It was the dead of night and one of the young children of Bane and Tahlia, who should have been sleeping at this hour, was out of the den and wandering around Ebony. She had been moved from a different home, a home by a river, though she didn't remember that home. Lior had been just a tiny little scrap of fur when they came here... but now the girl was growing... and as she got a little older her energy started to come about in larger spurts. Tonight was one such night, paws leading the girl down to the dark waters of the lake. The water fascinated her... and it looked even more beautiful at night with the stars shining down upon it.

A black paw would tip into the dark water, light pools of faded blue shining with curiosity. The water was cool... but... inviting. She didn't know how to swim but that troubled the little girl not. With a little squee she jumped into the shallow water, the cool liquid splashing up onto her belly. Her tail would wag happily, splashing about and giggling in the darkness as a pale moon hung in the sky overhead.

A plopping sound not far from where she was startled Lior and the child would turn her head towards it. Whatever it was it went into the water. The little girl would take a step in that direction in hopes of maybe catching a glance of what it was... but as her little paws moved forward the ground she walked on dropped suddenly and with a short, startled yelp Lior would go under the still water.

A few seconds later she surfaced, small body flailing wildly as she tried to keep her head above water, though it was hard to do so. "He...blurble...lp! Somebody! Hel...-blurble-!" Her muzzle would fall under the waves again, and if someone did not happen upon her soon it was not likely Lior would make it out of the lake alive.

Walk | Talk | Think A really fun day full of wandering around Ebony was turning into a just as wonderful night. Anais was fascinated by all the new changes her family had made, by the new territories that were now hers to explore, by the chance to see so many new things. She had done much of that around the Range of Seracia and even a little beyond, but this place was nothing like that, more exotic and vibrant. There was a fallen structure as tall as the trees that seemed to have lost its strength and fallen over, littering stone and rock everywhere. There was also a wide valley hosting a multitude of rocks of all sizes, some tall, some wide, and all dispersed across the space at random. It was nothing like she had seen before, so original and entertaining. She had spent all day roaming through it, and the night had finally brought her back here to the lake, the very first territory her family had crossed into upon their arrival and acceptance. The grey-gold youth lay comfortable and still amid the reedy grasses that surrounded the lake, sprawled upon her side but with her front half still upright. A paw lay tucked and the other outstretched, with her attention focused on the water and an awestruck smile widening distractedly across her muzzle. Fireflies, so many of them that she could not count, buzzed about and above the still lake water, occasionally coming close but for the most part sticking to their elaborate display in the center. Oh, she could watch them all night! The way their light would flicker and fade, moving about like dancing stars, was mesmerizing, enough for her to lose track of time as not realize that she should have been back at the dens much earlier than this. But she was safe within the pack's boundary; what was the rush? She would soon be glad she had stayed late. Through the darkness she saw a tiny shadow move, and as soon as she spied it the small creature captured her attention. Was it a small animal - a fox, perhaps? Were there any other pups who lived in Ebony? As far as she knew Kailos and Lior were the only ones, and they were presently snuggled up with Mom and Dad. Who could this have been? The shadowed figure ventured almost curiously to the water's edge, the sound of faint splashing enough to tell Anais that it had entered the water. It was not until she heard the garbled cry for help that she realized who exactly it was. "Lior!" The lateness of the hour mattered nothing; she yelled her sister's name as she scrambled to her feet, heart racing with fright. What was she doing, heading into the deeper water when she she had yet to learn to swim! Quick, frantic strides carried her through the heavy foliage bordering the lake closer to where the pup had fallen in, and bounding into the water she reached the flailing pup quickly, grabbing her roughly by the scruff and dragging her ashore. She did not let go until they both were clear of the water, and when she did she took a moment to catch her breath. Her legs shook, the severity of the situation rattling her to the core, and just a little she felt the stirrings of her mother's temper echo within herself - Lior should have known better! - but she was far too frazzled to act on it. "What were you doing?" she asked incredulously - surely the fireflies had not been that hypnotic? Only belatedly did she remember to ask the more important question, "Are you okay?" -- anais brb: adventuring

She was terrified. She wouldn't hadn't expected the water to overtake her so quick, and panic gripped the girl as she flailed. She thought she could hear a voice, though the sound was muddled due to the water in her ears. Then there was something moving towards her... something grabbing her. She was dragged from the water, grabbed roughly from the dark liquid that had nearly taken her life. She was shaking and coughing, ears pinned down. She never wanted to do that again.

It took the girl a moment to realize after she was set down just who had rescued her. The little pup would look up at her elder sister, panting some as she caught her breath once more. She felt bad that her sister had to see it... Lior would lower her gaze, frowning. "I... I'm sorry... Water got too deep too fast... Just wanted to play." The girl would let out a little sigh.

As the second question left Anais' lips the girl would give a nod. "I'm okay I think... my heart's beating really fast though." She would move up to Anais, pressing against her front legs. "I'm sorry... I won't go out there again..."

Walk | Talk | Think Still feeling that little spark of anger within herself, the part that was still too undone by the events to rationalize things, Anais worked to catch her breath as she listened to her younger sister's excuse for ending up where she had. Just wanted to play. Well, if that did not sound like someone she knew. A little guiltily, Anais looked away, as if the curious bug inside of her sister that had drawn her to the lake had been her fault. She was the original adventurous one, the one who tended to always be ready and willing to go see new places, with or without chaperones. Maybe she should have been setting a better example for them; maybe she should have already started including them more so that this sort of thing need not happen. A heavy sigh exited her muzzle as the grey-gold girl finally managed to calm her frantic heart rate enough to steady out her breathing, ears perked attentively while Lior stated that she, for the most part, was fine, save for the terrible scare she had been given by the whole ordeal. Anais's laugh was short, dry, and lifting her head she watched her sibling approach her to lean against her leg with a promise never to get in the same situation again. "Good," she responded with relief, sinking to her stomach and in the same move curling her paws around little Lior to draw her close. Her head lowered to rest heavily over the young pup where she was within the circle of her paws, in effect pinning her to the spot. "I don't think my heart could take it," she admitted, a touch of humor in her voice. She was safe. Lior was safe, and she had rescued her. Curling her paws a little tighter, Anais smiled with a warming pride, glad that she was living up to her role as big sister. -- anais brb: adventuring

Lior would worriedly look up at her sister as she took on a sadder, almost guilty look. With lowered ears Lior would press against Anais again, a whine leaving her. But soon Anais would seem to come back to herself, and as her older sister sank to her stomach Lior would press her small body against that of Anais? own, faded blue eyes shining just a bit as she snuggled down. Her respect for her big sister had grown even more. Anais was a hero... Her hero.

?Won?t do it again then... Definitely.? The little pup didn?t mind that her sister now kept her in place, curled protectively around her. Lior let out a little yawn, her energy sapped from the scary ordeal she had gone through. She would curl her head towards Anais? chest, snuggling against her fur. ?Love you sissy...? Then, as a thought came to her, the gray pup would lift her head. ?Can we play tomorrow?? But by the time the last word was leaving her lips Lior?s head was already sinking back down as eyes closed again. Even if she was trying to have bigger adventures she was still just a puppy.

Walk | Talk | Think It was such a relief to the elder sister when Lior promised herself not to make a repeat of the frightful events that had taken place that night. Once was plenty. And not only that, who was to say Anais would have been there to act so quickly the second time? It was just too dicey, too dangerous, and neither of them wanted to be the one explaining what had happened to their parents. Already a new worry was beginning to creep up on the grey-gold girl where she lay, closing her eyes with her younger sister still hugged tight beneath her chin. Would they have to tell mom? Nothing too terribly bad had happened. Lior was still well if not a little frightened of the water, as well she should be at this point. She could not imagine her excitable mother taking this news well. She had made her decision to keep the events a secret but even as she was finalizing the thought Lior was speaking, the quiet words taking a moment to break through her reverie and delaying her answer slightly. "Love you too." She had no time to make her suggestion as her sister suddenly lifted her head, nearly hitting the elder sister's chin had she not lifted her own head in time, while wishing to be able to spend more time together the following day. Even as she finished her question, however, she was already lowering her head again, settling into the place she had been drawn into against Anais. It was like she had used up every last bit of energy in her body during her scare in the lake, and there was nothing left to get her through this conversation let alone to get her back to bed. Maybe she could get away with telling Mom that Lior had decided to spend the night in her den, that way she need not risk waking up her parents trying to get the pup back into the spot she should have been in all this time. Yeah, that could work. "Sure, Lior," she answered with a warm smile, lifting her head enough to peer down at the quickly fading youngster. She doubted she could get her up even if she tried. Turning her muzzle, Anais grabbed the scruff of her sibling's neck and hefted her up as she got to her paws. Goodness, she was sure growing fast. Carrying the youngster, she set off for the den, hoping to make the both of them comfortable there to sleep until morning came and nosy parents started asking questions. -Exit Anais and Lior- -- anais brb: adventuring