Completed Hard Work Can Be Frustrating

[Liarra Frostfawn]

A creak that came from somewhere in the research center made Liarra jump. She stood from her chair and looked around for any sign of life. There was nothing to be found. Liarra was truly alone.

"Great, now I'm beginning to imagine things." The dark haired Vantha rolled her eyes. "Well," she said in her loudest indoor voice, "if I'm really the only one here, I might as well take advantage of it!"

Immediately Liarra began to pace around the room in a large circle. Her long braid swung back and forth behind her, like the tail of a dog uncertain if it should be excited or wary. Hands on her hips in frustration, Liarra's eyes were still a vibrant violet.

"There has got to be a better way to do this. There has to be!" She sighed as she stomped around. "Argh! Focus Liarra, focus! I need to figure out how to count those two vixens and their kits, first.

"From everything I've learned in nearly two years of working here, it seems to be rare to come across the same vixen and find her with more kits than before. Everyone here is really good at spotting kits and other youngsters, so litter counts seem to be pretty accurate. But it's still possible someone got it wrong this time!

"If they are the same vixen, and I say they aren't, the count might allow more kills than there really should be. If they aren't the same vixen, and I say they are... I could be reprimanded, I guess?"

Liarra stopped pacing and tilted her head back toward the ceiling. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. Lost in silent thought once more, the young woman stood completely still for several chimes.

"There isn't any choice. I have to do what's right for the snow foxes, not what might benefit the hunters more. The vixens are one and the same. Just a few kits were missed in the first count, is all." Another sigh from Liarra floated out into the room, and with it all the pent up frustration left her body. When Liarra opened her eyes again, they were their normal deep green.

She headed back to her table and chair to catalog her decision. Back at work, Liarra continued to go through the journals at a leisurely pace. As frustrating as cataloging could be, Liarra found the information in the journals truly priceless.

Courtesy of Thayer

[Minosayaa]

Minosayaa had been making her usual rounds of greeting the members of the hold and seeing what they were up to. It wasn't that she was considered nosy, the Kelvic truly believed this was her job seeing if her assistance was needed in anyway... Not that she always understood what the Vantha were up to, but she was often rewarded with scraps of meat, bones, or just a scratch behind the ears.

Today had been a good day. She had been given a gracious amount of hunting scraps and she had gotten hugs and cuddles from the human pups. Any time she visited with the Vantha pups made for a good day, until the lady watching them shooed her away for interrupting class.

Mino came to a room that smelled of ink and paper. Books. It wasn't that Mino didn't like books, but she hadn't been able to grasp reading and the books within this room had no pictures in them. She was about to pass this room up after giving the books a good sniffing when she heard something rustling said books. She made her way in carefully to notice a girl among the stacks. Mino's tail began to wag knocking over books this way and that.

[Liarra Frostfawn]

All of a sudden there were loud thumps and thunks echoing through the research center.

"Ok, there's no way I'm imaging that." she mumbled to herself.

"Who's there?" Liarra had stood up and began searching for what was making the noises.

It didn't take long for the young Vantha woman to find the culprit. What she found was a Zypherian sled dog happily wagging its tail. And knocking books and journals onto the floor, Liarra thought.

"Well hi there..." Liarra tilted her head ever so slightly as she examined the dog, "...girl. What are you doing here?" She knelt down next to the dog, a large smile on her face. It was no secret that Liarra loved animals. She was a Frostfawn after all.

Liarra scratched the happy looking dog behind the ears. It wasn't as if animals weren't welcome in the center, but what exactly would she do with the dog?

Courtesy of Thayer

[Minosayaa]

Mino pranced about barking and yodeling in a playful manor her only way of expressing her thoughtsHello! Hi! Hi! It's nice to meet you! Thank you! Thank you for the cuddles! Watcha doin'? Watcha doin'? She sniffed around the girl and the fallen books. I'm gonna help, kay?

Mino carefully picked up a ledger in her mouth and placed it back on the table it had fallen from. After all she had been the one who knocked the papers and books over. Picking them up was the least she could do. Mino continued placing books and ledgers back on to tables while keeping an eye on the Vantha girl.
After cleaning up most of the mess she had made Mino turned to the girl with a grin-like expression on her face.

Minosayaa proceeded to find a spot and make herself comfortable near the girl's chair. This Vantha needed someone to talk to Mino felt, and if every went well she might change forms and chatter back to her. But for now lying on the floor near this girl was enough for Mino for now.

[Liarra Frostfawn]

Liarra laughed gleefully as she watched the adorable dog try to help out. Whichever family she was from should have been very proud of their very well trained dog. Her own father would have been immensely proud to have trained such a wonderful creature. Granted, her father wasn't the best animal trainer in the Hold, but it was her father and Liarra was biased.

"Good girl," she cooed, praising the dog with another scratch behind the ears. "Just be sure to not get too much drool on the loose papers, ok?" Liarra smiled again, bright and cheery. There really was nothing quite like having a dog around to cheer you up from a frustrating day of work.

"You can stay as long as you like," Liarra mentioned once she had settled back into her chair. "But I hope your family won't worry about you." She went back to her work, and it was some time before Liarra spoke again.

"Girl, you wouldn't happen to know anything about the breeding habits of the Talderan Snow Fox, would you?" The young woman laughed to herself. "I doubt you do, and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to tell me." She sighed.

"I just wish all animals could communicate with us. It would make my job easier, that's for certain. I could just go up to a vixen and ask her: "Miss Snow Vixen, do you have any comments as to why such a small number of your kits survive each year?" Ah, a girl can dream. Realistically, the only way I could see anything like that even remotely possibly happening is if I somehow, somewhere, managed to come across a Talderan Snow Fox Kelvic. I don't know that odds of that happening, but it's bound to be insurmountable." Liarra leaned back in her chair and smiled down at the dog.

"You're a good listener. Has anyone told you that? I hope your family has."


Courtesy of Thayer

[Minosayaa]

Mino stretched out on the floor Silly, I have no set family.. Just the Frostfawns in general.That made her Frostfawn property, so she belonged to everyone. However she missed having a master and all the wonderful things that came with it. Honestly, what good was a Kelvic with no master to serve?

Darrus' death happen so long ago it seemed but yet it was fresh in her mind. It wasn't that she dwelled on it, in fact she had been seeking a new master all this time. She had made many friends in the process, but none had that spark or understanding. They lacked the connection with her.

Mino sat listening to the girl, in a way she reminded her of Darrus. Yes, there was something comforting about this girl. A new friend indeed. But, how... How would she react to what Mino was? Sure most Frostfawns found Kelvics to be amazing bridges to their own animals but appearing as one thing and changing to something else felt deceitful in some way.

She would give it a shot...

The light from changing was brilliantly bright for an instant, and then there she sat naked,pale, and much smaller than her four-legged form. Messy uneven hair fell over deep brown eyes, "The weather and harsh environment takes a toll on the kits, they're still soft to this world and very vulnerable.It's cold and mama needs to hunt, sometimes it takes too long and the cold wins."

[Liarra Frostfawn]

A very small "eep" emerged from Liarra when what she had presumed to be just a dog spoke. She wasn't scared of the Kevilc's transformation, merely surprised by it. Kelvics certainly weren't uncommon in Avanthal; all anyone ever needed to do was look toward the Icewatch. Liarra, still being a young woman, however, had had little interaction with a Kelvic whose bondmate was not around.

Embarrassed, her eyes reflecting her emotions by turning a color of blush often associated with fine wines, Liarra quickly reached for an apology.

"I'm so sorry, Miss. I wasn't aware that you're a Kelvic. I hope I haven't offended you with my rambling." Her words came out faster than she had intended.

"My name is Liarra. I'm sorry I didn't ask yours. And thank you for telling me what you know about the kits." The Vantha smiled down at the young Kelvic girl. Her smile was a little weak and shaky as compared to her grins from before, but that was only because of embarrassment and nerves.

Courtesy of Thayer

[Minosayaa]

Mino brushed her hair from her eyes, although they didn't change color something within her face gave telltale signs that somewhere in her lineage she was Vantha, "Don't be sorry! I'm sorry for knocking over all your books!" Her voice held the sound of a child. "It's ok, I like listening to you Liarra. You remind me of Darrus, but he died a few years ago. I miss him still."

"My name is Minosayaa, but people call me Mino too. I'm a Frostfawn sled dog. One of the best!" She sounded like a child boasting. "Besides sled pulling I make sure everyone is happy and working hard! Sometimes I decide to help as best I can! I don't really have a family anymore, I just basically belong to Frostfawn. So no one worries if I'm off on my own, besides I'm not that hard to track down... I spend a lot of time with the human pups!" Mino's eyes widened, " Does your family have human pups? Can I play with them?"

Even in human form Mino had her over-bouncy happy-go-lucky canine mind set. Mino gave Liarra a large smile, " I met a Fox Kelvic once she was nice, but if humans and the foxes were switched with them recording us from inside cozy homes and the Vantha birthing in the woods, even if they had fur... Why would they not make it? Think about it and put yourself in the Vixen's place. You're a Frosty Fawn use that mindset to help you." Mino's tone was serious but very soft, "You're on the same wave length as the animals, just relax, close your eyes, and become said animal....."

"Also if possible... do you have something I could cover up with? I get in trouble for not wearing clothes." Mino said in a shy embarrassed voice.

[Liarra Frostfawn]

The young Kelvic made Liarra laugh. She was so like her father in that respect, or so everyone told her; quick to laugh and flash a smile. "Well, with a tail like that, it's a surprise you haven't knocked the whole Hold over!" A huge grin was plastered on her face, an indication that she was merely teasing the girl.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mino." Liarra skirted around the issue of this "Darrus" man. If Mino wanted to speak of it, she would happily listen, but Liarra also knew better than to pry on sensitive subjects. Anyhow, the Kelvic seemed to have moved on from the topic all on her own, talking very fast and excitedly.

"You like kids, hm? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm the youngest member of my family. My sister has five "pups", but she lives in Whitevine Hold. Though Mama says that Papa acts like a child frequently, and I'm certain he'd be happy to play with you." Mino's cheerfulness was infectious, and Liarra was going to have a smile on her face for a long while to come. She behaved like such a little child that it made Liarra wonder if this was how her sister Tolanna and seen her when they were children.

Liarra nodded, contemplating what the perky Kelvic had said about the foxes. She searched the table for a blank piece of paper and grabbed a stick of charcoal to jot down the key points for herself and others to go over later. It could possibly make an interesting discussion with the other managers.

"Oh! Clothes, yes! Umm..." Liarra looked around the research center. There was not an abundance of clothing laying around. All that seemed to be available was Liarra's cloak. It would have to do. She got up to retrieve it from where it rested by the main door, and when she got back to Mino Liarra gently draped it around the young girl's shoulders.

"Here you go, you can borrow my cloak. All I ask is you return it when you don't need it." Liarra smiled sweetly. "If you can't find me, you can always leave it here, and I'll be sure to get it. Oh!" An idea had popped into Liarra's head. "You're more than welcome to come back to my family's arvinta when I'm done with my work here. There's plenty of room underneath my bed for a Zypherian of your size. The common room is also usually pretty empty, and it's very warm."

Being Frostfawn, neither her parents or Grandmere would bat an eye at a dog following Liarra home. And being Vantha, the whole family would happily welcome a Kelvic into the arvinta.

Courtesy of Thayer

[Minosayaa]

"I can't help my tail it's so big and fluffy, there's just no controlling it! I thought it was alive and following me when I was little. Hey, what was I supposed to think? Every time I looked behind me there it was!" She seemed disgruntled and looked behind her looking for that blasted tail. "So.. you're the pup of the family!" Mino gave a childlike grin,"What about your sister's pups? Can I play with them? I won't play rough, I promise!" She seemed ready to start bouncing up and down,"I can play fetch! And-And I LOVE pulling sleds! I'll pull them or your Papa! I pull people during the day for sightseeing and I've led a team for hunting!" Mino snuggled up in the cloak her over sized collar hung out over it. "It's soft and warm," She said with childlike delight. The cloak made her feel safe, this Vantha made her feel safe. It was a certain spark, not quite like with Darrus... But a spark none the less... Although in human form, Mino's ears twitched. Had this girl asked what Mino thought she had?!? Her eyes lit up wide like dinner plates "Come back home with you?! Do you mean? Are you asking? Me?" She looked down and back up with a touched smile, "If you are offering to be my new Master, I accept and will put in my everything for your family." She had been alone for what seemed so long, and to be asked this question by a Frostfawn with such potential was something Mino couldn't imagined in her wildest dreams. But if this was what Liarra wanted, Mino would accept without a second thought.