Big Salmon Lake these are the days

Seemed like the greatwater lake she had frequented a few times wasn't the only big lake in the region; during her visit to the Glen she had seen a glimpse of this other lake and today was the day for exploration. Spica had roped @Syrma into coming with because come on, the plains were the boringest place in the world. Honestly, Spica just wanted some adventure in her life and she knew the plains weren't going to give her that. Anyway, today she was out looking for moss because her poor brother had broken a leg. That was the story, anyway, in case anyone'd ask her. Much better than 'uh I was just exploring'.

For now nobody was to be seen and as she came across a hill that revealed the lake, Spica eagerly approached the frozen lake. She sniffed its edges carefully, eager to give a try to treading the ice. It seemed thick enough. Do you think it would hold us? Spica asked her identical twin, because there was no question in the world whether they'd both go if one of them went. It was just a matter of who dared go first right now.

pp with permission (but also feel free to join the actual thread if y'want gerra!), all welcome :)

Yeah, she didn't take much convincing to lure from the bland, frozen plains, and especially not when Spica suggested they explore. That practically wasn't a question. With their brother off on his own, the other one still missing somewhere, Mom more concerned and preoccupied with all sorts of other matters, and the pack happy and whole even without the twins, it was easy for her to turn her back on all of that to step completely into a world of just her with her sister.

So all of that other garbage did not bother her here, not with the wilds at their disposal with creeks, hills, forests, and all else as they explored on away from home base. As they rounded over one rise, she finally got a good grasp on the lake and again, nothing held her back as she loped towards the shoreline. After doing her own eyeballing of the ice, she perked her ears back up at Spica. Mmm, it should! she decided with a huff and a sharp look back towards the surface of the lake. We're not thaat heavy.. and, it's been all cold lately. I bet.. she reasoned aloud, which while she was possibly on a good track on factors to consider, it might not be the safest of bets to make. Syrma pressed a paw on the ice, testing her weight and her confidence at once. Who's lighter, d'ya think? she snickered, but didn't need an answer because there wasn't one; she knew they matched enough that some stupid ice was not going to tell the difference.

Syrma seemed pretty confident that the ice should be able to hold them, which in turn fueled Spica's confidence, too. She looked at the thick ice as Syrma went on to argue why it would hold them, and Spica nodded with a ya-huh for good measure. Syrma was the first to put a paw on the ice but Spica was not far behind, quickly also putting a single paw on there to test it because she wasn't gonna let her sister take all the credit for going first.

This quickly steamrolled into Spica putting another paw on the ice and then gingerly putting all of her weight on the ice. It was pretty scary, but it took all but five seconds for her to feel confident enough the ice would hold her. Why don't we let the ice decide that? Spica said with a hearty laugh and she bounced up and down a few times, which seemed to be going fine, though she was still close to the edge so the stakes weren't very high anyway.

The ice withstood her first paw, even when she pressed back. So, she gave it a second paw, her other front, before she managed some hesitant forward that inched her out more as well while Spica worked on her own effort. When everything went alright so far, the twin soon had all four feet officially on the ice but since she was going nowhere too fast, she hugged close to the edge with her sister. Yup we got this she thought as she grinned.

She had to take a moment to figure out her feet now since she was not practiced at ice-skating. She wobbled a bit and eventually figured out the right halfway that allowed movement and staying completely upright. Along the way, she had slowly circled herself around almost completely.

When she thought like she was getting the hang of it, she pushed off with a back paw and skated her way along the shoreline and stuck her tongue out at her sister (over her shoulder, probably), though she gradually starting to inch outwards in her path to test it out, feeling braver by the second as she stuck her nose up in the air, enjoying the slide she got to ride then, though it too slowed out to nothing and the ice only shifted distantly.

First paw was followed by second paw and for Spica it felt like a waterfall of unspoken dares between her and her sister that caused her to move ever forward onto the ice. There was no way back, only forward. The ice didn't seem too impressed with their scrawny asses so far though, and Spica bounced up and then down again excitedly to test fate and show her audacity.

She might not have cracked the ice with her bold bouncing but rather than that, as her four paws hit the ice again nearly simultaneously they all slipped in a different direction. With a big woah! Spica slid onto her stomach onto the ice. This shit is so much more slippery than I thought! she shouted at her sister while laughing all the way, and she tried to scramble to her feet again, though it was a trying task to get done.

A satisfied grin had quickly morphed into something half curious and half worried but still mostly enthralled as she saw Spica slide after testing it out a little rougher than she had so far. She couldn't help but laugh alongside her sister, having watched it unfold and now, look where it got her. Syrma was fine to just coast along for a moment and enjoy the show.. but not for good.

While her sister scrambled, she kept laughing and started to try to move herself on a little faster now that she had a few lengthy moments of experience with it. I'll race ya!! she called out between giggles, and before Spica could really say yes or no, she started to try to run off across the iced shoreline--only to not make it far and slip face-first into the hard surface too. Her momentum still carried her forward, sliding along, rump kind of half-way up as she tried to get feet under her again. When she caught the faintest bit of hold, she jumped up with a satisfied bark, and once more attempted her run--this time for at least a few awkward, spilling strides before she face-planted again when she couldn't get traction for what she was trying to do. Not that fast, anyway.

That time she just accepted her temporary defeat and just sprawled out there on the ice, still giggling at the whole ridiculous predicament (she'd been that bored lately, after all), slowly drifting along--very obviously bombing at her proposed race already, but oh well; it wouldn't be all, of course.

Of course, from the second that Syrma said "I'll race ya" Spica's paws came into motion as well. Like two mirror images in different locations doing the exact same thing they both started off, dashing across the ice for a not-very-long-time. Spica seemed a bit out of sync once they started to slip maybe, her paws flailing just another direction than Syrma's, but other than that it looked much like watching a rerun of the same old thing.

When she saw that her twin slipped too Spica quickly tried to scramble to her feet again because this was her big chance to catch up!! I'm gonna win! she shouted loudly in between giggles while she alternated between falling and scrambling back up. Spica was not made for this stuff, she was way too peppy and sitting still just wasn't her thing.

Unlike Syrma however, she was also a very competitive creature so when she saw Syrma explode in a heap of giggles on the ice Spica scrambled to her feet for maybe the tenth time and when she fell a little further along the shoreline than her sibling she slid and in between tired but content pants she shouted: I win!! while she was pawing at her sister's head with a big ole' broad smile on her face.

If her giggles weren't bad enough at her own ice-made failures, seeing Spica make her own parallel spills really sealed her right into a fit of it. She awkwardly tried to pick herself up eventually, but not without much rush now that her sister had won. Her laughter had started to die down but not without her own panting in-between, over the rush and the laughing, it was just a lot--and she was all too happy about it.

Snickering, she barked back first to say: Suuuure, but that's just this time, to accept her sister's win with a big nod and swipe of her own paw into the air. But did you see us?? she giggled again. How silly. Do y'wanna keep exploring the edge some more? she asked as she started to make her way off the ice to enjoy some solid ground with grip. After the race and all that spillage, she could take a little break from it. More than anything, she was in no hurry to go back to the boring plains. There was always much more to see.

Of course Syrma thought she could win next time. Typical of her sister to be so arrogant of herself. Of couuuurse you can. Pretty arrogant, for a loser, Spica said jokingly, and she stuck out her tongue at her sister. Man, but was she gonna be sore tomorrow from all of the scrambling around though. Was worth it besting her twin though.

That was so cool! Spica somewhat-agreed to the but did you see us. They were the coolest, for sure. Syrma asked if she wanted to explore some more and Spica nodded. Yah, let's go, Spica said and she, too, was happy to get off the ice and get some solid ground. So happy that she exploded into a playful dash along the lake's edge as soon as she hit the ground.

At her sister's tongue, she just stuck her nose up in the air and made a more obnoxious prance to answer that with another giggle. Of course, and all, not about to argue with it but instead bask a bit. She was feeling pretty upbeat about it all honestly, and a lot more satisfied already after having a good laugh and a good risky trek onto some ice that didn't spell disaster--although the young girl barely paid that part any mind, because like Spica said, they were so cool.

As soon as she had Spica's agreement, she yipped and launched off into the run with her off towards their next destination. So long as it wasn't home yet, she was happy with wherever their road might take them.

this seemed like a good place to fade! i loved this thread so much, the dynamic between our girls = <3

Of course, the girls would never go anywhere just plain ole' boring walking. Laurel excitedly followed her twin as she set off, eager to get ahead. Maybe that was why they were running all the time; both trying to get ahead. Her tongue rolled from the side of her mouth as she ran to try and get ahead, laughing and smiling all the way.