this is the start;; {open}

[alehue]

this is the start
this is your heart

Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. This was all he was aware of for the longest of times. The faint beating of the thing he knew was called his heart. It was only when his legs moved, and no longer met resistance, that he realized something was different around him. He continued thrashing blindly, wondering what was happening to him, hwy the warmth of his cocoon was no longer around him. His cocoon! He had broken out of his cocoon! He wondered if it was still hanging there, up in the tree, and he had fallen out, or if the whole thing had come plummeting down, and the resulting impact had fractured it. Either way, there was some sort of impact involved, so why hadn't he felt it? The thought occurred to him that he was already dead, but then the beating of his heart reassured him. His heart could not beat when he was dead!

this is the sun
these are your lungs

There was a sudden burning sensation in his chest, and he was forced to open his mouth, breathe in...Air rushed into his lungs. heart, lungs - two words that he already knew, at the mere age of seconds old! Jamie felt proud of himself. That was an additional two words - Jamie...was that his name? He supposed so, if that was what his mind was telling him! Pride...what was pride? The word felt strange, foreign in his mind as he rolled it around thoughtfully. Pride, he guessed, was feeling good about himself because he did something good. What was good? The questions just kept piling up in his head, and he wasn't able to answer them without creating a thousand more questions! Suddenly, his eyes popped open. He didn't know how they had, but suddenly the comforting darkness that swathed him became something more tangible...brighter. He looked for the source of brightness, and as his eyes were drawn upward, his brain forced him to look away. Why would he want to look at something so bright it could light up an entire world? That would scorch his eyes and blind him forever! He was glad that he hadn't looked all the way up.

and this is the hole
where most of your soul
comes ripping out

"Hello?" the word came bubbling out from inside of him, and he didn't even think to hold it back. Jamie assumed that he was greeting something, someone, but what? Maybe, since it was a question, he was inquiring as to whether anyone was even there? Yes, that was probably it. He did not know that his voice, which he had just discovered, would some day be the thing that ripped him apart, little pieces of his soul vanishing forever as he tried to convince someone he loved them. But then was not now, and for now, the puppy was simply reveling in being alive.

[Aries]

Antares skidded when he reached the moss of the Orchard. He ran full speed ahead across the plains, he didn't know exactly why, he just had a sudden urge to come see the new life that he hadn't seen in so long. It was refreshing being back at the Orchard, all of the new life was beautiful, it amazed Antares to see what he once was so long ago. His ears pricked as he heard a small voice call out for someone and padded over, careful to not slip on the moss.

A small canine with a coat similar to that of Nerah's sat just outside of his broken pod. Antares lowered himself down to the pup and licked him carefully between his fluffy little ears. "Welcome to life, isn't it beautiful?" the feline grinned at the canine "Do you have a name? Mine's Antares." he added, nudging the pup into a sitting position.

[Meesh]

Waiting for pods to fall was tiring work.

Again, Silva lay, asleep in the sun, dozing as she cured up near where she expected the pod to fall. She had been watching the wiggling pod for some time, and finally had determined it would be the next to hatch. It was always so much fun being the first person a newborn saw as they came into the world. Silva had to admit she was bine a bit overeager about it.

Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea. Silva awoke with a yip at the thud that sounded right by her ear, leaping to her paws. The pod was cracked open and there was already a large figure standing over it, giving the newborn a welcoming lick. "Antares?" Silva was on her feet in a flash, giving her friend a nuzzle of greeting before looking at the newborn. "Woah, a mini Nerah!" Silva exclaimed, crouching by the pup and giving him a welcoming lick, just as Antares had. "Hello there little one. Welcome to the world!"

[alehue]

He did not know how he was suddenly flanked by two animals. They had crept up on him like they were the shadows that inhabited their pelts, and their glowing crimson eyes scared the pup. He had been pushed back onto his rump by the feline, and their tongues were quickly drawn across his body in a rather rough manner. Had Jamie been looking at their visages, he would have known that this was a pleasantry, not an attack on him, but the naturally aggressive little pup felt as if he was being attacked by the pair. They looked like they knew each other, plus they were similar in coat color - if one had not been canine and the other, feline, he might have mistaken them for a brother and sister.

Before he could answer the feline's question of his name, the canine had called him a "mini Nerah". Who was this "Nerah", and why was he a mini version of eh? Nerah was a girl's name, and he was a boy! The pup got back to his feet, and slowly began backing away from the two who had greeted him. If his mindscape was correct, then his tail was about to hit a tree. and then he could back up the tree... The two animals should not have scared him the first moment he got out of his cocoon!

[Aries]

"Silva!" Antares nuzzled his friend in return, glad to see her here. The little pup did resemble a little Nerah, but not what she looked like when she was just a pup. Antares looked back down on the little canine, who now looked terrified, Antares would be too if she had been approached by two large black figures right after his birth, so he backed away from the pup. He saw no need in scaring him more by getting closer.

"It's okay, we're not here to hurt you, we just wanted to give you a proper welcome to life is all!" the feline laid down on the soft moss to be down at the pup's level, hoping he would taking as a sign of no aggression. "Canines don't climb, you don't have the claws for it." Antares chuckled as the pup backed up to the tree, looking as if he was going to try to scale it backwards.

[Meesh]

Silva paused, realizing the fear her and Antares's greeting was causing. She imitated her friend by dropping to her belly, lowering her head until she was at eye level with the pup. "We just want to make you feel welcome" she added, tail wagging slowly in a sign of friendship."You don't have to be afraid. Why, Antares here wouldn't hurt a fly!" she demonstrated this by giving her friend a friendly nudge. "My name is Silva" she added, as if in afterthought. "What's yours?" The canine smiled again, hoping to show the little one she meant no harm. She was a little surprised at his fear. Most young ones seemed overjoyed to meet new ones when they came into the world. Perhaps the encounter of two large, evovled, creatures had simply scared the little one more than usual.

[alehue]

The puppy was beyond terrified as the black figures continued conversing. He was quivering, and as he tried to step backwards, his hind legs kept sliding back down the bark of the tree! How was he ever going to escape now? When the big black dog-thing crouched down so that her muzzle was nearly on the ground, Jamie couldn't resist the puppy side of him. He ran forward, and took a flying leap, so he landed on the canine's muzzle. He quickly propelled himself up to her head, and there stood up on wobbly legs. Jamie licked his chest fur contentedly, smoothing it down until the white patch on his chest was no longer fluffed up. At the second inquiry about his name, the pup finally felt brave enough to respond. "My name? Well, my head keeps on calling me James, but I like Jamie better."

[Aries]

Antares snickered as the pup jumped onto Silva's head and proceeded to flatten down his ruffled chest fur. "Jamie, that's a cute name~" Antares stumbled, trying to get himself back onto his feet. The squishy moss wasn't mean to support his bulk, his thick paws kept sinking into it uncomfortably, so he settled with laying back down. His weight distributed more evenly and didn't make him sink too much that way.

The feline decided to join the action now that the pup seemed not so terrified and used his hind legs to try pushing Silva onto her side, unsuccessfully. She was still twice his size and weight, no matter how strong his legs were he wasn't going to be able to push her over but it was worth a try.

[Meesh]

Silva blinked in surprise as she suddenly had a pup on her head, looking to the left and right in a dramatic display of mock-dismay. "Hey! Where'd he go?" She chuckled, then stood again, giving the pup a much higher view. Keeping her head level so the pup wouldn't slip off, Silva continued in a regular tone of voice. "James is a nice name. So is Jamie" She attempted to look up, cross eyed, at the pup, and failed completely. "Enjoying the view up there?" she chuckled as she crouched down again.
Antares tried to push her over and Silva grinned at his attempt, then rolled over obligingly. "Knock me over, will you?" Jumping back onto her paws, she gave Antares's side a nudge with her nose in an attempt to unbalance him. She didn't use her full strength, just enough so that Antares could stay on his paws if he so preferred.

[alehue]

"I'm up here!" Jamie giggled as Silva looked left and right (swinging him in a most delightful way), trying to find him. The pup loved his new perch! He could see so much more of the world on the canine's head, and he didn't plan to leave unless he absolutely had to. When Silva moved upwards, he wobbled a little bit, but managed to regain his balance by grasping on to one of Silva's ears. "Sorry," he called down, in case it had hurt the female. Jamie didn't respond to her comment about his name, or about the view - he was simply relishing in the fact that what he had thought were two dark, unfriendly shapes were really two playmates!

When Silva crouched down again, Jamie jumped off, and was glad he did so, because Silva rolled over. If he had been on her head, he would have been crushed! Instead, the pup toddled over to the cat, and snuggled up next the warm body. He had spend an awful long time being snuggled against a cocoon, so snuggling next to the cat while watching him and Silva play was oddly comforting.

[Aries]

Antares smiled as Silva played with the little pup, it was absolutely adorable. He hoped that maybe he'd have kits of his own someday, he loved seeing new life. The thought of creating it excited him. He wasn't sure if anyone would want to make a kit with him any time soon, though. He wasn't particularly handsome, or strong, or anything attractive, at least not by his own standards.

The feline chuckled as Silva dramatically fell onto her side, and in turn he rolled onto his back, legs sticking up into the air. "Man down, man down!" he snickered, rolling back onto his side. To his surprise Jamie had come over to snuggle up next to him. "Comfy?" Antares turned and licked his cheek, grinning like mad.

[Meesh]

Silva only grinned as the pup grabbed at her ears. It hurt a little, but she didn't mind- especially when the pup was so cute! Her grin only turned into an 'aaaaaw' of adoration as Jamie curled up next to Antares. He was just so cute! This is why Silva loved pups, she supposed. They were so cute and playful and innocent! Silva grinned at Antares, remembering much earlier times when they were newly hatched and had played around with Yamir and Nerah in much the same manner.
It would be nice to have a pup, Silva reflected. Being a mother would be a wonderful joy, and Silva had been turning the thought over in her mind ever since the day when Nerah proudly announced that she would soon be a mother. Perhaps her friend didn't have the best of ways with it in the end, but Silva still longed for a pup of her own. If only there were more adults around! Her packmates didn't seem quite interested in her in that way, and Silva didn't want to mate outside the pack for fear of the same type of issue that divided Nerah from Hershey. Waiting would be tough, she concluded, but she knew she would never give up on her dream of being a mother, even if she had to wait a thousand years!
She scooted over until she was snuggled up on the pup's other side, making a three-animal hamburger. Giving the pup another gentle lick, she whispered in his ear oh-so quietly. "Hey. Wanna go check if Antares is ticklish?"

[alehue]

When Antares asked if Jamie was comfortable, all he did was snuggle in further as an answer. The feline's black fur was oh-so soft, and now that the puppy realized it wasn't a scary dark, it was almost pretty. When Silva appeared on his other side, Jamie moved so he was snuggled into her, as well. And when the pup was asked if he wanted to check if Antares was ticklish, he didn't even need to answer. Pouncing playfully onto the big black cat, Jamie climbed up his back, and then onto his head. He gently boxed one ear, then the other, not sure how else he could tickle Antares. The multi-colored puppy then carefully walked down the feline's spine, and then slid down his side to snuggle again. Being a puppy was great - it meant that he had two big, nice friends to protect him and love him.

[Aries]

Antares brushed Silva's spine with his tail as she laid down on the other side of the pup, trying to listen in to what she said to him as she whispered in his ear but she was too quiet. The feline grunted as Jamie pounced on him and climbed up onto his back, playing with his ears. He wondered what he was trying to do, maybe he was trying to tickle him or something. His ears weren't ticklish, but he went along with it anyway and began to giggle and playfully bat at him.

He chuckled again as he carefully walked down his spine, and slid down, cuddling up against his side. It made him remember his first night alive, snuggling up with his friends in the plains. Those were good times, times he missed having. "Anyone up for exploring?" the feline blurted out, he couldn't help himself. he was always up for some action.

[Meesh]

Silva giggled outright at the pup's playful tickling and Antares's faked response. They were so adorable together! she lay still for a few minutes, watching them play happily before the puppy cuddled by Antares's side once again. "Exploring?" she flicked an ear at Antares's question. "Oh yes, that would be fun!" the canine exclaimed eagerly, getting up onto her paws and stretching eagerly. "Did you have any place in mind or can we just wander?" Her tail wagged as Silva remembered her first exploration with her friends, Antares among them, when they wandered through the Plains and eventually found their pack site and home. It was a happy time, Silva reflected, and she would be glad to relive it with this young pup in addition.