Redhawk Caldera Proactive evolution

Something about the taste of the air was heavy, almost wet today. Although he had experienced the sensation dozens of times before, this was the first time Phox realized what would come after: rain. Raven was nearby, laying peacefully in the grass watching over the Firebirds while they meandered about the rendezvous site exploring in one way or another. @Towhee was (as usual) glued to Phox's side, though she seemed preoccupied with a blade of grass.

-Water,- he signaled to her after tapping her shoulder, muzzle jerking up toward the sky once to create a new word that he didn't know the spoken version for: rain. His little fidgety body twitched at the thought of it, and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to find some trees and curl up beneath them. Instinct was a powerful thing.

Lagan was lying nearby Raven, chatting a little and watching the firebirds at play. Today, Phox had caught his attention, the boy had found a way of communicating with Towhee, and Lagan was desperately trying to pick up on it. He loved little Teehee, and he wanted to speak her language. He'd only recently discovered that she was deaf, and since hen he'd been trying to teach her to speak quite often. He just didn't want her to be helpless, he wanted her to grow up safe and strong like her siblings, so he was trying his best.

He decided to walk over tot he pups, and maybe talk to them, well play with them was more accurate. He stopped in front of Phox and wagged his tail. The small child seemed pretty distraught over the rain, so with a smile Lagan picked up a paw and held it over him and his sister's head. That better? He asked, sitting happily in the rain. He'd never minded the wet stuff. It gave him a bath when he didn't want to do it himself.

Lagan walked over, and Phox's attention was immediately upon the older wolf. He didn't really have a concept of how they were related, but he knew that Lagan was safe and somehow part of the family. Of course, it hadn't been explained to them (yet) that their parents had died before they got to know their children. Finley, Elwood, and their children weren't blood related at all, though they were certainly family.

Lagan held a paw over their heads, and Phox's (still blue) eyes turned upward. He furrowed his brow, not quite sure what Lagan was getting at (and definitely not getting the joke). Still too young to understand humor, he asked, "Be'er?"

Lagan nodded when the Firebird boy repeated him, thought about it then shook his head. Actually there's a t in there somewhere. He said with a smile. Crouching down to get onto Phox's level he said. Listen, listen, you too Towhee. He said, not realizing the irony of it. She wasn't facing him, so he reached out with his paw and tapped her shoulder, and she twirled around to look at him. After clearing his throat he gave his best super smart teacher voice. Repeat after me. B - E - T - E - R. Better! He said, hoping the kids would get it. They probably wouldn't, but he had fun trying.

Lagan spoke more, this time saying something about a "tee" being somewhere. Puzzled, Phox looked around for this "tee," but he didn't see anything new. He turned to Towhee, wondering if she knew what he was talking about, but she looked just as (if not more) confused than he was. Well, that wasn't terribly helpful. Phox frowned, but continued to pay attention to Lagan, who had decided to become an impromptu teacher.

"Af'er me. B - E - E - E - R. Be'er!" Phox repeated, grinning excitedly up at Lagan. If there was one thing he considered himself good at, it was pleasing his guardians and making them proud. Phox was always seeking approval from them, and it was unlikely that would change. Pronouncing "T" was certainly not something he was good at, apparently.

Phox is so cute <3

Lagan watched Phox look around him, as if he was looking for something. Lagan started looking around too, wondering if the younger pup's sensitive ears had heard something he hadn't. But there was nothing there. So he shrugged, assuming it was just a pup being a pup. Phox repeated after him, once again pronouncing ever consonant except the t. Even though it wasn't what Lagan was initially looking for, it was very cute and he couldn't tell the kid no, especially with that smile on his face.

Lagan nodded his head enthusiastically and cheered. Great job Phox, you're like a real genius now. He turned to Towhee, who looked as if she were attempting to sound out the words. He figured she wouldn't speak like Phox did, but the fact that she was at least sounding it out made her a real genius too. Wow, you both are geniususses. He said, his lisp really getting him on that last word.

"Jeenus?" Phox parroted, but before he was answered, there was an ominous rumble in the distance. He peered out that way, wondering where the noise was coming from, but then he recalled that he'd heard that noise before. Again, he signaled -rain- to @Towhee, then looked back to Lagan.

"Wa'er, but no' on groun'," he tried to explain, not knowing the correct term for it. The air almost buzzed with the incoming static, and Phox's heart did a little pitter-patter with excitement. Rain, while not the most fun thing in the world, did cause him to spaz out a little.

Lagan giggled as Phox tried to reciprocate the word genius. It was close enough, but it was missing a vowel or two. That would come later in the boy's education however, for now Jeenus was fine. Lagan took a moment to try and decipher Phox's next statement and when he understood he nodded. Oooh yeah you mean rain? The water but not on the ground, it's called rain. RAY NNN. He said, attempting to sound the word or for the puppy. He turned to Towhee and did the same thing again, exaggerating the shape of his mouth in hope that she'd understand.

The loud boom boom crackle crackle pshsh sound is called thunder. THUN DURR. He said, mainly just towards Phox, because Towhee had probably never, and never would, hear thunder anyway.

Lagan gave him the word he was searching for, and Phox bobbed his head. He watched as Lagan repeated the word to Towhee, which Phox was beginning to learn couldn't use her ears like he could. This time, Phox pointed up, made the symbol for -water- and said the word, all in one swift, fluid motion. Although he didn't realize it, Phox was quickly becoming bilingual.

The older wolf went on to explain the "boom boom crackle crackle pshsh" sound that they were hearing. "'Under," Phox repeated, again missing out on that critical letter. For this, he stomped on the ground with both his front feet, blinking hard when he hit the ground.

Lagan nodded when Phox repeated 'under' even though it was a little wrong. The word the pup had spoken was in fact a completely different word all together, but once again, it was close enough for now. Phox started stomping on the ground as hard as he could, making somewhat of a boom sound. He wondered if Towhee would understand that or not, he sort of doubted it. There were a couple more storm words he could try to teach them, so he moved on to the next one.

And you know the bright lines in the sky that crackle? Those are called lightning. LITE- NING. They're pretty aren't they? He said with a smile, looking out into the distance at the dark clouds. The storm was getting nearer, and they should probably take cover soon, but Lagan enjoyed the weather before a storm. It was dark but light at the same time, humid yet dry. And the wind was exciting.

Feel free to fade out here if you'd like! ^_^

Phox nodded emphatically. The big sounds and the bright lights were all kinds of terrifying and exciting at the same time. As if on cue, a bolt of lightening crackled across the sky in the distance, and Phox nosed Towhee. She looked mildly interested, but Fidget thought the whole thing was terribly fascinating. He stood watching the clouds roll in, and boy were they coming in fast.

All at once, the sky opened up, and the torrential downpour began. Instinct kicked in, and Phox headed for shelter in the form of some shorter bushes. Crouched under, Towhee by his side, he wondered if Lagan would join them or find something a bit more size-appropriate. Fidget was perfectly content to wait out the storm right here.

Lagan watched Phox explain thunder to Towhee with awe on his face. The way the two communicated was amazing, he wished he could do that well with her. He knew the basics, but Phox was on a whole different level. Sometimes Lagan thought the two were telepathically linked or something, because they always knew. Then the sky began to cry, water pouring onto the wolves below it in torrential amounts. Lagan continued to sit where he was for a moment, enjoying the way the rain felt bouncing off of his silvery coat.

And then it began to soak in, dropping onto his skin and making him cold. When he looked back to where Phox and Towhee had been, and saw that they'd left already. He whirled around to see them already hiding under some shrubbery. Lagan trotted towards them, and attempted to hide under the bushes with them. He realized that he was far too big for it after the fact, but decided to stay anyway, and act as an umbrella for his baby cousins. He loved them so much.

Thanks for the thread! <3