Whitefish River Escapee

Lenora had slipped past the borders and had taken off southward, not a care or a worry in her mind other than where she was going to go next. For now, she was content to follow the river, farther and farther from home. She wondered if anyone had even noticed her disappearance; perhaps she would try to sneak back once nightfall came.

small thing small child thing small wolf child thing was out in open by river where heshe drank deep cooling hot body from summer heat

panic panic panic

open field was no place for smallwolfchildthing many big things hunted in the field many hunted in the field wanted to crush hunterbaby beneath hoof and snakes!! snakes everywhere slithering in grass could bite and kill even pronghorn not just smallwolfchildthing

the hunteress was trembling

smallwolfchildthing was on other side of river but good eyesight of sighthound picked it out from background (after thinking it rabbit at first and how many much things would think same thing????) and now panic panic panic have to protect baby

when herhis mind couldn't come up with single smart decision, the dog leapt into the river 

cold!! cold!! cold!! cold!! cold!!

and began to flap and beat against the water suddenly remembering heshe couldn't swim

He waited patiently, unseen. Watching. Waiting. It had been a long time since he had seen a dog. They were attempting something. He couldn't quite see the emotion in the dog's face, but the language in their body was enough to have Bilah moving forward. The pup seemed perfectly content, he would make sure it would be brought home, but his primary concern was the dog now. 

He was there quickly enough as they jumped into the water and splashed about he wasn't sure if they even heard his approach or not. "Take a deep breath to calm yourself. Would you like me to pull you out?" He would have absolutely no problems whatsoever. He remembered the pup then. "Hello little one, I'm sure someone is very worried about you. We're going to bring you home, don't get any ideas about running off again, okay?" He would do his best to keep an eye on both, but he would be able to track her trail home even if she did try to run off again.

Lenora had been quite content to explore and lounge about the river; she knew of it's dangers, living so close to one back home, and she kept clear of it. She was happily unawares of being watched, her back to the water, and it was only the dog falling into it that made Lenora scream with fright. Hackles raised, she ran to hide behind a tree, peering out from it, and she saw what had made the noise.

Some creature, thrashing in the water, and then another wolf came bounding in. Lenora could not quite hear him over the rush of the water and the dog's thrashing, but that didn't matter — it was going to drown if it didn't get help. 

"It can't swim, dummy! Help it!" The young girl screeched across the water, sky blue gaze watching, wide-eyed and frightened.

forelimbs flailed hindlegs kicked

DROWNING DROWNING DROWNING

until something captured a leg and heshe was sure the river itself was trying to drown himher--

and shehe realised that was the ground.

the water was up to hisher belly. when sitting.

mouth became a short line and beneath brindled fur face grew hot.

stupid stupid stupid

neck rotated to make head look at one shehe heard talking over panic and rush of water

wolf.

grown wolf.

the greyhound gulped

then thought of rodyn.

after blinking blankly and with ziploc bag transparent hesitation, heshe did a nod

"pleasehelp." came in small voice as forelegs raised, greyhound quivering from cold and embarrassment and horrible gross feeling of hated water

Bilah was quick to enter the water. He stood next to the dog and bowed down. "You may use me to climb out or I could carry you if you wish." They were so small next to his massive bulk that no harm would be done to him regardless. Once they were both safely ashore, he would verify the dog's wellbeing. It was only then that he remembered their audience, he addressed the pup then.
 
"Little, didn't your parent's tell you it was rude to use such words?"

With the help of the wolf, the other creature was taken from the water. Lenora was reprimanded, and she scowled, telling the wolf hotly, "Why you gotta be so slow helping it? It was scared!" She looked to the other creature, and she called across the water, "Hey — what... what are you, even? Are you a wolf?" If so, it was a weird one.

as wolf descended down memory of rodyn faltered faded and greyhound wad sudden unsure this was smart idea or -

use me to climb

sentence didn't even finish and heshe was clambering over thick wolfcoat to reach shore longtoed paws maybe uncomfortably digging in but didn't care didn't care shehe kicked off and rolled onto the scorched ground panting after so much panic so quick

wolf wouldn't get much opportunity to assess well-being as greyhound turned cautious and fearful and backed slowly away from bulky large wolf

then attention was back to smallwolfchildthing and heshe gasped again scuttling again to shorecliff but now stopping before falling in 

"i-i-i'mtobleronekobisummerwilkinsmccarthy." a sharp sharp sharp nasal inhale. "i'mgreyhound."

herhis best introduction yet.

worry was evident on every part of restless body and face as dog scurried from spot to spot like guarddog on chain jumping at stranger coming by yard

"areyouokay? where'sparents? whyalone?" sentences condensed and rapidly barked over rushing water

Bilah winced only slightly as he was employed as a makeshift ladder of sorts. He could tell now that they were out of the water that they weren't just scared of the water but of him as well. He frowned and kept his distance, wading back across the river to the small one. He hoped the distance would ease at least some of the anxiety. 

He wondered at the way the greyhound paced back and forth if it best to get them on the same side of the river, but wonder if his help would only traumatize the poor creature further. He addressed the small one. "I waited young one, because it is also rude to help before it is needed. Fear does not always require intervention." 

The greyhound spoke and paced so quickly that all he could do is watch. He laid down at the river's bank, lazily tracking the dog from the corner of his eye, but trying not to make them any more uncomfortable than he already had. He still hadn't exactly caught the name. It had been spoken, but he had been going over it in his mind to try to separate the sounds so that it made sense to him. It was definitely a mouthful, it sounded like a family name.

There was so much happening, so much noise, that Lenora could scarcely hear the dog say their name. Soon enough, the wolf joined her on the other side of the river, and Lenora inspected him, giving him a wary sniff. She called across the river, "I'm... I'm okay! I wanted to explore. My pack is... close enough." But she was hungry. She turned to the wolf. "Who're you? Will you catch me a fish? I'm hungry."

bigwolf and smallwolfchildthing were on same shore now and brain played pingpong with the sight of bigwolf near smallwolfchildthing thinking once safe safe safe with own and the next second eat eaten devoured cannibal

the greyhound whined, standing still to stretch as if planning to leap over river and make sure pup stayed safe but gave up circled tightly around himherself in nervousness

shehe remained standing hunched on other shore watching to make move moment bigwolf showed truth of being eater of smallwolfchildthings

skip, unless interacted with! will join back in if something that would get t.k. to react strongly happens (will ask beforehand). otherwise, feel free to reference them nervously pacing on the other shore, occasionally whining, following lenora from there if she moves!

The child had said her pack resided close enough. That could mean she had traveled from some ways. He wondered if he could use food as a little extra incentive to encourage the child to allow him to take her home. "Okay small one, I will catch you as many fish as you can eat, if you allow me to escort you home." He imagined a frantic pack searching for their wayward one, it was important he make sure this one make it home safely.

Lenora scuffed her paws in the dirt. "Do I have to go home? Home is boring!" She scowled up at him, about to complain more, but then her stomach gave a huge rumble. She grumbled, "I mean... I'll go... I just don't want to!"

"It's not safe for you to roam alone, small one. Perhaps we could talk more on the way back and I could tell your parents that you're unhappy, hm?" He quickly fulfilled his promise of food, returning to the riverside. Hopefully the fish that they'd undoubtedly scared off earlier had returned by now.

He placed his nose in the water and breathed out, blowing bubbles and stirring up the water. A swarm of tiny fish panicked and swam off, nothing for a wolf anyhow. Then he noticed a substantially larger fish, he was quick to snag it by it's fin and tossed it towards the pup. There were more. Three more to be exact. He wasn't sure how hungry the pup was but he continued to toss each fish onto the shore. He held them with his paws while he waited for the pup to dispose of the first.

He took a moment to address the dog across the river, "Toblero, I'm sorry that is all I caught of your name. The small one has agreed to allow me to escort her home. Her trail leads that way. The wolf gestured with his nose towards the north. He decided to add just in case. "She will be safe with me, I promise. If you do not trust, you are welcome to follow.

Last from me, I will start a backdated thread in Sacrarium for Bilah!

Lenora knew she could not stay gone forever, and Bilah was catching her lots of fish. She scrambled to pick them up, dropping the first in surprise as it flopped against her grip. It made it back into the river, and she huffed hotly before turning to the rest. They were very tasty, she decided, and she idly wondered if this was her new favorite food.

When the time came to leave, Lenora obliged. She called a farewell across the river to T.K. then looked to Bilah expectantly. "We gotta go this way," she said, pointing north with her nose. She would let him lead her home.