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

[guessguess]

Kiawen removes her pawling, puts her piano bear back on her shoulder, and follows her untwin.

[pythbox]

The maze is very pretty.

When they've been wandering in it for a while, a tiny little bird with bright blue-green feathers flits around a corner and hovers in front of Kiawen.

[guessguess]

"Hummingbird!" exclaims Kiawen, and she holds out a hand to see if it will land on her finger.

[pythbox]

It lands, gripping her finger with its tiny feet.

[forgefires]

"Awwwwwww," says Tanalin.

[guessguess]

Kiawen pets it gently. "Hummingbirds already have a name, but this particular kind might not."

[pythbox]

The tiny bird opens its tiny beak and cheeps.

[guessguess]

"Cheeper?" suggests Kiawen.

[forgefires]

"Maybe," says Tanalin. "Aren't hummingbirds supposed to hum?"

[guessguess]

"I'm not sure. Do you hum?" she asks the cheeper.

[pythbox]

The cheeper cheeps twice.

[guessguess]

"I guess not. Maybe it's not a hummingbird."

[forgefires]

"It's a cheepingbird," says Tanalin.

[guessguess]

"Hello little cheepingbird," coos Kiawen, and she sets it on her shoulder opposite the piano bear and continues into the cave.

[pythbox]

The cheepingbird rubs its face against the side of her neck.

Another winged creature appears soon after; this one looks something like a very round, very fluffy, very pink bat, and it lands on top of Tanalin's head and flops its wings out to either side.

[guessguess]

"Eee!" giggles Kiawen. "It's a pink bat thing. Probably they come in other colors, most of the things here do. Do you make a sound, bat-thing?"

[pythbox]

The bat-thing chitters.

[forgefires]

"There is a fluffy bat-thing on my head," Tanalin observes.

[guessguess]

"Yes. With its wings flopped over your ears, chittering. What should we call it?"

[forgefires]

"I don't know! It is hard to see its characteristics, because it is on my head!" she giggles.

And she reaches up carefully to pick up the bat-thing off her head and hold it in front of her. It snuggles into her hands.

"Aww, look," she says delightedly, "it's got four little paws and a little fluffy tail. It's like a... rabbit... bat. A rabbat? No, that sounds weird. A bunnydragon?"

[guessguess]

"I like rabbat!"

[forgefires]

"I don't think I do."

She pets the fluffy pink thing anyway. It goes wheep.

[guessguess]

"It doesn't really have bunny ears, anyway," agrees Kiawen.

Eventually they have located, named, and - they think - exhausted the species population of the Gentle Cave, put all their creatures back, and gone home.

[pleasantsurprise]

Kanim goes to tell Bella about the cave. "In addition to being extremely cute, it's got this anti-injury field that I figured out after a bit of looking; I don't know how robust it is, but even if a piano bear decided to bite you you wouldn't get bit."

[thaumobabble]

"Interesting. I wonder if that's duplicable - did you find a source?"