HOME | DD

Description
A role play between and featuring our characters Riley, Blue, Sebastian, Mack, and Shep for :icondogs-of-canidae:

----------
warpugs said the following:

It was the first snow of the season and Mack had, of course, never seen anything like it. He had awoken in the barn that morning, nestled in a bed of hay beside his father, and when he went to the entrance of the barn he saw the world covered in a glorious powdering of white snow. After a quick explanation from his father on what had happened over night with the weather, Mack spent the rest of his morning tearing through the snow. Leaping and romping, he had managed to cover the main parts of the farm in that time. Now that he was stopped, resting by the chicken coop with his breath coming out in big white puffs, he wanted to see more. What did the rest of the world look like? He had to see it all! He gave a quick glance around to see if his father was watching and when he ascertained that he was busy performing daily chores, Mack began to slink off with a mischievous giggle.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian was horrified. What happened last night while he was sleeping? He sat frozen, nestled into his sleeping mother's fur. His breathing was shallow as he tried to figure out what had happened. "Mother? Mother!" he finally cried, whimpering desperately.

Blue woke with a start, looking all around at her pup's cries. Seeing nothing she looked at him quizzically. "Sebastian, what's wrong? You scared me!" she chided gently.

"What happened outside?" he whined, pointing with a shaking paw out the window.

Blue looked up, confused, before understanding her pup's fears. "Oh, sweet thing, that's just snow. It falls from the sky in winter. Go play!" she said with a laugh, nudging her son to the small doggy door.

Sebastian looked back pleadingly before slowly inching through the door. It was cold! He stood shivering on the porch before taking a step and slipping off the side of the porch and into a snow heap. With a muffled yelp he thrashed his way out of the snow and went tumbling blindly away, making dizzying patterns in the snow. Finally he stopped, panting, and sat shivering in the yard.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Mack had memorized the way to his mother's farm as he had been back and forth a few times with his father. Never had he been allowed to go alone, but he figured his dad would be too busy to notice. And besides, he wanted to explore! Indigo no longer lived on their mother's farm, and she was normally his go-to exploration buddy, so Sebastian would have to do for today.

His short puppy-legs carried him as quickly as they could through the wooded path and fields that separated the two farms. When he caught wind of those oh-so-familiar scents, which were so exotic to others, he grinned and surged forward through the snow. It never took much searching to find Sebastian as he wasn't one to stray far from the buildings of the farm, and more importantly their mother. He just hoped that he could steal Sebastian away without their mother noticing. "Sebby!" Mack called at a hoarse whisper as he loped towards his brother who was shivering in the snow, looking rather upset and like his life had been turned upside-down.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian's teeth chattered as he shivered in the snow. He didn't want to turn back and run to his mother--mostly because he was afraid to move. A hoarse voice calling his name made his ears perk up. The voice was all too familiar and made his stomach into knots.

"Mack? Where are you?" he called back in his own whisper. His brother blended in too well with all the snow.

----------
warpugs said the following:

The overwhelming scent of his mother made Mack stop at a distance from Sebastian. "Over heeeere!" He whispered loudly to him. "Come here!" His tone was full of impatience. He wanted to explore already! And who explored by themselves anyway? You always had to have a trusty companion and Sebastian would have to suck it up and join him. He shot a few glances around with narrowed eyes, trying to gauge where their mother was.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

"Ohh...this is a bad idea..." Sebastian muttered as he plodded his way to Mack's voice. With a sharp 'ooph!' he collided head first with his brother, falling over from the impact. Looking up the world spun and he sneezed at the snow in his nose.

"Mom isn't gonna be happy with us. And dad is gonna be mad at you for wandering off again." he pouted matter-of-factly.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Sebastian drew nearer and nearer and nearer and.... Oof!! Mack had attempted to back away but his brother collided head-first with him, knocking him onto his side into the snow. "Watch it!" He hissed with a glare, standing up and shaking out his coat.

Sebastian began his attempts at stopping Mack, causing him to roll his eyes with impatient annoyance. "Oh, c'mon. Don't you ever wanna have a little adventure?" He gave his brother a nudge with his nose. "We'll deal with them later. Let's go!" The quicker they left, the less of a chance they had of their mother happening upon them. He turned and began racing off as quietly as he could, stopping once he was at the fence and looking over his shoulder to make sure Sebastian was following.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian followed his brother poutily, shaking his feet off after every other step, unused to the cold snow between his paw pads. "We're gonna be in so much trouble..." he mumbled unhappily.

Riley was just entering the farm when she saw two pudgy figures heading in her direction. Her ears perked up and she grumbled when she realized what they were. These damn pups she thought angrily to herself. With a few short bounds she was in front of the pups, glowering down at them with a snarl. "Just what do you two whelps think you're doing?" she asked lowly, piercing green eyes glaring down at them.

Sebastian fell over backwards with a yelp, shaking violently from being so startled. He stared up at the dog with wide, terrified eyes, a low whine coming from his gaping mouth.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Mack was happily trecking along through the snow, enjoying all the sights and sounds of winter, seemingly not bothered by the cold at all. A large dog quickly appeared before them and Mack stopped, glaring back at the female. Sebastian was behind him, petrified and shivering and Mack wasn't about to cower along with him. He had to show he was brave! "We're exploring." He said very matter-of-factly, very ready to just keep moving around her. It's not like she was his mother or anything... although he didn't very often listen to his own mother anyway.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley growled down at the insolent pup. "You're coming with me." she said lowly. Without warning she dipped her head and grabbed the pup by his scruff, lifting him high above the snow. "You. Follow me." she mumbled around Mack's scruff to Sebastian.

Sebastian nodded quickly, rolling onto his feet with his tail tucked between his legs. Riley began to walk quickly in the direction of Sebastian's father's farm and it was all he could do to keep up.

----------
warpugs said the following:

One second Mack was continuing his journey around the dog who had gotten in his way, and the next he was being swiftly lifted into the air. He instantly began to squirm and protest. "Hey!" He exclaimed. It did little use, though. The female was not letting go. If he were any older or wiser, he would know how dangerous the situation he was in could truly be, but for now he would just think this stranger was hindering him from continuing his adventure.

It took Shep an embarrassingly long time to notice that Mack was missing as he had been busy with his farm chores. He really had thought that the fresh snow on the farm would be enough to keep the young pup occupied, but of course Mack always yearned for more adventure. Nothing was ever quite enough for him. Shep grumbled as he followed Mack's erratic scent-trail around the buildings and fields, until he reached the farm's edge. Mack's scent continued on here and Shep found his eyes narrowing with annoyance. He had just cleared the fence, landing with a crunch in the snow on the other side, when he saw a familiar figure coming towards him in the distance. It was Riley and she wasn't alone. His ears perked forward and he felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was short lived when he remembered that Mack had snuck off and how angry he was over it. He squinted his eyes and noticed a second figure trailing after Riley... small ad pudgy... Sebastian? This day was just getting better and better as now he would also have to deal with a very upset Blue.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley stomped right up to Shep and dumped his pup at his feet. "Missing something?" she growled. With a sharp look she made Sebastian jump forward to hide behind his father's legs, shaking terribly. "I-I-I'm sorry dad." he pleaded.

"I have to talk to you about something-" Riley started to say when a shout interrupted her. Her head whipped around to see Blue come running up. She growled lowly and turned away, avoiding eye contact

"Shep! Shep have you seen--there you are!" Blue cried as she came running up and saw Sebastian. She trotted the rest of the way panting and stood beside Shep, looking down at her youngest son. "What were you thinking running off like that? Was it your idea, Mack? And what was he doing traveling between our farms, Shep?" she shot off rapid fire questions, finally stopping to glare at her mate.

Riley stood aside and waited for the awkward family reunion to end. "Speaking of your wayward pups..." she muttered.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep shot daggers at the two pups at Riley's side. "Yes." He said in a stone-cold voice. It was clear Sebastian had been dragged into this by Mack. Sebastian hardly ever left his mother's side. It had been that way since he was a pup, so he felt bad for being so cold towards him, but if he showed any weakness in discipline in front of Mack, all would be forgotten in Mack's mind.

He looked to Riley curiously as she began to speak of something that sounded serious, but she was interrupted by Blue who had appeared in a panicked frenzy. His ears fell back at all her questions and he said nothing, just waiting for her to finish. "Um, why don't you just take them to get warmed up in the barn? We can discuss what happened later." Riley's newest statement had piqued his interest in an upsetting way, and he knew she'd be more willing to open up without Blue around.

Mack whined more protests at his parents as they spoke over him back and forth, ignoring him. They never let him have any fun and he found himself moping in annoyance at their feet.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian cowered beneath his father and wished he could melt into the snow when his mother arrived. Once she stopped he quickly scrabbled away from his father to shake against his mother's leg. Blue glared down at him and Mack, disappointment clearly written on her face. "Shame on you boys." she said severely. "You both know better."

Her head snapped back up at Shep's suggestion and she turned her glare on him. "Fine. Follow me, boys." she said coldly, heading toward the barn, pups in tow.

Riley waited for Blue to disappear into the barn before relaxing her stance and looking to Shep with softer eyes. "Hey." she said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to cause...a mess..." she said with a throat clearing cough. "But I have some news. Indigo is in the Junkyard."

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep watched Blue leave, attempting to ignore her angry glare. He had never known her to be angry before, but having pups had brought out some protective mother-bear instinct in her.

Mack huffed and followed after his mother begrudgingly, ears back.

"You didn't do anything. It was the pups." Shep said with a roll of his eyes at the thought of how much trouble Mack was always causing. Her next two sentences made him reel back a step and his eyes grew wide. "She's where?" Shep snapped, his voice growing a bit too loud. The Junkyard?! "What is she doing there? She had a home!" He glanced around Riley as if Indigo had been hidden behind her this whole time. "Why didn't you bring her with you?" He knew he had to tread carefully here. Riley considered the Junkyard to be her own home and of course there was no problem with that, it was just not where he had ever thought one of his offspring would end up. Blue no doubt would throw a fit and he glanced back at the barn in hopes she hadn't heard him.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley winced at Shep's raised voice, feeling like the awkward bearer of bad news. And of course Blue heard the distress in his voice and came running out of the barn asking, "What? What happened?"

Riley grumbled but replied, "Indigo is living in the Junkyard. She refused to come here and I wasn't going to carry her the whole way. She's safe in my den right now." Hopefully... she added silently to herself.

"She's what!?" Blue cried. "How could this happen? She had a home!"

Riley sighed, trying to ignore the wailing mother and focus on Shep instead. "She ran away. Said the human was neglecting her."

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back as Blue came sprinting from the barn, lamenting over Indigo. He didn't say anything yet, just listened to Riley's explanation. She didn't want to come back?? The human was neglecting her? It was all a little too much to hear at once and it hurt him a bit as her parent. Why wouldn't she want to come back? A faint sadness grew in his eyes. "You're watching over her then?" He said finally to Riley. He would have to help Blue cope with this later. First, he needed to make sure Indigo wasn't in any danger living in the Junkyard. He knew how hostile the group could be and Riley herself hadn't been so friendly to Shep the first time she stumbled onto his farm.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue was so upset she could only give a mournful cry. Her own daughter didn't want to come home? She'd failed so miserably as a parent that her only daughter didn't want to be with her parents. Blue's head dropped in sadness and she sidled up to Shep, a low whimper in her throat.

Riley tried not to sneer at Blue's spectacle. What did Shep see in such a whiney female? She'd never know. But she looked back up at Shep and her own expression softened seeing the sadness in his eyes. "She'll be safe with me. I promise." she said compulsively, needing to comfort him. She'd already taken Indigo into her den, so the pup was already her responsibility. He resolve slowly hardened until she was utterly determined to make sure no harm came to that pup.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep watched her with those same sad eyes for a moment longer after she had responded before he finally gave her a half-smile. "Good." All he and Blue could do now was trust Riley would keep to her word. There was no use in dragging Indigo back to either of their farms. She would resent them for it and they would just drift further apart. He gave Blue a hopeful smile before turning back to Riley. "Thank you." He said as he touched his nose to hers gratefully. Perhaps it would even be a good thing for Riley to have Indigo to look after.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley flushed when Shep touched noses with her and she gave her head a quick shake to clear it, wiping at her nose with a foreleg and putting on an annoyed expression to hide her true feelings. "Yeah. Of course." she muttered, still clearly flustered.

Blue looked from Shep to Riley and back and sighed, defeated. Her daughter was going to grow up in the Junkyard raised by another dog. It was too much for her to handle right now. With a muttered apology, she turned and ran back to the barn and her two remaining children.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Riley reacted just as he expected her to: annoyed. Blue shuffled off, visibly still upset about Indigo. Shep watched her go for a moment before looking back to Riley. "I guess I should make sure everyone's okay in there." He said with a huff, glancing back at the barn. "Tell her to visit us sometimes, okay?" Shep added, not wanting Blue or the pups running off to the Junkyard in search of Indie. He just didn't feel safe with that.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

"I'll make sure of it." Riley grumbled. She'd drag the damn pup here if she had to. "You don't need to worry, Shep. Really. I'll make sure she's raised ok." Riley said softly, feeling awkward. Was she really going to raise a pup that wasn't her own...a pup that could have been if things were different...? She violently shoved that thought out of her head. "I...should be getting back." she said, glancing over her shoulder in the direction of the Junkyard. It was beginning to snow more heavily, her tracks already obscured.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded, studying Riley sadly for a moment before giving her a grateful nuzzle. "Thank you. I really mean it." If he or Blue couldn't be the ones raising Indigo, there was no one else he'd rather have do it. He pulled away and gave her a final smile before he turned and began loping back to the barn to check on Blue and the pups.

He slowed his pace to enter the barn, looking specifically for Blue. He walked up to her, stopping before her, and asked "Will you be okay?"

Mack still sat pouting at his mother's side, although at his father's question and hearing the concern in his voice it piqued his interest. He peered up, tilting his head to the side.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley grufflly pushed Shep away with a paw before turning without another word and loping back the way she'd come. She didn't like leaving Indigo alone for so long. Who knew what kind of trouble the wayward pup would get into. Of course she kept these thoughts to herself as she snow fell around her.

Blue lay inside the barn, her pups nestled against her side. Well, Sebastian was nestled. He shook lightly but didn't know whether it was from cold or fear of his parent's rebukes. He saw his father come in and gulped, huddling further down in an attempt to avoid his notice.

Blue looked up at Shep with sad, tired eyes. "I'm not sure if I will." she replied in a low voice, giving Mack's head a lick. "Shep...our daughter will grow up in the Junkyard. How will we ever be ok?"

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back. He completely understood how she felt. The Junkyard held some pretty ruthless dogs, and he'd hate to see his daughter, who was similar in personality to Mack and visibly looked like Blue, turn into an aggressive or hostile dog. "Well, we can't force her to come back. She'd just keep running away, wouldn't she?" He plopped down with a sigh. "Riley will make sure she's alright." He knew this didn't sound reassuring to anyone who didn't know Riley like he did. Which was most everyone.

Mack's eyes grew wide at the mention of his sister and the junkyard. He jumped up on his hind legs, using his mother's side to step on with his fore-paws to become taller. "Indie's in the Junkyard?!" He gave out an excited yip. All the adventures she would get to be on! But wait... He wasn't even allowed to leave the farm. "Why does she get to live in the Junkyard?" Mack complained with a glare at Blue and Shep.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue leveled her gaze on her son, orange eyes narrowed. "Indie does not 'get to' live in the Junkyard. Your father and I don't support this. Neither of you are ever to try visiting her. I forbid it. We'll have to wait and see if she comes here..." Blue's voice started off severe and slowly dropped to forlorn. Her only daughter. Being raised by a Junkyard Soldier. Blue shuddered and curled herself tighter around her puppies.

Sebastian whimpered, distressed over his sister. "Is she going to be ok?" he asked, looking from his mother and then to his father. He snuggled further into Blue's fur until he was almost completely hidden.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded in agreement with Blue. "You're never to go to the Junkyard." He reiterated sternly. This was definitely one topic they had to firmly stand together on. It probably couldn't be said enough to get through to Mack. He would have to watch him more closely now than ever. Blue would certainly have a meltdown if anything else happened with her pups. To Blue, he said softly "She'll visit." Why would she not want to visit? They had been good parents...

Mack rolled over and slid down his mothers side on his back with a harumph. He nestled in at her side, though he still held a frustrated little glare.

Shep looked to Sebastian. "She's going to be just fine." He gave his son a reassuring smile. Despite his words, Shep knew he would always now carry worry in the back of his mind over whether or not she was okay. He trusted Riley, but as a father he would always worry about his daughter.

Description
A role play between and featuring our characters Riley, Blue, Sebastian, Mack, and Shep for :icondogs-of-canidae:

----------
warpugs said the following:

It was the first snow of the season and Mack had, of course, never seen anything like it. He had awoken in the barn that morning, nestled in a bed of hay beside his father, and when he went to the entrance of the barn he saw the world covered in a glorious powdering of white snow. After a quick explanation from his father on what had happened over night with the weather, Mack spent the rest of his morning tearing through the snow. Leaping and romping, he had managed to cover the main parts of the farm in that time. Now that he was stopped, resting by the chicken coop with his breath coming out in big white puffs, he wanted to see more. What did the rest of the world look like? He had to see it all! He gave a quick glance around to see if his father was watching and when he ascertained that he was busy performing daily chores, Mack began to slink off with a mischievous giggle.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian was horrified. What happened last night while he was sleeping? He sat frozen, nestled into his sleeping mother's fur. His breathing was shallow as he tried to figure out what had happened. "Mother? Mother!" he finally cried, whimpering desperately.

Blue woke with a start, looking all around at her pup's cries. Seeing nothing she looked at him quizzically. "Sebastian, what's wrong? You scared me!" she chided gently.

"What happened outside?" he whined, pointing with a shaking paw out the window.

Blue looked up, confused, before understanding her pup's fears. "Oh, sweet thing, that's just snow. It falls from the sky in winter. Go play!" she said with a laugh, nudging her son to the small doggy door.

Sebastian looked back pleadingly before slowly inching through the door. It was cold! He stood shivering on the porch before taking a step and slipping off the side of the porch and into a snow heap. With a muffled yelp he thrashed his way out of the snow and went tumbling blindly away, making dizzying patterns in the snow. Finally he stopped, panting, and sat shivering in the yard.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Mack had memorized the way to his mother's farm as he had been back and forth a few times with his father. Never had he been allowed to go alone, but he figured his dad would be too busy to notice. And besides, he wanted to explore! Indigo no longer lived on their mother's farm, and she was normally his go-to exploration buddy, so Sebastian would have to do for today.

His short puppy-legs carried him as quickly as they could through the wooded path and fields that separated the two farms. When he caught wind of those oh-so-familiar scents, which were so exotic to others, he grinned and surged forward through the snow. It never took much searching to find Sebastian as he wasn't one to stray far from the buildings of the farm, and more importantly their mother. He just hoped that he could steal Sebastian away without their mother noticing. "Sebby!" Mack called at a hoarse whisper as he loped towards his brother who was shivering in the snow, looking rather upset and like his life had been turned upside-down.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian's teeth chattered as he shivered in the snow. He didn't want to turn back and run to his mother--mostly because he was afraid to move. A hoarse voice calling his name made his ears perk up. The voice was all too familiar and made his stomach into knots.

"Mack? Where are you?" he called back in his own whisper. His brother blended in too well with all the snow.

----------
warpugs said the following:

The overwhelming scent of his mother made Mack stop at a distance from Sebastian. "Over heeeere!" He whispered loudly to him. "Come here!" His tone was full of impatience. He wanted to explore already! And who explored by themselves anyway? You always had to have a trusty companion and Sebastian would have to suck it up and join him. He shot a few glances around with narrowed eyes, trying to gauge where their mother was.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

"Ohh...this is a bad idea..." Sebastian muttered as he plodded his way to Mack's voice. With a sharp 'ooph!' he collided head first with his brother, falling over from the impact. Looking up the world spun and he sneezed at the snow in his nose.

"Mom isn't gonna be happy with us. And dad is gonna be mad at you for wandering off again." he pouted matter-of-factly.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Sebastian drew nearer and nearer and nearer and.... Oof!! Mack had attempted to back away but his brother collided head-first with him, knocking him onto his side into the snow. "Watch it!" He hissed with a glare, standing up and shaking out his coat.

Sebastian began his attempts at stopping Mack, causing him to roll his eyes with impatient annoyance. "Oh, c'mon. Don't you ever wanna have a little adventure?" He gave his brother a nudge with his nose. "We'll deal with them later. Let's go!" The quicker they left, the less of a chance they had of their mother happening upon them. He turned and began racing off as quietly as he could, stopping once he was at the fence and looking over his shoulder to make sure Sebastian was following.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian followed his brother poutily, shaking his feet off after every other step, unused to the cold snow between his paw pads. "We're gonna be in so much trouble..." he mumbled unhappily.

Riley was just entering the farm when she saw two pudgy figures heading in her direction. Her ears perked up and she grumbled when she realized what they were. These damn pups she thought angrily to herself. With a few short bounds she was in front of the pups, glowering down at them with a snarl. "Just what do you two whelps think you're doing?" she asked lowly, piercing green eyes glaring down at them.

Sebastian fell over backwards with a yelp, shaking violently from being so startled. He stared up at the dog with wide, terrified eyes, a low whine coming from his gaping mouth.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Mack was happily trecking along through the snow, enjoying all the sights and sounds of winter, seemingly not bothered by the cold at all. A large dog quickly appeared before them and Mack stopped, glaring back at the female. Sebastian was behind him, petrified and shivering and Mack wasn't about to cower along with him. He had to show he was brave! "We're exploring." He said very matter-of-factly, very ready to just keep moving around her. It's not like she was his mother or anything... although he didn't very often listen to his own mother anyway.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley growled down at the insolent pup. "You're coming with me." she said lowly. Without warning she dipped her head and grabbed the pup by his scruff, lifting him high above the snow. "You. Follow me." she mumbled around Mack's scruff to Sebastian.

Sebastian nodded quickly, rolling onto his feet with his tail tucked between his legs. Riley began to walk quickly in the direction of Sebastian's father's farm and it was all he could do to keep up.

----------
warpugs said the following:

One second Mack was continuing his journey around the dog who had gotten in his way, and the next he was being swiftly lifted into the air. He instantly began to squirm and protest. "Hey!" He exclaimed. It did little use, though. The female was not letting go. If he were any older or wiser, he would know how dangerous the situation he was in could truly be, but for now he would just think this stranger was hindering him from continuing his adventure.

It took Shep an embarrassingly long time to notice that Mack was missing as he had been busy with his farm chores. He really had thought that the fresh snow on the farm would be enough to keep the young pup occupied, but of course Mack always yearned for more adventure. Nothing was ever quite enough for him. Shep grumbled as he followed Mack's erratic scent-trail around the buildings and fields, until he reached the farm's edge. Mack's scent continued on here and Shep found his eyes narrowing with annoyance. He had just cleared the fence, landing with a crunch in the snow on the other side, when he saw a familiar figure coming towards him in the distance. It was Riley and she wasn't alone. His ears perked forward and he felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was short lived when he remembered that Mack had snuck off and how angry he was over it. He squinted his eyes and noticed a second figure trailing after Riley... small ad pudgy... Sebastian? This day was just getting better and better as now he would also have to deal with a very upset Blue.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley stomped right up to Shep and dumped his pup at his feet. "Missing something?" she growled. With a sharp look she made Sebastian jump forward to hide behind his father's legs, shaking terribly. "I-I-I'm sorry dad." he pleaded.

"I have to talk to you about something-" Riley started to say when a shout interrupted her. Her head whipped around to see Blue come running up. She growled lowly and turned away, avoiding eye contact

"Shep! Shep have you seen--there you are!" Blue cried as she came running up and saw Sebastian. She trotted the rest of the way panting and stood beside Shep, looking down at her youngest son. "What were you thinking running off like that? Was it your idea, Mack? And what was he doing traveling between our farms, Shep?" she shot off rapid fire questions, finally stopping to glare at her mate.

Riley stood aside and waited for the awkward family reunion to end. "Speaking of your wayward pups..." she muttered.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep shot daggers at the two pups at Riley's side. "Yes." He said in a stone-cold voice. It was clear Sebastian had been dragged into this by Mack. Sebastian hardly ever left his mother's side. It had been that way since he was a pup, so he felt bad for being so cold towards him, but if he showed any weakness in discipline in front of Mack, all would be forgotten in Mack's mind.

He looked to Riley curiously as she began to speak of something that sounded serious, but she was interrupted by Blue who had appeared in a panicked frenzy. His ears fell back at all her questions and he said nothing, just waiting for her to finish. "Um, why don't you just take them to get warmed up in the barn? We can discuss what happened later." Riley's newest statement had piqued his interest in an upsetting way, and he knew she'd be more willing to open up without Blue around.

Mack whined more protests at his parents as they spoke over him back and forth, ignoring him. They never let him have any fun and he found himself moping in annoyance at their feet.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Sebastian cowered beneath his father and wished he could melt into the snow when his mother arrived. Once she stopped he quickly scrabbled away from his father to shake against his mother's leg. Blue glared down at him and Mack, disappointment clearly written on her face. "Shame on you boys." she said severely. "You both know better."

Her head snapped back up at Shep's suggestion and she turned her glare on him. "Fine. Follow me, boys." she said coldly, heading toward the barn, pups in tow.

Riley waited for Blue to disappear into the barn before relaxing her stance and looking to Shep with softer eyes. "Hey." she said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to cause...a mess..." she said with a throat clearing cough. "But I have some news. Indigo is in the Junkyard."

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep watched Blue leave, attempting to ignore her angry glare. He had never known her to be angry before, but having pups had brought out some protective mother-bear instinct in her.

Mack huffed and followed after his mother begrudgingly, ears back.

"You didn't do anything. It was the pups." Shep said with a roll of his eyes at the thought of how much trouble Mack was always causing. Her next two sentences made him reel back a step and his eyes grew wide. "She's where?" Shep snapped, his voice growing a bit too loud. The Junkyard?! "What is she doing there? She had a home!" He glanced around Riley as if Indigo had been hidden behind her this whole time. "Why didn't you bring her with you?" He knew he had to tread carefully here. Riley considered the Junkyard to be her own home and of course there was no problem with that, it was just not where he had ever thought one of his offspring would end up. Blue no doubt would throw a fit and he glanced back at the barn in hopes she hadn't heard him.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley winced at Shep's raised voice, feeling like the awkward bearer of bad news. And of course Blue heard the distress in his voice and came running out of the barn asking, "What? What happened?"

Riley grumbled but replied, "Indigo is living in the Junkyard. She refused to come here and I wasn't going to carry her the whole way. She's safe in my den right now." Hopefully... she added silently to herself.

"She's what!?" Blue cried. "How could this happen? She had a home!"

Riley sighed, trying to ignore the wailing mother and focus on Shep instead. "She ran away. Said the human was neglecting her."

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back as Blue came sprinting from the barn, lamenting over Indigo. He didn't say anything yet, just listened to Riley's explanation. She didn't want to come back?? The human was neglecting her? It was all a little too much to hear at once and it hurt him a bit as her parent. Why wouldn't she want to come back? A faint sadness grew in his eyes. "You're watching over her then?" He said finally to Riley. He would have to help Blue cope with this later. First, he needed to make sure Indigo wasn't in any danger living in the Junkyard. He knew how hostile the group could be and Riley herself hadn't been so friendly to Shep the first time she stumbled onto his farm.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue was so upset she could only give a mournful cry. Her own daughter didn't want to come home? She'd failed so miserably as a parent that her only daughter didn't want to be with her parents. Blue's head dropped in sadness and she sidled up to Shep, a low whimper in her throat.

Riley tried not to sneer at Blue's spectacle. What did Shep see in such a whiney female? She'd never know. But she looked back up at Shep and her own expression softened seeing the sadness in his eyes. "She'll be safe with me. I promise." she said compulsively, needing to comfort him. She'd already taken Indigo into her den, so the pup was already her responsibility. He resolve slowly hardened until she was utterly determined to make sure no harm came to that pup.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep watched her with those same sad eyes for a moment longer after she had responded before he finally gave her a half-smile. "Good." All he and Blue could do now was trust Riley would keep to her word. There was no use in dragging Indigo back to either of their farms. She would resent them for it and they would just drift further apart. He gave Blue a hopeful smile before turning back to Riley. "Thank you." He said as he touched his nose to hers gratefully. Perhaps it would even be a good thing for Riley to have Indigo to look after.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley flushed when Shep touched noses with her and she gave her head a quick shake to clear it, wiping at her nose with a foreleg and putting on an annoyed expression to hide her true feelings. "Yeah. Of course." she muttered, still clearly flustered.

Blue looked from Shep to Riley and back and sighed, defeated. Her daughter was going to grow up in the Junkyard raised by another dog. It was too much for her to handle right now. With a muttered apology, she turned and ran back to the barn and her two remaining children.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Riley reacted just as he expected her to: annoyed. Blue shuffled off, visibly still upset about Indigo. Shep watched her go for a moment before looking back to Riley. "I guess I should make sure everyone's okay in there." He said with a huff, glancing back at the barn. "Tell her to visit us sometimes, okay?" Shep added, not wanting Blue or the pups running off to the Junkyard in search of Indie. He just didn't feel safe with that.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

"I'll make sure of it." Riley grumbled. She'd drag the damn pup here if she had to. "You don't need to worry, Shep. Really. I'll make sure she's raised ok." Riley said softly, feeling awkward. Was she really going to raise a pup that wasn't her own...a pup that could have been if things were different...? She violently shoved that thought out of her head. "I...should be getting back." she said, glancing over her shoulder in the direction of the Junkyard. It was beginning to snow more heavily, her tracks already obscured.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded, studying Riley sadly for a moment before giving her a grateful nuzzle. "Thank you. I really mean it." If he or Blue couldn't be the ones raising Indigo, there was no one else he'd rather have do it. He pulled away and gave her a final smile before he turned and began loping back to the barn to check on Blue and the pups.

He slowed his pace to enter the barn, looking specifically for Blue. He walked up to her, stopping before her, and asked "Will you be okay?"

Mack still sat pouting at his mother's side, although at his father's question and hearing the concern in his voice it piqued his interest. He peered up, tilting his head to the side.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Riley grufflly pushed Shep away with a paw before turning without another word and loping back the way she'd come. She didn't like leaving Indigo alone for so long. Who knew what kind of trouble the wayward pup would get into. Of course she kept these thoughts to herself as she snow fell around her.

Blue lay inside the barn, her pups nestled against her side. Well, Sebastian was nestled. He shook lightly but didn't know whether it was from cold or fear of his parent's rebukes. He saw his father come in and gulped, huddling further down in an attempt to avoid his notice.

Blue looked up at Shep with sad, tired eyes. "I'm not sure if I will." she replied in a low voice, giving Mack's head a lick. "Shep...our daughter will grow up in the Junkyard. How will we ever be ok?"

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep's ears fell back. He completely understood how she felt. The Junkyard held some pretty ruthless dogs, and he'd hate to see his daughter, who was similar in personality to Mack and visibly looked like Blue, turn into an aggressive or hostile dog. "Well, we can't force her to come back. She'd just keep running away, wouldn't she?" He plopped down with a sigh. "Riley will make sure she's alright." He knew this didn't sound reassuring to anyone who didn't know Riley like he did. Which was most everyone.

Mack's eyes grew wide at the mention of his sister and the junkyard. He jumped up on his hind legs, using his mother's side to step on with his fore-paws to become taller. "Indie's in the Junkyard?!" He gave out an excited yip. All the adventures she would get to be on! But wait... He wasn't even allowed to leave the farm. "Why does she get to live in the Junkyard?" Mack complained with a glare at Blue and Shep.

----------
sourlemonfox said the following:

Blue leveled her gaze on her son, orange eyes narrowed. "Indie does not 'get to' live in the Junkyard. Your father and I don't support this. Neither of you are ever to try visiting her. I forbid it. We'll have to wait and see if she comes here..." Blue's voice started off severe and slowly dropped to forlorn. Her only daughter. Being raised by a Junkyard Soldier. Blue shuddered and curled herself tighter around her puppies.

Sebastian whimpered, distressed over his sister. "Is she going to be ok?" he asked, looking from his mother and then to his father. He snuggled further into Blue's fur until he was almost completely hidden.

----------
warpugs said the following:

Shep nodded in agreement with Blue. "You're never to go to the Junkyard." He reiterated sternly. This was definitely one topic they had to firmly stand together on. It probably couldn't be said enough to get through to Mack. He would have to watch him more closely now than ever. Blue would certainly have a meltdown if anything else happened with her pups. To Blue, he said softly "She'll visit." Why would she not want to visit? They had been good parents...

Mack rolled over and slid down his mothers side on his back with a harumph. He nestled in at her side, though he still held a frustrated little glare.

Shep looked to Sebastian. "She's going to be just fine." He gave his son a reassuring smile. Despite his words, Shep knew he would always now carry worry in the back of his mind over whether or not she was okay. He trusted Riley, but as a father he would always worry about his daughter.