What was this? Nothing had truly fazed the creature this far but suddenly he shifted and felt rather cramped in his current position. The place that once felt so cozy now seemed like a prison. But what did he do to free himself? He shifted ever so slightly but that proved to do nothing.

He had limbs to use although he had no clue how to use them. They felt a bit foreign - almost as if they weren't a part of him. It took moments for him to even work out how to stretch them before him against the walls of his home. The young creature leaned forward trying to push what little weight he had on the walls.

At first, there was a small crack that provided a glimmer of hope for a new life. He had no idea what the new life would entail but he was hungry for it. This time he truly leaned into it. His whole body shifting uncomfortably to push against the cracked walls. Something within beckoned him forth. He had to keep trying.

The boy gave one last shove before the wall seemed to give out. He tumbled forth - free from his prison. His body landed on the soft earth as his senses were overloaded. He could barely see anything and even his hearing seemed somewhat useless for the moment. Despite his success, he found himself rather tired and splayed out on his stomach. What a pitiful origin story.

OoC: Baby coyote could use a friend!

The big mastiff was padding slowly through the tunnel, his broad and wrinkled head held idly low, when he heard the soft cracking of crystal. His pendulous ears pricked up and he turned, altering his course slightly to head for the sound.

The creature was tiny--a puppy, he thought. A wolf, perhaps a dog?

Being a guardian by nature, he picked his way over to the little, splayed-out thing, noting how exhausted it looked, and sniffed it over. His tail wagged just a little, and he did his best to give Orchid a few friendly licks. Then he flopped his rump down, sitting, peering down with pale eyes past his wrinkle-furrowed brow, and spoke. His voice was bass, deep, but mild and nonthreatening.

"You are new," he declared gently. "Welcome."

Perhaps the creature needed a guardian for a time, or perhaps it would strike out on its own. That remained to be seen, but Black would wait, and he would watch.

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@Orchid

The youth leaned into the sudden warmth that swept over him. It was damp but welcoming, almost like his former prison except he was still free here. He let out soft whines and squirmed against the ground.

But he ceased all his movements as the deep muffled voice spoke to him. The boy did not grasp the words or their meaning. So he did his best to reply back to whatever had been said. "Ba...ba." He could not form proper words, unaware of languages he would - sooner or later - learn.

His limbs awkwardly shifted to try and find the ground underneath him. The boy was wobbly in his attempt to stand, swaying from side to side before he crashed back down to the earth below.

It was his first taste of failure and he was not sure how to take it.

Black slowly slid to lay down, peering at the pup with his ears pricked up. It was babbling--already trying to speak, but as expected, failing.

Gently, as it slid to fall, he nudged it back up as best he could.

"Continue to try," he encouraged Orchid. He did not think it would understand him, so young--but he encouraged him nonetheless, his voice rumbling and deeply calm.

"You are very small," he added, as if observing that this might, in fact, be the reason for the little one's failure to yet stand. "You will learn."

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@Orchid

The boy moved as the darkness nudged him on. Stubby legs trying once again to hold the pudgy child up. Although he could not know what was being said, the deep voice was calming. It was the first he had heard of anyone or anything. Perhaps breaking free had been a good idea.

This time he had a bit of a better stance, swaying but not falling just yet. His tiny front paw lifted in an attempt to make a step. It was then and there - on three stubby legs - that the boy fell again. He landed on his side with a dumbfounded look. He had been doing so well, what had happened?

The coyote child did not try to stand again. No. He could make out the blurry shape - the one that made the deep but calming sounds. Curiosity ate the boy whole as a small paw reached out to the larger creature. This was far more interesting than trying to work his foolish limbs.

He also craved contact and warmth. The world around him was cold and seemingly empty even if it had been exciting to him so far. "Baba." He eagerly babbled again with his short leg extended and a childish smile on his face. Yes, this dark shape would be Baba he decided. His Baba.

Black laid his head down over his big paws, tail briefly thumping on the rock. He allowed the pup to prod and poke, content with keeping watch over it.

Baba, it was saying. Hrmph. Was that he?

"I am Black," he told the little thing. "I am the black dog. I will look after you, tiny thing."

He tilted his head, watching it. He wondered if it were hungry--but the tunnel was not the best place to hunt. Nor, he knew, was Polaris, nor even Orion, and those were the closest caves. He looked to and fro, pondering. What could he do, other than simply watch over it? Teach it, perhaps, to speak..?

He peered back down at it; certainly he could not teach it to walk. Not yet; it had already given up again. He gently nudged the pup again, then laid his head back on his paws, tail slowly wagging.

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@Orchid

The large figure spoke some more, words out of reach of the young boy. There was one word that sounded similar to Baba but at the same time, it was far different. There was more to it than the ah sound of Baba.

"Bluh...bluh-ack." He frowned slightly. The sounds did not leave him as smoothly as they did the large figure. Why though? The coyote child could not figure out what made them so different. How come the dark Baba could do so much but he himself was forced to wiggle about and babble?

He wanted to be big too! To make such soft sounds and move with ease. How did he achieve that?

OoC: Sorry for the wait @Black

Black pricked up pendulous ears, observing the wriggling puppy as it writhed about upon the floor. He scooted closer, offering it warmth, and began to quietly speak.

"Small, but you will grow. Speech will come. Movement will come. It must learn to hunt. To use its magic," he explained, rumbling. He leaned down, trying to groom the pup with a few gentle licks, to clean its coat and perhaps to reassure it.

Does it require reassurance? It is trying new things, yet it does not show fear. How could I tell fear, however, in one so tiny..? How would it show it?

The black dog watched the pup, unsure as to how to proceed.

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@Orchid