Hearthwood River wait for it

Being a good sister was important to her just like being a good mother, daughter, and friend. She strived to be good in every aspect of her life but lately she had been feeling as though she was failing in most. To add to it she couldn't help Risa with the question of who her father was which Inna knew wasn't any fault of her own. It was that she felt her little sister should know who her father was. All her life Inna had known who her father was and Maksim was a good father to her while he could be. Risa deserved the chance to learn the things a father could teach her just like the Ebony Baranski had. She could only hope that one day Kisla would tell the girl who her father was so Risa could have the chance to meet him.

Since nothing more could be done about the matter of who Risa’s father was In a thought it was high time she got to know Risa better. There was just one thing that she had to do first, check on her own daughter. Inna still worried about her cub and spending too much time away from her was still rather upsetting for the new mother.

“Perfect,” stated Inna when the girl agreed to go on an adventure with her, the question now was where to take Risa. First they had to make a stop, “I think Oksana will be happy to see you,” that was if she was awake. If not Risa could always visit the dark pup later when she was awake. “It's this way,” She said leading the child in the direction of the den. It wasn't a far walk to get to the den where Inna poked her head in and found her daughter still asleep. “I'm afraid you will have to visit her later,” said Inna once she returned from checking on her daughter. “We should get our adventure started, don't you think?”

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: Jul 04, 2017, 02:31 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

The pup was more than happy to follow her sibling wherever she wanted to take her. She trotted along behind Inna, occasionally getting underfoot or tripping over her own paws. But nevertheless, she kept up fairly well, and began to wriggle in excitement. Still, she contained herself, crawling on her stomach to the entrance of the den and looking at the dark puppy in awe.

"'Sana," she whispered, silvery-blue eyes round. She wanted badly to give the baby a kiss on the head, but didn't want to disturb her nap. As a happy middleground, she just watched the pup sleep for a few moments, as if to judge if she was alright or not. Satisfied, she backed up from the entrance and smiled at Inna. "Seep," she agreed, nodding her head. "La'er." The pup was content to come back by the den in the near future.

Ris wanted to ask her sister where they would be going, but she forgot which words she was supposed to be using. Her brows drew up in confusion and concentration, and she cleared her throat. "Go?" she asked, tipping her head to the side and hoping that the raven would be able to understand what she was trying to say. Inna seemed pretty intuitive, and she didn't doubt that she was smart enough.

Inna had a soft spot for puppies which she'd found out the previous year with Lachesis’ pups specifically Kyrios. It still saddened her things had turned out the way they had with the yearling. She still thought of him sometimes and hoped he was okay, there were times she regretted not spending more time with him and his sister. Had she they might still be in Hearthwood. Risa was her sister though and she would not leave of the Raven had anything to say about it. As Inna led her sister to her den she did not mind when the child got under her feet and would stop to wait each time Risa tripped over her own feet.

They soon arrived at the den, Inna had taken note that one of the pack members had been there. Then she slipped into check on Oksana only to find her still sleeping. Risa had followed her in which didn't bother Inna and she was pleased when the pup agreed that they should leave the tiny Baranski to her slumber. “I'm sure she will be ready to play when you come back,” assured Inna once they were back outside the den.

During their trek back to the den Inna had been considering the places that she could take Risa for an adventure. Some of them weren't doable just then as her sister was still too small to travel that far. One place had stuck out which she thought would be perfect for their first adventure together. The Raven knew of a small cave that would be perfectly safe for her sister to explore and she would be right there with her the whole time. So when Risa spoke the one word In a smiled down at her and said, “Cave,” she then set off once more leading the way showing her sister more of Hearthwood as they went.

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: Jul 05, 2017, 01:39 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

Inna had said that Oksana would probably want to play when they got back, and Ris was more than fine with that. The silvery Tainn was a wildcard when it came to patience - with certain things, like adventure and boredom, she was completely and utterly impatient. But with others, like the younger pups of the pack, and with Matheo, she was the epitome of the virtue. It was likely due to the fact that she loved them all so much it felt like her little heart would burst, and she considered all the girls of the pack fragile little babies - though they were just a few weeks younger than herself.

She nodded her head in wordless affirmation, and padded enthusiastically after her elder sibling with her stubby tail wagging over her back. She made a game of prancing between Inna's paws, and chased a butterfly when she got distracted, but again kept up fairly easily. The pup was beginning to feel those telltale signs of tiredness, but it wasn't nearly enough to deter her from the adventure just yet. She would have to be dragged to a nap now that Inna had promised an adventure.

It was her favorite word, after all.

Her sister took them to a big hole in the ground that was not very unlike a den. The child half expected to find puppies inside, but upon scenting the entrance, she could tell it was empty. 'Cave,' Inna said, and Ris grinned brightly at the new word. "C-c-c-ca-aaaa-bve," she stuttered - incorrectly - and turned to run in headfirst. Her paws skittered on the damp floor, and she fell to her belly in a fit of giggles and a furiously wagging tail.

Inna was certain that Oksana would be ready to play when she finally did wake up which the Baranski hoped she wouldn't do while she was away. Then if Risa was up for it they could play outside the den, Inna hoped Oksana wouldn't show Risa how to play in mud puddles. She wasn't sure her mother would be very happy with her if she brought back a dirty pup. The ebony Baranski wanted her daughter to meet their aunt and uncle but it was kind of hard when she was always asleep. She hoped that Oksana and Risa would be good friends but it would have to wait.

While her daughter slept she would take her sister in an adventure. The cave, Inna was sure it was safe for a puppy to play and explore. For their first adventure she thought it would be perfect for them to explore it especially since it wasn't too far from the den. It would be an easy journey for her younger sibling to traverse and still be able to explore the cave once they reached it. Risa’s antics on the way to the cave brought a smile to her features and she didn't mind at all when the pup got between her paws.

When they finally reached the cave Inna allowed Risa to investigate under her watchful eye to make sure she didn't get hurt. The Baranski doubted an injury would go over well with Kisla either. When the girl pronounced the word incorrectly Inna only smiled and nodded, she would say it the right way soon enough. This day was about fun and Risa was more than excited as she ran forward. Inna thought fearless was a good word to describe the tawny puppy. As the child fell quite literally into a fit of giggles Inna laughed with her.

She then moved forward and gave Risa a nudge in her side, “Come, let's see what we can find inside,” she said before making her way into the cave.

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: Jul 06, 2017, 03:43 PM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

It was so weird in the cave. Like the den, it was dark. Unlike the den, it was not muddy, but instead rocky. It also wasn't stifling or small or anything - there was plenty of room to romp and play and explore. And Inna seemed to really want to explore, which was more than fine with the pale puppy. It was kind of hard to see her sibling in the darkness, but the pup decided that she didn't mind that, either. Though her own light fur glowed like some sort of beacon in spite of the blackness around them.

After Inna nudged her side, she got to her feet and bounced after the dark wolf, stubby tail whipping around excitedly. "N'side?" she asked, silver-blue eyes round as she took in what she could of the deep, imposing darkness within the cave. It wasn't scary, though - it was like nighttime, but darker. And Ris loved the nighttime, especially when there were those little spots of light everywhere. But, in reality, there wasn't much that scared the puppy. It could perhaps be naivety, or stupidity, but the child just didn't seem to have the gene that carried a sense of fear. It was likely that would prove to be an issue as she aged.

The air cooled within the cave, and Ris closed her eyes to embrace the chilled air. This was turning out to be one of the Best Days Ever, in the child's book, and she hoped that she and Inna would get to go on many more adventures in the future. Wanting to show her gratitude for the dark wolf's indulgence of her adventurous spirit, Risaela weaved between her forelegs and brushed her head against her sister's chest. "L-l-love N'inna," she chirped, perking her ears as she made out Inna's orange eyes in the darkness.

Having only been in the cave once before Inna only remembered that it would be a safe place to take her sister. She didn't remember exactly how it looked inside so she felt like she was exploring it for the first time too. So in a way they could both experience it for the first time together and that was exciting for the Baranski. She could only hope that her sister would have fun during their expedition which was off to a good start with her sinking in a fit of giggles at the entrance to the cave. Inna hadn't even considered that Risa might have already visited the cave when she had made the decision to bring her there but she felt it was more important that they were spending the time together.

With a nudge to her sister's side she left the pale girl into the depths of the cave. “Yes, the adventure lies within,” she said with a mysterious air to her tone. She hoped it would only make her sister more curious about what was held in the depths of the cave. That was all part of it if course, making it just that much more exciting for the younger wolf. Adventure was what puppies loved. The prospect of learning new things, Inna could remember from when she was a pup. Even as an adult she still felt the pull off a good adventure which was what had made her want to become a scout for the pack.

As she entered she made sure that Risa was right there with her. The floor of the cave was damp under her paws but nothing that was unbearably uncomfortable. The air was also much cooler and faintly the Baranski could hear a dripping off water. She wasn't sure how far the cave went but perhaps with the aide of her sister they could find out. As she stood letting her eyes adjust to the darkness she felt the brush of fur as Risa came to be between her forepaws and then her sisters head against her chest. Inna smiled as the girl spoke, “Me too,” she said as she placed a kiss on the pups pale crown. For a moment she stood with Risa looking into the depths of the cave. “Shall we see if we can find the water?” She finally asked her gaze dropping to Risa.

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: Jul 08, 2017, 07:07 AM by Inna.)

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'The adventure lies within,' her sibling said, her voice sounding (to Risaela, at least) like it was beckoning her along on a magical quest. The pup's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes went round with wonder. She glanced around, owlish eyes trying to take in absolutely everything she possibly could about the Cave of Awesome. She probably wouldn't have been afraid of the cave if she was going in alone, but having Inna there gave the pup even more confidence than she would've had by herself. "Ooh," she breathed in amazement, her stubby tail wagging so hard that she almost tossed herself off balance.

Inna reciprocated the puppy's affection, and she smiled when her sister kissed the top of her head. She nuzzled the dark wolf's fur, a tiny whine forming in her throat. If there was anything the little one loved - aside from adventure - it was love. She adored cuddle time with Kisla and Matheo, and even her Uncle Lachesis Cloud. Though most of the wolves in the pack were far too averse to that sort of thing, it seemed. But Inna was a mom, too, like Kisla - she understood.

She also understood that Risaela adored discovery. The new challenge to 'find the water' was more than appealing, and the pup nodded in excitement, a grin forming on her maw. She bounced in place, weaved around Inna's forelegs, and then took off at a puppy sprint down deeper into the darkness. Her eyes were beginning to adjust, and the adaption was starting to ameliorate the venture down into the cave. That way, she wouldn't run into any walls on the way to the water.

It was remarkably easy to find, because it only took a few seconds for her forepaws to plunge into a deep puddle. She fell facefirst once more, but this time into the shockingly cold pool of water at the back of the cave. It didn't hurt, but it was deeper than Ris was tall, and she didn't quite know how to swim.

Making this adventure with her sister as special as she could was important to Inna. So she tried to make it that much more exciting for Risa with the way she had spoken of the adventure that she felt would be inside the cave for the little girl. With the look that came across her sister's face she knew that she had done her job of at least getting the child more excited than she already was about the adventure they were getting ready to embark upon. Of course In a knew that the cave already held wonder and excitement on its own for the simple fact that it was something new. All that was left was to take the first steps inside and then Risa would get to see what lay ahead for them.

Risa showed her appreciation for the adventure through her affection toward her big sister which Inna had no problem returning. She may have had her apprehensions before about the fact Risa was not her father's child but that was slowly leaving her as she grew to really care for her sister. It was her chance to he a good big sister all over again. Maybe she could show Risa that she didn't have to leave Hearthwood to find happiness unlike her other siblings. She was also sad for the tiny pup because Inna didn't know if she would ever get to know her older siblings. However, the Raven wasn't sure she ever wanted Risa to meet Aleksei, she felt he would be a bad influence and only end up hurting Risa in the end.

After the had allowed their eyes to adjust to the dark for a few moments Inna felt it was time to get their adventure going. She didn't want her little sister getting too tired before she really had the chance to see what the cave had to offer. The faint sound of water that had caught the Baranski's attention seemed the best place to start and she suggested as much to the pup. It wasn't hard to figure out that Risa agreed with the suggestion as she soon was bounding off after having weaved between her big sister legs. Inna was quick to follow her sibling through the darkness.

Soon enough Inna heard the familiar sound of splashing as she saw the pale form of Risa fall into the water. Only a moment later Inna was there charging into the water which came up to her stomach to help her sister out of it before something had to her. “There you are,” she said with a small laugh, “It takes a little bit to get used to moving through water.” Inna remembered when she had learned to swim and was sure Risa would get the hang of it someday too. “Would you like to explore some more or try your paw at the water again?” Now was as good of a time as any that she could give her sister a little swimming lesson.

~Table by Jacqueline

(This post was last modified: Jul 10, 2017, 07:07 AM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

The deep water was not as good as the puddles, Risaela decided. It went up her nose and got in her eyes, and she breathed in a little bit of it. But Inna was quick to scoop her back out, and the tawny puppy sputtered and choked until she could breathe comfortably again. It wasn't painful, so instead of crying, she just brushed it off like she would with any bump or bruise. She shook her fur so hard that she fell off balance and had to catch herself to keep from falling, but she managed.

'There you are,' her sister was quick to comfort, and perhaps Inna didn't know just who Risaela was just yet. Because she was the toughest, and water wasn't about to change that. Because Matheo or one of the baby puppies might have been scared and crying from the tumble into the pool, but not Ris. No sir.

Then, Inna asked if she wanted to adventure more or try swimming, and that was a tough toss-up. Because adventuring was the best thing ever, but learning to swim was just as good as adventuring. But maybe Inna had a specific reason for taking her into the cave, because if she'd just taken her here to swim then they may as well have gone to the deeper parts of the river. Perhaps there was something special about the cave.

"A-a-av-den-t-t-tre," she tried, meaning that she wanted to see more of the cave instead. They always had water, but she wanted to see what Inna wanted to show her. "More," the pup prompted, much more clearly, as she started off around the pool of water to head deeper into the cave. Prancing as though she didn't just fall facefirst into it just moments before.