Dragoncrest Cliffs all right

It was a delight each time he visited and witnessed how the cubs had grown and changed since the last. Sobo peered down at Quennell as his little brother peered back up at him, and for once prolonged eye contact didn't feel awkward or stifling. Then Quennell's attention on him waned and he turned to the shell instead.

Sobo took the opportunity to flop down in the entry, forming a curved barrier with his body between Quennell's play place and the outside world. Erzulie had said it would be several days still before they could hear his words and some time longer before they could understand them, yet still Sobo began to instruct.

Dis be de shell of a clam, he told Quennell, lifting a paw to ruffle his brother's adorable little head with roughened toes. Clams be dese weird little t'ings dat hide in de sand. Ya... You can see where dey be hidin' when dey spit water out. Someday, I will show you. He couldn't wait to take the tykes shell hunting on the beach. Maybe they would even find a jellyfish or a squid!

Dat taste like little stings on de tongue is de sea, he went on, laving his own tongue against the roof of his mouth and wrinkling his nose in exaggerated, cartoonish fashion. He hoped to make his brother smile. It not be tastin' very nice, yeah? De sea water make de drinker go loco. He let his tongue fall comically out the side of his muzzle and shook his head around like a madman. Dat is why Loko be called Loko. He be de craziet from drinkin' de water, but don't tell him I told you dat.