Avalon was off duty from watching the pups currently this morning. She was grateful for that. Her belly was growling in hunger. She didn't know how much more she could take of her ears being nibbled on truthfully. The little pups she was watching were teething, so her ears, and tail seemed to make great chew things. She didin't mind. They were adorable and most of them were sweet.  Avalon continued to stroll down to the lake which wasn't very far.  There was plenty of fish in the lake, which she could easily catch which would make an excellent first meal of the day. Avalon was a  beautiful fae. She had a black coat that glimmer in the sun, with stunning blue eyes that were almost the color of the ocean.  Avalon wasn't an ugly wolf by any means, just none of the brutes had taken an interest in her. She didn't blame them. She wasn't a strong fighter, not did she wasnt to fight. She wasn't very small nor was she very big. She was about average. Avalon was very much a Fae that would love you forever, and bend over backwards for you. 

Avalon had arrived to the lake. She was lost in her own thoughts. The tall grasses were tickling her legs, and belly as she made her way through it to the edge of the lake. She lowered her muzzle to the water, and lapped up some of the cool water. The water ran down her throat into her belly. She didn't realize she had been that thirsty. After a few minutes of getting a cool drink, she had caught a good size fish, and was feasting on it . She had moved away from the edge of the lake. She was resting laying down eating her breakfast in the summer sun. She was grateful for the sun drying her coat since it was soggy wet. 

It felt nice to catch a breather every once in a while, regain lost strength and energy, use some spare time to reorganize one's thoughts. During a routine patrol around the territory, the young leader had decided to do just that: slow down for a heartbeat, sit down, fill his lungs with fresh air. Breathe in. Breathe out. His chest heaved a little, nostrils filling with an amalgam of smells new and old. He caught nothing out of the ordinary, just scent trails of hunting and scouting parties he had sent out, then a stale hint of a bypassing animal. Nothing to be concerned about, and therefore he finally allowed himself to slide into the dewy grass for the first time in dawns. It felt nice, not much else needed to be said about that.

However, he soon realized that he wasn't lounging by the lake alone. It seemed that a packmate of his had arrived as well. Nothing unusual, as this landmark tended to be rather favored among the Azryni, and for a good reason, too! Loads of fish dwelled below the surface, and herds of animals could be spotted stopping by for a drink. The tranquil atmosphere could also soothe one's weary bones.

A splash, followed by pawsteps leaving the water. Someone must be out here fishing, he assumed, albeit remained motionless on his spot. After a heartbeat, he finally noticed the familiar pelt of one of the den mothers of his pack flashing among the shrubbery. Only then did Arne rose to his paws and gave his black pelt a quick shake, getting rid of the droplets of dew that had stuck tufts of his coat together. He might as well greet her, a simple hello could do no harm, he assumed. And thus, he strode nearby her, dipping his chin in acknowledgment.

"Greetings, Avalon," he spoke quietly, "what brings you to the lake today?"

tags ;; Sal

Avalon lifted her body up from a resting position as one of her packmates, the alpha had greeted her. She bowed her head in a greeting. She knew to always respect the Alpha. There was a reason he was an Alpha. that Knowledge was always to be respected and acknowledged. She lifted her skull gentle. " Greetings Arne" She said gently. " I am just getting some breakfast, and taking a breather " Avalon admitted to the Alpha. She didn't fear him, but his presents did intimate her though. That was for one thing for sure. Avalon coat was now pretty much dry of all the water that had clung to her coat. Her ebony coat was now back to its soft texture. Avalon grew up on Azryni pack so she wasn't completely new to it, but the rules changed from being a pup to a full grown adult. She had been a full fledge pack member for a couple year now, but she still wasn't completely used to it.

" So Arne, What brings you out to the lake if you dont mind me asking" Avalon asked him the same question he asked her. She didn't want to be rude, but she was always curious. Her blue eyes were fixed on him. SHe was awaiting his answer. Her ears were peaked up, listening for any signs that she was needed to help with the pups, but the other Den mothers assured her she could take a little while for a breather. She was also unsure how many more tiny bite marks her ears and tail could take. 


Arne

The dark male acknowledged her greeting with a low nod, then he took a seat about a foxtail away from her. In a way, it still felt strange to be regarded with such high respect from his packmates. Just a few seasons ago, he was just a young disciple eager to learn the ways of the Azryni; how to hunt, how to fight, how to make peace and strike balance between all things alive and dead. In his opinion, respect had to be earned by action, not by position. Respect, not fear. Therefore, Arne allowed his shoulders to relax and rested his tail next to his hind paws; a peaceful posture, albeit still coated in the wolf's usual stoicism. He really had to work on that!

Avalon mentioned that she had just been having her breakfast, and Arne nodded, albeit refrained from elaborating. However, as soon as she asked about his presence, the leader's jaws parted in response: "Same as you, to be honest," he mused. "I went to patrol the territory this morning and decided to stop here on my way back." A fairly simple reply, not that there was anything deeper behind the leader's reasoning. He just wanted to catch his breath, that was all.

"I merely wanted to rest my paws before returning back to camp, I promise I won't annoy you for too long," he added light-heartedly.

tags ;; Sal

Avalon smirked at Arne. " How was patrol? " She asked him lightheartedly. She wasn't trying to pry. She was just curious on how it went. Avalon was stuck with the littles all day. She loved to hear about the the patrol and protecting the terrority was. She found all the stories like exciting. She loved watching the littles, but she sometimes missed the exciting life. She knew that wasn't a fighter. She knew she would be useless in a fight. " I dont mind you bother me at all Arne. I am not doing anything exciting, unless you count the littles teething at your tail and ears exciting

[/b]" She said light hearted. She didnt mind if Arnebo bothered her.  She wanted to ask him how he liked being the Alpha, but she felt like that was too pushy. She didn't want to be pushy. She was just overly curious.  " So Arne, any plans for the rest of best?" She asked him flicking her tail around her back so it was resting it on the back of her legs. 

Avalon loved coming to the lake on her free time. She enjoyed the cool air, and especially when escaping the littles. She loved them but man they could take all of her patience. Avalon blue optics continue to gaze at Aran, waiting for the answer to her questions she had asked him. She was so very curious. Her life was very boring at some moments in her life. 


Arne 
sorry it sucks. [/font][/div]

One of the lead wolf's ears twitched, but he didn't think twice about what he should answer in regards to the routine patrol. "The borders are as peaceful as I had hoped," he said honestly. Thankfully, the Seriss had been reconsidering prancing around landscapes that didn't belong to them. The same went for lone wolves: they had been avoiding the pack lands by more than several pawsteps, probably preferring to keep to themselves than stirring up trouble with one of the packs. No one liked being outnumbered, huh. "Furthermore, it's nice to see that animals are returning after the winter," he added then, relieved that his packmates didn't have to worry about going to sleep on an empty stomach. Spring had arrived in full force, or so it seemed.

Arne let out an amused huff at the mention of the pack's pups. "I'm glad that they're thriving," he mused honestly, his tail sweeping across the dewy grass in a mixture of amusement and delight. "I was worried that the winter took a toll on them." Which it probably did, but it was reassuring to hear from one of the den mothers that the pack's youngest were as enthusiastic and lively as ever. They would recover, just as the rest of the pack.

He shifted on his paws a little, momentarily getting lost in his own thoughts. "They're going to be apprentices soon. They grow up so fast..." he pondered out loud, tilting his head a little.

tags ;; Sal
notes ;; No need to apologize!! Your posts are lovely ^^

Avalon was happy to hear that the perimeters were calm and nothing was going on that would cause a lot of rukus. " I am glad to hear that the borders were calmer than you had hoped " Avalon gently. She didn't know what else to say on that matter. She knew that normally the borders could have some uses with other conflict. She nodded in agree it when he spoke about the puppies. " That's about it. I cant wait until they are out of the den. They're chewing my tails and ears like they are chew toys. " She said  lightly. She adjusted her body weight in the grass, trying to get comfortable. " The winter was harsh on them, but they seemed to adjust well " SHe said flicking her tail. She wasn't sure what else to say. " So What are your plans for the rest of the day, Mr. Alpha?" She said teasing him lightly. They weren't great friends, but she assumed they were at least friends. 

The weather was warming up as it was getting later in the day. She was enjoying the warm sunshine on her ebony coat. She was glad that winter was over, and summer was finally here. THe winter was brutal and she was very on edge because she wasn't sure how many pups would survive the winter. She had been very worried about them. She was happy they were maturing nicely, and soon been out of the den. Then she was going to have to prepare for the next round of puppies. 

Arne offered a subtle nod of his chin when the dark-pelted female noted that she is glad about the borders being peaceful. Indeed, pointless border skirmishes over nothing were the last thing the pack -or any pack- required at the moment. Everyone needed to take a moment to slow down and recover, heal from the unusually cruel and merciless winter that had ruined everything and everyone that had dared to stand in the way. One of his ears twitched in discomfort at the sudden tidal wave of memories, albeit he couldn't be prouder of his pack. They had managed, they had survived, now they only needed to regain their strength. Just like all around them.

However, his expression relaxed once again at the mention of puppies. 'Yeah, pups tend do that," he agreed, not that he had a plethora of experience with the pack's youngest. He recalled a thing or two from his puphood, or from what his pupsitter had told him; with some of her tales being more far-fetched than others (did he really befriend a stone?!). Training disciples was also one of his duties as a leader, for youngsters needed to be taught the ways and traditions of the pack they belonged to. On the other paw, those were adolescents; wolves straying somewhere in-between puphood and adulthood. Either way, he couldn't really consider those as pups, not when some of them already outgrew their nest in the nursery.

"Later today, I do plan to take some of the disciples for a lesson in teamwork, actually," he shared and shifted on his paws a little. Being called Mr. Alpha almost made him snicker, but he thankfully managed to swiftly regain his composure by adding: "Now's the time when cooperation is especially important. I wish more packs understood that."

tags ;; Sal

Avalon nodded at his comments. She agreed with him. She was also worried the winter was going to take them. She was so glad that it didn't. " Honestly, I was extremely worried about that as well." She stated simply. He brought up they were going to be apperiances soon. A smile appeared on her muzzle. " That is thrilling news. Maybe not for you, but for me. You're  going to have to train them. They are a rough bunch. Some seem to argue and fight more than others, but they're good pups" She said honestly. There was one pup she was extremely worried about. He was a thin, lanky male. He seemed to fight with the other pups over everything. Food. Space. Whatever it was. He was arguing over it. She was hoping he would make a good warrior for their tribe, but honestly she wasn't sure.

Avalon was happy that this was her last litter to take care of for a while. She knew that in a few weeks or a months that another little would come along and she would help raise them. It was fun watching them grow up. She loved watching their personalities develop. She, of course, formed favorites. She was allowed to do that because she wasn't their dam.  She didn't treat them any differently to their faces.  She continued to look at the alpha. " So any plans for the rest of the day?" She said cocking her head to the side, giving in the look of curiosity.  Avlalon was honestly shocked she was getting a long with the Alpha as this was her first real interaction. Yes, she saw him around doing alpha duties. She never had the guts to talk to him before. It was a nice change of pace for once. 

Arne hummed with amusement. "I will oversee their training, but I'm usually not the one to train apprentices," he confessed with a quiet sigh. "Warriors, healers and other pack members do that... for the most part, at least." Although he greatly enjoyed teaching the pack's youngest, sharing his experiences with them and observing as they formed their own personalities and unique talents, he had different matters to attend to as the leader. Hunting patrols needed to be organized, borders needed to be checked, other packs were in need of contacting and sharing resources. It was a lot, far more than what might seem. "I usually take apprentices for a lesson or two, and leave the rest to their mentors," he clarified with an almost apologetic face.

Sometimes he wished there was more time in the day, he would get so much more done.

"Leaders tend to exclusively train their own pups, to prepare them for leadership," he added. "Not that I have to worry about that." Truth be told, he hadn't thought about starting a family or having pups of his own yet. As it was, he still had a plethora of things to chew through, and he didn't want to neglect his pups just because he got too busy. It would be unfair to them, and it would be unfair to their mother.

"As I said, I have a training session planned for later today," he answered.

tags ;; Sal

[googlefont="Pathway Gothic One"]

MY TOUCH IS NOTHING LIKE MY PUNCH PACK AZRYNI RANK LEAD SCOUT

T

hough Sekhmet preferred the burned lands or the wild tides of the tranquil sands, she couldn't deny that the lake held a certain charm. The fish were fat and flavorful, and the surrounding wilds were lush and full of life; what else could a wolf ask for? The petite she-wolf was still full from the newborn boar she had shared with a packmate earlier, but boredom was a siren's call that had led her paws to the shores of the lake regardless. Any fish she caught could, after all, be offered to another wolf. And she did so love giving gifts. 

As she approached the body of water, she paused momentarily as a duo of scents struck her nose. Thoroughly distracted from her original task (after all, her packmates were far more interesting than a fish), she padded curiously towards their origin, eyes alighting with glee when she spotted her alpha and one of the den mothers chatting by the water. Her lips lifted into a happy smile, a sure sign of her cheer, before she started wandering their direction. The scarred fae made no attempt to hide her approach, secure in the knowledge that no harm would come to her from her own pack; family, if she were feeling sentimental.

Thinking fast, she lowered her muzzle to snatch up a small bundle of wildflowers between her teeth, the stems held delicately so that they wouldn't crush in the grip of her formidable fangs. Sauntering towards the pair, she couldn't stifle her smile if she tried. "Well if it isn't my favorite alpha," She greeted with a jaunty wag of her tail, humor in her tone, "And, of course, the lovely Avalon. The little tykes finally gave you a break, hmm?" The role of den mother was often an overlooked one, for reasons that Sekhmet couldn't possibly imagine. Protecting their borders, tracking down scents, chasing down a buck - these were all simple tasks. The rearing of pups, the sheer amount of effort and emotional intelligence it took to raise the next generation? Now that was something to be admired.

"I couldn't help but pick a few flowers when I saw you, Av," The friendly she-wolf said, the nickname slipping out unbidden. "With that black pelt, I just knew you'd make these petals pop if you wore them behind your ear. What color do you want? I've got quite a few." Then, she turned sly eyes towards Arne, a spark of mischief undeniable. "You've got a dark pelt yourself, mister, and I wouldn't want you to feel left out. Want a pink flower to symbolize the coming spring? Or maybe a yellow flower, to bring out those eyes?" After more than a year amongst Azryni's ranks, she was perhaps a little too comfortable with teasing the alpha, but she'd take any admonishment like a champ. 

"If you've got a training session planned, Arne, I'd love to come. You know I'm always down to see if any of the babies of the pack have a talent for scouting." Sekhmet said, orange eyes aglow with the simple joy of good company. "What say you, Avalon? Have any of the pups shown promise?"

Sal  Arne

ISHY of THQ & ADOXOGRAPHY