There was a lot to take in, but thankfully, all the time in the world to parse it, the only thing that stumped the toddler was which to focus on first. Anastasia was interested in everything; the smells around the den that weren’t her mother’s or siblings’, the bugs that crawled into the den, the muted sounds she wanted to hear more clearly as her ears were opening.

She had been preoccupied with her denmates and mother, figuring out this whole “walking” situation by following them around and trying to catch a tail or a hock. (Scarlett did NOT like her tail being grabbed, she learned, which only made it funnier.) One time she followed her mother outside of the den and discovered that there was a lot… A LOT more to see beyond her birth place. Now that she knew, it was hard to keep her inside, as she often wandered to inspect the surrounding area… But not too far, she was far too attached to her mama to stray.

Currently, she was busy staring at a line of ants traveling along the ground, some of them carrying tiny cuts of leaves in their mandibles. She watched for a moment, before quickly locking onto something more interesting; her sister.

Carlet! she yapped, galloping over to the other pup as fast as her fat little toddler body could run. Stopping, though, was not a skill she’d perfected, so naturally she tumbled right into her, Oof! Carlet! Carlet come! Play!