Neverwinter Forest you'll be fine

The sun was just peaking overhead as the forest’s Pi bowed before a trickling stream to take a drink. He had spent most of his morning doing on his mother, who was swiftly recovering from the illness that had overcome her, and had only just left the family den moments ago. With each passing day Rannoch was reaping the benefits of growing older. He was granted more freedom around the territory. With these liberties, the child felt drawn the borders in order to protect the home that he loved so much.

Lapping up the crisp water, Rannoch drank until he got his fill and lifted his head once he was done. Droplets dribbled from his chin as he turned away from the stream and began loftily towards the borders, abandoning his drinking prospects for the sake of a patrol.

She was out of place in their wood, but she was growing to love the thick tangle of roots and towering trees. She had already formed an attachment to the boys - Cypress and Rannoch - and was growing old enough to realize that the love she had for them was not the same as the devotion she had for her brothers from the caldera. It was built on something more than shared blood and relation. They had saved her from disaster and offered her a home, and the inky child was starting to grow attached to that as well. 

She padded toward the edges of the forest with ears drawn forward. Her lithe form was like a fleeting shadow in the brush. When she caught sight of the teal eyed boy, a smile crept to her tapered muzzle. "Noch!" her voice struck the wood sharply, and she darted forward to catch up to him. 

He had been lost into the prospect of the task at hand, autodrive kicking in, as he turned from the stream. He was too into his thoughts that he also did not hear the sweet calling of his denmate, but, somehow, her words broke through his focused exterior. The drumming of his heart quickened as he looked over his shoulder to catch sight of his pietie denmate. For reasons that were still unknown to him he always felt giddy at the sight of her-- like nothing in the world could go wrong when they were together. Despite these feelings, and his own confusion, he kept such feelings masked and did not dare them to surface.

“Lucy!” He said, returning her call happily as he turned to face her, his tail waving as the girl cleared the distance between them. Once she was before him, he reached forward to bring his nose to her cheek, smiling as he pulled away. “What are you doing?!” He asked, genuinely surprised to see her so far from the family den.

The boy had seemed intent on his task, and though she did not wish to bother him with her awkward social construct, Lucy believed that it was far better to traverse the forest with Rannoch than on her own. She had explored enough of it in solitude. The familiarity of it was becoming more and more clear for the shadow child.
 
Her lithe limbs carried her swiftly toward him, and the gap between the two pups had been closed in a matter of moments. Once she had found herself at his side, the child of soot allowed her bright blue optics to roam over his figure. He seemed to have grown some since her arrival. A pang struck her heart at the thought of it. Lucy wondered how much she had grown in her time away from her home. If she were to return – ever – would her family even recognize her? It burned within her chest to think of it, and so she forced the thought aside to focus on the inquiry that had been placed before her.
 
“I was just…” she trailed, not certain how she had wished to finish her answer. “I was getting to know the forest,” the shadow breathed. It was best to offer him the truth.

Rannoch smiled to her confession and beckoned for her to join his side. “Come with me,” he requested, looking to her with a softened expression. “I’ll show you the best places in the territory.”

With that said Rannoch lead her around the territory showing her his favorite places. He very much enjoyed her company and was glad that they were able to spend the time together one on one and hoped that they would get more chances to explore like this.