☼ Ātaahua ☼

          "What do you mean my father's coming to get me? Who does he think he is? I'm perfectly happy right here, so right here is where I'll stay," the red and golden she-pup had said to her mother indignantly just before her father had indeed come to fetch her.
          Now she was walking along, peering suspiciously at the big golden wolf out of the corner of her eye. He must have seen this because he returned the side-eye and had the audacity to stick out his tongue. Ataahua shook her head angrily and veered suddenly to heave her whole weight into the big wolf and knock him off of his feet. The entourage Hakaan had brought with him watched as their golden leader went tumbling off into the brush with a yelp, and a smaller version of him was sent into a fit of giggles. 'This will take some getting used to,' each of them thought as the scene unfolded. Once their new charge had had her fill of watching her father tumble down the shrub-covered hill she sighed happily and began walking again. 'Perhaps I could get used to this,' she thought with a smirk as half of the entourage raced down the hill after Hakaan and the other half shook themselves and hurried to catch up with her.

-

          Ataahua tromped through the hollow, head low, shoulders hunched forward defensively as she went. She had spent the morning training with Trill under the watchful eye of that icy old Vonnegaine. The young she-wolf supposed that the golden hunter's belief that she could be something great was flattering, but oh was she ever tough. A day's training with the two older she-wolves was always hard work. Fortunately this did mean the ensuing nap would be wonderful. 'The longer I have the great pleasure of being among these strange wolves the more optimistic I get. Still, if my father wanted to be around his daughter he should just have stayed in my mother's pack instead of gallivanting off like he did," she thought with a huff, not understanding her father's role.
          A couple of younger hunters trotted by on their way to join a party, giving her a nod as they passed. The young she-wolf narrowed her eyes back at them with a dismissive sniff which they just laughed at. Finally, shaking her head with a sigh, Ataahua made it to the dugout where the youngest members of the pack slept. Adjusting to life here and having such difficult days of training really took their toll, but she knew— or, more accurately, hoped— she would eventually settle in or succeed in one of her escape attempts.

-

          The she-wolf's ears pricked as there was movement in the den. She curled in tighter, laying her warm tail over her nose against the— wait. It was unusually warm for this hour. She opened one pale blue eye which soon went wide with shock as the sound of a ragged howl let loose throughout the hollow. Being at this point a well trained scout, she was able to leap to her paws straight away. She picked her way adeptly toward the entrance of the den where a couple of others were standing and looking out into the too-red pre-dawn light.
          "What's going on?" She asked, then looked outside to see the huge black cloud rising above the trees on the hill.
          "Banrigh just tore into the hollow howling, didn't you hear?" Answered a wide-eyed and wavering Minke.
          "Really? No, I hadn't heard," Ataahua shook her head, not having time for any more chatter, and rallied to Banrigh.
          She stood to attention, listening to the report the soot-covered scout managed to cough out as Trill and Rionach bounded over from their dens to join their fellow scouts and Wynandir. Banrigh wasn't able to speak much more after her initial exertion, so Wynandir turned to them to repeat her report that the fen was indeed on fire. Ataahua's legs nearly turned to jelly at the news, but she managed to look on steadily as the older she-wolf gave instructions.
          "I want Rionach to go and find Hakaan immediately; Trill, you're in charge of the young ones; and Ataahua, round up your den. I'll help Banrigh fetch Narquelion and his lot," the little, red-furred she-wolf looked briefly to Trill for confirmation, then barked more shrilly, "now go!"
          "Find my— find Hakaan," Ataahua called after Rionach as the scouts bounded away to follow their orders.

-

          Ataahua lazed on a flat, sun-baked stone at the water's edge, letting a paw hang over to feel the cool current rushing by. It was a gorgeous, cloudless day with bright, hot sunlight being cast in dapples on the floor of the glade. The golden she-wolf sighed contentedly. It had been a month or so since disaster had struck the Redfeathers and they had been forced to move, and things were finally settling down again. The singes she had sustained while helping to lead the pack to safety were healing, the fur in those shortened patches regrowing. Emotional wounds were healing as well, and the pack was embracing the new landscape and the lifestyle that came with it.
          "It's certainly much more relaxing here," she murmured to herself, not expecting anyone to answer, but jumping when they did.
          "That it is. May I join you?" A strong voice sounded on the shore beside the she-wolf as Hakaan approached her sunning spot.
          "If you must, I suppose you may," Ataahua said, opening one eye, then sitting up to make room for the alpha.
          He leaped up easily to settle in beside her, giving a wide yawn as he felt the warmth of the sun above and the stone below. The nearly identical pair sat in silence for a while, watching tiny fish swim by among the shale and algae. Then, Ataahua cast a sidelong stare at her father, studying him as he took in the sights of their new home. A million retorts, accusations and small monologues flashed by in her thoughts, but she finally sighed again and settled on a question.
          "Why'd you bring me here?" She asked in a surprisingly conversational tone.
          "I—," the alpha began, then considered for a moment. "In short, and truthfully, because you look just like me."
          "Ah, vanity," she replied drily with neither any ill intent nor humor.
          Hakaan barked a short laugh anyway, "not what I meant. When your old pack called on us to make our alliance— or, more accurately, our peace— more solid than it was with our first... arrangement, they pointed you out and I couldn't believe it. It was like looking into the river here except it was my younger self."
          Ataahua gazed back at him for a moment through their reflections before realization hit, her eyes went wide and she turned to face the real him, "my mother's pack called you? It was their idea?"
          "Well, yes. It was our idea to approach your old pack with..." he trailed off.
          "Yes, yes, I understand that part of your job nowadays."
          "Right. Well, tensions rose again for one reason or another, and they wanted to send one of their own to us to renew our friendship."
          Ataahua's initial wide-eyed look had softened as the conversation went on, and now she simply gazed at her father with a level understanding, "so you chose to take home your own kin."
          The big golden wolf nodded, murmuring, "I never really settled enough to have my own family, so with your mother's blessing I took the opportunity."
          Ataahua was speechless, finally knowing the truth of her life with the Redfeathers. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she shook her head and smiled, scooching closer to Hakaan and snuggling tentatively into her father's warm, golden fur to his pleasant surprise.

-

          Ataahua padded through the glade toward the new hollow. She nodded to a couple of passersby on their way out to hunt or begin a lesson. A couple of the youngsters ran over to nip at her heels and invite her to join them, and she laughed and told them they didn't want to go up against her just yet. Wynandir dipped her head gratefully as the golden she-wolf ushered the pups back in her direction. Sighing, she continued forward. Since the fire, she had taken more of a responsibility for the pack, and everyone seemed to appreciate it. She would never admit it, but the pack could see that this pleased her.

          "Ataahua," a strong, clear voice called to stop her. "Walk with me. It's nearly time for me to retire. Banrigh has settled well into the role of beta, Wynandir is favored as a teacher, and Cassiel won't be chosen so soon after joining us..." Hakaan paused his easy stride and turned to face his daughter, "I'm thinking they're going to choose you. I know I certainly am."

[395 Starting] [912 Lvl 20]