It had been a long time coming, and yet, Above the Mountains was still anxious.
He moved with a sort of restless energy across the stream (which was little more than a single strand of barely trickling water surrounded by rocks) and then back again, hopping from side to side in nothing more than an attempt at losing some of that energy. A part of him wondered whether it would be a better idea to simply sleep it all off, but he couldn't make himself stand still.
"If you fall in, I'm not saving you," Fierce Warrior called, from downstream, and Above snorted.
"If I fall in, I'll be fine," he said, and hopped again, his hooves skittering on the slick rock. "I think the most this place can do is get my rump wet and that's about it. There's not even any fish here, it's too shallow."
"So I've noticed," Fierce murmured, and as if on cue, one of the shuppies that were constantly tailing him let out an indignant squawk. It began to chase another one around, until the two of them were splashing noisily in the water - which, in turn, sprayed everywhere, including over Fierce Warrior himself. He shook himself off, sighing, and took a large - and pointed - step away from the squabbling shuppies.
"At any rate," Fierce said, as he came up towards Above. "It's good that you're at least excited about all of this. Not that being nervous about it would be a bad thing; kin react differently, after all. But you seem well prepared."
"Oh, I am," said Above, and nearly tripped on his next hop over the stream. He righted himself quickly, spindly legs adjusting to keep his weight, and added, "But I could use a blessing, anyway."
"Well, then," said Fierce musingly, "I bless that you'll have a wonderful family. That your children will be intelligent and grow well into adulthood. That you'll be able to understand one another and that you'll have fortunate times as a family."
This time, Above really did trip. He landed in the stream (puddle) with a pathetic sounding splash and came back up sputtering, although the water barely came up to his knees, if that.
Laughing, Fierce wrapped his tail around one of Above's legs and helped hoist him upwards again. Above made a spluttering sound, and then he started to laugh too, shaking his head and spraying droplets everywhere.
"Thank you," he said, and grinned. "You're going to be my next child watcher, you know."
He moved with a sort of restless energy across the stream (which was little more than a single strand of barely trickling water surrounded by rocks) and then back again, hopping from side to side in nothing more than an attempt at losing some of that energy. A part of him wondered whether it would be a better idea to simply sleep it all off, but he couldn't make himself stand still.
"If you fall in, I'm not saving you," Fierce Warrior called, from downstream, and Above snorted.
"If I fall in, I'll be fine," he said, and hopped again, his hooves skittering on the slick rock. "I think the most this place can do is get my rump wet and that's about it. There's not even any fish here, it's too shallow."
"So I've noticed," Fierce murmured, and as if on cue, one of the shuppies that were constantly tailing him let out an indignant squawk. It began to chase another one around, until the two of them were splashing noisily in the water - which, in turn, sprayed everywhere, including over Fierce Warrior himself. He shook himself off, sighing, and took a large - and pointed - step away from the squabbling shuppies.
"At any rate," Fierce said, as he came up towards Above. "It's good that you're at least excited about all of this. Not that being nervous about it would be a bad thing; kin react differently, after all. But you seem well prepared."
"Oh, I am," said Above, and nearly tripped on his next hop over the stream. He righted himself quickly, spindly legs adjusting to keep his weight, and added, "But I could use a blessing, anyway."
"Well, then," said Fierce musingly, "I bless that you'll have a wonderful family. That your children will be intelligent and grow well into adulthood. That you'll be able to understand one another and that you'll have fortunate times as a family."
This time, Above really did trip. He landed in the stream (puddle) with a pathetic sounding splash and came back up sputtering, although the water barely came up to his knees, if that.
Laughing, Fierce wrapped his tail around one of Above's legs and helped hoist him upwards again. Above made a spluttering sound, and then he started to laugh too, shaking his head and spraying droplets everywhere.
"Thank you," he said, and grinned. "You're going to be my next child watcher, you know."