Among the Marsh's Song

Momma was more reluctant to give them free time here than she had been back home. She had not understood it at first, but she thought she knew now. Back home, in Valhalla, their den had been situated in the heart of the pack lands, surrounded not only by a border that gave them ample room to roam but also by other wolves who were trusted friends and allies that might lend their help in keeping an eye on the rambunctious kids. Here? Just Momma and Da. They did their best, swapped tasks around between babysitting, hunting, patrolling, even sleeping, but it was only going to hold up for so long. Neither were really prepared for such a life, and the watchful little pup noticed.

It was not nice of her to take advantage of her parents' inattention, but she did. It was not so much a game she played as it was practice. Vaishya wanted always to watch, to learn, but neither were going to always be available to her so readily. She figured it was time enough to try sneaking about, moving quietly, stealthily, hiding where she would not be found. So she had snuck away, her dainty paws softly treading the damp earth and carrying her away from the new den and amidst the happy bird calls. Her gold and blue eyes rose upward as she passed beside one particularly noisy tree. Wherever they ended up after here, she hoped there would be less birds.

The bird calls very suddenly stopped as a howl sang through the air, belonging to neither her father or her mother. Vaishya paused, hesitating, and considered what she could do. Smart thing would have been to get back to the den as fast as her feet could carry her and hide behind mom. But she did want to practice her sneaking... It was stupid, she knew, and her heart beat more swiftly than before as she began walking forward again. But practice was practice she told herself as she crept forward and slunk low to the ground, and she would get no closer than was necessary. Or at least she hoped. Without a scent yet to follow, it was more of a guessing game, and when she finally spied the wolf in question, situated calmly beneath another pretty tree, she realized she had not stayed as hidden as she should have. Two-toned eyes widening, her little body giving a nervous shiver, Vaishya stared at the wolf and held perfectly still, hoping beyond hope that he had not noticed her yet.