Kisla’s initial reaction to the outside world had been one that could only be defined as wimpy. Her introduction to her two uncle’s had been timid as well, and the little girl had sought comfort from the warmth and security of her mother. Afterwards, as she lay curled up beside her brothers that night, the tawny babe had dreamed only of the softness of the grass, and the exhilarating color of the sky. Instead of the world being so scary, the prospects the outside offered had become tempting, and Kisla had awoken the next day with a craving to taste this experience once more.


As much as she longed to venture her tiny paws out the den entrance, she did not try again until days had passed. One sunny mid-morning, the little girl cast a sideways glance to her mother, who seemed to dose in and out of sleep. With what she thought was cleverness, little Kisla prowled forward, her little bum wagging in the air with excitement as she danced to the den entrance. As the world came in to view once more and the warm sun hit her face, the whelp thrusted her muzzle in the air, a playful growl escaping her jaws. With a content ‘plop,’ the only daughter of Indru and Corinna Tainn parked her chubby rump to the grass very close to the den entrance. As much as she longed to play, she also longed to study the world that was just outside her den and see what she had missed on that first day of fear.

It was impossible to keep her eyes on one spot alone; as soon as Kisla’s attention would shift from one thing to another in the great outdoors, suddenly her peripheral vision would catch glimpse of something else that needed to be studied. It was a lot to take in, and yet the little babe remained settled at the den entrance, her rump placed carefully on the soft ground as she allowed her awe to overtake all thought and emotion.


Naïve and innocent with her experiences, the little whelp was not as cautious as she would become when older, and so Corinna’s presence took her by surprise. Startled at first by the gentle touch of her mother, Kisla recoiled for a split second, her eyes widening as they sought out the creator of this caress. Relieved when her gaze met with her mother’s familiar form, the golden pup wiggled her body in excitement; mom had come to play! Lifting her muzzle up to soak in the silver she-wolf’s embrace, Kisla’s features lit up with a smile. “Hai, mum!” Her squeal was barely able to contain her glee at Corinna’s presence, and as the mother commented on how pretty it was, Kisla could only nod in adamant agreement. “Prilly,” she agreed, her eyes flickering down to her paw where a soft rustle in her fur had spurred her attention. Blinking, the babe noted a bright yellow and black bug; bumble bee had yet to make its way to her vocabulary. “Whassat?” She chirruped, moving her paw anxiously closer to her mothers. It was the sudden movement that caused the little creature to panic, and only a brief second later Kisla felt the sting deep in her right forepaw. Jolting, the girl let out a yelp, giving a violent shake of her limb to rid herself of the painful thing. Seconds later, stunned and hurt, the girl’s eyes began to well with tears.

The tears that now streaked her light golden fur was far from the beginning, and as her puppy blue eyes sought out Corinna’s, the bubbling anxiety of pain she felt was finally released in a long stringing wail that raised in pitch as moments passed.


Corinna’s maternal instincts were swift, and the little girl allowed herself to be coddled by her mother as the she-wolf gingerly swept her tongue across the swelling hurt. With her paw and pride stinging, the whelp sniffled as she snuggled her muzzle to the soft and familiar fur of her mother’s neck, seeking solitude in Corinna’s embrace. Her ears swiveled to the sound of the leader’s voice, but the middle child did not pull away from the warmth of Corinna’s chest and side. However, as the silver mother explained what had happened, a light indigence startled Kisla from her hiding spot, and she straightened herself, glancing up at Corinna with an unimpressed sulk. “I not scary!” she quipped, her eyes woefully glancing down once more to her paw. But her hurt feelings were slowly ebbing away with Corinna’s soothing words, and the babe finally gave a light nod in return. “I guess,” she decided, though a slight whimper still traced her voice.

With one more kiss to her forehead, the girl finally relented her anguish to her mother’s attention and allowed the black and yellow creature to fade from her memory. Corinna settled down in the soft grass beside her, and mimicking her mother as she did unconsciously many a time, Kisla plopped herself down with less finesse than the graceful adult had, though her own small figure was curled haphazardly against her mother’s side.


The silence of the beautiful day was interrupted by her mother, and rolling over to her back, the girl exposed her pale underside to the world, both ears flickering to the soothing sound of Corinna’s voice. Of course, to the young mind with little to no attention span, the question at first confused her slightly. Glancing up to the silver she-wolf’s green eyes, Kisla blinked thoughtfully, finally realizing what her mother was asking her. “Prilly,” she decided then and there, the mispronounced word completely unnoticed by the youth. That was how she would describe the world.


Pulling her hurt paw toward her mouth to give it a thoughtful suckle, the baby cast a glance to her mother once more before gleaming a grin. Rolling to her side, Kisla sprang clumsily to her paws, her growing body soon shooting off down the grassy slopes of the den site. “Catch me!” Her trill was of excitement, and with those very words, Kisla initiated a game of tag since for the moment she had Corinna to herself. Of course it did not take the young girl to tire, and soon her weary body would once more find the grass, and in the sunshine, a nap would overcome her.