Beaver Dam why's he watching me getting railed on the couch

For @Vayko RE: Sephrina, you slipped and fell into a frozen creek!
Dawn, Overcast, -1F/-18C, right now she is standing on the ice, but she will be falling through in the next post!

Sephrina was close enough to the pack lands that she did not feel the need to sneak back in before everyone woke up. Sure, her dad still didn’t like her out exploring on her own, but even he wouldn’t get her in trouble for exploring around the creek. Normally she would have gone farther, but the night was so cold that she had refrained, still wanting her freedom, but also wanting to be able to go and snuggle up with her siblings if she got too chilled.

She had not ended up needing to cut her adventure short, but had been pleased to discover what appeared to be a passage across the creek made of sticks. It stunk to high heavens, but it reminded her a little of some of the log bridges in the Backwater. Confident that she had played on those enough times and this would be the same she had clambered up the beaver dam without much of a second thought.

Once on top Sephrina looked around, squinting against a sudden cold breeze. Things were blurry as always, but also so frustratingly familiar. She wanted to see something new, something exciting, not the same old creek and the same old trees. Even this beaver dam only held her attention for a few minutes before she felt she was ready to move on, convinced despite her sniffing that there was nothing of appeal here.

The child was about to have a dose of excitement that she would not soon forget. Taking a step forward to cross, her paw slid across the frosty branches and she was unable to recover her balance. Falling a few feet towards the ice below she let out a grunt when she landed, the rush of air making her miss the uneasy groaning of the ground below. Getting to her paws, the child was too proud to show that she had gotten winded and just wanted to move on.

Vayko’s sleep schedule had been lacking as of late. It had been nothing short of nonexistent as it were. Being on his own, and constantly faced with dangers that a pack was not around to protect him from had leant that he had gotten used to using odd schedules. He was out patrolling, refamiliarizing himself with the territory and the hunting grounds that surrounded it. He was following the water outside of the territory, away from the lands of the Backwater but not too far. He did not want to stray and worry others that he had left, and had abandoned them like so many others had.

He refused to be that person. It was the grace and luck that had resulted in him being where he was when he heard the grunt, the sound of a body falling, and he moved to see what was going on. It was not long before he was moving to catch sight of no one short of his niece. “Sephrina.” He commented as he moved forward to look her over and see if she was hurt… perhaps only for Vi’s sake, but also for the newfound sense of loyalty he felt towards his family after losing Vana in that storm.

“Are you okay? What are you doing out here?” He asked softly, a frown on his features. “It’s late… or early I suppose… what has brought out here?” There was more of a curious vein to his line of efforts.

Vayko Valle

feel free to pp Vayko trying to get her out, but I want her in the water for another round!

Luck was not on the pup’s side, she had thought that she was out here alone and she could just move on from the falling off the dam incident. She had planned on shrugging the whole thing off and slipping back into the territory. No one would be the wiser, and she would tell her siblings and Llinea about how she had had a great adventure. They didn’t need to know that it was a lie, she could be the conqueror of unknown worlds, maybe she could work in a fight with some mystery creature.

Instead she heard her name being called by an uncle who had just reappeared a couple of weeks ago. Looking in his direction, she quickly got up to her paws and nodded her head quickly without saying a word. Embarrassed at being caught she suddenly realized how sore her shoulder was and she felt a lump forming in her throat. Swallowing hard she answered, ”I was just looking at this weird thing. It smells kind of funny.” Normally she might be a little sharper in tone, but for now she just sounded apprehensive. Sephrina was still trying to mask her emotions, and she didn’t want to be in trouble either.

Rolling her shoulder to try and work out the bruise she attempted to sound aloof, ”But it’s just boring.” The Valle child stepped forward, ready to move off the creek and past her uncle and back to tell her tall tales to her agemates. The second her weight shifted, the already thin ice suddenly splintered beneath her paws and Sephrina disappeared into the icy water below.

Vayko’s sleep schedule being a mess had worked out good for something, for he was there now to look in on his niece… it made him wonder for the future, if perhaps this year he might find himself a father… and yet, he did not hold his breath. He still needed to work his way back up through the ranks, claim back his leadership position beside Viorel regardless of whether or not his cousin was still upset with him for events that were outside of his realm of control.

He would first need to face down his father, and then talk to Clover or perhaps challenge Vasco… and then from there, speak with Viorel. He’d fight for it if he needed to. He was just as much a King as his cousin, and the events of being on his own had taught him that there was a value in standing firm by his actions and his values… that he needed to believe in who he was if anyone else was going to give a damn either.

His niece answered and he offered her a soft smile. He was trying to be something good, something stable in the children’s life as he had bore the bad news of the fact that their mother was lost… it was not successful, at least not where Isla was concerned, but it was something he sought after nonetheless and with Sephrina proved a new opportunity.

“What is boring?” He still did not fully understand what it was she was looking at, his eyes widening as the ice splintered and she disappeared. “Sephrina!” He called out in a panic as he rushed to the shore, poking his paw into the icy abyss to try and find the ball of fur that was his niece before plunging his nose in to try and pull her out, only to find no avail as her scruff slipped from his grasp.

Vayko Valle

The child did not even realize what had happened at first as she immediately went into shock. It was freezing and so dark and she couldn’t breath but felt weightless all at once. Her paws instinctively paddled against the water and after a long second she understood that she was underwater. That was when the panic set in and Sephrina began to struggle in earnest to get herself back to the surface. She was lucky this happened next to the dam where the current wasn’t as strong rather than down the creek where she would be swept away under the ice.

Dark muzzle broke the surface long enough for her to gasp a breath before she slipped back under. Black paws churned against the liquid, bubbles swirling around Sephrina as she tried to get her bearings and haul herself out. She was running out of time and she knew it. With one final surge of energy she thrust herself upwards, paws managing to get purchase on the ice nearby and holding her face out of the water. Nose and eyes burned with glacial water, she couldn’t see against the blur and her lungs screamed as she coughed in her first breath.

She couldn’t get herself out, she was exhausted. All the pup could do was scream out, ”VAYKO, VAYKO!" She couldn’t see him, her eyes blinked rapidly against the droplets falling out of her fur and freezing against her face. She needed help, she couldn’t do this alone.

(This post was last modified: Jan 28, 2023, 01:29 AM by Sephrina.)

The panic set in as she disappeared under the water and back up, running and sliding along as he once again plunged his maw into the water, seeking her scruff once more as she called for him, her paws having clung to some ice as he dug his claws into the ice he stood on to pull her out,, needing to not only get her out of the frozen abyss of a creek but also out and into a den where she could be looked after. Cold in the winter, and being soaked to the bone…

He was no healer, but he knew that Clover would need to look the girl over in order to ensure that she did not fall ill. He would manage to pull her out, his own paws slipping but the lowered center of gravity due to his splayed limbs helping keep him from sliding into the hole that Sephrina had just fallen into “Are you okay?” He would ask in a hushed and worried tone as he looked her over, nudging her lightly towards the shore in the hopes that she would be coherent and not shaken enough to follow his subtle suggestions.

It was a horribly close call, and he made a mental note to talk to Vi and Clover about ensuring no one went to far onto the ice in case something like this dared to happen again.

Vayko Valle

The pre-teen’s body was so cold and in shock that she didn’t even feel her uncle latch onto her scruff and start heaving. It wasn’t until she felt the ice begin moving beneath her front paws that she realized she was being pulled out of the hole. Back legs began to churn with as much energy as she could muster but she was exhausted. Uncle Vayko needed to do the majority of the work, but Sephrina made it out and she was safe, at least from drowning.

Sephrina collapsed down onto the ground as soon as they made it to shore. Her eyelids drooped, threatening to fall asleep right there and then. Her body was racked with a harsh bout of coughing as her lungs cleared out the small amount of water that had been inhaled. The child shivered dramatically, and she groaned as her uncle nudged her to keep moving. She just wanted to sleep, she needed to sleep.

Nodding her head half heartedly she forced her eyes open to seek out Uncle Vayko’s form, ”I’m okay I think.” Now if he would just leave her alone to rest… Sephrina suddenly realized how much she was shivering, ”But I’m so cold.” Had it been this cold before she fell in? It felt like she would never be able to get warm again.

The girl fought against the water the moment she seemed to process what he was doing. She was coughing, water falling from her mouth. Yes, a trip to Clover would be necessary after all. He saw the way her eyes drooped and recognized the exhaustion for what it was… something that was being influenced by the cold as the shivers wracked her body. “Breathe.” He offered, moving to press his side against her in the hopes of allowing her to warm up just a little.

“Let’s get you to Clover… she can help warm you up and give you something to make sure you don’t get sick.” He recalled when he had fallen into a frozen creek and she’d had to help warm him up. IT was not a fun place to be in, but he worried that for a pup it could be deadly. “It’s not horribly far to her herbal den, come on. I’ll stay with you.” He’d pick her up or drag her if he needed to, but she needed to get to someplace sheltered from the wind where watchful eyes could keep an eye on her.

Vayko Valle

Fade on your next post?

Her uncle was not able to offer the pup much warmth, but it still felt marvelous compared to the parts of her that weren’t touching him. Snuggling against his side her eyelids drooped once more, and she nodded sleepily to whatever it was that he was saying. It wasn’t until she had been prod in the side once or twice that she groaned and got shakily back onto her paws.

Her jaws chattered almost comically as she took a few steps, toes screaming in protest as they came in contact with the icy snow. Sephrina wanted to cry, but she held it in, only barely as she walked by her uncle’s side back towards the infirmary. Whatever was waiting for her there couldn’t be worse than what was happening now.

He would not hesitate to rush her towards Clover, having called for his love prior to beginning to move. When he arrived, he would quickly fill the healer in on what had happened, ushering her to the back of the den where she would be afforded the most protection from the wind and other outside elements. He knew he would have to call for Viorel and inform him of what happened to. No doubt the man would want an update on his daughter’s condition and to warn the other children to stay away from the lake, for clearly it could not be trusted for the ice to support a wolf’s weight either. “It’ll be okay… you’re safe.” He would offer in soft assurance, the rare moment of vulnerability and reassurance slipping out as it did when it came to family.

Vayko Valle