Lost Creek Hollow springling

Ashlar was almost exactly one month old, and while his eyes had opened, he was more apprehensive than curious about the world outside.  It was beautiful but it was also strange.  He was not sure what to make of the grass, or the leaves, or the spring insects that were beginning to appear.  Yet under the watchful eye of @Mona, he crept through the grass near the mouth of his whelping den.  He had no siblings to wrestle with but did not know to miss them.  Instead, he would need to make do with a small green beetle that trundled its way across the uneven soil.

Ashlar lifted a paw to poke at it, then pressed his nose forward to give it a gentle prod.  Its metallic wings gave a light whirrrrr, forcing the boy to tumble back a step with eyes wide in alarm.

mama cameo <3

the fog that had previously beseiged mona had lifted, and these days it was easier to take pleasure in the new mantle of motherhood. her son was strong, and though she still grieved his sister, perhaps it was better this way. she knew rowan would love her grandchild, that casmir would be pleased; mona thought of cortland, wherever he had gone, and wished him well in her heart. 
presently, she lay alert just outside the den, enjoying the springtime glow as she watched merrick fondly explore the world and its tinier inhabitants.

i'll probably close this out in favor of our new unless you want to continue, but will leave it open a few days in case anyone does want to join

The beetle was terrifyingly fascinating. Ashlar peeked at it from where he crouched hunched, and he watched as it's gilded wings disappeared in a blur of motion.

He wanted to play with it, but he couldn't work up the courage himself. This was fine, apparently, as the insect only buzzed there a moment before lifting off in a lazy track towards the sky. As soon as it had, Ashlar lurched to his feet and crowed out a happy exclamation. He began to try and follow it through the sky, but it was too hard once it had flown high, so he instead had to stop stock still with his muzzle pointed straight up.

one more post from you? just a short mommy & me thread :D

he was so cute. of course, mona was biased, but the way his small nose pointed up, and his body tensed curiously around the whirring of the beetle — ashlar was endearing in all ways. and though she was only just a mother, and so new, mona knew it would not last forever. she drank in these moments like water, committing them to memory as she watched her son play.

It was gone.  He tried to see, but all he was looking at was sunlight.

He lowered his face and blinked, then ran over to his mother, babbling and chirping about his find.  He'd accept her soothing about the loss of his new friend (or nemesis?) and then continue to frollick in the grass.  Doubtless he would find ten to twenty more new friends before evening fell.