ooc: navigation - fern gulley

It had been mere days since she had opened her eyes, and will continue to use her vital vision for the rest of her exciting life. Of course, she had only done so out of desperation, the urge to shush and trample her smaller yet annoying siblings having overwhelmed her. Now she came to realise that seeing wasn't such a negative sense after all, in fact, it had broadened her young and innocent mind to a whole new world. Every since opening her eyes, she had begun to crawl and scamper within the confinements of the den though it all still revolved around napping and eating. Not that the latter wasn't important, she was just growing more rambunctious and restless as the time flew by, just like she had been in the womb. Around four equally active pups, it was no wonder she desired to venture out into a larger space, especially with her own bulky size. There was no other place she could think of other than The Beyond. Upon multiple occasions she had seen her father and uncle venture out from the den, but where they went remained a mystery in her intrigued mind. And this mystery she had to solve.

So upon a pleasantly warm summer's day, in the late hours of the morning, she decided to see this Beyond with her very own scarlet eyes. After spending some time precariously tapping the peculiar sunshine that filtered through the den and heated the entrance, she headed out to the blinding light, tripping on a small mound of dirt in the process. Walking appeared to be much more difficult in the Beyond without having a wall or siblings to lean upon, especially with its vast space. And oh! Was it enormous! By what her gaze could scan and thoughts comprehend, it was seemingly infinite, a boundless terrain for her paws to trek upon. All the earthen shades allured her eyes, and the blooming flora was all green like the very hue upon her pelt. She just needed to touch, see and sniff everything. But first, she needed to get there, and there wasn't a great deal she could do sprawled on the soil. Heaving herself to her paws, she hobbled upon her long limbs, occasionally stumbling though the determination to explore fuelled her motivation to falter onwards.  

Eventually, the safe and enclosed den became a distant memory, even when she stood on her tippy-toes and looked back the way she came or craned her neck to look through the monstrous plants. Finding her path home was the least of her worries; she was a carefree pup, what troubles did she truly face? Upon her wanders, every fern and ravine was being stored in her visual memory; it would only be a while before she knew her whole way around the gulley. She remembered where she had turned or swerved in direction, though for most of the time she had lumbered in a straight line. And to think today was her first day out. Soon she'll be showing her siblings around their home region, and if they got lost, she'll happily find them. Exploring, yeah, she liked it.

Walk | Talk | Think On swift paws, Anais traveled beyond the boundary line that marked the edge of the pack Donostrea and traversed into the densely forested Gulley in search of her brother. Ever since learning of the children he had fathered and being there at their birth, the excitable hunter had been ecstatic over the thought of being an aunt, and though the relationship between her brother and the mother of his children was strange to her it did not lessen her wish to be a part of the lives that they had created together. But barging in on the den that she knew Marina and her children occupied felt like too much of an intrusion, especially since she had only met the woman on the day she had given birth and had not had a moment to establish any sort of friendship or trust with her yet. Getting her brother to act as an intermediary felt much more appropriate. She had that thought in her head, and yet in her eagerness the golden brown wolf was drawn toward the densite anyway. Maybe Nako was there? Maybe she could just get his attention and let him welcome her to the den to meet the children again? They were sure to be older now, a little more adventurous and ready to meet her. Or at least Anais hoped. She felt fidgety with excitement already just thinking about it, and could not stop from smiling as she drew nearer. Oh please be here already! Before she could get too close and alert mother and pups - and possibly mother's brother if he happened to be around as well - to her presence, she crossed the path of a tiny, telling, fresh scent. Very suddenly the Donostrea wolf stopped, her attention drawn immediately to the smell, and began scenting more closely at the ground, lowering her head, as she tried to place it. It was...vague but familiar? And close enough to the den to get the wheels of her mind spinning along on a reasonable, likely conclusion. Her tail made a quick wag as she abandoned her march to the den and instead set about following the trail, fighting her excitement as she attempted to sneak along behind it. For what she thought it to be, it traveled a considerable distance away from the den, not far enough for the skilled hunter to lose her way but definitely further than a child needed to go unattended. Which made Anais even more relieved and thrilled when she finally heard then saw the form of the pup wandering without a care. She stopped still out of sight, smiling as she watched from her quiet vantage point. This was definitely one of her nieces. Marked with a rich, unnatural green, she knew the child could be no one's but Marina's. Oh, but how did she introduce herself? The young girl was so far from her den that she might start at the approach of a stranger - Anais knew better than to think she would be remembered from birth - and she certainly did not want her getting defensive either. Feeling suddenly nervous, the hunter hesitated for a brief second before putting on a friendly, nervously optimistic smile and stepping out from hiding. "Hello?" she greeted, almost as a question, posturing herself in a way to appeal to the child not to be afraid of her, assuming an nonthreatening stance.

An unexpected feminine voice caused her to halt in her scuttling tracks, her ears picking up a seemingly friendly tone. As she whirled her head around to face the one who had spoken, her wide, curious crimson gaze momentarily spotted the only canine nearby - a golden-hued female. It was her first time meeting someone other than her parents who she had spent a significant time with, though obviously not enough for her to avoid wandering away from them. Most children her age found larger adults a frightening and nervous sight, yet she happened to be the opposite. Sibling, pup or adult, she treated them all the same. Well, that wasn't exactly true, though there was definitely no such thing as a nice Zephyra. She never played nice, it simply wasn't her style; and that was the way she liked it.

"Who're you?" the pup demanded impudently, ignoring the woman's generous greeting of whom the child started to approach dauntlessly. Stopping by her right foreleg, she momentarily sniffed, inhaling the female's scent. With an undeveloped nose, it was unlikely that she would recognise the woman as a relative, having her memory already evade her. If the bland aureate shade was replaced with a more distinctly unique unnatural colour, perhaps then the child would identify her as kin though that really wasn't the case. With a young and practically empty mind, the only adults she knew of were her parents. Whoever else was out there, which there certainly was though she wasn't aware of anyone else sharing the continent other than her family. However, as a new explorer, she was soon to uncover it.

Walk | Talk | Think To her great relief, the girl did not act startled or frightened at all. Anais was glad, though at the same time a little concerned. She knew first hand that the world posed all sorts of dangers, particularly under the guise of a seemingly friendly stranger, and to see not even a little bit of worry cross this young girl's face made her aunt worried for her safety. At least it's only me that found her, she thought, trying to reassure herself that the young, green-colored girl would be in no danger, but when she left would she feel as certain of her safety? Nako is close. He'd never let her get hurt. Just as he had always been protective of her growing up, she trusted that same protectiveness would be shared with his daughters, and that, at least, was some comfort for now. Bold, still without a hint of fear, the child addressed her, seeking to find out who she was. Anais's smile, which had faltered just a little to start, returned gently to her face, and though she did not move nearer to the child she held her position while the young girl crept closer to examine her. How do I do this? she wondered as she followed with her lemon-gold eyes the progress her niece made in getting closer and sampling her scent. Maybe keeping it simple would be best? "I'm...your father's sister," she explained, hoping the girl would be able to follow her. "I'm your aunt. Anais." Only as she said it did she realize she was not sure which of her nieces she was currently speaking with. How was it Nako had explained their names again? Which was which? "I'm sorry," the Donostrea hunter apologized with a gentle shake of her head, "I haven't seen you since you were born. I don't remember which name is yours."

Danger? There was no such thing to the innocent child, having never experienced such a dark and frightful situation, though she was bound to encounter it sooner or later. At this rate, her chance of being in unsafe positions increased drastically, especially if she continued to venture further away from the den without supervision. Though how did she know what was right or wrong? Her mother had never explained this, which meant the pup would have to learn firsthand, only she didn't know that she would interpret danger as an exciting thrill.

The woman stated herself as the girl's father's sister - the relationship between them too long for the pup to remember. She didn't know much about her father, so it was a surprise to know that he had a sister, though many had siblings so it shouldn't be as unexpected. "I'm a sister too!" she blurted out eagerly, her features alight with a childlike happiness as she thought about her own family. "To my sisters, I mean, and my brother." Her brother wasn't her biological brother, though she didn't know this and even if she did, she'd pretend he was always related and treat him no differently. With his own unusual pelt that surprising wasn't inherited by Marina, he was likely to fool many, which was what she wanted. "Ah...Anah...Anais!" After succeeding in pronouncing her aunt's name correctly, a random sneeze interrupted her giggling celebration in an annoyance.

She didn't remember her name? Oh, the pup would ensure that the female remembered exactly who she was. Every girl of the litter carried a different and unique colouring (except for Kaitlyn, who would be remembered as the girl who didn't have unnatural fur), so it was easy for her name to connected with the green hue upon her pelt. "I'm Zephyra!" she squeaked with a proud puff of her broad chest. "But my family calls me Zeph."

Walk | Talk | Think Maybe she was trying to explain a concept just beyond the pup's reach, but it was incredibly amusing and endearing to see the girl latch on to the concept of sisterhood and claim it as something she could relate with. Anais giggled gently at Zephyra's enthusiasm, glad at least that their conversation seemed to be going well so far. She wanted desperately to form good relationships with each of them, to be a part of their lives so they could know the same kind of love that she and her siblings had known. But the mention of a brother puzzled her. Brother? Last she recalled, the litter had been made entirely of girls, three of them to be exact. Did she recall Nako mentioning anything about a son? "A brother too?" she questioned curiously, tilting her head slightly to the side, Maybe she needed to speak with Nako again. It took the pup a couple tries to get her name right, but the effort was so much fun to watch. Anais nodded encouragement until Zephyra finally managed to say it in full, and finished with a congratulatory, "That's right!" to assure the child she had gotten it right. Anais never had expected her name to be difficult or challenging until seeing her niece struggle now. And as the child stated her own name, the golden brown wolf felt everything click. "Zephyra," she repeated, nodding her head. That was it. Zephyra, Kaitlyn, and Nixie. Now if she could just figure out the last two pups and their respective names, she would feel like a much better aunt. "Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Zephyra," Anais stated with a polite nod of her head. Her thoughts were full of different games and activities that the two of them could do together, little ways that they could bond and become closer, but the fact they were still so far from the den was something that she could not easily overlook. "But aren't you a little far from the den?"

The green child couldn't remember what she did yesterday, let alone her own birth. If anything, she would suspect her biological sister, Kaitlyn, for being adopted because of the lack of abnormal colours upon her pelt. Her brother was at least blue, which was all that the not-so-bright girl required to be convinced that he was kin. Even though he acted slightly older (for he truly was, but only by a few weeks), these actions brought no alarm or surprise to the girl - in fact, they brought jealousy to her competitive nature.
Even her aunt questioning the existence of a brother didn't raise any doubt. "Yeah, his name's Ren! He's about dis tall." She lifted a green paw and levelled it with her chin, though as a result started wobbling on the rest of her limbs with her lack of balance so she quickly dropped the paw to support her bulky form. "And he's blue! Not Nixie blue, but Ren blue!" What she was trying to get across was the fact that he was a different shade of blue to her sister, and peculiarly a different hue than what their mother carries - another sign of his adoption though Zephyra never took notice of these things.
...And another thing - an important thing - she also hadn't noticed was her wanderings taking her so far from the den. Well, she was fully aware of it, though didn't recognise it as anything dangerous until her aunt inquired about it. The way her query had been worded assured the mischievous tyke that her actions had been wrong, which meant she would find herself in a heap of trouble as a result of those actions. "Maybe..." she mused innocently, her scarlet gaze falling to the ground, though she quickly bounced over to the golden woman keeping her words whispered. Perhaps her aunt could save her from getting scolded at. "Psst! Can ya keep a secret?"

Walk | Talk | Think Her question regarding the boy child was answered with certainty, not a moment of hesitation or doubt getting in the way of making the story sound reliable and clear. He must have been real from the way Zephyra spoke about him, giving him a name, a height - to which Anais almost reached out to steady the girl before she could topple over but in the end kept her paw to herself with a kind smile - and a unique color to go along with the scheme that appeared to be prevalent through the whole litter save one girl. Anais puzzled over it, assuming he could have been born late, possibly after she and her brother left the resting mother with her brother and children, but still she could not recalling hearing anything about him. Hmm. She would need to ask Nako about it later. It became clear to the golden brown hunter that getting too far away from the den had been the last thing on little Zeph's mind. She watched with partial amusement as the young, green-marked girl lowered her brilliant red eyes with a thoughtful sort of look, possibly only considering their location for the first time since whatever had drawn her out this way. Anais still considered her lucky that she had been the one to find her and not someone, or even something else. She knew too well the dangers that hid in plain sight. The child abandoned her thoughtful pose and bounded over toward her, and conspiratorially Anais crouched her front half lower to the ground so that she could be on the same level as her niece. "What kind of secret?" she whispered back, her tail swaying with an eager little motion. It had been much too long since she had gotten to interact with pups. She had almost forgotten how precious and innocent and downright fun they were. Especially when they were taking to her so quickly!

She didn't usually keep secrets, and when she did, they wouldn't remain secret for long. That was the main problem with her siblings - they liked to dob on her. It was no fun mucking around when there were consequences looming inevitably ahead of her. Sometimes she'd try to shush them and threaten if angered to the point - anything to prevent them from opening their mouths, bound to spill the truth. At this point, she hadn't ever gotten away with anything naughty, because when adults were around, she was a goner. Lying never seemed to work, especially when she had annoying siblings screaming the opposite side of the story. After demanding for an apology, the adults would tell her to stop misbehaving, which she just couldn't do. No name-calling? No crying for attention? No being an absolute nuisance? That wasn't possible; all the fun would be drained out, and Zephyra liked to think of herself as a fun individual, even if she was the only one who shared this opinion. She whispered into the woman's ear, who had lowered to become level with the smaller canine. "A secret secret." Very descriptive indeed. "If Uncle Spencer found out I was being naughty, you know what he'd say?" Then she puffed out her chest, trying to intimidate her best masculine voice, with words stern and scolding like her uncle always displayed. "Zeph, enough. Apologise." A smirk tugged at her lips, quite smug with her impression. The sudden urge to try out her sister's voice boiled beneath her, imagining how funny she would sound, but found the secret matter of higher importance. It was the difference between getting in trouble and getting away with it. "So keep a secret? Don't tell anyone I went this far." She wasn't one for the whole act of cuteness, though decided this was a desperate time, which called for desperate measures. Her head tipped slightly to the side as her crimson eyes enlarged  - hopefully an adorable look. Then again, what was so adorable about green? "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think Anais giggled like a child as the young green-marked pup described her secret to her, amused and thoroughly curious as she let herself begin to enjoy the quality time she was getting with her niece. Already she knew she would be making return trips, little visits to check in on them and their mother - who she also needed to get to know better - and make herself a part of their lives. Nako had opened that door for her, and Marina had been kind enough to leave it that way even when she very well could have shut it and forbidden any contact. Anais truly intended to take full advantage of it for as long as she could, and was excited now to think that the others might welcome her among them so wholly and so readily. In her eagerness to get to girl, however, she let her own judgment slip and was reminded of the parameters set into place by the child's guardians as she mimicked the sort of response she was likely to get if they knew she was here and not at the den. Anais's smile faltered though it did not fade, and the chuckle she made was not quite as sincerely amused as she suspected Zephyra would have wanted it to be. Though the child was out of harm's way now, her aunt understood hor important it was for children to follow those rules set down, even if danger did not always follow when they were broken. She had encountered dangers of her own, and played the role of guardian in the raising of her not-so-baby brother Espirit after he was born. As much as Zephyra could justify keeping secrets and hiding things from her parents, Anais knew the parent side of things too well to fully commit. There was no denying that the girl's attempt at big, red, puppy eyes tugged at her heartstrings, at least a little, but Ani was not so easily swayed. She straightened herself to her full height and sighed as she looked down at the child while she weighed her options. Telling Marina or Nako - even Spencer - would get Zeph in trouble, and she hated the mere idea of being the cause of that. But neither could she completely ruin her fun. "How about," she said, "we go back to the den and I'll keep your secret, but only if you promise me you won't do it again?" It was probably asking a lot, she realized, especially of a fearless pup, but she wanted to give Zephyra the opportunity of turning things around, a second chance in a way. And maybe it would still keep her in the girl's good favor too.

I'll keep your secret. In that brief moment before the full picture was painted, the girl just couldn't believe her luck. The woman before her had to be an adult, and by her knowledge, all adults were pretty unfair and miserable, especially when it came down to punishments. Well, a selected few weren't, including her mother, so this aunt had to be the best aunt ever. On the inside, she tumbled around with joy, doing imaginary flips and cartwheels. Though her inward festivities abruptly halted when the older female finished the sentence with a catch. She should have seen that coming; it was too good to be true anyway. It was a difficult decision, leaving concentration scribbled all over the child's features. Her head constantly tilted from side to side with a serious thinking face on her complexion while the cogs in her not-so-intelligent brain slowly started to kick in, roaring to life. "Hmmm..." Then she began to pace around the auburn woman's paws, walking down a straight line before turning around and repeating the process. It was a tricky decision indeed. As she had discovered, exploring on her own was an enjoyable experience, even though perceived dangerous by her family. In the future, she wanted to do it again, but it seemed today her plans had been thwarted. The female was a clever aunt, she had to admit. The girl next overlooked her possible outcomes of the situation. If her aunt doesn't keep the secret, the information is bound to end up in her mother's paws, which will definitely put the child under probation - so no more adventuring for a long while. Alternatively, she could agree to the promise and at the very least try to avoid venturing out unattended, or perhaps ask her mother for permission instead. It wasn't what she was used to doing - not a very Zephyra thing at all though there were plenty of other mischievous actions she could still do. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to sneak out every once in a while; how would her aunt check? "I'll try," she confessed sheepishly after stopping her pacing, now staring down at her fidgeting paws. Finally looking up, she gazed into her aunt's amber gaze. "You'll keep the secret, right?" It was all that mattered, really. As long as her uncle or mother didn't find out, she'd go to great extents to keep her mischief safe. Until she forgot all about it, that is. "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think Oh, she stumped her. Anais could see it in the suddenly serious, thoughtful look that slid into place over Zeph's black and green features, and the way her little head tilted from side to side as she weighed her options. She must have really been thinking about the deal her aunt had suggested, and that aunt had to bite the inside of her lip to keep herself from laughing at how utterly adorable that look of full concentration was on her. Had the child ever had to think about something so hard, or had a scenario placed before her in this manner? Possibly not. Zephyra was still young, and bargaining was something that - or so Anais thought - would come later on, once she was a little older and better capable of thinking up terms for herself. But the terms she had set sounded reasonable to the golden brown wolf. Adventures could still be had, even solo ones, so long as someone was aware of where Zephyra would be. It was when no one knew, when she was presumed to be safe at home, that the real dangers happened, and that was something Anais wanted her, as well as her parents, to avoid. Especially knowing herself what those dangers could be like. It took a little while, combined with some great thought and pacing, but eventually Zephyra came to a loose agreement with the bargain. She promised to try to be good and not sneak away again, and though there was no full commitment to the bargain Anais guessed that was as good as it was going to get. Zephyra obviously enjoyed her little outings, no matter the dangers, and though she wanted to maintain that awesome aunt impression Anais felt that eventually she was going to have to come clean, no matter how the child's parents would react to the news. But for now, she could keep the promise she had made. "As long as you keep your promise," she countered gently, unsure now whether she had made the right kind of bargain. No matter what happened, she just hoped the girl would stay safe.

It truly had stumped her. The bargain was thrown back at her as her aunt countered her inquiry. As long as she kept the promise, she was safe. Those words constantly echoed within the walls of her mind, making her think for a while longer as if she might be able to twist herself around the situation though she knew there was only one option. If only she was as intelligent as her siblings; perhaps then she would find a way however that wasn't the case, to her misfortune, so she was stuck with acceptance. Maybe she'd be better off if she agreed to the deal - it would ease her mind off of thinking, as it was quite tiresome. Would her aunt be monitoring her movements? Would she report to her mother? The possibility frightened the child, though she gradually convinced herself that unless she spent every moment of her life around the woman, she was free to sneak out every once in a while. All she had to do was steer away from the female's scent as well as her own family's, and perhaps be less noticeable out in the open. Besides, maybe she would forget. The girl would only nod in response, falling into an unusual silence. Quietness wasn't her thing, though she felt like there was nothing she could add. Any smart remarks and she would kiss the secret goodbye. Already their familial relationship had gotten off to a pleasant start, she didn't need to ruin it just yet. "Well? Are we goin' back?" she yelled out after galloping a few metres away from the woman towards the direction of her den. At least she could prove to her aunt that she knew where her home was, hoping the female would think a little higher of her as a result. Green paws halted as her head spun around, narrowing her scarlet gaze. "Or have ya changed the promise?" "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think To Anais's delight, her young niece agreed to the terms without argument, though she could tell the girl continued to think. She was quiet even as she nodded her head, as if she was not quite done considering her options to the fullest, though she did let the arrangement stand as it was. It was probably a lot to ask from someone as young as Zephyra, but Anais was hopeful. It was dangerous allowing youngsters, particularly of this age, to wander unsupervised, as there was no telling what sorts of individuals they could simply happen upon. And especially outside of the protective boundary of a pack, there was no guarantee of someone even meeting them in their own home. The golden brown hunter smiled approvingly at Zeph over the decision the child had made, proud that she had even gotten her to agree to that much, and only felt a little jolt of surprise when the girl turned and suddenly darted ahead a short ways. On instinct, she took a hasty step after her, fearful for one scary moment that she had changed her mind and that she was going to try outrunning her aunt, but her words that quickly followed quieted those fears, and upon realizing her direction Anais relaxed. She was only headed back toward the den, not off to meet danger head on. That was a good start. Anais sighed over her own reaction, even chuckled at her lack of faith with a small shake of her head, and grinned when she turned her golden eyes back on Zephyra. "I'll race you there?" Anais offered in challenge, a little glitter of energy in her bright eyes. She hoped the prospect of a race against her aunt would keep the child's attention away from the adventures she had been conducting solo just a second ago, and hoped that the fun would entice her back to the den without complaint.

The mention of a race lit the girl's features with excitement before it melted into a mischievous smile as she looked away from her aunt, as if she feared the woman would be able to read her thoughts - her blossoming plan. The golden-brown female seemed like a fast runner - well, that's what she perceived. All adults were fast, and there was nothing she could do about that. The child just happened to be small, for now, that is. She was already starting to tower over her siblings, even though she took no notice of it. One day, she wouldn't need a head-start or her competition to run slow; she'd just beat them in a few effortless strides. Back to her plan, yes, her plan. Without much of a response, the child abruptly bolted towards the den, not daring to hesitate. The breeze blowing in her face pushed her ears back as she willed her oversized, clumsy paws to work harder. Faster, faster; she needed to run faster. So far she had been taking the winding path mostly clear of any obstacles, though that was too noticeable. To spice things up, she scurried through patches of gigantic ferns and took shortcuts when the adrenaline fuelled her to do so. Definitely unsafe; she could sprain a paw, step into a hidden hole or simply crash into a protruding object. Alright, so maybe she was cheating by getting a head-start, especially just after talking about safety and respecting rules but she really wanted to win! She hoped her sudden dash would put her aunt off, and hopefully by the time she started to run, she would have lost sight of the girl. Of course, the pup didn't think the woman knew where the den was, though desperately hoped she didn't.  "Catch me if you can!" she sang out, persevering with the race, of which she would have been disqualified by now. "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think Got her! Anais thought victoriously when she saw the glimmer of excitement and challenge light up Zephyra's rosy eyes from within. It was only a flash, smothered away the second the girl turned her head, but it had been enough for the youth's aunt to recognize it. There was relief, definitely, in knowing she had the green-marked girl back on a safer track, soon to be heading toward her den, but there was also joy. She loved seeing children drawn into games, loved witnessing their enthusiasm for life, their spunk and energy. It was invigorating, infectious, and made her own smile a touch brighter. And, quick as that light, she was gone. The golden brown hunter blinked as the spot her niece had been standing in suddenly emptied, and with her own smile faltering under the surprise she lifted her gaze to see how far the pup had gotten. A decent head start, she wagered, and laughed aloud quietly to herself. She should have known this mischievous one would take any opportunity she could get. Grinning, Anais gave pursuit, crouching and leaping forward as she loped in the girl's wake. She heard more than saw her progress by this point, the telltale rattling of leaves and branches thrown out of the way as Zeph took her shortcuts, but the direction seemed to be right and that was most important. Still, it was a race. "I'm catching up!" Anais called out tauntingly from behind Zephyra, stretching her gait to make good on her warning though the child had enough of a head start not even for that to be much of a threat. Whereas the child could take her shortcuts and dart through the smaller gaps, Anais had to take the wider route, winding through the trees along a safer, clearer course. Zephyra would win, she knew, but as she found her own pace Anais was confident it would not be by much.

As she ran, her mind gradually drifted off, as if cutting herself away from the outside world. She concentrated on the rhythm of her thundering paws, the patterns of the breezes buffeting her fur, her own steady breaths and the beats of her heart. It all moulded into one, like a calming symphony. For a moment, she forget all about her aunt and the race for that matter. In those few seconds, it was the bliss of just her and the path, running out of pure leisure. Just when she was starting to enjoy herself, a voice broke her mental haze, disrupting her relaxed state. Whipping her head around, a surprised shriek shot out from her throat at the sight. The golden-brown woman wasn't kidding; she truly was catching up. And what was she doing? Daydreaming! Letting out an irritated grunt, she put all of her focus and energy back into the task. No more sleeping on the job. Occasionally looking back to check on the female's progress, she pushed herself to pelt that little bit faster, working her green paws harder. Hey, she wasn't following her exact path! Ha, she thought to herself. She's not taking any shortcuts. I'm gonna win! And so that appeared to be the case when she could see the den through the leaves of the monstrous ferns. At this point her lungs burned and limbs ached, but was she giving up? No! Using what remained of her energy, she sprinted the final hundred metres, scarlet eyes fixed on her prize. Nothing else mattered but that den. Closer and closer it grew, her mouth becoming dry as her tongue lolled out. Almost there. She didn't dare turn her head back - doing so could slow her down. Her aunt was definitely behind her, not by much anyway. Regardless, she saw a glimmer of hope as she persevered. Come on! she pleaded to herself. It's right there! Within a few pounding heartbeats, she finally cleared the distance, flopping onto the ground by the den's entrance, sucking in huge amounts of air. Rolling around on the ground, her features were alive with victory. "I won!" she managed to screech, her vocals faltering as a result of her loss-of-breath. "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think Zephyra's childlike shriek brought out a sudden, humorous laugh from her aunt as the golden brown wolf raced behind her niece, grinning from ear to ear. This was wonderful. It had been some time since she had dealt with children of this age, since her baby brother had been this size. Too long, really. Childhood had been a memorable time in her life, full of adventure and fun and play, all things she wanted to share with other children if it was in her power to do so. And with Zephyra - and Nixie and Kaitlyn, and she supposed with the boy-child that had been mentioned too - she had that opportunity. They were family; what better excuse did she need? After spotting her, the young green-marked girl put even more effort into her stride, and Anais could see that she was doing her best to maintain her lead. It worked, she was happy to realize. The stagnant pace the girl had settled into at first changed, and the distance between almost stopped shrinking. So she had more in her to race that final stretch? Lemon-gold eyes alight as she smiled, Ani stretched her own gait a little more, gaining ground but recognizing it would not be enough. That suited her just fine. It was more fun when the kids won fair and square anyway. She'll love those bragging rights. To keep it fair, she did not slow down even though she saw her own chances of victory shatter as Zeph crossed into the boundary outside of the den, Anais skidding to a stop just a moment after. She smiled, bright and delighted, as she stared down at her niece, chuckling over the girl's antics while she wriggled upon the ground. "That was some race," Anais commented once she had stopped laughing, "I thought I was going to get you at the end." And it had been close, purposefully, but she was sure that only made the victory sweeter. "I bet you'll be even faster when you're a little bigger," she added, and believed it. If she was already a little bullet on four clumsy pup paws, she would certainly be a contender once her long legs came in.

She too had thought the golden-brown woman would have overtaken her, simply because she was larger and, well, an adult. As a grown-up she should have experience in races and be able to beat a pup anytime. Maybe she didn't know the gulley as well as the green-marked girl did, or wasn't in top running form...though purposefully allowing her to win didn't strike the child as a possibility. Whatever, she had won and that was all that mattered. It was her first taste of victory, perhaps not entirely even, though she had won nevertheless. At this rate she didn't think she would get any faster on her fumbling green paws. She had been pelting pretty fast back there, if she had to admit herself. The momentum had pushed her ears back against her skull, the wind buffeting her ebony fur. It had all felt great. Her heart still thudded in her chest, breaths gradually slowing as she rested on her back, scarlet eyes looking up at the female. "I'm gonna be really big!" she squeaked, rolling onto her side and rising to her paws, shaking the loose dirt and leaves from her pelt. "I wanna be taller than mama." It was her dream, after all, to be the largest in the family. Already she was starting to outmatch her siblings, though her mother still proved to be an obstacle - one that she hoped to conquer. "Where's your den, anyway?" she curiously asked, looking around for another den. "I can't see it." "Speech"

Walk | Talk | Think The size comment seemed to spark renewed life into the breathless young girl, and Anais grinned as Zephyra made her own prediction. It did seem likely. Both her mother and father were on the tall side, and already the golden brown wolf had to assume she must have been the tallest out of her litter. She was large by puppy standards for her age, at least to Anais's recollection, and she giggled as she considered the possibility of her niece actually seeing this dream come true. "I think you stand good chances for that," she answered encouragingly, nodding her head to show her certainty on the matter. On a dime, their conversation turned, following a sudden shift in Zeph's thought pattern. Her den? Again, Anais smiled, though more gently, as she tried to explain. "My den's not actually here in this forest. It's in a cave, by the ocean." A little warning bell flashed - was this something she should be telling to her niece? Could she potentially take this information and try finding her sometime, passing the border and making a mad dash for the water? It was a little late now, but still gave the thoughtful aunt a moment of pause. "And it's close enough that I can come visit, anytime you want me to." She hoped the suggestion of further future visits would distract the girl, but Zephyra was pretty clever. There was no telling yet.