Frigid Determinations

[Salki]

Shika was amazed. She sat near the mouth of her cave, stoking a small fire with her blanket pulled over her, just watching the two, both fast asleep. If you didn't study closely you'd almost not be able to see the smaller fiero, a pup, because his pelt was almost entirely the same mint green as Atticus's. Though his white markings and the brown splattered marks across the long tail that wrapped firmly around him helped to point the young one out.

It was obvious, even to her, that Atticus was now a father, and a rather proud one indeed. She remembered Salki telling her about her fiero Bezzy having pups; now it astounded her that her own little Atticus was doing the same! The pup had gotten most of her looks from his mommy though, except that main color. She glanced away and outside where the sun was reflected brilliant colors off the snowy landscape.

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[Salki]

The pup's mind had begun to stir though; a new scent to investigate that pierced through the strong scent of his father. His nose worked to bring it in. It was a rough, somehow natural but hot...Slowly the rest of his senses came into the act. His legs felt heavy and tired-something was pressed to him, or maybe he was pressed to it...Either way he needed to stretch his limbs. He sprang to his feet in a fast spent motion, before stretching in the way a cat would as he pulled his back legs from his father's tail. He blinked his currently blue eyes as he looked around, yawning with a small squeak.

Shika took her eyes away from the glistening wonderland, blinking her eyes quickly from the bright shock and noticing that the new arrival had woken up. "Oh-! Hey litle guy..." Her ears perked forward. "Wanna come over next to me?" She patted the rock floor next to her.

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[Salki]

The pup slowly padded over; however this was not the result of Shika's words. No, his mission to discover the origin of that hot scent was still ongoing. He sniffed as he walked over, his attention being further tugged to this strange form before the girl. It was bright and seemed to flick in the light. The girl had a stick shoved into it. He sat down as he studied it, watching the different hues of red, orange and yellow dance before him. Just then the bizarre creature struck out; an arm of burning red flased just inches from his ear. Instantly the pup's fur stood on end as he jumped up, tail lashing behind him. It had spit at him! He hadn't done a thing to it and yet it attacked him! He growled, stalking closer to it-when the girl's hands closed around his stomach, flying him through the air.

"No-! No, no, no..." Shika cried out in alarm when the pup almost stuck his face right into the fire, plopping him into her lap. "Don't touch that; it's hot..."

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[Salki]

The mint colored pup was simply indignant at his broken off attack. He puffed out his fur under the girl's grip, growling raspily as if just being touched was killing him. Why would she be protecting this hissing monster?

Shika was surprised at this wild behavior. It seemed he had not inherited his father's calm demeanor. "Hey, hey, it's alright little guy...!" her ears drooped as she sighed and thought she would like the fiero better if he was sleeping still.

Suddenly his ruckus was cut off with a small gentle swat to his ear. He thought it had been the girl as he lifted his head, but instead he saw his father, a somewhat cross look to identify the fact that he had done something wrong. A sigh left him as his expression softened and he carefully picked up a piece of hay from the bedding in his teeth.

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[Salki]

Shika was thankful at the father's intervention, but tilted her head, confused at what Atticus could be doing. Both girl and pup watched as he leaned his muzzle toward the fire, carefully and slowly, before stepping back and looking to his son. The strand of hay now hung from his mouth, burnt and singed to an ashy black that crumbled apart from the wind. He dropped it in front of them, so the pup could see the danger.

His blue eyes widened as the hay was left, withered and flaky. The monster had eaten it! Slowly he realized, finally, that it was not alive and...and he had been close to pouncing right on top of it not five minutes ago! He would be as charred as the hay. He tilted his head back to truly look at the catgirl that held him so warmly to herself. She had stopped him from getting hurt.

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[Salki]

His white-ringed tail began to wag, first slowly then very harshly, kicking up the wind around them. Shika smiled "Well hey there...I guess you understand now?" The pup barked as if he understood her, licking her cheek lightly. She sighed softly at the rush of warmth in the cold air and let a hand stroke Atticus's ear as he sat by them now, wrapping the blanket around the pup's front. "Good boy..."

The pup was having all sorts of reconsiderations now. This girl was nice-he was daddy's friend and maybe even more. The fire, which was not a monster anymore, was giving off a warm sensation, perhaps not all bad if you just kept away from it so you'd not be singed. Suddenly he was shaken from his thoughts by a rumbling in his stomach. He looked around, not having mommy anywhere to feed him. He looked up at his father and Shika, whining.

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[Salki]

Shika almost felt the pup shake with his stomach, the rumble resounding in her charcoal-tipped ears. "I'm hungry too..." She cooed softly, planting a kiss on his head as if he was no more than a doll. Carefully she slid out from the blanket, tucking it around the small body as she stood and walked to a crevice in the wall of her den. "Stay right there, okay-I'll fix us something..." She pulled out a couple of fish that she had stored before the river had frozen over. She grabbed the metal fork that Salki had given her back on earth, sliding a fish onto it.

However the pup wasn't quite as paitent. He broke out from the blanket and trotted over, smelling the seafood scent-it wasn't deer, but it was something to silence his stomach. He began to bounce around Shika's legs, trying to reach one of the trout-like fish.

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[Salki]

"Careful, I know you're hungry..." the catgirl couldn't help but giggle at his excitement. Atticus again took the route of grabbing his pup's tail to keep him from knocking the fish down or getting the sharp edge of the fork somehow stabbed into him until the pup calmed down. It was funny that parents thought of the worst scenarios for their offspring-the thought somehow made Shika frown but she shrugged it off. "I still need to think of a name for you, little one..." Shika hummed lightly as she sat in front of the fire again.

Nothing of this last sentance made sense to the soft green pup. His ears perked in some alarm-why was she holding the fish to the fire? His nose began to twitch and work at the air. The fish's scent changed, forming a new scent which made his mouth water until Shika pulled the fish from the fire, carefully blowing on it as she took it off the fork, claws holding it to not burn herself.

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[Salki]

Shika smiled. "Here-I suppose you need the most food." She held the fish out to him, the pup trying not to be rude as he snatched it away. It was hot in his mouth-making his stomach soon full and warm, opposed to the dreary cold. the other fish, both her and Atticus getting their share. Her thoughts drifted. She could name the pup Gem-the name of the son of the actual Atticus Finch. However this didn't feel right for him. He seemed too energetic and self-assured to be like Gem. Scout was a cute name as well, but not fit for him.

The pup in question had now bounced up, begining to play and bat at his father's tail. Atticus twitched his tail about, as if of it's own accord, a grin working over his face. The pup let out a deep growl after a few moments, pouncing onto the end and holding it tightly between his paws, beginning to nom on his fur.

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[Salki]

Atticus pulled his tail up toward his face to look at his son, hanging on upside down with all his might. Their alpha laughed and joined them, brushing her hands through Atticus's thick neck fur. "Oh my, did the great and mighty Toklo get you Atti?!" The father barked and Shika paused, backtracking her words. Toklo? The pup had opened his mouth to bark, loosing his grip as he fell at least a foot to the bedding-covered ground. He bounced to his feet, the fall not phasing him as he merely sat on his haunches. He was quite done playing with his father's tail for the time being.

Shika smiled as she said the name again. "Toklo..." That had simply come out of nowhere, as if brought to her by the breeze. Somehow it just really fit-Toklo. It seemed like a very manly name. Perfect for the rambunctious bundle of fur in front of her. "That's a boy Toklo..." She crooned, letting a hand pet his head ever so gently.

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