Lakemist - -_Wish of the Goddess_-
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Serenity - Das Tor
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Featherpaw - Das Tor


Serenity was more than a little unsure, hiding behind her 'older' sister. They'd never met their great-grandmother before, not that her little puppy memory could remember, and she was nervous. But...she was supposed to tell the best stories, and be like a big giant puppy herself. Still didn't ease Serenity's worries any. What if their great-grandmother didn't like them?! Or...or something like that?! She whined, ears going back.

The pale blue and red wild dog waiting ahead didn't LOOK like she was angry or annoyed or unaccepting. Just...watching, curious. It seemed her brood tended to be silly. Brightone had been a silly boy, Firepaw tended to be silly, little Pich was silly...and she tended to be silly herself. She barked encouragingly to the pups. "Come on, I have stories for you, while your mother is out!"


Little Lakemist was glancing behind her, at her sister, smiling sweetly. Turning her head to the other, she licked her ear once, before turning her head back to great-grandmother. The little lady of a pup trotted over to the elder female, smiling happily, "Stories, great-grandmother?" She asked eagerly, her tail wagging back and forth. Reddish-pink eyes gazed at her, curious. She really enjoyed days like this, playing with her brothers and sisters, and meeting relatives, what could be better?


Serenity smiled back at her sister, then looked nervously to her great-grandmother. The pink-eyed wild dog just smiled at them. "Yes, stories. I've lots of stories in this not-so-old head of mine. What sort would you two want to hear?" Serenity was quiet a moment before piping up.

"A love story? Or one with a great heroine in it?" She liked stories like that!


Lakemist's tail wagged back and forth quickly, "I want a love story, great-grandma!" She cried out eagerly, practically bouncing where she sat, one flank pressed against her sister. It made her happy, to have such a big family. Besides! Meeting great-grandma for the first time was exciting. Looking to Serenity, she asked, "Right sister?"


Featherpaw laughed, nodding. "Alright, you two. A love story it is!" Serenity cheered, then nodded at her sister. Now that she'd MET her great-grandmother, she wasn't nervous anymore. Now she was just a bundle of excitement, like Lakemist. She settled, watching her great-grandmother and tail wagging behind her. Featherpaw stood up, and started.

"Once, not too very long ago, there was a pup who had gotten separated from his family. For many seasons, he wandered alone, always trying to find his way home, always keeping an ear out for some sign of his family. One day, he met a beautiful wild dog. She was older than him, but she was kind and open-hearted. The two decided to travel together, since she had nowhere specific to go and he hadn't had constant company in so long..."


Laying down, she folded her paws, watching the older, eagerly. She tipped her head. This was sad.....A pup without his family....that was really sad. But as soon as Featherpaw mentioned a female dog, she was eager to hear how this ended. It meant he wasn't alone, "It's good that he wasn't alone any more."


Serenity nodded vigorously. "Nobody should be alone. It's....well, lonely!" Featherpaw smiled and nodded.

"That's right. They traveled together for some time, and eventually...they had pups together. Seven beautiful pups, some with colors and markings that reminded the male dog of his family. That got him searching again. While his pups were still young, he wandered in and out, hoping to find his family so he could tell them he was okay, and that he now had a mate and pups of his own. Each time he went back to his mate and pups, he brought back with him stories of his travels and gifts."


Her tail wagged, "Pups like us!" She barked eagerly. A giggle escaped her maw at the thought. and she sighed, "Poor him though! Missing your old family, even though you have one of your own. Was it hard for him great-grandma?"


Featherpaw giggled. "Yes, pups like you." Serenity bounced a little, excited at the thought of the dogs in the story having little ones like her! Too bad they couldn't meet them to play with. "And it was very hard for him. Eventually, though, the pups grew big enough to travel with him! And he suddenly had his family with him all the time again. It made him very happy, and he realized that even if he didn't find his old family...he would be happy. Because he had his mate and his pups." She grinned. "So imagine his surprise when he FOUND his old family, quite by accident!"


Lakemist smiled eagerly, "GOOD! A happy thing!" She said, tail wagging, "I can't WAIT til I get big! I'm gonna go on big adventures too!" She grinned at Featherpaw, "I wanna have that kinda fun!"


Serenity giggled and nodded. "I'd be happy to stay home. But..." She sighed dreamily. "I'd like a handsome wild dog to be my mate. Someone like...like a prince! Like Auntie Pich talks about when she visits!"

Featherpaw smiled. "I'm sure you'll both find what you're looking for. Since adventures and good things run in the family. That story I told you? The boy in it was your grandfather, Brightone."


Her eyes widened, "No WAY! Grandpa was?" Her tail thumped eagerly against the ground as she thought about it, "Wow....That's so cool!" She came from THAT family! What a story!


Serenity was rather surprised herself. "Wow...so...Grandpa got lost when he was little?" Featherpaw nodded.

"He did. When he was little, he had a very bad sense of direction. And though I missed him...he found a loving mate, and had wonderful pups. And now I have great-grandpups like you two. Everything worked out for the better."


She nodded, "I'm glad he found his way home, great-Grandma! It means we can be here!" Standing up, she shook out her pelt, looking up to the sky, '"I hope I never get lost. I'd miss my big family a lot. I like it here."


Serenity nodded, tail wagging. "I'd miss everyone too!" She moved forward to settle between Featherpaw's front legs. "Can we have another story, Gramma Featherpaw?" Featherpaw nodded, and leaned down to lick the top of Serenity's head.

"Of course. What do you two want to hear this time?"


Moving over to cuddle against Featherpaw's side, she thought, "Something about YOU, Great-grandma!" She yipped. After all, what better way to get to know family, than through STORIES about them.