White Fir Notch Child's Play

He’d managed his way out of the den on his legs that seemed much too awkward for his body and now sat outside the den. He was getting bigger, at least that was what his father kept telling him, Elyan however wasn't sure he agreed with the man especially when he wasn't around as much as his mother. She was the one that would know but all that was no consequence for the pup in that moment.

What was, well he of course had to find something to do since his sister had yet to wake up. The agouti boy just rolled his eyes toward the den, there were times his site was just no fun at all. So it was left to him to figure out what to do as he looked around the area in front of the den. He was slowly growing used to the area but he just knew there was more than what he saw.

Getting back up on his too awkward legs with his too big paws the boy started off away from the den. He didn't make it far before he came across it moving slowly through the grass and immediately he wanted to know what it was and if he could eat it. The small pup pounced on the turtle but slipped right off it's smooth, domed back. Well he didn't see that coming and it sent a bout of frustration through him pushing him to stand up and bark at it.

Reach for the stars

Her presence, as of late, had been restricted to the area in which her den could be found. By choice, the flame tinted leader chose to reside here more than anywhere else within her diverse home. Her children, Elyan and Arwyn, would be ready to leave the safety and comfort of the den soon, but for now, she chose to stay close. She kept vigilant eyes on them when she was awake, and she slept lightly when resting. Jynx had grown into an attentive, protective mother, but also loaded with affection towards her offspring.

Already, she was amazed by how quickly her son and daughter had grown. They looked like miniature wolves now...not just sleepy balls of fluff. Seeing them tussle and begin to explore their new world brought a smile to her eyes. No longer was she just a babysitter to someone else's pups, with hopes of her own. This was her time now. This was a family that she and her beloved Emrys had created together, and would no doubt, prosper. 

Reclining just inside the main entrance to the sheltered den, her head rested comfortably on one of the many exposed roots of the tree. Bright yellow eyes were half drooped, fixed attentively but without concern on her son as he explored like the curious youngster he was. She knew her boy would not stray too far. She had set those boundaries firmly in place early, when their eyes opened. But kids would be kids, and they were bound to test their parents and the rules they had set, at some point. She knew that from experience, specifically the one where she had found Luica hiding in a log from the rain, eluding Gent. Her ears lifted, stiffening as Elyan spied a turtle, pouncing at it, only to slip off. His high pitched puppy barks were enough to rouse the mother from her place of rest. With a soft, amused little chuckle, she padded up alongside him. "They're slippery, huh?" She chimed with a warm glance towards his youthful face. She raised a paw, placing it firmly upon the hardened, slightly glossy shell of the turtle. "But he's harmless..." She said, noting the lack of crushing jaws on this particular species. "He's what we call a turtle."/div>

There was more to see out there past the trees that lined the clearing around the den, he just knew it. The problem was his mother and her rules that he couldn't go that far. Elyan of course disagreed with this, if he was big enough to leave the den then he was big enough to go past the trees. He stepped away from the mouth of the den throwing a quick glance to his mother who happened to be inside. When it looked like she wasn't going to say anything to him he continued on toward the trees. He moved quickly before she could catch him pausing only once more to see if she'd roused enough to notice where he was heading.

When it was clear she hadn't he went on until he saw it there in the grass and he just had to stop and find out what was. His attempt to get on it's back failed and he barked at it to let it know he was upset with it. Now he'd done it, he would never make it out of the clearing as his mother came up beside him. His barks ceased just before she spoke to him and putting her paw on top of the moving rock. He looked from his paw to hers as he wondered about placing his own paw on top of the part he’d fallen off of.

“Armles?” He said looking up at his mother to meet her yellow eyes with his own mismatched ones. Then she gave the moving rock name, “urtle,” he repeated before moving in front of the urtle and crouching down. “Eat, urtle?” He asked tilting his head to one side his large ears flopping as he turned his head. He looked the turtle right in it's tiny eyes as he waited to find out if it could be eaten. Elyan wasn't sure how it could be eaten since it seemed rather hard to get at it. He then tried licking the turtle to see what it might taste like. The gray boy wondered if he would like how the turtle tasted and what if he didn't? What then? Elyan raised himself up to look at his mother fully his eyes wide in wonder as he waited for her to tell him more about the turtle.

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With not one, but two wolves crowding it, the turtle defended itself the only way it knew how. Short, scaly legs pulled in to tuck along the protective confines of it's shell, while it's head drew back and in, out of reach. Meanwhile, the mother nodded with a smile at her son. "That's right. It means they can't hurt us...at least, this one." Other species of turtle, such as a snapper, had jaws that could inflict a nasty bite. But Elyan was too young to understand the diversity of the differing species of animals found in the Lore. When he was older though, she would be sure he got a thorough education.

A brow rose as he asked if the turtle could be eaten. Ah, he was so curious already! Maybe he was ready for a beginners lesson in how to get past the shelled reptiles defenses. "Well...yes. We can eat them, but it's tricky." She brought her face down to eye level with his own, gesturing with her muzzle towards the animal. "See how he's tucked his little head inside there? That's so wolves like us can't reach him. And the shell..." She tapped her toes on the hardened, speckled barrier for emphasis. "...protects the rest of his body." She removed her paw and stepped aside. "Some animals can't bite through his shell with their teeth, but a grown wolf could, with some work." Her eyes glimmered, a grin spreading onto inky lips. "But, there's an easier way."

Watching her boy a moment longer to see if he was paying attention to what she was about to do. Using her paw, she slipped it beneath the turtle and in a single flick, flipped the animal over. Still tucked away in it's protective fortress, the turtle was rendered immobile. But more importantly, now it was vulnerable. Elyan would be able to see the soft, yellow underside, where there were no rocky plates to protect it. "If you can get it on it's back and expose it's belly like I did, then you can eat it." But Jynx was not going to let Elyan have his prize so easily. If he was to learn how to deal with such prey, then he would also have to perfect the technique. With another roll of her paw, she flipped the turtle right side up again. "See if you can do it too." 

The young pup watched in amazement as the turtle disappeared into it's shell, he reached out to sniff it with his nose. When his mother spoke again though his attention was in her as she confirmed his question about the turtle being harmless but something she said cause his head to cante to the side as he looked at her, “T-t-this one?” He asked curiously. What did she mean by that were all the others mean and would hurt him? Was this the only turtle? So many questions buzzed in his head but he didn't have the words to voice them all. His mother knew a lot and he wanted to know more, he always wanted to know more. What always stopped him was he didn't know the words to express his questions to her or his father to learn more. He had to accept the knowledge they offered and doing what he could with it. He hoped someday he would find the words.

One question he had managed to get out was the question of whether the turtle could be eaten or not. As before his mother was ready to provide her son an answer in the affirmative that the turtle could be eaten. “T-t-tricky,” he tried repeating, it was a new word he had not heard before and he wanted to say it too. A wide smile crossed his features as she put her head close to his. She explained about him disappearing and why he had and it was a lot to take in but Elyan stayed focused on the words and watched her mouth as she formed them. His gaze went back to the turtle still hidden within his she'll as his mother tapped her toes in the hard surface. She removed her paw from the shell and Elyan inspected the turtle further blowing air through his nose right at the turtle as he sniffed it. He turned to look up at his mother as she spoke of, “W-w-work?” He got out. He smiled when she did though he didn't know why she was smiling but he repeated, “E-e-easier w-w-way,” the smile not leaving his face.

When Jynx slipped her paw under the turtle Elyan didn't know what she was up to but he didn't want to miss a moment of it. His mismatched gaze never left the place where her paw was under the turtle. He stumbled backwards a little as the turtle suddenly flipped over onto it's back. A whine left his throat as he once again investigated the underside of the turtle that was exposed to him. “How eat?” He asked looking back to her for the answer. A frown crossed his tiny maw when his mother flipped the turtle back into it's stomach. She wanted him to do it too. He sighed unsure if he could but he slipped his paw under the turtle like he had seen her do and then when he tried to flip it something went wrong. The turtle didn't end up on it's back just sliding off his paw, Elyan looked to his mother, “What do wrong?” He asked her.

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