Babysitting

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[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://i37.tinypic.com/2efs55l.jpg,true] Denali sat still as a statue, gazing blankly towards the murky waters. At least, her eyes appeared distant as they fixated on nothing and everything all at once. In truth, she was watching over the two young pups that played happily in the shallows. A son and a daughter. She had a second son, someplace. Honestly, she had no clue where Róvanfaer had wandered off to. She should have been more concerned than she was, but chances are the young male was off following his father around again. There was no denying that that particular pup was a total daddy's boy. As for the remaining two, the Tundra femme didn't quite know what to make of them. Truthfully, she wasn't even sure who their father was. Her encounter with Atreyu had sent her flying into the welcoming paws of Exodus, and the two males had more in common than either of them probably would have liked. They were both large, black, and of Mackenzie Valley descendants to some degree. The only telling signs for the pups would be their eyes, but they were only beginning to fade from that puppy blue into what would be their true colors. At only thirteen weeks of age, they were practically three months and growing much too fast. The female sighed as she watched the young pair bat about in the shallows. She felt more as if she were watching them out of obligation than want. The children terrified her, the way they were so utterly dependent on her for their survival. Her entire life she'd been trying to avoid such a commitment to anyone, and now she had no choice in caring for three additional lives. Hopefully everything would work out alright. Despite her shortcomings as a mother, Exodus was definitely an excellent father. Too bad, only time would tell. Some of the personality quirks of the little white femme were already cause for alarm.

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[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,false][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,450,true][atrb=background,http://i36.tinypic.com/aoxtll.jpg,true] Small paws splashed about happily, excessively kicking up droplets of water. Meridian was having a good deal of fun as she pawed and batted and pounced. There was something magic about the water. Every time it was flung up, it rushed back down to either drench the small pup or form endless ripples upon the Drarynough's surface. She was especially fascinated by the ripples. They seemed to form around anything that dared to disturb the lake's surface. Around her head flitted a vibrant dragonfly, swift and elegant as it kept much too close a watch on the young pup. At least, it would have seemed too close if anyone other than Meridian herself could see it. She paid the imaginary creature's presence little mind, however, used to the constant companion. Eagerly she listened as it whispered in her ear, urging her to create more ripples. The dragonfly seemed to act as her conscious, her decision maker. It was what suggested she drag everyone down to the lake in the first place. "So pretty," she whispered as she dipped one of her soaked paws into the water. Around it swirled the various ripples, the swirling lines holding her gaze's intense fixation. When the ripples faded, she repeated the action. All the while, a wispy little white tail wagged happily behind her. The young pup was having the time of her life. She was enjoying herself so much, in fact, that she was completely oblivious to the presence of her family. All that existed to the young Meridian was herself, the dragonfly, and the ripples she continued to create.