Redhawk Caldera been saying yes instead of no

Sorana looked up from the caterpillar she was pestering when the first drops of rain fell from the pregnant clouds overhead. The wriggler seized the reprieve and escaped to the underside of a leaf, leaving the pup puzzled when she looked back and could no longer see it. She snuffled at the bush and twisted her head this way and that, but the caterpillar was nowhere to be found.

Licking her pale lips with a soft whine, the dark cub backpedalled and spun around to face the den. Bah! she sang out her disappointment to no one in particular before she flopped down in the wet dirt, enjoying the rainfall and humming tunelessly to herself.

it might be too early for this but I'm gonna bend timelines to make it happen bc I wanna.  If anyone takes issue with this lmk!

As soon as the little ones were old enough to begin exploring the world, Maia began taking them on brief excursions outside.  Sometimes separately, sometimes together, but rarely four at once.  @Ceridwen had shown a lot of enthusiasm for trying to escape already and the fresh air would do them some good.  @Chickadee and @Aiden no doubt enjoyed exploring the grass as well with their newfound (limited) mobility and sight, and Jay could use the chance to let out some steam.  @Eljay and @Hymnal she left in charge of the others at times, though they too were welcome to take them exploring when they wanted to.

Today's exploration happened to coincide with an exciting new find... one that Jay never expected!  He hadn't thought that others came in his size and was thrilled, nay, ecstatic to discover his sisters and brother were not the only playmates in the world!

As soon as Maia set him down he was off, regardless of her warnings, at a trundling and awkward run.  Like a bull with blinders on (and the shortest legs imaginable), Bluejay tumbled heedlessly into both Sorana and her caterpillar friend.

Meanwhile, Maia followed behind rapidly, offering hurried apologies to Teya and anyone else present.

Sorana had little warning; one svelte ear turned in the direction of padding paws and voices, but she was bowled over before she could even get a good look at whoever was coming.

HHWOof! she exclaimed, giving her head a wild shake and looking about for her assailant. At first, she was quite indignant indeed. The nerve! Sorana had no littermates and did not know the meaning of tussling; she did not have to compete for attention, food, or anything else she desired in life. How dare someone knock her over like that?!

It was quickly replaced by curiosity and excitement when she saw the blue-grey source of her troubles and realized that O M G, this was someone her size! Her caterpillar friend, who was now frantically crawling across her shoulders toward the leaves it had been shaken out of, was now irrelevant. Sorana didn’t know how to behave around another puppy; she stared openly at Jay and her tail began to wag faster and faster.

HWUFF  Bluejay was confused when she bowled over without any return play.  He was used to his siblings who were, in turn, used to his shenanigans.  This sister didn't do the expected return.  Why?

He waggled his butt and shuffled back a few steps, his awkward puppy legs making the movement adorably ridiculous.

PLAY!  He gave an excited sound that increased in pitch to almost a whine, watching her.  Hopefully she would get the message.  He really didn't have another tactic.

Oh, if only she had the words to say how happy she was to meet someone her size! Sorana did not, not yet. She didn’t know how to behave, but Jay filled in the gaps for her with a long, keening note that drew Sora bouncing forward.

The soft fur on her back fluffed up with kittenish delight while she tapped her paws on the ground in an uncontrollable prance. Moments later, her brain connected the bubbly-sparkly new friend happiness in her belly with Jay’s demanding sounds and stance, and at last, she pounced.

At last!  He was ready to maybe try a different game if she wouldn't play this one, but tumbling was his favorite game and he was happy to share it!  He reared up with delight as she pounced on him and was summarily bowled over backwards with a happy yip.

Jay was undeterred!!  He wriggled to try and overset her, all the while mouthing lightly for her paw with his puppy grip.  He had an excited motor sound going pretty much the entire time, of course, and his delight only added a bit of extra enthusiasm to his playful attempts.

Instinct guided Sorana more than experience. When Jay gave way, she went on the offensive, driving her muzzle in playful snaps toward his muzzle and struggling to keep the advantage of her higher position. She was larger, but Jay was far more active and had the benefit of plenty of experience.

While she was busy trying to wrap her mouth around his entire nose, Jay upset her balance. With a squealing yip of surprise, Sorana fell to the side, flailing gracelessly to try to get up before he could solidly pin her.

Jay scrambled in an awkward rush to get up as she toppled.  When he was a little older he'd learn about a concept called 'chivalry' but right now he had 2 sisters who were no different than his brother.  He was totally going to get the upper paw!

It took a few tries to get his feet under him, though.  Whether or not she had time to get up as well, he was going in for round two.  His paws reared up, ready to be planted on whatever she made available for a footrest, and he aimed to catch her tail.  Catching her tail  would mean that he won... clearly.

Sorana’s air went out of her with a wheeze when Jay drove his paws into her flank, and her fight right along with it. Her physical flailing flagged while she experienced another struggle: being winded. She gaped like a fish for a few seconds before regaining her breath with a loud gasp. Those precious seconds, Jay used to his full advantage.

Upon recovering, Sora was not only laid out on her side in the grass, but bearing the weight of Jay as he gnawed on her tail as well. She began to wiggle and buck under him with a renewed fervor, coiling and undulating like a little weasel in her efforts to seize hold of a paw or leg.

He got the tail!!  Objective achieved.  It wasn't even about beating her, it was actually catching the target he'd happened to hone in on.  He let it go as soon as it lost its novelty (which was pretty quickly) and bounced away, too full of the energy of success to stand still.

He took off at a happy run and darted through the tunnel his mom's legs created. Then he stopped and let out a delighted, high pitched bark.  Chase!  Chase!  It didn't matter who was it!

Jay was faster, leaving Sorana to flounder in his dust. She got up with a pitter-pattering of paws and gave herself a quick shake which ended the moment he yapped at her. Sorana twisted left and right, searching, and at last locked onto him between Maia’s legs.

Sorana scampered after him, knocking inelegantly between Maia’s limbs in her clumsy scramble.

Jay veered recklessly under his mom and pattered towards the shore, laughing his little head off in the process.  He could hear Sorana behind him and that only made him laugh more as he tried to keep away, nervous and delighted at the thought that she could catch him any moment!

She was older and more coordinated, likely, even if only by a few weeks.  Jay could sense that and was thrilled to be playing with someone like her.  

Maia in the meantime carefully got out of Sorana's way best she could and laughed, affectionately encouraging her to 'get him!'  Bluejay deserved to get pounced on a bit.  As soon as she spotted him running for the shore, though, she stepped quickly to plant herself between and guide him in a circle around.  It was a bit like sheep herding, honestly.  At least he seemed to be having too much fun to notice.

want to wrap this and perhaps have a new one sometime soon?