Wake [bhuvy]

[I L Y I C H]

I sat silently, side pressed tightly to the little creature curled up there, waiting for someone to respond to my howl. It was very rare that I would howl at all so that alone should bring someone running. The kid had come out of no where while I was hunting, his awkward paw steps having drawn my attention instantly. I'd expected to leap out onto an injured feral dog of some kind. He sounded so odd against the leaf litter and grass. What I had not expected was to knock over some poor three legged folami and send him into a state of utter hysterics. I honestly hadn't meant to traumatize the child. I hadn't realized it was a child until it was too late and he was already on his back screaming. It had only been the right thing to do, helping him up trying to offer him a place to go.

How did a three legged puppy even survive on his own? Kerry, once he'd calmed down enough under my rapid tongue strokes the kid had said his name was Kerry. He'd gone quiet and wide eyed after that though and I didn't know much more about anything that was going on. For fucks sake how did this child even get out here? Past so many god damn dangers and folami and those fucking sink holes. It made my fur stand on end just thinking about it. Anything, literally anything could have killed him yet here he was in all his fluffed the fucked-up glory hiding against me like I was some kind of over-sized teddy bear. Oh where the hell was everyone. I knew I sounded more then a little panicked it shouldn't take so long. Not that it really wouldn't, I mean they all scattered essentially during the day. Skoll only knew where they'd all run off to.

So I would just have to sit and wait, tail flicked around the much smaller obviously winded child. Kerry was wheezing slightly and my ears cocked towards the noise immediately. Whatever had fucked up his now missing limb had obviously done something to his chest too. But as much as I wanted to tuck my head and press my ear to his side and listen I was smart enough to know now was not the time. I found it amazing that he was using me as a hiding place at all. Either he was extremely trusting or the kid just didn't know what the fuck else to do. I would go with the second one, considering the first words that had spewed out of his mouth were 'please don't kill me'.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Kerry’s scream and a howl was enough to make any of us go into a panic. I suspect even Chris was losing his shit right about now. Not that I would know. The scream had barely started before I realized it was Kerry and had taken off full speed. I had heard pawsteps behind me at first, but they were gone now. Maybe I was in far too much a terrified determination to hear them, but I considered that I might be alone. I was moving fast, run on adrenaline and the need to get to where Kerry was. I didn’t know what I would do when I got there. That howl had been deep, an older dog. I could hope it was a regular dog, or a coyote. Folami could out maneuver them by build. But I also knew my luck was not so great. It would be a folami. It always was.

Why the hell had Kerry wandered away from us?

My stomach clenched as I realized the world had become silent. I heard no birds, even as I tried my hardest to focus on the surroundings. I had to be close--birds become silent when large predators are nearby. What frightened me more was the fact that Kerry was silent. I could not hear him, but I could scent him. No blood. The dog had snapped his neck. The dog was holding a paw over his mouth as he tortured him. My dear Kerry. I would get there. I would not lose another brother. I refused.

I had enough training to judge a great deal based on scent. I had come to a stop for a split second on one side of a bush and I read the scent trail in only a second and knew the monster was on the other side, and I could pinpoint exactly where to land my attack. I bunched all my strength into my back paws and sprung. Chris would kill me if this dog did not, but I did not care. A distraction was something I could do. Kerry could run away. A snarl much too deep for my size ripped from my chest. I saw the target, I aim for the face,

A white blur and blood-thristy snarl ripped from the grassy shrubs on the other side of the monster. The new dog (why hadn’t I considered this dog wouldn’t be alone? Stupid!) met my attack roughly, throwing me onto my back with his massive paws holding down my front legs. Hate washed over my face, even as his lust for blood was replaced by shock. I was tempted to spit in his face as he bent his head down closer to mine and locked his eyes on my own, but I was in no position to do so. “Thought you would be bigger based on that snarl.” He jumped sideways off of me in alarm. “Sorry if I hurt you, kid! Thought my boy was in trouble after that god-awful howl.” There was earnest apology on his face as I climbed to my paws and shook myself off. My front limbs were sore where he had landed his own paws, but that was not the matter at hand.

“Where’s my Kerry?” I snarled it, but after seeing the way this dog had felt bad about tackling me, and the way he had looked quickly to the other dog in frustration over being sent into a panic over nothing, the snarl came out more childish. My eyes fled to the one I had lunged at and it was then I saw Kerry without a scratch. I moved towards him quickly and pushed me face into the fur on his shoulder. “You scared me! Don’t do that! I thought I was going to lose you!” There was a childish wail in my voice as I rubbed my face through his fur in an attempt to calm myself, eyes closed, though I told myself I was trying to calm him. I heard the white stranger come closer and sit down by the the head of the one Kerry was cowering into, but I didn’t care. They were obviously not a threat.

“You ever scare me like that again, you awful piece of rubbish, and I will kill you myself.” There were the last traces of fear in the white man’s tone as he threatened the other dog, but the dominant emotion was relieved compassion. Love.

Yes, this was a good place.

[I L Y I C H]

Kerry whined harshly against my side at the sound of paw steps, not too far off. Rapidly approaching from upwind. My head swung up, lips peeling back from fangs automatically. None of the guys would judge me for it. The snarl had me on my paws in an instant, the pup's merle body collapsing with a cry of shock under me as I all but lunged to stand over him. Snarling deep in my chest orange eyes lashed across the scene finally catching on Gavin long enough to calm down. The other one was a child. Another child. I frowned thickly, turning my head to look down at Kerry who had rolled onto his stomach and was peering out from under my chest with something close to shame on his face. It made my throat tighten just a fraction. What did he have to be ashamed of? None the less I lifted my glare back to Gavin as he half hopped off the smaller black and tan kid.

Ears going backwards slightly I grimaced at the larger folami. "Well if you fuckers stayed anywhere near the office I wouldn't have had to make such a horrible noise" I wasn't about to take responsibility for the panicked noise that had shot out of my mouth. Really I'd just wanted to get their attention, but I'd been scared something was chasing the pup or that he was hurt or something equally awful. Kerry peaked up at me when I looked down at him and I let back some of my grimace in an attempt to not scare the shit out of the already pitiful thing. Kerry rolled up onto his feet, though he only just managed to stay standing beside me when his friend ran up to him. The thicker furred boy rocked uncertainly on his paws smiling sheepishly with his tail tucked. All but the perfect fucking picture of apology.

"Sorry Miles. I didn't mean to." His head jumped slightly, abruptly coming out of fearful-pitiful mode to look back at me with wide dual colored eyes. "This is Michael! He said I could go with him-" Kerry's voice died abruptly, those eyes focusing on me with a sudden shadow of anxiety. "We can all go with you can't we?" Chocolate ears pulled forward I smiled painfully down at the kid. Who the fuck was 'we'? My answer came shortly after in the form of a half-panicked third pup who all but tripped over her paws rushing to who I could only assume to be her friend's forms. Fur practically flew off of her, I couldn't catch half of the shit spewing out of her mouth but I knew better then to assume it was anything but furious 'how dare you dumb jerks don't ever do that again's.

Geoff's scent pressed across the clearing at the same moment, and I turned my incredulous stare away from the three puppies to look at my leader with something close to utter helplessness. I swear to Skoll I'd gone out to find food and I'd come back with a pack of fucking pups. Geoff dropped the furious snarl on his face in an instant, the look turning into shock before it quickly melted into fucking fatherly kindness. Trust Geoff to not even fucking question where a shit ton of puppies just showed up from. jack was right behind him, and at least that ginger asshole had the gall to look confused as he should. I for one wasn't sure what was going on in any fucking regard. "Hey there guys." Geoff was fucking cooing, oh god dammit. I cast an expression at Gavin, only just having processed his words to pretty much tell him to fuck off cause I didn't sound like I was dying. At least I hadn't thought I had.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

OOC//: So we don't have 5 bagillion zillion characters in here right away, wanna just have it so Joel, Ryan, and Ray are off doing whatever shit they do together too far away to have heard a thing?

Kara arrived first and I could feel my heart pound in relief. Kara would focus on the fact that everyone was alive. Barbara would make a joke out of the whole thing and right now I didn't feel like hearing me or Kerry get teased. Chris would either be pissed off at us both (Kerry for separating from the group, and me for taking the lead in her rescue), or jump right into demanding access to whatever this pack was. Because surely it was a pack--now there were four dogs I did not know. My heart started up in its panicked beats again, having pulled myself away from Kerry and now looking over each over sized beast. The one who had been ready to protect Kerry had anger lines on his maw. That was too familiar from my time in training and it scared me. The white one seemed a bit put off by the idea of a pack of children being in their group. The gray one was outright friendly, but I found such kindness to be suspicious. No one was kind without a price. The last one to follow him in said nothing, but confusion was plastered on his face. I didn't blame him. Three very different looking puppies wandering without adults is not something you see every day.

Chris walked in calmly a second after the arrival of the (what I hoped to be) last two of this pack we'd stumbled across. Barbara limped in quickly after him. I glared at her and she gave me a sheepish look. That was why the two had been so slow. Barbara must have tripped in her surprise at Kerry's scream and strained a muscle in her paw, so Chris had stayed with her so she wouldn't be vulnerable on her own, just in case there was more danger around. I imagine he was pretty frustrated at her, too.

It was only once we were all here that I became aware of the voices around me. I had been in my own little circle of silence, a barrier keeping intruding thoughts from trespassing while I tried to digest it all. The white dog had turned his eyes from the dog I now knew as Michael, to the too-friendly gray dog. Kerry had asked if we could all go with them, and it was clear the white dog was expecting the gray one to give an answer (though he eyes clearly said he knew they would not deny children). My breath caught in my throat. I knew this day was coming, Chris and Kara obsessed over it, but I didn't imagine it would be so soon. I wasn't ready to be around anyone else. I just wanted my siblings here. Adults had killed my brother in unfair fights and verbal abuses. I had not known a decent adult. Had these dogs been trained? Or had they escaped early on like Barbara and me? The world has a way of making those involved in it dark with time. These dogs have lived this bleak existence too long, they couldn't still be good dogs.

"Kerry, don't tell me you want to live with these dogs?" It was a plead and I meant to whisper it, but it came out a bit higher and louder than intended. Chris' eyes traveled over to me, as did the white dog's. Barbara shook her head, agreeing with my obvious dismissal of the idea. My stomach clenched--I knew she would be my only ally in this, though for a much different reason. She was confident we could survive in one piece on our own. I knew we were almost certainty doomed on our own, but I didn't want to quicken the process by serving ourselves on a platter to some group of strangers. I knew Chris was about to come over to me and tell me to quit being so openly rude and untrusting. He wanted to be adopted more than anything, and I could ruin the chance at it. But the white stranger got to me first. I saw Chris pause midstep and look on as the white dog laid down so as to be eye level with me, a goofy, yet soft grin on his maw. His eyes were sympathetic, and I felt my heart calm down ever so slightly.

"Hey, my name's Gavin Free. What's yours, if you don't mind me asking?" His accent was weird and I almost cracked a grin at it. I pulled back a step instead, though, narrowing my eyes and making it clear I did not trust him. At all.

"Miles." He would not get my last name. That was reserved for the ears of those I cared for.

"That name's the bee's knees, little man. It is a strong name--like that beastly snarl of your's. I thought I'd be getting my arse handed to me when I heard that snarl. Thanks for taking it easy on me!" His dumb smile grew bigger and for a moment I wondered why. Then I felt that my tail was wagging slightly behind me and my own lips curved into the faintest of smiles. I had to stop myself from beaming at the compliment, no matter how much utter bullshit they were. With a sense of accomplishment, the white dog climbed back to his paws and turned around to return to his seat by Michael. I cursed him silently, stopping my tail and hiding the smile away once more. Okay, so maybe these dogs wouldn't kill us and gut us in our sleep. But I still didn't like them.

My gaze pulled away from Gavin, whom was now trying his best to ignore the fact that Barbara had gotten into his personal bubble and was sitting next to his leg watching Chris. I followed her eyes to the male half of our leadership, and watched the boy get a little closer to the the nicer gray dog. "Sir, would it be any trouble if my siblings and I make camp with you for a day or two? Just until her" he pointed a paw towards Barbara, "paw stops aching. We walk a lot every day so as to avoid being caught by the crueler monsters in this forest, and it would be a relief on all of us if we had somewhere safe to actually get some sleep without one us having to forfeit sleep to keep watch." That little asshole. He had a firm tone and confident posture standing before the much larger male, but I knew what he was doing. He was pulling for sympathy--for these dogs to look at us for what we were, a bunch of lost puppies that need someone to protect and love us. Instead of just coming out and asking, he was trying to make it so it is their idea and not ours. "Of course, we will catch our own food and everything, we just ask for a little bit of help warding off dangers for a night or two." He added it quickly, but his voice never wavered. I hated him for being so in control of himself.

I hated me for finding something to hate in everyone.

[I L Y I C H]

Our numbers were increasing rapidly, it seemed. Where had all of these children even come from? the very idea that they had been wandering around on their own was frankly terrifying. Dear Skoll I could only imagine what they might have seen or run into, let alone lived through before joining together. What had separated them from their parents? There were so many questions and absolutely no answers, but that didn't really currently matter. Right now we had an obligation to these kids. Feeling the shock drain out of my face I let warmth forward trying to relax the bristling fur and uncertainty. At least from the little boy Gavin was talking to. Brown gaze tipping away from the pair for a moment I locked my eyes on Michael, silently willing him to calm down for just a moment. He was still standing far too close who I would assume was the reason behind this meeting. The merle child looked a bit concerned as a whole though it oddly seemed to have nothing to do with the fact that Michael in all his constantly half angry state and more with the other four puppies milling about in varying states of confusion.

Michael himself seemed to be just as lost, though, so I supposed that made up for some of it. It was almost adorable really, two of the kids were tucked neatly against his chest at this point having moved there when the little girl came forward. Taking comfort, I guess, against the smallest adult there. Michael's face was dutiful and vaguely determined under a mask of blank frustration. Dumb dog thought we would judge him for having a soft spot for pups. Did he not see Geoff all but shaking on his paws? It made my heart hurt for the two of them though. Both of them parents in their own regard, though Michael had only ever tried to protect those older then him. It still counted. Then there was Geoff. Geoff who probably hadn't interacted with children sense Gavin was littler. Looking at this wanderers I knew what he was seeing behind the warmth and welcome on his face. A man doesn't watch his daughter die and not see her face in everything he looks to.

Sharp ears twisted towards the black and tan boy as his words broke me out of my thoughts. Oh yes. Mistrust. Of course there was mistrust. We were after all very large folami in a pack system. Who knew what these kids had seen of what 'normal' folami life was like. Kerry, the blue and white one tucked against Michael apparently, shifted uncomfortably under his friend's question. "You guys might have a chance out there but I don't." His tones were low and there was real shame in his voice. It made me take a step forward, seeking to comfort but Michael had already lifted a paw to nudge Kerry unhappily. Muttering something I couldn't quite hear. The girl along side lifted her head slightly, looking up at the half-breed's face before looking towards who I could only assume was her blood brother with something very close to determination. A decision had been made in her despite two of her family's disagreement. The very idea made my heart hurt. Children all alone out in the wild with no one to protect them. No one to teach them or guide them. Had two children truly had to take up the mantle as alpha?

Geoff had taken the time of confusion to walk closer to the group, seating himself a couple of feet from where Miles and Gavin were speaking, his ears pulled forward and the kindness in the slope of his smile obvious. He'd always been the aggressor. Always. Whenever anyone turned up Geoff had always been tooth and claw and ready to rip them to shreds despite my protests. Dear Skoll the man was a sucker for a puppy. In all honesty I had always found it almost humorous to think my old friend would harm so much as a fly unless rightfully provoked. He'd never drawn blood over any dispute that I had seen at least. The big gray brute was just a teddy bear with a scary face. So it did not surprise me in the least that Geoff dropped to his stomach in much the same way his son had to look the golden child in the eyes when he was spoken to. I stood in turn moving forward to seat myself by my bosses right side, flicking his waving tail with my own just once. Really just to tease him, ignoring the glance he sent my way besides the slightest twitch of my lips.

Geoff didn't comment through the entirety of the boy's little speech, though much like myself I could see the sadness leaking into him. So many strong words. Children having to ask for a safe place to spend the night. It was monstrous. When the older man spoke up his voice was rough with unshed emotion. "You all can stay as long as you want." He said it hard, the words settling like rocks in a river. An unsaid question. "You guys deserve to be kids for awhile." He added after a moment, expression turning almost playful once more. Hiding away the hurts in his heart. Children needed to be children. Not this. Geoff lifted his head, pale blue gaze locking on Michael. "Hey come here a second you know a shit ton more about healing then any of us do." Michael shifted awkward on his paws for a second before standing and side stepping around Kerry and the little girl who's name I didn't yet know. Not that it worked, both of them followed after him like ducklings.

"Yeah sure." His voice was low, obviously trying to be non-threatening though it couldn't be very scary considering how incredibly awkward it sounded. The chocolate colored brute settled down onto his own stomach, holding out both of his front paws, again with the utmost awkwardness. "Walk over here if you wouldn't mind...?" Good boy. He'd left room for the golden girl to insert her name. Now that Michael was focusing on the injury, turning the paw carefully to nudge at the sore bits with his nose, I turned my eyes over the other four. Wondering. Geoff spoke up again after a moment though, and I lost my focus. "You wont be doing any such thing." Geoff grunted as he drug himself back to his paws. "There are elk out here. We catch two or three and it will feed everyone." He was already planning. I snorted in response, smiling at him when he threw a glance my way. Geoff was already shuffling off, mumbling to himself about hunting lines. It seemed the rest of the little round up was up to me.

Leaning slightly forward I offered the boy a flick of my ears in showing. He might be a child but he was still in charge of this little pack and he was allowed his respect. He and his sister it would seem had kept them all alive for some time. "Hello. My name's Jack, that grey guy is Geoff. Don't mind him he get's distracted really easily." I cut a snide glance back at the man who just let out a sharp bark of laughter in return, his voice breaking in the middle as it normally did. "Gavin's introduced himself already and I guess Michael kind of got introduced." Michael grunted at me from where he was laying, literally surrounded. Kerry was leaning his hurt side into the man, watching intently as he worked. The little girl wasn't much better and all but plastered to his side, peering over his back at me. "We've got five more back at home." I waved my tail. We really were just adding up wern't we? First Joel. Then Burnie and Gus. Now we'd stumbled across a group of puppies.

Pressing my own paws into the dirt I rose a fair bit easier then Geoff had, though I still let out a low huff. Michael leaned backwards slightly, apparently having finished prodding the eldest girl's paw. "I'll put some numbing stuff on it when we get home." The man paused, orange eyes focused on the girl's face for a moment. "You need help walking?" He rolled his shoulders, half asking if she wanted a piggy back ride and half trying to remove his new leaches. I chuckled in response, casting my own brown eyes back to the long furred boy in front of me. A sudden thought made my smile grow a fraction. If they were just planning to leave, as much as I hated the idea, then I would focus my attention on having them be in a better place then previously. "Has anyone taught you how to track in the rain?" I tipped my head lightly to the side, glancing at Michael as he stood up.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

This was all happening much too fast for my comfort. Even Barbara had quickly thrown aside her distaste for it all, having thoroughly attaching herself to the white man's leg. He shifted away an inch, and she just leaned closer. I glared at her, but her eyes were set on Chris, whom was in turn still looking at the leader of this group. My ears flicked towards Kerry at his reply to my own question, and all attention fell back on him. "You're just as able as the rest of us. And even if you don't think so, then at least realize we would protect you." I looked away, frustration making my breathing a little slower. "It was your quick thinking that saved Barbara the other day by the sinkhole." Despite it all, though, I could see I was out numbered. If I didn't join this pack, I would be alone. I would make no promises, but I would try and find a place in this group, even if it was just being the awkward third wheel....or however many wheels holding this vehicle together.

Decision made for now, all my attention turned towards the gray wolf's words to Chris. Surprise surprise, we were welcome here. Oh joy. What had I expected? All these dogs to smile at us lovingly, but then deny us a safe place to sleep when we ask? Yeah right. Dumb mutts thoughts they were being clever, though, with their wording. Made it sound like we had a chance to leave whenever we wanted. As if. They would take us in and shove their ideals down our throats--whether it be for or against the feline massacre, I didn't care. I would not let myself be brainwashed either way.

"That is very generous of you, thank you." I heard Chris' deeper voice answer the man. "My name is Chris. Over there is my sister Kara, my sister Barbara, and I guess you already learned the names of my brothers." I almost felt a little touched by him referring to us all as siblings. I thought that was purely a me thing. But I guess we were still at a young enough age that we could technically all be adopted siblings rather than simply friends thrown together by a much too harsh world. Whatever the justification, Chris had never called me his brother before and it warmed me. He was probably doing it simply for my benefit, to try and get me to stop looking so hostile, but I appreciated it never-the-less. Didn't change how I felt about these strangers (were they still strangers at this point? They had names now...), but it made some of my frustration towards my family here melt away.

It hit me then that the brute pointed out that they had five more members back at home. My neck fur rose but I didn't say a word. That was too many. I could only hope some of them were children, too, but by how put off Gavin had been when we first appeared, I suppose he didn't have much experience with younger dogs. I turned my eyes to Barbara, whom was now carrying herself sheepishly towards Michael. "It's nothing. Really. Don't waste your materials. I will probably just strain it again in a couple days." Her eyes flicked quickly towards Gavin, who had kept himself close to Michael at this point, looking on with interest and a little bit of admiration for the half-breed folami. Barbara's quick glance went unnoticed by him, but I could read the traces of embarrassment in there. My stomach twisted. From the moment Gavin spoke to me so smoothly as he did, Barbara had perked up interest. Now she was self-conscious about her accident-prone nature. I didn't want to think about the implications there. "I can walk on my own, thanks." She said it quickly, trying too hard to regain her dignity. I knew she'd be fine on her own paws. She was used to aches and pains--comes with being careless, I guess. I rolled my eyes as Barbara thanked Michael one more time before limping faintly towards me, sitting down with a sigh. I knew she wanted me to ask what was on her mind, but I was too upset at her being so easily manipulated by one smooth-talking dog that, quite frankly, seemed relieved she had walked away.

Attention back towards Chris, I saw the man's tail wag slowly in interest. "Miles is a pretty good tracker. He said the humans taught him. But he tends to lose stuff when it is doing anything more than misting out." I felt heat rise to my cheeks, though I knew Chris had not intended to embarrass me. It was true. Barbara's human had focused more on the fight, because she was larger and more energetic than me. My human had focused all his energies on tracking. This was how Barbara and I had come to know each other--we had been teamed together by the humans on numerous occasions, the best in our class at that particular facility. That is, until my brother died. I lost my will for the activities then. Barbara said it wasn't long after that that they paired her with an older tracker and they were actually ordered to murder a feline, rather than just fight another folami in training after tracking them down. She had refused to kill the cat...and that night her and I had escaped. The very mention of the humans brought back the fear and anger that I had felt in that facility after my brother died. Before his passing, I had been proud of what I could do. Maybe I could track in the rain if I set my mind to it, but the enjoyment in the activity had died with my brother. I wasn't about to try and master that which made me blind to the fact that Kenan was being abused while I was having the time of my life. I looked away from them all and down at my paws. I owed it to my brother to be happy enough for the two of us now that the humans were so far behind us. I would smile for him.

Just not today.

[I L Y I C H]

Kerry had shrunk back into Michael, his head low, and the half-breed had ducked his head to nudge the boy again. And Michael liked to pretend he was the big tough guy. He was just as soft as Geoff. If not more so. The pup looked up at the touch, focusing on Miles with a weak smile. It practically screamed 'don't want to be a burden' as if the words were written in neon on the boy's forehead. I frowned at the child, but Chris was speaking now and I turned attentively back to him. Geoff turned around slightly based off the sounds his large paws made in the muddy grasses, obviously putting names to memory just as I was. I nodded lightly, waving my tail again in secondary greeting. Siblings. They were a family just as much as we were. It warmed my worried heart just a fraction. At least they had had one another.

Michael huffed at Barbara, pulling his lip slightly back in annoyance. Not real annoyance, and that was obvious to me at least, but anxiety. Then the chocolate hound was always anxious and he always seemed to expect the worst in any situation. I half expected him to pipe up with all the horrible things that could happen to her but then man just shrugged and stood. "The stuff I use is all over the place so shut it. It's getting fixed up." Eloquent as always. Giving Gavin a side ways look the man gave one short shake before turning around and moving after Geoff who had already moved off into the grasses. Leaving me and Gavin alone with the children, though I doubted Gavin would stray from Michael's side very long. Something had happened between the two of them recently. Really we were all just waiting for the happy announcement.

I was surprised that Kara and Kerry stayed behind, honestly. Kerry at least had seemed to scared to drift away from the person who had originally found him. None the less the three legged folami was now looking at me with curious eyes. I supposed I wasn't exactly a threatening presence. I might be bigger and taller then Michael but I was also thin and rather coyote like. The five of them could easily over power me if they wanted and that gave children confidence. Kara at least moved forward to seat herself along side her blood-brother. Smiling at Chris I ducked my head, letting embarrassment fall forward. "Truth be told the only reason I know how is because Geoff showed me. My people never taught me either." Waving my tail lightly I shrugged turning my face back towards where the others had vanished. Going back home. "If an old dog can learn a new trick you lot should be experts by the time we get back home."

Taking the smallest of steps I cast a look back over my shoulder, offering an easy pace for the sake of Barbara, but also to allow the others to get a good lead. "We don't really have a territory but there is a small grove of trees to the south of here that is our base of operations. We call it the Office." I snorted after, remembering that no not everyone had stupid names for everything. "You all will figure out real fast that we have stupid titles for literally everything we touch." Listening for a long moment to make sure the others were out of sound carrying distance I lifted one paw and set it heavily into the grass letting the imprint fill to the point of being unnoticeable with the light rain. It felt nice to fall into this familiar cloak. No one wanted to learn from old Jack anymore.

"Now rain sucks, really. It messes everything up but it can't wash everything away." Looking up I nodded towards the stalks, particularly the lightly twisted almost broken ones. Almost unnoticeable unless looked for. No one could walk anywhere without leaving signs. Especially when they were just walking home. I chuckled lightly at the thought. "No one as fat as Geoffrey can get anywhere without breaking some grass strands." Moving forward I nodded the children forward. I had pointed out a tactic and would add to it as we moved but I was nothing if not a hands-on educator. Let's see how fast these little kids could lead me back to my Achievement Hunters.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

OOC//: Laziness prevails...and it is storming so I don't know how much longer power will be on so I chose this thread to be my fail thread.

Barbara thanked Michael again, though it was clear she would still try and deny him the right to treat her. Gavin shot Jack a quick 'ya got this under control?' look before quickly following the half-breed. Chris walked close to Jack, drinking in his every word, interest plastered all over his face. Barbara flicked her tail along Miles' nose as she took off to follow a pace behind Chris, interest in her gate, and determination to ignore the ache in her paw. Miles stared after them, sitting in the mud a moment more, before falling into the back seat of the caravan, not at all interested in what Jack had to teach. Memories were a bitch, and he would rather leave them in the locked safe at the back of his skull.