pleasantsurprise | gently introductory spelunking

"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."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

pleasantsurprise

Kanim laughs; this won't affect what he's looking at. Eventually he decides the turtlerocks aren't what he's looking for either. He goes farther back and checks out the sparkling cucumber spring. "Enjoying the ducks?" he asks Ike.

From:

newtimov

"They are so tiny," says Ike. "Look how tiny they are! They are teeny tiny!"

From:

pleasantsurprise

"Extremely tiny!" Kanim agrees. Hmmm, spring, pool, rocks - nope. He goes to check out the maze section.

From:

pythbox

There's something about those glowing crystals that cover the cave's ceiling and make up most of the maze walls.

Something besides the fact that they come in all of the same colours that poofs do.

From:

pleasantsurprise

Eventually, Kanim notices that! It helps that in the maze, they're eye-level. "Ah-ha."

From:

pythbox

A sky-blue poof rolls up to his feet and squeaks.

From:

pleasantsurprise

Kanim picks it up, mostly to be polite.

And then he says, "Ah-ha!" again.

From:

pythbox

Whmmmmm goes the poof, and it glows happily, and the anti-injury field strengthens just a tiny tiny bit in the immediate vicinity.

From:

pleasantsurprise

"Aren't you magically fascinating. Now I just have to figure out why you don't roll out into the surrounding forest."

From:

pythbox

Whmmmmm.

From:

pleasantsurprise

Kanim puts the poof down again and decides to track its behavior until the children want to leave.

From:

pythbox

It rolls against his foot for a while, then rolls away into the maze for a bit of exploring, and then it rolls up to the cucumber spring and nudges a duckling aside and has a drink.

From:

pleasantsurprise

"Hi again. Having fun?" He continues observing the poof.

From:

newtimov

"Yes I am," says Ike. He is lying on the cave floor with his face near the little pool made by the spring, watching tiny cave ducks paddle around followed by their teeny tiny offspring.

The blue poof hops onto Ike's head, whmmms in his ear, and rolls away toward the blueberry spring.

From:

pleasantsurprise

Kanim follows it.

From:

forgefires

The poof drinks from the blueberry spring.

"Hi!" says Tanalin. "Learn anything interesting yet?"

From:

pleasantsurprise

"The anti-injury field comes from the crystals, and also the poofs, especially when they glow."

From:

forgefires

"Ooh," says Tanalin. "That is interesting."

From:

pleasantsurprise

"Yep. If Carinna adopts one she'll have a little portable ward."

From:

forgefires

"That sounds perfect!"

The poof rolls up to her and whmms, so she cuddles it in her lap with the pink fluffbat.

Edited Date: 2013-07-01 12:17 am (UTC)

From:

pleasantsurprise

"Certainly does." If she's going to be occupying that poof for a while he can't really study its natural behavior, can he. Instead he goes to sit by the cave exit and watch animals failing to leave it.