Snowforest Taiga righteous children

looking for a quantity partner!
being vague about location, etc.

a salamander slithered through the muddy bank, crawling over alsek's toes, and into the murky waters of the creek. when really trying, the blackbird could almost see its vibrant patterns — rings of red and gold, decorating a body of brown — though by the time he noticed them, it was already covered in a thick layer of earthy muck. he watched the strange creature for however long he was able (mere seconds, most likely), then turned his attention elsewhere, to the sparse groups of fish swimming the water's edge. each one looked different from the next; while some were silver and slight, others were broad, smeared with varying quantities of obsidian. so they looked different, but did they feel different, too? he reached an exploratory paw into the stream, albeit with noted apprehension, but quickly pulled away with a gasp upon feeling one slippery spine.

what else lived beneath the water's surface? few inhabitants were presently visible, affording only a small glimpse into their foreign world. alsek wanted to see more, wanted to know more! to alsek's knowledge, his assumed caregiver(s) weren't close enough to see him, so no one would be around to scold him for being bold.. right? he didn't give himself time to doubt, and instead pushed his head under the water for a quick look. well, he hadn't considered that breathing was necessary and inhaling water wasn't an option because no one had thought to teach him yet. thus, as one might assume, his first attempt at diving lasted hardly any longer than a second. the scorned discoverer re-emerged into the open with a violent cough, spurning the remaining liquid from his nose.

the added theatrics of hacking and heaving, arching and lurching, acted as some placebo, soothing alsek's initial shock. though not immediately willing to return to his prior post, the soft plop! of curious fish at the water's surface beckoned him onward. each step taken toward their theatre was slow and calculated, and on his face was an expression similar to that of a seriously unimpressed mother. how dare you, he might have asked, were he able to form the words, scaring me in that way? 

he stopped just short of the bank, pushing his body forward into pointer's pose for a somewhat clear look at the goings-on. several new characters had appeared: a blissfully carefree frog wading atop fallen leaves, a snake which slipped sneakily below, and a waterbird sat across, spectating in the same manner. alsek chirped to the bird, admiring its graceful stance and reflective wings; almost opalescent were the waterbird's feathers, shining effortlessly beneath the high noon sun. alsek yipped again, this time causing the beast to widen its wingspan, fully exposing its grandeur to any present and watching. both impressed and intimidated, he stepped backward, lowering himself into submission as though guided by some buried instinct.

eventually, the bird gathered its meal and took flight, giving alsek unspoken permission to proceed.. with caution, of course. bye, bye, he called after it, though his final salutation went unanswered. the offense was forgotten hardly a breath after, his attention having shifted by then to the frog which had floated almost out of sight. alsek paced down the bank to meet the green monk on its journey, greeting it with a soft-spoken, hi. his steps quickly fell into rhythm with the creek's flow, and after mustering some confidence, he continued: my name's alsek. what's your name?

although remarkably patient for a child his age, alsek could only wait for so long before needing the conversation to become interesting. the frog still hadn't answered after several steps, then several more, and some more.. giving him no other option but to ask again: what's your name? he imagined that its answer might be hoobie, and using that made-up information, he decided to ask another question. where are you going? alsek asked. to see the blackbird, hoobie might have replied. maybe.. i go 'to see the blackbird', too! this time, rather than imagining a response, he allowed himself to believe that the absence of 'no' meant 'yes' by default. poor logic, but who cares?

about twenty minutes later, their journey finally reached its assumed end. hoobie's float bounced once, twice, against the bank before getting caught on an upright piece of driftwood. that was on purpose, right?; alsek assumed so, anyway. hoobie remained stationed atop the float, completely unmoving and apparently dazed. assuming his friend needed some help, alsek opened his mouth the grab the frog, then placed it gently down onto the ground. you okay? he asked, to the blackbird, okay? he nudged the frog with an encouraging paw, then sat on his hindquarters to give hoobie some privacy.

the day's second lesson: frogs are fast.

by the time alsek noticed hoobie finally starting to move, he'd already leapt completely out of sight without leaving any clue as to which direction he might have gone. of course, wanting to find both the frog and the blackbird, alsek ran in whichever direction felt most correct, calling to his lost companion: wait, hoobie! he went right, then spun to go left, running until his immature joints ached from the effort. why would hoobie leave him? the answer wasn't one alsek could ever expect to find, but he still asked himself that question, hoping that an answer might conjure itself. 

the shallow opening of an abandoned den peeked from behind rotted cover with an intriguing glance. unfamiliar scents lingered, though they were faint, almost indiscernible, and there weren't any obvious sounds to warn him away. alsek was too tired and naive to consider that someone might be soon returning to this den, displeased with his sudden appearance, so instead of walking away, he walked forward. furs lined the den's floor, each corner decorated with a different flower. had someone left this here, just for him? alsek imagined that his mother was inside waiting for him to settle into a nap, and with that thought, he drifted blissfully into dreamland.

1,012!