Dragoncrest Cliffs I had too much to dream last night

She didn't sleep well and woke groggy, which wasn't helped by the steady rainfall. She hoped the weather would make the kids sleepy too, but no such luck. Wildfire curled inside the log, watching as the four of them romped around in the gathering puddles. Few things seemed to excite the lethargic Bat, yet water seemed to be one of them. It was interesting to see the usually lackadaisical pup light up and become an energetic chatterbox.

Eventually, @Silkie grew weary and joined the Feisripa in the shelter of the den. She tugged him close and licked him clean, sending him off to sleep. "@Tux, @Kiwi, Bat, you should come inside too," Wildfire attempted to coax the others.

Kiwi had just finished sending a large sploosh of water in the direction of one of her siblings when Wildfire called out, and she let out a small overzealous groan.

"I's training," she expressed emphatically in trigedasleng, pausing to look at her mother.  She didn't know what for, not one bit, but it sounded important and would mom really make her stop?

None of the three seemed as though they'd cooperate. Bat and Tux didn't even acknowledge her—they were apparently too busy trying to drown one another in a puddle—and Kiwi only sent a groan in her mother's direction. Bemused, Wildfire cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?" she replied, "What're you training for? Bat!" she interjected, "Quit murdering your brother!" She then calmly looked back to Kiwi.

It seemed as if Bat's love of water had finally rubbed off on her brother.  Tux was, of course, content to not listen to mom and would rather stay outside to play in the puddles, but the sharpness in her tone caused him to slip from on top of his big-eared sibling and head back inside.  He took a seat next to Kiwi and gave her a soft nudge with his broad muzzle.

She wasn't sure how to answer straight off, so when Tux came and judged her, she used the distraction as a brief excuse.  She nudged back, then reared up and attempted to push him playfully.

"Ummmm.... huntin."  She called back, the first thing to pop into her mind.  Then she splashed again, sure her excuse would be more than enough.

Tux began heading toward her, though he took the time to judge nudge (and be judged nudged in return by) Kiwi first. Wildfire stretched out a foreleg to beckon him closer, using a petite paw to hook him in and tug him closer. She began grooming the moisture from his fur, though her chestnut gaze remained on her daughters still frolicking out of doors.

"Oh?" she queried between licks. "Yeah? What're you hunting?"

his legs are swooped out from beneath him by mama's bigger ones, and he looks towards her like she had bit him.  his mouth falls open, but once he realizes he is safe in his mother's arms he settles beneath her tongue.  i wannan hund toooooo!

Kiwi thought on that, and didn't really have an answer.  What would she be hunting?  Then one came to her, and she grinned, turning to face her mother in the den.  "Bets!" she crowed!

Then, with a running start, she charged over to give her sister a good glomp, hopefully pushing her into the puddle so they could maybe do a nice mud rustle.  Bat wasn't always game for playing like that, but that didn't stop Kiwi from trying.

Tux squirmed a bit and protested verbally, though a few more presses of her tongue seemed to change his mind. "It's so warm and cozy in here," she murmured to him, rubbing her nose against his and smiling. "If you stay with me now, I promise I'll take you out hunting later. Just you and me."

Her attention strayed back to the girls, chestnut eyes watching as Kiwi pounced Bat, who went down like a sack of potatoes. Wildfire's ears twisted backward apprehensively, though neither Goufa was hurt. In fact, the unusually energetic Bat flopped rather happily in the puddle where she'd landed, pausing only to flick a bit of dirty water in her sister's direction.

The Feisripa sighed, resigned to lots of cleanup later. For now, she refocused on Tux, hoping to soothe him to sleep beside Silkie.

Although he desperately wanted to go play with his sisters, his mother's soothing was working fast on the young boy.  It wasn't long before he drifted off entirely, forgotten about Bat-hunting.

wrapping!

 

Bat seemed willing enough, so Kiwi continued to romp in the water around her, flicking back and forth until Wildfire's suggestions became more demand than question.  Even then there was some complaint, but as the sogginess seeped in, it was nice to dry off and settle in with siblings and mother around her.

She let the girls play a while longer, though soon Wildfire's own eyes were drooping and she summoned them inside. "I'm not asking, I'm telling," she said to a reluctant Bat. She felt a little bad, putting a dampener on her usually lazy child's excitement. When the Goufa trudged into the den, Wildfire offered her an apologetic nuzzle and began to dry off both Bat and Kiwi.

Eventually, all four pups were snoozing soundly. Wildfire let out a quiet breath and laid her head down beside Tux's, quickly joining them as the rain continued to pour outside, the perfect soothing backdrop for a long nap.