((Feel free to ignore everything but the last couple of paragraphs. XD Mostly intro to his family + I had a muse attack))
Not so much the quietest but certainly the most distant, Alister wandered the outskirts of the small clearing while his siblings tussled nearer to mom. His nose pressed against the soil, eyes as wide and as blue as the sky matching scents to objects: That is a green plant thing, and oh that one is a rock, and that one is...wait, what is that?
"Mom?" His voice was high pitched but strong, neither calling for immediate attention nor going unheard. Plus, Jenny was not one to disregard her children’s needs, regardless of how many were thrown at her at once. "Stop pulling on your sisters ear..." She said at first, Alister's head twisting to see one of his brothers doing just that.
"What is it darling?" Jenny craned her neck from the position she sat, the scarf wrapped near her shoulders catching the light of the sun and glistening.
"What is this thing?" Alister murmured before picking up the brown object and holding it in his mouth until he reached her side. "Oh that..." Jenny replied, releasing a motherly chuckle between blinks and glances. "That would be a slug, my dear boy."
"It's slimy..." Spitting the slug out, Alister slapped his lips together once or twice, tongue pressing and releasing the roof of his mouth in a similar, flopping motion, tasting the critter before making a face. "Haha, Alister...my Alister, the curious, the brave." Nuzzling into his face, the older female proceeded to lick at his cheek and then to push him toward his playful siblings, offering a wink and a swift head jerk in their direction.
Play, the movement read. But Alister didn't feel like playing with the boys today. In fact, he didn't like the way they were playing with their sister either. Turning once to catch the reassuring yip from his folks, Alister swept his paws against the floor and leaned against one of his brothers once beside them, growling. "Stop messing with her like that right now!"
But boys would be boys, and he didn't listen. "Alister?" Jenny's voice questioned in the backdrop, eyes widening as if she knew just what could come of her son's strong behavior. But Alister did not hear her, or at least did not pay her warnings any mind--this was his sister, a lady, and she should not be teased so roughly. "How would you like it if I did that to you?" Then, with his growing fangs the pup pulled on an available ear, ending the assault with a head butt to the side.
His brothers did not look pleased...but topped off by their mothers low gurgle of discontent, they got the message and eased off their sister.
Alister, despite the epic win on his part, was still a bit riled up by the sibling dispute--however small it might have been, and regardless of whether or not the others took it as seriously as he did. Lingering for a moment before gliding to the fringes once again, Alister eased into the forest lining until his fur was covered by the shadows of leaves.
"ALISTER." His mother called, and in response the yellow male poked his head out of the woodwork, lips at the ready to defend his escape. "I was just heading back to the den, mother!"
Jenny looked to her mate, who looked back at Jenny and than in unison the two raised a brow. "But the den is behind us?" It ended in a lift, questioning her boys motive.
"I knew that! I just saw one of those slugs again. No worries mom, I'm just really tired. I should probably get a nap in or something." But Jenny...she was just not having it.
"Well...if this is true, I'll go back with you."
"Can't I just have a little time to myself?"
"What does that mean?" Jenny's face contorted then, looking very, very hurt. But against her face she could feel the deep blue eyes of her mate, burning her cheek and beckoning for her to look into them and to pull back on her reigns. They are boys, She thought, vaguely recalling hearing her mate say those words...or something similar to them. They are soon to be teenage boys...if we do not let them have their freedom now, they will never return to us once they've gone.
And it was the truth, as is with any parent and child relationship. Jenny just couldn't bring herself to admit it fully. Leveling her head with her sons, who was now trotting across the clearing, Jenny whispered. "Your father will check on you soon. Go, my son. Be careful."
And without so much as a second thought Alister was pressing through the foliage, taking the worn and well-known path toward their den until he was sure his folks could no longer see, before dashing to the left and toward the river.
A place where mother had often told him never to go.
"It's getting kind of late don't you think Tristan? I'm sure they are all a little tired..."
Jenny's voice faded, carried off by the winds.
