Fable - Ask Laws of the Pack

Sephrenia · Mar 4, 2021

“Trying to turn the tables on me?"

“Never” She smiled innocently as she continued to scratch behind his ears lightly as she looked quietly around. She yawned quietly before stretching out tiredly. It was late and had been a long day. She let her eyes fall closed as she relaxed against him.

“What’s the plan for tomorrow my love?” She asked softly as she cuddled him, putting the thoughts of returning home to the back of her mind for now. Her tail thudded against the ground as she relaxed, comfortable and happy against her mate. The moon was high and the night quiet, beautiful as always and she hoped for a change the other pack would stay away so they could relax.
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
“Never” She smiled innocently as she continued to scratch behind his ears lightly as she looked quietly around. She yawned quietly before stretching out tiredly. It was late and had been a long day. She let her eyes fall closed as she relaxed against him.

He cocked an amused eyebrow, he didn't much believe her but really it was such an innocent thing to do he couldn't really do anything to push the whole 'turn the tables' angle. So he just sat back, and enjoyed the ear scratching, while he gave her the same treatment. They were going to sleep comfortably that night.

Sephrenia said:
“What’s the plan for tomorrow my love?” She asked softly as she cuddled him, putting the thoughts of returning home to the back of her mind for now. Her tail thudded against the ground as she relaxed, comfortable and happy against her mate. The moon was high and the night quiet, beautiful as always and she hoped for a change the other pack would stay away so they could relax.

"Continue our work, build up the wall a bit more, make it sturdier, gather a some more food and materials for fire. Maybe build something to store water in. If we're surrounded on all sides it's not as if we can simply leave, get water and come back without fighting. Any suggestions pet?"

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

"Continue our work, build up the wall a bit more, make it sturdier, gather a some more food and materials for fire. Maybe build something to store water in. If we're surrounded on all sides it's not as if we can simply leave, get water and come back without fighting. Any suggestions pet?"

She listened to his words, pondering quietly as he spoke. When he asked her for suggestions she had a few, but was not sure how feasible they would be. She stopped scratching him as she pondered deeply for a few moments before breaking her concentration and looking to him and licking his muzzle lightly a few times.

“Human’s make barrels… for their drinks. We could try to make a large one perhaps to gather rain water. There are plants as well that hold water that we could seek out. Do we have buckets? Those would be a few of the more difficult ones but beneficial long term. Digging another moat like drain from the moat to a pool in the village would be the easiest… so when it rains, the moat overflows and the excess water gathers in a pool for us.”

She looked to him curiously, wondering what he thought of the suggestions.
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
“Human’s make barrels… for their drinks. We could try to make a large one perhaps to gather rain water. There are plants as well that hold water that we could seek out. Do we have buckets? Those would be a few of the more difficult ones but beneficial long term. Digging another moat like drain from the moat to a pool in the village would be the easiest… so when it rains, the moat overflows and the excess water gathers in a pool for us.”

He considered this. "You mean something along the lines of hollowing out a tree's trunk and storing water in it?"

He thought, "It could work, so could the overflow idea. Mayhaps we could combine the two ideas. Use hollow sections of tree trunks to store water that we get from the pool and keep the pool as full as possible at the same time. Any ideas on how it could work design-wise?"

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

She nodded softly at his idea of hollowing out a tree trunk "Close to that. I think the idea of making the pool with the overflow from the moat is the best idea. Design wise I would just think we dig a large hole. We may even find water already under the first few layers of dirt. We can dig deep down, very deep and make a well, use a string, attached to a stick on one side and a bucket on the other to gather the water from the depths of the well."
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She nodded softly at his idea of hollowing out a tree trunk "Close to that. I think the idea of making the pool with the overflow from the moat is the best idea. Design wise I would just think we dig a large hole. We may even find water already under the first few layers of dirt. We can dig deep down, very deep and make a well, use a string, attached to a stick on one side and a bucket on the other to gather the water from the depths of the well."
Uhfred

He considered this. "So the pool would be more of a bottomless pit in that nature? It could certainly hold a lot, and unlike humans we don't need purified water, so we don't need to oversanitize it. The problem with a large hole is that it would be a weak point in our defenses. That wouldn't be very viable unless there was a way we could make it secure."

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

She tilted her head... unsure how it would be a weak point... Showing her lack of understanding still of some of the finer points of pack life she asked...

"How would a well of sorts, within the walls of our village, be a weak point? If concern of our kin falling in.... We could easily place stones or wood around the ground before it goes beneath and we could even cover the hole with a large boulder perhaps."

All of these battle tactics were new to her. Though humans did fight, it was not as constant as it had been here so far. She wondered if there were ever quiet times. Times to enjoy being wolves, times to enjoy hunting deer just for the hide and food, and not having to hunt massive beasts that were seriously more deadly than the pack itself was. Times to have pups, play in the water and just live without always looking over your shoulder and expecting death to tap upon it.

Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She tilted her head... unsure how it would be a weak point... Showing her lack of understanding still of some of the finer points of pack life she asked...

"How would a well of sorts, within the walls of our village, be a weak point? If concern of our kin falling in.... We could easily place stones or wood around the ground before it goes beneath and we could even cover the hole with a large boulder perhaps."

He tilted his head, oh, he hadn't been too specific so he confused her. "I meant the hole in the wall to bring the water in from the moat, not the well itself, sorry. The well itself wouldn't be a weakness. I meant we need to make the hole that brings water into it from the outside would have to be defended well enough to not be a weakness. Apologies, I didn't mean to be less than specific."

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

She nodded, understanding. She chuckled a little.

"Well there will likely be water already in the ground, if you go deep enough. Plus when it rains, it will fill the well some already. As for bringing excess water from the moat.... a small dug out space beneath the fence would suffice, it can be secured with some spike wall of sorts. One that has holes enough for water to get through, but not to allow any beast through. Put these spikes on the outside, and inside and it should be secure enough I would think."
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She nodded, understanding. She chuckled a little.

"Well there will likely be water already in the ground, if you go deep enough. Plus when it rains, it will fill the well some already. As for bringing excess water from the moat.... a small dug out space beneath the fence would suffice, it can be secured with some spike wall of sorts. One that has holes enough for water to get through, but not to allow any beast through. Put these spikes on the outside, and inside and it should be secure enough I would think."
Uhfred

He nodded, he really should have realized that it was an easy fix. Maybe he was a lot more tired than he originally thought, this was soon confirmed by a yawn that escaped him. When it was done he said simply, "Oh dear, perhaps it's time to call it a night."

He gave her butt a quick smack, not enough to do more than sting lightly, "Goodnight pet. Sleep well."

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

She smiled slightly at his yawn as he advised it was time to call it a night. She nodded lightly, laying down all the way, folding her arm beneath her head. She too yawned, he slapped her butt lightly and she laughed a little. It stung, but only a tiny bit. "Goodnight pet. Sleep well" he said softly. She cuddled against him "Night Master" she whispered lightly as she closed her eyes.
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She smiled slightly at his yawn as he advised it was time to call it a night. She nodded lightly, laying down all the way, folding her arm beneath her head. She too yawned, he slapped her butt lightly and she laughed a little. It stung, but only a tiny bit. "Goodnight pet. Sleep well" he said softly. She cuddled against him "Night Master" she whispered lightly as she closed her eyes.
Uhfred

The night was spent away as it usually was, peaceably and quietly. He'd wake up with either her on his chest or already moving about as usual. He'd say his usual good morning to her and inform her of what the plan was, and what part she had to fill. Except this time she wasn't going hunting, she was staying and helping the men with the design and construction of the well and collection duct. She was the one with the ideas in this case, and the one with the clearest idea on what actually could be accomplished and how, so she was in charge of that day.

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

When she woke she was curled up on his chest, but he was still asleep and so, she opted to get up without waking him. She moved to the other females, helping them to cook meat and make breakfast. Their meals of only meat and the rare berries she got needed to be upped some. She would introduce them to other things eventually. Eggs, for example. If she could get some chickens, that would be amazing. Again, the need to return home to her father and get things to help the pack, tugged at her, but she ignored it.

When Baraek awoke he wished er a good morning and told her to lead the making of the well. She did as she was told. Taking 2 males with her she explained what she needed from them. She requested they begin digging a hole, downhill a bit from the moat where she decided they would dig under to get the extra run off. She told them to go down, at least double their height and take turns, when one wore out, he would rest and the other would take over. When they got that far down they would see how water flowed beneath the ground, if at all.

Half a day passed. The males dug and she herself began constructing the small spiked walls that she would place in front and behind the wall, covering the hole that would be dug beneath the wall for the run off. She wound some vine together to make strong rope first, then cut some long branches and using a knife she borrowed from one male, she began bringing the ends of the branches to sharp points. She had a few dozen done by mid day. She declined to eat as she worked, and continued through lunch, though the males ceased digging for a break. She brought a few larger branches to where she was working alone, and began tying the spike branches to the larger branch, all sticking out at odd angles, using the vines to tie them up, so they would use each other and the middle branch as support if assaulted. She continued working in silence, concentrating deeply.

Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 5, 2021

Sephrenia said:
Half a day passed. The males dug and she herself began constructing the small spiked walls that she would place in front and behind the wall, covering the hole that would be dug beneath the wall for the run off. She wound some vine together to make strong rope first, then cut some long branches and using a knife she borrowed from one male, she began bringing the ends of the branches to sharp points. She had a few dozen done by mid day. She declined to eat as she worked, and continued through lunch, though the males ceased digging for a break. She brought a few larger branches to where she was working alone, and began tying the spike branches to the larger branch, all sticking out at odd angles, using the vines to tie them up, so they would use each other and the middle branch as support if assaulted. She continued working in silence, concentrating deeply.

Baraek got back to his work with the others to get the rest of the wall built, specifically the gatehouse. The walls for the gatehouse were twice as thick as the ones around the village to allow for more wolves to be on them at a time. As the fortifications grew, the deeper the moat got, and some of the wolves working on the moat helped to dig the tunnel to the well.

Baraek stopped to check on her a little ways passed midday, complimented her and the two guys on the good work, gave her a kiss, and went back to his own work. It was a restless day.

Sephrenia · Mar 5, 2021

She smiled softly as Baraek stopped her just after midday, She explained what she was doing and how it would work and kissed him lightly before he left and went back to his own work. Once she'd finished the spiked walls she moved to set them besides the wall where she would dig the gutter leading to the well when the males were done.

She headed over to the males, one, nearly twice his height below ground now. Her sapphire eyes scanned the area curiously, she could see he was standing in some water and she smiled.

"If you go down another few feet, I bet there will be more water and then we can stop digging. The water should seep up some. We can gather water to fill the well half way when we are also filling the moat and then we can wait for rain to do the rest." She said lightly. The male went back to digging as she requested and she smiled to the other. "If you need help getting him out when hes done let me know."

Her eyes turned to the sky for a moment. She knew it was the rainy season... she hoped the rain would fall again sooner than later, having rain fill the moat sounded much nicer than them bringing water here. She pried her eyes from the sky and looked to Baraek, watching him work for a moment. Her handsome mates movements were graceful and strong and she caught herself nearly drooling as she watched him. She shook her head, forcing herself to get back to thinking about work and not about other things. She was not the only female who watched him and his magnificence though. Seph noticed a few others watching him, they had a right and she turned away and went back to working in silence.

Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 6, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She smiled softly as Baraek stopped her just after midday, She explained what she was doing and how it would work and kissed him lightly before he left and went back to his own work. Once she'd finished the spiked walls she moved to set them besides the wall where she would dig the gutter leading to the well when the males were done.

She headed over to the males, one, nearly twice his height below ground now. Her sapphire eyes scanned the area curiously, she could see he was standing in some water and she smiled.

"If you go down another few feet, I bet there will be more water and then we can stop digging. The water should seep up some. We can gather water to fill the well half way when we are also filling the moat and then we can wait for rain to do the rest." She said lightly. The male went back to digging as she requested and she smiled to the other. "If you need help getting him out when hes done let me know."

Her eyes turned to the sky for a moment. She knew it was the rainy season... she hoped the rain would fall again sooner than later, having rain fill the moat sounded much nicer than them bringing water here. She pried her eyes from the sky and looked to Baraek, watching him work for a moment. Her handsome mates movements were graceful and strong and she caught herself nearly drooling as she watched him. She shook her head, forcing herself to get back to thinking about work and not about other things. She was not the only female who watched him and his magnificence though. Seph noticed a few others watching him, they had a right and she turned away and went back to working in silence.

Uhfred

The male who was digging nodded up to her and went right back to work. There was one big advantage that wolves had, it was that they could work harder for longer. So the well was done much sooner than it would be if it was done by humans. Same deal with the gatehouse, a box meant to trap attackers was half done by the time the sun approached the horizon.

Baraek checked in on their progress two or three more times throughout the course of the day, still mostly focused on his work, but still making sure that what they needed was built well enough, and to take notes so that they might do so again if necessary.

Most of the other females went out hunting, and they came back with even more prey, two trolls this time around, they had plenty to eat then. Lucky that they had their defenses nearly complete by then, because they heard foreign howling that night. And Baraek made sure that there was a watch schedule.

Sephrenia · Mar 6, 2021

Seph smiled tiredly as the well was finished, the underground water seeping up slightly. She shaved another branch, resting it over the hole. She made another long string by weaving vines together, tied it to the stick and measured it against the length of the well. It would do decently. She moved to Baraek as night fell.

"Do we have any buckets?" She asked softly as she looked to him. If they did not then she would have to fassion something to be able to be lowered to the water and scoop it up to bring it to the surface. She knew she'd come up with something, but it had been a long day and she could not think of anything at the moment. She moved to where her and Baraek usually slept, stretching out on her side without even eating dinner, yawning tiredly. She wasn't quite hungry so she let everyone else eat and just opted to relax instead.

Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 7, 2021

Sephrenia said:
"Do we have any buckets?" She asked softly as she looked to him. If they did not then she would have to fassion something to be able to be lowered to the water and scoop it up to bring it to the surface. She knew she'd come up with something, but it had been a long day and she could not think of anything at the moment. She moved to where her and Baraek usually slept, stretching out on her side without even eating dinner, yawning tiredly. She wasn't quite hungry so she let everyone else eat and just opted to relax instead.

"I'm afraid not." he said with a sigh. "I'm not entirely sure what a bucket is truth be told."

He himself was fairly tired, but he didn't plan on sleeping all night, so he simply wrapped her in an arm as opposed to pulling her onto him like he usually did. "Good work today, You and your team did a great job."

Sephrenia · Mar 8, 2021

"I'm afraid not. I'm not entirely sure what a bucket is truth be told."

She chuckled softly and licked his cheek, his lack of knowledge of human things matched her own about pack things. She rubbed her cheek gently against his as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Good work today, You and your team did a great job."

"Thank you" She said as she smiled and yawned faintly, curling up slightly against his side. She hoped to keep him company when he was awake for his shift, but she suddenly felt very tired.

"I will try to make a bucket with wood and vines or leaves if I can find large enough ones. If not, I may have to go somewhere that humans inhabit to try and steal some... they would be very useful. "

Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 9, 2021

Sephrenia said:
"Thank you" She said as she smiled and yawned faintly, curling up slightly against his side. She hoped to keep him company when he was awake for his shift, but she suddenly felt very tired.

"I will try to make a bucket with wood and vines or leaves if I can find large enough ones. If not, I may have to go somewhere that humans inhabit to try and steal some... they would be very useful. "

"I'm intrigued." he said with a smile. "But let's save that for tomorrow, we need to get some sleep. So rest well pet. We have quite the day ahead of us tomorrow. It's time we force that pack out of the bushes and into the open."

So he pulled her tight and laid his head down to rest, he'd have one of the wolves wake him for a shift on the wall sometime around midnight, but until then they slept. When he did wake up, he'd make sure to leave cautiously so that he didn't wake her up with him.

Sephrenia · Mar 9, 2021

"I'm intrigued. But let's save that for tomorrow, we need to get some sleep. So rest well pet. We have quite the day ahead of us tomorrow. It's time we force that pack out of the bushes and into the open."

She nodded softly as she curled up against him. She fell asleep quickly and slept through him leaving her to rest. She startled awake however not long after he left, a nightmare shattering her sleep. She panted as she looked around, momentarily confused. She stood as she looked around. She saw him upon the wall and she smiled lightly before heading to him quietly. Her ears were perked, cautious of any possible noises she may pick up on.

"Hi" She said softly as she came up besides him. She spared a soft lick of his cheek before she sat besides him to watch with him.
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 10, 2021

Sephrenia said:
"Hi" She said softly as she came up besides him. She spared a soft lick of his cheek before she sat besides him to watch with him

He turned to look at her when she greeted him. He smiled at the kiss and said, "sorry if I woke you."

He spared her a quick side hug before returning to his attentive watch. He could smell them but he couldn't see them. They were there, and they knew that they had been discovered.

"They're out there you know. Thinking." He said to her. "And I'm starting to think that this isn't any ordinary pack."

Sephrenia · Mar 10, 2021

"sorry if I woke you."

She smiled softly at the hug before settling before him and looking where he was watching. Her ears perked forwards as she looked in the same direction. Her eyes focusing but seeing nothing.

"They're out there you know. Thinking. And I'm starting to think that this isn't any ordinary pack."

She pondered in silence the meaning of his words...

"What do you think they are?"

If she could get her blood into them... she could use that against them for a short timeframe.... but she wasn't sure how it would work if it would work at all. She kept her eyes focused, scanning as he did. Her muzzle parted slightly for a second as a yawn was tempted to come forth, but she stopped it quickly.
Uhfred

Uhfred · Mar 10, 2021

Sephrenia said:
She pondered in silence the meaning of his words...

"What do you think they are?"

"I think they're an Alphapack, basically a union between three or more packs under a smaller Alpha's Pack, which act basically as the ruling caste. They're packs tend to be much bigger, and most of the time alphas won't fight to the death but rather to first blood to preserve pack hierarchy while still establishing the Prime Alpha." He explained to her. "They're very rare occurrences, but very dangerous ones too. Which also means that this wall may prove to be the difference between life and death for this pack, unless they intend to bring us into it, in which case we should probably do so."

Sephrenia · Mar 10, 2021

"I think they're an Alphapack, basically a union between three or more packs under a smaller Alpha's Pack, which act basically as the ruling caste. They're packs tend to be much bigger, and most of the time alphas won't fight to the death but rather to first blood to preserve pack hierarchy while still establishing the Prime Alpha."

She rose a brow as she looked to him from the corner of her eye.

"They're very rare occurrences, but very dangerous ones too. Which also means that this wall may prove to be the difference between life and death for this pack, unless they intend to bring us into it, in which case we should probably do so."

She pondered what he'd said... thinking in silence if this was a bad thing... higher numbers would bring more safety in her mind.

"Would this not be a good idea?? Wouldn't there be more safety in numbers?"

Uhfred