Iskata had been curled up around her two children as the fire flickered and roared before her in the fireplace. She smiled, feeling almost catlike with the warmth on her paws and the energy of the puppies butting against her belly. The Matriarch hadn't been outside the cottage in a few days, the snow that had begun to fall had been replaced with cold rain as the world seemed to threaten to warm up once again. She knew it would be the end to the warm days after these shows cleared out, the cold winds told her thatmuch. She yawned as she nudged her son and daughter apart, ignoring Alek's protests as he was uprooted and moved to another tit to feed. She chuckled as so quickly he settled back in and quieted. She shook her head and stared dreamily into the fire, content for she had no worried for the moment except her pups.
She knew she should be out in the rain soon making the rounds of the borders but she was tempted to skip out on the chore just this once, the puppies needed her attention, especially Alek, she'd been worried about the male, he hadn't been doing so well, not gaining weight and flurishing like he should. Zana was still smaller than the male but Iskata wasn't as concerned for her, she'd been the runt after all and she would catch up one day. She stretched her legs out, each toe wiggling as she grumbled, trying to decide just what responsiblities she'd tend to.. or which she'd have to pass on to another.
Although he had heard the news of the birth of the pups, he had opted to practice some patience. Although he secretly loved pups, he had been on the wrong side of new mothers once too often to make that mistake again. The grey giant had decided to give the new mother and proud pack some time to settle after the excitement of a new litter. It had also given him time to work on a gift for the pups and mother.
The blasted beaver had been tricky to catch. With the ice on the pond, it had felt more like seal hunting than beaver hunting. After the fiasco of a first attempt, the beavers had wizened up to his presence, making them all the more elusive for the hunter. It had taken so long in fact, that by the time he managed to haul one up from the frigid water (getting completely drenched in the process) it had only been a day and a half before the pups were born. On his cautious venture into the pack lands, he carried the final results; a beaver pelt carrying bag to warmly transport pups in all weather, and strips tantalizingly smoke beaver meat.
Now, in unfamiliar territory, Noah was being very quiet and keeping his nose sharp. Although he had once been invited, the fact remained that this was not his land and there were precious new pups there. From time to time, he paused to shake the frigid rain from his coat and looked around. It did not surprise him that his progress was unhampered. It was a miserable enough day and he looked forward to getting back to the crumbling pioneer log home he had been taking shelter in over the past few weeks. Following his nose, Noah slowly tracked Iskata. Putting the parcel down, he watched the cabin for a few moments before letting her know he was there.
“Iskata?”
The woman has been lightly dosing while her children were crawling over eachother and arguing in their high pitched yips and whines. She flicked her ears back as Zana hit a particuarly high note that made her wince. She opened her eyes and eyed the two a moment, Zana had once more been trying to uproot her sibling from his feeding for no reason at all. Iskata just shook her head and yawned, her eyes turned towards the crackling logs in the fireplace after she'd nudged Zana back from her brother with a soft smile. She wondered just what the rest of the pack was up to but she was too lazy and too warm to want to excuse herself from nesting with the puppies.
Suddenly it seemed that someone else had other thoughts for her as she heard a voice from outside the cottage. With a mild grumble she lifted herself out of the nest of blankets and pillows, the children's voices calling out in alarm for a moment before settling down as Iskata's paws landed on the cool hardwood floors. She flinched as she drew away from the fire and on towards the front door. The woman nudged aside the front door as she stood on the porch, the silvery glitter world of snowy winter causing her to close her eyes tight before trying to blink off the blinding effects.
Smiling as she finally realized who it was she called out happily. "Noah!" she grinned, her tail was wagging to and fro as she moved back and forth on her small paws in her state of excitement. "Come in! Come in!" She didn't want the poor male to freeze, and she herself would rather be sitting beside the puppies rather than out in the cold air. She pushed the door all the way open and waited for him to join her as she smiled softly.
Had he been able to hear the grumble over the weather, he would have retreated. Being a giant, he had little to fear in the world. Most creatures would take one look at him and decide not to risk it. However, there was one thing he knew enough to fear no matter what the creature and that was an angry mother. They were forces more powerful than the stars and not to be messed with.
So it was with huge relief when the door opened calmly and a smiling face greeted him. Slowly his tail set into motion, taking its time going from side to side. For Noah, this was happy. It was rare for him to completely open up and even this much show of tail wagging was something. Relaxing, he picked up the parcel and trotted over to the porch. The stairs gave him some trouble but stairs always had been a bit of a pain for him. The blasted things required agility and coordination. Still, he managed to get up them without too much struggle.
Mindful of not getting her home wet, he shook hard outside before slipping inside. It was warm and smelt like pups and wood. It was perfect.
“Thank yeh,” he murmured through the mouthful he had. Then he placed the gift at her feet. His tail sped up ever so slightly. “Fer you and yer new little ones.”
His eyes traveled over to where his nose told him the pups were but he did not move towards them. Although he secretly loved pups (and it was not as big a secret as he thought. Somehow females seemed to all know it but how they knew, he had never figured out) he was always afraid of accidentally hurting them. They were just so tiny.
ISkata sat back as Noah shook the excess water from his pelt before stepping inside. When he presented her with the gift for the puppies she placed a paw on it, the soft plush fur sleek and silky under her pad. "Noah! It's gorgeous!" She raised her eyes up to the elder male and smiled as she nosed the strap and felt the pouch slide across her head and rest along her neck and shoulder. Examining it as she moved in behind Noah, letting the door creak shut behind them she watched the large male as he was looking about the home.
She walked up beside him, nudging him in the shoulder as she chuckled, her muzzle close by his ear as she teased. "I know you want to see them, you can't fool me.." Iskata had always thought it was funny how amazed the males always seemed when it came to puppies but there were few that she'd tease about it. Noah was so kind and patient she knew she could probably use him as a pillow and the male wouldn't move for fear of disturbing her sleep.. but right now she was a proud momma and she had puppies to show off.
Moving over to the nest where the small ones rested she pulled the blankets aside to display the two hybrid puppies, the female showing more coyote than wolf, the male showing more wolf that coyote. She thought it was strange how there was no clean cut line on how the child would come out or what you would be presented with when there was a mixing of blood. She wondered if Deuce would have ever known if Zana had looked more like Alek.. but it didn't matter now. She raised her eyes to Noah to see what he thought of the small ones.
Ooc: Sorry for the delay. Both my computer and I have been under the weather.
IC:
It pleased him that she liked the gift as well as knew what it was. That it fit her was a large relief also. The entire time he had been making it, aside from stabbing his fingers and cursing a lot, he had wondered if he was making it too large so that it would drag and be in the way or too small so that it would not fit at all. It appeared his guess-timate of her size turned out to be dead on and he was glad of it. Now he knew she would be able to use it. Plus she said she liked it. Noah offered the tiniest of smiles in return. Knowing that there was no one else to see him with his guard down, when she nudged his shoulder, he reached down and nibbled lightly at her own shoulders much like he would do with his sisters. There were not many left in the lands that he remembered, or at least remembered and got along with. It was a comfort to have her still around.
Noah swiftly stood tall and proud, trying to pretend that he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. But the longer he tried to hide it, the more he knew it was hopeless. How did they always know? How did they always bloody well know? Defeated and, only because he considered her family and there was no one else around to see it, he relaxed and hung his head sheepishly. There was the slightest hint of puppy impishness in his eyes and his tail twitched quietly. Okay. So maybe he did want to see the cubs.
The gentle grey giant softly trailed behind Iskata to the nest. When he saw them, he immediately wanted to curl up around them and protect them for all time. Pups always did have a special hold on him. It pained him that he was unlikely to ever have pups of his own again. It was probably just as well. He had completely messed up raising his only litter and wasn’t even around to help Phasma save hers. Lost in memories of the old lands, he tenderly bent over and nuzzled the little bundles.
She was more than pleased at the gift he'd given her and the young ones. The fur was soft and plush, the tanning perfect as well. She smiled once more as he returned her teasing nudge with a simple bit of affection of his own. Without thinking she nuzzled against his ruff and cheek as she sighed. She missed the large male, their serious conversations about things they knew they couldn't change and just enjoying the world around them. While he was in Chimera there was hardly a time she'd been able to see him, between Summer and the de le Poers and her own family ties.. and yet she could hardly believe that at one point the two packs had been at war. Now though he was here and it was generally peaceful in this new world.
Iskata stood next to the nest as she watched Noah trying to act dignified and manly. She just smirked and shook her head. They were few and far between, these males that loved to be around the young, and yet she'd seen enough of them to know they existed, but why they had to act like they knew nothing of what she spoke of was always one of those mysteries that she'd let rest. Once he gave in she chuckled and waited for him to join her in monitoring over the small fuzzy forms that were butting against one another and trying to find the warmest spot in the blankets.
She watched with a soft glow in her eyes as he nuzzled the small forms. Almost instantly Zana had to raise her own head up and hammer the male right in the nose. Iskata winced at the actions of her daughter and giggled slightly. "I think she likes you.." she said innocently as she nudged the blankets over Zana's hindquarters to settle the small ones on their bickering over warmth and security.
Looking back to Noah she asked, "Have you settled in yet?" She was concerned for the male, she didn't like seeing anyone out there alone much less her family or friends.
He had not been back long enough to remember to be reserved and guarded. The gentle grey male return her nuzzle with the tender in one of his own. Having spent time back north with his birth pack, Noel was a little more open than he usually was. They were a bunch of very open and loving characters. It had been hard for him to leave them behind, especially knowing that he might never see some them again but being the character that he was he couldn't just leave his son and give up on the boy. Finding a reformed Lucifer had been somewhat of a shock but considering Noah had left his family behind for what could be the last time, Noah was glad of the change. He finally had a son that he could talk with and was respected by. He only wished he had done a better job of raising the boy and having spared both of log a lot of pain and trouble.
Although he did not recoil from the puppy his eyes scrunched and watered slightly. For a blinding moment all he could see was white and all he could think was "ow ow ow ow ow!" His nose had always been his most sensitive feature and she had nailed him squarely. How wasn't that tiny females always got the better of him? It was all his sister's fualt. He wasn't sure how it was her fault. He could almost hear her laughter bubbling through his mind as he tried to regain some dignity. Yup, it was all her fault.
Instead of pulling away he sighed a great sigh through his nostrils to blow at her fur and flicked out his tongue the tiniest of bits and gave her a gentle lick. Her mother's suggestion that she liked him made him smile but he lowered his head even further to hide it.
At last, he stirred a kink in his neck and was forced to raise his head.
"There's not much ta settle," he said with a small shrug. The fire had destroyed everything he owned but he was sure everybody was in the same situation so that was no use bellyaching over something he couldn't change.
"Da lad came ta visit," he said simply but it meant so much more. It meant they were finally getting along and that old wounds were healing. All in all Lucifer's visit had left Noah in good spirits. He just wished the boy wooden frets about him so much. It may him feel old.
Iskata had sat back and watched, her relaxed posture more than aparent as she warmed her toes by the fire. There weren't many she'd trust her pups with outside the pack but Noah was one of them. She'd known him so long and the gentle giant hasn't changed much, that was one thing she liked about the male.. he'd always been so steadfast in his ways.. while she had changed so overtime it seemed not even a hair on the burly beast before her had been altered. She shook her head at the idea and tried to hide a smile as Noah suffered through the attention from her smallest child. She thought he probably could have stayed there all day if not for the position he'd been standing there.
When finally he had turned away from smothering the small ones in attention she patted the floor beside her and motioned for Noah to join her beside the warm fire. The puppies would be fine for a while, from the sounds of it they were already drifting off to sleep. Noah's words made Iskata frown as he spoke of a lack for need to settle in but there was little she could say when the truth was known between them. Everyone had been forced to start anew, she could understand what it must feel like arriving here and trying to figure out where you belong.
Her thoughts were trailing away with her but soon enough they were brought down to earth as Noah mentioned Lucifer. She flicked an ear back in annoyance but didn't say a thing negative about the boy. She had her reasons for not trusting the dark hued male but he was beginning to atleast act civilized some of the time. Iskata sighed and turned her sky orbs to Noah as she said softly. "He'd feel more at ease with you here, you know that Noah." She didn't want to sound like she was chiding the male for wanting his space, but he was probably going to have a constant flow of visits from his ebony son if he stayed reserved. She flicked her gaze to her paws as she admitted. "We all would I think.." There were those in the pack that didn't know Noah, but the ones that did and who knew his history would understand atleast what she meant.
The warmth to the fire was slowly beginning to register. It only made him realise how chilled the weather had left him. Although he could have stayed and cuddled the pups for an eternity, Noah ever so softly nuzzled the pair and made sure they were tucked in snugly before quietly making his way over to Iskata and the inviting fire. Trying to be as quiet as he could so not to disturb the cubs, Noah lowered himself down beside their mother and stretched out his limbs closer to the fire. A warm dry place had not crossed his mind when he had set out but it was a definite welcomed perk.
As he rested his head down, he let his tail thump once in thanks for the fireside invitation. There was just something so calming about the warmth of a fire and the smell of pups. He felt completely relaxed. His eyes felt heavy and he failed to force a yawn back.
“Aye, but he’s grown now. I ‘ave ta let ‘im lead his own life,” he said sleepily. He wasn’t about to go butting into the boys life again. Lucifer seemed to have done well in Noah’s absence. It was Noah’s hope that by keeping his distance from the boy, Lucifer would continue to do better. He hated to think that he might mess the lad up again. When she added her opinion to it, he lifted his head and gazed at her for a moment, not sure he heard right. He wasn’t even sure what she meant completely.
“I’ll be fine, lass. It won’t be da first winter I see nor da last.”
From the corner of her eye she watched as tiny Zana began to settle back in the warmth of the blankets as Noah gave in to the warmth of the fireside. A soft smile played on her lips as the silvery gold lady stretched out her forelegs, her toes almost nestled in the ashes of the fire as she sighed in contentment. She'd already long decided that the borders didn't need her this day, DaVinci or Jefferson were probably already moving along one side or the other to renew and strengthen the scent markers. She pushed the responsiblities away as her sky blue eyes caught the tail end of Noah's yawn, her own jaw aching to follow, and without warning did.
Shaking her head she chuckled. "Stop that, don't you know it's catching.." already she thought that another one was attempting to follow but instead she lay her head down on her paws, the brisk warmth of the fire blashing in her face, her eyes half shut as her ears turned back to catch the argument of the grey male. Tilting her head to the side to watch him with eyes half open she persisted. "He still needs and wants a father.. it doesn't matter how old he is. He'll always be your little boy." She said the words without thinking, atleast of who they were referring to. She didn't like Lucifer for her own reasons, mostly it was trust that was the problem.. as well as his on high thoughts of himself and how he never seemed to take up the fact that he could be wrong, that he was capable of making mistakes. The boy needed some guidance, he needed a mature stable figurehead.. and she knew she couldn't be that to him. "I can't do what you can Noah. I can bully him, I can berate him and make him bare his throat.. but I can't make him respect me, I can't make him want to be a better man.." Her words were quiet as she'd lifted her head up, shaking the burning heat from her skin with the cooling air as she sighed.
She gazed at her paws a moment, the light making them glow more red and gold than silver as she moved on. "I want you here Noah, you belong with your family. You deserve to be with them.. I can't protect them all, don't force me to choose between one child or another if such dangers ever crossed our paths." She had children and grandchildren and other varieties of relatives in the pack, Deuce had Lucifer, her son, and the unborn litter. The season was pressing down on them and soon she knew that others would become short pressed for food while Phoenix Valley lavished in the livestock alongside of the wild prey. She had brought these changes to their lands but they had been stronger then, with three leaders and a small yet solid pack. They'd grown so much she was unsure of her strengths anymore. "We need you Noah. We need your loyalty, your fierce dedication and pride. A Father, grandfather and friend. You belong here." She knew she should have done it or even spoke it.. she knew how tenderhearted the older male was and she knew she was pressing all the right buttons.. but she didn't want to be the one to have to find the greyscaled male oneday and tell him she hadn't been able to save his son.. or grandson if blood stained their lands.
ooc: That’s not short you silly  No cookie for you!
ic:
He couldn’t help himself. Already amused by her annoyance, her yawn caught him off guard and he succumbed to yet another wide, tongue curling canine yawn. Ah but it was a cozy little place. He snuggled himself closer to the fire. Its warmth had made him realise just how cold and wet he was. A chill ran through him and he realised just how silly trekking out in the miserable weather had been. Then again, he would not have been enjoying the fire with pups close by and a good friend to catch up with. The weather had been a perfect cover to let him into the lands undetected.
Noah listened to her argument and was not sure if he fully agreed with her about the boy. It seemed like all the two had ever did in the old lands was fight and power struggle with each other. Noah often felt like he had no control over Lucifer and the more he tried to help him, the worse things became. He did not want things to go back to the way they were before. With all his doubts, he chose not to contradict her. Many summers ago he had learnt that females always had a keener sense when it came to just what pups needed. So far, it had always proved wise to head their pup rearing advice.
“But why do yeh hound him so?” he asked, not upset but just not clear why thing were the way they were between the two. To be honest, he was surprised to see Lucifer taking such treatment. That much alone spoke volumes to Noah. Maybe the boy really had changed.
Wait? Iskata though that having him around made Lucifer be a better male? Noah’s chest filled with pride and hope for his son. And did she mean to say Lucifer respected him. It was a pleasant thought. Pleasant enough for the corners of his muzzle twinge in the makings of a smile.
He shifted to his other side so to try and dry out evenly. When he caught her checking out her paws, he curiously glanced at his own. Being a solid smoke grey, the fire’s light simply made him look a bit more colourful with washed out reds, oranges, and cream yellows. Her next words distracted him from the interesting phenomenon.
A friend wanted him there and she spoke of family. Family and friends were of high importance and sediment for him. He would drop everything to come to the aid of either. Protecting; it was another button she hit dead on. Reflexively, his ears shot up and he strained his head to check on the cubs. The scent of young pups already had him in a highly protective mindset. The suggestion that she, a friend, needed help protecting such defenceless little ones was a powerful on. There was no question in his mind. He had to stay and look out for them.
Although it did nicely to massage his male ego, her open flattery finally clued him into what she was up to. And blast her, she did a fine job of it. He especially liked the touch about belonging. She knew him too well. Even clued into her scheme, he was already to well and properly hooked to consider refusing. He could have been on his death bed and he would not have refused a friend. Already, the big male had become fiercely protective of the young ones. There was no going back.
“Damn it, lass,” he cursed but looked rather bemused with her, “Yer good.”
He paused for a brief second and studied her closely, “How long ‘ave yeh been planning dis?”
-but I like the cookie! I know.. I'm horrible.. I don't think I can write short posts too often with Isk.--
As they sat in the lull beside the fire Noah asked the question that had so much been a problem at hand. She was a true and protective friend, a mother and grandmother. The acts that Lucifer had committed in his immature manners had struck her in ways that she hadn't had to deal with in so long that it had brought out the dominate nature that she'd taken to tending the male in. While she knew part of the reason he allowed such manner to occur was merely because of his need for lusting after Deuce, the other even she couldn't place but she turned with a sigh away from the male as she answered. "He lost my trust in many ways and he knows he'll have to grow into someone a father would be proud of, a friend would turn to without worry.. that you could trust your own daughters about." her words were slightly bitter as she thought of the actions he'd taken with her own daughter knowing full well the power of alcohol. The bastard pleased himself in the liquor enough to know how it worked.. he couldn't plead innocent at helping to ease the two Sadira children into his wants and lusts..
She shook her head a moment before sighing and dropping the thoughts out of sight as she turned to watch the male drying himself, so like she use to sun herself in Storm. She smiled slightly as she realized that she really had missed the male. He'd been gone so long and yet now here he was and it felt so right, so relaxed that he was there. There was no true awkwardness at having Noah in the lands, there was no real formal position that she'd taken when the male had visited and she never expected nor believed that she would ever need one.
She knew what she did to the male, she was a woman after all and in time she'd learned how to work the kind gentle soul like clay. A soft easy smile spread across her lips as he cussed outloud. She had missed that manner of the male, the sudden short outburst that were more friendly than anger filled. The smug look on her face spoke what she didn't say, Noah already knowing that she could be a wicked opponent when she wanted.
His studying eyes on her face were too much as she turned her eyes away when the question came. She was quiet a moment before she finally admitted. "I would have accepted you then and there on our borders if you would have let me.." Her sky blue orbs returned to gaze at him, a softness there that rarely others than her family ever saw.
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