Dead Empress Backwater Brought Cha Something

Backdated to the 17th

some fairy tales are more than true

Sage trotted along merrily, bright eyes looking for her tiny friend. She had a bounce in her step and her tail wagged steadily behind her. She looked high and low, in and out of the shrubbery, sniffing about for the pup. The yearling tried to keep quiet and not call out for him, not wanting another to compete for what she'd brought him.

Crammed into her cheeks so that her mouth shut with difficulty were mussels. The shells threatened to cut her up, but she didn't mind. This was worth it. She wanted to see his face when he tried the peculiar texture. The earthy, creek and mushroom-flavored chewy thing inside. It was all in good-natured fun. She didn't think he'd be upset if he didn't like it. She was bringing him pretty shells and showing him how to open them, after all. Sage hoped he'd get all enthusiastic like he had during their fishing trip.

"She speaks" She walks She thinks

Jacy was still glowing from his little adventure and fishing lesson with sage earlier in the week. He'd proudly presented his very first fish to @Clover and loudly declared that he killed it. He'd eaten one of the others they'd caught that day, wanting to give his first ever to his second mum. He was determined to become the best fisher ever and he felt he had a pretty good start. He was practically already the best fisher there ever was.

His fur fluffed up and tail curled over his back in pride every time he thought of Sage telling him he was her favorite. He liked being the favorite. He hadn't been able to corner her into more play yet, but he was sure that would change. Little did he know, that was about to change right now. He smelled her, but didn't hear her at first. With a bright idea, he dashed into a nearby fern to hide, unable to stifle his giggle of excitement at this new game.

"Speech" Thought

some fairy tales are more than true

Sage shuffled through the vegetation, looking for her tiny friend. His giggle brought a playful smirk to her lips. He was hiding from her! She stifled a laugh, quietly creeping up toward where the sound had come from. She peered through the leaves at him and then quickly looked away. Fighting her own giggle she walked on by acting clueless to where he was and kept searching through the bushes.

After a few moments, she circled back and stood beside the hidden pup. She put on a dumbfounded look and sighed, dropping the mussels from her mouth, "Well, I guess I just can't find him." She moped, plopping down. She peered out the corner of her eye while shuffling through the shells. Grabbing one between her jaws she cracked it open and plucked the mussel out of it.

"She speaks" She walks She thinks

Dead Empress Backwater

For a moment he thought he was discovered, but Sage moved on, ruffling through the other bushes. Jacy wiggled in place, oblivious to the rustling he was quite clearly making to give away his hiding spot. Still, Sage appeared none the wiser and dropped with a sigh and sly comment. Jacy froze as she dropped her prize, head tilting. What did she have? Why was she carrying rocks around with her?

Oh! She crunched it open and a new smell hit his nose and in his excitement he forgot this game and came bounding out, all but pouncing on his friend as he ran into her shoulder. "Whazzat?" he asked, words blurring together in his enthusiasm. He sniffed at the little rock-things that Sage had broken open and eaten. "Why're ya eatin' rocks?"

"Speech" Thought

some fairy tales are more than true

The woman smiled as he collided with her shoulder, "There you are!" Green eyes watched as the inquisitive boy sniffed about her catch. Jaws parted to answer him but shut when he spoke again. Instead of replying she softly laughed and nosed over an open shell to him. "They do resemble rocks, but these are mussels. You break open the shell for a chewy snack inside." She picked up an unopened treasure and gently cracked it between her teeth. Just enough that it wasn't truly opened but would have a start. She placed it down by him then instructed, "Watch me first, then if you'd like, try!" Her voice was cheery and boisterous. She was excited to be sharing this time with her friend. Curious about his young tastebuds and how he'd respond to the strange flavor.

Sage picked up another one, cracked it open so he could see, then laid it on the ground. Using her incisors she plucked the mussel out and ate it.

"She speaks" She walks She thinks

Dead Empress Backwater

Sage smiled and Jacy felt triumphant, even more so as she gently laughed and nudged one of the weird rocks toward him. He made a face when she said they weren't rocks; they looked like them, so they had to be! Only, she picked it back up and bit it and it cracked. His eyes widened. She just bit a rock in half! If he'd thought Sage couldn't get any cooler, he was wrong.

She demonstrated opening another one, and there was something inside! His mouth popped open in silent surprise as she ate it. He looked down at the partially cracked rock she'd placed in front of him. Could he crack a rock? With his teeth?

Jacy leaned down, picked up the 'mussel', and chomped the flat surface as hard as he could. He dropped the rock with a yelp and licked at his teeth. "That hurt," he complained, glaring at the rock before turning baleful eyes upon his friend. "Why didn't it break? I wanna crack rocks too!" He plopped his butt on the ground with a dramatic whine.

"Speech" Thought

some fairy tales are more than true

Sage immediately regretted not opening the mussel for Jacy. An apologetic expression crossed her face with worried eyes. She got up to gently nudge his face, landing a lick across his muzzle if he allowed. She hadn't considered a puppy's jaws not being strong enough. She didn't realize he could potentially hurt himself. "I'm sorry it hurt, are you okay?" The yearling turned back to the mussel, inspecting the crack with mild frustration. Why hadn't this worked out for Jacy?

The girl felt more guilt as the boy complained about not being able to open the rock. She wasn't going to correct him, her mind grasping for an idea. She looked around them for a high vantage point, perhaps if he couldn't break them open with his jaws he could drop it from somewhere? She spotted a tree with a low thick branch that'd allow her to climb up onto it and set in motion with another mussel grasped between her teeth.

Sage pulled herself up, making sure to gauge how far of a drop it'd be if her friend lost his balance. It didn't seem too dangerous. From there she chucked the mussel down as hard as she could, "Did it work?" She wanted so badly to find a way he could open it. "If not, maybe we could drop a heavy rock on it? Then you can break it too!" She enthused about the idea to try and keep his spirits up.

"She speaks" She walks She thinks

Dead Empress Backwater

Without hesitation Sage got up and checked on him, nudging his face and then turning back to the mussel. Then she did a strange thing, picking up the little rock creature and climbing. Jacy, still licking his sore teeth, watched her curiously, little head tilting. Then she threw the rock creature to the ground. Jacy bounced forward, excited to see if it broke, and gave a high yap when she saw a crack along the side. It wasn't open the way hers had been, but it was at least damaged.

Jacy attacked it, savaging it with his teeth and trying to get them wedged in the small gap to pry it open. He scrabbled at it with his paws for grip, and after several moments of single-minded focus the mussel yielded and Jacy was rewarded with it falling open. He looked up at Sage, mouth hanging open in a large smile. "Like that?"

"Speech" Thought

some fairy tales are more than true

Sage quietly watched and waited from above, holding her breath in anticipation as her small friend inspected the mussel.  The boy let out a shrill note of excitement.  A gentle gust could be heard as she exhaled. Relief was expressed in her eyes and smile. Her tail gave a few stiff wags as she carefully climbed down, balancing on the branches.

The yearling turned around in time to see the end of his ravenous attack. A smirk spread across her lips while a chuckle rumbled out from her chest. She approached him, coming up along the boy's side and trying not to be too much of a distraction. She peered over his shoulder to watch. The mussel fell open to reveal the chewy treasure inside. Jacy beamed up at her and the girl's heart melted as she peered down at him. Her head nodded enthusiastically, "Perfect!" She kissed him on his crown before settling down beside him and gesturing to the rock as he so-called it. "Go on, give it a try, you've more than earned it." She spoke warmly to the pup, her smile a reflection of his.

"She speaks" She walks She thinks

Dead Empress Backwater

Sage was quick to celebrate with him, jumping back down to join him on the ground and place a congratulatory kiss to his crown. He gaze up at her, tail thumping on the ground, and enjoying having her praise - and being the only one to have her praise. His favorite. His friend.

She encouraged him to try it and he looked at it for a long moment, trying to figure out how to eat this strange thing. The inside of the rock - mussel - was soft, though, and after poking at it with his nose for a moment he licked it. His nose scrunched at the strange taste, but he tried again, prying at it with his teeth until it slipped free from the hard shell. It was slimy and tasted strange but not too terribly unlike fish. He looked up at Sage. "'s strange," he said.

"Speech" Thought