The brush fit in his cradling hand, and the movements created a wave in the short fur. He moved it over her shoulder in a pressured arch that moved over her back and then down her haunch. Dust flew, sweat and filth that he hoped to rid her of floated through the air. The roam mare stood in silence, still as if she knew his disappointment. Of course she knew, for she felt it too. The tawny male felt the ache that would touch his worn muscles a day from where he stood, though it felt only like a warm stretch. Heath straitened and moved to her other side, repeating the movements and then gave the girl a pat on her side.

They had lost, and though he was happy for the winner, the male had wanted to know what victory tasted like. Lumière wanted to know as well, but the coy-wolf was pleased with her. He had yet to show it, taking the brush and being far from gentle. Still, he had never ridden as he had and she had never flown as she had. His heart skipped as he thought of it. Dropping the brush in a bucket he moved to face her, a light and a dark hand moving to her nose. Cradling the long face, his gold eyes looked into the dark pools. She was tired, standing in the stall that was hers and ready for rest. "Bien fait ma lumière.", the praise was accepted with a small nod of the roan’s head.

Teeth nibbled at the fur of his arm, accompanied by a high-pitched call. Rolling his eyes the hybrid looked to the horse that stuck his head out from the neighboring stall. A stallion, silver in color and energetic in nature had been left behind while the rest played with their riders and races. “Attendre,” he scolded with a half hearted glare. The silver stallion, Stark, as Heath likes to call him for his lack of pattern and dark hue, only nudged him more. “Plus et je ne vous quitterai ici pour pourrir. He threatened with a frown.

His ears straitened, and his entire form tensed. The voice belonged to none other then Ruri, and for a moment there was dread in his chest. He had never wanted her to know the voice he spoke to the horses. He could be seen as harsh, though his touch was never too sharp nor his words too degrading. It was his tone that he meant to reach the stallion, not the French words that had his face blushing. The hybrid turned, eyes falling to the collie’s face. He smiled at the sight of her, and took a few mindless step towards her. It was then that he remembered her question. “Oh, just nibbling on my arm. He’s jealous of the others who got to race.” Stark had not been one to race, and the pent-up energy was making him act out. Heath should have known that and seen it in the stallion’s eyes. It was only when the female confronted him that he could see the true problem.

She spoke once more, and Heath found that it was silence that was his answer. He remembered the ending of the race, Haven winning and the crowd disbanding. He had looked for her, and found that she was beside Jac as always. It was wrong to feel jealousy, it was wrong to want to be the one beside her so often. He had not earned that right, and still the male wished to have it. The feelings that radiated between them were clouded, at least to the male’s eyes. He knew that things that he felt for Ruri were true and more then he had ever felt for any creature, but still there was an insecurity.

“Lumière needed to be groomed, she ran well today.”. It was a poor excuse for not meeting her in the winner’s circle, but he had been too nervous to approach her with so many around. But there was none other in the stables, and Heath found courage in their solitude. In an instant he was before her, a light furred hand moving to the silver paw that dangled at her side. Reaching for hold her hand Heath knew that she would flinch, and his slow movements were meant to warn her of his boldness. In the search for the right words he watched her face, took in her scent and felt a smile teasing the corners of his mouth.“I’m sorry I didn’t stay...” his voice fading with the end of the soft spoken apology. “Did you hear the chime? “ he asked, wondering if she knew that he had put it up for her.







400+

Heath was not upset that he had not won the race, not any more. At the moment he passed the finish line he had wished he had been the first to do so. He had wanted to win, and win it for her. But Third place was not something to be shamed of and as she stood before him it hard to feel like he had lost anything. His heart jumped in his chest just by her presence, and what happened mere moments before her arrival were trivial and lost in the past. “Haven rode well. He deserves to win... I hope that he does too.” Heath had noticed his sour mood, but what it was about was a mystery to the tawny male. When Ruri turned to the mare that stood beside them Heath was more then happy to explain the meaning behind her name. “It means light, in French.” he told her, though he was still reluctant to speak about the things that had led to their introduction. The fight between he and the Dreaming female was not something that he hoped Ruri to know.

He smiled, as she took his hand. She did not flinch at his touch, and instead embraced it. Never had he been so tentative about the actions that he made while with another. His heart raced, and if she had not begun to speak Heath was not sure what his next action would have been. His smiled widened at the sound of her voice and the multitude of words that she spoke. He wondered if he had that affect on her. “Maybe I should have rescued you.” he replied, not sure what he meant to by the words but unable to hold them back. The red tint of her ivory face made his own grow warm. But when she asked to meet the mare that he road Heath pulled lightly on the hand that he held.

Not giving up the small contact he urged her forward. “Of course.” His voice filled with a small sort of excitement. He had wanted to bring the roan mare around Ruri’s cabin, but could not find the courage to bring the two more important females in his life together. Now he had no excuse. He led her close to the calm horse, and Lumière extended her nose to investigate the collie fey. Heath gave her a look, hoping that she would behave herself. “She is a blue merle, a roan. Like you.” He spoke with hesitation. Heath knew that she would not be able to tell, and had never known what she looked like herself. Still he wanted her to know.

Stark pushed his head from the stall window, straining to get close to the new female. He breathed closed to her ear and took in the pleasant scent that she held. “And that is Stark.” Heath added, glaring at the young stallion.







500+

Why had he not thought of it before? He could picture the crowd, the mob that swarmed around her as she stood beside their King. He felt a sense of pride that he held that place beside him, and for once the jealousy was lost. Because he was the one that parted the mass of bodies. Riding the roan mare Heath reached her in an instant, he voice calling to her, his hand reaching to pull her from the swarms of luperci and hoist her to the seat aback the horse, right before his own. He wished that his courage had been so grand that he had done that. She would have been surprised and flattered by his actions and blush because it was bold and among so many watching eyes. Though in reality if he had tried such a thing it would have gone horribly wrong and it was his luck to trample someone while trying to get to her.

She approached the horse, and Lumière stood calmly as she investigated the new female. Others had hoped to know her, and the mare had been brash and usually approached without an invitation. Heath wondered if her relaxed position was the tire she felt from the race, or if was just the collie’s demeanor that made her so calm. Heath smiled as he watched her touch the horse’s nose, the dark face moved to fit it’s nose in the light toned paw. He patted her neck, grateful that she was so gentle with the sightless hybrid. Gold eyes watched them, and ears took in the voice that sang to him with every word. He felt his heartbeat, thumping in his chest and found that the merle collie was more beautiful then any creature that he ever known. He had known her beauty, such a thing any beast with sight or not could know, but Heath found he had rediscovered it or perhaps a part he had yet to find.

It was Stark that broke his concentration, and at first glared at the stallion. Her voice calmed him, and the horse looked only momentarily at him before turning his concentration back to the female. He was happily blowing warm air at the woman’s head, and watching her hair sway at his persuasion. No matter how hard Heath looked at him Stark only paused when Ruri chose to speak. “Stark is trained, though not in the speed and fury that Lumière has.” he spoke with a small laugh, eyes on the woman indeas of the horse that he spoke of. “He’s docile, but doesn’t like to be ignored. He believes Lumière gets too much attention.” Heath could not help but speak as if they were just as he and Ruri, with thoughts and feelings, voices that spoke in a language that they did not understand. He believed it.

The male swallowed at the next thought that came to him, and he asked with a hesitation that only she brought him. “We could take him out, if you cared for a ride?" He could hear his heart in his ears, wondering if she would take up the offer. Stark would be happy for the exercise, and Heath would be more then happy for the time spent with her.








500+

He almost held his breath, stuck in one frame of thought as he waited for her response. At times he felt like this was his life, the horses. Heath didn’t feel so secluded when he was with her, but even as they stood hand in hand he knew that the horses were still a large part of who he was and who he was becoming. She had not turned away from them, and her smile, her kind words told him that she enjoyed their presence. But this was something he felt was a breaking point, but her reaction was something that sealed his affection for her. “Yeah,” He assured her, “He is strong and will easily carry both of us.” his voice spoke of his smile, and the stallion looked intensely at the pair at the sound of his name.

For a minute Heath watched her, and then withdrew his hand from hers and explained, “Let me bring him out.” Gold eyes watched for a lasting moment then reached for the halter that would allow him to command the stallion, and placed it on his pale long face. Just as Heath needed, he was calm and walked easily out of the stall. The large horse moved towards his new found friend, eager to meet her properly. Heath watched, hand on the halter as he walked up towards the border collie wolfess. Slowly, Heath silently asked. Stark paused before the female, gentle and silent.

A blanket on his back and Stark was ready for the riders. Heath looked back at Ruri, pausing in his step. Turning, he found the plywood stairs that he used for training and placed them beside Stark. The coy wolf inhaled deeply, and then approached the female once again. “You’ll need to step up here.” He words were matched with the touch of his hand on hers. She would have to trust him, and Heath could feel the anxiety building in his chest. He knew that he could get her on the horse without any incident, but he was not sure if she would trust him. Slowly he led her to the steps, the railing at the perfect height to help her find her seat on the stallion’s back.

“There are stairs, three.” he explained, standing behind her and ready to help her on Stark’s back.






300+

He held her hand, and then the moment she needed him he was beside her on the small staircase and helped her onto the stallion. The silver horses ears swiveled and watched the action that went on beside him, and yet he stood still as a statue. Heath wondered if he knew how important it was for him to keep so statuesque. If he hadn’t Heath was unsure what he would have done, but the worry was not needed. He had chosen well with the solid horse, dense, as he seemed to be at times, when Heath called upon him he was there and ready to obey. Gold eyes looked at the woman, and he did not let go of her until he was sure that she was not going to fall. “I can tell, you’re a natural” he spoke as he watched her. She sat a horse well, and he was sure she didn’t even know it. Heath quickly placed the leather reins on the back of Stark's neck and then mounted the horse. He used the steps as well, for his height would not allow for a smooth transition onto the stallion.

He sat behind her, and he should have prepared himself for the closeness that seating two upon one horse would bring. There was no place to be other then close. And the male took a moment, and the let his body mold to her smaller form. “Ready?”. He asked as if that would ease the tension that was felt between them. Taking the reins in his hand Heath urged Stark on, slowly, with the heel of his foot paw. The tall horse moved with the same speed he had as Heath led him from the stall. The two moved slightly with the change of motionless to movement, and Heath instantly placed an arm around her to steady them. A few paces and they were in the rhythm, Heath’s core tight, strait and a steady wall for her to lean against. Stark only walked, slowly out of the stables and into the day’s light.

“Where would you like to go?” He wanted her to choose, wanted her to lead the way as he followed. If she said anywhere he would take her. If she said home, he would take her, slowly. Either way a smile could not be erased from his scared face







300+

The silver and blue collie fey relaxed as he sat behind her. Her comfort was obvious, and the ease of her riding showed that she was indeed a natural as he had said. But Heath found it hard to find such relaxation. He worried, worried that she would fall though he would never allow it. Worried that he was too close, that she was uncomfortable in front of him and that he had stepped beyond the line that her innocence and his caution had drawn between them. But, as the horse strode out into the day’s light, and the rhythm of the hoofed beast moved beneath the pair Heath began to loose the exterior that he had built. This was his element, his place and he found that no mater the lines that had been drawn before they had been erased the moment she wished to share this with him. It wasn’t easy to read the woman, for he had never yearned to know another’s thoughts so badly in his life. But, once he let the barrier fall and truly felt the way she formed against him it was impossible to believe that she wanted to be anywhere else. Heath certainly didn’t.

His heart beat, wildly. Harder and faster then it had as he and Lumière raced down the track. They turned though the fenced areas at the slowest of walks, Stark taming his energy and eagerness to gallop, and obeying as he always did. And still Heath found it exhilarating. Ruri let her hands moved along the pale stallion’s neck, and then spoke her desire. The tawny male smiled, pulling slightly on the leather that led to the bridle around Stark’s head. They turned, and Heath spoke a simple, “Of course.”, his smile apparent in his tone. He had thought of it too, the ocean and the beauty of it. Again and again he wished that she would be able to see, but slowly he was adjusting to the fact that she would never. The woman had her own way to take in the world, it was not his and the male needed to accept that he could only give her so much, when he wanted to give her everything. He had ridden Stark to the shore, and knew the route well and the tall horse meandered towards the shore slightly faster then he had traveling among the stables. He spoke, with a wondering tone and finding that he had grown far more comfortable with the lack of distance between them. “Jac’s foal is funny, isn’t she? Everyone is glad he is back, a race was a good idea.” he spoke idly, not wanting silence to accent the fact that they had settled so closely together. Speaking of Jac was easy and painful all at once for the male, but he wanted to know everything she felt for the King and not knowing was always worse.






400+

With the horse beneath, the woman in front of him. His heart spoke in a way it had nev er before. It pounded harshly one moment, as he felt her against his chest, and then in the next it fluttered as if it had grown wings and feathers. Light and full of air. He couldn’t explain it, couldn’t describe it. He liked, and hated it all at the same moment. The unknown and newness of it scared him, and he wished to only understand it but not hinder its existence. Her voice broke the pattern of his heart’s throb, distracting him from the thump in his ears. He laughed, imagining the small horse attached to her silver tinted locks. But Heath was fully aware of the change in her tone, and knew not how to respond. She seemed upset at the notion of Jac enjoying the foal’s company, but could not read her mind and see the wall she tried to build to keep thoughts of Jac from her mind. Heath did it as well, for his own sort of jealousy was alive and well. He wanted her, in a way he had never wanted anyone. It was a way he couldn’t explain, hidden and yet in plain view. He couldn’t admit it because he didn’t understand it, and he feared that no matter how much time they spent together he wasn’t able to understand it any better. It only became harder to accept that she loved Jac, harder to think that she preferred him and would always. “She will be a wild-thing for sure” He said, sort of satisfied that the King would be distracted by the foal he obviously didn’t discipline. While he fought with the growing strength of the filly, Heath would be here. Behind Ruri. There would be a time when she would know how he cared, how he felt. If only he could find the words to describe it.

“He’s a wild-thing too.” Heath joked, thinking about the King and his ways. But then he felt it true. Jac was inconsistent, he would come and go, he would venture off without notice. Not Heath. He was just as loyal, if not more. He could be solid and reliable. If she wished it, he would pledge to always be there for her, and even if she never asked he would still do so. He would fight, he would protect. He would be there. He was no longer the rouge that he once had been, the kid that tussled and scrapped for no reason. He had grown, changed. Heath felt the pressure against his chest, more then just the closeness that the horse demanded. Sure that she could feel the pounding heart against her back Heath tried to focus and ease its beat. Instead he could only melt against the touch. Her words made him smile, and he found that his hand moved to her stomach and an arm held her against him. It was a bold move, and yet Heath could not help it. Knowing her keen ears would hear he whispered, “Me too.” Let the King fall from their thoughts. Let the world disappear along with their fears and concerns. Heath kicked Stark into a trot, the wind through their fur picked up and took her silvered mane and let it stream against him. Heath held her in place. Stark finally stretched his legs, making wide strides and stayed yet controlled. The beach was no far, and at any moment they would find the sand and surf.





500+

The large stallion moved smoothly, long legs moving with a steady pace that made their ride effortless. Heath knew he had picked well, first with the horse’s demeanor and second the moment he had tried to ride him. He was easier to ride then the roan mare, though never as fast. The pace was quick at first, but lagged the moment Stark hit the sandy beach. The salt was think in the air, and the ground uneven and too soft to gallop upon. Heath steered him to the water’s side where the call of the tide spoke to their ears. The tides seemed to be changing, not low and yet not at its high peak. It was a moment he enjoyed, the feel of her against him. His arm did not weaken its hold on her as they slowed, letting the impulse stick and enjoying the feel of her against him.

He felt the deep breath that she took, his hand moving with her but he did not expect her to turn her face upwards towards his own. Her tone worried him, so uneasy and almost confused. Stuck by her words he could only sit in silence, eyes on her silver face as she spoke. When she said the word his heart paused, his chest clenched and as he forgot to breathe he could feel the growing pain in his abdomen. It were the words that she spoke after saying that she loved him that caused the most pain. He forgot to breath and unknowingly forgot to think. His mind was blank. His paw faltered on her stomach, and yet he held her still in case she would fall. Stark grew unsettled as he grew tense above, feeling the unease his trainer presented. Still the good horse moved along the beach.

The coy-wolf knew not what to say, for he loved her and yet it was his nature to shy away from such a feeling. Yet he had embraced her, fought the urge to be something that he thought he should be and became the polite and well-mannered wolf that she deserved. He loved her, and yet the words did not come to his voice. Instead he thought of Jac, the jealousy he had towards the arrogant canine boiled within. “I don’t want to compete with him.” He admitted, defeat in his voice. He felt he had already lost. It shouldn’t have been the first thing to come out of his mouth, he should had said it back, he should have told her how he felt, but what if it was the same, or different in a lesser way? What if she loved a King more, he felt his features harden, growing protective of the heart he wanted to give her and had been so whiling just a moment ago.

“I,” His voice faltered again, the voice and face of their King confirming for confidently that she did love him. He had wanted to hit him then, to share the pain of such a blow. “want you to be happy Ruri.” If It meant loving him and letting him love her and yet not allowing their King to know of it, then Heath would do that. He couldn’t admit that he loved her, he was sure he did. And yet, never had he known it before. “I want to make you happy.” because I love you. More then he ever will.






500+

She was everything that Heath could ever hope to gain. In his golden eyes and tainted heart, she was perfect. How could he not fight for that? How could Jac not want that for himself? Heath had everything to loose, and everything to fight for. Compared to the King of their lands Heath was nothing. His self worth was viable, but the small amount of it was more like a grain of sand when placed beside that of Jac. Her fingers against his neck softened his tense demeanor, and with the contact he was even able to smile faintly. Speaking softly in her ear Heath told her, “Your worth fighting for.” though honest, his confidence in his ability to fight for her was weak.

As she might have expected Heath became unmoving as she mentioned Jac once more. What the man held over her Heath would never know. Of course they were family, the sort of family that were very unrelated and very prone to falling into a deeper lover. Jac had always been there for her, and he had said it himself; Ruri loved him. Loved him more, or was it less? Heath would not ask, for the answer frightened him. Attempting to hold onto the first six words she spoke Heath tried to relax against her. Of course the King was not making it easy for Heath to like him. At first it had been only drinks and fun that connected them. It was pack life that had sealed their relationship and now Ruri connected them. But now instead of a friend, Heath could only see a threat.

It was impossible to the male to return words. It was too hard to find the right thing to say that would express his desire for her, and explain that he was superior to Jac and that he would love her more then anyone. He couldn’t, the words would not come to him and what if this all meant that he had already lost. Her request was hardly heard, and yet Heath kicked the stallion into a trot. Stark awoke to the command and moved faster over the beach. The tawny male held her close, as if unprepared to let her go. Leaning slightly forward he steadied the two forms that sat above the horse. His nose touched the side of her face, his once unmoving smile lost to the frown that graced his maw. He breathed her in, her scent intoxicating and paralyzing. The words came to him, small and yet so significant. But the moment was lost, the courage gone.

The male urged Stark on, his trot becoming a gallop. The world around them lost its hard edges as it blurred slightly. The sea’s air took their fur and it streamed behind them. Gold eyes looked ahead, his arm around her and steered Stark towards her home.






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