her impressionable mind. But she seemed happy enough to stop and talk, so Saul shuffled around and invited her closer. She spoke again and Saul chuckled softly.


"A tree? But they're so complicated!" He laughed, before glancing up at the tree behind him and sighing dramatically. "But I guess I could give it a go!" He answered, taking the knife from the floor and beginning to flick away small chunks of wood. "So what about your brothers and sisters? Where are they?" He asked, wondering why she was out here alone.

Her little tail wagged happily behind her and Saul laughed softly. She was an enthusiastic pup and Saul was happy that Jace and Temo had allowed their daughter some leeway. He would hate to think of her cooped up in their house. And especially since it seemed she didnt have very close bonds with her brothers and sister. He could tell- she was out here alone afterall. If she'd had a best friend within her siblings, they would be just as inseparable as he and Gideon, or Ascher when Asch was still here. Perhaps Saul would convince Teme, when the boy was old enough, to come out and play with the Wolfe children- they would both benefit that way. Of course, Dalgina was almost two months older than his son, so Saul knew he would have to take it carefully.


The little black bundle launched herself towards him and settled on his lap, to which Saul gave a soft chuckle. It made him appreciate the trust between pack members in Ichika- there was no-one dangerous in these borders, no-one capable of being a danger to pups like Dalgina. She asked him whether Hermes was his father or not, before going on to exclaim that Temo kept the scary things away as well. With a soft shake of his head, Saul corrected her. "No, little one. Hermes is my horse. I'll show you him sometimes, he's enormous!" He smiled, before thoughts of his own father threatened to intrude. Where had Drey been when his children need him to keep the scary things away? He was gone. Feeling just a tad jealous, Saul continued to chip away at the wood.


Dalgina took the silence to answer his previous question and explained where her family was. She mentioned a few words that he didn't recognise as English. "What does ingali mean?" He asked, green eyes connecting with brown as he asked her like a grown up. He knew that she would like being talked to as if she were older. "Are you on your own quite a lot? Or does Keldava usually play with you?" He asked, slicing into the wood to create a branch that wound around the outside of the wooden sculpture. Concern for the puppy on his lap was warring with his interest in her life.

Curios as always, the young female on his lap cocked his head up at him curiously, before asking him another question. How would one describe a horse? It was perhaps a much easier task to show Dalgina what he meant by a horse. He had no idea where to start, so he went with physical attributes. "A horse is a four legged animal with a long neck and a large head. They have long tail and manes, but not like wolves. They eat plants." He said, knowing that to her imaginative mind, she would be imagining something completely different to the animal that was in fact a horse. "I'll show you one day, don't worry." He offered as he began to slice away at the base of the chunk of wood, fashioning a trunk of his own.


Dalgina looked a little confused for the moment as Saul asked her to explain what an Ingala was. Her little puppy pout was adorable, but he waited for her to speak. Of course, he should have expected her to answer his question with another confusing word, but as she began to explain that it was where they slept and were together, he began to understand that Ingala meant 'home' and therefore Talnala meant 'family'. He wondered what language this was, and whether it had been Jace or Temo who'd taught their children these words. It intrigued him that she knew what they meant, but then he supposed that of course she would know what the meant, and they wouldn't be any different from him saying the word home and family- they were just her way of saying the same thing.


She continued with a little shake of her head and Saul smiled softly, leaning over her body on his lap to move the blade carefully over the unshaped chunks at the end of the delicate branches on his wooden tree. He smiled as another word came from her- Tinglas. He assumed that the word meant siblings, or perhaps siblings because Honrin was separate from her explanation. He was glad that they didnt just leave Dalgina to roam around on her own. "Well then, you're going to have to bring your tinglas and Honrin with you next time so I can meet you all" He said with a smile, rubbing away a small chip of wood that had nestled itself into the corner of the branch he'd created. It was coming together now that they were talking to each other.

Her soft giggle made his own smile stretch wider. If there was one thing to be said about the oldest Stormbringer child, it was the fact that he almost always had a smile on his face. And today was no different. With the dark girl on his lap and his hands working swiftly to remove any last bits of wood that did not belong, he was content. He'd come to accept the fact that Gideon wasn't coming back anytime soon, the fact that Siku was no longer worth the effort of pining for. Shiloh had Lewis to look after her. The only sibling he really worried about at the moment was Ascher, who hadn't found his way back to Nova Scotia since the snowstorm almost a year ago. It worried him that his brother had been injured or harmed during the bad weather, but he reminded himself to stay positive.



Bright, inquisitive brown eyes were watching his hands move over the wood, teasing out branches and a small scattering of leaves around the knarled trunk. It was beginning to look more decorative than a normal tree might, the branches sitting in a way that spiralled around the main trunk area and opened up like a spring flower. Her little voice came again and Saul chuckled softly. "It won't get bigger, little one. This wood has no roots to grow, and its been cut away for the rest of itself. The tree I'm making from the wood is a representation of a larger tree." He had no idea if she would understand what he'd said, but perhaps Jace would explain it to her if she asked. He removed a scrap of sand paper from his pocket, rubbing it swiftly along the branches and down into the nooks and crannies the complicated structure had caused.


"Would you like this tree, once I've finished?" He asked, green eyes catching brown for a moment. He scraped along the trunk, smoothing down the roughly carved wood and making sure there were no splits that could end up as splinters. He was almost done, and if she wanted the small trinket, she was more than welcome to it. He would perhaps have liked to stain it, but he wasn't sure where to obtain these materials and so it would have to remain the colour of the wood he'd made it from.

He managed to concentrate on the tree figure for a good few minutes as his words sunk in to the little black puppy. He used the sand paper to smooth around the trunks, into even the smallest indentation he'd made to make it look more real. He circled the indentation he'd made to look like a knot in the wood, pleased that the tree sculpture had more depth to it than just a simple tree. The little girl on his lap began to get excited and Saul glanced down at her. He'd meant it when he'd said she could have it- the sculpture had started off as practise for him and he was glad that he'd bought at least a little joy to her world with his present. Her soft squeak made him smile again.


"Of course you can."


He stated simply, leaning over Dalgina's body to place the tree on the ground. It wobbled and fell, so Saul scooped it back up again. "I just need to sand the bottom a bit so that it stands up" He said, taking the sandpaper and laying it flat over the base of the tree and rubbing it vigorously back and forward. Wood dust fell into his lap, some on Dalgina's paws as well as his own legs. With a chuckle, he blew away the worst of the pale dust, setting the tree down again. It stabilised this time and stood upright. Saul smiled before picking it up and running his fingers over the smooth edges, checking for any weakened wood.


"I think its perfect." He exclaimed, before placing the tree on his lap in front of Dalgina. "Now, why don't you take it back to your Talnala and tell them what you found?" He said, a soft sparkle in his eyes before he watched the little pup run away the the sculpture between her teeth. She was a delightful child and Saul was glad he'd made time for her today.


-exit saul-