Moonspear landlocked

Visitors frequently stopped by the Sveijarn-Corten ulaq as Moonspear’s two little girls grew older (now 5 1/2 weeks old!). @Stingray and @Sialuk were two of the most common guests, now dubbed Ra and Sa by Seal.

On this day, @Orca II and Seal waddled after @Meerkat and @Njord to the nearby water source. There was a shallow area with long reeds.

Immediately, Seal walked right into the pool without realizing or understanding exactly what water was.

“Maaaaa!” she exclaimed, standing frozen in place in an inch of water as her tiny brain processed this new sensation.

The little boy born to @Nasamik and @Chakliux was rarely out of their sight. He was growing, but he was still too young to do much. He played for many hours outside of the ulaq and waited to have glimpses of his hunting father, or any of the wolves of Moonspear, and had adapted to a small routine which involved people watching. On one of these moments — as he roamed just outside of the ulaq — he caught a glimpse of many someones!

They were small, like him, but bigger too. There was the woman who had come to visit (Meerkat) which he only vaguely recalled; the others were strangers. The boy was bold and curious, and thought that they might be fun to watch. So, he trundled after them with high steps, unaware of how far he'd gone from his family's lodge until he caught sight of the full family again, by the water.

One of them called out! Raiyuk laughed, and called back: Aaa-aaaah!

Their company increased by one. Seeking to quench her thirst on this bright, sunny spring day, Elentari was making her way down to drink. Their exclamations made her ears rise as she neared the water. She was alert but not alarmed. She was certain their parents were nearby.

Having not officially introduced herself to the newest generation, the Archer was not about to push any boundaries. She settled by the water, dark toes submerged, sipping contently. Cool blue eyes flashed, flicking up to admire the pair from her safe distance. Her dark tail tip wiggled, a silent, friendly greeting.

Seal heard a strange voice and spied the silt-colored pup marching toward them. Her baby blue eyes lit up when she realized that there were other children in the world besides her sister, Orca! So far, every stranger she had met had been an adult.

The little pudgy girl showed a high degree of sociability, but a low threshold for environmental stressors. Eagerly, she took a step in the boy’s direction.

Splash! Another new sensation. Seal froze again in the waters. “Daabu maa!” she warbled in concern and frustration, wanting to see the other child but too uncomfortable to traverse the shallows. It was then she noticed the dark woman, Elentari. “Bwaaa!” she cried to her for help.

Meanwhile, Njord gave a friendly greeting to Elentari and left her in @Meerkat ‘s company while he found @Chakliux or @Nasamik to let them know their son had come out to play.

just a cameo!

the man njord came to find the seal hunter. raiyuk had escaped the lodge. but he was not worried; the mountain was a safe place.
still he sauntered off until he had spotted raiyuk a small distance away, seeing elentari close. the seal hunter would remain close but not enough to smother his son.
raiyuk must learn quickly the faces of those around him. chakliux meant to hunt caribou this winter and wanted his son with him.

Like Seal, Orca had no idea that water was different than earth. And so when she came across it she also released a sound similar to her sister. Orca, withdrawing, stared in consternation at the source of confusion for her. Orca was enthralled by it, though. Where Seal was frozen, Orca marched right back over to it and smacked the water with a growing paw. Orca squealed her victory, then screeched her frustration as the consequences of her own actions came splashing back right in her face.

Bewildered, she looked to Seal, who was distracted. Orca was quick to see why, her eyes following where Seal's lingered.

And Orca, not so shy in the elements, battled the water every step of the way to her, delighting in the sounds and snapping at the water that came for her. And then she was at the side of her sister again, letting out a happy noise. Smacking the water again, she went to chomp it before any could attack her sister to show her that she had this whole thing handled.

also cameo unless addressed!

@Raiyuk grew quickly, just as the other pups of the spear did.

The children had all found each other outside. There, they would play.

@Chakliux had gone out after Raiyuk, and Nasamik moved moments later to join him. She would lean against his flank, offering his shoulder a small kiss. And together, they would watch their son socialize.

Hope I'm not skipping anyone, yall really piled in here! lmao

The little one, who happened to be larger than Raiyuk right now, splashed in the water and made some more conversation that only the children present could understand; he cooed back a wave of babble, trundling closer without any awareness to his surroundings - neither the adults nor the water were paid any mind.

There came a sound from the child (Bwaaa!) which Raiyuk interpreted as surprise, maybe a warning, and he paused for half a second before throwing himself along again. Curiosity was greater than fear at this point in his life; in fact, he had never experienced anxiety or fear, or anything like that, so he took in the world with the innocence of the new.

Raiyuk found the water and his feet plunged in, all the way up to his shoulders, and he squawked. There was something comforting about being briefly weightless in the water, but after paddling uselessly a few times with his mouth agape, he found he only struggled. Bubbles foamed from his nose while he gatored besides the other child.

Meerkat couldn’t have asked for a more delightful and heartwarming scene. What had begun as a small foray with her husband and children turned into a proper block party! She took a seat beside the water to keep an eye on the three little ones, taking great delight in watching them make one discovery after another. Occasionally she glanced at the other adults, enjoying the sense of community in their growing village.

Cameo!

I’m gonna say no posting order, hehe.

Land Before Time vibes!

Orca had no inhibitions when it came to water’s wetness, and she helped Seal overcome her fear. Coyly, she began to paw at the lapping ripples caused by her sister’s commotion. Then, she saw the boy, Raiyuk, enter the shallows! Yet, he entered a spot too deep for his age and immediately began to flounder. Seal, with an underdeveloped sense of danger, watched him curiously. That boy sure did play funny!

Luckily, the pups were surrounded by adults. @Njord bent over to whisk Raiyuk out from the water and plop him back onto the shore. Seal giggled and splashed with Orca before following their Da out of the water to meet wee Raiyuk nose-to-nose.

one-post cameo!

Sialuk was only passing by, but she stopped and waved a paw, her heart warming at the sight of all the babes playing amongst themselves. The starwoman laughed, a true sense of the village bonding and coming together. Her eye twinkled at the parents and Elentari as well, lingering longer on Chakliux’s face. He was a fine father, and his debt to Moonspear was still owed.

The woman turned away then, making distance between the group and listening as the joyous sounds faded from her ears.

He was weightless, not once but twice. The first time he felt weighted by the water upon his thin coat, and then he was cold and flying; there was a pinch to his nape as Njord lifted him free, and briefly he tucked his legs to make himself easier to carry - instinctive. When the ground came again, the boy laughed and tried to run for the shallows again!

Gonna wrap this thread :)

When Njord put the little squirt down, Seal chased after him and splashed in the shallows together. She even went deep enough to float, which was a BIG step for her. She would have never progressed so far if Raiyuk and Orca hadn’t been as enthusiastic.

Njord would remain close by to lifeguard, hauling Raiyuk out of the water if he ever put himself in danger. No puppy would drown on his watch.

All in all, it was a fine day spent together. Seal was excited to have more days like this!