Jasper Rocks What's this?

For @Oula

The Little Dragon was bigger now, stronger, and able to toddle further and further away from the den with each passing day. The few times he had wandered away from the safety of the thicket, his Da had found him in no time at all and herded him back, with a few affectionate-if not a little chiding- nips. But today there were no bigs in sight and Aegir realised that if he wanted to explore then he'd have to be quick about it.

So off he hurried, his tail held high and wagging maniacally as he pushed through the undergrowth. There were so many new things to see and smell, like that tree or this rock! It was almost a little overwhelming, too much for his mind to take in but he was a smart boy and behind his puppy blue eyes his brain was ticking away and putting the pieces together.

What was that sound? His non-floppy ear stood to attention as he strained to pinpoint the source of that strangle trickling sound. It had to be around here somewhere, he'd been toddling for a while but his legs weren't tired! Not even a little! But maybe he was a little hungry... Oh well. With a rallying bark, he continued on, seeking out the source of the 'woosh.'

With the help of his-not so- fine tuned senses, Aegir found it! The found the source of the unknown sound and it was... Approaching the pool, Aegir sniffed at the shimmering surface and-oh! His nose was wet and cold now! With a thoughtful frown, the Little Dragon dipped his paw into the water next and marvelled at the feeling. It was so interesting! And those moving squiggly things beneath the surface, what were they?In his excitement Aegir leaned forward, eager to get a better look.

With little @Roland's tummy full and swiftly swept off to dreamland, Oula took the opportunity to stretch her limbs. She quietly slipped from the den, ravenously crunching down the leftovers of a hare someone had left behind for her. Licking the dried blood and fur from her lips, she was in need of a cool drink to wash it all down. The watering hole nearby simply wouldn't do as it steadily evaporated in the heat, leaving more mud than water at this point. The weather had warmed considerably, her thick winter coat shedding in fluffy clumps and leaving the typically refined looking woman with a rather disheveled appearance. 

Oula made her way towards the creek, where she then followed the sinuous waterway towards a pool she knew to have the clearest water. She hadn't expected anyone else to be there, and was quite surprised to find a small brown figure staring into the water, leaning much closer than she liked. Her nose twitched, jaws slightly parted as she drew in air. By scent, she knew the child to be Pip's son, but this was the first time she had seen Aegir in person.

Oula chuffed. Her child or not, no cub should be standing that close to to the water unattended. Stout legs taking long strides, she quickly made her way towards the dark coated boy. Oula swiftly leaned down once she was behind him, grasping the boy by the scruff and pulling him back.

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

One moment he'd been leaning in, getting a better view of the black wrigglers and the next something was pinching the back of his neck and lifting him into the air. At first he thought his Ma had found him, that she was going carry him all the way home but...Wait a second. He sniffed and his little black nose wriggled with the effort. This wasn't his Ma! In fact, he didn't recognise this smell at all. Not even a little!

The Little Dragon scowled and his lips curled back into a puppish-approximation of a snarl. It wasn't all that mighty, you know considering he was a pup but oh boy did he mean it! Grrrr! They-whoever they were- must have been terrified but they deserved every bit of fear they felt for handling a dragon like this. If they gave in and let him go then maybe Aegir would take mercy on them and decide not to gnaw on their ankles, but as things stood they were in heaps and heaps of trouble!

And oh they would learn that it was unwise to anger the Sea Dragon.

"Nah!"He wriggled and squirmed in their grip and tossed his head this way and that as his little legs kicked uselessly at the air."Nah Ma! Leggo!"

See, he could talk now. Well, sort of. Learning from Da was hard work but the Little Dragon was anything but unperturbed by the challenge. If anything it gave him something to do when he was left alone for hours on end. But now wasn't the time to marvel at his linguistic skills, he was being harassed! Bothered by a pest!