Hearthwood River dive into the unknown

Late morning, patchy rain possible, 67°F, 19°C. @Lachesis. Oksana is 4 weeks old

It had rained for much of the morning, just like it always seemed to do, and Oksana had been waiting patiently inside the warmth of the den for what seemed like forever for the rain to stop falling. Her mother was out again, leaving the dark pup to satiate her own boredom, which so far was proving a struggle. She had tried to move and bounce around inside the den, but it was dark and empty and the novelty of that game soon wore off. So she had tried to sleep, or at least, trick the rain into thinking that she was asleep by closing her eyes at random times and opening them again before running towards the den entrance.

The rain never stopped though and at some point that morning she had started to wonder if she was ever going to be able to explore the outside world ever again. It was with that fear in her mind that Oksana had been driven to desperation, and so when the rain seemed to lighten, the small pup took her chances and dared to step outside beneath the wet mist.

Dark lashes strained against the moisture which clung to them and her muzzle wrinkled briefly at the feeling of her fluffy puppy fur growing damper the longer she stood just outside the den entrance. She refused to be deterred though, the rain might haven a little cold but it wasn’t unbearable. So, with her newly found freedom, Oksana toddled off in search of something to entertain her.

It wasn’t long before she caught sight of a particularly large mud puddle up ahead and without hesitation, the dark pup charged forwards, her slender tail waving wildly behind her before she jumped up and dived down into it. It didn’t take Oksana long to realise that this was no ordinary muddy patch, however, when a wave of water crashed down on top of her and the small pup found herself completely soaked to the skin. The muddy water rose right up to her chest and her navy blue eyes widened in panic when she noticed she could no longer see her legs.

Shivering uncomfortably, the dark pup let out a whine before she began to splash her way out of the deep murky puddle, hoping that her mother would be there to comfort her, like she always was, when she eventually escaped the water's clutches.

(This post was last modified: Jun 08, 2017, 11:07 AM by Oksana.)

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With all the puppies now moving freely outside their dens Lachesis patrolled the borders more frequently, ensuring that all the scent markers were fresh and that there were no strange wolves lurking around their borders. As far as he knew the white wolf that was banished from the monadnock due to the river wolves had vacated the north, but he did not want to let down his guard completely. Not with young ones wandering around the Kingswood. There had also been an attack on a Whitestone puppy the previous summer and he could not recall if the suspect had been caught. He did stray further than he had before, when the mothers still carried their children inside their swollen stomachs, but he remained close.

Upon completing an early morning patrol when he returned to the heart of the forest, his fur damp from the rain. He liked to sneak away from the den before the sun broke the horizon, for he felt as though he was able to work quicker for there were less interruptions. XIX knew that his subordinates would continue with later patrols, but he liked the solitude that came with dawn.

Before returning to the blue-eyed sparrow and their cubs Lachesis decided to pay the newest Baranski a visit. His paws led him to Inna’s isolated den, mud spraying up on his stomach as he trotted through the water-logged forest. He had hoped the rain had ended, for he feared that they would be struck by another flood, but the weather was relentless this year. First the snow and now the rain… it appeared the weather gods were against the land of Lore this year. His lips fell into a soft frown at the thought, his slender body weaving around the tree trunks with ease. The ghost was positive he could navigate the forest blind, for he knew the trees and river like the back of his paw. But he was not willing to test out his theory just yet…

As he arrived at the clearing outside the raven’s den he spotted little Oksana throwing herself into a puddle of mud. His brows jumped halfway up his forehead as he lunged forward, his paws skidding through the soft ground. “Oh Sana!” He sighed as stopped at the edge of the puddle, his frown quickly replaced with an amused grin. She looked like she was already regretting her jump. “Come here, Uncle Lach will clean you off,” he cooed, motioning toward his chest with a flick of his maw. 

stick with those who stick with you

There is a rabbit's nest nearby. +1 Health

Cold and shivering and entirely regretting her decision to jump into the deceptively deep and watery mud puddle, Oksana dragged her paws through the murky water to reach the drier ground. Her slender tail was no longer wagging excitedly behind her, but instead hung limp and soggy behind her and her small ears were pressed back firmly against her head in discomfort.

A tiny whimper began to work its way up her throat as she took her last couple of steps out of the puddle, but she pushed it back. However, the very moment she heard a voice and caught sight of a large white figure approaching her rapidly, the whimpers erupted out of the dark bedraggled pup with a vengeance and Oksana crumbled down into a whimpering wet mess.

She just didn’t understand why the muddy puddle had been so different, and suddenly getting soaked with murky water had shocked the dark pup. Her navy blue eyes ogled the white wolf suspiciously, unsure if she should trust him. She recognised his scent from before but he wasn’t her mother - and right now the comfort of her mother was all that her little heart desired. Her head began to twist around as her blurry eyes began to search around for the familiar dark shape of her mother and her whines grew more distressed when she couldn’t see her.

You have my permission to pp her in your next post if you want to!

(This post was last modified: Jun 09, 2017, 08:42 AM by Oksana.)

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His ears flattened against the back of his crown as she whimpered, her small body folding against the soggy ground as he approached. He offered her a small whine, to let her know that he was no threat, for he feared that the little bird would flee. XIX was not up for a game of chase—especially with the undesirable weather conditions. If little Oksana got sick on his watch he would never forgive himself, and he doubted Inna would either. Colds were dangerous for puppies, even if they were caught early.

The ghost watched as she glanced around frantically, presumably searching for her mother. His raven sidekick must have slipped away for a few minutes to stretch her legs or seek food—perhaps even both. A frown tugged at his lips as he shuffled closer, his body low in order to look less like a threat. “She’ll be back soon,” he assured her as he drew close, his voice soft as he attempted to calm the shivering cub. “But mom won’t be happy to see you so muddy!” His lips curled at this, a single brow raised as he sniffed her mud-slicked forehead before pressing his tongue against her ebony fur. “Uncle Lach will get you out of this mess, don’t worry,” he cooed before picking the child up by the scruff of her neck, ignoring any squirming that might ensue. He settled down next to a nearby tree with plenty of cover, in case the rain decided to return with a vengeance, before setting the Baranski down between his paws. 

stick with those who stick with you

Her little body trembled with the shivers as the water in her dark coat made her colder after she had drug herself from the depths of the watery puddle. Everything was so uncomfortably soggy as she sloshed her way out of the murky water toward drier ground. A disgruntled glance was thrown back at the puddle once she'd gotten herself out as another shiver ran through her body.

She wanted to be strong and not let the puddle affect her by pushing her whimpers down but there was something about hearing the voice and seeing the white figure coming toward her melted that resolve. With her paws tucked under her the whimpers that would not be pushed down rang in the air around them. She wanted her mom the dark presence was the only one that could make it better.

She watched the white male come closer and heard the whine that had come from him but she was still unsure. Her head tilted a little as he spoke words she didn't understand but the sound of his voice was soothing to the dark child. Her navy blue eyes closed as she felt his tongue press against her crown, it made her think of her mother. Without warning she felt her body being raised into the air as she was grasped in his jaws. Oksana struggled against him not understanding what he was doing, he couldn't take her away. Her mother would be back to make her feel better.

The tiny Baranski's struggles stopped when he placed her between his paws another whimper came as she looked up at him. Would he make her feel better like her mother could?

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As soon as he picked her up from the mud he squirming ensued, her body flailing frantically in a desperate attempt to free herself. He ignored her protests until he was settled, for he worried that she would fling herself into the puddle once more. The last thing he needed was a sick puppy—Inna would certainly scold him. Colds were no feat for older wolves, as they could usually chase one away with a few days of medication. Puppies, however, were a different story. Their colds could go from innocent to life-threatening overnight, as their frail bodies were incapable of defending themselves from viruses.

He remained silent as he (gently) tightened his paws around the bundle of dark fur—not to hurt her, but to prevent her from running away—as he knew that she did not understand the words that tumbled off his tongue. Instead he immediately got to work. The ghost repeatedly pressed his tongue to her dark fur, ridding her of the dirt that clung to her small body. He did not stop until all of the mud was gone; he could not return a half-clean Oksana to the dark raven. His lips curled in amusement at the thought but he continued silently, pressing soft licks to the girl’s forehead in an attempt to soothe her quivering body.

stick with those who stick with you

She struggled and struggled against the white man completely unaware that the pale leader was trying to help her. As he carried her over to the tree her whimpers and whines grew in volume. Oksana hoped that her cried would be heard by her mother and Inna would deal with this man who was trying to take her away from her den. Then he stopped and put her back on the ground between his paws once he'd settled himself. Her mother still hadn't come which produce a new round of whimpers from the tiny black ball of fur. She could still see the den, it was the first thing she looked for once placed on the ground. There, she could also see the offending mud puddle which brought a tiny growl from her throat.

She then looked up at the man as he tightened his grip on her, she realized he was not taking her away. Then she felt his tongue against her fur where the mud was, causing Oksana to tilt her tiny ebony head in curiosity. While he went about cleaning the mud from her coat the tiny pup reached out with her nose to sniff the white fur if his chest. For a long time she sniffed, taking in his scent though she didn't know that was what she was doing. Then she looked for her mother again believing she should be back. Another tiny whine filled the air when she realized her mother wasn't there yet.

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Once the little raven realized that Lachesis was merely trying to comfort her (as well as clean her) her protests diminished. She slumped between his paws, her navy pools darting frantically as she tried to decipher what he was doing to her. His lips twitched in amusement as he continued grooming her to ensure every last drop of mud was removed, even it meant tainting his own pale fur.

The small whine did not go unnoticed. XIX knew that she was looking for her mother—she was still young and craved her presence. As he pressed a soothing lick against her shoulders the ghost returned the whine with one of his own. “She will be back soon,” he offered in a soothing tone, even though he doubted that she would understand his words. Inna had most likely gone to stretch her legs and retrieve something from one of the caches. He did not suspect that the new mother would be gone long, for the raven had hardly spent any time away from Oksana since her birth. Lachesis was no replacement—he did not offer the same warmth or comfort that the Baranski gave. He was a mere substitute.

His chartreuse gaze narrowed as he studied the little raven, analyzing her dark fur to make sure there was no mud remaining. Allowing his grin to widen the ghost rested his chin against a foreleg parallel to the girl’s small body. His ears remained perched high atop his crown, listening for the approach of Inna or another river wolf. He kept his paws around her to prevent her from escaping, but his grip had loosened. Lachesis wanted her to feel safe even if she was unfamiliar with him.

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You can fade with your next post. We can do another with them.

It had taken a moment before Oksana realized she wasn't being taken from her den. Then it didn't take long for her to notice that the pale man was licking her coat. It was like her mother had done the day she'd gotten so muddy and after she'd been clean. Finally she understood that he was trying to get the mud off her which helped her to settle and she soon became curious about him.

It didn't make her want her mother any less which she made clear, going as far as vocalizing her desire for her mother to be there. Oksana didn't know why Inna hadn't come no matter how much she called for her. Then he whined and then spoke causing the child to look up at him as she tilted her head. Oksana didn't understand all of the words but she did understand be back. Her mother had said that to her a couple of times before leaving the den. The words weren’t a comfort to her, would he be leaving her too?she whined again as she looked at him. He had whined too maybe he wanted her mother too.

She'd been looking up at him when he started looking at her which made her a little nervous. She dropped her head a little until he laid his head in his foreleg and his grip on her loosened. She could feel the mud was gone from her coat and all her fussing had made her quite tired drawing a yawn from her tiny mouth. She wondered if her mother would mind if she took a nap outside the den. Oksana looked for her mother one more time before looking at the pale man. She bumped his cheek with her nose before curling up into the fur of his scruff, her eyes drooped until they finally closed.

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