A most peculiar thing had occurred. In just the last few days the child had become aware of another dimension. It had revealed itself ever so slowly as his eyes began to open, bit by bit over the last few days. This process happened gradually enough not to frighten the boy, but swift enough that he knew something was different. A couple times his partially opened eyes had been opened to more darkness, and sometimes to light. The light was far more interesting of course. It was like the dark, but with more variety. This dimension had soft forms of different shades that moved and changed before him. The shifting of his siblings; once only felt on his skin, was felt through his eyes. Even the great big thing that made soothing noises and fixed his stomach when it felt empty had a shade. The only reason he actually knew how much bigger than him it was was through this new sense.

Strangely, Cernan had awoken this morning to find the warmth of their guardian missing. Finding that he could not feel or smell the being, the little tot's eyes worked themselves open as a last resort. Maybe this new dimension could lead him to wherever the comfort had gone. Moving his pale blue optics about the scene, he found only the dark grey-brown of their three-sided realm. Beside the boy, the two others were motionless on the floor. They seemed to do that a lot, but they always wanted to move around and make noise when he wanted to lie down. At least they were still here; his eyes and his skin told him that. An elevation of his wobbly oversized head revealed a new shade, a color his eyes had not before taken in. It was light, but not the usual light. Bright orange had bathed the world as the sun crept higher and higher in the sky. Unsure if this new color was good, like his mother's touch, or bad, like his sibling's teeth, the child simply stared at it. The color made no move toward him, and no move away. Slowly his feeble mind began to conclude that it was indeed acting like the strange fourth wall always did, and that was good.

Still, there was the problem of the good being's absence. Tentatively, the fat little fuzzball wiggled to his feet. Still, the light did not advance or draw away. It never did; not unless another big being pushed it out of the way. Thinking that this is where his mother had to have disappeared to, Cernan fumbled forward at a snail's pace. Never before had he gotten so close to this area. The further he moved, the stranger things got. The smells changed; the air started to move more than it had before. Even the new blobs of color began shifting. Fear of the unknown kept his progress slow and careful. Several times the thought of running came to his mind. Still, nothing had hurt him yet, even if it was getting a little cold out here for his liking.

At the den entrance, the little prince encountered a threshold of sorts. From that point on, everything became moving color. The air moved about freely, as if of its own accord and his ears took in new and strange noises. High pitched ones from above. Confusion, awe and fear kept the youth from advancing any further. He couldn't see the comforting thing from here; couldn't smell it or hear it either. ”Unnn,” he uttered quietly, looking down at the ground with frustration and concern. Where could she be? He had to find her, she had to come back. A single movement of his worried head alerted Cernan to a green thing that was seemingly very close. Sticking his nose out from the dark realm's protection, he strained as far forward as his stubby legs and poor balance allowed; tentatively touching the alien growth with his nose. ”Urrrrnnnn?” He questioned; his elevated puppy-whine growing even higher with curiosity.

His nose prodded at the long strand of grass, testing it for any sort of recognizable characteristics. It was a strange color, a strange smell – though the soft brownish stuff he and his family slept and played on did seem similar in texture and scent. His puppy brain got so far as to wondering if the stringy item was edible and what its texture was, prompting him to instinctively open his mouth. No sooner had his tiny, pin like teeth reached toward the greenery than the displeased cry of his sister rang in his underdeveloped, floppy ears. His soft brown head turned back, weak blue eyes searching the dim light for the pale grey shape he knew had made that sound. Concern for his siblings was beyond the boy at such an early age, but he was aware that their distress was a “bad” thing. It either meant that they were making noises that woke him up, or that there was something he ought to be unhappy about too – like when they were hungry or cold. Or perhaps like now, when their food and comfort was missing.

Neha's blurry shape made its way toward him, wobbling and stumbling a little here and there. Internally it was comforting to have one of the familiar and constant beings beside him in this strange extension of reality. Interestingly, the other sibling came forward with a cry of his own, meeting their sister halfway with what he knew to be play. Now that he was awake and feeling more-so by the minute, he would have felt compelled to join in if not for the worrying lack of their guardian. He watched silently as the two pups approached, stumbling onto his haunches when the grey one bumped him. He watched her with some puzzlement, but it was immediately forgotten. The approach of a big grey form pulled his wobbly head back toward the new world. While his eyes told him it looked like their mother, his nose and ears were quick to dispel the thought. No, this was not her. This was a new being, and it brought with it another strange object.

This assault of the unknown had the boy taking a step back. His sister seemed to have the same first impression, but upon discovering that it was false, chose instead to go toward the new things. Aleister's chuff met his fuzzy ears as the darker child retreated as well. Cernan would have been concerned for his sister if his emotions were so complex. Instead he knew only concern for himself – survival and comfort. Spurred on by his brother's timid behavior, the youngster took another step back with a nervous, “Merrrrrnnn.” Now feeling safer beside the other brown form, He looked on as no harm came to the silver child. Her coat was barely distinguishable against the stranger's now. Feeling that this new being was much like the blade of grass – that is, that it held no capacity for bad things – the chubbiest pup placed a tentative paw forward; his head low and neck stretching out. He was on his toes and ready to run away at the first sign of danger, that is if his uncooperative feet could handle it. Choosing not to vocalize further, the prince simply sniffed, taking in the new scent and watching the big thing with wide, nervous eyes.

His unfocused eyes lifted at the soft sound of his silver sister's call. Cernan only stared at her with confusion and a bit of bewilderment. They knew nothing about this thing. Why on earth was she so okay with it? It was so very close to their home and it brought with it strange scents! That was no good in his book. When it moved the pint-sized prince's legs locked solid; cementing him in place as his tiny eyes struggled to decipher what was going on. At least she wasn't standing on the strange being now. That was a bit better. Suddenly a delicate white object was revealed; twitching in the air kind of like the green things did, but moreso. Immediately he wondered if this little thing was like them. it moved like they could, and yet there was no sense to be made in its strange motions. This was only further disconcerting to his infant mind.

Again his grey blob of a sister went boldy forward. Cernan still couldn't move even as Aleister advanced as well. No way he was going so close to the living-not-living thing. The big grey one was scary enough. The youth's pale blue eyes followed them all; still stretched wide with apprehension. Suddenly the abrupt movement of the little brown one snapped his gaze up. He'd taken the thing and he was running off with it! What was he supposed to do about that? Cernan didn't want to go so far into this strange place; or any closer to the stranger for that matter. Now even more overwhelmed, the pup moved back toward the den while staring awkwardly at the unknown presence.  

“Mmmmm,” he uttered warily. Where was the guardian right now? This was getting out of hand!