Her world was spheres of light and sound, ever expanding and colliding. At first there was just the darkness, in which she squirmed about for her mother's warmth and life alongside her equally squirmy siblings. With time, her senses sharpened, and she grew stronger, able to discern more detail from her little world. The rosy-round little pup could now even stumble a few steps alongside her mother, could see the circle of light (and sometimes shadow) that she came to understand was outside. She came to understand that her world was a den and there was more out there than in here, though she had no idea what it all meant. Ma would go out there sometimes, and lately, Stel had watched her go, toddling a few steps after and wondering about it all very much.
She was very happy, of course. The darkness of the den was warm and safe and familiar, she was never very hungry for very long, her mother was amazing and wonderful and strong and warm, her brothers were soft and wiggly and also warm and even fun, if they already annoyed the tiny girl now and then. Fun, annoyance, these were new things too, and she treasured each new thing.
But little Stella was never contented. Each new spark of sensation, each new step, was a revelation to her, and the intrepid little pup was hungry for more and more each day.
This particular morning, as rays of gold fell through the den's entrance, illuminating the motes of dust and turning everything into magic, Stel felt today was the day, for sure this time. She rose, her small round frame swaying on unsteady paws, and toddled her way determinedly to the den's entrance, pausing on the very brink to blink in amazement at the dazzling sunlight and all it illuminated. "Oooooh!" she cooed in excitement, tiny ears lifting and stretching forward. She spared a look back into the den, toward everything she knew, and then turned to face the sun again. She heard birds, the trees, the wind; the world was calling back to her. She saw new colors and light, new shapes and forms, smelled new scents, other wolves! She took another step forward, a paw falling outside the den's entrance, her senses rushing to life all at once, all over again. So this was outside, huh? Yeah, it was the best place ever!