Ayxiel*Others

"That's all I know, Apa... she didn't really give anybody the chance to talk her out of it." Ayxiel's voice was very soft and appeasing, and her ears plastered to her soft silver head; Elder Brother was worried, and not angry, but he was equally fierce either way. "And she's got Tunga with her," Reiki pointed out, doing his best to help Ayxi explain things to their father. Brother simply turned his large body to pace the other way, seeming almost deaf to his children's reassurances, at least until he spoke up again. "But deliberately going into the territory of Ankh, of all the wolves she could have gotten involved with?! What's she thinking?!" To the corner of the yard he went, were the treeline closed in, and then back he came toward them, turning glances every now and then to the trees, straining his eyes for any hint of the bright silver coat of his mate. "I don't know Apa, she didn't give us a chance to ask. She just said pups are pups, and then off she went with Tunga and that bird. And she had that air about her, where none of us was going to cross her. You know the way she can get..." Brother stopped for a moment, and considered his daughter; at long last, his expression gentled, and he moved over to offer her a nuzzle, and heaved a sigh. "Yes... yes, I know how she can get." Next he turned his gaze around at Akembi and the rest, and asked, "Does anyone at least know where they went?"

Akembi, Tunga, & Others

Akembi had planted his big feet against the sun-baked grass, standing anxiously as his father paced towards the timberline and back. He let his sister handle the first round of questioning, then promptly flattened his ears back against his skull and lowered his head a smidgen when Brother looked to him for further answers. Blue eyes darted to the face of his father, then trailed briskly away... and finally slid back up to meet his gaze, "The falcon mentioned something about the lake, but I'm not really sure. Dad, really... it's okay. She and Tunga will be back any time now." He was always an optimistic fellow, so his words were at least genuinely assuring, rather than hesitantly speculating. Laying in the grass behind them, close enough to hear but far enough away to not invade the conversation, Sage and Nak were keeping an eye on the situation - and on the surrounding trees.

Karai*Others

"All the way to the lake, no less... in this beastly weather." He'd asked the question, and Akembi had answered it properly, but their father still didn't like the answer he'd received. For her part, Ayxiel stuck close to the anxious Brother, giving his side another nuzzle; and then looked up when one with sight better than any of them finally raised her voice. "Here they come," Elderwild prompted, having settled on a low branch at the edge of the clearing, which provided her with an especially good view of the trees around them. Instantly, Brother's head lifted, and he began to twitch his nose, searching for the familiar scent... at last, it came to him, and only a moment later, the light falling between the trees caught on a silver coat that was only two shades darker than Ayxiel's. "Ancients' sake..." With that murmur, the wolf could not longer contain himself, and broke away from his children in order to intercept Karai and Tunga, nosing over his mate and son to ensure they were well before finally seeming to realize they were not alone, and that was when he froze. As she cautiously trotted up behind her sire, Ayxi heard him whisper hoarsely, "Karai... what have you done?" He stiffened a little and drew back, almost as if he were afraid of the tiny pups that the two of them carried; it wasn't the pups themselves that he feared of course... it was the chaos and difficulty their parents and the rest of their pack could potentially bring to the ranch, after such peace as they'd enjoyed these last months.

Akembi & Others

Tunga had stopped many times during the long trip back home, needing to set Krush down and readjust his hold on the young pup's nape. The large male wasn't use to carrying such a fragile load, and a few times, the youngster was gripped precariously by the side of his neck and one leg. At one point he started squirming and was dropped as a result, but the determined Tunga never gave up and eventually he and his mother had reach home again... just in time to be confronted by Brother. The off-white brute stood solidly beside Karai when his father approached, and wasn't all too surprised at how Brother tensed and drew back. The blatant reaction did bother him though, and in wanting to defend Karai's decision, he set Krush down and addressed his sire, "Their mother is sick. And their father missing." Tunga didn't speak forcefully to his father, instead his tones were quiet and informative, as if he might temper some of Elder Brother's more negative emotions.

Akembi followed after his father and sister belatedly. The blue-eyed male lingered beside Brother for mere seconds before curiosity won out over the tension that was infesting this little gathering, and putting aside what common sense should have held him back, Akembi padded forward and dropped his head down to sniff at Krush. His thick tail waved a little, "What harm can these little fuzzies do, Apa?" Through ignorance or simply too much optimism, the young male spoke brightly and without any of the uncertainty that was beginning to plague Tunga.

Sage and Nak remained back a ways to give the family a moment or two to themselves. Their father didn't wait though - the collie was already sprinting across the yard in blur of black and white fur, heading briskly for the gathered wolves.

Karai

The mother had to admit that she hadn't exactly expected a warm, welcoming reception to these pups, simply because of one of their less-than-pleasant relatives, but she wasn't expecting to cause the kind of tension that she was right now; of course, when she'd been fostering pups before, she been among the wild packs, and other wolves hadn't been nearly the problem that they often were, here at the ranch. "It's temporary," she assured Brother, settling Ahina and Umai down in the shelter created by her back paws and stomach, where they would have a place to crouch together, and feel a little safer about all of this; after all, this had been quite a day for them, and she figured they had to be fairly frightened to be surrounded by all these strange wolves and hybrids. Brother shook his head though, not sure if he could even believe what he was seeing and hearing; he was never capable of raising his voice to Karai, but he did sound alarmed when he finally spoke up, after Tunga's attempt to help smooth things over. "If their parents are unavailable, the pack can take care of them. That's what a pack is for. Karai, you don't understand the hornet's nest you've stirred, here. Ankh-" "I think I know about Ankh a little better than you do," she replied, her tones getting stern in a way that was subtly challenging the way that Brother was trying to control this situation - mostly because his preferred method of control seemed to be to have her take the pups right back where she'd found them. "I lived all my life among the wild packs of this valley, with some relatives of Ankh's even closer than these pups. And I tell you that blood relation bears no meaning. Aidan proves that." Brother was fighting the impulse to pace again, and yet continued to stare as though he thought this was a dream he would wake out of. "It's not the harm they could bring that concerns me, Akembi... it's the harm their relatives could bring. We can't just-" Before he could finish that sentence though, Karai had spotted a black and white shape rocketing their direction; now this was the member of their ranch crew that she had expected this sort of trouble from. So she quickly reached a paw over to scoop around Krush, to position him with his sisters beneath the protection of her belly so that Timber could not harm them... he wouldn't harm them, would he? She wasn't willing to test that theory, just yet.

Akembi & Others

The whole situation was behind the youngsters' comprehension, other than the most basic of facts - their parents were gone, and this stranger was going to look after them. But for how long? An hour or two? Krush had initially fumbled backwards into Tunga's front paws when Akembi and his giant face dropped down so closely in front of him and pinned his stubby ears back in terror. Before he knew it, another paw was shuffling him sideways, guiding him underneath the belly of the older she-wolf. All three were trembling now, an act that no doubt would pull on Karai's heart and fuel her strong maternity drive - and thus wedge more resistance against all those who did not want those puppies here.

"A relative of Zhener was present at the lake." Tunga offered a little more solidly, again attempting to swing his father's current attitude more towards acceptance, all while trying not to overstep his bounds. "He spoke on Ankh's behalf, saying that Ama could count on their help in the future." "Karai is still a wild wolf, of course that treacherous snake would offer his aid!" Timber's sharper voice was carried on a snarl as he spoke up and stalked boldly towards Karai. Obviously, word had gotten around about the falcon's visit, and the aging collie had spent the last half hour or so furiously patrolling the Ranch's perimeter. "He would not be so kind to the rest of us." The dog looked fiercely towards the three siblings cowered beneath Karai, "Take them back, Karai. I don't want them here."

Karai*Others

Indeed, though she could no longer directly see the three pups tucked beneath her, Karai could feel them shaking against her, and also felt the thrum of three tiny heartbeats racing fast; she lowered her body a little so that they were more thoroughly concealed from sight by her belly fur. It was an action on her part that kept Brother from trying to draw closer as he attempted to talk sense to her, but it didn't stop him from again putting aside Tunga's attempt to calm the situation down. "Zhener's kind-hearted, and he's been good to your mother, but we all know he's more than a little daft. He doesn't understand wild politics; he sees pups and thinks 'Karai can take care of them', without realizing the danger it could bring." The female's ears came forward fiercely then, and she replied, "Perhaps that's one of the qualities I like about Zhener. He sees pups in need of protection, where you see Ankh's grandpups. He's got the right of it." Beginning to feel exasperation set in on top of his alarm, Brother shook his head. "Look I'm not saying they don't need protection; just let someone else do it. It's-" He had to fall silent though, when Timber's snarl lit through the air; Karai honed in on the collie as the newest, and perhaps most serious threat to her charges, and laid her ears back in a message of submission... while at the same time keeping her frame protectively low over the pups, a couple fangs bared for emphasis and showing no intention of letting him get close. "I question your right to call me with the same term you use for your enemies, Timber. I was born wild, and I have my ties there, yes... but I am a ranch wolf, and have been this year and a half past raising my pups here. Do not set me on the outside because you do not agree with my actions, and certainly do not class me with Ankh." She was soft-voiced, yet firm in correcting him there, and then went on, "For your information, I've accepted no such boon from Ankh; I've consented to take care of the pups, no more. And they won't be staying here - they'll be at my personal den. I was just passing on my way there. If you don't care for them, you need never see them. I'll not force them on you; but you will not threaten them as you're doing now." It wasn't often that the shy, retiring mother could be persuaded to speak so roughly to the longest-standing guardian of the ranch - or to anyone for that matter - but this was one place where she wouldn't be moved, as her fiercely-set expression made clear with the glinted of small white fangs, offsetting her flattened ears and low body posture oddly.

Akembi & Others

Neither Tunga nor Akembi had seen division like this between their parents. It was troubling to say the very least, and yet it wasn't as intense as the sudden confrontation between Karai and Timber. Akembi had side-stepped hastily away from Tunga to give the collie room when he surged forward, and now he was taking a few more steps back as fangs were being bared between the contending parties. Tail tucked, Akembi edged back towards Ayxiel, while Tunga stood uncomfortably beside his mother.

"I didn't mean it as an insult against you, Karai." Timber did have the presence of mind to say that, yet with his own canines bared subtly and his voice far from apologetic, it wasn't the most assuring or believable statement ever. "But I am insulted that you would even consider coming to his aid, and bringing those whelps into our home!" The more the collie spoke, the more passionate and fiery his tenure became, "He took my last brother from me, robbed me of my nieces and nephews - we will not shelter his grandchildren!" Driven by his fury, the aging dog stalked boldly closer to Karai with his hackles up. Tunga stiffened when this happened, unsure if there was about to be a physical fight or not; Timber didn't launch into an assault, but by all appearances, it looked like he planned on it if Karai didn't take heed of his orders.

Through all of this, the three siblings crowded back against the she-wolf's belly, utterly terrified by the angry voices around them.

Karai*Others

"I am not coming to his aid, I am coming to their aid!" Karai was not ordinarily one to raise her voice, and when she did, Ayxiel cowered back too, her ears plastering to her skull as she sought shelter beside Akembi, just as he was looking for someone to stand with. "They are not whelps, they are pups, and not even weaned yet; I cannot believe that you would hold their grandfather's actions against them." She continued to bare her teeth, and yet didn't cross the line of getting aggressive until he began to move toward her, threatening her space, and that was when the lowest of snarls sounded; Ayxiel took one look at Karai and backed off very quickly, seeking shelter further away, by a tree - she'd never heard Karai growl, as long as she'd lived, and certainly not at Timber. "You're pushing me, Timber... one step more..." She didn't get the opportunity to finish this phrase though, because he brought up a very sore subject, and her face twisted into a hollow, vicious thing, and though Brother had been about to hesitantly step partway in front of Karai, not truly believing Timber would harm her, but feeling it his duty to protect her, he stopped when that look came over her, and even took a step back himself. There was the briefest sense of a pressure throughout the air, hanging close overhead like the heaviness right before a storm - and then, Karai broke loose, in a voice sufficiently loud that back on the porch at the house, Rihanne sat up in surprise. "Yes... and you and the rest of the guardians here killed four of my nieces and nephews and my brother's mate, and drove my grief-stricken brother from the territory with threats and taunts. Furthermore you have categorically refused to even permit him to know his grandchildren, the only family he has left in the world, aside from me. You've driven him to the last point of his sanity with this denial, til half the time he will not even speak to me anymore... do not match griefs with me, Timber - you and yours have taken much from me, and you will not have these pups. I have power in the wilds, more influence than you can ever hope to have; if you make an enemy of me, you are more of a fool than I think you. I warn you. Do not threaten these pups again. Back off."

Timber & Others

If Martha or John had been around to witness the confrontation, both would have thought that Timber was about to start a full out fight against Karai, so threatening was his stance and the mowhawk of fur that rose high along his spine and neck. "Ankh cannot have it both ways, Karai! Pups or not, we do no favors from him, he gets no free passes just because his brother lives here!" Perhaps too embittered by his old life, or too calloused after so much death over the long years, Timber refused to see the pups in the same way that Karai and Tunga did. To him, it was Ankh pawning off his troubles on them, using them for his own needs, and using Karai's soft spot for pups to get away with it. When Tunga felt that things could not possibly get worse, tempers flared to the extreme, and his mother produced a face so vicious that the large male finally slunk back from her and Timber. The air around them was so volatile that it almost had a presence all its own, and Tunga wanted out of it.

"Don't you dare try to pin blame on me." A sharpness sounded from within the snarling undertone of Timber's words, and though he did not meet Karai's threat by moving closer, he did bare his fangs to their fullest, "And don't you forget what I lost on that day! I was defending my family! The wild ones have taken everything from me until I have only two offspring left, and I'll be damned if I let my guard down now and give in to that traitor's demands!" Timber was the only one present who was immune to Karai's fury, and met her emotional pain with his own. It was a truly frightening sight, one which startled Akembi to the core and almost brought an anxious whine from him. "I will not back down, Karai. I never have, and I never will, not when I have family to protect. Take, them back, or so help the ancients, I will take care of this problem myself."

Karai*Others

Redoubling the vicious growl, Karai sank lower, until she lay as low as she could without crushing or smothering the pups beneath her. "For the last time, I am not doing Ankh a favor. I'm not doing anyone a favor. I'm protecting pups, who are every bit as innocent in this matter as yours were when they were this age. I will not resign them to die simply because you cannot cope with the deaths of your mate and children; these pups had nothing do with that, and I will not allow you to take out your fury against their grandfather against them." This was quickly getting very heated and threatening to spiral out of control; Brother stepped forward again at this point, and whispered, "Karai... please, this is not the way to go about this..." But the female ignored him, in favor of continuing to express her long-suppressed anger at Timber. "You were not the only one who lost loved ones that day! You at least have children left, where Kain does not! He has not even his grandchildren, for you won't even tell Nak and Sage that he exists. You're so wrapped up in your own private pain that you're twisting about and attacking everyone around you! The pups just happen to be handy; but you'll not get your satisfaction from me!" She snapped her teeth together with force, not necessarily meant as a snap at Timber, but to emphasize how serious she was in the matter, and how infuriated she'd become. "I'll warn you... one final time, Timber - if you lay so much as one paw on these pups, I will do whatever I must to stop you. And that includes making use of my fangs."

Timber & Others

The closeness of fur, even if it carried an unfamiliar scent, was still comforting to the frightened pups. Their trembling didn't cease though - in fact, it grew more pronounce the more the heard the snarls and fighting around them. "You are doing him a favor, one that he does not deserve! Send them to the Alleys, because I won't belly up and offer him help, pups or not!" The collie side-glanced when Brother moved in, without letting his gaze stray too long from the bristling she-wolf in front of him. "I was defending my territory, my family! You think this is about personal pain?!" A slight tremble worked into his voice, a look of disbelief caught up in his eyes. Rage drowned it out quickly thereafter, and his ebony facade twisted further, "Have you gotten so blindsided by these whelps that you've forgotten how quickly death can come here, and what Ankh has done?! All I am doing is the only thing I know how to do, and that is protecting my family from them! If want to twist that into something else and pin me as the bad guy, then so be it. But I will not stand for 'them' being here-" Timber swiped a paw in the general direction of the pups to define 'them'. "And I will use my fangs, as I always have, to protect me and my own."

Karai*Others

"It might not have been at the time, but it is now." She dared challenge his statement with that, still bristling. "Three pups that are not even going to be staying in your territory, but in my personal den, cannot possibly be the threat that you're making them out to be. I've fostered some of Ankh's relations before, and you've never seen those particular individuals here. I've also fostered for the Haunters, fostered for the Ochotona Mountains pack and Silver Glades and Sedge Creek; what kind of background their parents have has nothing to do with the pups' right to grow up and make their own choices. And I will not allow you to tell me what may be done with my own time, at my own den." That was sheer defiance, flung straight into his face with all the bravery that often took her where pups were concerned - especially pups that were frightened and trembling against her, the way that these three were. "What are you going to do then, Timber? Maul me for them? It's the only way you'll ever touch them. It's a pretty pass we've reached... you're so busy 'protecting your family' that you've forgotten who the enemy is. The enemy, in case you need reminding, is Ankh. Not his brother, not his children if they leave us be, and not these pups. And certainly not me. I would have thought, after a year and a half, that you'd know that." Sarcasm, thick and clinging, threaded into her voice; the longer he shouted and snarled at her, the more personal this thing became, and the less either of them was inclined to listen to the other.

Timber & Others

"No, but in time they can and will become a threat. It's an insult to me, to everyone here, that you even considered going to his aid!" To say his words were being influenced by a grudge would be a vast understatement, but it was no petty grudge, and it drove his wrath beyond the kind of unbiased compassion that Karai was offering the innocent pups. "You know he would not return the favor." Remaining in the background during all of this, Sage and Nak were stunned speechless by the confrontation and the sheer amount of anger rising between the two. They'd seen their dad angry before, but like Tunga and Akembi, neither had seen he or Karai display it like this against one another. Even with their ears back and a healthy distance place between them and the elder canines, they could hear every word spoken, thanks in part to the loud tone of voice being used. Timber didn't back of a one step, nor lower his seething tones, "And I would have thought that you'd have the decency not to bring enemies into our home. You might have a reputation for looking after pups, but this is NOT a sanctuary, Karai. Take them out of my territory, and don't let me catch sight of them again!"

Karai*Others

"I'm not concerned with him returning the favor!" Beginning to feel exasperated now on top of her anger, as she felt she'd hit a brick wall with Timber where he refused to listen to her, Karai knew that her voice was rising in pitch to match her feelings, and she hated that. "Don't you think that I know what we've lost? Don't you think that perhaps I might have wanted the opportunity to get to know Artemis better, to have her around for longer than we did? She was my niece, as much as she was your mate or your pups' mother; just you remember that. I know who's to blame for that, and I put that blame in its place; on Taijya and Ankh, and all the rest of those like them - where it belongs, not on the shoulders of innocents." By now, Ayxiel had abandoned her tree and slunk over to Reiki, and with him, had begun to slip into the trees, with the aim of coming out near the house, where things were a little more stable. It wasn't that they weren't invested in seeing this come out peaceably, but after all they were just over a year old, and seeing two main authority figures in their life in such a violent upheaval of emotion and argument shook them to the core. Perhaps, if they could get to the house, they could find someone who would help stop the argument - or at least, be comforting to them until it stopped on its own. "And I would have thought you'd have the intelligence to realize that these pups did not choose to be born under Ankh's bloodline - and at this point I'd daresay they'd choose not to be born under yours either." That was a blatant insult, referring to his nasty temperament right about now, and his absolute refusal to see such young pups as the innocent creatures they were. "I've told you twice, they're not staying in your territory! They're staying in my den, which is outside your territory and outside your realm of influence and power. And I swear to you that if I ever see you there again, I'll see to it that you never make that mistake again." That was quite a blow, because once she'd gotten used to living here, everyone at the ranch had been welcome at her den, from Timber to his children, Aidan, Tahirah, Rihanne and back... she'd turned no one away. That she forbade Timber to come now only made more clear how angry she was with him, and how intent she was on protecting these pups. "I'm not running a sanctuary. I'm a fosterer. And if that's going to be a problem, then you're not welcome among me and mine any more."

Timber & Others

"That's my point! He would kill any offspring of mine before even considering offering them shelter. You're scratching his back, and all he's going to do to return that favor is sink fangs into ours!" Behind him, Sage and Nak were joining Ayxiel and Rekki in retreat, believing there was little they could do to help in this fight, and furthermore not knowing where to begin even if they could. They were soon joined by Akembi, leaving only Tunga to stand bravely a yard away from the bristling pair. As far as Timber was concerned, there may as well be no one else around them for as little as he was censoring his emotions, "You've had the luxury of being accepted by the wild clans out there, but we don't have the luxury of such alliances, or the reassurance that these whelps will grow up and remain peaceful with us. I've fought tooth and nail since I was a pup to safeguard this land, and you're not about to waltz in here and start questioning my way of dealing with threats! They may be 'innocent' now, but what they will become and what they represent is far from that." The infuriated collie went silent for a long moment after the insults against him turned more personal, and his fiery eyes turned very cold. His voice finally lowered when he spoke, rumbling like the approach of a distant storm, "Then get out."

Karai*Others

Now this had gone a couple steps too far to control, with the yearlings fleeing the scene only to be followed by Nak and Sage as they too looked for stability - and found it in the form of the large copper femme, who gimped her way down from the porch to meet a very distressed and whining Ayxiel, amongst the others. She needed little explanation for why they might all be so frightened; she could hear the shouting from the porch, and so she nuzzled Ayxi gently, and then turned her most authoritative to all the young ones. "Alright now - I want all of you to go search for Aidan; tell him that he has some relatives to visit. I'll deal with Karai and Timber. Go." So saying, she waited to see that they would do as she told them, and then stalked off for the trees.

By that time, silence had fallen, due to Karai's complete shock at basically being thrown out of the territory. Not that she wasn't aware that this was going to be a troublesome situation anyway, and not that she hadn't done quite a bit to anger the collie... but she'd honestly thought he trusted her more than that. She fell into dead quiet for a few seconds, still keeping herself low over the pups and all her fangs bared... but after a few seconds, her eyes slipped down, and her snarl stopped. "Alright then... that's it. I'll go. Come, Tunga - take Krush for me." She wanted that to sound cold and uncaring, but her voice wavered - she wasn't quite as composed about that as she wanted to pretend. "Alright, that's enough." Before Tunga could even begin to scoop up Krush, that voice sounded, low and stern, and with enough iron in it to make all of them freeze, even Brother. The crippled Rihanne stumped into the trees, fixing everyone with her stare. "Elder Brother - take your mate and the pups and get them settled in the den. I'll be out to see you later." For the last several minutes, Brother had been keeping his silence, not wanting Karai and Timber to argue but for once finding himself unsure of what to do; with Rihanne took control of the situation, he was almost relieved. So he nudged Karai and she picked up Krush, handing him over to Tunga, scooping up the two females herself and, with significant prompting and nosing, Brother managed to persuade her to go ahead of him. He stayed only long enough to give Timber a slightly-hurt look and a tired, "Did you have to do that?" before he finally turned too, soon disappearing into the trees. It wasn't until she was sure that all of them were gone that Rihanne turned to address Timber. "Come up to the porch. You and I must have words."

Timber & Others

As the offspring scattered to find Ankh's brother, Timber continued to hold his ground by the trees, not about to let the pups come any further into his domain. Even while there were no words rolling off his tongue, a snarl continued to simmer in his throat, rising and falling ominously with each breath. Such was the violation of trust he felt, and it masked any regret he might have felt about denying Karai a place to raise her pups on his land, as well as any sympathy for the tiny youngsters themselves. Rihanne's arrival didn't soften any aspect of the bristling collie, or warrant even a quick glance in her direction. He watched as Tunga took up Krush and disappeared into the trees, then turned a narrow-eyed look at Brother, "Don't even, Brother." The accusation in the wolf's words riled the small dog more and kept the growl in his voice. It didn't begin to die away until the family had retreated into the woods and out of his territory. Only then did he realize the ache in his muscles as he tried to relax a few of them, so tensely had he stood those last few minutes. A shifty looked towards to Rihanne, but she received none of the heat that the wolves did, and without a word, he padded after her.

Rihanne

The cocker mix's steps were slow now, which would force the aging but still fleet-footed collie to slow his own loping pace so that he wouldn't pass her up entirely. She was quiet as they walked though, not venturing too many words just now as she allowed him to stew and fume, simply because all that tension had to go somewhere. It wasn't until she'd managed to scale the steps again, with a bit of suppressed grunting for the difficult movement, that she did try for any words at all. "So..." She kept her tone low and gentle, without being too light for the somber things that had just passed, and with only that single preliminary syllable, she heaved herself down on the planks of the porch, that one leg skewed off to the side, and set in, in a much quieter and more polite voice than Karai had used. "...are you going to snap at me too, or have I managed to avoid the touchy topics that were brought up just now?"

Timber

Timber was likewise as quiet as Rihanne, aside from the heavy panting he was now doing. The mostly black coat didn't help for one, and the intense standoff with Karai hadn't done anything to cool him down. Somehow, even with his tongue lolling and his lips drawn far back in the typical open-mouthed gape of a dog trying to cool down, Timber's expression remained fierce. Once they reached the porch and climbed the steps, Timber sat roughly beside his friend and immediately turned his vigil out across the lawn. It wasn't to be unexpected though; Timber was almost obsessive in the way he patrolled the Ranch, and in his older years now, kept sentry for long hours on the porch. "You didn't bring enemies to our doorstep." The collie growled irritably, not really at Rihanne, but as a runoff of all the volatile emotions that were still held within him. In the shade where they sat, Timber's panting slowed down, and he eventually resumed a grim-faced facade that was not without it's wrinkles. "The gall she has, to help him and expect me to be okay with it. He never gave Stallis' children that courtesy, and you think this'll mend any fences? He'll just use it to soften her up, and you know those pups will be taught to hate us. Live on the edge of our territory in perfect safety, then go back to him and report what all they've seen."

Rihanne

She endured the rumble from him without any reaction, knowing that it was meant to release tension, and not really directed at her. "You're right... I did not. But clearly, Karai sees it differently." That was a fairly neutral statement, which could be taken either way, and she followed it up with a slight shift of position as she waited for Timber to calm just a teense from how worked up he'd become. "Is that what she wanted? For the record though, I don't think she ever expected you to 'be okay with it'. I don't know how much she thought about it at all before she up and left with that bird. Personally, I thought she was rather foolish for going off to some strange place where there might very likely be an ambush for her, with no more protection than Tunga. She didn't seem inclined to listen to me, however."

Timber

Chocolate eyes continued to rove the treeline, pausing only to shift a look at his friend now and then. "That's the problem, she's a wild wolf, and she doesn't understand that things don't work here like they do out there. Do you honestly think there'll be no consequence for this?" The huffed question was almost more rhetorical than anything, and meant for the wolfess who was not currently within earshot. "Either Ankh's using those pups as a means of getting closer to us for his own foul plans, or he's trying to butter up Karai. And even if that's not the case, my brother would not have wanted this! To help the bastard that killed his kids?" The collie growled more emphatically there after bringing up Stallis for the second time. It took a few moments before the low rumble within in his throat quieted again.

Rihanne

With a half-sigh, the smooth-coated dog replied, "I did attempt to explain the matter to her before she left... she seemed to think that I did not understand the situation. She said that she was aware that you would not agree with her choice to bring the pups here... I believe her exact words were that you would not 'see it as clearly'." That might make it seem like Karai was deliberately trying to defy Timber, and though that wasn't true, it did bring up a profound point. "I know you don't agree with it, Timber... truth be told, neither do I. I'd rather have them as far from here as possible. But she was so determined to keep them safe that she brought them here, already knowing you were liable to pin her ears back for her... and withstood you at your most fearsome. I don't think she's unaware that Ankh might be trying to butter her up. There's just something that she believes is more important." She reached up to scratch idly at one ear, though she too was keeping a good eye on the treeline, just in case mother and son had been followed from where they'd picked the pups up; so far, she'd seen nothing to suggest there might be imminent danger. And she dared push just a hair further, when finally she turned her eyes back to him. "So banishing Karai from the territory helps the situation? That takes she and Brother away from us; they are two valuable members of our defense here, aside from the fact that Nak and Sage love them. And their pups are coming of age soon; they would prove a valuable asset to our team, if we could but iron out this little matter."

Timber

In the time that Rihanne had allowed for him to vent, much of that initial rush of rage and been quelled, and fuel that drove his fury burned down. Oh, he was definitely livid still and every bit as on edge as he was after hearing why Karai had taken off, but Timber was reaching a point where he could actually listen and think clearly, whereas before the collie was far too infuriated to give Karai the chance to explain her side of the story. "I've heard stories about her; she's well known in the Valley for fostering." He came up with that gruff comment first, "But she wasn't here during the years before." Timber didn't mention the death of his mate and children, or those of Karai's own relatives, but it was the event he was referring to as a time reference. "She has no idea how dangerous and brash Ankh can be, or what she's getting into by helping him." It was entirely possible that he wasn't giving the mother due credit, but Timber often had trouble seeing eye to eye with wild wolves, and viewed the 'wild lands' as a foreign and dangerous place that was vastly different than his home here. He looked frowningly to his friend a few moments later, ruffled by her latter comments, "I didn't banish her." The response was a little defensive, as Timber failed to acknowledge how his last words to Karai could have been taken differently than he'd meant them. "I don't want those whelps in my territory. And so long as she's going to stand there and insult me on my own turf, she can stay out until she's of a more respectful mind." Though Timber wouldn't go so far as to admit it, he'd been upset about the topic of Artemis being brought up, rather than the more direct slurs against him.

Rihanne

"I'd heard rumors to that effect," Rihanne admitted. One could not forget that she still had a feral half-sister out there somewhere, and though Minx very rarely put in an appearance at the ranch, being just as cautious of humans as Tahirah was, Rihanne did have access, through her, to the basic events and rumors of what was happening out in the wild world. "I would venture to say that, though she was not here in the years before," she replied, also carefully using the time reference rather than naming names, "she was out there during that period of time. From what's said, it sounds like she's fostered all across the board; Haunters, Lurkers, Guardians... and most of the wild packs, too. A personality like that... I doubt seriously that she even thought twice about bringing them here. She did not understand the significance of her change in residence." That was gently trying to offer the soft-hearted female a bit of defense, without denying that Karai had done something very dangerous in bringing the pups here; she did not believe that the silver female had brought them here with the intent to rain danger upon their heads. She took his frown in stride though, when he firmly held that he had not banished Karai, and told him quietly, "I think you may find that she and her family feel differently. Brother knows better, I am sure... but Karai is still fairly new-come to us; she does not know you as well as Brother and I do. And Timber, if you could have seen the look in her eyes when you said it... no, I promise you that she honestly believes that you've forbidden her to come back." Again Rihanne was using her words carefully, laying out the fact that she understood that Timber had not exiled Karai... while at the same making it clear that she believed the silver wolf had taken it that way. And she let her voice get quieter still as she slid onto the subject that she figured would be most sensitive of all. "Exactly, Timber... she insulted you. What she didn't do was lie. She resorted to the insults because telling you the honest truth and expressing her reasons wasn't getting through to you. As much as I disagree with her motivation in helping those whelps... lack of respect for you was not what was at play there. You had her backed into a corner, and she came out snarling... as any mother would do."

Timber

It didn't take long before Timber was turning his aged eyes back to the timberline, where the leaves were pale and and withered by this season's lack of rain. "Her not thinking twice about it is a big part of the problem." A shuffle of movement and rustling of leaves directed the collie's hawk-like vigilance to the old oak where Karai's children had previously been resting, only to find the culprit of the noise to be nothing more than a squirrel. "This is not a sanctuary like some other places out there, and we can just take in random pups like that. It's bad enough that the Lurkers skim food from us.." A renewed growl seeped into his sentence in mentioning that. He'd been young when Aidan arrived as a pup, and he'd grown up with the hybrid and trusted him fully, but that didn't mean he had to happyily accept the deal between him and Lurker's occasional taste for livestock. "If she's going to stay here, she has got to understand that." When moving on to the next topic, Timber was quiet for many moments. Though there was still too much heat in him to even consider apologizing or at least trying to set things straight, he was allowing more thought and perspective to what Rihanne said. "She wasn't the only one backed into a corner. I have children to protect as well." It was a cold reminder of how dismal his record of protection was and how violent and uncertain life was at the ranch, when of his entire family - parents, siblings, nieces and nephews - there was only he and two children left out of them all. "Brother will speak to her, once things have calmed down."

Rihanne

"Again, that's a place where I agree with you, Timber," she replied patiently, showing an amount of gentleness and understanding that ordinarily wasn't noted in the often-grumpy Rihanne. Oh, she was a kind person, and she looked upon Timber's remaining children like pups of her own, but as with the collie, the hard years at the ranch had taken their toll on her personality, and combined with the pain that was all but constant in her ruined shoulder, she was not often disposed to be overly friendly, or very patient. She marshaled her reserves of it now though, to get through to her old friend. "And as much as you're justified in snarling and yelling, after the things that have happened, it's not a productive way to deal with others. They stop listening to the words you're saying, and instead listen to the snarl you're using... and they respond accordingly; the result is that even a sensible message is rejected, not because of the message itself, but because of the snarling behind it. You let your temper run a little too freely, every once in a while - particularly where subjects like the one she brought up are concerned." That was stark truth, but offered in the tone of a friend, rather than the snap and bristle that Karai had tried to make that point with; she'd been protecting the pups, and he'd been protecting his family... it had been near inevitable that they'd butt heads, so Rihanne looked for a middle ground. And she did that by offering up a keen question. "That he will, Timber... I'm sure he will. But Karai has a mind of her own; she does not allow him to override her own decisions without significant effort, and is near-impossible to change when she has set her determination on something. The facts come down to this, Timber - she's not going to take them back, and she's also not going to stay where she perceives she's not welcome. You believe his influence with her is sufficient to convince her otherwise, and I admit that I am inclined to hope that myself... but what if we're wrong? What if she takes off? Where does that leave Brother, and what choice can he make if she does?"

Timber

It was reassuring to hear that he had a friend in his corner of the ring, even though Timber knew Rihanne well enough after all these years that her place with the issue didn't need clarification. And yet... the way she wasn't snarling right beside him and sharing like-minded anger at the incident was very telling to the aging collie. His fuming mind refused to accept it now, but somewhere underneath those bubbling emotions, a bite of regret was starting to make itself known. Had he gone too far in driving the pups off? No, they're the enemy. It'd be a snap in the face to Stallis! To all of them. Timber's inner rage quickly assured him that he was justified in his actions. But then why did he feel a smidgen uncomfortable? In lieu of looking at Rihanne, Timber rotated an ebony ear towards her, and made no comment to the first few things she addressed. Then both of his auds planed a little to the sides and his voice dropped a notch, "She has forbidden me from going to her den, not the other way around. I cannot control what she does beyond our borders anyway, and I will not offer those whelps protection in our home. They have family in the human city they can go to." Instead of addressing the sore predicament this put Brother in, which hadn't crossed Timber's mind until now, the stressed collie drove his anger back at the pups. Stubborn as he was being now, there was still plenty of residual anger radiating within his mind. With a bit of time to reflect and cool down, the collie's words might change.

Rihanne

"Did you consider that perhaps it's because she fears what you will do to them, to ensure they will not stay here?" The pit-mix's voice was dry, but not rough or nasty in any way; she was pointing out the truth to Timber without passing judgement, just yet. "As I said, she was backed into a corner and thought you were a threat to the pups. Thought perhaps you might hurt them to get them away from here. She might be afraid that if she lets you come to the den, you might hurt them." She shook her head a little there, not believing for a minute that Timber would have actually hurt the pups, but knowing that it was easy for Karai to perceive it that way. "Just remember, my old friend... she's lost a good deal of her family too, and out in the wilds, she's seen as much of the warfare and bloodshed as we have here... maybe more." Again, her head turned back and forth, and she sighed, laying it on her paws at last. "At any rate, you're in no shape to be spoken to at this point; if you take my advice, you'll go have yourself a good, long turn about the terra and get things ironed out in your head. When you're done, you'll find your thoughts clearer, and you might actually listen to me."

Timber

"As long as she keeps them out of my territory, I don't care what she does with them." Timber returned, without attempting to deny that he would have hurt the pups. Oh, it was hard to believe the old collie would kill them, even if they were on his land, but his reaction to them and the amount of snarling and bristling he'd brought into it had certainly left room for doubt. Especially to someone like Karai, who did not know the guardian dog as well as Rihanne. "Whatever she has experienced is not my problem. It is my problem when she brings danger onto my turf though." Again he lashed back at any idea that Karai was in the right, and stood firmly by his beliefs. Timber stood up shortly after saying that, causing a wooden plank to creak as his light weight was shifted off of it. "I hear what you're saying Rihanne, loud and clear. But if you think I'm going to apologize to Karai for defending my family, that's just not going to happen." Whether that was just the heat and his temper talking still, only time would tell. After a few stiff steps, Timber shook himself and dropped into a more fluid trot, leaving the porch and setting out across the yard.