ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE Every day, everyone else was getting bigger. Except for her. She was teeny and tiny, just like always. Marvel was already bigger than her, and mama said she was still growing. What was wrong with her, that she was the only one who wasn't getting bigger? Even Micah seemed to be slowly rising above her own height. This sucked! Forfax has taken to holding herself as tall as she could nowadays, trying to be big like everyone else. Mama had told them to go on an adventure, and take a break from all of their lessons. Which meant only one thing: the adventure buddies were going to see everything! With Marvel's shaman training on hold for the day, and her own healing lessons on pause, it was time to spend some quality sister time together! "Do you think there are any monsters there?" The green eyed girl asked, glancing at her sister. She didn't like monsters, not after she had almost been eaten. "Don't they always guard special places?" Mama had said that she'd grown up in a mangrove not far from where they were staying, and Marvel had been adamant about going to see it. The taller girl believed that it might be a holy place, and they might find something cool there. speech

Striding on long limbs well suited to eating up the ground with ease, he found himself exploring further north. The beastly wolf had no intention of going much further, in fact he was already contemplating a good point to turn around. This had simply been a journey to better familiarize himself with some of the northern continent. It wouldn't do to not know anything about the territory around him, only fools left themselves isolated and unaware of their surroundings. So far he was not terribly impressed with what he saw, and when he found himself trapsing through the mangrove he was even less excited. It was summer, and their were too many bugs for the mostly thin-coated brute to enjoy himself much.

He was stretching himself across a half-rotten log that protested under the weight of the large creature when he spotted some pale shapes moving towards him. Gold eyes narrowed, painted face twitching as he tried to decide what he was seeing. He relaxed a bit as the the shapes proved to be quite small - children, perhaps? He thought it was likely. A single tap of his tail would signal his generally neutral attitude as he called out, "Going on an adventure, little ones?"

BEEN CHASIN' DREAMS It was hot as heck today. Fortunately, it was also pretty cloudy. Her skin was safe from sunburn, and so it was a perfect day to explore. Which was Forfax's speciality. She trotted along beside her older sister, a big smile on her face and a swagger to her gait. The mangrove mama had mentioned was not far up ahead. The briny smell of the sea was already invading her nostrils. "Do you think there are any monsters there?" Forfax asked warily, nervously looking her way. "Don't they always guard special places?" The pallid youth shrugged, tearing her gaze from the surrounding foliage to her sister. "Don't think so?" She replied, vocals high pitched with indecisiveness. "We don't have the beating stick. Might have to fight them off, just you and me." There was a broad grin on her face now, tail wagging behind her. The thought of her smallest sibling trying to fend of a mighty beast was laughable at best. In all likelihood, their father would appear to save them before such a thing happened. "There it is!" She cried, leaping into a gallop. The gnarled mangrove trees reared ahead of them. They had made it! Oh boy! Looking behind her, she saw her sister lagging behind."Faxxy! Go faster!" She taunted, the ground turning to mud beneath her paws once she was too close. Ew! It squished and sucked at the thick fur between her toes. How did her mama manage to stay here so long? She slowed to a prowl, creeping closer to the supposedly magical water. With only slight hesitation, she stepped into it. Just as mama had said, the waters lit up all around her legs. Gods above, this was amazing! "Going on an adventure, little ones?" A deep voice questioned from up ahead. The pale youth lifted her head, eyes immediately locking onto the dark form of a large male. Brows lifting in shock, she could only stare. That wasn't a normal wolf. He had strange red marks all over, and bright gold eyes. It was a monster. Where was her sister? She whipped her head around, finding Forfax coming up behind her as fast as her little legs could go. "Faxxy, run!" She cried, lifting her paws from the sucking mud to whirl around and tackle her sister. No way was she letting her get eaten by a monster on her watch! Redirecting the smaller girl with her forelimbs, she kept up the rear to shove her onwards towards home. "speech" BUT I NEVER SLEPT

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE Marvel was no help! She didn't say there were no monsters, like papa always did. Instead, she said they would have to fight them! That was horrible! She was too small to fight! Opening her mouth to argue, she was instantly cut off. "There it is!" Marvel cried, and was kicking up dirt in a hurry to get to the mangrove. Oh jeez! Her own, shorter legs could barely keep up. The green eyed girl raced after her sister, tongue lolling from her jaws in a broad grin. This was so exciting! Already, Marvel was pulling ahead. However, Forfax wasn't about to say anything about it. She wasn't going to admit she was smaller! "Faxxy! Go faster!" Marvel screeched excitedly. "I'm trying!" She shouted back, laughing giddily. She could see her sister disappearing into the embrace of the mangrove. A faint blue glow flared up around her sister's body. Damn it! Marvel had beaten her there! The wild look in her sister's eyes as she looked over her shoulder was terrifying to see. Marvel wasn't scared of monsters, or a fight. Why did she look like that? "Faxxy, run!" She screamed, and was running for her at full tilt. Oh no! Scrambling to turn on her heels, it took only a few seconds for Marvel to barrel into her and shove her back onto their previous trail. "Papa! Mama!" She screeched, racing away from the mangrove with Marvel hot on her heels. Desperately, she tried to peer around her sister to see what was coming. Was it big? Did it have all the arms and legs like the last monster? Was this one even bigger than the last? speech

Amusement colored his features as he watched the little pale child come trotting through the trees over damp ground without a care in the world. Children were the most fascinating and entertaining of creatures. Innocent and fragile like nothing else. The carefree little one followed by a straggling companion she called out to came to an abrupt halt when she saw him at last and- oops, was it something he did? Or was the small one on edge already and his appearance had been the last straw to send the children into panic mode? "Подождите-" He called out, but they were already racing away. Not exactly what he thought would happen. "Ты более домашняя, чем ты думал, Чернобог" he thought dryly, heaving himself to a standing position and stretching.

Eyeing the disappearing pale spots that were all he could still see of the children, Czernobog decided to follow them. If they didn't want to converse that was okay, but he at least wanted to make sure that if there weren't concerned parents lurking the kids would make it back to wherever they belonged in one - or two, he supposed - piece. Hopping onto the marshy ground he took off, following at an easy lope that ate up the ground and closed the distance with minimal effort.

When he neared them he tried using a lighter tone, softening his deep baritone vocals best he could, "Do not run, small ones, I am not frightening. You will be lost if you run in a panic like that." an air of concern broke through his thickly accented words at the mention of them getting lost. It would be very unfortunate if little ones like this were to find themselves unable to get home.

BEEN CHASIN' DREAMS Thunderous footsteps announced the pursuit of the mangrove monster, and the child nipped at her sister's rump. "Торопиться!" She yelped, glancing behind her at the dark figure that lumbered ever closer. Her heart was racing, she could feel each beat against her ribs. Forfax had called for their parents, but they were nowhere in sight. Mama had to be close by, she would come save them! Zhiva, please let mama find us soon. The prayer came into her mind, instinctual. "Do not run, small ones, I am not frightening. You will be lost if you run in a panic like that." A soft voice called, deep like Da's. Gentle, though. Like when either of her parent's wanted her to go to sleep soon. She hesitated, glancing back. There were no bared fangs, despite the crimson staining his pelt. Was that blood? Forfax would be too small to get away, if this was some kind of killer. Oh gods, her legs hurt. They were so tired already. All this running! Faltering paws tripped her up, until she was forced to slow down. There was no choice but to believe this guy, and that he was friendly. "Faxxy," She chirped to her tiring sister. Keeping her slightly bigger body between this monster of a wolf and her littlest sister, she stopped short. Part of her wanted desperately to lay down and pant, wait for mama to come save them. Instead, she dropped her head between her forelegs and panted. Better to stay on her feet. As her sister joined up with her, their flanks brushed. Drawing comfort and reassurance from each other's presence. "Если что-то случится, вы запустите и получите маму и Да. Я буду отвлекаться." The champagne child spoke fearlessly in her normal tone. No one besides her and her family knew their language, that she knew of. Auds lowering toward her skull, she looked to the giant male. "Who're you?" She asked, words roughened by her native accent. She still wasn't so sure about this guy. He'd appeared out of nowhere, and then said not to be afraid. Sounded like something a monster would say before gobbling up a couple of little pups. "speech" BUT I NEVER SLEPT

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE Having her sister biting her butt was not helping the situation. If anything, it made her even more scared. "Торопиться!" Marvel shouted, sounding frenzied. A tightening in her tummy, the taste of bile in her throat. Oh gods, no. No throwing up! She swallowed it back down, and kept running. She could throw up at home, where it was safe and no one would make fun of her. "Do not run, small ones, I am not frightening. You will be lost if you run in a panic like that." Forfax wasn't buying that for a second. Why would the big monster chase them, if he didn't want to eat them? The last giant she had met was Ashiel, who had just stood there. Definitely not a monster, definitely not interested in eating puppies. Her legs burned from the activity. She was older than her sister, but that didn't mean she was any more adept at long distance sprinting. She heard Marvel stumble, and her heart leapt into her throat. Along with some more throw up. No! "Faxxy," her sister said softly. No way was she ever leaving anyone in her family behind. Strangers? Sure. But not Marvel, Darya, Dominka, or any of her siblings. Especially not Micah. Skittering to a halt, she wheezed out a shaky breath. Her chest hurt real bad. She glanced over at Marvel. The other girl looked no better than she did. Weary legs carried her over to where her sister stood. She leaned heavily on her larger form, trying to draw courage from her by osmosis. It didn't work. Without hesitation, Marvel said "Если что-то случится, вы запустите и получите маму и Да. Я буду отвлекаться." Her blood turned to ice for the second time today. Нет, Диво. Кто-то услышал, с нами все будет в порядке. Forfax retorted in the same tone, chiding her baby sister. They would be fine, as long as they stuck together. Peering around her sister, she stared, wide eyed, at the giant man. He was almost as big as papa, but far more intimidating. What was it? Maybe the red marks all over him, or the spots. She'd seen those spots on a big cat, once. The big cat had not been very friendly. That was probably why she didn't like him. Marvel addressed him warily, with her ears tipped back. "Who're you?" She asked. Her accent was thick, whereas her own was nonexistent. The green eyed girl had been brought up speaking the "common tongue", as her younger siblings called it. Forfax's own dark ears pressed tight against her skull, cheek pressed firmly against her sister's alabaster shoulder. "Our papa will be real mad if you eat us, you know!" She cried out, unable to look at anything but those big gold eyes of his. "Our mama will eat you right back!" There was no doubt in her mind that Lirika would, in fact, destroy him. The thought gave her very little peace. speech

The brute got a better look at the pale children he'd followed when at last they turned to face him. One ghostly pale - albino, he figured - the other possessing more dark markings and dark skin. The ghostly one was a big bigger, and she turned to him with a fiery spirit despite her panicked state. It almost brought a smile to his lips. Her words to her sibling were all caught and understood, but he kept that to himself for now as he realized she thought he might not know what she was saying. So she hadn't heard him before after all. Well, this was sure turning out to be an interesting encounter. Now he just needed to convince them he wasn't some monstrous fiend like they thought.

"You're quite brave, you know." he commented, addressing the little albino child who spoke with such strength in the face of perceived danger. Even if there was none, it was rather courageous of her to act this way. A fighter at heart, this one. To her question he would reply easily, voice low and gentle, thrumming in his chest as he hummed out his own calling, "I am Czernobog. And you, little fighter?"

Eyes squinted a bit as a smile broke out in earnest, reaching his eyes in his genuine expression of good humor. The laugh that filled the space around them was hearty, but good natured. "That's good, it would be a shame if they did not miss you should you be gobbled up, but I assure you I'm not fond of munching on little Дети" the transition to one of his more native tongues was accidental, but he wondered if it would ease their minds or make them more wary to know they shared a language. Too late now.

Settling to lay down on the driest ground he could find, Czernbog sought to cut a less imposing figure. Once settled he would chuckle, "While I am large and imposing, I am no threat" His gaze flicked over the many trees that surrounded them as he mused, "По крайней мере, не для невинного."

BEEN CHASIN' DREAMS Forfax was horrified, but she had no choice in the matter. While she was older, Divo was bigger. That trumped everything. Even as she confronted the giant beast, her smallest sister pressed tight against her side. A quick lick was pressed to the top of Forfax's head, trying to remind her that she was safe. Nothing was going to happen- someone was going to come to their rescue soon enough. "You're quite brave, you know." The rumbling vocals of the giant man reverberated through her bones. Her hackles spiked up for a moment or two. She raised her chin even higher, daring him to test her mettle. "I am to be a shaman, you know. I already know curses!" An empty threat, as well as a lie. Did he need to know she was fibbing? No, not at all. "I am Czernobog. And you, little fighter?" he questioned easily, showing no malice. Yet. However, the vaguely familiar name of the black god drew a gasp from the shaman in training. He was from another realm! One paw slid backwards to block her sister yet more from view. It seemed as though her sister wouldn't be silenced. "Our papa will be real mad if you eat us, you know!" Faxxy cried fearlessly. "Our mama will eat you right back!" She shouted threats at the much larger, imposing male. She snapped her teeth at her sister, hissing a wordless warning. What if he was a spirit? He might carry them off to another realm, and they would never see Da or mama again. How foolish of Forfax. "That's good, it would be a shame if they did not miss you should you be gobbled up, but I assure you I'm not fond of munching on little Дети" the black god said calmly, wearing a broad grin. Ah, shit. He'd heard their plan, and now he would know what to do if he wanted to gobble them up. The pallid child eyed the black god, as he lowered himself to lounge on the ground. What was his plan? He didn't look so scary, laid out prone like that. Was that his plan? To lull them into a false sense of security? She would not be fooled! "While I am large and imposing, I am no threat" he chuckled. The child narrowed her eyes. Yeah, right. That's just what someone would say to convince two little pups they weren't about to be gobbled up. "По крайней мере, не для невинного." "But you are the black god!" She cried indignantly. She'd been taught as much, that the black god was a figure of chaos and destruction. "Teacher says that the black god will fool and curse you, if you let him." Perhaps she was just as bad as Forfax, carelessly lobbing threats at a deity. However, she must make his foolishness known. Smart pups grew up to be smart wolves, and dumb pups got gobble up by spirits and demons. "speech" BUT I NEVER SLEPT