puppy is sad.
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The snowfall had faded into a steady drizzle of rain. This alone had taken the smile from the swarthy girl's face; she'd come to love the snow, even if it was wet and dirty and not too fun to play in. She wanted to see her snow fairies again, dancing down from their world in the clouds. But the rain had taken over, chasing them away. Rio felt a deep sadness, more severe than it should be, for she didn't understand the concept of weather. She simply thought the snow was gone and never would come back. From her solitary place on the porch, she watched the rain fall, shivering in the bitter chill of the afternoon. Her periwinkle eyes shimmered, becoming pools of blue-lavender as tears welled within them. She didn't know why she was so sad, other than because of the idea of being abandoned by those dancing little fairies that so joyed her.

She felt very lonely without them. Her tail limp behind her, Rio slumped to her belly, her head resting between her paws. Tears leaked down her cheeks, creating trails in the dark fur. She wished only that someone would come outside with her, although she didn't remember if Mama or Papa or her siblings were still in there, or off somewhere else. She may have gone inside to look, but she didn't feel like moving. She felt confined, fixed to where she lay under the sparse shelter of the wooden roof. A small whimper began in her throat, slowly escalating into repeated yet quiet cries. She called for someone, anyone, to come to her and tell her that she was not alone. "Papa... Mama... Oh," her voice quieted with the last word from her lips. Small paws rose to cover her closed eyes, pitching her into darkness.

Poor little puppy! ;_; 300+



The weather was beginning it’s quick decline into the colder winter temperatures. When he had seen the first snows arrive in Crimson Dreams, he knew he would have to take a trip back to Phoenix Valley to see how the children were adjusting to the changing climate. He had returned late two nights before and, relieved to see all was still well with Nani and the pups, he slipped right into his old routine. He hated the bouts of separation they faced, but that had been the choice he had made. The Dreamer male had awoke that morning to find that he was the only one inside the cabin. Assuming that Naniko had taken the children out for a short walk, he’d settled himself at the table and cracked open an old book. It was a good way to pass the time while they were away.



A small noise from outside made him wonder if they were returning now. His gaze shifted to the doorway, waiting to see if the little family would pour into the warm cabin. Moments went by and the door remained closed, and aside from the steady pattering of the rain, it was silent. Certain that he’d heard something from outside, he stood from his place at their little table and made his way to the door. When he stepped outside, he found that one of his little ones was home, but all was not well. Instead of bouncing around playfully on the porch, little Rio looked so forlorn laying there with her paws over her face. Ehno felt that parental worry well up within his chest at the sight. Immediately he knelt beside her and scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close. “Oh, baby, it’s alright. Papa’s here.” He nuzzled her reassuringly. “What’s wrong, little one?” Papa would fix it, whatever it was. He couldn’t stand seeing his little girl cry.

nice kiritar!
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Rio didn't move a muscle for a long while. Unlike many young puppies, she had the amazing capacity to patiently stay very still. She could hear the soft whisper of the rain falling, and despite it being further proof that there was no more snow, the gentle noise comforted Rio. It reminded her of being sung to sleep, wisps of sound from something much larger than her in many ways. But she wasn't sleepy; her senses remained alert, other than her sight; the darkness all around her as her paws covered her eyes. She wished she could simply rise to her feet, open her eyes, and see a gentle cascade of snow, the tiny ladies coming forth to let her know everything was all right. Maybe it could happen, something magical such as that. Rio was a child, so anything in the world was possible.

The door creaked from behind her, so suddenly that it startled the little girl. She removed her paws from her tear-stained face, resting them against the wood of the porch floor, and her eyes flew open. It was the exciting kind of surprise, not the fearful one, because she now remembered that Papa was still inside. He wasn't around all the time, so seeing him there made her feel at once very secure, and very relieved. But the tears continued, cheered on by the sadness like a monster eating her from the inside out. She was swept into his arms, and there she cried quietly, slowing only when his wonderful voice questioned what was wrong with her. She buried her face into his strong chest, dampening his fur with her tears. He was warm. "Why the snow faiwies l-leaved me?" she whimpered quietly, desperately. Surely he would know what she was saying. "Where dey go?"

Grazie! Erin gots if for me. :3 And sorry if this post turns out a little weird. XD;; 300



His heart ached at the sight of his little girl’s tears. It was one of the moments that always made parenting bittersweet. He shared each joyous moment that his children had, but he also had to face every distressing one as well. You had to take the good with the bad in life, that much he had learned. The recent events that shook the lives of his family had taught him that having the will to persevere through the pain made the good times that much easier to reach, that much sweeter to enjoy. He would fight for those pleasant times through any obstacles that came his way, even when it was something as simple as cheering up one of his three little girls.



“The snow fairies, huh?” he repeated, looking out into the rain-soaked territory. Snow had hit the Valley earlier, but the temperature had risen quickly and kept it at bay for now. He wondered for a brief moment about what the snow fairies could be, but the answer was quick to come to mind. The way the snowflakes gently danced their way down to the earth was quite magical. Their descent was just as tender as the flight of the fairies in the stories he had told. He looked back down at his daughter with a smile, feeling relief that he might be able to dry those tears of hers. “The snow fairies are sleeping right now. It’s too warm for them to come out and play right now, and the warmth makes them sleepy, so they take a nap until it’s cold again.” He nodded matter-of-factly. “They’ll come back soon, and they’ll bring even more of their friends next time, I promise.” He smiled warmly at Rio. “Are they your friends, these snow fairies?” he asked.

no! I love your writing. and sorry for the horrific wait!

His chest was a safe haven all to itself, where she could hide and let her worries slip away into the outside world. Rio's shaking body slowly stilled, and she took a few deep breaths into the unequivocal warmth of her father's strong chest. She had no worries toward taking his time away from him; the innocent selfishness of childhood lead the girl to assume he would be there for her, that he was holding her because he wanted nothing more than to help her in that very moment. Sure, he had the adult part of his life. But for now, he was the sun that would wash her rain away. All she could feel was the traces of sadness still fleeing her form as he spoke, and the extraordinary comfort he brought to her with his presence.

His pause worried her, like maybe he had bad news to bring her about her mythical friends. Maybe they had left forever, as was her utmost fear at the moment. But he did not at all disappoint her. He wove together the perfect explanation, and she listened with ears erect, her paws holding her up from his chest and her chin tilted up toward his godlike face. They were just sleeping. Everyone slept. They would be back to her soon, to dance around her and light up her world. "Oh yes!" she told him urgently in response to his question, her snout nodding once. "They dance, they dance wiff me, and smile." And Rio smiled. "They a' so so pritty, Papa."

Sorry for the millionth time for delaying this, luff. <3 246



It didn’t take long for the young girl to calm down as she curled against her father’s chest. Ehno continued to smile lovingly at her, and as her shaking and tears subsided, he could feel his own fatherly worries simply melt away. He was glad that his words and his presence seemed to have brought her relief. Even her excited reaction to his little question made it clear that her worries were being swept away. Ehno grinned at the girl as she excitedly described her fabulous little friends. “They sound like wonderful friends. You’ll have to introduce me to them when they wake up, alright?” Any friend of Rio’s was a friend of her papa, without a doubt. Perhaps they could all have fun together, dancing with the faeries.



“So,” he began, sitting up straight with a tender smile on his face, “What should we do while we wait for the snow faeries to come back?” Certainly the pretty little snow faeries wouldn’t want them to sit quietly and wait for their return. Those little ladies spent all of their waking hours dancing and having fun, so it only made sense that Ehno and Rio should follow their lead and do the same! And though it appeared that he had brushed away her fears with his tenderly woven words, he knew a pleasant little distraction would be the best way to keep that smile on Rio’s face until the snow came out to play once more.

<333

She was hoping her father would accept her friends. And he did; he wanted to meet them. She looked up at him with adoring eyes, continuing to smile, for he hadn't disappointed her. She couldn't wait for her father to meet the fairies; she was certain he'd already seen them, because they had danced since the day of her birth. But she wanted him to feel her love for them by dancing and smiling among them with her. "Yes," she agreed, nodding.



He was very encouraging indeed, and she didn't feel an ounce of sorrow anymore. She thought about his question with a quizzical expression, trying to decide what fun they could have together. She relished the time itself that she spent with her father, so anything they did would be special to her. She felt fanciful today, and so she looked quickly up at him when the idea sparked. "Could you... tell a story? 'bout Ee-taly?" Papa's homeland across the sea was so mystifying, and yet she knew little about it — only that it existed.

<33 wc.484



Rio finally seemed content, and her dilemma no longer appeared to be so tragic. She quickly agreed to introduce him to her faerie friends and he grinned eagerly in response. There was the smile and cheer he always wanted to see his little girl with. Brightening his daughter’s day would always be one fatherly accomplishment that he would cherish. Now that her tearful troubles had been brushed away, the pair faced the decision of how to spend their precious bonding time. Rio was quick to come up with a suggestion – a story, one about his homeland of Italy. Ehno had mentioned the land across the sea numerous times, especially when he and Nani went about teaching the children Italian, though he had never gone into much detail concerning his home before.



“Ah, bell’Italia,” he said, a smile instantly blossoming upon his features. He had so many fond memories of his home country and the thought of it always brought nostalgic warmth to him. There were so many stories he could share with her, so many places he could begin. The father hummed cheerfully as he pondered where to start. He finally decided to dive right in, and see where his memories would lead him. “There are many, many different places in Italy. Papa’s pack lived near the mountains, and even though everyone could shift to different forms, no one did. We didn’t have anything like cabins to live in, just nature to take care of us.” The Monti Sabini wolves had been quite traditionalist and rather strict with their rules and hierarchy. Ehno’s usual preference for his natural form certainly stemmed from this, though his travel experience had allowed him to acclimate to his bi-pedal form much quicker than his sisters had.



“And then, there are places like the city of Rome. It’s a very old city, but lots and lots of Luperci live there, so it is full of life, unlike the city of Halifax, near here.” He had spent a significant amount of time during the beginning of his journey in Rome, almost as if he were afraid to leave home completely. It was a bit of a culture shock for him when he first arrived, but he was so intrigued by the city and its people, that he found himself eager to learn their ways. “In Rome there are big market places where everyone went to trade anything you could think of. Those streets were always so busy,” he said with a slight laugh. “And of course, there’s the docks, where sailors kept the big ships they used to sail across the big blue sea.” Ehno spread his arms wide as he spoke of the ships in an attempt to emphasize their enormity. He hoped to capture her interest and paint as vivid a scene as he could so that she may be able to picture it perfectly in her head.

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He had mentioned his homeland before, and she remembered the things he said about it and how exotic it made her feel. Even the name of the land, "Italy," was interesting and beautiful, sparking her curiosity into a fire. She wanted to hear of it now because they had this precious time together, and she sensed this, even in her infantile mind. Her love for her father was such that she wished to know as much about him as possible. He never bored her when he spoke to her — not in the slightest. It was a gift of his, in her eyes. She cuddled closer to his heart as he smiled and fell into the recollection of his home, resting her chin in the space below his throat.



The pictures he painted sent her mind whirling, whirling as fast as the faeries did on their journey to Earth. The cabins were easy to picture, tucked away among the mountains almost like those of Phoenix Valley. But the picture he painted of the marketplace, with its heavy flow of werewolves trading their goods (whatever those may be), was almost unimaginable. She couldn't imagine so many Luperci in one place! His description was accented by cheeps of awe from Rio, and her tail waved behind her. How she was enjoying this. She closed her eyes and tried to get a feel for the sea of Italy, with its docks, ships, and sailors. A soft giggle escaped her when he spread his arms wide, illustrating the vastness of the ocean. "Oh, Papa! It is 'mazing," she insisted, grinning as widely as possible as her lavender-blue eyes opened again. "You came here on a boat, uh-huh?" She was certain he had, but perhaps her words would prompt him to tell her about sailing across the ocean!

gosh, I'm so sorry. I totally thought I posted here already! T-T We can end here, or you can post again, whatever you'd like!



When Ehno had begun his journeying through Italy, and then onward into farther lands of Europe, it had all been for himself, for his own growth and undying interest in the unknown. All of his adventures and all of the sights that he came to see during his travels sat clearly within his memories. Back then, he never imagined that he would one day be sitting down and sharing those memories with his child, even though he had always had a vague image of a family of his own in the back of his mind, even in those carefree, youthful days. He had all of that now, and it almost felt so surreal to think about, that he now had a daughter he could cradle in his arms and comfort with his tales.



The Marino man smiled broadly when Rio chirped in interest as he relayed his vivid memories into words. Ehno was proud of his heritage and of his homeland, and it warmed him so to find that Rio was so captivated by it as well. The girl asked if he had arrived here on a boat and he nodded in confirmation. If his smile could grow any wider, it would. “I sure did come on a boat. First I traveled a long time until I came to a place called Spain, where I met some sailors and decided to help them on their ship. See, being on the boat was a lot of fun, but a lot of work, too. And when the sun set, and there was only shimmering waters around you, it was beautiful…”