Firefly Ravine Learning the ABC's

@Sen though anyone is welcome to meet the little, speaking, walking ball of fur!

The little child, who had grown bigger and bigger and with it her courage, blinked open her transitioning eyes. It was as dark as ever in the den, she noticed. Her vision was a lot clearer and her hearing too. She could feel a power growing inside her little body, one that drove her not to fret- but to explore. She yawned softly, giving a look at her mum. Chusi wanted to learn from her, but all mum ever did was say "be quiet". She felt ignored, and longed to see the black form of Zephyr again. A little, bold smirk crawled its way onto her tiny maw. 

Without a second thought, Chusi "sneaked" to the opening if the den. The soft morning sun lit up her dark pelt, and she had to blink a few times to really see all the colors the world had to offer. She wished she knew what to call them, and especially the color on the ground and high upon big wooden spears. It was so soft and up-lifting, nothing like the dark den where she was ordered to stay. She didn't want to stay in anymore.

She waddled, though her pace was faster and her posture more stable now, and eventually stopped near a colorful thing sprouting from the ground. It was a flower, she hoped to learn one day, and near it was a single white butterfly. She didn't know what it all was, but anything was better than staying in the dark with mum.

Not sure what to assume with Saltwinter and all, so I'm gonna be vague. Also, he's gonna try and talk to Sen this time maybe *crosses fingers and hopes not to die*

Zephyr had steered clear of the whelping den since Sen's last staredown, and had totally forgotten to ask her what he'd wanted to. With a daughter to raise, she'd be able to spend more time with her if she had a Beta or Co-alpha. Depp was clearly not coming back, and with Saltwinter a constant threat in his mind, the ebony brute thought himself at least worthy to help. He'd run a pack before, after all. First, they needed new recruits. 
This time, he was equipped with a nice, fat rabbit for the queen dangling from his maw.
Zephyr was stopped in his tracks when Chusi waddled out RIGHT in front of him. His grassy eyes went around the clearing for her dark mother, but she was nowhere to be seen. At once, he dropped his head and let the rabbit fall and chuffed for the girl in the same instance. In the next moment, he slumped his butt to the earth and let his shoulders sag down. Tail wagging, he grinned at the Gorgon girl. Would she remember him from last time, recognize his form?

The butterfly came closer and closer to the flower, and little Chusi hid in the not-so-tall grass, finding it a "good" hiding spot. She crawled closer, her little dark butt in the air as she jumped, mouth open to catch the fluttering thing. She fell flat on her snout, the little flower crushed beneath her puppyfat. She flapped her head around, dizzy from the amazing landing. She slowly got up, watching the sky to see no butterfly anymore. She did see something else in the distance though- a dark figure that was not her mum. A big grin painted itself on her young face, and she barked happily.

Dlak, dlak, dlak! She screeched as she ran as fast as she could- which wasn't really fast- toward him. It was a new "word" she had learned. Little did she know it was sort of accurated- the thing trying to be said being dark-. She plopped her butt on the ground, eager to hear the other praise her for her speech. Did he speak like mum? Would she be able to learn?

Zephyr watched with affectionate green eyes as she played, chuckling when the flower was crushed and the butterfly made a run from the puppy jaws. Once she realized he was here, her eyes lit up, and she hared towards him on tiny legs. She'd grown since his last time seeing her, but it seemed she'd missed him. 
He'd have to come around more.
A strange, strangled sound came from the little ones jaws, and it took him a moment to realize she was trying to say "dark". Was she referring to him, her mother? The den? Who knows. His tail wagged and the ebony brute let himself slip down on the earth to be level with her, a paw on each side of her. 
            "Good job, Chusi! Dark! Can you say Zephyr? Zepphhhheeerrr?"
His voice sang with pride and happiness, and of course the man couldn't help but try and teach her his name. She was so thrilled to see him, might as well teach her his name, right?

The male lowered, and now that her vision wasn't so foggy anymore, she could see his marks and features with ease. She couldn't say of course if he was handsome or not, since he was the only male she had ever seen, but there was no denying that he was interesting. She softly sniffled his nose as she was once again trapped between two paws, just like her mother had once done. She minded it less of him, since there was no darkness to haunt her. 

He spoke, and for a moment, she was shocked and quiet. He seemed enthusiastic. Chus... Chus! Where had she heard that word before? She was sure she knew it from somewhere. zephyyyyrr... She tried to repeat after him, since that was the only word said twice. She was enjoying this, really, and hoped mum would not swoop in and take her to the dark again.

Swoop in the mother had, though, for she'd awoken no long before and had set out to find her wandering child. Sen hadn't needed to go very far before she'd spotted two dark forms, one being considerably smaller than the other. Chusi had escaped, and her first place to go to had been towards Zephyr. Great. The woman wasn't at all happy about that having happened, her mind having jumped almost instantly to how confusing that might be for her young mind. Though perhaps she did not yet understand the roles of a mother and a father, someday she would, and when that day arrived the serpent wished not to be forced to explain to her that the male was of no relation. That he was, to put it bluntly, no one to them. Simply a follower, a subordinate. He was beneath them, just the same as many others.

"Why do you feel the need to wander away?" the woman asked upon her approach, staring straight towards her daughter. "It's dangerous out here. Do you want to get hurt?" Or, perhaps, she wanted to be killed just as her sisters had been; at the thought of that, Sen had felt her fur bristle. "And you," she'd stated, looking then to Zephyr. "Why are you here? Are you trying to confuse her? Maybe take her away from me?" Sooner would she die than allow for him to do that.

Chusi repeated her own name, mostly, and said his too, and the grin on his face could only widen. Perhaps it was just habit to teach puppies, but he had no intentions to really become a father figure. If anything, he knew hed simply gained a friend. True, he felt protective over her and her mother too, but that was probably due to what he was used to and being the highest ranking male. But Sen was right, he meant little to them.
                  "Good job, Chusi!"
He was about to see if she could say Sen, but speak of the devil there she came.... None too happy. Zephyr expected her to snatch up the child and go as before, but this time she turned on him. Bristling, she snapped acusations, and the brutes ears layed down in confusion. Steal her away? Of course not!
                                      "Never, Sen. I was bringing food for you and found her out here, babbling and playing. I was only telling her my name, expanding her vocabulary. I wouldn't take a pup from its mother."
He motioned to the plump grey rabbit beside him as he mentioned it, still baffled himself as to how he could confuse the pup.

Good Chus! She chipped happily as she finally got praised for her ability to talk. Zephyr, as she thought his name to be, was always so nice to her. He had been no where near when she got placed in this weird world though, and Chusi saw him as nothing more than a friend. Chusi saw mum as mum, but never had she heard of something like a da. Her knowledge of the world only went that far, but perhaps if she was aloud to make friend with more kids her age, she would indeed see Zephyr as a da.

Just as she was about to repeat some words she had learned, she heard the footfalls of mum. She was i trouble again, she knew, because for some reason mum didn't like her playing with Zephyr or being outside. She looked up to the displeased face of her mother with an apologetic smile. Chus out, Chus zephyr... She tried to explain softly. Her little ears perked up at Zephyr's words. Sen? She had never heard that word before, and now wanted to know what it referred to.

Upon her arrival, voices filled her ears. Chusi had tried to explain herself, but had ultimately been drowned out by the voice of the male. The rabbit that he'd caught was spared not even a glance, gaze boring into his own as her tail lashed about slowly behind her. He'd spoken of not wanting to take her away, but she was somewhat reluctant to believe him. "You should have brought her back to me the second you found her," the woman stated, muzzle twitching every once in a great while. Though her metaphorical hold on the girl was, perhaps, a bit too tight, she'd found nothing wrong with that due to what had happened to her other daughter. She'd been taken away—killed—and so the Gorgon wanted to ensure that nothing similar ever happened again.

Sen had been prepared to verbally tear into the male once more, but was stopped by Chusi's voice. For the first time, she'd spoken her mother's name, and the older female couldn't decide on how she should respond to it. Her eyes had since drifted to rest upon the smaller physique, silence ensuing for a brief moment. "You're supposed to call me mother, not by my name," she'd stated, tone far softer than it'd been just moments prior. Would Chusi speak the title that she was supposed to, or settle on something else? Sen was, to an extent, eager to find out.

Sen didn't believe him. A bitter taste rose in his mouth, and for a brief moment Zephyr almost told the wraith to sod off. She hadn't come when he'd needed help with what he'd been convinced was the whole of Saltwinter. He'd been surprised she'd even called them to the carcass that one day. When his own words echoed in his ears, those of being gone as soon as plans were made, he debaited leaving right then and there. Not with Sen's eyes on him, though.
She looked away when his spine began to prickle, and when she started paying attention to Chusi it was then he made his leave. The rabbit was left behind, and to stood and turned without another word. His tail was stiff behind him, but low to the ground, and his ears were pinned. Clearly, he wasn't happy, and clearly, he wouldn't bother them again. Zephyr decided he would still wait, but he wouldn't bother them at the den ever again. As far as he was concerned, he was a loner again, and the rest of the Seadogs were too. Depp had vanished and Sen was no leader-this was no sanctuary.

Last post from me, since the Seadogs are no more T_T  

Only now did Chusi notice the dead animal on the ground, and as eager as she was to find out what it was, she kept perfectly still. Mom was here, and maybe if she behaved she didn't have to go back to the dark. She was looking at her! Was that a good sign? Big eyes blinked up at mother. Mooother Sen! She chipped. Next her eyes rested upon Zephyr, and he didn't look happy at all. A big smile that was on her muzzle before faded away as Zephyr went away without another word. Had she offended him? Was the word Sen bad?

Zeeephyyr! She called out, only setting a few steps forward in the direction where her only friend was going. She looked behind her at mother, knowing she would not be allowed to go to him. Ears and tail low, she returned to her mother without being ordered to do so, placing her bum on the ground.