<b>"Whut's disss?"</b> he asked between his teeth, glancing up at Corinna.</blockquote>
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Corinna had somewhat expected her son to plunge straight into the depths of the den at her indication that it would be safe for him to do so, so it surprised her when he paused for a few minutes before doing so. But eventually, he plunged into the dark hole with enthusiasm, young body eagerly wanting to discover the previously unexplored. Green eyes watched him, poised to come to his rescue should the den not be entirely unoccupied, though her own finely tuned nose had not picked up anything currently living and breathing in the old adytum. With some despair, Cori remembered the first time she had come here. Borlla had followed her, and had gone into meltdown mode when the newly empowered Swift River leader had even approached the hollow. But now it seemed that the den had lost its place of significance in the hearts of all except those who had been brought to life in this very place.
It didn't take very long for Fenru's explorations to come to an end, and his gray head popped out of the darkness soon enough. At first, the musing mother missed the skin hanging from her son's mouth, but as he spoke up, green eyes focused on the object. Very clearly, she grimaced - Corinna hated snakes. But her own disgust for the slithering creatures was replaced by a fear that perhaps its owner was still living within the den. Not likely, but one never knew. "Come on out, Fen," she cooed at him, keeping her gaze warily on the dangling skin from his mouth. "That's called a snake skin. Snakes are long, skinny creatures that slither on the ground. They can bite you, and it hurts. Every once in a while, they get new skins and cast off the old ones." She thought for a moment, she trying to decide how to relate a snake shedding its skin to her son. "It's like when you shed, and leave your fur all over my clean den." Playful voice took over and she nipped her son's ears, growling pleasantly at him.
He was all about asking questions and being curious. There was never enough information to satisfy the youngest member of the Tainn family. He was thrilled with life, and every aspect in it was appealing to him in the most interesting ways. Even as she explained to him what a snake was, Corinna's green eyes followed his face and his inner reaction to the idea. What was going on in that brain of his? More than she would ever be able to comprehend, that was for sure.
Laughing as her son bowed in play to her, the leader's tail wagged happily behind her. Flashing her teeth at him, she growled playfully at him and half lunged at him. "No, I've never been bitten by a snake," she told him, looking to the abandoned skin on the ground. "They know better than to mess with a mother." Her flaws would become apparent to her pups sooner rather than later, but she could certainly put on the illusion of being super mom for a little while later, couldn't she?
Nipping at the heels of her son, Corinna rose to her feet. She took his gentle teasing in stride and barked back at him. "Oh no you won't!" She cooed, giving him a few seconds head start before she ran forward. Tail wagging eagerly behind her, she nudged his flanks playfully to urge him along. He might not be able to outrun her now, but he would eventually. That particular day was not too far away. So as he raced ahead of her, Corinna slowed her speed and watched him run, heart filling with the kind of pride that only a mother can have. But his taunts got the best of her, and the leader did not remain stagnant for too long and raced after her pied son.