Rough Expectations {Sabaoka Family}

[Rhys]

The caverns were growing stale, the air holding the same scents that they did the day before. They also held the same sounds and the same sights. Repetitive and tedious for a growing pup. He also never got to see any new people. He could hear them rustling about in the caverns surround them, but his mother as adamant that they stay isolated. He didn't understand why they needed to remain away from their pack mates, but she would not negotiate. Their only company was the Praetorian and her offspring, who were too big for them to play with. They also got the occasional visit from the Matriarch. The adult visits were all good for their mother, but there was no one who came to see him. He longed for adventure and wanted to find a partner in crime to share in the adventure. His brothers were fun to play with, but he got bored easily. It was tedious having to fight with the same two opponents day in and day out. His mother was a good opponent when she was patient enough to indulge him. She was a good mother, she just seemed a little angry sometimes.

He couldn't remember when his eyes had first opened, but the first thing he ever remembered was his mother. Her smell, the taste of her milk. Standing up he decided to explore the same cavern that he had explored so many times before. Being the second largest out of his brood he felt like he was the least noticeable out of his siblings. Perhaps he would be able to sneak away from his mother, at least for a little while. Yet as he slunk towards the exit of the cave he hear his mother's growl. He knew better than to defy that chilling sound. Roka would come and pick him up and her teeth weren't always gentle. Grumbling he crept back to her side, angry that he had been foiled. "Why can't we go out yet?" His only answer was his mother's grumble as she laid back down to sleep. He was still young and wobbly on his feet, but the little tiger knew no fear. He flashed his little pearly teeth latching on to his mothers paw. If he wasn't going to be allowed to go play than he would make sure his mother couldn't sleep. She was a much more aggressive player than his brothers. Their teeth didn't really hurt as much as his mothers did.

Rhys wanted to be a warrior, just like his father was. The reason for his constant absence was that he was a General. His father's brother was the Emperor of Kairos and even though Rhys had never met his uncle he could feel the inspiration. Rhys wanted more than to be a foot soldier in the army that was Kairos, he wanted to rule the army. Wanted to lead the warriors into battle, not follow the orders of another. Growling as savagely as he could muster he attacked his mother's paw. His little teeth not sharp enough to do any damaged to his mother.

Roka Sabaoth Taranis @kroko Liadan

[Liadan]

Day by day, Liadan’s understanding of the world grew. On the day of her birth she had been blind and deaf, her three functional senses relaying nothing that she could process yet. Everything revolved around her mother, sleep, her mother, and her mother’s milk. She was drawn to the teat, lulled into a slumber, and led to Roka’s soft fur by instinct alone, unable to comprehend anything more. Slowly, her experience began to take shape. She came to distinguish the scents from each other first: her mother’s was the most familiar, then three more much like her own, and then everyone else. At some point her eyes opened, and the combination of scent and sight painted almost-complete pictures of her family. Once her ears developed fully and sound came flooding in, Liadan was already an intrepid explorer. The caverns in which she had been born quickly lost their charm, and she yearned for more than darkness and walls.

By now, she had discovered every inch of the cave she had been allowed to explore. Standing on her hind legs with her forepaws planted against the cave wall, Liadan inspected the dirt in the hopes of finding something she had not found before. Perhaps a secret way to escape that her mother and brothers were too big to fit through, that only she could wriggle through. She knew her brothers were as desperate for the taste of freedom as she was, and the thought of reaching it before them spurred her on.

"Why can't we go out yet?"

Liadan’s floppy ears perked up at the sound of her brother’s voice, voicing what she had been thinking for some time now. Abandoning her project, she dropped down from the wall and bounded over to them, tail wagging and legs wobbling ever so slightly. “Oh, yes! Why can’t we, ma?” she asked, then descended into a giggle at the sight of her brother attacking Roka’s paw.

Although Rhys was bigger and stronger than her, she was just as brave. Delightedly, she leapt on top of their mother and began chewing at her ear with the fiercest growl she could muster. Fur was much harder to keep your balance on that it looked though, and one overestimated tug at Roka’s ear sent Liadan tumbling back to the ground with a thud. Luckily, Liadan was tough and the fall only hurt a little bit. She stood up and shook herself off, then returned gleefully to the task of annoying her mother by head butting her as hard as possible in the stomach. Eventually she would give in and let them explore, she just had to.

Word count: 451
Muse: Fine
Notes: edited her new table in!! 
Tags: Roka Sabaoth Rhys Taranis Kegan

[Taranis]

CAUTION: ANIMATED TABLE! 
Somewhat of a jumpscare!

The life process of a pup is rather simple. They are born, and even if at first their senses are numbed, they start to develop a knowledge of their surroundings rather quickly. But, personalities are developed slowly, by nature and by nurture; however, the pups show differing traits even in the first days of their life. And so is the case for the black and white pup that was named Taranis--meaning thunder, like the loud noises he heard when the sky was pouring rain. Even at a young age of approximately two months, the dark, ice-eyed pup was  already in a different tune from his siblings. He was quiet, observant--his eyes caught on every detail; the way the light entered the caverns in the mornings, and how the nights were colder and forced him to stay close to his mother and siblings.

The nights were particularly darker than usual in the caverns, and the sounds that they always heard were somewhat repetitive. The water droplets, the bats and the echoes of his siblings were the things that he heard day and night. His mother had been very caring, but Taranis, even at a short age, could observe that she did not have the greatest temper. It was something that the young marbled pup did not understand, and sometimes wondered why she was like this. His father was huge and strong, scarred by the woes of his past, apparently. And he also had a rather explosive personality. Taranis, however, observed them in silence. His young mind tried to comprehend many things, but once he began to think too much his small frame wanted to collapse in exhaustion.

He turned around when he saw Rhys and Liadan bite at his mother playfully, asking her why she did not allow them to go out and explore. Taranis smiled and wondered the same, deciding to stop worrying about his surroundings and try to convince his mother to let them out as well. He wanted to see what was out there, and he desired to learn more about this huge, strange world he had been born into. "Ma!" he said as he climbed his little body upwards and laid down on his mother's back, "We wanna go out!" He said as he nibbled at his mother's brown neck fur, wagging his tail and hoping she would wake up.

---

Sabaoth + @roka + Rhys + Kegan + Liadan 
Taranis is so innocent LOL he'll be quite the little monster once he grows up

[Kegan]

The den was suffocatingly warm, full of bodies, most of them small and all but one of them moving. Kegan was huddled in a small ball at the far edge of the cavern, somehow still asleep despite the ruckus his siblings were causing. The tiny wolf was having a beautiful dream, full of bright colors and things he had never experienced before--the swamp that lay across the territory, the ocean beyond that. These places had been explained to him and his brothers and sister, as they had continuously pestered Roka for information, but she had not yet allowed them to experience them first hand.

Invasively, the high-pitched voices of his fellow pups filtered into Kegan's thoughts and suddenly his dreams darkened, becoming only the insides of his eyelids. A minuscule sigh puffed out the wolf's cheeks as he woke, blinking his sleepy eyes and opening his mouth in a puppy yawn while his awkward body stretched from its curled-up position. His vision was blurry at first, but became clearer as he lifted himself from the floor of the cave and shook his pelt so hard he almost fell over.

Giggling to himself, the wolf padded over to his siblings and mother, seeing as everyone had pounced on poor Roka and begun nibbling at her. Kegan sometimes had the urge to bother their mother about letting them out of the den, but more often than not, he preferred to remain in the den where he could always be around his family. The others were always crying about wanting to leave, wanting to explore; and while Kegan wouldn't mind getting to stretch his little legs more, he in no way wanted to be apart from his siblings. They played with him, talked to him, and that was all he needed in the world. Or, at least, that was all he knew he needed.

There was an empty spot somewhere inside him, a part of him that ached and longed for... something he didn't know yet. However, he was very good at keeping his feelings to himself for now, as it was easy to distract himself from the empty feeling and focus on enjoying his time with his family. When that changed, Kegan did not know what would happen. "Guys, why are you all biting momma?" he asked in his meek way, wagging his tail behind him as he plodded over and licked Roka gently upon her nose. "She's just gonna get mad..."

Words || 421
Tags || Roka, Taranis, Liadan, Rhys, Sabaoth
Notes || Oh god that was awful pups are awful I'm so sorry

[Sabaoth]

Back and forth, back and forth. It was a repetitive cycle that the General had long ago grown weary of, and yet still he made the swim. Endlessly it seemed he found himself wading through the ocean, muscles working as he went from Ina’mos to Vor’asa and back again. The sting of saltwater in his nostrils and the abhorrent feeling of his thick pelt clinging to his skin had become routine – albeit a necessary one. He had vowed to himself long ago as he’d shared company with his nephew, Typhon, that he would be a good father. He would not allow his children to grow up without knowing him, and never did he wish to be in the dark in regards to how they were. And so it was that Sabaoth suffered the swim without so much as a grunt, relieved when his paws finally brushed the thick, damp sand of Ina’mos.

He gave himself a moment to rest, breathing in the crisp, cool air of autumn. Before he departed once more he would need to check on Odara, to see how she was fairing in Kairos, but first and foremost was a more pressing matter. His pelt partially dry now, Sabaoth hefted his weight across the sand, moving with single-minded determination towards the caverns in the distance. It was here that he knew he would find the reason for his journey – or, rather, the reasons. He had seen his children only twice before, on the day that they were born and just after they’d opened their eyes. He was not sure if they would remember the latter, but it did not matter; they would be old enough to remember today, and every day afterwards that their father returned for them.

When at last he reached the dens, he moved swiftly towards the opening, not bothering to give pause when the scent of another reached his nostrils, for he knew to whom it belonged. It was fresh, signifying that Xena was not far. As the Praetorian, it was her duty to protect the young ones of the Emperor and the General; judging by the way her scent lingered within the dens as Sabaoth navigated the tunnels, she’d done well thus far. If he had time before he departed, he would have to find her and thank her.

From deeper within the cavern came several piping voices, echoing shrilly around him as he stepped into the dim light. For a moment he paused, pale eyes taking in the sight before him: his sons – and daughter – frolicking atop their mother, pleading with her to be taken outside. Kegan seemed to be the sole exception, although his inquiry seemed to do little to stop the assault of the other three. A quiet chuckle slipped from Sabaoth’s muzzle as he stepped forward, plucking the pups one by one from their mother’s back and sitting them down alongside their smallest brother.

”Now, now,” he rumbled, his gaze sliding across each of them. They were growing so large already, it seemed; Taranis was the spitting image of his father, with Liadan bearing a striking resemblance as well. Kegan and Rhys more closely resembled Roka, who looked thoroughly exhausted by the young ones. ”Let’s not heckle your mother; she looks half-mad already.”

He took a step forward, leaning down to brush his muzzle against Roka’s in greeting. ”Rest,” he murmured to her, and then he straightened, studying each of his children.

”I suppose, for the sake of your mother’s sanity, that I can take you for your first outing.” He grinned, offhandedly surprised how very easy it was to be in their presence. He’d worried for some time that he would not be an adequate father, but the General found that he was almost…excited to give them their first glimpse of the outside world. They would grow older and he would undoubtedly need to grow stricter to ensure that they became strong, but for now they were young, and Sabaoth would indulge them.

”Come. We’ll go just outside of the dens, but no further; I don’t want to have to chase any of you down.” His grin disappeared momentarily as he leveled each of them with a stern look before he softened just a fraction, gesturing for them to follow as he started back through the cavern.

TAG: Roka Taranis Kegan Liadan Rhys
WORDS: 720
NOTES: Roka, I wasn't sure if you wanted to bring Momma Roka in too since you already have Rhys to reply with; if you do, let me know and I'll change up Sabaoth's reply so it doesn't seem like he's leaving her in the cavern :3

[Roka]

Playing with the pups gave her more patience than she cared to possess. They were constantly pulling and tugging on her making her wish that they would grow up already and leave her in peace. She was anticipating the day when she was able to spend some time alone with her mate. She missed their time even though it had been so brief before. Some part of her loved her pups, but they did tend to get on her nerves a majority of the time. A few of them had developed her temper while Taranis seemed to be the most reserved of them all. He had a gleam in his eye that spoke volumes about him. He wanted to watch and listen rather than interact. Liadan was just as rough and tumble as her brothers while Keegan was more frail. Rhys was the most similar to her and she wondered if he had a temper inside of him waiting to make it's way out. She was coming to the end of her rope, preparing to put her children in their place when a familiar smell travelled across her nose.

Roka wanted to snarl at her asinine mate. She was the one that had to spend endless amounts of time within those caverns with their pups. Endless times had she denied her offspring the chance to go outside, mostly because she was nervous. The first time that she took her children out she wanted to make sure that everything went well. Instead her mate waltzed right in and swiped them right out from under her. A small growl escaped her when he told her to rest. If her pups were going out for the first time she was going to be there. She wasn't going to forget however that Sabaoth put her in the position of being the bad guy. She pulled herself to her feet moving towards her mate with slow steps. Despite her irritation she hadn't seen him in a few weeks and she couldn't miss out on any of their time spent together. Her tongue lapped at his shoulder before moving to his face to lick over the scars there. A few of them that she had caused herself when he had first come to visit their new pups. "I don't want to rest." She trusted Sabaoth with their pups, more than she did anyone else, but this was a rare family occasion that she refused to miss. She waited for her lover to lead the way out of the caverns content to bring up the rear in case one of the pups fell behind. This was a huge step for them and she was going to be ready in case they were being pushed too far.


Sabaoth Liadan Kegan Rhys Taranis 

[Rhys]

Rhys could barely contain his excitement at the prospect of going outside. Whoever this familiar male was he seemed to cause a change in his mother. He sensed some of her stress melt away and now she seemed attentive to this male. He watched the intimacy between them and assumed that this wolf must be his father. Even so Rhys didn't care as long as he got to go outside. His mother seemed to be joining them too now and it seemed picturesque. Their first outing as a family. Rhys didn't know why their father didn't stay with them, but he didn't know anything else. There were no other pups or mothers to compare his childhood to. As if was he was very happy with his small life so far. He got to play and sleep all the time, it was the perfect life. His father and mother walked together towards the entrance and Rhys made a scramble towards the light. He wanted out of the caverns so badly, wanted to escape the stale air that he had smelled his whole life. His gangly legs were constantly growing and as he ran they wobbled slightly beneath his large frame. To a normal pup he would like much older than his actual young age. Rhys looked to the left and right trying to see where his siblings were, assuming that they were right on his heels. He hadn't been the only pup from his brood to beg to be allowed an outing. Rhys wondered what it would be like to get out of the caverns for the day. The light that he was running to seemed spectacular so he couldn't imagine what everything else would look like. Would it be all rocks and gloom like his birth place or would he finally be free of the darkness. He gave an excited squeal before flouncing over to his parents to run amongst their legs.

[Liadan]

Kegan’s warning fell on deaf ears; Liadan was too intent on getting what she wanted to pay heed. As far as she was concerned, today was the day they were all heading off into the world, adventuring as they pleased. Rhys and Taranis’s enthusiasm only added to her excitement, and she let out a playful growl in response, only to be cut short when another scent filled her nostrils. It was familiar. Not as familiar as her mother and siblings, but familiar nonetheless. This scent was the one she had come to associate with father, and no sooner had she registered it, his colossal frame came into view.

The first few times Sabaoth appeared in the dens, Liadan had hidden behind Roka, peeking her head out just enough that her emerald eyes could assess him. She’s been hesitant, but utterly fascinated by his freakish size. Now that she knew he posed no threat, Liadan was beginning to warm to him. His presence was beginning to grow as comforting as Roka’s, she was drawn to his voice and smell because she now associated it with protection.

“Pa!” she squealed in delight, abandoning her post on her mother’s flank to barrel straight toward her father. Having not thought through when she would stop running, Liadan collided with Sabaoth’s foreleg like a wasp flying into a tree. A thick, sturdy tree trunk that hurt like hell. Dizzied, Liadan dropped to her rump and grunted. “Ow…” she murmured belatedly, as though the pain were an afterthought. Luckily, the confusion wore off fairly quickly. Or, as quickly as it took Sabaoth to utter the words “first outing”.

”Come. We’ll go just outside of the dens, but no further; I don’t want to have to chase any of you down.”

Oh, pa. Wonderful, heroic pa. He’d come to free them from the depths of this stinky, dark, horrible cave. Liadan mimicked the grin on his face, trying in vain to look as innocent and trustworthy as possible. One look at her cheeky smile and it was painfully obvious that she had no intention of staying just outside the dens. This girl had an entire world to discover. How could she do that by cowering uselessly at her father’s paws?

“Of course! Yes!” she squeaked, still beaming. “Just outside the dens. I won’t— I won’t wander off!” Her tail was flapping about emphatically behind her as she stared up at Sabaoth, and though she was standing still, her legs bounced and shook beneath her as though her tiny body couldn’t contain all the excitement. Vaguely, she registered Roka’s objection at being left behind. Liadan didn’t mind whether her mother came with them or not, if anything it would be a nuisance to have two sets of vigilant eyes watching her every move. But either way, they were going outside. Outside. Finally.

As soon as Sabaoth began to move, she was right by his side, having almost completely forgotten about the existence of Roka and her brothers. Filled with eagerness and unadulterated joy, Liadan bumped her father’s foreleg affectionately, and completely intentionally this time. She felt so very small next to him, but as with her mother, she loved him unconditionally already. It just so happened that he was the one to be leading them on their first adventure, and therefore had briefly won the title of “favourite parent”. At least for today.

Trotting beside him fearlessly, Liadan began to see the light emerging at the other end of the tunnel. With renewed vigour, she drew a great breath in and dove beneath her father, weaving around his legs and yipping at him. “Hurry, pa!” she barked, as though the outside world had some place better to be than here, and the darkness would soon return.

Word count: 628
Muse: High
Notes: She has so much energy I feel exhausted just typing it xD
Tags: Roka  Sabaoth Rhys Taranis Kegan

[Taranis]

CAUTION: ANIMATED TABLE! 
Somewhat of a jumpscare!

The dual colored pup jumped from his mother's neck, falling clumsily to the ground as he wagged his tail. She had woken up, and they were all bubbling with excitement to see new things and to experience new surroundings. A familiar scent entered the den, and in that moment he saw his father. The small ebony pup stood up and wagged his tail, happy to see him. He had always admired the size and strength he carried, and he hoped to be just like him in every sense of the word. He wanted to be the biggest, and the strongest, just to make his parents proud.

Sabaoth told them that he was going to take them outside, but just outside the dens. Taranis began to jump up and down in silent happiness, wagging his tail and rubbing his small frame against his father's legs. He began to run behind his siblings, quickly finding himself outside the den with his entire family. Walking outside, he squinted a little bit due to the intense sunlight, but once everything cleared out, he saw the plants and surroundings as something entirely new. This new world was so weird to him, yet so beautiful. 

Standing there, he began to observe everything; the trees moved with the wind, the birds sang, and even the ground beneath him seemed different. The wind was cool and refreshing, and everything seemed to be vibrantly alive. He could see butterflies fluttering near the den, and giant fluffy clouds adorned the cerulean skies. He sat down in silence, observing everything around him, and for a moment, Taranis forgot about his family and focused on everything around him. He thought that a lot of time had passed, so he stood up and walked back to where his parents were, still amazed at how much he was missing hidden in that small, cave...

Rhys Liadan Sabaoth Kegan Roka

[Kegan]

The entrance of his father went entirely unnoticed by poor Kegan until his soft chuckle permeated the dens, and the young pup's ears flattened immediately to the top of his tiny head, his minuscule body shrinking to the ground so that he appeared as small as possible. The grizzled giant was utterly terrifying to him, whereas the rest of his siblings were ecstatic to see his hulking figure. Sabaoth had not been around very much, which did not bother the smallest male in the least; in fact, now that he was here, blocking the entrance of the den, Kegan rather wished he would go away again, to do whatever it was that he did instead of spending time with them.

A word he was very much interested in, however, left the mouth of that brute he was so terrified of, and his curiosity brought the pup a fraction of an inch off the floor of the den. Outside. The rest of his father's words were not fully comprehended, but the idea of venturing from the cramped den site was fascinating to the boy. It was true, he liked to be close to his siblings, but they were rough and cruel, and perhaps a small break from the confines of their home would be helpful. Fresh air, at least, would be nice, more than what drifted in from the ever-blocked cave entrance.

So, with tentative step, Kegan trailed along behind his overly-excited siblings, keeping his weary brown eyes on the backs of Sabaoth's ankles as the huge male led them out. The rest of his siblings ran ahead, and Roka brought up the rear, easing the pup's mind a bit. If his mother was around, surely no harm would come to him! She was who he trusted above all else, and she would never allow anything to happen to him. Kegan resisted falling back to bump against her, knowing that she would likely shove him forward and expect him to behave like his brothers and sister.

Kegan was not like them; it wasn't as though he was not as smart, or as capable as the rest. He simply didn't have the courage or tenacity to take such large leaps as they did. Perhaps in time he would learn, but for now he was content to be the voice of reason while his siblings ran rampant. If nothing else, he could observe and learn before attempting anything himself and thus ensure his own safety. It was smart, that was all.

The brightness of the sun was blinding to his unaccustomed eyes, and Kegan dipped his head with his lids half-closed, squinting against the light. As they began to adjust, the pup was floored by the beauty that was the outside world. Dark dirt mixed with bright grass beneath his tiny paws; intensely textured bark met veined leaves upon ridiculously tall trees, taller than even his giant father; and the sky... the sky was so, so blue, full of big fluffy clouds, and entirely captivating. Even though it hurt his eyes, Kegan kept his small neck craned up and stood very still, staring in awe at the vast expanse of sky above him.

Words || 541
Tags || @roka, Sabaoth, Liadan, Taranis, Rhys
Notes || Wheee!

[Sabaoth]

Somehow, Sabaoth was not surprised that Roka had decided to accompany them on their outing. She’d been seemingly tireless ever since she’d given birth, despite the fact that her first litter had been no small one. Then again, he hadn’t expected anything different from the femme; from the very first moment he’d met her, Roka had been strong. It seemed only natural that motherhood was a hurdle she’d cleared with ease.

The moment that ‘outside’ was mentioned, there was a noticeable change in the pups as they leapt away from their mother, practically falling over each other in their mad scramble towards the mouth of the cavern. Liadan’s squeal of delight reached Sabaoth’s auds just as Rhys began to weave between his legs; a moment later a tiny blur of black-and-grey came barreling towards him, and Sabaoth grunted as Liadan collided with his legs, the impact flinging her onto her rump. ”Careful,” he told her, craning his neck to nudge her back to her paws. Only moments later she seemed entirely unfazed by her previous collision, bouncing around so energetically that Sabaoth was momentarily concerned; perhaps she was part rabbit, somehow.

Kegan and Taranis, he’d noticed, had been less verbal than their sister concerning their excitement, but he could see it in their expressions, and the wagging of Taranis’ tail. Kegan, to Sabaoth’s bafflement, had always seemed so very quiet and timid, something that the General only hoped the young brute would grow out of in the coming months. But now was not the time for such thoughts; if he did not get the pups outside sooner rather than later, Sabaoth feared that Liadan might explode. Even as he began to move through the caverns, with Rhys weaving through his legs still and Taranis and Kegan trailing along, it seemed as if his pace was not swift enough for Liadan, her rushing only serving to make him chuckle.

”She’s going to run us into the ground before she’s even grown,” he said to Roka, the amusement written clearly on his face as they emerged from the dens at last. Taranis was already studying his surroundings, much like Kegan, who’d gone as still as a deer, seeming downright awestruck.

After a moment Sabaoth lowered his haunches to the ground beside Roka, glancing skywards as he did so. It was a beautiful day, the sky clear and the air crisp, perfect for their current task. ”You can play and explore, but do not leave our sight,” he told them, his gaze moving immediately to Liadan, who already seemed to be the most mischievous of the group. ”If you do not listen,” he told her, his voice grave and expression serious despite his next words, ”I will have to take you and feed you to the alligators. I hear they like pup-meat.”

TAG: Roka + Rhys + Kegan +Liadan +Taranis
WORDS: 469

[Roka]

The light from the sun was blinding after being underground for so long. The pups were now getting old enough to begin exploring the world without her to constantly monitor them. She could feel the eagerness that resided inside of them as they all made a mad dash for the door. Liadan was the most outspoken of their brood yapping in glee as she rushed forward, Rhys coming in a close second to weave in between his father's legs, and Taranis coming third to rush towards his brother and sister. The only pup who did not seem as eager to be leaving the caverns was her smallest male, Kegan. He had always been wary of Sabaoth even now as he was getting older and it worried Roka that he would be too timid to survive here in Kairos. Motherhood was something that Roka took very seriously and the thought of losing Kegan because he was too weak made her cringe. She knew that children were gained and lost in the act of creating young, but se refused to allow any of her young to die. Especially when she could help him in this instance. Once they found the outside word her pups all took off gleefully enjoying their little burst of freedom. Roka moved closer to her mate allowing her fur to mingle with his. Being so close to him was soothing and helped curb some of her stress. Being a parent was probably the scariest thing that she had ever had to face, but it held the most reward. Her pups were her only blood relatives in this whole world and that made them everything to her. From a very early age she had been taught that blood was everything and that she was a mutt because of her traitorous father. Here she was no mutt, she was a huntress within the pack, had some standing as a valuable member. Their father was a general, brother to the emperor and that meant they came form good stock. This island ran wild with Goliath's relatives and children, but she felt that they would never be family to her like her pups and Sabaoth were. They were the only things that mattered here in Kairos. Liadan was nothing like her other siblings, so full of joy and mischief that she wondered where the pup drew all of her energy from. "She is only half grown now, I cannot imagine how much trouble she will get into when she is full grown." Roka liked seeing her mate smile as he talked about their pups. Made Roka feel at ease, satisfied that he was as proud of their brood as she was.



As her pups tumbled amongst each other making sure not to stray to far, else they be fed to alligators, Roka watched her youngest son. He did not join in his siblings play as he ought to, instead choosing to observe all of the things around him. While his brothers would have their strength to aid them Kegan would never grow as large as them. He would need to develop other skills that would make him just as deadly as his brothers were. Roka's blind eye was a weakness that she had grown around becoming stronger, learning to develop other skills rather than relying on her damaged sight. Kegan showed promise, watching and waiting rather than tromping around. Roka made a note to talk about it with Sabaoth later, perhaps he would have some insight as to what to do with their son. He wasn't to far from her obviously taking some reassurance from her as he tried to find his bravery. Scooping him up by the scruff she plopped him down in front of her, tucking him into her chest. Her tongue rasped over the fur on his neck, smoothing it down from where she snagged him. She leaned down to whisper in his ear, his soft fur tickling her nose. "Isn't the sky beautiful? On cold nights in my homeland I would be all alone so I would look at the night sky and see all of the stars to help me fall asleep." It had been a long time since she talked about her beloved tundra, choosing to leave it in her past, but getting to share some of herself with her young made her feel proud. She wondered if Kegan took after her, choosing to enjoy the solitude and quiet rather than the bustle. His warm little body pressed against hers she turned to look at her brute, his gaze following their children. She could tell that he enjoyed spending time with their little beasts, his obvious patience with them made her smile. She had chosen well, but then again she had known that from the beginning.


Rhys Liadan Taranis Kegan Sabaoth

[Rhys]

After almost tripping himself a few times, Rhys ran out from under his father's feet to explore. He couldn't believe that he had been missing out on all of this beauty for his whole life. The caverns were a dank dismal place in comparison to all of the wonderful things he could see. The sun was bright and warm shining down on all of the things he could see. There were so many kinds of plants all around him, most of them withering In preparation for winter. He didn't have long to inspect his surroundings until his siblings were upon him. Rhys love to tussle and play with his siblings, testing and training for his own chance to survive the Agoge. When he grew up he wanted to be just like his father, but he would have to be strong. Both of his parents had scars, but it made Rhys want to join their ranks. They had obviously achieved something brave in order to win such marks of valor. Rhys wondered if it had hurt very much to get a scar as big as the ones his parents had. He jumped toward his sister, making sure that he didn't hurt her in his play fighting. Rhys loved his little sister and didn't want her hurt, plus he would end up in trouble if he played to rough with Liadan. Looking back over his shoulder he saw Kegan lingering over by their mother, but he didn't let it bother him considering that Kegan was always withdrawn. He turned towards Taranis baring his little teeth at his brother. "Come on Taranis, let's wrestle like the big warriors." He ran towards his bigger brother hoping to engage him in some good play fighting. It was rare that they got to be outside so Rhys planned to enjoy t the best he knew how. By playing and romping as boys did.





OOC: Sorry this is so short, but my muse for him is lacking at the moment.   



Sabaoth Taranis Liadan Kegan

[Liadan]

Liadan, stumbling over her disproportionately large paws as she bounded her way toward the exit, could not even begin to fathom the wonder of her new world. It burst open in front of her: more space and colours and scents that she could ever have dreamed possible. It was almost too much to take in at once. Forgotten were the muted browns and blackness of the dens, gone was the darkness that she had grown so used it. Instead, it was replaced by the pale blue of the sky, the blinding brightness of day light, the rich earthy tones of the ground. Liadan heard somebody gasp loudly and was surprised to find it was her own intake of breath that she’d heard.

Just as she was about to speed away and search out new smells and sights, her father’s voice boomed and stopped her in her tracks; his authoritative tone rooting her in place. She turned then to face him sheepishly, and found that he was talking directly to her. The meaning of his stare as clear as the skies. Liadan’s face went from excitement to fearful reverence in a matter of seconds at his next words, her smile dropped from her lips.

“Alligraters?” she whispered conspiratorially, glancing around her to make sure there were none close. Although she did not know what an alligator was exactly, they sounded fearsome. “I’m not—I’m not afraid of an alligrater,” she said, trying to sound confident despite the shake of her voice betraying her true fear. “What do they…look like? Are they as big as you, pa?” She looked around again, this time more thoroughly. All she saw was her mother and three brothers, but for all she knew alligators were invisible. The thought sent a shiver through her spine, and instinctively she shuffled closer to Sabaoth, her head turning rapidly this way and that to make sure she didn’t miss anything. “Where are they? Are they here?”

Rhys jumped toward her suddenly, causing her to squeal in surprise. “Rhys!” she growled, embarrassed at her own fear. Hadn’t he heard what pa said about alligators? Normally she would jump at the chance to play fight with her older brothers, but right now she had more pressing concerns. Instead she swatted at him with one paw and then another, lowering the front half of her body down to the ground in a defensive position. “Go and bother Taranis,” she suggested, still frowning at her own display of cowardice.

Once he’d been distracted by scrapping with their brother, Liadan turned back to her father and fixed him with a scrupulous look. “Pa,” she said, drawing the word out. “You wouldn’t really feed me to an… to the… an…alligators, would you?” The long word was particularly difficult and she frowned in concentration as she struggled to get her mouth around it, eventually getting it right and beaming smugly about it.

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Word count: 487
Muse: Okay
Notes: She has so much energy I feel exhausted just typing it xD
Tags: Roka  Sabaoth Rhys Taranis Kegan

[Taranis]

CAUTION: ANIMATED TABLE! 
Somewhat of a jumpscare!

The black and white pup was still amazed at his surroundings, for a moment forgetting he was still next to his parents. He kept looking at everything--the trees, the butterflies, everything around him made him open his eyes widely in wonder and amazement. However, he heard his father speak in a strong tone that if they didn't behave, they would be fed to the alli... alliga... alli-what-now? Taranis tilted his head and looked at his father and squinted, trying to understand what he had just said. But, whatever it was, the young ebony pup understood it was not good at all.

His sister apparently seemed scared of the strange word, which made Taranis feel even more confused. Why was she scared of what his father had said? Did he really mean it? Were they really going to be thrown to the alli... alligrators? Or was it just a joke? Nevertheless, Taranis saw how this had affected Liadan and stared at her blankly. It surprised him how a single word had made her go from happy to sad and scared. However, he jumped in sudden fear when Rhys jumped in front of him, challenging him to a fight like the big warriors did.

Taranis barked playfully at his brother and wagged his tail, pouncing on top of his brother and jokingly biting his ears. He used his bigger size to his advantage and pinned him down, barking at Rhys as he wagged his tail happily. "Ha! I win!" Taranis said victoriously, looking back at Sabaoth. "Mum, dad! I won!" he laughed as he nibbled on his brother's neck fur to tickle him. This was a really good day, and Taranis was having fun. It was going to be a day he would always remember. He was sure of it!

Rhys + Liadan + Kegan + Sabaoth + Roka