Blacktail Deer Plateau the triple dog dare

Today, Dauntless kept to himself. With a bounce in his step and a mischievous glint in his emerald-colored eyes, he navigated the snow-covered plateau with the intent to find something to do.

In time, something caught Dauntless' eye. An icicle hung from a nearby tree; at first, the cub didn't recognize the sight. But upon further investigation, as he danced curiously towards the view, Dauntless realized what he had come across.

With his eyes trained on the crystalline-like structure, Dauntless stopped under it and looked with flared nostrils, as if he were attempting to figure out a way to get to the icicle.

With Lavender and Burr both on the road for recovery, Pema found herself again exploring around the plateau. Snow had stayed over night and the day seemed brighter as the sun light reflected off the pure white snow. She could more clearly see the tracks of squirrels and rabbits that in the past would have been much harder to sniff out.

Amongst the snow she saw Dauntlesses dark coat and watched as he approached a hanging icicle. She hadn't had much one on one time with him since she returned and thought this would be the perfect time to get some. She remembered how long it too for her to get him to open up more, she wondered how far along he would be now with her. 

"What are you looking at Dauntless?" she asked him.

She hadn't spent much time with her youngest brother, truthfully. Sunny's leaving had stung, but she was glad in the least that this time, they had been on good terms. So when she spotted his dark pelt, along with the familiar coat of Pema, she approached, abandoning the faded trail she'd been following. Sheep could wait. 

 "Hey Dauntless," She said as she approached, flashing him a grin, greeting Pema in the same way shortly after. She tracked his gaze to the icicle after a moment, a relative giant amongst it's smaller, stubby peers. "that one's impressive," She noted, wondering if perhaps, he wanted it. It certainly would make a nice sparkly plaything, no matter how short it's span.

Before long, Dauntless had company. His attention shifted as both Pema and Dawn arrived and he regarded them each with bright eyes and a wave of his tail. "I don't know what it is but, I want it because it looks cool," he said, not shying away from his intentions as he caught the others up to speed. He wasn't sure of how he was going to get it but, he knew that in time it would be his.

Finding himself not all too interested in learning what he had stumbled upon, Dauntless looked to the other women for wisdom in this situation. "Do you know how to make it come down here?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

"It's an icicle. It's what happens when falling or dripping water freezes." she explained even if Dauntless didn't want to know and only cared that it looking cool. She smiled at Dawn with a humorious smile when Dauntless spoke of the icicle as though it were something you could ask to come down.

"You would have to go up, grab it and break it off from the top. Assuming you want it in one peice, rather then little ice bits on the ground." she explained as she looked up at the icicle who's lowest point was roughly two feet above Dawn or Pema's head. Most likely one of the two would need to get a running start to get high enough. "Me or Dawn might have to do it for you though." she said looking over to Dawn.

Her guess had been correct; he did want the pretty prize. Pema explained what exactly it was, and just how they might get it, though Dawn had a different idea in mind. The woman glanced to her, but Dawn was quick to add something else. "I'd save climbing trees till you're older, though. Wait here a second" Moving along the branch, she spotted the perfect long hanging branch and made the leap, catching it perfectly in her jaws, the limb shuddering as it creaked down with her falling momentum, Dawn dragging it further down as she pushed her muzzle into the snow, bring the whole tree limb with her. It hung much shorter, now, the end dipping down to bob somewhere around Pema's height, motioning for one of them to make a grab for it, she strained to hold the branch as low as she could.

Dauntless nodded at Pema's explanation, and though he understood what she had said, he'd most likely forget what had been told in a matter of minutes— especially with the excitement that Dawn implemented. He opened his mouth to protest her initial suggestion, but suddenly shut it as she moved to lower the branch; the spark of irritation he felt was quickly displaced with astonishment.

Without thinking, or moving to aide Dawn, Dauntless blurted, "WOAH!" as he looked from his sibling to the icicle that lingered overhead.

It seemed that Dawn was going to take a different approach, but with the same general ending. Pema tilted her head to the side when Dawn reference tree climbing. Pema was unaware of Dawn's facination with climbing trees. At first she thought the Dawn was trying to jump up and grab the icicle, but then she saw what it was Dawn was doing. As she bragged the branch futher and further along making the icicle closer and closer to Dauntless and her she waited till she had a good reach. When it looked like Dawn couldn't pull it down any further she reached up on her hind legs and grabbed hold near the top, before turning her head slightly to break it free from the branch. 

She reached the floor and presented the icicle to Dauntless. "We got it Dawn. Your all good to let go now." she told Dawn not wanting her to strain herself any further. 

She couldn't quite look at Dauntless without causing her eyes to hurt as they strained against their sockets, but grinned around the branch when she heard his exclamation. Pema let her know when the icicle was within their grasp, and Dawn carefully released the branch, not stupid enough to simply let go and have it come snapping back down in a moment. Branch taken care of, she turned back to the pair, padding back towards them and waiting to see what Dauntless would make of the prize.