Cecily hadn?t remembered being healthy being this? boring. Maybe she was growing up and out of her normal ranges and suddenly Valhalla just seemed too small for her exploration needs. There was no doubt in her mind that Emer would kill her if she knew she was once again leaving the packs territory, especially after the scare she had given her mother with the sickness. But? she couldn?t help it. She needed to breathe, to explore, to taste scents she had never tasted before and find things that even Signy couldn?t dream of. She would move quietly from the boundaries of Valhalla and out into the big wide world. She had no idea what awaited her out here, no idea of the dangers and new things but wasn?t that half the point? She was a cocky little kid who felt certain that she could take on the world. The world beyond got bigger and endless the more she walked, and a few hours would pass her by before anything really looked any different. She was tired by this point and her stomach was rumbling beneath her. Yet, when she turned to make her way back to Valhalla she suddenly realised she didn?t know the way. She knew she was a few hours little pup steps from the boundary and that was more than to lose its scent and to lose her way when she had never been here before. The girl would scowl and seat her rump against the earth, puzzling it over. She was sure she could find the solution if she just looked at it the right way. She was Cecily, she could do anything! speech

The days had been rather quiet after the sickness had passed through Valhalla, and he hadn't seen Cecily since then. The poor little girl had been taken over by the sickness, her whole body wracked with the terrible disease. He hadn't been able to see her when she was hidden away, and that made him sad. Bass had taken quite the liking to the little brown pup. So today he made it goal to find her. She was probably already up to no good, knowing her. Sticking his nose to the air he easily picked up her specific scent. Not surprisingly it was stale, and it led out of Valhalla territory. Shaking his head and letting out a small chuckle the ivory beast followed her scent, not hesitating to cross the scent marking into the unclaimed lands beyond.

She had gone pretty far, and Bass was starting to get worried when he didn't see her form. He picked up the pace, his long legs covering the ground in no time flat. It was awhile still before he saw her little body plop down onto the earth with a strange look on her face. A throaty chuckle passed through ebon lips as he slowed, padding over to Cecily. "Hello little explorer, did you get lost on your grand adventure?" He asked, not able to hide the smile that graces his maw. She was a cute one, but boy did she seem to like getting into trouble.

Her knight in shining armour would be the one to appear to her in this little mess. She was almost surprised that he had taken the time to come so far in finding her. Head would raise to meet his gaze and tail would start a light thump against the earth. ??tis a grand adventure? she beamed, taking his words seriously as through her travels had all been a part of some greater picture. Form would lazily sprawl out against the earth as she laid back and stretched herself in all directions. The gesture was one of lazy ease as through everything was right in her world. ?Lost?? she would scoff, as through this was a crazy accusation that held no merit. ?No. Just a miner in-cn-venience? she tasted the long word in her mouth, and beamed at how it sounded ? old and mature!. ?A set-back? she clarified next as she pulled herself off the ground to a half seating-half standing position where her tail would busily beat the ground behind her. She giggled softly as she contemplated pouncing him. She was still much smaller than him, and she could easily dance upon his back if she so desired! "words"

He sat down as the pup gazed up at him, but his smile soon turned to a frown. "I love that you adore to explore Cecily, but its not safe for you to be leaving pack lands. What if someone had found you before I did? Someone that isn't very nice?" It was a very serious matter, what if it had been someone a lot meaner that would attack a helpless puppy. She was so excited though, stretching on the landscape. He sighed, but couldn't help but laugh at her antics. "Plus, I know that your mother doesn't like you wandering off. Its not good, Cec." He knew that it must be hard to keep track of a little one who liked to wander and roam, which is why he was glad that he had set out to look for her.

Cecily went on to explain that she wasn't lost, and Bass flopped down onto his belly. "Oh yeah, not lost eh? Maybe you could lead the way back to Valhalla." He said teasingly, smiling once more at the young one. Perhaps he could teach her how to follow an old scent trail, that way if, no not if, when, she wandered off again at least she could find her own way. But he didn't offer it right now, he instead rose an eyebrow at the pup in a challenging way. Maybe if he made a game out of getting back home she would come without a fuss. If not, he may just have to pick her up and carry her the whole way back. Hopefully Emer wasn't having a heart attack at this point, and that he could take her back before anything major happened.

She could never have antipated a lecture from Bas of all people, but here she was getting one! He wasn?t that much older than her yet here he was acting like he was her father or something. Actually, come to think of it even Val hadn?t really given her a lecture on exploring. The only one who had really done so was Emer, when she finally caught up with Cecily or Signy, or them both and was out of breath and frantic and scolding the pair of them.



He would in fact now bring up her mother and she would scowl at him, he was quickly losing points to her favour and she would stick a tongue out his way. She bet no one ever told Signy off when he went off and found a tiger and decided to hunt that! Not that she knew what a tiger was, she was yet to see one. Ohh, that reminded her, she was supposed to catch one! Before she got sick her and Signy had decided they would try to catch a tiger before the other. Her annoyance at Bass quickly faded in the light of a new idea.



?Well actually?? she mused, her eyes taking on an adventurous glint ?Now that I have my big strong knight here, I?m fine right? You?re so big and strong and handsome. I bet no one could mess with you? she continued. Oh yeah, she was really laying on the flattery. He had mentioned returning to Valhalla, but she had much bigger plans for their day. ?I bet a big strong wolf like you knows how to find a Tiger!! Of please Bass, I can?t let Signy beat me at this? she begged, this meant the world to her ? beating Signy.


"Speech"

He could see the happiness draining from the pups face, and he felt terrible. He didn't want her to be upset with him, but it was true. She had gotten into enough trouble as it was, running away again wasn't going to help. She was quite the little explorer, and he didn't want to crush her dreams. "Maybe just grab me next time so I won't miss out on all the fun." He said quickly, not wanting her to be sad like that. Plus, there would be no stopping her. But if she dragged Bass along with her, at least he could keep her safe. She was scowling at him, and he hated it. He just wanted to keep her safe, that's all he wanted. Her eyes took on a new light, and Bass knew that she was up to something. He held his breath as she went on, calling him her knight in shining armor. She was really buffing him up with the complements, and he knew that she was going to ask something of him. He braced himself, but what she asked blew all the air out of his lungs as she sputtered at her. A tiger? He had never met a tiger before, but he had heard stories about them. "I have no idea where to find a tiger Cecily. What are you and Signy up to now?" He asked, unable to hide his chuckle from her. A tiger of all things, why couldn't it be something safe like a bunny?

Taking Bass along was an easy solution, she would invite him when she needed to get some air out of Valhalla and was worried about getting lost ? who knows, he was a rogue before, maybe he knew some neat places out here that he could show her. She squirmed a little in joy at the thought, just the two of them, finding fun places in the wilds! Alright, compression accepted, and she nodded her to head to him to let him know this was so. Next he would ask what Cecily and Signy where up to know and she pouted at the tone of his words. It wasn?t like they were always up to trouble, the two sisters. Only... 9...9?% of the time... that was all. She gave him a sly grin now and would go on to explain something of the competition between the two. ?It started out with Signy ambushing me in the night. No, before then, when I found a fox and Signy found a tiger. She thought her find was better and when she ambushed me we decided to see could catch a tiger first, since she hadn?t succeeded in catching her tiger, just pouncing him? She said, as through this explained everything. speech