Remix [bhu]

[I L Y I C H]

Mother said we weren't allowed to leave camp. Mother said it was dangerous. Mother said a lot of things, but she left camp didn't she? And she was okay, wasn't she? Astrid left camp a while ago. She wouldn't admit it to Ayita, but where else would she have gotten the chance to make that really cool sculpture thing? There wasn't any red stuff like that around here. And besides I had Kamautu and Bran with me anyway, so we were three times as safe as Mother was outside camp anyway. Well we would be anyway. Once I talked Bran and Kamautu into coming with me. They would, obviously. Or I'd just run out on my own and that ought to guilt trip them anyway. Maybe that was a bit mean, but they would thank me for it latter. They both needed to lighten up every now and again anyway. Have some fun, It was good for them, after all. So I'd claimed Bran's attention and the older black pelted boy walked along uncertainly behind me. The kid could deal with some cheering up. He was such a stick in the mud some times, but he had a pretty cool pool of ideas and clever tricks once he came out of his shell a bit. The issue was he collapsed right back into it so quick. Not fair at all. Kamutu was better then that at least. We'd just have to double team poor Bran. He'd get use to us eventually.

Eventually being today hopefully, because we were going on a bit of a trip and he'd better be prepared for it. Silly Bran. Smiling to myself I half skipped across camp, flagging my tail playfully. Bran walked behind me in his careful 'looking for potholes' kind of way. He was super clever though; despite the caution. Slowed us down sure but he always had the best ideas. I was glad Dad had found him and brought him home. Irwin and him could get sort of obnoxious off in boring land sometimes but they usually came around. Like Bran now. He'd gone into 'this is gonna happen' mode which worked out just fine for me. He'd start having fun and come out of his silly little funk. Made a girl wonder what his actual Daddy had done that made my Daddy bring bran to us. I bet his daddy sucked a lot, and thats why Bran was just so careful. I'd hate to have a daddy that actually tried to make me careful. That would bore me into being all polite and stuff too. Lucky Bran found my daddy, he was better.

Pausing I let myself lean forward, ignoring the bump as Bran ran into my hind end not having been looking at me. Turning to sniff at him for not paying attention (eyes gotta be everywhere!) I paused when I saw the white face nodding towards some place off to the left. Oh! There was Kamautu. I'd been looking towards his Mom and Paradox. Astrid was with them, toying unhappily with one of her little red statues. I'd thought Kam would be with his siblings like normal but I guess he liked his quiet time too. Poor Kam. But Bran was smarter then me, and the guy took the lead moving back towards our brown and black friend. Not wanting to run into my butt again I guess. Or maybe he just wanted to get out of camp before Ayita got suspicious. Either way really. It all worked, I didn't want his fat chest running into my butt anyway. Not that it really annoyed me that Bran was older and bigger then me. That both of them were. Okay maybe it bothered me a lot. But I waved it off happily prancing up beside Bran as the muscular pup sat down beside Kam and let out a heavy sigh. "She's pushing me around Kam I swear."

I put on my best pouting face, but wasn't quiet able to contain my grin. "Thats right because I'm a princess and you gotta do what I say!" Bran made a loud guaffing noise, but he made a point to stand up and bow until his nose touched the ground. Little jerk. Leaping forward enough to chew on his ears before the stronger pup could back up and lean away from me I laughed along with him. Settling down with my tail waving I turned to our friend and grinned ear to ear. "So you coming or what? I want to find out where you're sister is getting the red dirt to make her stuff"

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

Silence wasn't a bad thing, though I knew I could only enjoy it for so long. My gaze had caught Michelle's movements gathering up Brandon, so my time alone would end soon. Not that I minded much at all. I enjoyed being with Michelle and Brandon, more so than being with my own family. I knew that made me a terrible person, but I felt at ease with my friends. Mukki was too jumpy and a bit temperamental, Astrid was not very social, dad was a bit morbid at times, I don't even know where Silisa is half the time, and mom was too busy worrying that every grain of sand was going to kill all of us, dad included. Besides, she has been annoyed lately. Astrid came back with dad one day smelling weird, and then she wandered off another day with a dead thing and came back with a statue smelling of a stranger. It also had dad and Astrid's scent on it. Mom had had a complete conniption, more angry at dad that Astrid because 'he should know better than to let Astrid near the others', whoever the others were. Grandpa had seemed edgy when she made him sniff the statue, saying something about one of the test tube brothers. I didn't know what any of it meant, but once she got over her crisis stage, she had licked Astrid to death and thanked her a million times for the beautiful statue. If she loved it so much why had dad gotten in trouble over it and Grandpa seemed afraid of it?

Brandon reached me first and I offered the boy a warm smile. I chuckled at his claim, and snorted with Michelle's retaliation. Both Brandon and I bowed to the woman in sequence before I gently tackled the boy to the ground as my captive. "Shall it be off with his head, Princess Mickey, for such disrespect?” I suggested it boldly before nipping down at the boys ears affectionately and stepping it off, moving forward to dust him off once he stood up. I pulled away again, however, when Michelle’s next set of words fell past her lips. I eyed her cautiously. “I don’t know, Mickey. Mom seemed awfully upset about that statue. Dad got a big yelling at, and your dad was nervous by the scent of it. Only your dad ever comes back with that same scent on him. Maybe we should go someplace that smells like our own packmates?” My tone was nervous, merely cautious. I would go wherever Michelle and Brandon went, of course, but the suggestion was still out there. I was the oldest, afterall, so it was my responsibility to be sense-able, right? I looked over my shoulder towards Astrid and her playthings. “Though, I would like to check out the place she went.” I thought out loud. “Make sure no one there dared to mess with my sister.” Aggression in my gaze, I turned my eyes back to the two.

“Ah, what the heck, I’m in.” I gave Brandon an 'I’m sorry’ look before standing up and wagging my tail goofily. “Lead the way, oh wise and powerful Princess Mickey.”

[I L Y I C H]

Brandon->

Tail wagging I grinned up at the pair, pressing my paws heavily against Kamautu's chest. Not that it did much; he was after all older and bigger then me. I'd squirm anyway, it was embarrassing to be stuck under him just cause he was older then me. "No!" I wailed struggling and trying to pull my ears away. All the time nipping playfully back, I pushed against the heavier folami. Once Kam let me up I scrabbled to my feet and shook the dirt at him. He deserved it too. Getting me dirty! Sticking my tongue out at him, I sucked the muscle back into my mouth when Mickey gave us the reason for our little get together. Ears going back I frowned thickly; shaking my head. "Dad doesn't like it when Astrid comes back smelling like that." I agreed rapidly, nodding to Kamautu in hopes that just this once Mickey would bow under the pressure.

Oh but if she did that she wouldn't be Mickey would she?

The pale girl drew herself up and stuck her nose in the air. "Then we'll just have to clean our fur real good before we get back." Mickey's scarlet eyes shone with that horrible little spark and I felt my hackles raise in fear. Oh I knew that look. It always showed up right before we got in a lot of trouble. Not that I'd let them go on their own of course. Someone had to have some sense somewhere. But then I'd expected Kamautu to take my side. Of course. Throwing as horrified an expression I could at the older boy I gave in meekly and without a fight. I kind of wanted to know where she went too. Just a little bit. Mickey leaped to her paws all over again, all but hoping in place. "Great! And you're gonna come too aren't you Bran?" Puppy dog eyes were flung my way but I'd already caved.

"You guys need someone that might actually watch out for stuff." I huffed, trying to sound cross but only coming off as worried and excited. Of course I sucked because I was the serious one but we couldn't let anyone get hurt right? I'd watch out for everyone while we were walking. Mickey trotted happily into the lead the moment I closed my mouth, and I followed her, letting some of my curiosity flow into my tail along the way. I did really want to know, after all. Cause I did really think I knew the smell from somewhere. I wasn't really sure where exactly but something about it just felt normal. Not that I'd say anything. I didn't want to play 20 questions with Mickey or make either of them sad thinking I'd found it first and just didn't remember all the way.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

I poked my snout into Brandon's cheek before following after Michelle, grateful and apologetic all at once. "If Astrid can handle it then it should be no problem for us." I declared confidently, though I kept to myself the reminder that my father had been with her, at least to bring her home. No one would mess with my dad. Only my mom was strong enough to make him submiss. The thought placed a grin on my maw as I walked. I always found relationships interesting. Mahal and Clarimonde had a mutual relationship, Alonda was dominant over Val but she was bigger in mind and body so it made sense. Grandma dominated Grandpa but Grandpa felt guilty about things, according for Alonda, so that explained that. But I would never understand how my creepy, tough-guy father could let tiny, sweet natured mom lead the way. Of course I loved it! It was hilarious for her to say she was a single mom with five kids. She and dad really loved one another and as weird as they sometimes were, it was cute. Of course, I considered love to be cute in general.

I looked over my shoulder to make sure Grandma and dad were not watching our departure. They were both talking and playing with Astrid. Mom was napping with Silisa, Mukki, and Irwin near them. My nose twitched as I turned my eyes towards the camp's entrance. Newsoul was talking to Kadan, repositioning his attack posture. I switched back towards the dens and saw Alonda heading in our direction, her stomach swaying uncomfortably. Unsure if she had yet seen us, I knocked Michelle into some mint with my head and grabbed Brandon by the scruff, dragging him in after us. "What are you three idiots doing?" Her judgmental tone declared that she had, indeed, already spotted us. I poked my head from our cover sheepishly.

"Guard duty. Mickey's leading patrol." I nodded my head towards Newsoul and Kadan, still distracted with their lessons. "Ende is practicing fighting moves awfully close to our border so we need to teach them a lesson." I gave her a soldierly frown, as if daring the soldier to question her general.

Alonda blinked in confusion before looking past me into the mint, towards where I had aimed to shove Michelle. "Your friends are as weird as you, Michelle." She left it at that, tone a bit too disgusted to be honest. I always thought Alonda might like her siblings more than she let on. She had to keep up her tough-girl facade, I suppose--she has been wearing that mask for too long to give it up now.

I climbed out of the mint and looked over my shoulders. "Sorry, guys. Come on. We better speed it up before Newsoul or Kadan see us."

OOC//: I am so sorry. I was braindead so I had to drag in a judgmental Alonda. You can powerplay them leaving in your next post or make them have to dodge more people, whatever. You can also have Michelle interact with Alonda if you want and if I feel like she would have responded I will just play her response as before she walked off.

[I L Y I C H]

Brandon->
Michelle all but stubbed her nose when Kam pushed her, but for good reason I guess. Alonda wasn't exactly a nice presence most of the time, and she was even worse around us. My thoughts were cut short as I was just as unceremoniously drug into the mint. Puling a face at the older boy I shuffled aside as Mickey scrambled into a crouch to glare. Alonda's approach shut Michelle up before she could get her mouth open to demand explanations. The girl turned around on herself, one of her large pale paws pressing into my side as she scrambled into an upright position. Mint leaves stuck with sap to the girl's fur she stuck her nose in the air with pride. A snort rattled out of me despite myself. Trust Mickey to take pride in a word like 'weird'.

The girl leaned forward on her toes to watch her elder sister waddle away before she turned on Kamautu with a playful growl and a leap at his shoulders. "Warn a girl!" I flicked my ears slightly towards Newsoul when Kam mentioned her and Kadan. Yeah we'd have to book it pretty fast now. Throwing a quick look aside I nudged Mickey's haunch were she was trying to chew on Kam's muzzle.

"c'mon!"

Mickey gave up on her attack of retribution to hurry past me. The scraps of mint in her messy fur made her look more silly then leader like but I rushed after her anyway. I'd made up my mind to go along on this adventure so I'd stop worrying about it. For now. Maybe. Mother would be upset when we got home anyway, and I really didn't want to upset her. Father was a push over, but Mom would dish out groundings. Not that it mattered right this very instant. It was fun for now so I'd focus on the worries later. When we were out of camp, and Mickey's body was almost still beside her swiftly moving legs. It was never a good thing when she got focused like that.