Swiftcurrent Creek And I know you don't know, but I need you to be brave.

Finally, they were being allowed to go outside...encouraged, even! Talos squinted up at Mother, hardly able to believe their good fortune for a moment, but didn't have to be asked twice to go skipping clumsily after the red-and-gold tail retreating before her. Talos dug her stubby black paws into the grit with a determined little growl, forcing her still-uncooperative legs to carry her pell-mell forward. The sun hit her full in the face with a sudden even more brilliantly fire-hued dazzling of brightness and warmth. Talos's milky eyes tried to blink the sensation away and continue her headlong tumble forward, only to run her shins straight into a small rock. She gave a small yip of surprise and quickly shook her head. The sudden motion tilted her a little off-balance; she stopped for half a moment and leaned against the uncooperative rock even as she scowled at it and lifted her paw for a cursory examination.

No signs of gushing blood or anything else exciting there; right. Good enough. She thudded her paw back to the earth and gave the tiniest of boulders a small, rebuking bark as she shoved off it and went galumphing forward again, bound and determined not only that no stinkin' brother would outpace her but also to catch up and pass her mother. This was not as hard as the largest and blackest pup had feared: Mother had paused now too, for whatever reason. Talos went stumble-running quickly past her, eager to see what the wide world out from under watchful adult eyes had to offer. The pup stopped and half-turned to glance back in puzzlement however as Mother turned her muzzle to the sky and let out a long, wavering howl. Was she sick? Was she confused? Was the bleeding red sky in trouble with Mommy now, as she yelled at it? What a strange thing to do. Talos let out a smaller, inquiring yip-aroo noise of her own, still not very able to howl herself, and glanced even farther back to see what all her brothers were making of this, or what Daddy thought for that matter.