Silvertip Mountain What I want

The young girl sat in the middle of the clearing, hoping one of the adults might wander by and she could tag along to wherever they might be going. She had been waiting a little while, and her patience was pretty much long gone. She understood the rules set in place by her Uncle Steady, and usually she did her best to adhere to them, but she wanted to go play. This clearing seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the day, and she couldn’t stand being cooped up here.

She went from sitting to running in the blink of an eye as she darted into the forest. If the adults wouldn’t come to her, she would go to them! She didn’t bother trying to stay quiet as she barreled through the underbrush of the forest, her nose searching out scents. She mostly got sniffs of creatures that normally roamed the forest floor, rabbits and mice and such. She wasn’t really in the mood for hunting; she would rather play and explore. She just needed to find someone to escort her.

Niita left the caches, having just buried her most recent hunt and now had nothing much to do. She hadn't seen Steady or anyone much lately though that could have been her own fault. For the time being she decided to wander and hopefully come across someone.

It couldn't have been long and Nitta had just decided to abandon the idea and go to the creek when she smelt Adeline not too far off. Changing course, Niita veered for the younger girl. 

"Hey Adeline," Niita called out to the pup as she approached, stopping a foot or so away.

It wasn't long before a voice reached her ears. The white female, who Steady seemed to be around a lot. She wondered what their dynamic was, but had never come out and asked. Her mind was always on something else. Niita seemed nice, though. Adeline came to stop and faced her, her tail wagging. Hey, Niita, she greeted. Are you going somewhere? Because I want to go. 

She didn't have any clue what Niita was up to, but whatever it was, Adeline was already on board. She hoped the female wouldn't turn her away. She had gotten accustomed to generally getting what she wanted, and right now she wanted something fun to do.

Niita still was unsure if Steady had spoken to Adeline about their mating but she kept it quiet in case his niece didn't know. Maybe she should be more forceful about that, he really needed to tell Adeline as she was the only family Steady had left in Silvertip. Niita didn't want to push it simply because she knew the family, or at the very least Steady, was under strain after Zaria's death.

"I'm going swimming. Wanna come?" Niita played, unknowingly, into Adeline's small paws. She turned, glancing over to see if the pup was coming along or staying.

She was almost worried that the older female would turn her away, but instead invited her to go swimming. Adeline jumped, almost literally, at the chance and quickly matched her pace with Niita's, though she had to work harder since her legs were shorter. Where are we swimming? Is it where Uncle Steady taught me how to fish? she asked, not knowing that Niita might not know where that was.

Can you teach me how to swim? she asked. She had stayed in the shallows with Uncle Steady, not venturing out any further. She had been too interested in the tiny tadpoles to think about swimming at the time.

Niita slowed, allowing the energetic pup to catch up with a stunned blink as she once more wondered if all children were this hyperactive. It was thought with a fond smile, for the girl was growing on her. 

"Not sure where that is Addie. We'll see if you recognize it when we get there, 'kay?" Niita glanced downwards before continuing on, growing nervous as she found Adeline couldn't swim. God I hope she doesn't drown or something, Steady would kill me. 

"Yeah, I'll try but you have to listen okay? I don't want you getting hurt, your uncle wouldn't like that and neither would I," she chuckled lightly, the creek soon coming into sight.

Niita didn't know where Dad had taken her fishing, which she supposed made sense since the other female hadn't been there. She nodded in understanding, knowing should would be able to tell once they got there. 

She trotted along, knowing she had to listen to Niita or else she would learn how to swim. I'll listen, she promised. While she may have been easy to distract, she was just as easy to get back on course, with a gentle reminder. I call him Dad sometimes... Is that wrong? she asked, speaking of Steady. She had never called him Dad to his face, but it had slipped out a time or two with others, and it was reoccurring more and more in her thoughts.

Niita nearly halted in her tracks in surprise, whether at the sudden serious topic or because she hadn't expected Adeline to ask her. You'll have to tread carefully with that question, it isn't easy to answer. 

"No Adeline, I don't think that's wrong. I'm sure no wolf alive could replace your parents but sometimes we have special people like Steady. He's practically your dad now and I think if you want to call him Dad then that's okay," Niita assured.

Perhaps it was more than the child had expected for an answer and it was confusing even to Niita. Hopefully Addie could understand what she was trying to say.

Niita seemed to think it was alright to call Uncle Steady Dad instead. She nodded in response, and let the subject fall. Both her parents were deceased, since Steady was the closest thing she had to a Dad, it seemed comforting to call him that.

The came upon the lake, and Adeline raced forward, stopping just as her front paws hit the water. Her tail wagged, and she had a delighted expression upon her face as she looked back to Niita. What do I do first? she asked excitedly, as she tapped one paw on top of the water so she could watch the waves it formed.

Adeline seemed satisfied with the answer and Niita gave a silent sigh of relief. She really wasn't good with the whole explaining-situations-that-are-quite-difficult-to-explain-to-children. 

Niita smiled as Addie slapped the water, making little waves, before splashing a bit at her playfully. "First of all, we have to go out where you can actually swim," Niita joked, nudging Adeline out to deeper water where it would reach up to her belly. It would allow her to stroke out and learn to swim but she could still reach the bottom if she floundered.

"Now you're going to want to keep your head above water and kick you legs," Niita instructed, propping a leg beneath her as she spoke. She reached down and gently grabbed Adeline's scruff so that she could keep her afloat and still move along with Addie as she kicked.

Niita splashed water Adeline's way, and Adeline gleefully splashed back, though it wasn't as much. Most of her focus was on the task at hand-learning to swim. It was something she really wanted to do, and so her attention didn't waiver this time. Her ears perked when Niita explained she would have to go deeper, and so she did, wading through the water until her paws could just touch. 

She felt Niita's let, and her jaws on her scruff as she tried to swim, kicking her legs as her instructor had said. However, she kicked her front legs a little too forward, and simply ended up splashing water everywhere instead of actually swimming. It was a bit awkward for Adeline, having never swum before, and she didn't realize her legs needed to be fully under water.

Adeline struggled with it, even after Niita had moved her leg out of the way. The pup seemed to be kicking her legs straight out in a 'belly-flop' motion and not going much of anywhere.

Niita switched her jaws for the leg once more, holding Adeline up. "You have to make a paddling motion Addie," she explained, nudging the girl's legs closer to her body with her muzzle. 

"Think you can hold onto my back? Or climb on?" Niita asked with a quilted brow, having had an idea on how to teach Adeline to swim. 

I can edit if you want

All good! :-)

She could tell she wasn't doing this right, and Niita confirmed it by redirecting her. Niita shifted, and tried to get Adeline into proper form to swim. She continued to kick hers, but this time they were under her and not spread out. Then, Niita asked if she could climb onto her back. Adeline nodded, and moved to do so.

By this time, Adeline was good and wet, which made it a little difficult to get a good grip to climb. As she had been done to numerous times, She grabbed Niita's scruff a bit and hoisted herself up onto the other female's back. Once positioned, she gripped Niita's shoulders with her forelegs, trying not to slip off.

Niita lowered herself slightly, crouching in the gravel bottom of the creek as best she could. Adeline scrambled onto her back, gripping her scruff firmly. 

Niita grimaced, managing to push back her sudden panic with a deep breath. This was not a huge male that could overpower her easily, it was only Adeline. 

"Alright, so it's more like this," she cleared her throat, moving out slowly to doggy paddle in demonstration.

Since Adeline was behind her, she was unable to catch the grimace that appeared on Niita's face. She couldn't help but giggle her excitement as Niita carried her into deeper water. She had never been out this far, and took the opportunity to look around and see how different it seemed from being on land and looking out onto the water.

But, she did remember why they were out here, and moved her head to the side to see that Niita's legs were under her body, and not splayed out as Adeline had had them. I'm gonna try, she said bravely. She slipped from Niita's back and into the water, going under momentarily. She kicked her legs out, panicking, but regained herself enough to bring her head above water. Now that she could breath, she focused on her legs and moved them directly under her body, as if she was walking, but she paddled them quickly. She found it rather easy, but her heart hammered in her chest with excitement. Look! I'm doing it! she said happily, swimming further out. 

Niita turned her head, watching worriedly as Addie plunged back into the water but resigned to let the girl learn. Panic flashed through her as the young wolf slipped beneath the water, dissipating as she resurfaced.

"Good job," Niita praised with a smile, paddling around the creek with the wolfling with a watchful eye. She gave Addie her space to explore the new motion but remained close enough to provide help if needed.

She practiced her swimming, going to and from Niita. She liked the feel of the water around her, finding it cooled her body quickly. But, her muscles weren't accustomed to beating against the water, and they tired rather quickly. Realizing it, Adeline made her way to the shore, walking when she could reach the bottom, and laid down in the shallow water. 

She watched Niita a little while longer, before letting go of a yawn. But, she fought a nap this time, not really wanting to take one. Instead, she splashed in the water, though didn't slap it hard enough for it to splay everywhere.

Niita continued to swim as Adeline made for the shore, certain that no harm would come to her so nearby. It had been too long since Niita had come for a swim, it was hot in the day and she enjoyed the cool water immensely.

When eventually her own muscles began to tweak and twitch with spent energy, and Addie's yawns grew in velocity, the arctic wolf figured it was time to get her back to the den. 

"Let's get you home, kid," Niita nudged her, prodding the tired wolfling back towards the den she shared with her uncle.

Niita wanted to go home, but Adeline was in denial about just how tired she was. She growled in defiance; not towards Niita, but a sound to display she didn't want to leave yet. Instead of getting up, she plopped her upper body down in the water. It wasn't deep enough to even cover a quarter of her head, so there was no thought of drowning. 

Her legs waved in the air, like she just didn't care. She liked to be out and about, and didn't want to go back to the confines of the den clearing. She had explored all there was to explore there, and even though she was too tired for exploring now, it was the principle of the thing. And, so, Adeline didn't move to follow Niita.

Niita rolled her eyes at the young girl, knowing for certain she was tired. It had been pretty obvious, given the excessive yawning and slumped postition on the bank. Niita was not yet annoyed, being rather patient on the contrary, bordering on exasperated and amused.

"Come on, Addie. I know you're tired," she chastised, kicking water onto her back playfully.

Niita splashed a little water towards Adeline and she giggle, righting herself to splash a little back, but it was half-hearted. She couldn't really deny what Niita said; she was tired. But, she still didn't want to go back. It was a feud that was being battled in her head.

She grumbled a bit more, but eventually, she lifted herself out of the shallow water and began to follow Niita. While she still didn't want to go back, she also knew she'd fall asleep as soon as she got there.