Redeemed
Petal hopped up to the bubbling stream, keeping a close eye on Crocus who was running all over the place as usual. “Crocus, be careful sweetheart, we are coming up on the water now.” He hoped his little mischief maker heard him, as the little kit was still barreling through all the grass in his path. The proud papa shook his head and looked way back behind him where Pansy was bringing up the rear. He wasn’t sure where Daffodil had wandered off to, but he had his hands full with just Crocus! And of course keeping Pansy on track. “Come on little one! It’s not too much further!”

Pansy was dragging her little paws. Whyyyy did Papa have to drag her out all the way to some water?? It had ben such a long walk and she was so tired! She kept trudging toward the shape of her papa, one tired heavy step at a time.

Crocus skidded to a stop right at the edge of the bubbling water and looked excitedly at it then up to his papa. “Can I touch it? Can I??” Petal nodded but cautioned him to be careful. Crocus smacked a paw down onto the rim of the water and laughed happily as little water droplets splashed up and into his face. He continued to happily splash around in the shallow edge of the stream while Petal watched on, alert but relaxed. Pansy finally reached the pool and dipped one toe in it, carefully avoiding her insanely splashing brother. She shrugged and withdrew to curl up next her Papa who looked down at the falling asleep kit and laughed.

He had wanted to bring all the babies to the water while they were still young, to get them familiar with it. It would be important for them he knew to know where good sources of water were, and to know how important but also dangerous water could be. He watched Crocus carefree and splashing and knew he would have trouble convincing that one to be cautious around anything. Pansy on the other hand… he glanced down and noticed she was already lightly snoring. Well, he grinned, he wasn’t so worried about her.

Petal called Crocus over to him and had a hard time getting the little excitable kit to turn away from his splashing for a few moments. “Come on Crocus you can play in a minute I want to talk with you about something for a bit and I need your full attention. It’s very important.” Crocus reluctantly agreed and dragged himself away from his play to sit fidgeting by his Papa. Petal then woke up his sleeping child and made her pay attention as well. Finally with both kits attention, Petal proceeded to tell them about things called droughts and how important it will be to know where to find water. He also told them about how water can be both life giving and deadly if you don’t respect it. He talked to them about drowning and getting too cold and too wet. He didn’t want to scare them too much but he did want them both to be safe. When he was done he let them go back to what they had been doing, pansy sleeping and Crocus playing, and hoped he had instilled in them a healthy appreciation for what water could be. It was hard being a Papa. But so fun!!

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