Learning to speak [Rio+open]

[coriolus]

It is said that an inquisitive spirit and a eager mind are the tools for greatness. However, what if you have neither. Rio, dazzled as she was, was vaguely aware that she was not beautiful, talented, or smart, by any normal standards. She could only guess that this was why wolves did not often stray to close to her. Even this simple theory had taken Rio quite a while to piece together, and she wasn't sure how to apply it yet.
Although she had the dim perception that there was still much more to understand, Rio was happy, or at least, a much watered down version of happiness.

It was in this state that Rio drifted into a certain cove. It being so early in the morning, a mist was still settled over the ocean and beach. Rio could not see this of course, but she had learned to recognize the signs. The dampness on her face, and the chilliness of the air. Wolves would not walk on these beaches for at least an hour more, she reasoned.

Rio made slow progress along the shore line. She meandered along, just past the surf, looking for a meal. From the smell of things it seemed that nothing but small, silver flying fish were to be had at this hour.

So what to do? It was quiet, Rio did not like it. Then break the silence! The idea came out of no where, much clearer than the ones that Rio usually had. She knew of only one way to make the still air feel more like home, "Rio." A horrible strangled sound came from her throat. Anyone who did not know better would think she was in pain. However, if you listened closely, you could hear a distinctive R, follow by a strangled I, then ending with a reverberating O. Rio could not say what that work meant, but she liked it well enough, and she had heard it often in her youth.

Rio was pleased with her little achievement, but she could not help but wonder, 'What else was there to say?'

[lilura]

Taking a few steps forward, a Lupine-like wolf looked out across the water. She scanned the waves and the riptide... nope, nothing. Satisfied, she jumped onto a rock, and then dove into the water.

Immediately, Lilura's fins and tail appeared, her bright scales shining in the light of mid-day. Underwater, the sunlight dappled and swirled through and was simply beautiful. With a happy little underwater bark, the Cael sped forward.

She crisscrossed and swam through beds of seaweed, before she thought of somthing. She'd seen fish do it millions of times, so why couldn't she? Starting from a good way down under, she started swimming. Straight for the surface. Then... and then... she was there!

Leaping out of the water, she overturned and fell back down again. She'd done it! Lilura had jumped out of the water! She was so happy she surfaced, peeking her head out of the water, and began to sing. Softly at first, but then louder. He beauitufl Cael voice rang out.

She sang for a long time, finally stopping when she felt out of breath. She just sat back in the waves for a moment, enjoy the peace.

[coriolus]

There was noise, Rio noticed. There was a loud noise, sweeter than the one she had made herself. Rio had heard it before. Her very first friend had made that noise. Whenever he made it he had said a word that sounded sweet. A pretty word, Rio had thought. While Rio's slow, one track mind, chewed over this, she was unaware of the wolf that made the noise. After a few moments this occurred to her. She turned swiftly in the water and saw the maker of the song. It was a wolf, she could tell by it's song, now that she thought about it. Rio moved forward and nudged the noise-maker, it was furry. So a wolf then. A wolf.

"Wolf." Rio howled, her deep tenor, her voice sounded like gravel, rough. Rio swam backwards a few feet, then a few more. Something had just occurred to her. This 'wolf' could be dangerous. "No." She called. She did not want to fight, she did not want to be hurt. No. She wanted to be left alone, she wanted not to have said anything. She wanted to swim away, but fear transfixed her. No, no, no. She repeated to herself, over, and over, until it was just a meaningless syllable, and she had forgotten why she was frightened in the first place.

[lilura]

She felt somthing. Somthing bumbped her side. Turning her head to look, she blanched to see what it was. At Lilura's side, this very instant, was a Blindserpent!

Even more freaked out to here it's voice, as it spoke! It said only two words, if you could call them words, but sure enough, it'd said "wolf" and "no." Lilura was confused to see it back away, but still there. She followed suit, backing even farther away from it hastilly. "B-blindserpent." She choked out, terrified, hoping someone would hear.

Suddenly, she couldn't move backwards any further. Her tail was stuck in some really long kelp! She struggled and flapped her fin, but it didn't budge. Lilura was trapped. Not good. Not good! She thought, trying to wiggle free to no avail. It's gonna eat me!

[coriolus]

Rio felt confusion descend on her like a thick veil. What was Blindserpent? Rio had come to associate the tone of this wolf's voice with fear or anger and she did not understand it. What had she done? What wrong? Fear held Rio in a stranglehold, and made it even harder to concentrate. She backed up again. She did not know what was happening. Rio could feel the wolf's frantic movements vibrate throughout the water.

Rio could tell that this wolf was unhappy, and she did not like that. Rio wished that there was someway to understand what was wrong, and try to help. Alas, Rio did not know how to communicate. In a fit of frustration she swam under the water and headed towards the place where the wolf was thrashing. Upon investigation she found that the wolf was caught up in something. Fear replaced by concern, Rio tugged at the weed which held the wolf rooted to the spot. After a few sharp tugs Rio managed to detach the plant from the bottom of the ocean.

Feeling a dim sense of satisfaction, Rio rose back up to the surface and confronted the wolf. She wanted to know what kind of reception she would have for this deed, she hoped, of kindness.

[lilura]

Blind, unrivaled panic swept over Lilura like a current when the Blindserpent dived down and forward. Oh no, it was all over! It was gonna kill her and eat her! But then, she was confused to find that her fin was suddenly free, the kelp unatached to anything and coming loose around her scaley tale. The Blindserpent resurfaced in front of her a few moments later, seeming to be waiting for somthing.

Her first thought that came to mind was the blanch and swim away as fast as she could, but she decided this might be a little... extreme. Lilura calmed herself enough to say a few words. "Uh, thanks." She said, trying to sound greatful, though she was still confused. The Blindserpent had freed her? Why?

[coriolus]

Rio did not know what 'Uh thanks' meant, but it sounded nice in her ears. "Uh thanks!" She mimicked, her voice echoing off the water. Such pretty, pretty noises! "Uh thanks!" She called out again, splashing the water with her fins and ducking her head in and out of the ocean. Watered down joy filling her up, and threatening to splash out of her eyes and ears.

Rio changed tracks so quickly, one had to wonder what the world had looked like to her in the previous minutes.