Heron Lake Plateau the intermittent shuttering of shadow

The unsteadiness of Kite’s gait made it easy for her to be overtaken in any match of physical prowess, so it was with embarrassing ease that her stronger sibling caught up with her and bumped her off course. She whipped around instinctively to vent her indignation with her teeth, her head bobbling wildly as she declared war in a series of high-pitched, peeping cries — “How dare you? Prepare to die! A little bit. Kind of?” —

— but she drew up short as something large and dark blocked out the shadow. She quailed briefly, but the scent was familiar, warm and reassuring. She exchanged her warbling battlecry for a litany of soft peeps, squeaks, and gurgles. Her wibbling, wobbling head tilted as far back upon its axis as it could go, and she laughed delightedly in her father’s face. One shaking step, then the other; she trembled wildly, grunting as she tried to lever herself up. Though she failed ultimately, she managed to scoot near enough to set her paws on either side of her father’s nose, and proceeded to test the resistance of his leathery nares with her wide open mouth.