Since heading outside with the family, Juniper had decided to take a stick prisoner before they had returned home, and now she pretty much carried it everywhere. "Listen here Phil," her little voiced echoed through the vessel, paws padding back and forth in front of the stick. "I want to have fun, but the others are sleeping." She continued on, tail slowly wagging behind her and head held high."So what will we do?" Coming to a stop in front of it the girl would give the stick an intense stare, then tilt her head before gsping and putting a paw to her chest in shock. "Phil!" After a pause the girl quickly crawled towards it with a mischievious smirk and whispered. "That is bad but I like it."

It was a stick that the young girl had claimed as her “prisoner”. It was good that a child had imagination, but still Cypress couldn’t help but be a tad worried for her. Juniper... Something about her seemed odd. Off. He had yet to discuss this fear with Arian, but Cypress was doing his best to keep a level head about the supposed issues his daughter might posses. Perhaps he was just being an overly worried father, and nothing more was the matter with her. Cy would wake to find the little girl not laying with her siblings and, with a sigh, he would rise and go off to find her... Talking with the stick.

“...and what pray tell is Phil suggesting the two of you do?” The man would ask, overhearing the last bit of Juniper’s words. He would frown deeply, coming up behind his daughter with a worried look. Maybe he was just being overprotective... But then again... Maybe he wasn’t.

"Speech"

Juniper jumped when her father's voice was suddenly heard from behind, surprise crossing her features, body turning around to face the man. He asked what Phil had suggested they do, and he didn't look too happy. The girl was not too interested in getting in trouble for something she didn't do, yet, so she wanted to play it off as nothing. Who would want their father mad at them? "N-nothing daddy." She fully stood up and kicked the stick back with her leg, sitting back down and smiling up at the man.

Anything that might have seemed off with her to others went unnoticed by the girl, only seeing her actions as having fun. Any signs of possessiveness or slight sadistic and even controlling behavior being a leak to the disorder laying dormant for the time being.

"What're you doing up daddy?" Juniper asked sweetly, standing so that she could go up and rub against her father's foreleg and lick at his chest. "Will you go patrolling? Can I come?!" The pup immediately got excited over her own question, hopping around the man and bobbing her head from side to side. It could get boring being in the ship all day and only having her siblings to play with or talk to, so anything outside that was away from the place was exciting!

Nothing huh? Cypress would frown a little, but decide not to push his daughter further. Whatever she and this “Phil” had been planning it seemed to be squashed now that he was here. He would decide instead to put on a smile, ruffling the fur on his daughter’s head gently. “As it should be, my little one. I don’t want you to be doing anything that might get you or uh... Phil hurt.” The silver man would blink, almost surprised as she stood on his leg, looking up at him with excitement.

Wait what was this now? She wanted to go patrolling with him? Before he could even answer the girl would immediately begin to get excited, and Cypress would let out a soft sigh. Oh how could he say no to his little one? Besides, one less body to watch would help his beloved.

“I suppose I am now.” The man would say, swishing his tail thoughtfully back and forth. “Is... Phil coming to? Or will it just be you and me?” Though he wasn’t eager to go on a trip with a damned stick he’d do it for his daughter’s sake.

"Speech"

Hopping around her father came to a stop when he ruffled the fur atop her head, tail wagging as she looked up to him with a large grin. Her father seemed to be happen that she said nothing to what Phil had told her, not wanting her to get hurt, or him. ”I know daddy, I don't want you to worry.” She said, licking his leg affectionately before pulling back. Already her mind was turning and coming up with things she probably would not have come up with if she had not her mother's illness, forcing her not so innocent ideas onto a inanimate object so that she would not get the blame should something happen or it be viewed as bad or inappropriate. Much to her excitement Cypress confirmed the girl's question, he was going to go on a patrol now and asked if Phil would be joining them or if it would just be the two of them. The girl would glance towards the stick and tilt her head for a moment, ears twitching as if she was listening to a voice the man could not hear before finally looking back to her father with a swing of her tail. ”Just us daddy, lets go!” With a happy bark she turned away from him and ran off a couple feet before whipping around to look at her father with an embarrassed laugh. ”I forgot which way is out.”

Maybe his daughter didn’t want him to worry, but it was natural for a father to worry. Particularly when he had five children to look out for. It was his daughter though that he couldn’t help but baby the most. His sons were all quiet for the most part, except for Riv. The boy would wander at nights... Sleep walking. It was dangerous and it made him worry greatly. But at least his children were here now with him, and safe.

Cy felt his heart melt as his little girl gave an affectionate lick to his legs. It was her cuteness that would be the end of him, of this Cypress was certain. He’d chuckle, watching as she seemed to get confused. “It’s this way love.” He’d say gently, padding off towards the ramp.

“What part of our territory would you like to see today, Juni? Would you like to walk along the water or go down by the wash?”

“Oh yeah!” She giggled when Cypress told her which direction they needed to go, quickly bounding over and coming up on her father's side, lightly bumping her shoulder against his leg. Paws were placed heavy on the metal beneath them, nearly stomping as she walked like a goofball, imitating a duck even if she had yet to see one before. Tail swung around as her head rocked from side to side, humming to herself while they went down the ramp. When her father spoke she would look up with large bright eyes and a huge toothy grin, tail wagging even faster as he listed places they could visit first. The only things were walking the water and going down to the wash, not exactly what she was thinking but it was okay, she would find some way to make it fun. “The Wash daddy! I can see the water from the deck any day!” She barked, doing small hops alongside the man as they moved. “I haven't seen that place yet!”

The wash huh? The male would chuckle softly. His daughter was a natural goofball, but that was alright. She would walk on with her little butt wiggling back and forth. Cypress would walk up beside her, lowering his head to give her little ear a lick. “The wash it is, my dearest little Juniper.” He’d whisper to her, starting towards that direction. “You know, there used to be water at the wash once upon a time, but there’s not anymore.” He’d chuckle softly. “Any guesses as to why that is, my little one?”

"Speech"

She grinned as her father licked at her ear, giving her head a small shake when he spoke, his voice tickling the sensitive hairs. She would keep up with her father, padding alongside his right, rocking her head from side to side as they strolled towards the wash. He told her about how there used to be water in the wash at some point, but there was none anymore then suggest her give an opinion on why she thought that happened. Juniper's face would scrunch up in though, blue eyes staring at the path ahead. ”Becaaaaause...” She looking to the sky momentarily then suddenly turned back to her father. ”Because animals drank it all! Or because we drank a lot of water then the sun sucked up the rest!” Those were her thoughts, the most a child could make of the disappearance of a vital resource to any living creature.

Cypress would chuckle softly as Juniper answered him. Those were some good answers! The man would chuckle softly. “Those are some good ideas, Juni.” Cy would say, walking just behind her. It was a challenge to keep up with his lovely children, but keep up the man did. Juniper was his most interesting challenge as of yet, however. Sometimes he just wasn’t sure what to do with the young girl.

“I don’t know the exact cause, but I believe it is due to the beavers making a dam somewhere along where the river once was. Dams can cause the river to be blocked off from it’s water source and then, over time, the sun dries them up.” Cypress would lean down, licking Juniper’s head. “You wanna race the rest of the way there?” He asked, his voice teasing and soft.

"Speech"

Father’s praise made Juniper beam, grinning so large she could have sworn lips reached ears. Just a pup, the girl knew what she was talking about and caught on quickly, gathering information and using it to her advantage. But as her father fell in step behind her, the girl quickly swung around and began walking backwards with the same grin still there. Tail wagged, the tip brushing along her hips as her awkward steps swung her body like a fish. Ears perked up nice and tall, facing her father as he spoke. He wasn’t sure what caused the water to disappear exactly, but he believed that beavers created a damn somewhere which could block off water from its source. The girl’s face slowly began to light up at this new knowledge, nodding slowly as she soaked it up like a sponge. ”That is amazing! But bad!” Those naughty beavers, whatever they were!

With a lick and challenge, Juniper nodded her skull quickly. Body whipped back around but stopped, crouching low to the ground with tail swinging in the air as she prepared for the race. ”You’re on daddy! I’m so going to win!” Wit that she quickly grew silent, smirking while her lips moved to silent words. ”READYSETGO!” Too fast to space the words out and give her father a chance to react, the girl was off. Paws drummed against the frozen ground as the girl charged forward as fast as her little legs could possibly go, tail streaming behind her body and ears pinned against her head. She was determined to win! No holding back!

"Speech"

Juniper had a large grin on her face as she took off after accepting the challenge, shaking her head around so her ears flopped about while her father's laugh echoed around them. Being a child, she didn't understand many things and could only formulate from the many images that flooded her mind, trying to put the puzzle together while ignoring how they fit exactly. Making your own rules in a way. ”Catch me if you can daddy!” She howled into the air, tongue hanging out the side of her mouth as she continued running at full power straight ahead at the wash. The girl was so sure she would win the race, already spotting the wash just a couple yards ahead of her.

Cypress would listen to his little girl howl to the wind. Catch her if he could? Challenge accepted! Cypress would breathe in, giving more steam to his run. He felt alive. The most alive he had felt in a long time. There was something about having children that changed a wolf. They could bring out the best in a wolf, and change a wolf into the best sort of creature. Parenthood... Who would have thought that would be an answer to his problems?

Cy would begin to gain on his daughter. She had a good head start, but soon enough the man was sure he’d catch her. “I’m gaining on you Juni!” He’d bark out. As he edged closer still he’d reach out, trying to grab a hold of his daughter’s scruff with his jaws and lift her into the air.

"Speech"