Ouroboros Spine ecstatic

— 5 Weeks (32 Days)
Their ears will perk up around day 27 and by day 30 they should have relatively good hearing and straight ears. The tips may still be floppy. Pups will develop their canine teeth and premolars during this time. By the 4 week mark, their heads and paws are comically large and play fighting for dominance begins. By the 5 week mark, pups may accompany adults on short trips away from the den.

Callyope had discovered the magic of movement — and while she never went far, she was incredibly hard to keep contained.

Her favorite time had become the morning, the glow of the sun met shifting eyes and she stretched her legs from the plush bed of her siblings. Then made way for the front of the den, happy to greet the sunshine that spring morning.

Her vocal chords would be practiced as she babbled her way through a song that had undeniably come from the lips of @Kukutux.

She had been afraid to venture close after their birth. The allure of new siblings aside, listening to the birth had a profound effect upon Wilwarin, to the point that she was conflicted about being near the ulax at all.

This time as she ventured to where first-mother lived with the newborns, she had her wits about her; hyper-vigilant for signs of distress. Instead, Wil heard the disjointed mutterings of one of the children attempting to sing. It was a sound that tugged at her heart.

She crept close, watching the opening of the ulaq for a chance to spy upon the children. Perhaps some of them had found their feet as well as their voice; however, Wil remained wary and alert, and did not want to intrude.

She would appear into line of sight to the watcher, unbeknownst to her.

Still she babbled her lullaby as she made her way on already lean limbs, oversized paws ate up the ground. No one had taken her on a grand adventure of Moonglow yet, she did not know all the hiding spots and great sights to see.

Her world still remained to be the clearing of the den and those who came to it.

Her babbling drifted from song-like to something closer to a summoning sound. Something she might hoped coaxed somebody into time with her.

Wil couldn't recall ever being that small. This child was sun-kissed; their face and ears held a burnished copper, and at once they resembled Ajâtsuk, but also the waif herself, with her warm cloak.

Her voice was mostly dissonant but that wouldn't stop Wilwarin from finding the beauty in it. The tempo of the song changed to resemble a howl, almost. Its rising pitch carried in to the clearing and Wilwarin lifted her chin to sing along - but nothing came out of her despite the effort.

She breathes a sigh and gets to her feet. The tension she'd felt earlier melted from her as she stretched a step, shaking her shoulders out as she approached the child. She then lowered herself to the child's level and sniffed at their pale coat, gathering the sweet scents that the babe carried.

Whether this was a face that had seen her a million times or had only just looked upon the babe did not matter much. Callyope greeted them with babbling warmth all the same, moving on oversized paws to fumble her way into them.

If not stopped, she sought to pepper the face that sniffed at her in a multitude of puppy kisses. A whip for a tail going at high speed behind her.

It was very clear that Callyope already adored her step-sister.

The girl was small almost like a rabbit, but pale, and with a more animate demeanor than anything Wilwarin had tried to hunt to date. Callyope was a flurry of fluff and kisses; it was enough to surprise Wilwarin and make her laugh.

It also brought out a playfulness that she had thought she had shed, but could not think of when or why the change had occurred within herself. Only that the kisses - which verged on harassment from the child - brought this playful softness to the forefront.

Wilwarin lightly mouthed at Callyope, dodging some kisses and landing some of her own, as she ever so carefully played with the girl. Only the softest of nudges with her nose, or cautious nibbles to ears, shoulders, perhaps the belly or the toes, full of mirth.

Callyope very easily dissolved into giggles. Bashful beneath returned affections and nibbles of play. Soon enough she would lack the nimbleness to keep dodging such antics and would flop to her rear.

Then push herself onto her own back, belly exposed. Legs awkwardly swimming in the air. As if that might defend her anymore from the onslaught of fun!

If this was what children were like, always, then perhaps Wilwarin could entertain the idea of them. They did not seem so bad. Laughter could not be a bad thing, and certainly there was love already brewing between the mute and the little maiden.

She would play until the girl was tuckered out. Wilwarin was at peace with the game and watched as Callyope windmill'd her limbs while stuck on her back, and felt compelled a moment later to roll her over so she was right-side-up again, for as long as that might last.

When eventually the girl showed signs of lagging (or perhaps a shift in her attitude) Wilwarin would carefully draw her attention back to the sleeping place, tuck her in there, and be on her way. This would become a fond memory for the little dove.