Stavanger Bay the thief in the night

Levi was a few days older than a month and already he was beginning to show signs of his personality. Quiet, contemplative exploration seemed to be his favorite thing these days. The walks through the forest with their mother brought him great happiness, as it meant he could be away from Kevlyn's robust lungs for a while. It also meant that he could enjoy his sister's company, which he didn't get to do often enough in the crowded den.

Levi had enjoyed the sensations of sight and sound these last few weeks and had gotten the hang of it in short order, though he still wasn't entirely used to being able to see things he wanted. Like milk, for example. He could see that Julooke's belly was full of it, and so he would waddle over and place his mouth around a teat, forming a suction that began to pull milk into his mouth. He'd smile when this happened and thank the gods for his sight, because it meant he knew what he wanted and how to get it.

This morning, Levi was sitting alone outside the den, playing with a stick. He chewed on it, slobber running down the wood and onto his paws. He didn't have many teeth yet, so he was simply gumming the poor toy. His ears would swivel across his head to catch any stray sounds, like birds or squirrels or even the far-off waves, but he would remain right where he was, chewing on his little stick.