just can't wait to be king

Skoll Haskel · 12-04-2011, 03:17 AM

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Word Count :: 458

Sometimes Skoll liked to pretend that he was King.

He definitely had the dominant attitude for it. He was gentle when he pushed or pinned his siblings, but it was still a type of practice-play common to canines establishing hierarchy at a young age. He was never mean about it, of course, because leaders had to be fair and kind. They had to be fierce to protect their kingdom but also love fiercely, and those ideals had been cemented early in the golden prince’s mind. Raised in a loving family, with the AniWayan conflict making up a lot of his early life, he knew well what it meant to take care of loved ones.

Today the puppy was patrolling the borders—or pretending to, at least, while keeping the Haskel-Catori residence in sight as he wandered around. He had promised to be close to the house or with an adult when no one else was watching him; many of the Court members were busy with adapting to winter and making sure that everything was sound and running smoothly, so he couldn’t be watched every waking moment of the day—though he often crept out from underneath a babysitter’s nose as per his rambunctious and curious personality.

He minded a lot of the time, though, and right now he pranced along an imaginary boundary. He would occasionally lift his nose to sniff the air or turn his ears toward strange sounds. At one point, he chased a rabbit until he could no longer see the house, and then he came right back, trudging through the light carpeting of snow. It had melted somewhat since he’d played in it with Lottie, but it was still a wonder to see the white stuff everywhere.

Skoll paused and looked over his shoulder at himself—at his pale blonde fur, at his wolfish tail that he could still curl over his back if he wanted. An idea struck him, and he began to roll around in the snow until he was coated with it, the tips of his fur white. The effect made him feel almost a light creamy color just like his daddy, and he could maybe pretend he was as big as his daddy, too—but that would require a little bit more than just imagination.

The Haskel boy turned in a circle then wagged his tail excitedly when he spied a big flat stone. Galloping toward it, he leaped then scrabbled against the slick cold surface, falling on his butt in the snow before trying again and again. When he finally got it, he puffed his chest out and splayed his paws in a powerful wide stance.

Then Skoll tilted his head back and let out a powerful kingly howl.

Image courtesy of Frank Wuestefeld @ flickr; Table by the Mentors!

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