Swiftcurrent Creek location unkown

Maybe @Arlette but anyone is welcome!

Juniper’s height shot up like a sapling and the young girl became all legs. Her newfound agility and speed sent the girl careening through the territory on missions of exploration.

Today, she had discovered a pile of red feathers where an unlucky cardinal had fallen prey to an owl.

“Mom! Look what I found!” Juniper called, voice muffled by the many feathers between her teeth.

Yessssss!! <3 <3

Arlette had noticed that her children had shot into the air. They had already been big from the moment they were born but now it seemed they used all the chubby puppy fat as fuel. They became taller and taller. Arlette followed her silver daughter as she zoomed around. Happily going on an adventure with her.

Arlette came trotting up to her. She had a mouth full of red feathers. How surprising! Not many birds sported such a red feather coat. Very pretty!, she beamed. Where do you think they came from?, she asked her.

“I dunno,” Juniper muffled as one puff of breath sent a few feathers flying. “I just found them in a pile,” she added.

It was then she realized… “they’re the same color as your eyes, momma.” Beautiful mother! Dainty and pale furred. Juniper thought even her scars were beautiful, ignorant to what wrought them.

“Can you put them in my hair?” she asked.

The mother chuckled as a few feathers seemed to escape. Arlette blinked at the comment about her eyes. She often forgot about that, as she didn't see herself often. The river was usually running fast so her reflection was non-existent or distorted. You are right! They are red. Do you want to know what color your eyes are?, she asked. None of her children had her coloring, which was okay with her. The round circle around their eye was much more adorable to her. Yes, I can, she hummed. She picked up the feather that had fallen. She moved her head, hoping her fur would catch and hold the feather. ::Do you know what animals have feathers?," she asked, might as well make a mini lesson out of it. She picked up another feather and then looked at her daughter for instructions on where she wanted the next feather.

Juniper thought about it and tapped her chin with a silver paw.

“What color are they?” she asked Arlette when she realized she had never taken the time to look at her own reflection in the creek.

She was sure to sit perfectly still as her mother entwined the red feathers into her mane…

“Um… ravens!” Juniper blurted in a bookwormish way. “And owls. And warblers. And hawks,” she rambled like an encyclopedia.

Then, Juniper pointed at the fur behind her ear, as if asking Arlette to place the next feather there.

Arlette smiled at the cuteness of the girl. She loved her daughter so much. They are the same blue as your father's, she offered her proudly. She loved that the pups looked like him. Arlette was totally biased but the grey fur with the pale eyes made her daughter very pretty. She was now extra pretty with the red feathers in her fur. They were not the same red as her other daughter though.

Yes!, Arlette beamed. Do you remember how we call those types of animals, that can fly?, she asked, she didn't want to come across as lecturing her. She was curious if her daughter would get to the answer herself. Arlette automatically responded by her non verbal question and picked up a feather to place it behind her ear. She was totally the mother that would do the hairstyle her daughter wished to have without question.

When Arlette finished placing the red feathers, Juniper sashayed her fur with a girlish toss of her head. Blue eyes of her father – and now a splash of red, to represent her mother.

“Birds!” she blurted next, unable to contain the answer. But then it occurred to Juniper that other animals could fly as well… “Waitasecond,” she said with a tap of her paw. “Bats can fly. And bees can fly. And they aren’t birds.” Juniper was stumped!

“Tell me mom, tell me!” she begged, throwing herself dramatically at Artlette’s feet.