The Sunspire i hide down in my corner because i like my corner

the abrupt change of scenery has, if anything, bolstered okeanos' confidence, giving him more adults around to listen to. he does not think much of the smaller children -- they have not done anything yet to get his attention, his developing mind still puppy-selfish enough to be unable to think outside of his immediate social circle. he's held on to the wing given to him by auntie wraen, carried it proudly into the new den. today he carries it around as he explores their new place of residence, tumbling around the littler babies, careful not to step on them as instructed. he wants to go outside but does not dare without asking for permission -- so he does what he's done before and starts chirping "hewo, wan' go out, pleas!" loudly, sure that someone will hear him and give him permission!

she has very little experience around children; their fragility frightens her. still, she managed to catch a fish that looks rather small in her jaws, and she brings the creature to where she knows the pups to cluster, hoping to find there her mother. 

rather, it is a tiny inky boy that she finds at the den's entrance; chirping loudly and boldly his request. dropping the scaly thing at her paws, she pauses a moment before offering an "ok." she beckons near to herself, slightly uneasy that she is doing something wrong.

his response is answered -- yay! it is not momma seebee or momma oly, nor is it auntie wayn or muh or wanwock or papa. it's a woman he's never seen before -- but if she's near the den she must be a friend, and anyway, she has dark fur like papa and smells a little bit like momma oly. "than'u," okeanos tells her politely, beaming (having not quite mastered the 'k' sound yet), trotting out towards her as fast as his little legs will carry. surprise overtakes his rounded features as he spots the strange creature she's dropped, pressing his tiny nose to it. "was it?" the cherubim asks, expression awed even as his tiny nose crinkles from the smell.

she wonders briefly if she has any right to accept or deny the pup's request, especially since she has no idea who he is or who he belongs to. it is too late to force him back inside the den, however (probably). "it's a fish." she states as the boy pushes his nose to the small, scaly body. "from a creek. it lives in the water." he seems good-natured enough not to run off and give Rannoch yet another reason not to trust her, but she is wary yet, peering once back into the den he came from.

cass is lucky that okeanos is, perhaps, absurdly lawful-good and has no intentions of escaping from her sight. he is here only by her permission and if mama seebee or oly or papa came by, he would obey them without question too. raptly the sprite listens to her explanation, looking up with a perfect :o expression. "fish," he repeats, patting it with one paw. it doesn't move but it feels slimy and strange. "was... was cwee-kuh?" he's familiar, abstractly, with water, but he does not know much outside of his den and some flowers he's seen, and his bird wing -- maybe he could see creek for himself!!

her gaze is drawn back to him as he speaks, deciding to sit back on her haunches opposite him, yet remain tense enough that she'd be able to grab him should the need arise. where did one grab a pup? she'd figure that out later, surely.  "a creek is water in the ground - moving water."  she knew by his speech she'd have to keep her words simple, but how much he'd know of the world was entirely unknown to her.

aaa sorry for the wait!!

water in the ground? alarmed, okeanos peers at his own feet worriedly as if expecting the earth to suddenly give way to rushing water and drown him. "where!" he cries urgently, scooting closer to the friendly adult for comfort -- surely she wouldn't let him perish in a watery grave if this mysterious creek were to suddenly materialize -- though he has to double check: "is safe?!"