The tiny doe sat by the rivers edge, but far enough away that the river didn't touch her toes. She shivered as she remembered this very river carrying her here, away from her parents and erasing all traces of her. She didn't even know where she was, it was far away from where Daddy's pack used to be. The girl sniffled slightly, but refused to cry. Her ribs and hip bones stuck out of her pale coat, gray masked face sunken in slightly. She was far too skinny for a pup of nearly a year old, but it didn't seem to phase her happy-go-lucky mood. Her pale tail thumped on the earth in a slow rhythm, but she didn't go any closer to the water. Since nearly drowning, she was unsure if she would ever be okay with going back in the water. She licked at her chaps, knowing that she was quite thirsty, but she didn't want to get closer. Gray ears pulled back against her head as she let out a low whine, picking up her front left paw and waving it towards the water, as if willing it to come any closer to her. It had to work, right? ""

Leo trotted along the thick river's edge, an ever present smile lingering on his lips. There was very little that could get the russet and ivory man down, especially on such a warm, sunny day. As far as he knew his family was fine and well, he had managed to slowly grow his short list of friends here in Alacritis, he was as well fed as a loner could be. Things were good in the young man's life. Thinking of food made his stomach growl and he remembered that he hadn't eaten yet that day, having decided to go out and venture away from The Range for a while this morning instead of hunting. He slowed down and peered at the river. He wasn't entirely familiar with fishing, but he had done it once or twice and had seen it done a few more times than that. Perhaps he could manage it. He carefully stepped into a shallower area of the river, feeling the water run past him and around his legs. Wading his way in till the water reached his knees he waited till finally a fish swam near him. A few failed attempts and some clumsy splashing later he finally had a fish caught in his jaws and an laying on the shore behind him. He made his way back to the shore triumphantly and shook off each of his paws to get as much of the water off of his legs as possible. Finally he would carefully scoop the second fish up into his jaws so he could continue on his way down along the bank of the river, hoping to find a shady tree to each his lunch under. It wasn't more than a couple dozen feet before he spotted a small, pale form laying on the bank, a noticeable distance between the pup and the water, waving her forepaw sadly like the was beckoning the river closer. Curious, and maybe a bit concerned, he moved toward her, noticing her lack of weight the closer he got. He slowed to a stop a couple of feet from her, setting down his catches so he could free up his jaws. He smiled, his sapphire gaze looking at the pup curiously. "Hey there." He glanced down at the fish at his paws and back to the pup. "Would you like a fish? I have an extra." "Talk" "You" Think

She kept pawing towards the lake, just willing a few drops of it to walk on up out of the lake and towards her. She didn't want to get any closer to it than she already was. Huffing, she whined and switched paws, the other one becoming quite tired. It was then that she heard a slight rustle, her gray ears rotating towards the sound as her head slowly followed. A pretty coloured man with fish in his mouth was walking towards her, and her tail started to thump on the earth. He offered her a fish and she bounded forward, careful not to get any closer to the river. "'hanks mis'er! 'hat's really nice of you!" She said with a squeal, bending down and sniffing at the fish. The smell of the water on them made her quiver slightly, backing up a few steps as she eyed them warily. She remembered seeing flashes of silver as she floated down the river, fish swirling around her and not even trying to help her out. Looking up at the stranger she swallowed hard, backing up a few more steps as she shook her head. "Ac'ually, I'm okay..." And with that she turn and ran, body shaking as tears started to flow down her face. Charmeine let out a cry as she ran further away from the river, seeing a fallen log and climbing over the top of it. Ducking down behind it, she ever so slowly rose her head up and peeked over the top. Her coloured ears pressed flat against her pale skull, a whine slipping out from her maw. That river was scary, all water was scary and evil! Her cyan eyes were wide and wet with tears as she lowered her head again, curling into a tight little ball as she whimpered. When she closed her eyes all she could see was the water lapping around her, the current pulling her body downwards. ""

Leo smiled when she excitedly accepted his offer and quickly hopped over to sniff at the offered fish. He was just about to take his own dinner to begin eating it when all the sudden she began to back away. He looked up again curiously, his eyes widening when he saw the tears in her eyes and how her little body was trembling. He felt a little moment of panic. What had he done? He tried to tell her to wait when she turned to run off, but his words just came out as confused sputtering. What in the world? He glanced from her retreating form and back to his dinner, then back to her again. He thought about just letting her go, but his mismatched ears caught her cry and they fell back with immediate concern. He abandoned the fish and ran after her, following her scent to her hiding spot behind a fallen log. He hopped over the log and crouched down beside her. "Hey hey hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" his voice was soft and calm, not wanting to rile her up any more than she already was. His sapphire gaze was full of concern and a small frown creased his face. He leaned forward to gently nudge her shoulder with his nose, hoping to coax her out of the ball shape she had pulled herslef into so maybe they could talk and she could explain what was wrong. He really hoped he hadn't caused this. He would feel awful if he was! "Talk" "You" Think

She curled up tighter, the only thing she could see were the waved trying to drown her tiny frame. The water roared in her ears, and she was only snapped out of it when a damp nose pressed into her shoulder. Letting out a small whimper she uncurled her form and looked up at him, cyan eyes wet with tears. Had he asked her something? Her gray ears pulled back to her head, her gaze shifting towards the water again. "'ha' mean river 'ried 'o ea' me all up," she whispered softly. Even though she was almost a year old, her fear and speech impediment made her sound much younger than she was. She didn't know what drowning was, she had never heard of it before. Flickering her gaze back towards the stranger, she tried to smile softly at him. "Bu' 'hanks for offering 'he fish, bu'.... i' smelled like 'he wa'er. I remember seeing 'hem when 'he river 'ried to ea' me," Charmeine shook softly, stepping up and pushing her face into the man's leg. She was so scared, her body still trembling as she pressed her body closer and closer to him. She didn't care that she didn't even know his name, but she just needed to be held, to be told that it was going to be okay. Charm pulled her head back and looked up at the man, her smile growing wider. "My name is Charmeine, wha's yours?" she asked. She didn't want to talk about the water anymore, she wanted to move on to a better subject, anything else really. Like butterflies, or why one of his ears was white and one was all orangy. Or if he had family. She missed hers... but she didn't mean to fall into the river! Really, it wasn't like she wanted it to try and eat her. ""

The girl finally lifted her head and looked at him before looking toward the river, telling him that the river had tried to "eat her up." She had almost drowned? She was speaking so softly that it was hard to hear her and it seemed like she couldn't say 't's so that made it a little more difficult, but he sat very still and quiet so he could listen, peering at her attentively with his concerned gaze. When she explained why she had run from the fish he felt awful for bringing up those memories for her, but he reminded himself that he had no idea that had happened. But he would know in the future not to bring her fish or take her near the river... for however long he might be near her anyway. She moved closer and pressed her face to his leg and he smiled a little, leaning his muzzle down to nuzzle her scruff gently. "It's alright, I won't let the river take you," he said softly, hoping that reassured her that she was safe. He looked back down at her as she smiled and introduced herself. He couldn't help but return her smile as he replied, "My name is Leo. It's very nice to meet you, miss Charmeine." He glanced around them before looking back to the young girl, his head tipping to the side. "Are you here by yourself? Where is your family?" He was almost positive she was too young to be out on her own completely, especially judging from the way she wouldn't even go near the water for a drink. He hoped she at least knew where her parents were so he could take her home. He couldn't just leave her out here like this after all. "Talk" "You" Think

This man seemed very nice, he was looking at her when she talked and even looked worried for her. So nice! Charm loved nice wolves. He nuzzled her when she clung to his leg, promising to not let the river eat her ever again. Looking up with those wide blue eyes, she let out a small gasp. "You really mean i' mis'er?" she asked, pale tail wagging behind her slowly. "Doesn 'ha' mean 'ha' I ge' 'o go home wi'h you?" Her voice was almost pleading, she was all alone and really didn't have anywhere to go. She didn't want to be a bother though, but she had no idea how to get back to her family! He introduced himself as Leo and she smiled, storing the name away in her little head. Leo's next question was a hard one though, her whole frame deflating. "Um..." she started, looking down at her paws and twirling them around in little circles. "I dunno where 'hey are.... 'hey a' 'he 'op of 'he wa'er, where I fell in. 'he river 'ook me pre'y far 'hough...." she whined, glancing towards the mean river. She had left Alacritia with them, and had no idea that she had washed up on its land once again. She just wanted to go home, to find them. But this nice man said that he was going to protect her! That meant that he had to take her home with him, right? Right? ""

He smiled with a little amusement when she asked if that meant she was going to go home with her. It was an adorable gesture, one he was willing to chalk up to a pup not really knowing what they're talking about, until she said that she didn't know where her family was. His smiled was replaced with a concerned frown. It was really a miracle that she had survived this long with her fear of water and all. He didn't know what to do. She didn't have anywhere to go, but he couldn't just leave her here. He sighed softly and smiled, peering down at the pale, gray masked girl. He knew his mother would welcome her. She was a softie for pups... just like he was. He chuckled softly and leaned down to kiss her forehead reassuringly. "Weeeeeell, I suppose you could come home with me. My family is very, very nice. I'm sure they're going to love you. But there is a lot of water where I live. It's all very shallow water, and very still though. Would you be okay with that?" He peered at her curiously, wondering if she would be able to over come her fear so she could come live in Fiori with him and his family. "Talk" "You" Think