It had only been a few days since he had entered this big world and already he was on the move. His body telling him not to stay there that he needed to start moving and going somewhere else, anywhere else. He didn’t know why but his paws ached and that was only solved when he started walking. As far as he knew it had been four sleeps since he had hatched and met the beautiful white creature that was just like him but fully grown. Her gem had been her ear, and his was nowhere to be seen so he only assumed he perhaps did not have one. Perhaps he was unique in these caves and simply did not have a gemstone for him.

This new cave was strange, with a massive structure in it. He was on one of the many worn paths that wound toward the massive structure, his nose leading him to the scent of water. He was undeniably thirsty. But then who wouldn’t be thirsty after nearly two full days of travel only stopping long enough to nap here and there, and then be woken by the ache in his paws to start moving again.

Soon with his nose leading him, the young wolf found himself coming upon a shallow river cutting through the area. The young wolf with paws much to large for his body picked up his pace and began to run. However as he picked up speed his huge paws became tangled in each other sending him falling forward onto his chin and chest. With a huff the young gangly wolf cub untangled his paws from each other and sat up and rather than run this time, he leisurely trotted toward the shallow river. Here he found crisp clear beautiful water. Without a second thought the boy began lapping greedily at the water, his tail waving lightly. After he had drank his fill the young wolf’s attention was caught by a bright purple thing darting in front of him in the water. Curiously the boy sat watching the fish dart this way and that.

Both of his much to large ears were as perked up as they could as they still collapsed in on them over his head. His emerald eyes were trained on the water as he watched the fish, completely oblivious to the world around him for the time.

@Cygnus

Aside from his single black foot and the small star on his forehead, Cygnus looked very much like the ivory deer that tended to the gardens of Cepheus. He found that mimicking their grazing patterns kept them from freaking out if he ate a patch of grass and left it too thin, but also feeding from the reeds in the streams and ponds was good, too.

He rather liked swimming, the reeds beneath the water tastier than the grasses and leaves above, so he often found himself wading to his chest to try and find food.

Though he wasn't expecting anyone to be at the river at that moment. His blue eyes stared at the wolf, legs awkwardly spread so he could bow his head for a drink, paused right before his mouth touched the water. He'd really only ever seen the deer and swans that frequented this place, and now that he'd found someone else, another Gembound, he was unsure of what to do.

Cygnus bleated gently, trying to catch the pup's attention, hoping he'd look up. He didn't really want to come close yet, seeing as the other had big teeth and claws, looking all the world like a predator.

@Sigurd

Sigurd’s head twitched this way and that way as he watched the darting fish in the water. He was almost cat like as he watched the fish. He couldn’t decide whether to jump into the water and chase after them or stay on dry land. He wasn’t entirely sure of getting in the water as he had never gone more than ankle deep in water before. He wasn’t even sure he could move in water where his paws didn’t touch the ground. For all he knew the water was his worst enemy and would steal his life given the chance.

Suddenly as the pup continued to watch the fish, a strange noise met his much too large ears. This caused the pup to sit up straight and tilt his head to one side. It was a sound he had never heard before. A strange sound it was something like nothing he had ever heard before. He had never run across a hooved prey creature before he had caught mice, and picked off already dead carcasses he had managed to find in his wanders. He wasn’t very good at hunting yet so he still largely relied on carion for his sustenance. The young pup turned his head this way and that way his emerald eyes searching for the source of the sound.

His gaze soon landed on the much larger white creature that seemed to fit in so well with this area. The young pup gazed at the creature with a scrutinizing stare and then looked around again. ”Were you making noises at me?” The boy asked curiously tilting his head to one side as he sat in place where he was.

@Cygnus

There were strange noises coming out of the predator's face, now. Cygnus had no idea if the wolf was trying to communicate or not, but he sure couldn't, so he just bleated again, taking a small step forward. He shook his head, ears flopping all over the place, before galloping through the water and trotting up the opposite shore to approach the wolf.

"... YOU!", Cygnus shouted, mimicking one of the words the other said, not knowing what it meant at all.

The moose just stared, his big blue eyes focused on Sigurd, wondering what he was and if he'd move or not. Maybe. Maybe not.

@Sigurd

Sigurd looked at the white creature who didn’t answer him, rather than actually answer him the creature made the same noise again. Sigurd stared at the creature scrunching his brows together unsure of what to make of them. His emerald green eyes watched as the much larger and leggier creature splashed through the water and down across the bank up to him. Unsure of what to do Sigurd leaped to his feet and backed up several steps looking up at the taller creature.

Sigurd shook his head taken aback as they shouted a single word at him. The young wolf blinked several times and slowly with a slight crouch to his body and tail half tucked, he gazed up at the strange creature. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Though that wasn’t saying much as the only other gembound he had ever met was a wolf just like him and the mice he regularly ate. ”Uuuuuuh.” The young wolf paused just staring at the creature. ”Yes?” He questioned tilting his head to one side, his one ear flopping out straight while the other fell on the top of his head. He was unsure how to communicate with this gembound. ”Who are you?” Sigurd finally asked wondering if maybe they didn’t speak the same language.

@Cygnus

Cygnus did not speak the same language, or any at all, clearly. He stared at the wolf and finally turned away, discouraged. There was no play, no... anything. Sigurd just stood there looking at him weirdly. He didn't like it.

So, as any child would, he just started walking off. He preferred to be alone anyway.

He bleated at the wolf and crossed the river again, off to eat leaves or something. Maybe if Sigurd was determined, he could make a friend.

@Sigurd

Sigurd looked at the creature who got a rather discouraged look on their face. Then they began to walk away. He didn’t like that. They hadn’t answered his question yet. What the hell were they? What did they want? Did they want to play? Sigurd watched as they walked through the water and back over to the other bank of the river. Now he was being completely ignored.

Standing up Sigurd chased after the white creature. ”Hey! Don’t go!” The young wolf cub called as he leaped to his paws and ran after the creature splashing through the water noisily after Cygnus. He didn’t like how deep the water got on him but he still went after the creature. As they reached dry land Sigurd attempted to pick up his speed and get in front of the creature to block its path. However as he started to run his paws tangled with each other yet again and he went tumbling rump over head to the ground. His tumbling body aiming to slam into the back of Cygnus’ leg.

As Sigurd came to a stop he growled to himself. ”Stupid paws, why can’t you do what I tell you!” He grumbled the words angrily at his paws as he tried to untangle himself and sit back up.
@Cygnus

Cygnus looked back as the other approached, ears flicking towards him. He bleated and jumped as the other slammed into his legs, falling down into a pile of flailing limbs. He shoved himself up and shook his head out, trotting forward and turning to face the other.

At the absence of his magic, he slowly walked forward, nudging the other gently. Were they okay? Were they hurt?

A soft coo left him as he took a step back, still a bit wary.

"... You?", he asked, lacking the words to actually question the other's health, but trying to get the sentiment across.

Whether he succeeded or not was up to Sigurd.

@Sigurd

Sigurd lay on the ground, his large paws and gangly legs tangled in each other, the young cub struggled to get them free and get off his back. The young cub lifted his head several times to catch a glimpse of the poor creature he had tumbled into. Finally he untangled himself and found his paws under him once more. A sheepish smile crossed the young wolf’s muzzle as he looked up at the new creature. ”I’m okay.” He assured them but thinking about it he realized they hadn’t spoken more than repeating him.

Thinking about how the creature had nudged him, he took a queue from that and gently nudged the white creature back in as an assuring way as he possibly could. He was used to falling down. He had done it almost constantly since he had hatched. These paws of his he cursed them tripping him up all the time.

However that was in the past. The young cub stopped for a second thinking of how to instigate something fun between them. Suddenly it came to him! They could chase each other back and forth! He could touch them and run away and they’d have to chase. The young cub leaped up with a bright smile and gently aimed to bop the moose on the shoulder, before running away a few steps and looking back expectantly.
@Cygnus

Cygnus may not be able to speak, but the universal game of tag was something even he knew. His eyes lit up and he took a few hesitant steps forward, his blue eyes big and wide. He galloped forward after the other, bleating happily and laughing.

"You!!", he said with determination, trying to bump the other with his nose.

His nose tapped Sigurd's fur and he turned, galloping off across the fields, laughing his little head off. He tossed it and crashed into the river again, taking off across the opposite bank, having not lost even a little bit of speed. Those were moose, baby.

@Sigurd