gently introductory spelunking

[pleasantsurprise]

"I have found," Kanim announces to the small princesses (although they are getting taller) at their next group lesson with him, "a cave that I think even Carinna will like. It has not the least bit of hazard or inconvenience anywhere in it. It's very small, we'll probably be able to see all of it this afternoon, and it doesn't have a name yet as far as I can see, so we can pick something to call it while we're there."

"What is in it? Caves always have hazards and inconveniences," says Carinna warily.

"Harmless plants and creatures," Kanim says, "two springs, attractive crystal formations, a small maze, things like that - I will leave the specifics to be discovered, it's more fun that way, don't you think?"

"I think so," agrees Kiawen. "As long as you're sure Carinna won't be bothered!"

"Quite sure," says Kanim, "and if she is bothered we can always nip her out of there, it doesn't distort space or anything tricky like that."

"Okay," says Carinna decisively, "then I guess we can go to it."

Comments

[forgefires]

"Maybe blue or green," she says. "It was playing with some poofs and they were glowing on it."

[guessguess]

Kiawen begins a systematic hunt for a four-pawling.

[pythbox]

There are two of them splashing in the spring around the corner. Their fur seems to shed water pretty well. One is sort of turquoise, the other orange-pink.

[guessguess]

Kiawen picks up the turquoise one. "Found it. So these could be pawlings - or - no, we might find ones with six legs or something - all the ones that are poofs with paws are pawlings and we should come up with names for the kinds with different numbers of paws."

[pythbox]

The turquoise four-pawling whiffles and nibbles gently on her finger.

[forgefires]

"Two-pawlings and four-pawlings?" shrugs Tanalin.

[exactlyright]

"Unless we think of something better, sure," says Carinna, picking up the two-pawling that investigated her and holding it close to her poof.

[pythbox]

The two fluffy creatures cuddle up to each other, making their respective happy sounds. The poof glows; pawlings don't seem to do that.

[guessguess]

"I guess it's just as well we can't bring them home, how would we pick?" asks Kiawen, clearing a space of creatures and lying down and putting the ones she's picked up on her tummy.

[pythbox]

The turquoise four-pawling meeps at the piano bear. The piano bear squeaks back. They bat at each other with their little paws; the piano bear has an advantage because its arms are longer. Then they cuddle.

[guessguess]

Kiawen giggles and beams at them.

[exactlyright]

"Do you think we should get Ike and Val today or save it for another time?"

[forgefires]

"I'm not sure," muses Tanalin. "Ooh, look, a new kind!"

A somewhat bigger fluffy creature, about the size of a smallish watermelon, comes padding out of the crystal maze. It has four big fluffy paws, a stubby little tail, and a head with two large triangular ears like a fox's or cat's. Its fur is rippled with brown-and-white stripes. It drinks from the blueberry spring and then flomps down beside it, tucks its paws under its little chin, and closes its big brown eyes.

[guessguess]

"Ooh, I didn't see any of those when I was looking around in the back," says Kiawen. "It's like a stubby fox!"

[forgefires]

"A round, stripey, stubby fox," giggles Tanalin. "A foxball?"

[guessguess]

"Foxball! Poofs and pawlings and piano bears and foxballs."

[exactlyright]

"Are you going to write your paper on the critters with our names for them, Kanim?"

[pleasantsurprise]

"I don't see why not," he laughs. "You'd better make sure you find all the kinds, or I'll wind up discovering something you didn't get to name and I'll call it something boring."

[forgefires]

"Well, do you know about any more kinds we haven't seen yet?"

[pleasantsurprise]

"It's not a big cave," says Kanim airily, "I'm sure you can find them all if you look."

[forgefires]

"I wonder if there are any more with tails. Do piano bears have tails, Kiawen?"

[guessguess]

Kiawen checks. "Itty bitty ones."

[pythbox]

The piano bear whose tail she just inspected crawls around in little circles, as though trying to catch said tail.

[guessguess]

Kiawen is charmed.

[exactlyright]

"I think I like the poofs best," says Carinna.