deadbeat.

Barrett · 10-16-2011, 06:33 AM

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Barry wants to see the kidlets again. Since this wasn't discussed, I understand if you can't make it. XD 2 max.

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It was hard to believe two months had come and gone since his last visit, but all around, the signs of time's passage were inescapable. The deep, lush greens of summer were gone. They were replaced by a fiery mix of gold, orange, and blazing red — what little green remained was dull at best, and the first of many brown, brittle leaves now littered the forest floor. They crunched loudly underfoot, but Barrett paid them little heed. Likewise, he ignored the squirrels which bounded about, frantically gathering acorns for their winter stores. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he reflected how he, too, would have to make his final harvest soon.

Thanks to his meticulous tending of the gardens, an appreciable surplus had accumulated over the growing season — and failing all else, he always had the greenhouse — but there was no sense in letting good drugs go to waste. If he couldn't push it all, he'd give Axle and Grit a bonus or throw a party. Ultimately, both actions would be good for business. The former would enforce his guards' loyalty and the latter would help spread word of his shady enterprise, hopefully allowing him to expand his customer base. At any rate, these were plans for another time. Naniko had granted him parental visitation rights and he was starting to feel like a bastard for not taking advantage of them, especially during the kids' early, formative months.

And so — with a strained, deliberate pace — he made his way to the borders of the mountain-dwelling pack. A brief howl announced his presence: I'm here. It was directed to nobody in particular, but with any luck it would get Naniko's attention. He knew how to get to the dens this time and the Angela had given him a free pass, but he wavered uncertainly on the cusp of claimed territory and no-mans-land. This still felt wrong. His ears flattened in a mixture of submission and frustration. He sighed.

Octavius Poer de Angelo · 10-17-2011, 10:32 AM

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hope this is ok. maybe the stream is close to barrett...or he is close to the stream. lol / +3!

Naniko had brought the boys out for another hunting lesson that would perhaps turn out better than the last one. This time Judas had tagged along and was being his less than pleasant self as usual, getting in trouble and raising hell. Octavious and Severus were being good boys, following orders and staying behind Momma’s body whenever she had to go after the darker brat. After a while though, the pattern became monotonous and extremely boring. Instead of snapping at Judas and making him behave like they should have, the boys got a little plan of their own. When Naniko’s back was turned once again, her voice carrying through the forest as she scolded her son, the other two crouched and began to slink away.

Only when they were far enough away to be out of earshot did the boys start giggling and playing, tackling each other to the ground and rolling in the dirt. After a while of that, Octavius was dirty, his pristine white coat not so snowy anymore. Huffing in protest, he got up and started sniffing around, looking for some water to bath himself in. Unlike most puppies, which were afraid of water when they were so small, he absolutely loved it. Severus followed nervously, knowing what his chubby little brother was searching for. There! The tiny boy’s head snapped up and he yipped with excitement. There was a small stream running along the tree line just south of their position. Wriggling around like a silly puppy, he took off with great leaping bounds that stretched his little body hard.

Sevvy…go in wa’er withs meee! He was hopping around along the shore, paws lifting in a happy little prance. When Severus shook his head nervously and just crouched at the edge to get a drink, Octavius sighed and whined in frustration. Judas would have done it…if only to prove that he was tougher than both of them. Pouting, the little boy splashed into the frigid water and flopped over, letting the stream run over his fur and wash the dirt away. The darker pup sat on the bank and watched closely, scared that his brother was going to drown.

Barrett · 10-17-2011, 12:03 PM

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<3!!! Barry is SO confused XD

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Barry's onyx ears swivelled and then cupped forward, as if to catch some imaginary response to his call. But alas, no return howl rolled down the mountain to greet him — neither a 'Stay put while we investigate this further' nor a 'Howdy, come on in!' No; there was only silence. Under any other circumstances, he might've just thrown in the towel and went home, or he might've done the right thing and simply rung again.

Incidentally, his nerves got the better of him and on impulse, he started forward again. It felt weird just standing there, and suddenly the thought of attracting the wrong kind of attention — Raveseque's attention — seemed unbearable. In a flash of juvenile wisdom, he decided that mall-caps">No Reply meant mall-caps">Yes. (Because, after all, if someone didn't want you to do something they should have just said so!)

Not the best logic, perhaps, but to come this far and turn back now would be catastrophic. It didn't show much on the surface, but this wasn't easy for the coffee-coloured hybrid. Even though he'd seen them already, knew their names... the whole thing still felt very unreal. Most of the time he didn't want to acknowledge it, to think of them. It only made him feel guilty. It was selfish to drown out that guilt with alcohol, to smoke it away, to preoccupy himself with an endless list of chores that addressed everything but this...

This. Barrett stopped in his tracks and listened. Above the gurgle of a small stream rose one youthful, high-pitched voice. His heart leapt into his throat and he watched, mesmerised, as a white pup sloshed merrily about in the cool autumn waters. He didn't know if the child would recognise him, but he certainly remembered Octavius. He had Maserati's eyes. Anselm's eyes! And there alongside him was Severus. His second son wasn't facing him, but the achromatic coat was a dead give away. Seeing them play, hearing them talk — a new sensation washed over him, as surely as the mountain creek washed over the paler boy.

His tail dared to wag twice and he stepped tentatively closer. He whined to get their attention, soft enough so as not to startle them, but strong enough to carry the authority of a summons. It was an instinctual vocalisation wolves used to beckon their young, and he did it without thinking. For the first time, it really struck him — these were his children.

Octavius Poer de Angelo · 10-17-2011, 01:38 PM

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i actually think barrett would be a good daddy. / +3!

Playing in the water was ridiculously fun. After the pup was all clean and his fur was back to its original shining white, he dunked his head under and looked around. The view from beneath the surface was so different than above. The little plants growing on the bottom, tiny bugs and little creatures…there were some fish off to the side. Pulling his head out, Octavius shook himself and turned to his brother, smacking his paws on the water playfully. Look! I’s da fwoggies! Seeevvy come ooon, come see the fwoggies withs me! He hopped around with excitement again, bottom wiggling around as his thin little tail whipped from side to side. Severus sighed and started moving closer, placing his paws in the water and then picking his way across to the other side, trying to keep himself as dry as possible.

One he was closer to his brother, Octavius stuck his nose into the water and lifted his head slightly, flicking a little green and brown toad out. It landed in the mud near the darker boys’ feet and Severus yelped, jumping away from the slimy thing. Giggling happily, the white one continued to play with it, snapping his teeth and hopping around enthusiastically. The frog was having a near heart attack, bouncing up and down, this way and that, trying to get away from the hyper pup. Severus got bored and walked off, lying down on higher ground to watch his goofy brother.

Both puppies looked up at the same time, the sound of another canine causing them to react immediately. Despite the male obviously being a stranger, Octavius had the gut feeling, upon seeing him, that he would not hurt either of them. Severus growled softly and backed away, crouched low to the ground. He snapped at the white pup when Octa walked forward, uninterested in running away. Climbing up the bank, Octavius kept getting closer, slowly taking on a submissive pose. When he finally got within touching distance, his little body was practically dragging along the ground, tail tucked and ears flat against his head.

Whimpering softly, the little boy crawled closer still, feeling the need to obey the large dark wolf. Every now and then he peeked up, checked to make sure that he was still doing the right thing. Severus was trailing behind, shaking nervously, afraid to approach someone he had never met before.

Severus Poer de Angelo · 10-19-2011, 08:45 PM

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OOC:

His mother was too busy chasing after their brother to pay much mind to the little boys as they had slipped away from her. The smaller boy was more of a follow than a leader and had willingly accepted his brother's idea to go off on their own without much of a fuss. He was tired of being around Judas, that was for sure...and this would mean that the two brothers could have a little time on their own. Independence was something that the young wolf both craved and feared, so going places with his brother would suffice for now.

He was interested in seeing the froggies with his sibling, but he wasn't at all interested in getting wet. Severus balked at the shore, looking uncertainly at the act that his brother was putting on for him. Was he stupid? That river had to be cold...even the air out here was cold. He shivered a little at the thought of going in the water, backing a few paces up and plopping his gray behind into the rocks and sand of the shore instead. This was where he would remain indefinitely as his brother risked his life in the river. I not save you, Oct. Nope. He warned.

Severus whined a little bit after the frog nearly attacked him, grumbling under his breath at his rambunctious sibling. What had he gotten himself into today by going off with Octavius? He was too afraid to turn back and try and look for their mother, too scared to face her wrath alone...so he would have to put up with whatever situations Octavius forced him into. The nearby voice caught his attention immediately, startling him as his brother came up beside him to cross in front of him. He snapped at his sibling, frightened of this stranger and unwilling to take a single step closer. Oct, Mom-ma be mad! We go! He hissed, eyes never leaving the outsider.

Barrett · 10-23-2011, 06:48 AM

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jkdlsajf;a Sorry about the wait ;-; Last week got chaotic and earlier this weekend I was working on my Fireside submission @_@

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The white boy reacted first and slunk closer with his belly pressed to the ground. Barry's tail swished and he whined encouragingly in response. When the scarlet-eyed youth was within reach, he nuzzled him and gently washed away several stray specks of dirt from his face. Hello, Octavius, he said quietly. His usual deep, purring baritone came out an octave higher than usual; it was softer, lighter, warmer.

He peered curiously at Octavius' greyscale sibling next; Severus didn't seem convinced that coming over to visit was a good idea. Barrett wasn't offended by the pup's hesitation; the boys weren't much bigger than over-fattened squirrels the last time he saw them. There was no way they could remember him — hell, their eyes and ears hadn't even opened yet. Since the loner spent little time around Anathema and their mother, they wouldn't find any reassurance in his scent, either.

That didn't deter the mocha hybrid one bit. Truthfully, he was astonished how distinct their personalities were already. Octavius reminded him of himself — bolder, a little of a troublemaker (Barry already figured they weren't supposed to be out unattended like this), but obedient and compliant when required. Perhaps Severus would act different once he warmed up to his father; in the meanwhile, Barry wouldn't mind accommodating his shier son.

He lowered carefully to the ground, allowing his forepaws to stretch out in front of him. Once situated, his rump followed. From this lower position, he hoped to appear less intimidating. It's okay, Severus, he crooned. Don't remember your old man, huh? he muttered, stifling a chuckle under his breath. This was absurd; he wasn't old! Not old enough for this, or so he thought. Yet here they were.

The wolf's tail brushed along the dry leaf litter and he tipped his head slightly. Don't worry, I won't tell your mum, either, he promised, winking slyly at the alabaster youth near his feet. This was why Barry wouldn't make a good single father — there'd be nobody around to balance out his lackadaisical, hands-off approach to parenthood. Boys will be boys. It was how he was raised, albeit with some degree of discipline from his grandparents. Being fairly mischievous and wayward himself, Barry could hardly be expected to scold these boys for much of anything... unless they really deserved it, perhaps.

Still, Naniko's absence raised some questions. Where is she, anyway? What about your brother? He glanced back and forth between the two, still sort of breathlessly reeling in the fact that he was having a conversation with his children. Remarkable!

Octavius Poer de Angelo · 11-08-2011, 10:50 AM

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sorry for being so late. no muse. / +3!

What was it about this man’s voice that had the boy so comfortable and confident in his safety? There was no more fear after the initial crawling and groveling, the large male’s voice was comforting and smooth. Octavius stood up straight and got closer still, his adventurous side pushing him further and further despite that small sliver of possible danger. His neck stretched out and he brushed his nose over Barrett’s shoulder, breathing in a strong whiff of his scent. Even his smell was comforting and made the pup feel good, he yawned and then shook his body hard, getting off all the lingering water from his creek exploration.

O…Ol-ld m-man? He looked towards Severus, who had slowly been crawling closer to them, gaining a bit of confidence at the male talked to them. Whaa is old ma-ahn? The white pup yawned again and stretched hard before sliding down onto the ground and adopting a similar position, looking like a white, miniature version of the big male. His front paws crossed over one another and he laid his little head down, watching his grey brother sidle closer still. I’s ohtay, Sevvy…he n-not huwt us… Octavius tilted his head to the side and looked at the larger male, narrowing his red eyes slightly. M-Mommy hu-uwt him ifs he huwt us. It was quite a threat made by such a young boy.

Barrett asked about Mommy and Judas. Octa’s top lip curled up a little and he growled softly as he thought of the other brother and his idiocy. Shaking his little head, he looked away and wiggled around a little bit. J-Jud in tr…tw-twoubles. He shook his head again and sighed, not wanting to think about just how stupid his dark brother could be sometimes. If Momma wanted to hurt him, she really could, and he seemed to not understand that being a bad boy would get him hurt…or locked in the cage again and again.

Severus Poer de Angelo · 11-12-2011, 02:50 PM

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OOC: 's ok!

Yeah, Judas isss bad boy! Bad. All da time Severus confided. He satisfy his urge to lay down next to the two, continuing to stand just in case there was some kind of danger. Octavius seemed to be caught up in this male's spell and though it was true that he hadn't harmed them, Severus was still wary. Their mother had instilled many values into them along with some very specific rules on how they should act or behave in certain situations. What if the male was just trying to trick him and his brother into playing nice so he could snatch them up and take them away? What if he was some kind of spy...he did know about Judas and their mother, but he didn't smell like this pack at all to Severus' nose.

You stoopid, Oct. You no know dat. He insisted. His brother seemed secure here, mentioning that if the male chose to hurt them, Naniko would come and hurt the stranger instead...and hmm. That was true. Well...Otay. He finally sat down, though he continually glanced over his shoulder and back at Barrett, keeping track of his surroundings. Mom come soon anyway...we sneaked away.He admitted. Whatchoo name? The pup was quick to move from one subject to the next, easily distracted from previous thoughts that he'd been having.

Barrett · 11-13-2011, 05:09 AM

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No worries, I didn't have power for over a week anyway X__x Killed my posting being out two weekends in a row, but hopefully I'll be back on track now 6_6

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The man chuckled gently at Octavius' initial confusion and subsequent threat. Your mother is quite a powerful woman, he agreed, half talking to himself. It was truly a strange remark to make; Barry mostly knew Naniko in the context of a friendly client, not as an Alpha or corporal enforcer. But to lead a pack twenty-something strong, command the loyalty and obedience of terrible beasts like Ravesque, and raise a young litter, she had to be one hell of a robust, indomitable force to be reckoned with. The more he learnt about her, the more fascinating she became. She seemed so far beyond him in a lot of ways, but somehow not out of reach. Perhaps through the weed they could get down on the same level; maybe he was just lucky he felt comfortable around almost anyone. Maybe he just didn't give himself enough credit. It was easy to sell yourself short in the face of the uncertain and unexpected.

The tiny duo now presented him with another titbit of unexpected information — it seemed his mini-lookalike was quite the troublemaker. If they hadn't agreed so readily and spoken with such great conviction in their youthful voices, he might've thought they were being hyperbolic. One brow arched high as he studied them, temporarily at a loss for words. Sounds like she has her paws full... he remarked at last, frowning pensively. Oh, if only he knew the extent of it. Fortunately, since he did not, it was easy to shrug it off. The greyscale pup finally seemed to settle down a bit and the adult tipped his head as the boy switched rapidly between subjects. The earth-toned male laughed again; it was starting to look more like Severus was his son, after all. Though endearing, he sincerely hoped his scatterbrained genetics wouldn't affect the boy too greatly; his inattentiveness, impulsivity, and general recklessness had gotten him into a lot of trouble as a kid. Then again, Severus seemed fairly cautious and it appeared Judas took the spotlight most of the time, so maybe it would be okay.

As for his name? Well... I'm Barry, he began slowly. Did Naniko tell them about him? But you can call me 'Dad.'

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