Timber & Others
It had been a few days since the spat between Karai and Timber, and things had not exactly gone back to normal at the Ranch. Martha had noticed that Timber appeared more on edge than normal, a fact that she began to correlate with the disappearance of Karai and the change of mood in Elder Brother. Had the shy, silver wolf been killed? Martha had not witnessed the earlier incident, and having not seen the mother in several days, sh began to wonder just that.
Today was cooler than it had been in the last few weeks, with an overcast sky and a breeze that brought a welcomed breath of cooler air to the parched land, and the promise of potential rain. Timber scarcely paid attention to the shift in weather however. He was sauntering across the yard, heading from the barn where he'd gone to check on the stabled horses. Halfway across the yellowed lawn, Timber stopped short and sat abruptly as a fierce itch forced him to scratch vigorously at his shoulder. A small tuft of fur came loose from his bedraggled summer coat came loose and drifted away on the wind. A few more black hairs were shed before the itch was satiated and the collie carried on towards the porch.
Rihanne*Others
No, things were not normal at the ranch. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Tension had ridden high for everyone involved, and it was beginning to show enough that Martha had noticed it. Tah, of course, had picked up on it right away, but it was too complex a concept for Brother to explain it to him, and so the young man had remained quietly worried. Of course, Elder Brother had not abandoned the ranch - every morning, just like clockwork, the wolf showed up at the house for his shift of duty starting at sunrise, patrolling the grounds and checking on the various livestock, just as usual. But he'd been making his rounds alone recently, where usually Karai would accompany him, or sometimes even he'd seek out Timber for conversation to make the patrols less of a chore. He'd been avoiding having long discussions with Timber, these last few days, but had never once tried to bring up the subject of the pups with the collie, or gotten difficult and defensive about how Karai had more or less been threatened away from the ranch. He was polite and gentle when he was spoken to, but his answers were short and lacking in their usual spunk, and every night he returned to the den with his mate, just outside the territory, but within howling distance if he was needed, and spent a restless night before coming back the next morning.
Even the couple's grown children had been feeling rather awkward in the aftermath of the fight, though Karai never forbade them to come and go from the ranch as they pleased; whatever was happening between she and Timber, it did not involve her pups, and she wasn't going to force them to make a choice like that between the home they'd known all their life and their mother. So it was that Ayxiel still trekked everyday up to the porch, to keep Rihanne company and to 'help' her make her rounds of the house itself, which mostly consisted of following the pit mix and ensuring that her bad shoulder didn't cause her to trip or fall over anything. Reiki had been a less common visitor since the disagreement, though when he did come into the territory he mostly would seek out the younger dogs and hybrids to hang out with and keep himself distracted, rather than drifting into the tension of the silence kept by the adults. And perhaps that was why he wasn't about today - because Brother had plopped himself down in front of the porch, and was staring silently off into the trees, blinking slowly in a way that said he wasn't watching a potential threat, but merely thinking heavily about things. One ear swiveled to the sound of Timber scratching, but he didn't say anything, or offer the collie his eyes.
Timber & Others
One of the four siblings who spent the least amount of time at the ranch now was Tunga. He preferred to stick closer to the den with his mother and the three young pups, and help where he could. The young male had even brushed up more on his hunting and brought back a total of two rabbits and a pheasant in the last three days to help keep the young ones fed, even though Karai and Brother were perfectly capable of catching food themselves. It gave him an excuse to stay out of Timber's path, and in a way, was an effort to make up for some of the hurt he knew his mother was experiencing. Akembi had done his best to put those troubling events out of mind, and had made cheerful visits to the three little pups, and spent time romping with Sage, Nak, and the four offspring of Aidan and Tahirah that remained at the ranch. He'd even struck up a few spontaneous conversations with Timber, but found the collie a little awkward to talk to of late, and after a little while, even Akembi started to avoid him.
Timber was all too keenly aware of it, too. He'd spoken little to Aidan, who had gone out of his way to visit with Karai and let her know that she did have his support in this, despite his great reservations about his brother Ankh. Tahirah had actually chastised him at one point, and the two had bristled up enough at each other that Martha was sure there was going to be a fight. In the end, the pitbull had stalked away when their bickering got too far, leaving Timber feeling more confused and isolated by the whole ordeal.
After relieving the itch, Timber carried on towards the porch, without realizing who was also occupying the platform, until he was within a few short yards of it. The border collie slowed his steps and hesitated for a second, then heaved a silent sigh and padded up onto the porch to sit down near the resting wolf. After using his teeth to nibble at at his front leg for a moment, Timber settled his chest and belly against the ground and took up a silent watch over the yard. It took several minutes before the silence was broken and the distress that had hounded the dog's mind found an outlet in his words, "You know Karai is still welcome here." It was the first time since the incident that he'd even mentioned her, and he did so in a quiet voice, without once looking at Brother.
Elder Brother
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date;
Hearts full of passion,
jealousy and hate.
Woman needs man, and
man must have his mate...
Despite the fact that he was pretending not to see Timber there, Brother's ear still swiveled to follow the sound as the collie moved up toward the porch. It moved back to center once it became clear that Timber was going to join him on the porch, and the wolf sighed deeply, causing his sides to heave dramatically, but did nothing to get up to avoid his friend's company, and did not snap or snarl at him; Elder Brother was weary of this mini-war between his friend and his mate, but he was absolutely resolved not to take sides here. So he merely lay there, keeping his silence very carefully until Timber spoke up. Even so, it was several seconds before he gathered his voice, and ventured, "Yes, Timber... I know." The eyes closed meditatively for a moment or two, and he drew in a long breath to still his frazzled nerves. "My mate, however, views it very differently. She's barely speaking to me."
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die;
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.
Timber & Others
If he'd been a cat, Timber's tail would have been switching side to side, rather than laying still against the wooden planks of the porch, with his coal-black fur looking rather ragged and disheveled. For a time, he almost expected that Elder Brother wasn't going to respond to him at all; this was the first time he'd brought up that fight after all, and Timber would have to have been blind not to see how badly it had been affecting his friend. In the end, Brother did respond though, leading a quiet, slightly gruff response from the collie who still didn't look in the wolf's direction just yet, "You can clear up the misconception; you weren't involved in the argument. I don't care if she's on my territory - it's those pups I don't want stepping over the border." Oh, a deeper part of Timber knew what he was the one who should speak to her, and Rihanne had hinted at that in their earlier talk, but the collie couldn't quite bring himself to that yet.
Elder Brother
Ever so slowly, the big male adjusted his position, looking to relieve a discomfort that wasn't physical. "If only it were that simple, my friend... you know as well as anyone that where females are concerned, few things are simple." He huffed another breath out through his cheeks to express some of his frustration, but again, it did little to help. So at last, and against his better judgement, he took up the topic that Timber seemed to have in mind. "Karai is angry with me... because I did not square up and tell you to back off when you forbade her to bring the pups here. I didn't defend her actions to you, didn't try to convince you the pups were harmless, didn't try to influence you in any way... and she believes that I should have." There had been a reason why he hadn't done so of course, and not because he was frightened of Timber; no, Elder Brother had refused to take sides in the argument because he refused to take a stance against either of the people that he cared so much about. "Karai does not separate her welcome here from that of the pups. She doesn't compartmentalize her life that way; she's taken them, and they are part of her family now, whether or not anyone agrees with her. And she's an all-or-nothing kind of girl... you can't have her without the pups. That's just the way she is. It's the way you would be, if you took another mate; if they didn't want Sage and Nak, then they'd just have to do without, because you aren't going to turn around and leave them over a female."
Timber
Timber's right ear switched sharply to dislodge a fly that had settled on the edge of it. A few seconds later, he was repeating the process as the buzzing insect landed again for another go at the collie's blood. Bothersome as the bug was, it scarcely distracted the dog from the conversation at hand, to which he gave a grunt to Brother, a possible sound of agreement to his assessment about females. "You were right in not defending her actions in bringing an enemy's pups here. I don't care what she does with them outside of my terra, but they are not welcome in it." In all the days spent after that confrontation, Timber still held very strongly to that conviction, and was not going to be swayed. He felt his boundaries had been infringed upon and his family put in danger as a result, and that simply wasn't going to be changed. Timber finally looked to Brother, his gaze hard, "If you are expecting me to allow those pups onto my land for the sake of Karai, that's not going to happen. If you want me to speak to her... I will, but I'm not allowing his kids here."
Elder Brother
Brother was half expecting this flash of stubbornness from his old friend, and had to admit that the familiarity was a little soothing - and yet, it did nothing to solve his problem. In fact, it almost made it a little more complex. "Timber, you know me too well to believe that I would think anything of the kind." He met the collie's eyes there, but his expression and his voice both, though accepting and mild, were very tired. "I expect only for you to thoroughly understand the repercussions of your decision. Things have changed now, Timber. Karai is not an enemy I can turn against, not an intruder I can drive from the territory for you. You've set yourself against these pups... I will not try to alter your decision there. But you must understand that in doing so, you have set yourself against her, in her eyes. You can't have her without the pups; she won't stand for it. And if you do not handle this matter very delicately... she will leave. She has already talked about doing so. I have managed to talk her out of that, up to this point, telling her that both of you needed to let your tempers cool some. But as I said, she is not inclined to listen to me much, recently."
Timber
Shuffling fur below them and the faint sound of small feet pattering on gravel did not catch Timber's attention in the slightest. Nor did the tawny-orange, tiger-striped tabby that slipped out from beneath the porch and slunk away around the side of the house. The farm cats hadn't gotten involved in the canines' business, and Niavy wasn't particularly interested in letting her catnap be interrupted by these two. "The repercussion is that I'm keeping me and my own safe from Ankh." Timber responded in quiet defense, continuing to hold his ground on that issue despite the rift it was causing, not only between Elder Brother and Karai, but between Timber and everyone he believed he was protecting. It distressed the dog more than he'd show, but he was willing to let feelings get hurt over lives being lost. "The best I can do is explain my position to her... clear up some of the misunderstanding." Timber looked away again, signalling how difficult it was for him to have come to this point, even after so many days. "That's all I can promise."
Elder Brother
"By estranging your friends?" That was the only point he'd made up to now, not trying to force any decision upon his friend, or in any way say anything that might suggest that he thought that Timber was overestimating the danger to the ranch and his family; that would get him nowhere, and he knew it. Instead, he made that point because it was very true, and lowered his voice to a gentle tone. "My children are avoiding you... Ayxi's been asking me what's wrong with Uncle Timber. Why he's 'mad at us'. I don't know how to answer her; there's too much history, and it's not mine to share. Karai's avoiding you... your children are avoiding you. What price are you willing to pay, my friend? It's coming down to the wire, now; are you willing to protect your children and your home by alienating your family? I've been trying to hold it together... to explain to Ayxi and the rest that you aren't angry at them. I've said nothing to Nak or Sage about the other blood relations they have, voiced no protest to your decision to exclude the pups from residence here... I've done all I know to do to keep this under control, but I'm running out of options." He flinched a second later, because a hand lay itself to his back; he'd been so intent upon his conversation with Timber and upon watching the trees that he'd failed to notice Tahmores coming up behind him. "Hello, Brother," he spoke quietly, scrubbing the wolf's ears, and extending his opposite hand to Timber, but waiting that slight formality of a pause to allow the collie to sniff it if he wanted to, or to indicate that he did not want to be petted. Between the blood brothers, it was not needed or expected - but Tah always maintained that respect with Timber. After his initial surprise, Brother settled quickly, seeming content to let the young man pet him, but not responding with the eager tail-pat he usually would have. Worried by this, and by the tense behavior of all the canines recently, Tahmores reached up and scratched at the base of his neck, where the soft cloth met the skin. He clawed at it for several seconds in an idly anxious way, but didn't prompt anymore conversation. It was afterward that Brother finally told his friend, "I do not know what progress you could make with her... but I wish you more success than I have had. Only be cautious... she is very on edge. Even snarled at me once yesterday, when I startled her."
Timber
"You know that's not my intention." The collie had averted his gaze and set it back upon the trees that rustled and swayed in the growing breeze. Timber took a deep breath, and when he let it out, the tiniest of whines escaped with it, revealing the underlying burden of stress that had been plaguing the dog not just since this latest incident, but for the vast majority of his life. He followed that up with a reinforced rumble to his words and a rally of inner strength. "If keeping them alive come at the price of alienation, then..." He stopped and sat up, finding himself to restless to simply lay down. "What was I suppose to do, Brother?" The rumble escalated into a frustrated growl, "Turn a blind eye to it all? Ignore everything that's happened here and put my children at risk, and simply change my ways? It's not that easy!" Despite his emphatic words, these were not particularly defensive; they were spoken more in exasperation than anything else, and to the ears of one of his true good friends. As quickly as the outburst came, the collie struggled to collect himself again, just in time for Tahmores to arrive. Timber turned a dry nose to the outstretched fingers, giving them a passing sniff before looking out across the yard, this time in the direction of Karai's den. He sounded more resigned when at last he spoke, "Is she at the den now?"
Elder Brother
The wolf sighed again, forcing Tahmore's hand on his side to jump up briefly, and then slide down again the movement of his breathing. "Intended or not, Timber... it's happening. You can't pretend that you don't see it. And you can't rewrite it once it's been done. I just want to to consider, because it will change your life, whatever you do. I want you to be sure that you are doing what you believe to be best." By putting that in the phrase he did, and thus focusing the conversation upon Timber's benefit, instead of his mate's, Brother was hoping to avoid making the collie believe that he thought he ought to change his mind. But he did make one addendum to those words. "Consider this, my friend... if the pups stay here, close to your territory, they may, in the future, become a risk to us. I have never denied that, nor has Karai. Ankh could later bring troops back here, decimate the ranch, kill all the rest of us. And then... if you lived, you'd be alone again." He did not flinch around covering that topic where many others would have, but he did lower his voice, to indicate that he wasn't taunting Timber with it; he truly felt sorrow for the collie's loss of his family, not once but twice. He took another breath, and then offered an alternate course. "If you choose to stay on your present course... Karai will leave. With her will go some or perhaps all of our pups. Sage is a little more tactful sometimes, but Nak will ask why we are leaving. You'll have to answer him that. When he does, Sage will listen, and if she does not like the answer..." He paused there, not about to draw those thoughts out any longer than need be; Timber knew his own daughter better than Elder Brother did. Sage was quiet and gentle, but she had a mind of her own, like her mother's. If she didn't like Timber's reasons... "...they'd be welcome to visit us anytime, of course. But that would leave you alone here, just as before... only without your friends, without your pups. That is the price it can cost you. And it is far more likely a scenario, I believe - you know your own children, you can guess better than I. But Timber..." An airy whine issued from him, and after having reached to lightly scratch the collie's ears, while understanding that attention wasn't on him, Tahmores whined in turn and lay out on his side on the porch, propping his head on Brother for the comfort that the closeness would bring both of them. Brother sat up briefly to tend to the young man with a couple of nuzzles, and then lay his head back on his paws again. "...once you make your choice... you can't take it back. It's like Martha talking on the ringy-thing in the living room." The 'ringy-thing' he was referring to was the telephone, and the talking meant the answering machine, which played a polite message from the woman over and over when people called. All of them knew the sound of those words, even though they couldn't understand them. "It plays the same thing over and over. And no matter if you talk to it or you snarl at it or you speak nice to it, it still says the same thing. And once you've done this thing... it's done. I say it not because you don't know it, but because I want you to believe it. No matter how you curse it or try to smooth it over or try to change the outcome, it will stay just the same, and always be that way." He finished his words there, and closed his mouth; Tahmores sighed and stroked in the wolf's ruff, which might or might not have been what caused Brother's eyes to close. "She hasn't left it for days now, tending to the pups. You'll find her there."
Timber
"I'm not blind, Brother. I see what's happening." He didn't mean to speak so sharply to his friend, and he regretted his tones as soon as the fell from his mouth, but he did not apologize for them. Not yet, when his mind and heart were in such turmoil, each pulling in a different direction. "Rarely have I been able to stop the changes that have happened in my life, and the few times where I'm granted the opportunity to do so, I won't fail to act on them." Timber was quiet when Brother went into detail about the consequences his actions could have, depending on how he chose to deal with Karai. He said nothing in response to them at first, but the fact that his almond eyes were looking blankly to the grass in the yard, and not hard upon the trees, suggested he was thinking very hard about all that was said, and weighing it heavily in his mind. The collie didn't even respond to the scratch around his dainty ears, but at long last he rose up on his limber legs as slowly and stiffly as if he were sixteen years old, rather than eight. "And what would you do, Brother? If there was the slightest chance that Karai and your children would be slaughtered? Would you accept that risk, or do absolutely everything in your power to snuff it out and protect them, even if you know the consequences you'll face for it?" Timber's gaze was turned starkly at the wolf when he laid this out. The black and white dog didn't wait to hear what Brother might say; he stepped around he and Tahmores and padded down the steps, and out across the yard. He was heading for Karai's den, a bold move considering she had pups, and had threatened him against entering her domain.
Elder Brother
"Not blind, Timber... but you're choosing to keep your eyes closed." That was a reminder that the collie had all the power here; power to heal the rift that had been formed, or to widen it into a canyon that could never be bridged again. Leaned against him, Tahmores sighed again, and the wolf spoke tiredly. "You forget, Timber... all of my pack were killed by human hunting, in the boy's twelfth summer, that year his father came for him. The boy's father himself hurt him, many times... I have seen the cruelty that humans can do, to us and to one another. And yet, Tahmores is not like him. My mother raised him, and I after her. His fate is separate from those who killed my pack, and from his father as well. Am I to penalize him for the sake of the evil man whose blood he shares?" It was quite a similar situation here, of course, because Timber was wanting to keep the pups out exclusively based on who they were related to. Brother wanted him so badly to understand that, not necessarily for the pups' sakes, but for the sake of Karai and Timber, and this rift between them. As the collie finally got up and began to wander away, Brother sighed, and whispered the answer he would have given to Timber's last question into the light breeze that had started up. "No, my old friend... I would remind myself that my mate and my children are grown, and as able to protect themselves as I am to do it for them. And I would remind myself that one must first walk, before one can run... it is the same way with fighting. If you do not soon let Nak and Sage go, just a little... you will cripple them. Forever."
His words were lost though, not heard by Timber and not really understood by Tahmores; so the collie was left in silence to traverse the trees over to the den. A few twitched of that keen nose would tell him that Karai was definitely within the den, and not alone, either - there were soft voices sounding beneath the curve of fallen trees over a large recess that had been excavated in the dirt. There were enough trees fallen in this area that her whole family could bed down here at night if they chose, even with the pups grown now... and with little notice, the soft voice paused; there was silence, which then morphed into a growl as one silver paw reached forward to tuck the pups protectively beneath her, all within the safe shadow of their den. Karai didn't speak a word, but the growl certainly spoke for her clearly enough.
Timber
"Do you think this doesn't hurt me, that I can't see what's going on here? I am not turning a blind eye to it, I'm dealing with being looked upon as an enemy in my own territory, because I love my family with every fiber of my being and will do what has to be done to protect them, regardless of the costs against me!" He'd paused only long enough to dish that painful truth out before stalking onward. Without so much as looking back, Timber had only a few final words to the wolf before he was out of speaking range, "If you want to hear a similar story Brother, you can speak to Aidan." The talk that he had braced himself up for with Brother, what he'd wanted with all his heart to be a mending of fences, had fallen through miserably, and the collie felt worse now than he had before sitting down beside his friend back there. It was his heart that urged him to give in and accept Brother's suggestions, but his mind fiercely strove against it, and painted grim pictures of old memories that Timber simply could not shake. If he let this incursion into his territory slide, and Ankh did attack... there would be no mending of bridges once his family were dead.
It was with a tortured heart but grimly determined mind that Timber stepped out of his territory and into the lands that frindged it, lands where he'd been explicitly forbidden to enter, as the greeting growl reminded him. "Karai, I've come to speak with you. I'm not here to harm the pups."
Karai*Others
"I don't need another story like it," replied the wolf, feeling more tired all the time; he hadn't been sleeping well lately anyway, and this discussion with his friend had done little to alleviate his concerns. "I need a story that sees us a clear way out of this mess, with our families intact." He didn't really expect an answer to that, and let that be the last attempt to reach the collie. To help him ignore the little ache deep in his chest somewhere, he turned in and tucked his eyes against Tahmores, who whined softly and wrapped one arm around his friend, not sure what else to do to comfort him, as he'd never before seen Brother this troubled.
And unfortunately, that was destined to be the easy end of this conversation, with the hard part still to come... Karai's snarls didn't let up one mite when he spoke to her, and indicated that he wasn't here for the pups. It made her words, when she finally found them, difficult to understand. "I told you not to come here again." Within the den though, where it couldn't be seen, Karai's ears had pinned back, and then planed out a little to the side; she was afraid, more than anything... afraid that, despite his words, he'd come here to kill them. A year and a half of living here should have taught her differently about the collie, but any and all trust she'd ever placed in him had been shattered last night. She'd had others snarl at her before of course, had her life threatened and even taken wounds in defense of whatever pups she'd been fostering at the time... but never had anyone she considered a friend been the one delivering those things, and it had shaken her deeply. "We're off your precious territory and away from your family... leave us be, or I swear to you-"
Timber
If it came down to Karai rushing out of the den to make good on her earlier words, Timber was prepared to back off. On his own turf, he would stand his ground against a grizzly bear if he had to, but off his turf, he would respect the den of a mother wolf, even if he despised the pups she was looking after. When no flashing fangs came out to encourage his departure, Timber held his ground, albeit without a snarl or so much as a growl in his tones. They weren't happy, however. "And I'd rather not be here, but there needs to be some clarification between us it seems." He could not see nor hear the pups in the darkness of the den, but Karai would surely feel them as they started to shake again. They'd warmed up quickly to her, but they had not forgotten the voice of the aggressive collie, so to hear it again caused panic amongst the young ones. "I told you I'm not interested in the pups, Karai. It's you that I need to speak with, that's it." Tumultuous feelings aside, Timber was at least in a sounder mind than he had been days earlier, allowing him to stretch his patience further and speak with intelligence rather than pure anger.
Karai
"Haven't you figured it out?! You've won. Just leave us in peace." That sounded a little more upset than defensive, which Brother had told his friend was the ultimate root of the problem. It was all building on her; the fight they'd had, the semi-estrangement from her mate that she'd been feeling over the past few days, the feeling that she'd lost her home again... and now the pups were shaking beneath her, and she reached down to place a gentle nuzzle to each one. "Shhh... hush now, it's alright," she murmured to them, her voice still trembling a little, but much softer and more loving than what she'd offered to the collie thus far. As it was, she was having to restrain herself very powerfully to keep her whole frame from shaking too. At last, a more civil tone emerged from her, but beneath it all, Karai sounded just as weary as Brother had. "You're scaring them... they know it's you." That sounded more like the Karai he knew; gentle and suggestive, rather than dominating or angry. "If you've come to speak, then do so... but do it from out there. I'll warn you once more against coming in here."
Timber & Others
"This isn't about winning or losing, Karai. It's not a personal attack against you either, whatever you may think." Timber maintained a steady voice and consistently reminded himself of why he was here - for the sake of his family and friend. It was still a difficult task, especially since a more negative light in his mind was telling him this would all be in vain. His small, triangular perked at the very faint voice that drifted from the den next, though he could tell these words were not for him. They were for the pups. "Don't wheave us!" Ahina whimpered pitifully. Krush was whining loudly too, though it wasn't just fear that made him especially vocal right now - in the last few days, his skin had developed crusty, irritated patches, and he was constantly wiggling and trying to itch himself, without relief. Umai was suffering from a similar condition, but not as badly as her brother. These voices and sounds of distress did reach Timber, but he hardened his expression and refused to let that have any effect upon his mind; and to that affect, he didn't comment on how he was 'scaring them'. "First, let me say that neither of us were speaking at our most level the other day. We both said things that were not meant."
Karai
Timber & Others
Ahina expressed a drawn-out whine prior to tucking her head in against Karai's fur. Out of the three, Umai remained the quietest, while Krush's was just the opposite, although he had a fairly good excuse for his excessive whimpering. None the least of which was the collie standing just outside, "I can't help it if you take it personally. All I can tell you is that it's not meant that way." Timber returned on a blunt yet quieter note, "For the same reason you don't want me around those pups, and I don't want them around my own - that's one area we can both see eye to eye on. That's not to say you aren't welcome on my lands, Karai." Now he'd reached that one major point that he'd come to address, and did so after first reaffirming his stance on Ankh's grandchildren. Speaking about Ankh, however... Timber could not do that without some inflection of hatred in his voice, this this time it was controlled and not directed at the mother. "I would be lying if I said I don't feel anger when I look at those pups. So yes, I am biased; and I don't want to hear you try and 'set me straight' in how I shouldn't think like that. I guess that's the difference between you and I, and it's not going to change." It was another honest, forward response, given without any frill or fluff, just like his following words, "You overstepped your bounds when you brought them into my home."
Karai
All the whining and cuddling the pups were doing melted Karai's anger, and pulled at her heartstrings, making her still more defensive over them, and yet... closer to distressed than outright angry with Timber. "It's not about taking this personally Timber, it's-" She stopped, seeking desperately once again for words that would explain her decision to bring the pups here, words that would soften the collie and patch up this issue between them. Finally, she picked up in a different place altogether. "I shouldn't have brought up your family... it was a thoughtless tactic on my part. I was scared, and desperate. I didn't mean it... to come out like it did - I never intended to hurt you with it." First and foremost, she felt an apology was due there, before she went any further. "As you said, most things were exchanged in the heat of the moment, and should never have been spoken. I only thought..." She shuddered, feeling a powerful combination of guilt and grief wash over her, which when combined with the intensity of what she was already feeling served to make her feel rather ill at her stomach. "I thought to myself... Kain was an enemy to you, as was his mate. None of us have ever denied that. It was one of the things that hurt Artemis the most. But it also made her the kind of wolf she was. It made her resolve to be different than them. I suppose, that I just didn't see... how these pups could be any different." Her voice got even quieter as she continued on, but at least all the snarling was gone from her voice, and her ears had moved from their defensively-threatening position into a more cautious one, not that the collie could probably see it, with her mostly disguised in the shadow of the den. "I'm not trying to 'set you straight, I'm... just trying to make you see what I see. I'm trying to get you to understand that I would never bring anyone here that I thought would be a direct threat to you, or to any of our number. My children and my mate are here too... do you really think I would invite death among them?"
Timber
The whining and tiny voices continued to have an affect on Timber, too. It threatened to erode the hard stance he'd taken against them, which the sought to remedy by reminding himself of how dangerous their grandfather and his allies were. The anger that remained embedded in his mind was further loosened by Karai's apology that followed from the dark maw of the den. It was sincere and heartfelt, and despite the hurt it had stoked a few days ago, Timber couldn't hold it against her. After all, he'd been the one to start up with the snarling, and towards the wolfess he and so many others in the Valley knew was very protective of pups. "As I shouldn't have been so harsh against a friend." Had Karai been standing before him, she would have seen the collie's almond-brown eyes shift downwards to look at her paws, in an act that showed respect to the infamous mother of the valley. The exchange of apologies helped to settle his own guilt and reaffirm their standing with one another, but it didn't mean the rest of their discussion would be smooth sailing. "No, I know you wouldn't do it on purpose, but this territory is far different than any you've been in out there. You don't understand the kind of vengeance that Ankh and his allies have against us, against me in particular. You and your children might be safe from them, but me and mine will never be. Aidan and I are the last of the original defenders of this terra, and Aidan at least has the Lurker's protection - but I'm a shining target, and bringing these pups-" Timber refrained from naming them whelps this time, "-to the area is a perfect excuse for he and his pack to get closer." That was half of it anyway; the other half was pure vengeance against Ankh, and a strong desire to offer him no help purely out of spite.
Karai
He might not be able to see her, hidden within the shadow of the fallen trees above that comprised the 'roof' of her den, but she could see Timber well enough; his gaze had lowered, his tone had softened... he was sorry he had frightened her. That warmed her some, allowing her to relax past the defensiveness that had otherwise tried to take over when he'd come to the den again, against her specific instructions. "You did frighten me," she replied quietly, not to point that fact out to him and make him feel bad about it, but in the way of further clarifying what had motivated her reaction a few days ago, which also was made in the way of apology. And when she began again to try to explain her position to him, she kept her tones very quiet and explanatory, which had been what they were meant to be the last time they had discussed this. "It is no different, Timber. Wherever I am, protection is extended from nearly all groups; too many have pups that I have raised... they will not attack me, and they know that my protection extends to my pack, wherever I reside. I have been a part of many packs, Timber - never has anyone been attacked while I was living there, no matter what pups I was raising, or whose family they were part of. I think you underestimate my influence... and overestimate the threat. I've raised some of Ankh's relatives already... Desmon, Aidan's nephew, is one I know well." Well, truth be told, she hadn't raised Desmon, but it was close enough connection to Ankh that it would make an impact. "If my dealing with pups of his was going to bring danger to the ranch, it already would have. I have enjoyed an immunity that extends to wherever I make my home. No one can afford to alienate me, in case they ever have need for a pupsitter."
Timber
Though he still had reservations about this discussion, Timber acknowledged to himself that it was going better than planned, after that spat of tension in the beginning. Yet even still, this was not an easy talk by any stretch of the imagination. "I would rather overestimate a threat than underestimate it and suffer the consequences." Timber added evenly and firmly, in a tone that was still quieted and much further from that defensive edge that it had been at days ago. "Ankh attacked his own brother in cold blood, and killed those who were close to Aidan. I do not think for a second that Ankh will take your kind gesture and extend immunity to me because of it. He is not an honorable canine." Timber's auds quirked when Karai mentioned Desmon; the name was very familiar, but there were so many Lurkers that he could hardly keep them all straight in his mind, especially since he only knew of them from what Aidan said. But Desmon... Desmon... a son of Ankh's, wasn't he? Timber was quiet as he thought about this, speaking only after he'd weight a number of thoughts in his head, "Do you believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that your connection to Ankh will guarantee our safety here? Or are you willing to risk even the slightest possibility for an attack to bring those pups into my home?"
Karai
"That is a position built by years where life has been unkind to you, I know," Karai replied, and her voice was kind, and just a tiny bit sympathetic, because she knew at least from talking to Elder Brother how very much the collie had lost. "And I admit that to be a wise initial approach, Timber... but there has to be a point where new data will allow you to alter your perspective. You can't stonewall-out the whole world; you had no reason to trust wild wolves when I came here, and yet you did... for Brother. For all you truly knew, I could have been vicious and bent on killing all the humans and animals here. Something altered your perspective." She pointed that out carefully, gently - she knew that this was a touchy subject for him, and she was not going to deny his protective instincts; she was trying to establish just what had made him willing to make an exception for her. "I have no love for Ankh, to be sure. Snowy Owl was kind to me, when I took Desmon back to her when we fled the laboratory... I've not seen her since, and I have never personally met Ankh, but I've heard the horror stories; Brother has told me some of what he has done to Aidan... crippling him and using him as bait, among other things. I do not suggest that he is an honorable personality - but he has held to his word not to harm me or mine, these years, in honor of my bond with Desmon. That is a fact that cannot be denied." She held out that truth too, to ensure that Timber didn't think that she was defending Ankh in any measure; she hardly knew the brute, but she had her ears in the valley, and knew what he was capable of. Still, he had withheld from hurting anyone under her protection, as long as she had lived. "Rather than your choice of phrase, Timber... let me make another. It is my belief that the presence of these pups poses no more risk to your safety or that of your family than my presence here poses. If you choose to exile them, then I might as well go, to ensure the absolute safety of your home and your family. But I truly do not believe that he will break the truce that I have with him; he has no honor, but he is not stupid. If I raise his grandpups, they will be attached to me... to hurt me, he would have to hurt them too. And though he has no value for his brother or that family, he has value for his own offspring; he came personally to the laboratory, when Desmon was captured. He does value his own young... I do not believe he would do such a thing to hurt them."
Timber
For the first time in their conversation, Timber was glad for the wall of darkness that separated them. Oh, he wasn't going to get all teary, or bristle up and rage at her as he did the last time she brought up the subject, but the collie did clench his slender jaws together for a moment or two at the discomfort for the topic, and let it pass without a comment from him. When it came to his defensive strategy for protecting his family, Timber began to open his mouth to respond, only to close it when she brought up a point that had never crossed his intelligent brain until just now. She had a point there, a very good point that he couldn't dismiss. "That.... was different." Even as the words slipped from him, much quieter at the end, Timber knew she was right. He had trusted her on account of his trust for Brother. Feeling exposed and uneasy, Timber sat down against the rock-hard earth, squinting his eyes briefly when a blinding flash of light lit up the sky to the west. A roar of thunder echoed shortly after that, and the storm front that the cloudy skies had promised was coming suddenly swept through the canopy. Rain would follow shortly. "You are one of the few wild ones that I've trusted, Karai." Rain began to plop down around him, huge, splattering drops that came just before the downpour would set in. "I've heard all the rumors about you, and your legacy in the Valley. You're a rare breed, and your work has earned you a deserved title and respect, but it's hard for me to simply trust that when you and I have lived in two different worlds. It's difficult for me to put aside my duties as a father and trust that your work over these years will offer more protection to my family than I can." Both in his words and his quieter tones, the turmoil was easy enough to hear. The battle between his mind and his heart was a relentless tug of war, one which Karai's more recent words had pulled ever so slightly in her favor, despite his uncertain words. "I only wanted to protect my family, and I regret causing a strain in yours, Karai. I-" The slender dog looked frowningly down at the white toes of his otherwise black paws, as if he could find the answers to his troubles there. His apology there had been sincere, but the next words came after a struggle and were far harder to produce, "-if you are entirely convinced that this will not bring more bloodshed to my family.. the pups can stay."
Karai
Feeling the tension drawn tight as a bowstring between them, Karai at first feared that perhaps she'd gone too far again, and dug this hole deeper to herself; she shifted her position anxiously until her fur ruffled through that of the pups crouched beneath her, subtly reinforcing her protection over them in a way that nevertheless couldn't be a message to Timber - he could barely see her after all, much less the pups. No, this was pure anxiety on her part... and then, she slowly relaxed and her muscles uncoiled when his voice came back much softer and less direct. She didn't point out that the situation wasn't different - the way his voice declined spoke all too clearly that he knew that already. Instead, she let her own voice grow warmer. "Not more protection, Timber... just a different kind. Perhaps a kind that will avoid adding more injuries to your family and friends. In a world of war, peace is always confusing and disarming to others; I've found it curiously effective, in my time. Besides... I doubt I'm as famous as the stories have told. All the pups I've raised are grown now... even my own. Some of them probably don't remember the old pup-sitter; but I know Desmon does. He and I have been through a lot together. Him, at least, I trust to protect me, and through me, that protection is extended to the rest of you. It's worked up to now, at least." Of course, she truly hadn't seen Desmon since he was very small, back after the humans had got hold of him and totally destroyed his speech... but she remembered him, keenly, and accredited her immunity thus far to the fact that Snowy Owl and Ankh must remember that she had brought him to them, after they'd been rescued. "...Ama?" That timid, yet oddly musical voice belonged to Ayxiel, who apparently had finished her rounds with Rihanne for the morning and had headed home to the den - a small rabbit dangled from her jaws, an offering like Tunga's over the last several days to help feed the extra mouths, but she had paused at the edge of the clearing, seeing Timber and suddenly feeling... very awkward. As the rain began to fall, pattering the fallen trees that formed the roof of the den and beginning to make wet splotches in the young female's coat, Karai smiled softly, and then called out to her child. "Ayxi, my dear, don't just stand there... tell your Uncle Timber to come inside before he gets soaked to the skin out there." At her place near the base of a large tree, Ayxiel's ears popped forward to that curiously; apparently... all was forgiven? And Karai wasn't angry with him anymore; he would understand the significance of her invitation into the den to help him stay dry, when only days ago she'd told him never to come near it again. Apparently, whatever it was that had passed before Ayxiel had come, Timber had managed to convince Karai that he was no longer a threat. With a sigh of relief, she lay the rabbit down at the edge of the den, and then tentatively scrubbed her silver head up through the black fur of Timber's shoulder - others might have avoided such things after the tension these last few days, but Ayxi was a very touch-oriented child, cuddly and affectionate; she was glad to have her Uncle Timber back, whatever the circumstances.
Timber & Others
His decision hesitantly made, Timber still couldn't feel entirely at ease with it, not when the back of his mind prickled with the foreboding feeling that he'd let his enemy's kin into his home. His heart, on the other hand, felt less burdened, and that helped to balm some of the anxiety that the dog couldn't entirely shake. Carrying on in his quieter tones, Timber conceded to Karai's point, "Peace has never been an option here, not when we live with a human pack and preside over so much food. It's only because I trust Brother and you that I'd even consider such a thing... it has, after all, worked in these last two years." It was a curious attempt at voicing acceptance for Karai's method, and trying to make his own mind more settled over the matter. At best, it came out a little forced and awkward, but it was spoken in honesty. Ayxiel's timely arrival spared the collie from having to trudge any further into it, though her presence now presented another situation that wasn't entirely comfortable. Timber glanced at the wolf, then looked quietly away, feeling the bite of shame that he'd carried since the argument and it's dismal effects on Karai's children. He was about to excuse himself from the area in fact, until Karai spoke up and invited them both into the den. "I couldn't, Karai." Timber responded back, blinking as rain splashed against his face and dripped down off his nose and the sides of his muzzle, "I appreciate the offer, but I don't so much mind the rain today." Where Karai wouldn't be privileged to see it, the collie smiled faintly at Ayxiel and nudged the top of her head with his muzzle, a small but typical offer of affection from him.
Karai*Others
The very end of Ayxiel's tail waved, almost cautiously... and then the whole fluffy plume joined the movement when she earned a smile and a familiar affectionate touch from Timber. After so many days of awkward silence and all of them walking on eggshells around the collie, the sensitive young fae was overjoyed to have him restored more to his usual self. Seeing her daughter's tail going actively, where she hadn't been in range to view the small nuzzle he'd offered, Karai relaxed more, enough where she actually adjusted the pups a little beneath her so that she could lay out on her side again, as was more normal for her when she was caring for pups. And she even laughed a little to his declining of her invitation. "Suit yourself... it's your bath, if Martha catches you soaked." 'Bath' was another of those dreaded words that all the ranch canines knew, rather like 'vet' - though at least Rihanne had less problem with it than everyone else, and once she got over the humiliation of being soaked down, she seemed to enjoy it, unlike her vicious spazzing every time she was forced to endure the veterinarian's office. After a moment though, she sobered from the joke, and turned her attention back to Ayxiel. "Darling, go find your father, and tell him that if he's not cheery by the time I see him next, I'll starting telling those stories about last summer again," she prompted the young female, and with another tail wave, Ayxi excused herself and moved for the house again. That left Karai to drop her voice, and become more serious again. "Timber... that does leave one thing unaccounted for. Brother tells me that... Nak and Sage... overheard what I said, a few days ago. I have kept silent up to now, told them nothing, as you have wished; but now... my foolish tongue has blown the whole matter sky high. It's not something I can avoid now. When inevitably they come, asking me... what do you want me to tell them?"
Timber & Others
Karai's change in attitude had a striking effect on the puppies. They were no longer whimpering, and Ahina had enough plucky courage to stand up on her small legs and peer upwards at the entrance of the den, where she could just see the paws and swishing tail of Ayxiel. Krush was more interested in the small rivulet of water rolling down the tunnel, where it soaked into the earth long before reaching their cozy, dry den. Only when Karai's voice became serious did he and Umai withdraw their curiosity and cuddle back against her belly and the comforting warmth of her fur. Timber remained poised just outside the mouth of the den through it all, mostly silent, but with a marginally animated tail that was more than anyone had seen out of him in days. "She's not going to catch me." He mumbled back to the joking threat of a bath, and was semi-serious about that. He did not like baths, and getting him clean required picking him up and placing him in the tub, with the door to the bathroom closed to discourage him from leaping out midway between the cleaning. It had taken a few chases through the house, trailing soapy water all over the floor, before Martha and John had wizened up to that. Seriousness returned to their discussion a few short moments later, resulting in the stillness of the collie's tail, and a likewise heavy voice, "They don't deserve a lie." A sigh followed that difficult response, "They are old enough to hear the truth."
Karai
Laughter, a sound that hadn't blessed the ranch since their initial disagreement, continued to roll softly from Karai, expressing as much relief as it did amusement as Timber's gutsy declaration that Martha wouldn't catch him. At any rate, he was likely right; he was getting older, but he could still get up a good speed when he put his mind to it, and certainly had plenty of agility left to avoid the masters, if he really wanted to keep away from a bath. As the pups drew in closer to her, once she'd laid back again, she slung one paw gently over Krush and and drew him closer so that she could start giving him a bath, simply because it was about the only thing she knew to do to help soothe some of the itching, even though it never really helped all that much. "Poor little guy... worst case of the fleas I've ever seen," she whispered, and between swipes of her tongue, she listened quietly to Timber - and waited for him to finish before she took up her answer gently, with enough seriousness to make her answer appropriate. "Be assured, Timber... I will not allow the fact that Kain has been hurt by these things to color what I tell them. Your mate was a good wolf... I'll ensure that Sage and Nak continue to remember her that way. She deserves no less, and nor do you. You have been too good a friend to Brother these years to deserve less." She knew better than to ask what he wanted her to tell his children about his own involvement in keeping them away from their grandfather; males generally weren't good with figuring out how best to describe and explain these things to their children, even grown children... that was why Karai was offering to do it for him. No, she would think of something; after all, she had plenty of practice counseling the many pups she'd fostered, most of which were the offspring of fighters who'd gone off to war, to fight for causes their pups didn't understand, and Karai had been put in the awkward position of subtly defending the parents to their pups... while making it known that she disagreed with some of the things those parents were fighting for. Yes, she thought she could manage explaining this to Nak and Sage.
Timber
The tongue was soothing, but it couldn't satiate the itch that plagued the puppy's body, nor could it sooth away the redness that had started to set in from so much scratch and nibbling that Krush had turned against the afflicted areas. Umai had craned her neck around to nibble at her shoulder, but alas, was unable to reach the exact area that was bothering her, so she whined pitifully and scrubbed her face in against Karai's fur and tried to ignore it. Ahina was the only one at the moment not bothered by the itching, which left her less preoccupied and miserable as her siblings. As a result, she stood up and waddled forward to stand uncertainly at the edge of the den chamber. Gazing upwards at the bright world outside, which was thankfully dimmed by the overhead thunderclouds and further diminished by the canopy of tree branches above, her eyes struggled focus on the form standing up at the mouth of the den. Timber, in turn, looked down at the small form, before having to look abruptly away. Whether it was because of the pain of who Ahina reminded him of, or the shame of having reacted so harshly against the innocent puppy, only Timber knew. "...thanks, Karai." The collie wanted to turn away at this point and call the conversation done, but he something continued to dog his mind. Timber looked to the ground, where water was pooling around his white toes, unable to soak quickly enough into the parched earth. "I really do appreciate it, Karai. I have done what I've done to protect my kids... and I trust that you would do nothing that would bring them harm. I should have trusted you earlier." In a roundabout way, he was offering his full trust to the wolfess to explain to his children what needed to be said, with another apology tagged on for his behavior a few days ago.
Karai
In the midst of the bath Krush was getting, Karai had to pause in order to turn one rear paw against her shoulder, scratching harshly in the thicker part of the fur there, and paying little mind when a small hank of silver fur was dislodged, leaving a bald patch and a raw spot in its place. Disregarding that once the itch died down a little - but didn't quite disappear, in a kind of nagging way - and then reached to continue running her tongue soothingly over the afflicted pup, waiting for Timber to work up to the words that his silence told her he was attempting to produce. And when finally he did manage to get them out, she shook her head a little within the safety of the den. "I am often a little too quick to grow defensive, where pups are concerned. And I admit that I often have a vicious tongue; it has served me well over the years, where fighting physically has not... but I should never have turned it against a friend." In turn, she freely acknowledged her own part in the disagreement they'd had, not wanting it thought that she believed herself completely in the right, especially with how she'd dragged Timber's family into the matter, while knowing what a sore subject that was. But she was ready to move on from the argument, and to that effort, there was one among them who had been miserable for several days, and Karai took up the subject there, to put a more positive end to this. "Now... I daresay there's an old friend of yours who is absolutely dying to hear this news. I'll give you the privilege of telling him."
Timber
Ahina sat back on her fuzzy haunches and cocked her head to the side. Apprehension of the collie kept her from daring to climb the length of the tunnel to investigate, while curiosity kept her sitting right there, boldly trying to figure out who he was, and why Karai was now being friendly with him. No matter how much she stared at him though, the black and white dog would not look back at her. He stood silently in the downpour as it lightened into a slower, steady rain. He was quiet throughout her apology, accepting it as she had accepted his, and letting that end of the topic end there with no more words needing to be spoken between them on it. It was with a lighter heart that he spoke of Brother and moved on in their talk, "I'll speak with him." It was a simple group of words, but then the collie wasn't always the most chatty canine around, and his tones were pleasant. Ahani perked her ears and shifted her head again to watch as the dog began to move, and drifted out of site.
Several minutes later, Timber could be seen walking across the lawn, looking not much better now than when he'd left, though the rain might have something to do with that. Squinting against the drops and the wind that turned against his eyes, Timber looked up towards the deck as he approached the house, hoping to see Brother.
Karai*Others
Now, with things settled between them, Karai's heart was much lighter and more joyful than it had been for the last few days. So she patted her tail and reached to gently capture the very end of Ahina's tail, her fangs never once even brushing the delicate, fluffy appendage, but try to prompt a little joy and play in the den when she'd been pretty grumpy and distressed herself the past few days. "Krush has an awful case of the fleas, so I don't want to bring him up to the house right now - no sense in all of us getting them. I'm going to maybe take them down to the stream this afternoon, let them play a little bit and see if we can't clear that up some, but maybe tomorrow sometime, we'll come to visit. Just for a little while; Brother had mentioned that Martha has been fretting. And I think we all know how irritable that will make Rihanne - Ayxi had said something about her shoulder bothering her, too." That said, she allowed the collie to take his leave in peace, feeling much better to have this whole matter hashed out.
Brother wasn't immediately in sight when Timber pushed through the brush into the yard though; the faint creaking of boards indoors marked Tahmores in the house somewhere, undoubtedly helping Martha with some task, and after a moment, he collie might distinctly hear his voice softly talking to Ayxiel, in that curious 'accent' of his. His language was simple, but he was clearly greeting her for the day, and that meant that the young female was likely in the house, tending to Rih as she usually did. After a moment though, Timber might spot a grizzled, multi-colored muzzle just barely sticking out from under the porch, which was usually the coolest place in the yard as the summer sun began to climb - and also offered a great view of the surrounding trees, and an unparalleled stand from which to defend the ranch. It was impossible to see the rest of him though; to see whether he was awake, asleep, or even possibly watching the collie intently from the safety of the shadows.
Timber
Timber heard a growl from down inside the den. It wasn't an angry or frightened growl however, it was a playful sound from one of the pups; one of the sisters, if his ears heard it correctly. He could also pick up the thump of tiny paws on the ground as Ahina whirled around in a sweep of motion that lack anything in the way of grace, and pounced at Karai's muzzle. From the safety of prying eyes, the collie smiled wistfully, beset by swirl of simple happiness and grief all at once. "I'm sure Martha would like to see them." Timber hadn't said any more than that, or go on to suggest if the woman would try to handle them or not; Martha knew better than to approach Karai directly and was smart enough that she wouldn't approach the youngsters either, if it made the wolfess anxious.
Timber almost wished to go inside the house right now, if only to escape the rain that was beating down on his pelt, but it was rare for the dog to set foot inside the ranch on his own accord, unless it was for a brief amount of time. He stood silently while listening to the voices and sounds coming from the home, picking up on all of those things through the consistent pattering of raindrops around him. With an idea of who was inside - and who was not - Timber continued on towards the porch, with the idea of circling around the house... until he spotted a muzzle peaking out from beneath it. Paws quickly shifted paths to bring him more directly towards the side of the deck, where he went down into a crouch and crawled under, "Brother?"
Karai*Others
A soft laugh echoed from the den, laced with a little bit of play growl of her own; Karai had raised her muzzle a couple of inches from the ground, lifting Ahina just a little without taking her paws entirely from the earth, and thumping her tail merrily - now that things were cleared up between she and Timber, the fae felt much better. "I don't know what I'm going to do with them, as far as Martha's concerned. I know she won't hurt them, but... I can't help but think that there would be a bit of trouble if they came back to their family smelling of human." Of course, on the other hand, she knew also that Martha was pretty respectful of Tahirah, who stuck around closely and was a loyal defender, but had never once even let any of the masters touch her... she was willing to bet that if she didn't want the woman near the pups, she'd wouldn't press the matter.
So there were many less worries on everyone's mind, as Timber worked his way back to the house; most of them were concerned most powerfully with staying dry now that the storm was upon them. Surely, that had to be the reason that Elder Brother had tucked himself under the porch, though the reason that he'd remained outdoors when Tah was inside was something else altogether; clearly, he'd been waiting for Timber to come back, but he wasn't going to approach the collie... just in case things hadn't gone well. It wasn't until his old friend squirmed under the porch beside him and spoke that the wolf seemed to acknowledge his presence, and he did so with a very careful, "Yes, Timber?"
Timber
Dripping wet and looking little better than a large, half-drowned rat, Timber didn't even attempt to shake himself off once he'd crawled beneath the porch. He'd waited until Brother acknowledged him before crawling any further under the shelter, where he eventually hunkered down against the rocks a few paces away from the wolf. "I've spoken with Karai." The collie spoke in a quieted voice, still sounding wearied and yet not so burdened as earlier. It would give Brother a hint as to how the talk went, and any lingering doubts he might have were cleared up once Timber went on to explain, "She is staying here with the pups."
Elder Brother
'I've spoken with Karai.' Well, that wasn't a surprise - that was what Timber had gone to do after all. So the wolf merely perked an ear to indicate that he was listening; he had stayed out of this issue between them from the beginning, unable to take sides between his mate and his best friend, and he didn't want it to sound like he was going to pass judgment now. It wasn't until Timber delivered very welcome news that his tail patted softly on the ground, and his voice gained a little bit of life. "Oh? And are you staying as well?" His tone made it clear that this was a joke; he knew that the collie would never leave the ranch, after having been born and raised here, and raising his own children here. Mostly, he made it a joke because things had been so somber recently that he thought they could use lightening up. And after a moment, he chuckled quietly. "I admit, I've been praying for an answer such as the one you've brought me, for if Karai had taken the pups and left the ranch, I don't know what I would have done. I couldn't have left any of you here... but no more could I have let her go and take the pups without me." Indeed, he sounded quite relieved, but he sobered after a moment; after all, it hadn't been only the matter of the pups staying that had made the argument so fierce and frightening between them - many things had been said about Timber's family... and the family that remained for his children, and Brother suspected that those were among the comments that had cut deepest. "And what of the other? What would you have us tell them?"