Dragoncrest Cliffs how to loosen a jar from the nose of a bear
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Ooc — Kat
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#1
All Welcome 
When no one was looking, Bat skulked away from the hollow tree where Wildfire was constantly fussing over Thuringwethil, not bothering to say anything to anyone. She wasn't being avoidant or sneaky on purpose; she simply couldn't bear being there any longer. There was something so awful about watching the commander struggle, and of witnessing Wildfire's distress over her ailing mate. It made the Goufa feel a little sick to her stomach.

She began heading toward Hougeda, where there was nothing to harsh her vibe and she could pretend like everything was fine. But then a pop-up rainstorm waylaid her. Bat couldn't muster up her usual enthusiasm—not after this trying week—but she plopped beneath a towering sequoia, a smile playing about her lips as she watched the rain fall. It went as quickly as it came, so she was on her way again soon enough.

Instead of going toward the caves, though, Bat drifted southwest, toward Drageda's fringe. She'd never been so close to the borders, mostly because she never bothered to wander much. She certainly wasn't very interested in what lay beyond the territory. She slowed as the trees began to thin around her, mercury eyes roving dully over the unfamiliar terrain.
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Ooc — Starrlight
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#2
Kiwi wasn't quite as ruffled as her sister by the predicament of their parents right now; it didn't occur to her that nomi was in any real danger, so her main beef was that both of their moms were too busy resting (Thur) and taking care of the other (Wildfire) to really play much.  

Bored with the inactivity, Kiwi had begun seeking entertainment elsewhere, haunting Portia's densite to play with the younger pups or pestering her siblings.

Today she was in luck - Bat was around! She careened towards her sister the instant she spotted her - she had been heading for the borders but luckily her sneaking off was waylaid.  "Baaaaaat!" She skidded to a stop, then dropped into a play pose, waggling her butt.  "Play with me!"
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3
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Ooc — Kat
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#3
A loud cry made her over-sized ears quiver. Bat turned her head to regard her sister, dim expression brightening somewhat. Kiwi could be an overbearing know-it-all with far too much energy for Bat's tastes... but she was generally fond of her sister. It was good to see her out here, where the air was fresh and cool after the rainstorm and they weren't being confronted with their mothers' struggles.

The slate Goufa drew in a breath at Kiwi's insistent wheedling. "How about," she countered, "we explore instead?" Her tail twitched as her silvery eyes drifted back to the lands just beyond the borders. They didn't draw her, not really, but having a look around would serve as a welcome distraction. And it required less frenetic energy than playing a game.
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Ooc — Starrlight
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#4
The feeling was pretty mutual - while Kiwi loved all her siblings, Bat tended to be her favorite, if only because a) she was a sister and b) she tended to put up with Kiwi's nonsense way better than her brothers.  Her chill suited Kiwi's lack of chill pretty well.

Hmmmm.  She wanted to play.  Kiwi visibly deliberated in arguing, but finally nodded.  "Ok! Let's explore!"  That was fun too, and likely as not, if Kiwi didn't agree, she'd end up playing alone anyway.

She bounded towards the border, then  circled back, her roundabout path probably fitting with Bat's more sedate pace as she didn't let herself get too far ahead, but couldn't bring herself to move slowly either.
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3
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Ooc — Kat
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#5
Kiwi looked like she might argue and Bat held her breath, which whooshed out of her when her litter mate went along with it. Her lips twitched into a faint smile and she nodded to indicate that Kiwi (the natural leader) should lead the way. Bat then drifted along behind her, roving in the general direction of the borderline.

There was no visual fence, of course, but Bat knew when they'd hit the edge of no man's land. The commander's scent was thick here, as was Dio's and Blixen's and a handful of others. The Goufa's large ears splayed and she shuffled a little more hurriedly across the invisible boundary, not because she thought she'd get in trouble—hopefully not, since she was using the buddy system—but because she wanted to move past the reminder of her ailing nomi.

She slowed again when the scent markers faded behind her silver saddled back. Bat paused to pinpoint Kiwi's location, then scanned their surroundings. It looked very much the same as their homeland, though the breeze that soughed through her pewter nape brought with it dozens of new scents that prompted her to tip her snoot upward slightly.
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Ooc — Starrlight
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#6
Kiwi didn't show much hesitation in crossing that boundary line, but she definitely felt it.  She knew on some level it wasn't allowed, but her and Bat would be fine, and there was no way she was gonna hesitate if her sister wasn't.  Kiwi was a fairly self-absorbed child still, and the state of her parents (and the extra stress this would cause them) didn't even cross her mind.

Kiwi circled briefly, then stopped, looking around.  "We should go that way!" She finally declared, her nose pointing in a direction that unbeknownst to her was pretty much parallel to the coast.  Nearly due south.  She grinned and began walking, bumping her shoulder companionably against Bat once or twice before shooting off again.  This was great!
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3
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Ooc — Kat
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#7
There was something tantalizing about all these new smells. Bat wondered at them all. Some smelled like food, yet others smelled like danger. Then there were scents so mysterious, she could only think they smelled of adventure. But she wasn't prone to such things and didn't move a muscle, despite her intrigue. Only when Kiwi shouted at her, then brushed past, did the Goufa begin moving.

She loped after Kiwi, her pace unhurried, casting a single hesitant glance over her shoulder before facing forward and both actually and metaphorically putting any thoughts of Drageda (and its currently valetudinarian leader) behind her. Her silver eyes focused on her sister's tail, flicking hither and thither as she bounded straight for the unknown.
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#8
Now that they were out, any thought of consequences escaped her.  She led on, taking in moreso the sights, though she too noticed way more scents she didn't know out here.  She just didn't want to stop to catalogue them, not when no one was there to tell her what it was.

There would come a time when they would somehow separate, but for now Kiwi was sure to not get too far ahead.  She wouldn't admit it but she didn't really like the idea of being alone out here.

"I'm glad Tux n Silkie didn't come," she said at length, somewhat conspiratorially.  She wouldn't have minded exploring with their brothers, but it was cool to do something just with sisters.
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3
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Ooc — Kat
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#9
Bat shadowed her (slightly) older sister's steps, peering around at the unfamiliar surroundings and continuing to drink in all the interesting smells. She didn't say anything as they bustled along, though Kiwi's words snatched her attention, even causing her to slow as she shot her litter mate a ponderous look.

"How come?" she wondered. Did Kiwi just enjoy her solitary company for a change? Or did she resent their brothers for some reason? Bat liked all her siblings—including the legitimately older ones—and Kiwi's words made her curious.
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Ooc — Starrlight
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#10
Kiwi did have to think for a minute when Bat asked her why.  She hadn't exactly gotten that far yet in her own thinking.  "Cuz now we get to tell en what's out here, an they're gonna be jealous."  She chirped finally, finding that yep, that was part of it!  "And I dunno, it's fun."  What could have been a cute sister moment didn't because Kiwi was Kiwi, and telling others what she thought of them wasn't a bit thing for her when they were her age and not negative things.  But she did grin and offer a somewhat thoughtful suggestion after.  Maybe it would cheer Bat up.  "D'you think there's water out here?"
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3
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Ooc — Kat
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#11
Bat quirked a brow at Kiwi's strange motivations, though she smiled a beat later, amused. Her sister was right though: this was pretty fun. Not many things stirred her to such activity, in any case, and Bat suddenly seemed to grow aware of their hustle. She began to slow slightly, letting a gap open up in between them, though never letting her sister stray out of earshot.

Kiwi's query piqued her interest, of course, and Bat ground to a full-on halt. She didn't answer—and her sister, unbothered by this, kept moving further away—but instead pricked her ears atop her head and listened. She also tipped her nose into the wind, sifting through the myriad scents. Surely there was water out here somewhere... but where?

Once her litter mate's footsteps faded into the distance, Bat could make out more noises. There! She definitely heard the sound of running water. She didn't even afford Kiwi a sideways glance as she made an about face and went trotting in a different direction entirely.
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Ooc — Starrlight
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#12
Kiwi was too preoccupied with her own explorations to even notice Bat's disappearance until it was too late; she'd spotted a neat looking moth and was chasing it's fluttering path in a slow zigzag, the track it led diverging from Bat's own.

By the time she did notice, she'd have reached the gorge, and we all know what happens next.  But for now she hopped, tongue out and eyes bright, chasing a decidedly non-icky bug wherever it decided to lead her.
Kiwi will internalize lies and twist things to her benefit until this becomes her reality.  Her thoughts are not my own <3