WC: 632
Sura was quickly transforming herself from a black and white puppy into a black and brown ball of mud. She would definitely need a bath when they were through. She was a hard worker, though, and her enthusiasm was infectious. The ache in Colibri's limbs had receded for now, and she appreciated the company that this youth was providing her. It brought her a glimmer of optimism to imagine herself as a big sister figure again, providing guidance for Sura as she grew up here in the safety of their pack. She giggled as Sura spat out the dirt in her mouth, eagerly pressing her for more information she was happy to provide. "Plants eat... well, they drink water, and I suppose they eat sunlight and whatever their roots find in the earth. They, um, don't have to... poop. And seeds are their babies, if you give them soil and water, they will become new plants." She wasn't sure how much of this conversation would actually be remembered, but at least she was being educational. The little one professed her desire to apologize, in her own roundabout way, and Coli smiled broadly. "Aww, we're already making them feel better by putting them back in their home! They live in the garden, and they'll be all fixed soon." She touched a bent stem, noting the tooth-shaped bruises in its leaves, and hoped that would be true. They were wildflowers, they were pretty resilient. Nothing too fragile could survive long in the north.
Sura's constant stream of chatter was a pleasant backdrop, albeit one difficult to quite understand. Something about shouting at ears of corn, and eating meat... or wheat? The puppy was so easily distracted, demonstrated by her quick notice of a nearby dragonfly. Coli held up her finger to see if the little insect would land on it, but it buzzed past her. "Almost, but that one is called a dragonfly. It's not a bird, it's a bug! They live at the lake, and eat smaller bugs. I can take you to the lake to see them once we're done fixing the plants, and you can swim around a little..." It was not a very subtle ploy, but she wanted to get the puppy washed up and clean before her parents were to see her again. If they argued a lot, they might get mad at her for being muddy inside their house. Still, the thought of returning to the lake made her shiver; each time she saw it, she was reminded powerfully of where she had been assaulted. It was still so fresh to her. She noticed Sura was staring at her then, asking if she had been eating onions because of the funny face she was making. She smiled halfheartedly, shaking her head. "Of course not, sweetie, don't worry about it."
"Sura, that's not a... oh my," Coli trailed off as she watched the soft shape unfurl and squirm. Every gardener encounters the oddities that live underground, be they earthworms, cicadas, or in this case, grubs. This fat specimen was larger than any she had seen before, though, and by Sura's reaction, it was the first she had ever uncovered. As it began to wriggle its way back into the soil, Coli pointed at it, calling with mock urgency: "Quick, grab it! It's a grubworm, it will eat the roots of all our plants!" Maybe the pup would be excited by the prospect of defending their flowers? Grubs were troublesome, just like the beetles they grew up to be, but they were food for birds and rodents, and there was no shortage of them in their rich territory. There was no need for panic if a single one got away, but the imaginative child might enjoy running around with it.