It was time, Alamea was nervous, unsure but she had decided it was time. It seemed like only day ago that the children had opened their eyes, mere hours since they had learnt to walk. She slowly and gently rose to her paws, careful not to hit any of the small sleeping bundles. Gently she nosed at each pup in turn, whispering to them: ?We?re going outside today.? She then turned to leave the den, she wondered briefly at where Rune had gotten to, she had not notice his leaving but trusted him to be back soon enough. She stretched under the early morning sun, enjoying its heat. It was shaping up to be a warm, humid day. The white girl had not been out of the den in a week or two, reluctant to leave the pups, especially once they had begun to walk, so she was enjoying this. She took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of the island, wolves, vegetation, prey and under is all the slight tang of salt water. Still she was wary, the jungle was unforgiving place, especially for pups. Alamea was barley even an adult and now she was a mother, she did not regret the decision she and Rune had made? only wished she had some guidance. She lowered herself upon her haunches to wait for the pups to emerge, a slight shuffling in the canopy drew her attention and she could see Elliot hanging from a nearby tree, his leathery wings pulled tight around his sleeping form. She had to smile, she had not seen him since the pups birth, he stayed out beyond the den and was usually asleep high in the treetops during the day so the few times she had left she could never be quite sure where he was. The girl made a mental note to apologize to the bat for the rude awakening he was more than likely about to get. Speech,

A set of half-lopped ears slowly rose over the top of a rock and continued to rise until bright eyes were just high enough to see over it. There was a thing. The thing was small and wisp thin, made up almost entirely by a pair of blue ears that constantly moved to and fro, first towards each other and then away. It strutted across the top of the rock with big ears just a flapping away. Occasionally it would stop to sample the moss, long whiskers gently brushing across the tiny green plant.

Warja wanted to lick it.

She desired to lick the big-eared thing with an intensity that had never before filled her in all her short life. This was her purpose in life, the culmination of everything she'd ever done was in preparation for this moment.

She was going to lick the thing.

Her chest filled with excitement until she thought she was going to burst. Warja's whole body eased towards the ground and she crept closer. Slowly, so slowly that she was afraid she'd never reach it, the pup leaned towards the thing. In an instant it was up and off the rock, big ears carrying it into the air, where it fluttered for the briefest of moments before dropping to settle on the tip of her nose.

Startled, her half-lopped ears fell backwards. It was on her! What should she do? Would it bite her? Should she call for help? Warja's eyes crossed as she tried to keep it in her sights, but it did no good, because the moment she managed to lock eyes on it, it sprouted a second pair of ears and duplicated the things around her. What was happening?! What kind of creature could do that, turn one thing into two?

Her eyes started to hurt and Warja uncrossed them, mouth falling open as the world and the thing went back to normal. It did it again! What was it? Was it..dangerous?? "Momma..." she whispered, more in awe of the thing than afraid of it.