Old Friends, New Times

[Cal]

(WoOt, I'm back. Guess this isn't going to be that good. Hope to be more active from now on.)

The warm light from Fenris shone brightly over the lands of Ge-rad. It was the end of winter, light and warmth reached the Lera onced more. The snow that once covered these lands began to melt, leaving large puddles of water and making the surface very slippery. The surrounding trees will start to grow leaves as animals came out of hibernation. For many, this meant good news because more food was availiable and life will start to grow once more as the harsh and cold days are over.

In a den nearby a large brown he-varg was sleeping. The light slowly shone over his face revealing a few scars from his experiences over the years. His brown fur was once again untidy and ungroomed and dirt and various objects were clunging to his fur. Fenris was still rising and it got to the point where light would almost reveal the whole den. Finally, the eyes slowly opened, and at first everything was blurry as his legs and head twitched. Eyes adjusting to the light, and with a loud yawn revealing many sharp teeth, Cal got up. Eyes flickered as he moved out of the den and his large paws stepped onto the grass which was still covered in dew. Even though it was spring, the mornings were still a little chilly and he shivered as he began his usual walk around the pack borders.

It seemed like it had been forever since he toke the normal route in the mornings even though he had just done it yesterday. Stopping abruptly, Cal turned and his eyes would wander farther to the den where his mate and his pups would be sleeping in. Even though they both lived in the same pack it was still something rare to see his mate and cubs. His guess was that they were still probably angry with his absences and lack of contribution to the family. Even though he thought it was best to look for his Dragga and perhaps aiding him to finding his son, he still apologized many times for his actions and finally it hit the point where they had to sleep in separate dens. This father thought that it would best for each of them to have their alone time and waited for things to cool off a bit before having contact with each other. So these days Cal has been off with his own and he wouldn't know when it would be the right time to show his face in the family again. Without the company of his mate he had been awfully lonely. He hasn't seen much of his packmembers ever since his Dragga Draeg had left. Letting out a sigh, he turned around and continued his usual patrol around the borders. While deep down he hoped for something more than just the usual morning walk.

(Alright, anyone can post here, but I hope that Draeg will make an appearance here.)

[Draeg]

Draeg awoke with a start, his entire body dripping in a cold sweat despite the pleasant warmth Cwen’s den had provided. Startled by the his sudden change of surroundings the amber Dragga took a quick survey of his surroundings, panting heavily as his heart raced within his chest, the enhanced muscle pounding loudly against his ribcage like a kettle drum giving Draeg the impression that all of Ge-Rad might hear it. He relaxed slightly upon realizing where he was, rising to his haunches he allowed the first rays of dappled sunlight that penetrated the dense thicket to warm his dripping form before furrowing his brow pensively. It had been the dream again.

Ever since his journey to rescue his eldest son, Kop, had taken him in the heart of one of Man’s villages the amber Dragga had been plagued by a series of reoccurring nightmares similar to the night terror’s he had experience after from his own incarceration at the hands of Man and their cruelty nearly a year before. Every few nights he was forced to experience the cruelties of his time confined in captivity all over again, forced to watch helplessly as he was captured by Man’s gnarled webs and brought aboard one of their large floating trees to be trained and conditioned for what was to have been his new life in the Pit. It was coming to the point that Draeg was coming to fear going to sleep altogether.

The last vestiges of his nightmare still fresh in his mind Draeg gave out a weary groan and hung his head dejectedly, his movements somewhat more sluggish than normal as a result of his recent lack of sleep. How could this be happening to him again? He thought he had put an end to the nightmares a long time ago. This wasn’t supposed to be happening to him. So then why was it? Had being so close to the Pit done something to reawaken his past night terrors, or was it something else entirely? In either case he felt himself fortunate that he hadn’t waken up screaming yet, so far he had managed to conceal his nightmares from Cwen and Firefly but Draeg knew that it was only a matter of time before either of his mates, along with the rest of Ge-Rad, became suspicious and began prodding him for information. Draeg would rather avoid the situation altogether, not wanting to push his problems upon the rest of the pack. Besides what would the free wolves of Romania think if they learned that the might Dragga of Ge-Rad was afraid to close his eyes at night? He had an image to maintain, with any luck the nightmares would go away by themselves like they had before.

Shaking his head in an attempt to push his troubles to the side the amber varg turned his attention over towards the familiar gray femme curled beside him, feeling a soft smile tugging away at his lips as he watched her sides steadily expand and contract in kilter with her breathing. Although Cwen’s health had improved a great deal since the amber Dragga had returned with their son she was still quite ill, however already her pelt had regained some of its former silvery luster and she seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. It wouldn’t be long until Cwen was returned to her former glory though Draeg knew that even if she never did he would always love her, merely the sight of her was enough to wash away the anxiety of the night’s events. No matter what happened or what the future held for them both he would always stand by her side, ready to defend her from whatever force might dare threaten her and to comfort her when need be. He loved her and that was all that really mattered at the moment.

He stroked her ear fondly with a gentle sweep of his paw before bending down to lick her forehead, then, rising to his feet, he crept quietly out of their den. The air was chilly outside the seclusion of the den despite Fenris’ presence in the morning sky, but having been born in the mountains in a land where it grew a great deal colder that suited Draeg just fine. Although Cwen had alleviated most of his anxieties Draeg still couldn’t help but feel abit anxious about the return of his night terror and decided to patrol the pack boundaries in hopes that doing so might help him forget about his dream, perhaps even give him the chance to do a little hunting along the way. Eager to start the task the amber Dragga set out at a steady trot the towards the invisible border line surrounding Ge-Rad, bypassing the various dens inhabited by each of his packmates along the way and listening to the soothing song of lark on the morning breeze.

For some reason the wolves of Ge-Rad had taken into custom making their own personal dens rather than sharing a single dwelling and while Draeg found no harm in such behavior he couldn’t help but find it a bit of an odd thing for a pack, especially one that was reputed to have such a strong bond between it’s members, to do, he chose to dwell within the thicket with Cwen due to the fact that it had been something his mate had desired and being secluded from a majority of the pack it offered a great deal more privacy for the pair who often felt overwhelmed from taxing themselves running the whole of Ge-Rad. He was opting to see if Cwen would allow Firefly to join them within the hallow but had a nagging feeling that he would have better luck trying to breath underwater, still it something he had been hoping to accomplish since the tan femme had first arrived in Ge-Rad and Draeg hoped that Cwen would be compliant to his wishes with his other mate for a change. His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar scent of another varg tugging at his nose, stopping he lifted his snout into the air and studied his packmate’s scent a bit more thoroughly. After a moment he felt another smile tugging at his lips and he set out once again, altering his course slightly so that he was following the trail of packmate. It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for as he spotted the scarred brown form of Cal, the packs emissary, padding along the borders in a ritualistic inspection of to see if the boundaries of Ge-Rad had been breeched, sniggering slightly at the bored look on his friends face Draeg emitted a sharp bark to announce his presence before trotting steadily over towards the diplomatic varg. “I haven’t seen you in a while but I suppose that’s natural given the circumstances. It’s good to see you again Cal, but I must ask what are you doing up so early. Fenris has barely trodden upon the morning sky?”

[Cal]

Brown paws moving slowly in a rhymthic fashion, keeping his yellow orbs along the invisble borders of Ge-rad. Even though it had been some time since the last Sarnes of Balkar attack, he still had a duty of keeping his pack safe from danger. Also, with the addition of his previous absences it was only right that he went back and did his job. This pack has been everything to him. His home, his friends, and his family. Nothing was going to destroy that, unless it got to him first.

After a short moment and coming to the morning's patrol of absolute nothing. The brown he-varg started his way back to the dens. He expected to spend the rest of his day there with the exception of heading out sometime to catch his food. Life has hit a point where it was so boring that the rest of the day was extremely predictable. A whole day would be patrolling, resting in the dens, or catching a lera for the day's meal. Little did Cal know that this very same morning an interesting someone will appear. "It's been a good morning, finally the days are getting a little warmer..." As he continued walking a familiar scent entered his nostrils. Stopping abruptly the look of disbelief was starting to appear on his face. Shaking his head extremely hard to make sure that his senses was still in order. Was there it was...still there."No way...he's back? Dreag?" No sooner had he said these lines a sharp bark reached his ears and as he turned around to see the the horizon line up with the blazing Dragga. It seemed like a fire was burning outside of him, the Dragga of Ge-rad had returned.

Standing completely still and staring for a few seconds until a smile slowly crept onto his face and he ran towards his amber friend. Stopping right in front of his friend and spraying mud everywhere. "You're back. Oh my Tor!! I never thought I was going to see you again, Dreag." he said chuckling. The amber Dragga looked exactly the same as he did many moons ago, when the faemme from List came to Ge-rad and told him the news and the very same evening he left in search of his son. "Great to see you too Draeg, old friend. I am assuming that you got your son back from that horrible place you called "The Pit"? Not sooner than a few moons, I had also left the lands in Ge-rad in search of you and your son hoping to bring you both back home. However, I could not find you and this resulted in Uskiya..." Cal cutted off at this moment, as he did not yet want to recall his own incidents in the moment. "Anyways, all I can say is welcome back dear Dragga. As for me being so early, I think it is my duty as emissary to defend these borders and after what happened last time, you can never be too sure."

[Draeg]

Cal’s greeting was as Draeg had expected, warm and welcome, the pack’s emissary rushing eagerly to greet his Dragga only to come to an abrupt stop a few feet from the amber varg, the initial inertia of his momentum causing him to skid on the damp soil and send a flurry of sod and mud in every which direction. Unfortunately for Draeg he stood directly within the trajectory of a majority of the flying soil, he managed a startled yelp before the unearthed debris hailed down upon him in a mass of mud and grime. His already matted fur now caked in mud the amber Dragga let out a slight growl and adopted a look of annoyance, this hadn’t exactly been the greeting he’d had in mind. For a moment he simply stood there, his eyes amber focused firmly on Cal as though considering exactly what to do to the larger varg. Gradually his muzzle split into a slight grin. “If I had known you were going to greet me like this I would’ve waited for you someplace drier.” he chuckled, batting a paw at Cal playfully. “How’ve you been old friend?”

As Cal spoke Draeg set about grooming himself, cleansing the drying mud from his fur and shaking away the moisture that still clung to his pelt. He winced as the brown wolf mentioned the previous attack on Ge-Radl, recalling how Serg had led several members from the Balkar and Sarnes and invaded the pack. It had been the same night that Krael, the sole survivor of Draeg and Cwen’s second litter together, had been killed, taken from the den by a wildcat while his parents had driven off the invading pack. The amber Dragga had no need to be reminded, he doubted he would ever forget what had happened. “I see.” he growled as Cal finished, quirking his brow at the brown wolf. “Well I guess that explains a few things now doesn’t it?” Draeg knew that Cal was deliberately steering their conversation away from his family in a feeble attempt to conceal his own problems, and for a moment he considered pressing the matter to find out exactly what sort of trouble the Ge-Radian emissary had gotten himself into with his mate but quickly decided against it. Cal had never made it a point to interfere with his affairs so the very least Draeg could do was…well, that wasn’t entirely true, there had been the incident with Shayla in which the brown wolf had taken his daughter to go find Firefly without either Draeg’s consent or knowledge, not to mention what had taken place between Draeg and Firefly after that little stunt, then there was also the fact that he had been forced to tell Kop, Lycaon, and Trile about his alternate family before he could get them used to the idea, that alone had been chaos in itself and had left Draeg all but hated among his eldest sons. Thinking back on all of this Draeg couldn’t help but pin his ears in annoyance, Cal may had only interfered in his affairs once but that single act had left a lasting impression on the amber Dragga’s life and had caused him a great deal of grief. Shaking his head the sinewy varg shook his thoughts aside and returned his attention back over to Cal, knowing that he would only grow any with the emissary if he continued to dwell on the past. Blowing out a small sigh Draeg seated himself comfortably back on his haunches and listened patiently to his friend’s explanation, nodding his head sagely at the brown wolf’s logic but at the same time not entirely agreeing with him. Although Draeg was pleased to see his friend take to his job and position so readily he couldn’t help but feel that Cal should be concentrating his efforts on fixing whatever problems he was having with Uskiya, knowing from experience the problems that could result from unresolved issues. “Yes, I returned with Kop a few days ago actually. I’m actually surprise to see you just finding out about it, the pack was howling loud enough for Fenris to hear. Kop is fine, with the exception of a few minor altercations, as am I though admittedly I get the distinct feeling that things haven’t exactly been going all to well since I left.” he growled calmly, taking a moment relieve himself and remark the pack boundaries at the same time before continuing. “Cal I’m glad to see you’ve taking your job serious, no Dragga could ask for a better friend or emissary than you, however I feel that you should concentrating you efforts elsewhere at the moment. Perhaps you should go spend some time with that family of yours for a while, maybe work a few things out while you still have the chance? Though it’s not the proper thing for a Dragga to say, nothing should take top priority over your family…not even the pack.”

[Cal]

Back from Trip, one post comin' up

[Cal]

Cal chuckled slightly at his friend's appearance. Hard to imagine the almighty Dragga of Ge-rad standing in that position with muck and grime dripping from his usually well-cleanse fur. Extremely excited that his Dragga had returned, the pack will become lively like it was once more. The members of this noble pack will start returning as the Dragga had returned. Chuckling slightly at his friend's appearance and his yellow orbs caught the look of annoyance on the amber male's face. His smile faltered slightly but soon rose back to it's previous position as he saw the small grin on Draeg's maw. "Probably, though it is a bit amusing I shouldn't have caused such a huge splash. Sorry bout that." said Cal smiling pretending to snap at the paw that was brought to him. "I guess I can't complain, I still think that I am lucky to be alive after that Sarnes incident. Things haven't been the same that you left Draeg, I'll tell you that. I've managed of course, and things have been alright..." His family problems resurfaced on him mind again, but he kept telling himself that this wasn't the time to speak about it. This was his happy moment, blazing Dragga returning to Ge-rad, not the sob-story of the Ge-rad emissary.

Dreag got into a more comfortable position and listened to his story mainly about his dull mornings defending the borders. As soon as Cal got to the part about his lost son and the last Sarnes attack, there was a sudden change of expression on Dreag's face. His eyes still shown the same sadness and grief as the day he found out about his lost son. Quickly realizing what he had done, Cal dipped his head, "Probably shouldn't have gotten there, but I assume that you have gotten over the death of your son Dreag. Apologies if I had reminded you of that incident." Quickly returning to his story, he guessed that his amber friend would uncover his problems he was having with his family. The way he stuttered when he touched that area, it was too obvious...surely enough when he finished the first thing Draeg mentioned was his mate. "You knew Draeg, you knew..." Cal said in a low voice. "They're angry right now, angry that I haven't contributed much to this family. And I know it's true...I've cared more about the pack than my family. Mainly because I feel it's the duty as a packmember and a good father to protect them all. Leaving the pack before in search for you was for all their good. But I guess they don't see it the way I do and I've probably gone overboard..."

" Nothing should take top priority over your family…not even the pack.”

"I'll remember that but it's no use. It's not like I can do anything about it, I've told my pups and mate the same thing we need time apart and wait for things to cool down." Taking a deep sigh he turned away and stared at the direction where Uskiya's den would be. He wanted to run, run to the den greet his mate and his pups, be like they were so many days ago. The warmth of a family, he had lost and now he missed that feeling. "It's alright Draeg, time would eventually come. This will all do us some good. I suggested this in the first place. No need to worry too much about me. By the way, how are you, Fly and Cwen doing?"

[Draeg]

Hanging his head slightly as Cal dipped his head in an apologetic bow upon realizing his mistake Draeg listened to the emissary utter out a quick apology. Upon hearing his friends words Draeg found himself growing increasingly irritated despite himself and was forced to bite back a harsh remark though that didn‘t stop him from signaling for the brown wolf to drop the matter with a sharp gesture of his long bushy tail. “Enough, I do not wish to speak of this any longer.” He didn’t see how anyone could’ve have thought he would ever get over the loss of his son or any of his children for that matter so it came to him as a bit of a shock to hear such words coming from Cal who had sired three pups himself. But then again the emissary had never lost a pup before, how could he know the pain that the amber Dragga felt whenever he recalled all the children he had lost at the jaws of another or through miscarriage. Cal had been fortunate thus far, Draeg on the other hand had not. Though his wounds would eventually heal with time they would always leave behind scars for him to carry, and no matter how hard he tried Draeg knew that neither he nor Cwen would ever get over the loss of their son.

Apparently getting the hint Cal let the matter drop and immediately resumed his tale, however upon concluding his story Draeg noted that his emissary seemed to have grown a little uneasy with him. Suspecting that Cal knew what was about to come next Draeg decided not to disappoint his friend, his muzzle twisting into an amused half-grin at his friends reaction. “Of course I knew, I know everything. It’s my job to make sure that I’m not kept out of the loop.” he chuckled good naturedly but sobering as he listened to the rest of the brown wolf’s confession. “Admirable, and I can honestly say that I see where you’re coming from. I went through the same thing when I made the decision to fight Brypaw for his position in Ge-Rad, however that, like everything else I’ve done since my pups were born, was done solely in the interest of my family. As dragga’s it is our job to provide as much for our mates and children as we possibly can, we sacrifice our own dreams and ambitions so that they can be safe and have everything that we never had in our trivial existence.” Pausing for a moment he followed Cal’s gaze as the brown wolf stared off in the direction of his mate’s den, letting out a heavy sigh before continuing with his explanation. “I’ve made my share of mistakes in the past and they nearly cost me everything I ever held dear, but I’ve learned that you just can’t stand by waiting for things to get better. Yes Cal, they’re angry with you and probably do have the right to be, but you can’t let that stop you from going to them and trying to make things better. I don’t think you’ll ever know how close I came to losing Cwen after Huts’ death because I was angry with her, I blamed her for what had happened and because I hesitated to apology I nearly lost her. If Uskiya and your pups really mean that much to you then you should just go and talk to them, it might not be easy but then when has it ever been? Don’t be afraid to act, otherwise you might find yourself miserable and alone for the rest of your life.”

Stretching his forepaws out in front of him Draeg out a loud yawn before rising stiffly to his feet, his body evidently not having worked out all of the kinks from his previous nights rest. Motioning for Cal to follow him with a slight gesture of his tail the amber varg began padding away at leisurely pace, apparently deciding to continue with his patrol of the pack boundaries. He paused upon hearing his friend’s question, raising his ears slightly and turning his head back towards the larger Dragga. “Well I can honestly say that I’ve probably seen some better days (or nights for that matter), but for the most part I’m fine. Really I’m just happy to be back here with my family and the rest of Ge-Rad. The same can be said for Firefly, it seems that you weren’t the only one that decided to shirk his duties and come looking for me.” At this Draeg couldn’t help but cast an amused glance at his friend, shrugging after a moment and turning to resume with his trek. “Anyway she’s was a little shaken up from the journey but other than that she’s fine, actually I’m going to stop by our den a bit later so that we can spend some more time together…and that, my friend, is really all you need to know.” He chuckled. “Cwen is doing fine, she’s back to her old self and her health, I’m glad to say, is steadily improving though she still needs her rest. Actually I should probably check up on her to see how she’s doing after this, she was asleep when I left and I didn’t want to wake her so I really didn’t get the chance to check. You can join me if you want, I’m sure that it’ll do her some good to see that the pack is taking interest in her recovery and I plan on asking her if she‘ll let Firefly bunk with us. Though be prepared to run if things go bad, she can be a bit cranky in the mornings…and in the afternoon, and at night, and…”

((Crap, I meant to post this but forgot to, it's been done since Sunday. Sorry about that Cal))

[Cal]

Cal let out a small chuckle at the "I know everything." If it was anyone else he wouldn't have sniggered at that comment or have at least retorted to make the varg not seem at arrogant. But then again this was his Dragga, and somehow he always knew how the brown he-varg was feeling and his comment was not to boost himself, but making a slight joke even though it was true. Eyes flickering back as the amber dragga spoke once more, letting him on his words of wisdom and experience in this matter. Nodding his head slightly and listening intently to ever word that escaped his maw. "Of course, I feel that it is a father's duty to give them the feeling of safety and comfort in their own pack. Also, being assigned this job I feel that it necessary as a packmember and guardian of my children to protect them. Perhaps it has become a little obsession and my experience in Sarnes has made me a little paranoid not wanting the same thing happen to my children...don't want them to feel the pain." Cal let out a deep sigh as his eyes wandered slightly to the direction he knew would lead into the swamps where the most insane vargs dwell in. Letting his mind not thinking of horrifying moments he continued. "I know how much I went through to get this family, to even be lucky to encounter such a lovable and compassioniate faemme and such wonderful pups. Until they're fully grown and even then, I still worry about their safety the most...They're too young, not understanding what their father is doing for them. But ever action I do will let them to no harm." Cal raised his eyebrows slightly when Draeg compared this to his own story, one with the wolf Huts which he knew used to be his daughter before getting seriously injured by Serg and then finally death consumed her in the forest. However, this situation was slightly different. It wasn't that Cal didn't want to apologize, the children and his mate just refused to listen and he was not going to press any further. Taking a deep sigh he allowed himself to explain once more, "Thank Draeg for your words. I've already apologized and I believe it shall take them for them to accept it. I believe in the saying that "Time can heal all wounds." and I am no in the mood to press on this subject. Now, let's not let some of my little family problems ruin a nice reunion between two excellent friends... hmm?"

Eyeing his friend closely as he stretched his limbs, clearly Draeg had not been up too long in the morning and it was still curious to him why he had decide to come out so early. It wasn't like he needed to patrol the borders knowing there was him and the other scouts doing their job. Perhaps he just wanted to have a more precise check on his borders...Nodding slightly Cal followed his friend still imitiating the friend "snap" at his bushy tassel. "The journey must be rigorous if it seems to take that much out of you..." said Cal in a low voice. Eyes widening slightly as he heard of the tan faemme leaving the pack looking for him. "Firefly left the pack in search for you? Oh boy, Uski.." Cal broke off, feeling the familiar wretched feeling his chest. "...Uskiya must have been having her hands full seeing that your two feisty Draggas were left with her." said Cal with a small laugh. "Of course, family time is always good. Spend a little time together eh...?" said Cal outloud eyes flickering across the sky the smirk clear evident on his maw. "And your other is doing pretty well also, how excellent. Guess you shouldn't have waken her up yet, but I am extremely glad to hear that our fine Drappa is making a recovery. Though sometimes she is more than all of can handle when she is in perfect condition, it hasn't been the same without her...Cranky? Oh dear Tor no, guess someone will have to defend me if things get out of hand..." said Cal almost failing to control his laughter. Approaching an area where the there were not as much mud and staring at the den where the Dragga slept. Sniffing intently and knew what layed inside. Stepping back and letting his friend enter the den where his beloved mate. In a low voice he whispered hoping not to wake anybody, "Meet you at that nearby tree over there."

[Draeg]

Still walking the two dragga continued with their conversation, exchanging opinions and sharing experiences as they made their way through the dense forest of Ge-Rad. However although Cal seemed to soak up everything his the amber Dragga was saying Draeg sensed that his companion didn’t entirely understand what he was trying to tell him when he had brought up Huts’ death, it wasn’t about apologizing to his family for neglecting them (even though it never hurt to do so) but rather the consequences that came from failing to act. Draeg was sorely tempted to press the matter further but decided against, rolling his shoulders into a slight shrug he allowed himself a slight nod and continued with his trek. “Fair enough.” He growled nonchalantly, pausing to nip at his flank. “I’d rather not spoil the day so early anyway.”

Avoiding Cal’s playful jowls Draeg lifted his tail in a feeble attempt to keep it out of the swift emissary’s reach, though he realized, with a hint of annoyance, that it was pointless to even try to safeguard his beloved amber tassel from salvering jaws of his friend. “Alright, alright, not the tail." he growled good naturedly, rounding on his companion and taking a quick swipe at him with his paw. Cal seemed truly taken aback upon hearing of Firefly’s journey, his face becoming a mask of astonishment and surprise at learning that the tan femme had also left Ge-Rad in hopes of finding her mate. Judging from his startled expression Draeg was quickly able to surmise that Cal had still been searching for him when Firefly had set out on her journey to look for him, not only that but it seemed painstakingly obvious that his companion hadn’t had any idea that anyone else other than him had decided to leave the pack for whatever reasons. Draeg couldn’t help but chuckle upon hearing Cal mention his two youngest pups, knowing all to well just how much of a handful the pair could be. “I imagine so, even Firefly and I have trouble keeping up with them sometimes.” he laughed. “Who knows though, perhaps Uskiya might have had better luck keeping them under control then we did, she didn’t seem any older the last time I saw her so it couldn’t have been too hard for her.”

Of all his pups he had sired Zenith and Raikan had always been the most energetic, always eager to explore and constantly on the move in search of adventure and excitement. Draeg could still remember how difficult it had been simply to put both pups to sleep, fondly recalling how often he and Firefly used to chase them both around the den when they felt the need to protest and how often it would last for hours until finally both cub and parent alike would tire and huddle together beneath the steady twinkling of the stars until morning. Draeg couldn’t help but sigh at the memory, recalling how much he missed those far off days and how he would love nothing more than to relive them with his family one last time. But he knew that such things were not meant to be, life had played itself out and left him with only his memories and seven cubs to remind him just how rich his life had become. Admittedly Draeg was a bit put off that he hadn’t seen either of his sons’ in the time he had returned to Ger-Rad, however the amber varg knew that had Zenith and Raikan known he had returned that they would’ve flocked to him like sheep to a Sheppard. Unfortunately this scenario meant that both pups were not around and had most likely left the pack lands, quite possibly to explore the surrounding area on their own without the supervision of one of their elders to keep a constant watch over them.

For a brief moment Draeg couldn’t help but wonder if his sons had changed since his journey, sure they probably would’ve grown considerably but would they still be the same innocent pups they had always been? Shaking his thoughts aside he forced himself to focus on his conversation with Cal. Thinking about Zenith and Raikan would only make him miss them both more than he already did, for the moment it was best to concentrate on the matter at hand for the time being until he could actually make some time to look for his miniature doubles. Noticing the sly smirk plastered on Cal’s maw Draeg furrowed his brow into a mock scowl, attempting to swat the brown wolf with his large bushy tail. “Alright, that’s enough of that!” he chortled. “As much as I would love for Firefly to be in season, that’s not what I meant. I was planning on taking her to the meadow to stargaze, she loves it when we do that's it kinda reminds her of the night I proposed to her.” At this Draeg turned away from his companion and increased his pace slightly, his ears tingling ever so slightly as blood rushed to them turning his normally pin auditories a deep scarlet. Thankfully their conversation vered away from Firefly before Cal could read too much into the amber Dragga’s embarrassment and tease him further, grateful for the change of topic Draeg watched as the Ge-Ridian emissary struggled to control his laughter as they spoke of the prospect of what Cwen’s initial mood would be when she finally woke up. “Well if it has to be either you or me, then I guess it was nice knowing you pal. I’ve already been on the receiving end of Cwen’s temper once and I’d rather not do it again if I could help it.” Draeg laughed, sobering a moment later. “Really though Cal, I’m glad you think that. I know that Cwen can be a bit short-tempered sometimes but it’s only because she worries about the pack.”

They separated as their trek eventually brought them back to the den where Cwen resided, Cal padding away from the amber varg and making way over to a nearby oak no too far off while Draeg quietly made his way into the den to check on his mate. His visit was brief, evacuating the den after making sure that everything was in order and taking a quick examination of the silver drappa. When he was satisfied with her condition he licked her head tenderly before exiting the small dwelling to rejoin Cal and continue their patrol. Draeg spotted him sitting beneath the shade of the old oak exactly where he said he would be and trotted over to meet him, relaxing his posture so that he carried himself in neither a dominant or submissive stance. “Well she’s still asleep but other than that she seems to be doing fine.” he reported happily, his tail swaying slightly behind him. Making a slight gesture with his head he motioned for them to continue. “Come on let’s finish this up, if we hurry we can probably be done by noon. Hopefully we’ll find something to eat on the way while we’re at it. By the way how are the kids?”

[Cal]

The brown male chuckled and turned away so that Draeg couldn't see the smirk that was still on his maw. Indeed it wasn't right for him to tease his Dragga in this way but knowing his friend for so long he did seem to have a sense of humour. Though he listened intently on how he spoke of the beautifully romantic scenery when he proposed to the tan faemme. "A meadow with stars, and fireflies..." muttered Cal. "Some things were meant to be..." Coming to this conversation it made him think how he proposed to Uskiya. To be honest with himself it had been nothing special. He had only known her for a couple of moons and he was there protective, comforting and some how his mind just told him that she was the one. He had been blunt telling her exactly what was on his mind, was he foolish then? Instincts was something that pretty much controlled him, and if they were wrong at that moment then it would have been a complete disaster. Cal noticed that Draeg had turned away from his comment and by thinking of the beautiful past, both vargs seemed to want to veer away from that particular conversation. "Only once?" Cal said almost in amazement. "You are truly a miracle worker and I think that I am happy at the moment without annoying your mate early in the morning." he muttered. "Well, she is the Drappa of this pack and of course she's one of the vargs that keeps someone on their toes."

Cal waited near the large oak tree and looked to see his amber friend head inside the den to do his inspection. A small smirk appeared on his maw as he thought what would happen if he accidentally woke up the high-tempered Drappa from her slumber. Well, it would have been slightly amusing but he wouldn't want that to happen to his friend, especially when he was a witness when the pack came over and asked him who had murder the Dragga of Ge-rad. It was surprising that the emissary had never seen Cwen when she was short-fused but other pack members must have experienced her wrath on previous occasions. Finally, after a couple of minutes Draeg had returned and he gave an obvious mock sigh of relief to see him in one piece. "Glad to see that you're alive, friend. And sure...I guess I would like to wrap up this little patrol pretty quickly before my hunger consumes me." chuckled Cal getting up from his sitting position continued the trail in the Ge-rad borders.

The brown emissary's face completed changed from the happy and cheery to the sadness and anger. It was almost surprising how Draeg had accidentally or purposely hit all the right nerves in one morning almost wanting to snap at the Dragga when he asked the question. Although he refrained from doing that knowing the full consequences and his friend was just being friendly...he didn't know about all the problems that resided in his family while he was away. He just trying to start a friendly conversation with him make this a good reunion. But this question could be answered in so many different ways and he just didn't know how to start. Taking a deep sigh and keeping his breath in control he spoke, "Well, I would say that the kids are doing satisfactory. Recently returned home so I haven't seen them too often. Chiliaili and Skep are fine, they're growing up pretty fast and I heard Uski mentioning before about Chilaili having feelings in her heart for someone else, and it is odd for her who is still so young. Also, she lets me worry sometimes because she doesn't have vision in one of her eyes. Otherwise Skep and her are doing fine." His face darkened as he thought of his youngest sibling Ayasha. There was no point in lying but he was still deciding how much he should tell Draeg. "My last daughter Ayasha...to be honest with you Draeg, she's the one who I am concerned the most. She's grown distant from everyone and hates everybody in what I call "family". She like Uskiya still blames me for being away but she was always jealous of Chilaili for getting Skep's attention. Uski and I were not there when she needed us the most and now her heart has become cold and harsh. I totally regret not teaching her the word "respect" and now it's too late." Frustration still burning inside him as he thought of the black-pelt fae. How could she be so stupid and be blinded by her anger and hatred? Not accepting the ones that want to help her. "I don't know Draeg, no idea what to do anymore..."

[Draeg]

Seeing Cal feigning a sigh of relief Draeg couldn’t help but snigger, butting his head against the younger varg and giving him a playful shove before commencing with their trek. It wouldn’t take much longer for both wolves to complete their self-appointed task provided they kept a brisk pace, with any luck they would stumble across something along the way that would make a decent meal as well as provide a little much needed excitement. Draeg had always reveled in the feeling of exhilaration that came with the thrill of the hunt, the sheer power of knowing that for at least one brief moment he was in control of who lived and died. And while the amber varg never dedicated his life to continually sharpening his prowess as his son Trile had he could genuinely understand why his son enjoyed his position as Ge-Rad’s top hunter, perhaps later Draeg would make it a point to organize something special just for him and the white hunter. A private hunt for just the two of them so that he might spend a little much needed time with his second born son and see just how much his skills had improved since his absence. But that would be something for a later date, right now he needed to finish his patrol of the borders with Cal so that they might hunt for the rest of the pack.

Glancing over his shoulder to check on his companion Draeg instantly noticed a sudden change in his friends mood, his expression had shifted from it’s originally bright and cheerful façade to something that seemed to be caught between sadness and fury. Realizing something was wrong the amber Dragga came to a halt and turned to face the Ge-Ridian emissary, staring at him intently as he tried to determine what could’ve caused this sudden change in his friend. After a moment Cal spoke and Draeg found himself craning his head forward as he listened to everything the brown wolf had to say, listening in silence as he spoke of his children and how his youngest daughter, Ayasha, had grown increasingly bitter in the passing moons and seemed to resent not only her father but her entire family with a deep passion. Furrowing brow slightly Draeg let out a small, somewhat irritated sigh and seated himself on the soft, cool grass, motioning for Cal to join him with a slight gesture of his tail. “I see…so she’s reached that stage eh? Terrific.” he growled quietly, recalling how Kop had given him similar problems not to long ago. Thinking about it though Draeg knew that he could not compare his problems with Kop to Cal’s current situation, the amber Dragga had always made time for each of his children and had always done everything in his power to make sure that they were happy. No, Kop had hated him for a different reason that did not tie into what had befallen Cal’s relationship with his own family. Neglect had never been the case with Draeg, but rather it had been his inability to maintain a single, monogamous relationship with Cwen, Kop’s mother, that had led to his son’s immediate resentment. Looking away from Cal Draeg stare down at his feet for a moment, his paws shuffling awkwardly beneath him as he thought of how best to phrase his next words and help his friend.

“What you have to understand…” he finally began, his tone a great deal lower than usual. “…is that they all hate us at one point or another, mainly for petty things that hold no relevance to anything in particular or are completely beyond our control. Occasionally though, they do find something that justifies their feelings towards you, whether it’s not being around enough or harboring another mate.” At this Draeg paused, recalling how nearly all of his first litter had turned on him upon learning that he had not only taken another mate asides from their mother but had also sired another pair of cubs with her. Even Koan, whom Draeg had hoped would support him, had turned on him and even made an attempt on the amber Dragga’s life at one point though to be fair Koan’s actions had been tied more to the fact that he had still been grieving for the lost of his first mate rather than his own dislike for his father’s decision. Sighing deeply he continued, lifting his head so that he was once again staring back at Cal. “I went through the same thing with Kop and Koan, neither of them exactly agreed with my decision to harbor two mates and I know that Koan blamed me for what happened to Huts. But these things blow over eventually, just give it time. Still…perhaps you should take some time off to try to get you life back in order, you don’t necessarily have to resolve the problems you’re having with Uskiya right away but for Garm’s sake at least spend some times with those kids of yours while you still have the chance. Have some fun, make some memories, I’m sure I can handle border patrol on my own for a while and I can always get Shako and Koan to help if it becomes too much anyway. And as for Ayasha…” Lifting his head thoughtfully Draeg thought for a moment. He had a fairly good idea of what he wanted to say to the rebellious fae, a suggestion he had already been planning on spreading amongst the younger generation for some time now. Perhaps it would be wise for him to start with Ayasha and see how she took to the idea before he started with any of the others. Having made his decision the amber varg returned his attention over to Cal. “Bring her to me.”

[Cal]

Taking a deep sigh as he finished he wondered what his friend's reaction was going to be. Surely with two litters he could improve the situation a little bit? Even so, this was one time was he felt sadness to match his frustration. He had done everything (in his point of view) what a father could do. It was her that didn't give him that the chance to repair what he had done. What was he suppose to do? Go on his knees and beg? Turning around and giving a quick nod to the amber Dragga. "Yup, reaching that stage and more than Uskiya or I to handle. It's surprising how the next generation can be so stubborn.." said Cal still clearly irritated. Following Draeg he sat right beside him onto the cool grass, the tree providing shade for the two vargs. Taking a deep sigh as he remembered how gentle and kind his daughter used to be even though right from the start the jealous was burned right inside her heart. The small wrestling matches with Skep and Chilaili but now...it was a much different situation where the word "play" would never cross anyone's mind. Yellow orbs flickering quickly to the Dragga who appeared to be deep in thought, his paws were shuffling awkwardly which meant that he couldn't think of a way to help him, or there was something he would like to re-phrase.

Sitting and waiting patiently he allowed his eyes to wander away and felt himself drifting away until the low rumble escaped from Draeg's throat. Ears perked him and his head turned slowly to look at the Dragga, listening intently on his words. Draeg had revealed his experiences and explained how children always found a way to blame or to put it in a different way "hate" their parents one time or another. The familiar and old pang of regret flared in him when he mentioned his children turning on him when they found out that he had another mate. Even though this was a long time ago, he still felt guility for putting his friend through such an ordeal especially when his curiousity had gotten the better of him when he toke Shayla to meet Firefly. But this was a long time ago, and this wasn't the spot to speak about old hard times. "The thing is, I don't think that this is just some ordinary little family problems, I can almost see the gap filling in between us. Whenever I'm around her inside of feeling the family feeling I feel something cold as though she's a stranger to me. My blood runs in her veins and she wants to spill mine, I see that fire dancing in her emerald orbs..." He recalled the time when he returned home from one of his long trips and everyone in the family he thought had hated him by being near his presence. Months later everything cooled down slightly, but Ayasha still had the determined look, determination to hate and not forget the faults that he had done in the past. What must be going on in her mind when she sses her father? Shuffling his paws as Draeg mentioned spending time with his kids. He had heard the same advice from Mayan and pretty much everyone else that he had spoken to. Feeling rather irritated that they assumed that he hasn't tried..Almost having the urge to snap back at his friend but he refrained knowing that Draeg had only good intentions and was not here to make his situations more complicated. "I will." he muttered. Although his next words caused his golden orbs to widen and his maw to hang slightly in shock? Draeg talk to her? The situation seemed nearly impossible and he doubt that anyone would convince her. Also, these were his family problems and it just wouldn't feel right to have someone else to try and solve his family problems for him. But on the other hand, if there was a varg that could talk through it, he would...perhaps he should give it a chance? I might regret this....Taking a deep sigh he nodded his head, "Alright, you may speak with her."

[Draeg]

((Eh, sorry for taking so long but school has been a real hassel lately and I'm behind on all my threads because I've had to scarifice pretty much all my free time to study. anyway here's my post))

Upon hearing Cal’s comment Draeg couldn’t help but chuckle despite the seriousness of the conversation, recalling how stubborn his friend could be at times and toying with the thought that their own parents might have had a similar discussion at one point or another. It had always been easy for the older generation to forget that they were once like their successors at one point of time, brash and young, filled with the vigor and arrogance of youth. Though as much as they may have hated the streak of rebellion and defiance that they received from their offspring each parent knew that it was required for the younger generation to seek their independence and establish themselves in the world even if it meant stumbling along the way and learning things the hard way as those who sired them had in the past, it was simply all a part of growing up.

Rolling his shoulders into a shrug and giving out a slight laugh Draeg merely chuckled. “What can you expect, she’s your daughter after all. And if I recall correctly you were pretty stubborn when we first met, or have you already forgotten about your little obsession?” However his expression grew solemn as Cal continued voicing his concerns, explaining how the rift in his relationship with his daughter seemed to be growing and recounting how Ayasha’s newfound bitterness had made her relatively a stranger amongst her family.

From what he had heard the young she wolf’s behavior reminded Draeg a great deal of himself after he had left his natal pack in search of his true place in the world, the only difference was that the amber varg’s bitterness hadn’t been the product of neglect or his own personal jealousy towards his elder siblings but rather a more profound sense of betrayal. “Then perhaps it’s time we rectified the problem before it has a chance to progress any further, if she feels that strongly about all of this then she might let it blow over by herself.” He growled, then silently to himself. ‘And I would know.’ Seeing that Cal was becoming increasingly annoyed at having others imply that he was shirking his responsibilities as a father for his position within the pack Draeg couldn’t help but give his companion a playful shove, struggling to contain the laughter that threatened to escape from his scarred, battered maw. “Oh come on Cal, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”

Catching his friends subdued response the smaller dragga snapped his jaws at one of the emissary’s ears in a feeble attempt to nip at the auditory sensor, hoping to rouse him from his morbid mood and lull him into a quick scuffle. He didn’t catch the shocked expression plastered on his friends face that had formed upon hearing his dragga’s request, it never occurred to Draeg that Cal might be reluctant to let him try determine the problem with his daughter or even allow him to be alone with her for any period of time no matter how brief. Still despite this Cal conceded to the elder varg’s suggestion and agreed to the audience, now the only problem would be convincing Ayasha to attend. Draeg was certain that she would put up a fight, as stubborn as Cal had made her out, however the amber Draeg was confident that he wouldn’t have too much trouble arranging the meeting. The real problem would come afterwards when the femme left, that was provided Ayasha accepted his proposal of course.