[imgleft]https://matope-swamp.com/images/araucan ... uncert.png[/imgleft]Safe had a mad craving for blueberries, and she hated blueberries. This was surely a sign.

A gentle breeze blew across the open field, lifting white flower seeds past the face of a dark Kiokote flecked and fringed with yellow, red, and green. This grassy clearing was a welcome respite from her usual swampy haunt. Up, Up, Up, the fluffy seeds flew. Safe watched them rise until she could not see them anymore. Safe took in the sights for a moment then breathed in. She felt it, felt that she was with child and it was time to seek out a blessing.

At this moment, the Kiokete was on the move. Ears erect, she listened. Is anyone nearby? She wasn’t one for enclosed spaces so seeking out a legendary in this area felt more comfortable for her. Space to flee if she felt threatened. Safe had a good feeling though, as if everything would be just fine.

Perhaps it was her imagination, but she could’ve sworn that she heard something. “Is someone there?” The doe called.

Someone, indeed, was there. Or eight someones. What might have started as the distant pitter-patter of tiny paws quickly became the...closer pitter-patter of tiny paws.

Thirty-two tiny paws. Some tinier than others.

A cascade of eight hounds poured into the clearing. They were of various breeds, but five were clearly sand dogs, chief amongst them a hot pink one with glowing eyes, at the head of the pack.



@PandoraTalie

“Ohhh… Hello everyone?” The group’s arrival was definitely a surprise to Safe. Her tail swept somewhat anxiously side to side. She wasn’t scared per se, but this wasn’t what she had expected either. As this was her first time, she guessed she didn’t really know what to expect anyhow. “I’m Safe. Pleased to meet you all.” She smiled warmly, bowing her head towards the pink sand dog.

@Jun

The pink sand dog bounded up to her, yipping excitably, before turning to bark a few...commands? at the other hounds.

Quite peculiarly, the pack begun to trot a well-formed circle around the doe and the dog - at least, well-formed except for the translucent blue hound, who took three steps, stumbled, plopped, and rolled over to show her belly.

The pink dog sighed.

"Yip!" she yipped, "yip yip, yip!"

@PandoraTalie (so sorry for the wait!)

“Oh!” Safe exclaims taking a step forward to meet them. Would it be appropriate for me to rub their belly? She wonders to herself, can I rub their belly? The doe looks to the pink sand dog, “May I?” She’s never met a ghost dog before. Will my hoof go right through them? She had to find out. With some uncertainty Safe prodded with her forelimb attempting to make belly rubs.

@Jun  (It's okay! Been busy myself! lol)

Bafflingly, her hoof did not go through. The ghostly underbelly was quite fluffy after all.

"Wuff!" the blue hound panted her approval, her transparent tail swishing as her tongue lolled happily out of her mouth.

It was mysterious how ghost dogs worked.

The pink dog sighed again.

All of a sudden, there was a swoosh, and in the pink dog's place was a hot pink mare.



"Sorry 'bout that, she's still a puppy," she said, vigorously scratching at an ear with a hind-hoof, "got a lot of training to go. Guess the doggy blessing dance's a work in progress!"

@PandoraTalie <3

“OOoo...so soft!” The doe beams, petting the ghostly pup.

As the pink dog transforms Safe’s jaw may have slackened. This was definitely a day of amazing happenings.

“That was great though!” The kiokote cheerfully looked at the others surrounding her then back to the silly pup. “ I’m sure with a little practice this one will be a star in the dance.” She gave the pup one more pet. Are all legendary blessings this theatrical? She wonders, tail swishing side to side. “Wait, do I need to dance?” Her attention settled back to the beautifully bright legendary.

@Jun

"Yes," she said, with no hesitation, "you do. But not too hard, because you're pregnant.

"Like this!" she started prancing, lightly, from side to side, "'s there anything you particularly want your babies to be blessed with?"

@PandoraTalie

Excitedly, Safe bobbed her head slightly while concentrating on the mare's moves. With all eyes on her, the kiokote doe, attempted a short prance to the right and then with a little more bounce went back to the left with her head held high.

She thought about the pink mare’s question as she gently swayed side to side. “Health and happiness for sure,” she finally answered. In her head she may have hung on ‘mom's good looks’ but decided to keep that to herself.

@Jun

"Health," bounce, "and happiness," bounce, she nodded, thoughtfully, "solid choices."

Bounce.

Then she took a deep breath, and crooned to the skies:

"Ohhhhhh, hear me please, my Motherfather: let her foals be ever after healthy, happy, as can be - and bonny as their mother!"

Wink.

Rouge had not divined her hidden thoughts. Rouge was just an incorrigible flirt.

@PandoraTalie <3

She can read my thoughts! OH! Can you hear this?! Quick, stop thinking! Safe furrows her brow trying extra hard not to think about it. She shakes her head, “Thank you very much!” Oh no, I’m going to offend her.

With one last look at the excited puppy, Safe says, “You got this!” Then looks back to the acha, “I guess I better not take up any more of your time. See you around!” Blushing, she turns to leave hastening her steps the further she gets - don’t think anything weird, don’t think anything weird.

@Jun xD

Rouge drooped slightly as she walked away without picking up what she was putting down. Oh well. Maybe she was exclusive with the dad.

"See you around," she called, because she was still incorrigible. Then she spun back into a dog, and yipped away with her pack into the wind.

@PandoraTalie (Thought I'd finish it up! <3)