Continuing to walk further up stream with her new exploration partner of sorts, she realized that once they got past the peaceful area of the Sunset Falls the river transitioned into something more fast moving and violent. She probably should have suspected as much considering rapids was in the name, but hearing a description and seeing it for yourself was a different thing. "So I'm guessing sticking to the falls or the hot springs for swimming and baths is probably best," she said with amusement as she glanced over to Bancha with a grin. That didn't mean this area wasn't of use, though. The foliage around the river was sure to be lush once they got out of the winter season so there was bound to at least be plenty of small prey to choose from out here. Her two-toned gaze scanned the landscape curiously, trying to pick out any more notable features about this place besides the obvious, narrowed river that dominated the territory.

"Rusalka"

Bancha happily follows Ruse north from the falls up into the rapids territory. It was a place he was somewhat familiar with, but hadn’t fully explored yet. His teal gaze looks about, noticing how in the winter the trees appeared to be devoid of leaves. But were those little green buds popping up? Did that mean spring was on its way? Would the river soon thaw out and turn into the raging rapids that drew in bear and other predators?

He giggles at her comment, giving Ruse a confirming nod. “I bet in the summer time, the fish love the rapids,” Bancha adds on, looking to where the river now lay calm and subdued, waiting for the moment the glaciers from up north would soon melt and fill the bed to the brim.

Ruse nodded with agreement as Bancha commented on how the fish would love this river in the summertime. That was probably true given how the bigger rivers upstream fed into this one so it was bound to bring plenty of fish this way. "I guess we'll have to try fishing whenever summer comes around!" she replied as she continued to move north along the river. Even in the winter with the water level lower and frozen along the edges she could still tell how much more quickly this section of the river moved than others. "We'll have to get creative with how to fish here though, I imagine. I don't think getting in the water to catch them in the rapids would be a very good idea. Maybe... a net? A spear? I don't know if I could spear a fish that fast." She chuckled at the idea all the same. Ah well, she could leave the hunting and fishing to Requiem anyway.

She looked over to Bancha with a curious, slightly mischievous look. Even though he was getting close to being a yearling if her guesses were correct, he was still a pup and seemed to enjoy having some fun. With that in mind, she asked him, "Do you know any good hiding spots around here? I bet I could find you!" She grinned at her little challenge of a game that would be a fun way for her to get to know the area better at the same time. She added, "I'll close my eyes and count to ten then I'll come look for you!"

"Rusalka"

Bancha is happy to follow Ruse north along the river. Listening to the crunch of his paws in the icy grass as they continued to their journey, one of his floppy ears perks up as she talks about hunting in the river during the summer. His expression scrunches up as he too muses on how that would work with such fast moving water. “I’m not very good at hunting so I’d probably need a net or someone else to help!” He admits, letting out a nervous laugh as he worries about how he would survive out in the world on his own.

The youth is looking around at the bare trees, the evergreen brush, and half-frozen river when he notices Ruse’s mischievous look toward him. He turns his own teal eyes to her, his muzzle breaking out into a grin at her suggestion. “Oh, that sounds like fun!” Bancha exclaims, tail going into a whirring wag that practically slapped his thighs.

Once Ruse is beginning to count and Bancha has ensured her eyes are closed, he takes off to the left away from the river. Not far off, he notices a larger boulder leaning against the sloping hill with some holly bushes on one side of it. Perfect! He darts around the brush and slides in to hide behind the boulder, a paw to his muzzle to stifle his giggles.

Ruse giggled at Bancha's excitement at her suggestion and she grinned as she closed her eyes and covered them with her forepaws just to prove she wasn't looking. "Alright! One... Two... Three..." she began to count, sitting on her haunches while she waited for her new friend to go find his hiding spot. She heard his little paws running off through the icy grass, but she tried not to listen too closely to which way he went so she wouldn't have a way to cheat. "Eight... Nine... Ten! Here I come!" she called, blinking her eyes open with a chuckle.

Getting up she started sniffing for his scent and looking for clues to find him. She also looked around at the land near the river, trying to see what he might consider a good hiding spot. There were some trees with hollows at their base and probably a few smaller dens that he'd be able to fit into that could have worked, but she didn't notice his scent going toward any of those. Eventually she came to a spot with a bolder that was surrounded by some holly bushes and a couple of trees. It seemed like this had been the direction he went, but it was a little more difficult to tell with the way the ice covered grass didn't hold his scent as well as it normally would. She ducked down to peek under the leaves of the bushes to try and spot his paws, but didn't see them right away so she quietly crept around the boulder and peeked past it, spotting Bancha hiding behind it and trying not to giggle. She grinned and hopped out, saying, "Gotcha!" She grinned and laughed, her tail wagging happily at their little game.

"Rusalka"

Bancha attempts to hold as still as possible. With his naturally colored coat, he hopes to blend in with the woods and foliage around him. Careful not to shake the bush that is right as his side, he listens carefully to Ruse count. Seconds tick by and he can feel the anticipation build in him as he waits for her to seek him out.

In the meantime, he looks around. Better to focus on something other than trying to hide! He sees how animal tracks don't leave good imprints in the icy lazy over the grass and dirt. Upon the trees, he sees how leaves begin to bud, begging for spring to arrive already. And there, just on the other side of the boulder, a chipmunk stare cautiously at him from afar. Instinctually, he wants to bark at the rodent, but holds back.

It is just then that he can hear the crunch of Ruse's paws. Gentle, careful steps as she bends down to peer through the bush for him. Ah, so close! He really had to put his paws over his mouth to stifle the giggles. A few seconds later, she pops out and exclaims 'gotcha'! Bancha squeals, rolling over onto his side with tail wagging furiously. "You're good at this game!" He says excitedly, laughter with each word as he pops back up onto his paws.

BANCHA