Lorelai was practically buzzing with excitement. She and Beorn and Ulmaria were going on an adventure, and it was all she could do to keep from squealing about it. She knew Ulmaria had already gone on some trips farther from the den, but this was the furthest Lore had ever gone without a grown up. Everything looked... pretty similar, but also totally different too! Ulmaria wanted to look for some plants by the river, and since the day was sweltering hot Lore was eager to come along. She'd try to help, but she also really wanted to challenge Beorn to a frog catching contest too. She could multitask! As the river came into view she raced ahead, eager to dip her paws in its cool currents. The sun was high overhead, trees and ground cover casting only short shadows. Scampering along the bank until she found a dirt and stone beach, Lore called out, "Last one in's a pile of gopher guts!" before plunging in up to her chest. The current wasn't particularly quick, but the rocks beneath slippery enough that her paws swept out sideways. She dunked under for a brief moment and came up spluttering, "I meant to do that! Definitely meant to do that." "Talk" "Listen" Think

Beorn was wandering along behind his sisters not too terribly concerned about what lay ahead. There were far too many nice things at his feet for that. His cheeks billowed with leaves and flowers too precious to leave behind. Every few steps he stopped with a soft 'oh!' as yet another beauty was discovered. Leaving them behind would be a terrible thing so he was forced to stop, bend down, and try to poke another bit of grass, leaf or petal in among the rest with the utmost care.

His head snapped up as Lorelai laid down a challenge. "Bu-bu-bu-" he shot a panicked look between the latest fascinating thing - an uncollected acorn - and the sister who now ran into the water. He didn't want to be gopher guts! He took off after her determined to beat Ulmaria. Not one for grace, every step jarred Beorn causing him to leave of trail of broken foliage in his wake as his collection wriggled free of his grasp. He wanted to stop for his things but he definitely didn't want to be guts, so, sadly, they were left behind.

The little Regni reached the water and was about to plunge in after his sister when she popped up out of it with a sputter. Oh, that looked scary. Maybe...maybe he wouldn't do it like that. To test it, Beorn stuck one foot in and swished it around.

Bounding through the tall grass Ulmaria focused on finding the stream that cut through the range. Behind her trailed a new friend, Valeria, a black lemur that sauntered quietly after the pups like a strangely distorted shadow. The lemur was supposed to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't eat anything poisonous which she was fine with as it meant she could go gathering without a pesky adult on her heels the whole time. Adding to the excitement were two of her siblings joining her. The three of them free as could be!

Lore called out to race and Ulmaria bounded forward, diving for the river. She thought they were racing just to the rivers edge and she skidded to a halt in the mud and sand as Lore went right into the water. Lore came up sputtering saying she meant to do it. Ulmaria shrieked with laughter. "Looook! Look how skinny you are. You look so funny!" The pup fluff seemed to melt as the water plastered Lore's fur to her frame.

She eyed her brother as he stuck one foot into the river. With a feisty grin she bounded forward and tried to use her chest to shove him into the water.

Lorelai shook her head to clear the water from her ears, regaining her senses only to find her brother testing the water in a much more sensible way and her sister laughing at her. Lore's ears flicked back as a quick trill of insecurity flooded through her. She wasn't that skinny! She was big and fierce and strong! Lore shoved those gross feelings down, forcing her pout into a wicked grin. "Oh yeah?" The red pup sunk back into the water, submerging every inch save her head, soaking up as much ammunition as she could before charging back onto the shore to shower Ulmaria with a mighty shake. "Who cares what gopher guts think of me anyways, huh?" 'Course, it was hard to say how much actually hit her, seeing as Maria was doing her best to soak Beorn too. Lore grinned, wet rat tail whipping from side to side. This was like, the best day she'd ever had so far! She trotted a few yards further down the stream's bank into relative safety from their antics, trying her best to peer through the water's rippling current to see what might lay beneath. Treasure probably, but that was for another day. They had business to attend to! "Didja want to look for plants, Mar? There's loads here." 'Loads' might have even been an understatement. She saw reedy plants, leafy plants, flowery plants. Lore cast a quick glance over to Maria's new friend Valeria, figuring she'd probably know. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Beorn looked up as Ulmaria declared Lorelai skinny and funny. His sister had a point. With her fur all slicked down she looked a bit like a couple crossed sticks balancing an acorn. He was on the verge of quietly agreeing when Ulmaria shoved him out of the blue. He yelped, startled, and was flung forward. Something happened to his eyes in that moment but everything happened so fast he couldn't tell what. A flailing Beorn disappeared into the water in a spray of blood.

He reappeared seconds later still flailing but blinded by water and blood. Everything was shapes and colors and he couldn't tell near from far. He dipped under with a sputter, bounced off the bottom, and bobbed back to the surface in a panic.

Before Beorn could swallow the whole river, the donkey who had been following him around grabbed him by the nape and threw him back onto land where he flopped around like a guppy. He rolled onto his back and fountained water before desperately gulping air. Okay, so, clearly he had been right to be nervous about the river. That thing was dangerous! It was a good thing Uncle Tyrian's donkey had escaped again otherwise he'd be cozying up to the fishes. "That's-" a wheeze - "not funny, Ulmaria!" Still kind of blind, Beorn rubbed at his eyes in the hopes of clearing them.

"Speech"

Ulmaria collided with her brother as Lore asked her about the plants. She missed the question in her eagerness and as he flew forward toward the water she let out a laugh. The laugh quickly shifted to a scream as blood squirted from Beorn's eyes and stained the water. Oh no! Had she hit him so hard she knocked his eyes out!? "Heeelllp! Lore I killed him!" Ulmaria panicked, bounding into the water as she tried to grab at her brother without going in so far that her feet didn't touch the ground.

Thankfully the donkey grabbed Beorn and hauled him out of the water. Ulmaria scrambled over. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't think it was that deep. Are your eyes still there?" Ulmaria got right up in Beorn's face trying to see if he still had eyeballs or if she needed to go back in the water to try and find them.

Well, you know what they say. It's all fun and games until someone starts spurting blood everywhere. Ulmaria screamed, so Lore started screaming, because what else was she really supposed to do? "Mari, what did you do?!! Pops is gonna kill us! Beorn's gonna haunt us forever!!!" She splashed forward as quick as she could, hoping to help, but before she could manage to blunder in and make things any worse Beorn's donkey friend swooped in and deposited the dripping pup back onto firmer ground. Lore pushed up next to her sister and crowded in, trying to see for herself the damage done. Their brother was wheezing and coughing which was better than being dead, but still probably not great. Also the whole blood-squirting-thing wasn't doing her composure any favors. "Beorn! Does it hurt? Should I go get Dad, or Pops?" Lore backed up a little, ready to go sprint for more help, even if a voice whispered in the back of her mind that admitting their crimes might make things worse for her and Ulmaria. After all, they were just messing around, they hadn't meant for him to get hurt! But... but Lore knew it was the right thing to do, so she would. She'd happily clean out the den every day for the rest of her life, as long as it meant a grown-up would come and tell them her brother was for sure okay, if that's what he wanted. "Talk" "Listen" Think