Moonspear lofticries

Her aching limbs pained her. She was growing, unbeknownst to the young wolf who still indeed looked young. Lyra and her sisters were only just now entering their awkward phase and would have to get used to ungainly legs and growing pains. Not only physically, however. Ever since her encounter with the three strangers at the borders, she thought a lot about the two women with their dainty frames and soft, pure coats and felt a tinge of jealousy — though she wasn't sure what the emotion was called.

Lately, she had been trying to keep her fur just as pristine. It was hard, when Hydra and Alya were so insistent on pulling her into their shenanigans, but so far she had managed. She sat now outside the den in the sunlight, preening as ever. She tried to be delicate, graceful like the two white-furred woman, though she was anything but. With rough strokes, the girl ran her tongue over her side, trying to dislodge a particularly stubborn patch of dirt that marred the fur there.

Winter had finally come. The air felt different already, the chill intensified. Soon the children of Moonspear would see snow for the first time. Pyx was pleased with her gathering work, hopeful that she'd pulled together enough from the surrounding areas to tide them over, and then some. During one of her final gathering treks she'd com across a nice antler tine. She knew of no sue for them in healing, but did know that they were good for chewing.

She'd kept it stored in the cache as she finished her frenzy of preparations, and finally today she was bringing it to the den for the children. She'd promised Julia a toy a while ago, after all. When she approached the den she noted one of the darker Princesses outside it, grooming herself. She'd not directly been introduced to any of these girls, and frankly wasn't sure how Amekaze or Charon could tell them apart.

She stopped a short distance away and set the antler near her feet. She didn't want to startle the girl. "Hello there." She called, tail waving. "I've brought a toy for you and your sisters. I don't think we've met yet, though. I'm Pyx. Which little Princess might you be?"

Her brow wrinkled in the smallest of frustrated frowns as she continued trying to rid herself of the dirt on her shoulder. She began to wonder if it was simply different coloured fur — like Korei had on her ears and paws — but her thoughts were distracted by the sudden approach of another. Her head snapped up and blue eyes locked onto the stranger cautiously. Her gaze immediately drifted to the gift the adult had brought along with her, caution quickly replaced with curiousity.

"Hello," she greeted quietly to the polite stranger. Pyx, as she had introduced herself, had a strange russet colour to her fur that Lyra hadn't seen among the wolves of Moonspear. The pack consisted greatly of black or white wolves, the most similar member she could think of to this woman was Aesop. Still, she was pretty (despite the scars that ran down her muzzle), and Lyra offered a shy smile and wave of her tail. "I'm Lyra," she paused and looked back at the antler upon the ground, tilting her head at it. "What's that?"

This child, at least for now, seemed much calmer than her paler sibling. Pyx smiled softly at her, her tail waving behind her as the young one gave her name. "Ah, Lyra. I haven't had the chance to meet anyone but Julia just yet, it's nice to meet you." The little one smiled shly and wagged her tail and Pyx was filled with delight.

"This is a piece of an antler. Deer, do you know what a deer is, Lyra? They wear them on their heads. They make for wonderful chewing. Good for your teeth and they taste good." Would she know what a deer is yet? Had she seen one? Pyx wasn't sure. "Would you like to try it? I brought it for you and your sisters, but you're the lucky one who gets it first it seems." Pyx bent to nose it towards the girl a little, but didn't move any closer to her. Julia had no qualms about racing up to strangers, but Lyra it seemed was more reserved. Pyx didn't want to pressure her, for she had been much of the same as a child...if not worse.

Her tail wiggled a little more as Pyx mentioned Julia, pleased she at least was familiar with one of her siblings already. That meant she was safe, one who could be trusted. She took a step closer, and then another as the adult explained the gift she had brought. Inquisitive blue eyes studied the antler intensely. She only had a faint idea of what a deer was. Amekaze had spoke of them, how they would soon be allowed to watch the pack hunt them, but she had never seen one alive before.

"Oh," she said quietly, not breaking her focus on the antler. "Why do they wear them on their heads?" What a strange thing to do; they looked too heavy to wear on your head all day. She crept closer to sniff at the thing, only then choosing to look up at Pyx with a curious expression.

Pyx watched Lyra approach the antler and kept a smile on her face. Lyra's question made her smile wider, she enjoyed wolves who questioned the world. She was always wondering things herself, always asking questions and musing on things. She enjoyed it especially when she had an answer to give, or, of course, if it had to do with herbology and healing.

"They don't have fangs or claws like we do. They have antlers on their heads and hooves, very hard and pointy paws. They use both of those to protect themselves and to fight each other. Hooves are actually very good for chewing too." Pyx nodded her encouragement at Lyra. "When they want to fight they lower their heads like this," she lowered her head so that the top faced at Lyra. "And then they run at each other or whatever their trying to fight." She moved her head forward slowly, intending to bump Lyra's head gently with her own to illustrate if the girl would let her. Either way, she'd pull back with a grin. "And BUMP! They hit them with their antlers. Not very sophisticated, is it?"