[PRP - East] Here comes trouble

[Kimaria]

She sat quite still staring down at the rocks she'd gathered from the edge of the stream. They sat there shining, still wet from the water, cool to the touch of her pad. They were perfectly clean, almost white in colour and quite astoundingly pretty despite the fact that they were merely just three small-sized rocks.

Despite that, they had given her something to do. Siyo to outsiders, and Ping to those of her pride, sat contemplating these rocks as if they held some great and mystical answer to a question never before answered.

She touched the first pebble and, proudly lifting her head uttered a single word.

"One."

She touched the next.

"Two."

And the last.

"Three."

A proud little smile curved the corners of her maw and after a moment she repeated the count, utterly proud that she had remembered from one to three at such a young age. Mother and Father were going to be so incredibly proud of their bright, beautiful little girl!  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Hiari was swimming. It was so much fun! The young cub paddled through the stream with merrily giggles, splashing water everywhere - over the rocks, the bank, and most of all, all over himself. He was drenched. Not just a little wet, no - he was soaked, and he loved it. It was a warm day, and the water was cooling him in a way he hadn't thought was possible. Everyone was always complaining of being so hot - but if the answer was this simple, whyever did they sit there complaining so much?

Steely grey eyes twinkling in excitement, the stocky cub giggled gleefully, continuing to make his way up the stream, unaware of his sister sitting on the river bank a little further up.  

[Kimaria]

Now. What came after three? Mother had told her only this morning! How could she forget so easily? It was important stuff! She needed to know this so she could grow up to be a good, fine lady and make her pride proud of her!

"One, two, three...one, two, three...eeep!!"

And then came her brother, splashing up the stream, spraying her with water that had her fur fluffing on end. With widened eyes she pulled away from the side of the stream, abandoning her rocks to the water.

"Zhen Shi!! Watch where you're going, you nin-kom-poop!"  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Someone shouted his name and he looked up, a goofy grin on his face as he watched his sister. Ohhhh, she was all fluffy now! He giggled again, purring loudly as he bounded forwards out of the water to tackle his sister. "Let's play a game!"

His tail wagged from side to side like one might expect a wild dog's to, and he licked his sister fondly. He didn't realize he might've upset her by interrupting her. He hadn't noticed the pretty white rocks.  

[Kimaria]

She could have cried with the frustration of it all. "Zhennnnn." She whined. "I don't have time for play. I'm studying to be just like Mo--" But it didn't seem to make any difference to her sibling. Now was play time, just as it should be for cubs as young as they were.

She was tackled to the ground, splattered with water and attempting to give a puffing little hiss to show her displeasure. Then she saw his tail wagging, and his fond lick eased her annoyance and seemed to bring her round to the idea of play.

She wriggled her nose from side to side and then shoved against him, laughing as she tried to gain the upperhand. "You asked for it, Zhen Shi!"  

[xo -- k a i r i]

She was whining, but as always he ignored it. She was probably learning something, or trying to remember what Momma had taught them that morning. Hiari didn't even bother - he knew he wouldn't remember. After the first few times just drew up blanks he'd given up trying, instead playing games and bothering others. But he didn't care - he just wanted to have fun! She hissed as he giggled, hissing back at her in a mocking fashion as he licked her again, nuzzling her chin.

The shove took him by surprise, but thanks to his large, stocky form it didn't do much. Instead he remained on top of her, laughing loudly at his triumphs over his sister. "Ha, I asked for nothing! You just...just..."

What was the word? He frowned suddenly, trying to recall it. That one where you didn't win...it was like another word for lose. F...fear? No, no, that was something different. Grumbling softly, he sighed, sitting down on top of her as he tried to recall the word.  

[Kimaria]

Ping frowned, glaring up at her brother, annoyed that he was bigger than her, annoyed that he should be able to push her around so easily. What was the point of playing when she wasn't on equal par to them? She could beat him with smarts, maybe? Yes, Mother would be proud if she could do that!

But she hadn't learned enough 'smarts' yet to be able to do that and simply allowed that pout to settle deep into her expression.

"Fail?" She tried to fill in the gap for him, unsure really what word he'd been trying to grasp. "Well that's what you think!!" She puffed out her cheeks and pushed up at him, desperate to tip him on his side so she could free herself. She put all ehr strength into it, trying to position her back paws against him to better lever the action.

But it was hard work and she knew she couldn't hope to beat him like this.

"Oh, look, Zhen, what's that!!" She widened her eyes and tried to wave a forepaw behind him.

Heck, it was worth a try, right?  

[xo -- k a i r i]

She was frowning and seemed angry, but Hiari didn't really notice. He was too busy mulling over what the word was - ugh, it was so frustrating! And it didn't help when his sister offered the exact word he'd been after, the initial joy at finding the word causing him to grin and nod enthusiastically, but the annoyance of his sister knowing it and not he settling in soon after, a grumpy pout crossing his face. It twitched slightly, though, eventually breaking into a smile at her failed (haha, he knew it now!) attempts to push him off. He didn't even have to put in any effort - maybe being big was a good thing?

Hmm? He fell for it easily, glancing around and up to the sky, attention diverted as he searched. "Wha? What is it? Show meeeeeee!"  

[Kimaria]

Ah ha!! Sister outsmarts brother! Ye~es!

Taking advantage of his distraction she summoned her strength and gave him an almighty shove, releasing a little roar from the effort. Then, feeling freedom, she slipped out from under his grasp and made to pounce him again.

"Now look who fails!" She chirped merrily, giddy with joy at her success at outwitting her bigger and stronger brother.  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Hiari was completely confused and taken aback by the whole scenrio, stumbling to the side as his sister slipped from beneath him, watching her with wide, confused eyes. He blinked once, twice, frowning as he turned back to the sky again, growling in irritation as she pounced at him, knocking him to the ground - but his gaze never left the sky.

"Ping pong!" he grumbled, using the fun nickname he'd invented, "I don't see it!"  

[Kimaria]

Was he serious? Aw, her cute little brother hadn't got what she had done! She wasn't sure whether she liked that, actually. What was the point of tricking someone if they didn't find out they had been tricked and felt silly?

Ugh, did she have to point out everything.

"Silly! There weren't anything there! I made it up to trick you, seeee?" She grinned, showing off her baby teeth.

Her expression seemed to say: yes, aren't I amazing?  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Hiari's frown remained, the cub tilting his head to the left to watch his sister carefully, still not understanding what she was saying. A trick? But...but she'd said there'd been something there, and he still couldn't see it. Unless...OH! His eyes clouded over as he finally realized the trick that had been played. And with a sulky grumble he leapt at his sister, with the aim of pushing her into the stream

"That was meeeean, Pingpong!" he declared, nipping at her ear playfully.  

[Kimaria]

"Grrr, don't call me that!" She replied. What a mean thing to call her! How was she supposed to be a dignified lady if her brother was calling her goofy names? She'd rather him call her by her outsider name if anything at all!!

And as she opened her mouth to tell him what she would call him if he kept being mean she realised, too late, that she couldn't keep her balance and fell right into the stream, spluttering and flailing as if she were drowning.

"Oo! Get me out of here!!" She squeaked, trying desperately to push him off before she met a terrible end!  

[xo -- k a i r i]

Aha, he'd found something he could use against her! Falling into the stream beside her he giggled, rolling off of her so he could allow her to swim and not drown under his weight, as he continually chanted the name she apparently hated so much, "Ping poooooooong! Ping ping pong pong ping pong hehehehehe!!"

He was having so much fu with this! Eyes sparkling with the excitement of it all Hiari was quick to climb out of the stream, watching his sister with childish glee.  

[Kimaria]

She pouted at him, her fur sticking up from being wetted by the stream, her ears drooped, eyes large. As he released her so she wouldn't drown she sat up, seemingly unaware that she was still in the stream.

"Right! That's it! I'm telling Mum and Dad!" And quick as her cubbish little paws could carry her she turned and darted away in the opposite direction, filling her little lungs as she prepared to call out to them.

This'd show him!