Something had shifted in Brecheliant. Jasmine could feel it in the air. So much like when the rain clouds covered the sky, only today wasn't rainy at all. But Jasmine could feel the shadows all the same.
They rolled in like thunderheads and left a lightning scar on the girl's fragile heart, and now that Jasmine was bigger (by standards she decided) and braver, the girl crawled from the den and slithered more steps away than she'd ever dared to take.
She needed to know what to make of the sudden weight of energy, and what might explain the pallid shift of the once sunny realm.
They rolled in like thunderheads and left a lightning scar on the girl's fragile heart, and now that Jasmine was bigger (by standards she decided) and braver, the girl crawled from the den and slithered more steps away than she'd ever dared to take.
She needed to know what to make of the sudden weight of energy, and what might explain the pallid shift of the once sunny realm.
The warm gray clouds had brought optimal fishing weather. After little more than an hour, Livia had amassed a pile of four silvery fish of various sizes. At this point she had reached a dilemma; she wasn't sure that she could carry any more without constantly dropping them, and having to readjust her grip. After a moment's consideration the she-wolf opted to make a trip to storage and then return to the water for more.
She piled the fish as neatly as she could before arranging them so that she could pick all four up by their tails. Then, gripping them firmly between her jaws, Livia departed the water's edge and ventured away from the water and into the fen. As she tucked her catch into storage, a thought occurred to her: she had heard whispers of good news recently.
Pups had been born to Brecheliant.
Never had Livia been present for such an event. Her parents had never produced another litter after hers. However, Livia knew, perhaps instinctively, that the mother of the babes needed food brought to her. She likely had wolves bringing her food already; nevertheless, it seemed careless not to at least offer some of the catch.
Leaving two of the fish in the stores, Livia scooped up the other two and followed the scent of the den. But she did not make it all the way there.
A very young child toddled nearby. Livia stopped abruptly, her olive eyes wide, shocked. She dropped the pair of fish and lowered her head to the tiny girl's level.
"Oh... what are you doing, little one?"
She piled the fish as neatly as she could before arranging them so that she could pick all four up by their tails. Then, gripping them firmly between her jaws, Livia departed the water's edge and ventured away from the water and into the fen. As she tucked her catch into storage, a thought occurred to her: she had heard whispers of good news recently.
Pups had been born to Brecheliant.
Never had Livia been present for such an event. Her parents had never produced another litter after hers. However, Livia knew, perhaps instinctively, that the mother of the babes needed food brought to her. She likely had wolves bringing her food already; nevertheless, it seemed careless not to at least offer some of the catch.
Leaving two of the fish in the stores, Livia scooped up the other two and followed the scent of the den. But she did not make it all the way there.
A very young child toddled nearby. Livia stopped abruptly, her olive eyes wide, shocked. She dropped the pair of fish and lowered her head to the tiny girl's level.
"Oh... what are you doing, little one?"
What she found wasn't answers, but an ugly smell. Jasmine crinkled her nose at what she would one day identify as fish, even though all she could call it today was poop-smear green.
Jasmine eyed the woman with face askance. This wasn't her mother, or any of the other wolves she'd seen, even though underneath that tangy smell, she carried their scent. This was enough to keep her from skirting around the stranger, or tearing back to the den.
The little girl pursed her lips, trying to find a question for the question she'd been asked. "Why." she demanded. And babbled something after ward that no wolf would understand - though her words sounded clear in her mind. Why were things so sad? Why were things so heavy? What had changed to make things so?
Jasmine eyed the woman with face askance. This wasn't her mother, or any of the other wolves she'd seen, even though underneath that tangy smell, she carried their scent. This was enough to keep her from skirting around the stranger, or tearing back to the den.
The little girl pursed her lips, trying to find a question for the question she'd been asked. "Why." she demanded. And babbled something after ward that no wolf would understand - though her words sounded clear in her mind. Why were things so sad? Why were things so heavy? What had changed to make things so?
June 26, 2021, 03:14 PM
When the pup uttered her question, and then began to babble with the incoherence of infancy, Livia's brow furrowed. Perhaps it had been a little off base of her to think she could speak rationally with such a young child. This was not something she wanted to see through, and part of her wished she had not decided to bring the fish to the den.
But she couldn't very well just leave the girl here where a hawk could swoop her up.
"Let's get you back to the den," she said, more to herself, although she did wonder what, if anything, the girl was able to understand. "Come, she added, taking a few steps in the direction of the den, stopping and looking down at the pup. She tilted her head, beckoning her to follow.
But she couldn't very well just leave the girl here where a hawk could swoop her up.
"Let's get you back to the den," she said, more to herself, although she did wonder what, if anything, the girl was able to understand. "Come, she added, taking a few steps in the direction of the den, stopping and looking down at the pup. She tilted her head, beckoning her to follow.
June 27, 2021, 04:27 PM
The look the stranger gave her was one she recognized as one that sometimes came when someone was thinking, and Jasmine wondered what answers she would get. Then again, it was also a look she'd seen on mama's face a lot. Jasmine was used to getting that look, with a bag of mixed results.
In any case, she understood what the stranger was trying to do, but Jasmine had decided she wouldn't go back, not without answers to that question she didn't even have the words to express.
"No." she said, with a firm shake of her head, and she sunk her weight toward her toes, in case the stranger tried to pick her up and carry her without consent. "No, no, no." Augh! She had to know something that came close to describing her abstract thought, but she knew so very little. With a dramatic swing of her head she shouted, "Sad! Why's sad!"
In any case, she understood what the stranger was trying to do, but Jasmine had decided she wouldn't go back, not without answers to that question she didn't even have the words to express.
"No." she said, with a firm shake of her head, and she sunk her weight toward her toes, in case the stranger tried to pick her up and carry her without consent. "No, no, no." Augh! She had to know something that came close to describing her abstract thought, but she knew so very little. With a dramatic swing of her head she shouted, "Sad! Why's sad!"
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