Mostly recovered from a Spring filled with pain and constant giving of herself, Riopat was eager to leave the den for a while. She made a run for the beach, just out of reach of the dunes, her navy eyes matching the blue of the ocean. She looked to the sky, wondered at the pale blue of it, and watched puffy white clouds float over the horizon. Seeing shapes of wolves, bison, deer, horses from her homeland, and rabbits, Riopat giggled at all she could form with imagination and a little childishness. She ran in the surf, her white paws always graceful now that she is unburdened. Though, just the thought of her pups brought her to the blonde Story.

The pup was ill, she coughed constantly and vomited twice the day before yesterday. Sometimes she twitched for no reason and made awful sounds that were not at all voluntary, Riopat had to move her away from the others to keep them healthy. It was worrisome, and Riopat was intent on finding a cure for it. She had to.

Brought back to the present, Riopat tilts her head toward a partially clear sky, and lets out a song for her apprentices. Ravenna and Sciathian had a task, and Riopat needed to tell them what they needed to gather for her. It may seem a remedial task, but they had to learn herbs and medicines somehow. So she waited on the beach, hoping she could get her pupils where they wanted to be, hoping she could get her pup healthy and not infect the others at the same time. Each time Riopat fed Story, she had to come to the ocean to wash her saliva off in the sterilizing salt of the water. Though, soon would be time for weaning, summer had come fast, and Riopat could hardly believe it.