Cold, still, quiet. Nothing was around, I was alone. I was born early, and it was just me. Hunger, warmth, safe. That's what I wanted, what I needed. The elements were already getting to me, sucking out my warmth only to replace it with bitter cold, and there was nothing I could do about it. Feeling a sheet of cold run over me before my senses went out, that's the last thing I remember.
Something wet, poking into my fur and touching my skin, over and over. But instead of being cold, it was warm. Milk-scent lingered around, making my tiny mouth water. I let out a yelp, feeling another warm thing run over my back, but it was warmer, a lot warmer then the other thing. I reached out, wanting more of it, but that only achieved falling, and it was on hard ground. Something pushed me, and the milk scent was even stronger there, I had to find it. I moved, my nose bumping against something soft. Nosing around some more I found what I was looking for, and latched on, feeling the warm liquid enter my mouth and warm my belly up. I slowly drifted to sleep, still hanging on.
A few weeks passed and I was excited to finally be allowed out of the den. I've been eating meat for the past two weeks, and have always wanted to get my own or at least help out with taking one down. I yelped, giving a whimper and nudging my mother outside. She gave a low growl and I ran ahead of her, tail wagging furiously. She walked out with her head high even as I ran circles around her. As we got closer to the entrance it was a lot brighter than inside the cave, it hurt my eyes at first.
It was a strange word out there, bright with a lot of life, warm with grass instead of stone, creatures in the sky instead of bugs on the ceiling. This world was stunning. I looked back at our deep cave, it was dark in there, colder with fun little bugs to catch. I glanced up at my mom, taking in the sounds and scents there was.
"Why don't we go down to the river?" she asked in her kind tone. I tilted my head, "What's a river?" She laughed and told me to follow her. As we walked the sound grew bigger, but of what? It was loud, and the scent was weird. Coming over a small hill we saw it, it was big, long, and blue. She continued to walk to it, and I hesitated before following her.
"This, is a river," she said, sitting down as the wind ruffled her fur. I took a step forward, sniffing it before dabbing my paw in it. I yelped, stumbling back. It was cold in there, colder than in the cave when mom was on hunts. I looked up at her, wondering what that was. She smiled before answering my question, "This river is special. I was told that my grandpa discovered that the cool water came from that snowy mountain over there," She indicated it with her paw, "That's why it's so cold and blue, and why if you drink it it's so crisp. And the best thing is," she stepped into the lake, concentrating for a bit before dipping her snout in the water and pulling out something weird and flopping. "Is that this river gives us part of our food."
She nudged the fish over to me, still squirming and thrashing around before she slammed her paw on it's head. I sniffed it, curious as to what it was. I knew it was food because that's what she said it was, so cautiously opening my mouth I took a bit. At first it was plain and cold, almost boring before a rush of flavor came over my tonged. It was delicious! I wagged my tail, looking over at mom before taking another bite. She gave a smile while I ate, looking back into the river and getting out another for herself. "In another moon I'll teach you how to fish, but right now you are to bubbly to stay still and quiet to watch and be patient be for you dash in to grab it." I gave a nod, unsure of what that meant, but I knew she was always right.
Something wet, poking into my fur and touching my skin, over and over. But instead of being cold, it was warm. Milk-scent lingered around, making my tiny mouth water. I let out a yelp, feeling another warm thing run over my back, but it was warmer, a lot warmer then the other thing. I reached out, wanting more of it, but that only achieved falling, and it was on hard ground. Something pushed me, and the milk scent was even stronger there, I had to find it. I moved, my nose bumping against something soft. Nosing around some more I found what I was looking for, and latched on, feeling the warm liquid enter my mouth and warm my belly up. I slowly drifted to sleep, still hanging on.
A few weeks passed and I was excited to finally be allowed out of the den. I've been eating meat for the past two weeks, and have always wanted to get my own or at least help out with taking one down. I yelped, giving a whimper and nudging my mother outside. She gave a low growl and I ran ahead of her, tail wagging furiously. She walked out with her head high even as I ran circles around her. As we got closer to the entrance it was a lot brighter than inside the cave, it hurt my eyes at first.
It was a strange word out there, bright with a lot of life, warm with grass instead of stone, creatures in the sky instead of bugs on the ceiling. This world was stunning. I looked back at our deep cave, it was dark in there, colder with fun little bugs to catch. I glanced up at my mom, taking in the sounds and scents there was.
"Why don't we go down to the river?" she asked in her kind tone. I tilted my head, "What's a river?" She laughed and told me to follow her. As we walked the sound grew bigger, but of what? It was loud, and the scent was weird. Coming over a small hill we saw it, it was big, long, and blue. She continued to walk to it, and I hesitated before following her.
"This, is a river," she said, sitting down as the wind ruffled her fur. I took a step forward, sniffing it before dabbing my paw in it. I yelped, stumbling back. It was cold in there, colder than in the cave when mom was on hunts. I looked up at her, wondering what that was. She smiled before answering my question, "This river is special. I was told that my grandpa discovered that the cool water came from that snowy mountain over there," She indicated it with her paw, "That's why it's so cold and blue, and why if you drink it it's so crisp. And the best thing is," she stepped into the lake, concentrating for a bit before dipping her snout in the water and pulling out something weird and flopping. "Is that this river gives us part of our food."
She nudged the fish over to me, still squirming and thrashing around before she slammed her paw on it's head. I sniffed it, curious as to what it was. I knew it was food because that's what she said it was, so cautiously opening my mouth I took a bit. At first it was plain and cold, almost boring before a rush of flavor came over my tonged. It was delicious! I wagged my tail, looking over at mom before taking another bite. She gave a smile while I ate, looking back into the river and getting out another for herself. "In another moon I'll teach you how to fish, but right now you are to bubbly to stay still and quiet to watch and be patient be for you dash in to grab it." I gave a nod, unsure of what that meant, but I knew she was always right.
