An idyllic lazy afternoon as summer is just starting in the forests outside Haven. Gentle breezes flow through the leaves as something cooks on the fire pit outside the elder tree. And down by the river, our intrepid mustelids are up to something, again.
Acera chitters, "Rivers not so cold anymore Nalae. Ya ready to learn how to swim?"
Nalae nods slowly. "I guess..." She still doesn't look particularly certain -- she remembers what happened last time she was in that river.
Acera wades into the river, "We're gonna stay where it's slow and shallow. Ya can't get swept away here."
Nalae nods slowly, following Acera in carefully.
Acera chitters, "First thing, ya got to learn to relax in it. Too bad your first time was so nasty."
Nalae nods uncertainly. "How.. um.. how d'you relax in it?"
Acera blinks, "Well, ya just do. Maybe we should kinda play in the shallows or somethin."
Acera gets an inspiration, "I'll be right back. Stay right there."
Acera runs off and returns with a bright red polished stone and splashes back in next to Nalae.
Nalae looks up at Acera curiously.
Acera grins, "We'll toss it in the shallows, then see who can get it first."
Nalae eeps! "You're gettin' revenge for our game of tag in th'trees, aren't you?"
Acera grins, "Yep!"
Nalae sticks her tongue out at you, grinning.
Acera chitters, "Ready?"
Acera pulls out a big fuzzy broom and sweeps the room clean of sleepers.
Nalae nods slowly..
Acera tosses the red rock up in the air, it lands with a satisfying *SPLOOSH* about 5 feet from Nalae.
Nalae bounds over towards the rock, clumsily splashing through the running water.
Acera grins and gives Nalae a head start before diving towards it.
The flash of red catches Nalae's eye first.
Nalae scrambles after the little red rock, stumbling a bit in the water.
The little Marenati feels the rock under her paw.
Nalae lifts the rock and smiles over at Acera.
Acera grins and chitters, "Way to go Nalae, now it's your turn to throw it. Just keep it around here, where it's mostly shallow."
The young mink grins, as Nalae starts thinking more about the game than the fact she's in the river.
Nalae smiles, and throws the rock a couple feet away, grinning at Acera.
Acera smirks and dives under the water, using her four limbs to propel her along the bottom of the shallow part of the river towards the red stone.
Nalae splashes through the water towards the stone. Of course, the stone is nearer to Acera to begin with, and Acera seems able to navigate the currents much more quickly...
Acera grins underwater and loops around behind Nalae.
Nalae grins, grabbing the rock again. Stopping short, she looks around for her friend. "Acera?"
Acera jumps upright and splashes Nalae from behind.
Nalae eeees! Spinning, she splashes back at Acera!
Acera giggles and keeps scooping water with her webbed paws at Nalae, careful not to hit the marenati's face too often, but does make sure she gets some water in Nalae's face from time to time.
Nalae guards her face with her arms as she sees how much water Acera's managing to throw. "Hey, no fair! You can grab more water'n me!" She grins a bit, her ears canting.
Acera chitters, "Ok, ok. So, you having fun?"
Nalae grins, and abruptly pounces Acera as she lowers her guard, playfully dunking her under the water.
Acera gurgles and struggles appropriately so as not to disappoint Nalae, then she rolls and dunks Nalae, releasing her immediately, as she doesn't want to scare her friend.
Acera sits in the water and waits to see how Nalae reacts to a quick dunking.
Nalae splutters a bit as she returns to the surface, but recovers quickly, sitting up in the water.
Acera grins widely at Nalae, "So, having fun?"
Nalae grins back, and reaches to pull Acera into a quick hug, enfolding her friend in her soft (now-damp) gliding flaps.
Acera chitters happily, "See, ya can relax in water. Water gives life to everything."
Acera returns the hug and just beams, proud to be teaching her sister about the ways of the river.
Nalae nods softly, shivering for a moment as images of her bumpy journey down the river filter into her mind unbidden. She briefly hugs Acera more tightly before forcing the memories out of her mind.
Acera notices the shiver and chitters, "You're not cold are ya? I was going to teach ya how to float next."
Nalae shakes her head quickly. "Na.. I'd like to learn.."
Acera nods, "You already can float ya know. It's just doing it with your face outta the water that's a trick. :)"
Nalae says, "But.. how d'ya do it without bein' washed away?"
Acera grins, "Well, now that takes swimming to do that. First, ya gotta get used to floating. Current's kinda slow here, and I'll keep ya from drifting away."
Nalae nods slowly, smiling at Acera with gratitude. "Okay.. so what do I do?"
Acera hmms, "Try and sit down on the bottom here. Water'll come up to about here on you when ya do" and points to the middle of her chest.
Nalae carefully sits on the stream bed, obviously a little uncomfortable at having the water level so near her face. She gives Acera a tentative smile, her arms held close against her side to keep the current from catching onto her gliding flaps and using them like sails....
Acera grins, "You're having troubles keeping flat on the bottom aren't ya? You're floating a bit already. Ya just got to get used to water by your face. Now, I want ya to try and lean back and float on your back, k?"
Acera watches to see how Nalae takes this suggestion.
Nalae actually is staying down pretty well.. certainly better than Acera would (Must be the dense muscles for climbing and gliding), though she does bob a little bit. "Okay.." She hesitantly leans back... but her legs stay down near the bottom of the river.
Acera wrinkles her muzzle and keeps her paws under Nalae while chittering, "Ya might float a bit lower than I do. Keep your head bent up a bit while you lean back. Pretend you're going to lie down to go to sleep."
Nalae also doesn't have the layer of body fat to insulate her from the temperature of the water. She settles the very back of her head in the water, shivering a little more, but taking some comfort from Acera's presence.. One paw reaches to grasp at Acera's as she lets her legs float a little bit up from the bottom.
Acera nods, "Now try and relax, and when you breath, hold your breath for a sec, let it go and take another. Keep a lot of air in ya."
Nalae takes a deep breath, clinging to Acera's paw for reassurance.
Acera keeps one paw under Nalae's back and helps ease her into a floating position.
Nalae relaxes a little, smiling up at Acera.
This deep in the forest, breezes are very light, if noticeable at all. So other than the gurgle of water, the forest is quiet, as Acera keeps hold of Nalae's paw but starts removing support from underneath her.
Nalae clutches more tightly at Acera's paw, tensing and breathing a bit more rapidly as Acera begins to remove her support..
When Acera removes the hand underneath her 'sister', Nalae sinks a little, the water just going over her belly and keeping her mouth an inch or two out of the water. But she's floating.
Nalae looks up at Acera, swallowing.
Acera grins, "See, you're floatin!"
Nalae nods a little bit, smiling at Acera (and still holding onto her paw, both for support, and also so she doesn't go floating away in the current). "Thanks, Acera..."
Acera grins, "Well, it's a start sis. We'll let ya float for a little bit more, tell me when you're tired and we'll quit for the day, ok? Ma made me promise not to wear you out the first day."
Nalae nods a little bit. "Okay.." After another minute or two of floating, she decides she's had enough. "Can we go back home now?"
Acera chitters and nods, "Ya. Let's go get you dry and maybe we can explore some more. At this rate you'll be swimmin like me in a week."
Nalae smiles up at you, clambering up out of the water and shivering a bit.
Acera grins, "Race ya back to the house." figuring that should get Nalae a bit warmed up.
Nalae grins back at Acera, and bounds off towards the house, glad to be back on solid ground.
Acera races along with Nalae, doing just as well on land as the tree loving marenati does. It's a close race, and at the end Samantha is there waiting with dry towels and warm meat broth.
Acera churrrrs as she finishes the drink, "Ma is great, isn't she?"
Nalae nodnods a few times, sipping at the broth pensively.
Acera grins as she sits next to Nalae on one of the branches of the elder tree, giving a good view of the Haven Valley. "So, did ya have fun?"
Nalae nods a little bit. "Yeah, I guess... but I wouldn've if you hadn' been there.."
Acera grins and snugs Nalae, "Course I'm there for ya. We'll keep workin at it. You may not be as good as me, but you'll be a good swimmer. Hey, lookit that!"
A series of distant sonic booms can be heard as a shuttle, possibly the same one that landed in front of Nalae and Acera weeks ago, descends towards Haven.
Acera blinks, "Wow, he musta come back like he promised. But it looks like he's landing in the city."
Nalae ducks a little bit, watching. She gently edges a bit over so she's nearer to Acera. Those not-Creators really do make her uneasy, now that she's no longer sure exactly what they are.
Acera gives Nalae an odd look, "You don't want to meet them again?"
Nalae says, "I.. well.. I dunno... they're so strange..."
Acera chuckles, "Course they are, everyone who's not like you is strange. Doesn't mean they're bad."
Nalae nods uncertainly. "But.. I mean.. I know I like you an' your Ma... I'd rather spend time with you two..."
Acera snugs her adopted sister, "I'm glad. I like you around here too. But flying with that Coppernickus fella was a lot of fun. Even you admitted that. And he might be able to help find your folks."
Nalae sniffs a bit, lowering her eyes as she thinks. "I.. I dunno.. maybe." She's already given up all the most basic beliefs of her people.. what would life with them be like, now? She quietly pulls Acera tighter in the snug.
Acera looks confused and snugs her close, "You don't want to find your folks?"
Nalae sniffs a bit. "I do... I really do.. but, I mean... it wouldn' be the same..."
Acera says, "Nalae, you're my sister, k? I mean, you're always welcome here, and I hope ya choose ta stay. But what wouldn't be the same?"
Nalae rubs at her nosepad a bit. "I mean.. the Creators an' stuff... they wouldn' believe anythin' I told them about what happened..."
Acera ohs, "That stuff. Yeah. You'd probably not want to tell em. Course, if Coppernickus brought you there in his ship, they'd have to believe ya. ;)"
Nalae nods a little bit.. "I miss'm so much..." She huggles you tightly. "It's easier just to not even think 'bout them at all... Or try not to.."
Acera nods softly, "Every now an then I think about my folks too. It hurts. But ya got family here. And ma thinks Copper and his kind may be able to help us find your folks."
Acera snugs her friend close, "Well, I won't talk bout it anymore if it bugs you, but ma says those spacers will be in town a lot more often."
Nalae nuzzles Acera's shoulder gently. "Acera?"
Acera continues to hold her 'sister' close, "What Nalae?"
Nalae wonders.. "D'you think your mother'd mind if I called her 'Ma' too?"
Acera blinks, "I think ma'd love it Nalae."
Acera looks at her new found sister and wonders if it's harder to know your real folks are missing and alive somewhere, or to know that your parents are dead.
Nalae snuggles in close to Acera, closing her eyes briefly.
Acera chirrrs a soft, reassuring sound and snugs against her sister, still thinking about how to get onto those Chirpy'taur ships and see space.
Acera grins impishly, "So, you wanna try and teach ME how to fly?"
Nalae looks over at Acera quickly, shocked out of her reverie. "But.. but you don't got gliding flaps... you'd just fall!"
Acera giggles, "Just teasin ya sis. ;)"
Nalae ohs, and prods at Acera's belly playfully.
Acera giggles, "So whatcha wanna do? I think ma's making dinner for us."
Nalae grins. "That's good.. I'm hungry!"
Acera grins and chitters, "Race ya to the ground!"
Nalae grins at Acera mischievously, and abruptly leaps off the branch, dropping several meters before extending her limbs and catching the air to spiral the rest of the way down to the ground.
Acera chitters as she scrambles down the trunk, "No fair! Ma, Nalae's cheating again! ;)"
Nalae giggles and grins up at Acera from the ground. "C'mon, sis! What's takin' ya so long?"
Acera thtptptptptps at Nalae and finally hops down onto the ground, "Next time I'm making the rules a bit more picky." and then hugs her sister and chitters, "Let's eat."
Nalae giggles and nods a few times.
Samantha shakes her head and grins as the two little carnivores chow away on her fried fish. The evening ends as most do, quietly getting ready for bed, though Samantha is startled and pleasantly surprised when Nalae also says, "G'night ma!" in echo of her other adopted daughter's cry.