Just Around the Riverbend

A bold look of excitement and determinism was given back to him from his adventurous daughter, and at his urging Talyssa went bounding forward on clumsy puppy limbs in search of the sound of the waterfall. Artorias gave a mirthful laugh and followed close behind his little girl, casting a daring smile down to the tawny pup whenever she would look back up at him for reassurance that he was still there with her. He was never going to leave her side, not now nor ever. While Taly led the charge forward into the unknown, her sire trailed with much more practiced steps that had walked these lands a hundred times over. The river wound through the cedar forest, and eventually they reached the source of the noise. The rushing cacophony of water as it cascaded from the higher ledge into the continuing river below filled the area, deafening out songbirds in the trees and other sounds of forest life. Mist rose from the edge of the falls where the water went crashing off the edge. To a new puppy, the sight must have been extraordinary!

Talyssa gasped in amazement, then asked what this place was. "These are the Cedar Falls," Artorias explained to his daughter, walking with her along the banks of the river toward the downward slope of the land where the falls began. "This is a waterfall. When water moves from one height down to another, it pours down the earth like this and continues on below." Artorias remained ever cautious as they approached the cliff ledge, prepared to spring forward at a moment's notice in case Talyssa lost her balance or started to get a little too close to the edge. She peered over the side to get a better look at the waterfall, then asked if they could go down and see it. Art smiled and nodded, reaching forward with a giant sapphire blue paw to gently pull his child away from the edge. "We certainly can!" With a flick of his head, the dark-furred father motioned to a more gradual slope a little ways off that led down to the lower-leveled terrain she sought.

Artorias led the way this time for Taly to follow, guiding her down the slope with careful paws until they had come to more level ground. "Mind your footing, sweetheart. If you feel yourself start to slip, lean back and turn your paws to the side." Art then demonstrated how doing this would slow one's descent in case she began to slip. Leading the way down to the pool of water at the bottom where the waterfall collected so Lys could explore some more, Artorias gazed up at the majesty of the short falls before them. Nature certainly had a way of being both beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"