Deepwood Weald Once Again

A pale butterfly flitted round the den's entrance, pursued in dizzying twirls by a certain tiny black puppy. Seelie was still unsteady on her feet, still prone to occasionally tumbling over in a mess of flailing limbs and bell-chime laughter, but that would never stop her. She loved to run and to play — but most of all, she loved to dance.

The butterfly was a very good dancer, she thought! Seelie leapt for it again, giggling as its wings fluttered briefly against her nose. Then it darted away from the den.

Naturally, she followed.

At almost a month old, Katmai was beginning to get the hang of keeping his legs beneath him. He often tried wandering from the den, but there were almost always jaws there ready to put him right back where he belonged. Today was different — the black bear woman was napping in the dappled sunlight near the mouth of the den, ostensibly blocking their way. But there was enough room to sneak past. Sneak, or dance, as his sister had.

Katmai followed, giving the bear a wide berth. He eyed her warily for a moment, but she slept on.

Gamboling now, he followed the flick of his sister's tail. Snappy young jaws made a valiant lunge in its direction, hoping to pincer it between his teeth.

Kitimat was not nearly as crafty as his siblings. Perhaps he could employ some sort of subterfuge, once he'd gotten his limbs and body underneath him, but for now, he was quite unwieldy.

He followed Katmai and sank down with a small sigh next to the bear woman's nostrils, flaring in-out, in-out.

If, by some miracle, he didn't wake the babysitter, he'd watch his siblings in their play, brow wrinkled and blue eyes narrowed in concentration.

And if he did wake her. . .

Oh. He was the picture of contrition, this one, tail tucked and all. He knew discipline.

At this age, Seelie feared nothing and no one at all. She met scoldings with laughter, annoyance with glimmering warmth — and her brother's teeth in her tail with a startled little yelp! Seelie whipped around to face Katmai, already giggling softly. Her own teeth clicked together as she aimed ineffective nips at his forelegs and chest; a scolding of her own more than any true retaliation.

All the while, the butterfly circled lower and closer until it fluttered into Kitimat's face. That happened to be the exact moment Seelie took notice of him. She let out a shriek of warning — something that might have been Kitty! were it not so garbled and frantic — and tumbled toward him in a clumsy tangle of awkward puppy limbs, heedless of their guardian or any potential consequences of waking her.

skipping Katmai bc inactive

The shriek happened way too late. A colorful flutter flew straight upon his nose, sending him cross-eyed and reeling backwards upon his back.

Whaaa, he could only manage, stunned by this sudden attack.

Seelie was there, but he could only focus upon righting himself, limbs tangling as he attempted to stand—or at least sit—again.

And still, the babysitter slept.