He'd find ways to keep himself busy, at least for now. Ivy's head was a busy place. He was learning, always learning, and finding new things to do. New things to mess around with too... oops. In the tall grasses around the Rio Grande, there were all sorts of things to mess with. Right, it was easier to find something to mess with on his own, rather than messing with one of his siblings today. Many of them seemed to be getting bigger than Ivy already, and it would only get harder to fight them. Not that he'd stop trying, of course, but he was a bit tired of getting his tail handed to him.

No, instead, the pup had wandered into the more woody area around the river. His gaze was keen, steps high. Ivy could hear... what was that noise? It was a humming, a buzzing. Not quite a rumbling. Hmm. Along with it, a sweet smell. In the direction of the sound, of the smell, he made his way. Around his shoulders, he could feel the warm summer sun. At least he had that to keep him company. Golden, brilliant summer days.

The source of the buzzing! Ivy stuck his nose nearly directly into it, seeking the sweetness that had to be the scent. Instead, he was met with something sharp. The stringy boy tumbled backwards with a yelp, tripping over his paws. Though he didn't understand it, he'd just stuck his nose into a hive filled with ground dwelling bees. Pain radiated from the sting. He quivered, trying to steady himself. What the heck was that? Ivy's eyes were wide. Still, he's grateful that he's too far from his family's campsite for them to hear the commotion. Still terrified that they'll think him weak, the pup wants to handle this without their help. Already, the site of the sting was starting to swell.

"Ivy"

Her paws carried her throughout this seemingly boring world. The thing, the wolf she was looking for, was nowhere to be seen. Possibly she hadn't been asking the right wolves. Or maybe she was in the wrong area altogether. Thoughts wandered in and out of her head as she wandered in a daze. Not really there, more exhausted than anything, Tenshi wasn't exactly aware of her surroundings. Sounds of her paws stepping through the brush were muted to her ears as they turned slowly. It was then that a loud yelp rang out. Every hair on her body stood up as she froze. That, indeed, had been a cry of pain. Lifting her crown as high as she could, her piercing blue eyes searched the surroundings. Letting her nose take her to where she needed to go, the scent of a wolf and sweet, sweet honey grew stronger. Worried, her paws quickened as she nearly dashed onto the scene. Besides a large hive, a blueish boy quivered where he stood. "Oh, you poor thing," her accented voice murmured quietly as she quickly moved in closer to him. Without a second thought, Tenshi lowered onto her haunches and scooped the small boy up into her arms. Wrapping one thick leg around his body as she leaned her weight back to sit upright, she gingerly pulled the stinger from his skin. Already, she could tell it was swelling and must have been painful. "Are you okay, darling?" Tenshi whispered as she reached over toward the hive. Ignoring the alarming buzz of the bees that swarmed around her, she held a protective hold on the boy so they wouldn't attack him anymore. Scooping a small dollop of honey onto one of her toes, she smoothed it over the site of swelling on the pup. "That should feel better in a moment. And taste good too," the smile on her lips widened as she looked down at the pup. "Why are you out here alone?" She tried not to chastise him, but the motherly instinct in her had taken over.

A voice, and not a familiar one. Ivy could hear it... did he need to be concerned? Did he need to run? Surely not. He could run if he really tried, but it seemed... like he wouldn't need to. The blue boy was doe eyed as the woman came nearer, looking up as she spoke. She was broad, strong, tall-- so tall. How did she get to be so tall? The boy's head lowered just a bit, but there was no malice to her. Maybe he's too trusting of strangers, and maybe the boy just misses having a matronly figure. Maybe that's why Ivy sniffles softly as she scoops him up, while the pup remains stuff, he doesn't fight her.

She does... something? Something to the wound. Ivy whimpers quietly, but does his best not to squirm. She's trying to help. Wide eyed and slightly teary, the child can't quite tell what she's done, but it already feels a little better. Granted, maybe that's the effect of a little mothering, but it could go either way. She was warm and strong, something that Ivy is grateful for. Carefully, he peers up at her, and then at the hive as they come near to it. She works quickly. Something sticky, sweet smelling, and from the hive on the wound. "I-I'm... okay, m-maybe." Though not usually afflicted with a stutter, the rather startling instance (imagine being bitten by a hole in the ground!) had thrown Ivy for a metaphorical loop.

Is he too trusting? Yes. But that was alright. Attaching himself to a strange woman with motherly energy was probably not the worst thing that Ivy could do, after all. Taste good too? Ivy looked up at the woman and then back to his paw, taking a small and tentative lick, not wanting to get too close to the site of the sting. It was sweet and tasted... tasted like gold. Woah. He was already starting to perk back up. Then there was the question of just why he was out here on his own... right. "I was 'sploring," he explained softly, his voice ringed in childlike wonder. "'s quieter out here, Pops says as long as we don' fall in the river 's okay." Right, Valentine had made it extremely clear that they weren't to drown themselves. That old man could be a bit of a fun sucker sometimes, if you asked Ivy.

"Speech"

Ignoring the buzz of bees around them, Tenshi was content to keep the boy out of harm's way. Her naturally thickened skin could not be afflicted by the meer sting of a bee. Holding him close as the boy spoke quietly in a stuttering voice, she gave him time to mull over what just happened. When pups were this young, it always took a few seconds longer for their brains to process. Deep down, it made her miss her own pups who she'd never be able to see again. Holding back her own tears as her icy blue eyes grew misty, she gently swayed with him in her legs. He was a sweet and cute little boy with so much wonder in his eyes. "As long as you're okay," she murmurs, the tender look of a mother stricken across her face. Pleased that he was feeling better and even brave enough to taste some of the honey, she scooped up another small dollop and placed it on his toe in case he wanted another taste. "Sometimes when things hurt us, they can also help us heal," her accented voice is quiet so as to not disturb the bees or the boy anymore than they had been. Knowing the honey would work quickly to soothe the sting, she looked at him curiously when he mentioned he was out exploring. "Ah, so you do have a family?" Tenshi wondered aloud, glad that he hadn't been abandoned alone. If he had, she wouldn't have hesitated to take him away with her. There was no sense in leaving such a young pup out here to fend for himself. "He is right. The river is too strong for even a wolf like me," she teased as she reached out her nose to softly nudge his forehead. "Would you like me to put you down?" The woman asks, even though she doesn't want to. "I can show you other things if you'd like," her smile is warm as her icy blues look at the boy.