Sex: FemaleMe too! She chirped back in response, her bright gaze meeting the tangerine pools of her friend. I couldn’t imagine not living by a river. It’d be so quiet. The Surge was similar to the river in the north in appearance, but it felt different. There were no ghosts here—not yet. The land was untainted by tragedy and her packmates appeared happier. They were getting along once more; smiling, talking. Her father barely frowned anymore. It was a good change for them; it was just going to take some time getting used to. Especially for Oksana. The girl nodded as the crow mentioned she had not gotten a chance to explore very much and that she had been working on her skills. Maybe Lavender needed to focus on sharpening her skills, too… she felt like she was trailing behind the Baranski. That’s okay, she murmured as she bumped her friend’s shoulder, we got lotsa time to explore. An’ skills are important! She continued down the path, her plume waving slowly behind her. Where do y’think this goes?
Oksana nodded in response to what Lavender had said about it being too quiet without a river. She was relieved that she wasn't the only one who thought about the river that way. Do you think it's because we were born by it and just so used to it or do you think it might be deeper than than? She asked her pale friend. It was something she'd thought about on those nights when she didn't want to revisit the conversations had with her mother or think about the day she'd left her behind. After lavender spoke she didn't feel so bad about concentrating on her skills. That's true there is plenty of time since we live here now and skills are definitely important now that we are getting to that age when we have to start helping. Besides it helps, she admitted that last part to her friend. Her tail swayed behind her a she looked up the path they were following, I don't know, she said glancing at her agemate, Maybe to another part of the river or a cave we could explore. That would be fun.
Probably ‘cause we’re so used to it, she hummed in agreement as she continued alongside her friend. Deeper? She didn’t know. It was possible, but stating that it was just because of their close proximity to the rushing water was just an easier response. Lavender did find the sound of the rushing water relaxing; as a child she had taken countless naps by the water’s edge, lulled to sleep by the sound. But she couldn’t imagine living deeper in the forest, away from the river, where everything was quiet. Her sister would probably rap more, overcome by the silence, and Lavender would likely go mad. Exactly! She chirped as she bumped her friend’s shoulder with her own, her plume wagging gently behind her. Lavender needed to focus a little more on her own skills, and not just her exploring skills. It was definitely hard to focus on adult things when they had just moved and everything was new and exciting. She just wanted to explore all day!
Maybe another part of the river or a cave we could explore. Her eyes lit up with excitement. I wonder how far it goes? She knew that, eventually, the river would lead up with the lake she and her father adored so much, but where did it begin? Maybe that’s an adventure for another day, she added with a soft laugh.
Oksana nodded in response to what Lavender said about the river, It has always been there, a constant in our lives, she agreed. So many nights the little Crow had found herself by the river, sometimes in Hearthwood but more now when she didn't have her mother sleeping beside her. It was a comfort, The river is like an old friend, she voiced her thoughts out loud after her friend had agreed with her. Oksana saw becoming better at her skills as a way to prove herself to the pack and play to herself that she could survive without her mother so she'd thrown herself into them. Soon she would be old enough to be expected to pull her weight and she wanted to be able to do that. She knew she wasn't like the other pups so she had to work harder.
I don't know but it will be fun to find out. She said when Lavender spoke of how far the river actually went. We have plenty of time now but you might be right. We can follow this path for a bit longer before heading back. She wasn't quite ready to head back just yet.
That’s a good way to put it, she hummed in response to the crow, her tail sweeping behind her. The river had always been there. It was a source of life; of comfort. Living anywhere else would be wrong. Even the forest was similar to the Kingswood, but it was still different. Better. It made the pale Stark feel safer, even if she was mostly unfamiliar with the territory. It just gave her a reason to explore. Now that she was nearing her first birthday Lavender was able to explore more freely (especially since she was no longer afraid of leaving the territory). She wanted to make this place her home—the home that Hearthwood couldn’t be after everything that had happened.
The river had to start somewhere near the mountain, or on it, as part of their territory was embedded into the rock. But scouring the mountain for the origin of the river could wait until the weather warmed and the snow began to disappear. She certainly did not want to get caught in a snowstorm atop the mountain. That wouldn’t go over well with her parents. Sounds good to me, she chirped in approval, a wide smile tugging at her pale features as she nosed her friend’s shoulder.
She smiled when Lav said that she'd put it a good way about the river. It was how she saw it and the best way she could describe what the river meant to her. Even when everything in her life seemed so bad and that it would be very get better the river had been there. She could talk to it and express whatever emotions were swirling inside her without worry of being judged for them. Oksana couldn't imagine living in a place that didn't have a river, she knew that was what made Driftwood feel like home even though her mother wasn't there.
Oksana could only imagine where the river started and where it ended, she thought that somehow it went to the lake. As to where it began she wanted to know but that was to be saved for another day of exploration with her friend. Great! That's what we will do and then when we are done we can go back and get a snack. Surely they would have worked up an appetite by the time they finished. She nudged Lavenders shoulder in return for her gesture. Oksana was glad to have the young Stark as her friend. Let's go see what we can see, she said as she started up the path.
Fade