Not Your Typical Morning Routine
#1
[html]Reposting.



Kieran:



For Legacy!



It was a rather calm and quiet morning, the horizon tinted with pink as the sun touched the sky behind Ashen Mountain. Beyond the gold and pink fingers of the sunrise, a few puffy gray clouds floated lazily on a small breeze, signaling the possibility of a quaint shower later in the day. The weather had begun to get cooler with the oncoming autumn season, but there were still signs of the faded summer to be found in a warm afternoon. Kieran wasn’t really all that much of a morning person, but he had to admit, it was rather nice this morning. He had decided to coax himself out of sleep early today to take a gander at the territory at dawn and perhaps do a little exploring.



After a few mindless moments spent gawking at the sunrise he hadn’t been awake to see in months, the werewolf shook himself out of his stupor and made his way up part of the mountain slope. C’mon, he told himself. This was supposed to be a morning adventure, filled with energy and enthusiasm! He traversed a rather easy to follow path, and before long he had wound up at the lower part of a small mountain stream. From what he could gather, the stream had flowed from a good distance up the mountain. The dark wolf stopped at the edge of stream, kneeling beside it. His golden gazed glanced at his reflection and he busied himself with adjusting his shorter-cut mane. Another reflection upon the water’s surface caught his attention, and the next moment he found himself gazing at a rather large tree just behind him. Then, an idea struck him.



He approached the tree, examining it carefully. Maybe he could climb it, get an interesting view of the territory. Or maybe he just needed something interesting to do at the moment. Either way, whatever possessed him to climb the tree, he was sure he would end up regretting it, considering that climbing trees was not something he generally did. He reached up and grabbed a low, thick branch and hoisted himself up to it. He sat there on the branch, glancing around for a moment before deciding that he should go higher. He slowly stood, grabbing the base of tree to balance himself as he searched a moment for a steady, higher branch. There was one, just above his head and to the right the dark-furred male thought was suitable, and he went to work grabbing the branch and pulling himself up, pushing his feet against the tree trunk to give himself some leverage.



Soon he was standing on the higher branch, looking around at the territory from his elevated position. It was a rather interesting sight, he had to admit. Keen on seeing past another branch that was just in his way, he shifted his footing slightly. But the branch was just a tad thinner than he had thought and his foot slipped, bringing the rest of him with it. His reflexes allowed him to scramble his arms up just in time to grab the branch. He let out a sigh of relief. Kieran glanced up at the drooping branch, knowing that it wouldn’t hold his weight like this for long. He’d have to get back down to the branch he’d originally stood on. At least he wasn’t that high off the ground. He stared at the lower branch for a moment, and then released his grip on the tree. Misjudging the distance he instead found himself falling past it and into the stream below with an audible “Ooof!” Regret it he did.



This was why Kieran wasn’t a morning person.



Legacy:



Legacy loved mornings, and today she was sauntering through a particularly nice one. She wasn't at first planning to go very far but young legs moved quickly and carried her over ground that was beginning to be familiar. It was one of those days when she found herself wanting a change of scenery - but not too much. Having been born and swiftly growing up here, she felt close to the territory, and utterly safe in it. This and youthful recklessness added a spring to the pup's step as she trotted lightly through leafy clearings, at a slight angle to the downhill slopes. Soon leaves would be lying thicker on the ground than they did on the branches, a sight Legacy had yet to see. Not far ahead now came the faint gurgle of water. The pup lifted her head alertly, then checked back over one shoulder. Nobody was following her, not yet at least. Her siblings must be busy elsewhere. Well, she would carry on on her own, then. Darting forwards, she emerged through trees onto the banks of a small fast-flowing stream. Green eyes roundened as she watched the vigorously rushing and racing water. Where did it go? Curious, she continued moving - this time following the brook, her paws leaving perfect imprints in the soft bank.



The slope of the land was evening out slightly and the stream had become wider and calmer when she heard an odd sound from above, like a grunt - then a little way in front of her something came hurtling out of the canopy and hit the water with a ponderous splash that partly splattered Legacy's fur. Startled she reflexively retreated at speed, ending up almost falling back onto her tail. Gathering her senses, she realised it was a person that had fallen. Embarrassed, she sat down as if that's what she'd meant to do. Or should she make herself scarce? She supposed she should be wary of this wolf. It was a stranger, after all, though they looked in no position to be dangerous, after tumbling right down like that. She wanted to make sure they were okay, anyway. "Uh... hi!" she called. How funny this all was.



Kieran:



How did I manage that stunt? Kieran thought once he had regained his senses. He remained in the water for a moment, his fur soaking as he thought about his stupidity. His focus soon shifted to pain, though, and thinking it would be wise to assess the damage, he crawled over to the bank of the small stream. He had a few bumps and bruises and his ankle was rather sore, perhaps from landing on it awkwardly, but he was otherwise fine. Had he not grabbed that branch in time, he was sure to be in much worse of a condition. He was about to curse his foolishness once more when he noticed that he wasn't alone.



His gaze shifted toward the pup who seemed to have the whole of her attention focused on him. As she uttered a quick greeting to him, he looked back to the brook he had just emerged from. This was just great. Here he was, wet and agitated after falling out of a tree, of all things, and someone had witnessed the whole charade. And it was a pup, of all people. She'd probably go run off soon, telling everyone of his foolishness. So much for first impressions. With a slight sigh, he faced the youth again. "Um... hello there."



He shifted to a more comfortable sitting position, careful to be gentle with his still rather sore ankle. Silently, he examined the small she-wolf. She still seemed rather young, maybe three months or so. The little one appeared quite adventurous as well, considering that Kieran had not spotted any dens nearby. He wondered for a moment who's child this was. The dark wolf couldn't recall meeting anyone, or hearing of anyone for that matter, who recently had a litter. Well, whoever the parents were, he was sure they wouldn't appreciate random strangers falling out of trees and almost landing on their daughter. He eyed the pup for a moment. "What are you doing up so early?" he asked. Maybe he could distract her from his little acrobatic stunt and they could pretend this whole thing never happened.



It didn't seem likely.



Legacy:



Now he was out of the water, Legacy realised there was something familiar about him. She didn't think she'd met him, as such, perhaps seen him around... and he had that smell of a local, like he lived in the tunnels or had at least been there. Considering they were inside the borders here, he must be part of her pack. And pack-wolves were trustworthy, weren't they? They all looked out for pups like herself, or so she'd been taught. It was only very recently, after going out with her family several times, that she'd been able to explore properly. Likely this kind of encounter would happen more and more often. She looked back over at the soggy male. Perhaps not. It was funny, a grown-up getting into such a misadventure. Weren't they supposed to be infallible?



"Just walkin'," she answered indifferently. "You live here, doncha?" He seemed uncomfortable, and it occurred to her that he might be properly hurt. Perhaps he couldn't stand up. "Do you want me to go find help?"



Kieran:



Ah, so it seemed she was just out for a little stroll, just as Kieran had been before he decided to venture up the tree. He watched the pup carefully, still a little bothered about being seen plummeting from the canopy. “Yer parents know yer out and about now?” He had been a puppy once, and knew how exciting it was to sneak about unnoticed. Now, though, he was more responsible. Yet even if she was running about without permission, there wasn’t much Kieran could do about it anyway. He nodded at her first question, simply replying, “Yep. This is my home.” But her next question caught him off guard. “Ah, no, no. I’m fine, really. No help needed.” He lifted himself up as if to display just how fine he was, though he put no pressure on his left leg to keep from agitating it. If he was careful with it, all would be well in a day or two.



He caught her gaze and tried his best to put on a reassuring smile. Yet, the more he stood there in the presence of the pup, the more he realized what a horrible example he must be setting. The dark wolf knew that young ones were rather impressionable, and he didn’t want to be responsible for anyone someday repeating a stunt like that. Granted, others were probably less clumsy than him, but you could never be too careful. He took a quick glance at the tree he had just fallen out of. “Well, I definitely don’t suggest tree climbing as a fun activity.” He laughed softly, mostly out of embarrassment.



Legacy:



Legacy wondered if she would get in trouble for being out so far on her own, and she hadn't told anyone where she was going. Though she couldn't explain the feeling to herself in so many words she knew she had responsibilities to her family, but sometimes the spirited spark in her personality just overruled all that somehow. Curiosity, too! There was lots to learn about being alive, she could tell. She wanted to be wise, like her mother, and this generally translated into a stream of questions. The small girl tried to be good and well-behaved, but there was that irrepressible spontaneity that sometimes overruled good intentions. She regarded the other, not sure that he wasn't pretending, but accepting his reply. "I can' climb so good. Leg'cy don' got hands like you," she remarked wistfully. "What didju climb it for anyway?"[/html]
#2
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He remained silent as the pup regarded him, probably thinking him foolish for falling and trying to pretend that nothing happened. Not exactly the most graceful of wolves, Kieran generally tried to avoid pulling such stunts (especially if he just woke up). Usually the end result left the male with a few scratches on both himself and his dignity. Luckily he rebounded rather quickly and didn't sit around licking his wounded ego. But maybe that was because he wanted to avoid more embarassment.



He took a step toward the edge of the brook, limping to avoid more pain in his ankle. Lowering himself to the ground, he sat at the edge of the water. His golden eyes regarded the the water for a moment before shifting to the pup nearby as she spoke. It was true that she couldn't do any climbing right now, but a little warning never hurt. He wasn't sure whether the pup would be able to shift one day, either. Sure, all the wolves he had met here so far were all Luperci, but that didn't mean there weren't any non-shifters around. "Heh, maybe one day... uh, Legacy, ya say yer name is? Yer parents can shift, yeah?" He was curious to know if he'd see her running around one day in Optime form, as well as perhaps finding out who her parents were. "As for why I did it... I was just kinda bored and thought I'd take a look at the territory from above, I suppose." He went silent for a moment, still glancing in her direction before he realized that he hadn't properly introduced himself. "Ah, I'd be Kieran. Nice to meet ya." He offered her a warm smile.

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#3
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Thanks for re-posting! <3




This adult was definitely trustworthy, Legacy decided. Young as she was, she could understand that he was trying to protect her from making the same mistake. He wasn't related to her or even knew who she was, so he had no specific motive to be nice that she could think of. She slid into a comfortable lying position on her stomach, forepaws neatly outstretched. Sociable, she was always looking for someone to talk to, or argue with as the case may be. She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Why were you bored? Is it 'cause you're on your own?" It seemed so simple to her. Maybe it was naivete that told her life could be perfect, could be complete, if you just knew the right people. His first question was tricky, though, for this same reason. Legacy knew she should reply soon, or else he might think she was ignoring him. But how could she talk about her parents in the plural, when obviously her father had not been the 'right people'. If he had been, he would not have left them. She couldn't really remember ever having had a convincing explanation as to why. It was a difficult topic, having happened before she was really old enough to understand anything, and Legacy had yet to truly demand answers- didn't want to accidentally tread on old broken glass when the actual glass, the family she had, was enough for her already.


A three-month vocabulary couldn't deal with this, perhaps fortunately for Kieran, so she just gave a small sigh and told him "My Momma can shift." There was a slight trace of pride there, as if insinuating there wasn't much that her momma couldn't do. She didn't know enough about the shifting process to know that if one parent could do it, the other certainly could; so she didn't know how to continue. "An' my father..." The words were left hanging in the crisp air.









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#4
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No problem. =]

And sorry for the delay.




Kieran noticed that the pup now seemed more comfortable around him, settling down and initiating conversation. He was relieved at this, glad that she apparently didn’t find him to be some loon who thinks he could fly out of the trees like a bird. Not that he had done it on purpose; everyone makes mistakes after all. He cleared his thoughts, and focused on the present. He shouldn’t be focusing on silly mistakes of the past, oh how well he knew that. He considered her questions for a moment. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was bored. But she did have a point about being alone. If anyone else had been around at the time, he definitely wouldn’t have gone on his little tree climbing adventure. “I suppose you could say that. I guess I just needed something to do, is all.”



The fact that she had skipped to reply his second statement first tipped him off that his question may have been a difficult one to answer. His assumptions were confirmed as Legacy hesitated with her answer, letting her words trail off into silence. She didn’t seem to know her father, or perhaps was it that she just didn’t want to speak of him? Kieran regarded her for a moment with his warm golden eyes, deciding that it would probably be best to leave that particular subject alone. “So yer mom can shift, eh?” The way she had stated the fact was calm, perhaps even a little boastful. Legacy definitely seemed more comfortable speaking about her mother. “That means one day you’ll do the same,” he stated with a simple nod.

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#5
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It was good to get to know someone else who lived around the area, someone who didn't seem to have any ties with anyone she knew. Apart from the fact they shared a home. Not that she even knew all the names of everybody else here. The impression she got was that people drifted in and out; indeed even in her closest circle this had been the case from the day she was born. Legacy thought she might like to stay for a good long time and alter the trend. Maybe this wolf had been here a while, already, or perhaps he was drifting too. He was calm and friendly, which gave her extra confidence, but the fact that he'd taken such a tumble in front of her relaxed all boundaries Legacy might have had. A hint of puppy-blue still tinged her eyes, but they were already lively and carried her smile as she thought about how weird it would be to walk on two legs and have a whole other shape. More than one!


"Yeah," she replied simply, and then on a completely different thread, she added "How long've you been here?" Maybe her question had been too sudden, but she wasn't going to waste time worrying about it. It made sense to her that if you wanted to know something you just asked it. And if Kieran had come from somewhere else maybe he knew things that she didn't, things she could learn about and weave into her daily-expanding picture of the world.







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#6
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It was a relief to the male that Jaded Shadows was feeling more and more like home everyday. The fact that he was comfortable enough in the lands to even try the stunt he had this morning spoke volumes about how used to the new territory he was becoming. Even more important to him, however, was not just getting to know the lands, but familiarizing himself with all the wolves that called the pack their own. Kieran was a rather social wolf, and he was always glad to have the company of others. He was especially comfortable around the pups. They were innocent enough, and they definitely wouldn’t betray you. That was something adults seemed to take pleasure in.



The dark wolf shifted his sitting position a bit, pulling himself a little closer to the stream. He idly brushed his fingers against the surface of the water in front of him. “Hmm…” He glanced up toward the sky as he thought about her question. “I haven’t been here all that long. I suppose it's been about a month, maybe.” Could it really have been a month since he had crossed over the borders, seeking acceptance into the pack? While he was busy adjusting to a new life, it appeared that time floated on rather quickly.

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#7
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A month? That was a quarter of her entire life. Although she knew she was going to live for a lot longer, the future days stretched out into a vague concept that didn't seem to apply to her. Therefore, a month still felt like an extremely long time. She wriggled forward on her belly and peered down into the water, where her distorted reflection blinked up at her. She could remember distinctly the first time she'd seen her own face in a puddle. You couldn't make features out just here, but she supposed they probably hadn't changed much.
"I've been here fo'ever," she informed him, still gazing downwards. "It's nice!" Characteristic enthusiasm. She wasn't so much telling him, as affirming the fact that to her at least seemed obvious. Perhaps the reply would give a clue as to whether he planned to stay.








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#8
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There wasn’t a place Kieran could say had been a home to him his whole life. He had left his birth pack some time ago, and spend part of his time wandering with a sort of nomadic clan. But it was all too much adventure and not enough familiarity for him. When he had arrived at Jaded Shadows, he hoped that he had found a permanent home. It was a beautiful place, and he had begun to grow quite attached to the area. Being forced to venture on his own again would be too much for him to handle.



Kieran smiled at the young wolf’s words, glad that she had a stable home her whole life. How tragic it would be for a pup to wander in search of a home. “Yes, Jaded Shadows is a wonderful pack.” He watched silently as Legacy peered into the water, staring at her muddled reflection. For a moment, it almost seemed as if there were two pups there beside him. “You have any siblings runnin’ about?” he asked suddenly. Perhaps a little off track, but he was curious.

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#9
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His words were steady and relaxed, and while she couldn't be yet called well-acquainted with Kieran the girl felt safe and protected. Safe enough to answer him in depth. "Uh huh. Three! Merit's my brother, an' Miriad's his twin sister," she explained happily. "And also there's our other sister Amaury." It wasn't deliberate, the slight seperation of the last to the rest of them. But it was perhaps subtly influenced by the distance she felt, or was beginning to feel, between the sisters. Unlike Legacy who wore her heart on her sleeve, Amaury tended to keep to herself. At least, by comparison.


"Di' you ever have any?" she inquired, turning his question back at him. She didn't really plan for it to come out in the past tense; it just happened, still she supposed that he probably didn't have family nearby.







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#10
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The change in the girl's behavior from her previous wariness of the clumsy adult, to the casual conversation they carried on now was reasuring. It showed a sort of bonding, you could say, but nothing really strong, considering they had only just met. Kieran always found it important to talk with others in the pack, especially the younger members; they were the future after all. He listened silently as she mentioned her three siblings, smiling at her happy tone. "It's nice to have yer brother and sisters around to play with, isn't it?" Childhood often carried fond memories of sibling rivalries and silly games, and it warmed him to think of those good times.



The past tense phrasing of her question was rather acurate, reflecting how things were. He did have siblings, yes, and while he was sure they were doing just fine, it was unlikely that he would ever see them again. It had been a long journey from his previous home to Bleeding Souls, and he doubted either of them would ever consider tracking him down under the circumstances. "Yeah, I've got two brothers back home. I gotta admit, I do miss them, even with as much as we used to fight." He smiled as he spoke, though it was a bitter one.

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#11
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Well, this was nice, an equal and balanced exploration of each other's circumstances. Not all meetings were destined to go so easily (although breaking the ice was never a problem with a spirited, chatter-prone puppy such as herself.) Protocol wasn't even a word in her vocabulary and Legacy was brazen enough to be unafraid of any social wrong-footing she might make. This generally made for open-minded conversations, plus a tendency to share as much information as she could think of about any subject she might happen across. Unlike some who would censor and withhold facts as they saw fitting to the situation, she liked to put all her chips on the table and watch the varying reactions. To be sure, gleaning an understanding of the real heart of a person was easier when they were caught off-guard. The disarming innocence of a child was a perfect shield for this, and of course the charm of it was that she didn't know she was doing so.

Turning from the water, his smile caught her attention and she stared unabashedly into his face. Why was he pleased, if he really did miss them; was it a false smile or was he happy he'd left? Sensing a depth that she couldn't read but that was perhaps not all that relevant, Legacy shrugged it off after just a flash of consideration. Her mind was already on other matters.
"So you came away, all on your own," she figured aloud after a moment.
"Why?" Consciously she didn't understand the reason for her fixation with journeys and relocations... but it could easily be speculated that the eternal phantom of the missing father was there behind it all.







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#12
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Kieran loved to discuss things, learning more about others and revealing some about himself. It had been long since he could stop and get to know another, even if the other was still just a pup. It felt good after so long to reach out to someone, even if now his reach was more limited. Experience had changed him, shaped him into a more withdrawn being. Time, as grand a healer as it was, could only do so much. There were certain things about himself, his past, that he prefered--or rather, refused--to discuss. To him, some skeletons were best left locked in the closet.



The pup's words were a simple assumption, and Kieran nodded to acknowledge the truth behind them. But that next question, just a single word (why?) was all it took to launch him back into the past, breeching on the very subject he refused to speak of. He tensed, sitting perfectly still as he organized his thoughts. He knew very well why he had left. The act of betrayal by those closest to him was all it took for him to strike out on his own--not that he had much choice in the matter. The alphas were swift in imposing their draconian punishment and he was wounded, packless, and alone before he could even blink twice. But he was here now, after his long journey, in Jaded Shadows. Forcing himself back to reality he focused again on Legacy, all traces of his smile gone.



He was silent for a moment before he finally spoke. "...Some things had changed in my old pack and I needed to leave." He left it at that, not necessarily telling a lie. It was the people that had changed; his best friend, his mate, even the alphas he had trusted entirely. But perhaps even this extremely vague admittance of what happened would help him finally move on.

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#13
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The very fact she saw the precise moment his smile faded told her she was intruding in some mysterious way. She felt no sense of wrong-doing but even so modified her intensely curious attitude. Instead she rested a narrow chin on her forelegs and gazed unseeing at the water, as she heard his eventual words. So that was how it went: sometimes people found things in their past difficult to speak about. Or was it because she was just a pup, and he thought she was too young to understand? Even the vague reply she had was enough to realise it hadn't been sunshine and daisies. A heavy sigh heaved her sides - a sigh of real sympathy, not that it was obvious what was the cause - and she couldn't help desperately wondering what he wasn't saying. Just perhaps, the hidden facts behind Kieran's stoicism and the mystery of her vanishing father were somehow similar. Grown-up stuff that Legacy couldn't know about yet.

This raised even more questions, unsurprising as that was, and one slightly unsettling one floated to the fore. She stiffened. "It's not like tha' here, though, is it," she half-asked half-declared. "Jaded Shadows won' ever change." Not like that. Gods, she thought, how terrible it would be if she ever had to leave. How she loved the trees and her underground cave-home! But maybe it wasn't like that for everyone. Packwolves left all the time, didn't they? Another sigh now, this one smaller but no less packed with heartfelt emphasis.







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#14
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Eh, I apologize again for the delay



Kieran was relieved when the pup sensed that she was treading on a touchy subject and seemed to back off. He knew that one day he would have to get over the past and just accept that what happened had happened, and there was no other way about it. But right now, when the emotional wound was still rather fresh, he preferred not to dwell on it. He fixed his gaze once again on the stream. He heard the child next to him sigh rather deeply and somewhat worriedly question the state of Jaded Shadows.



“I sure hope not… this place is too nice to ever think of leaving.” Kieran wanted to believe that things would be good now, and he could remain here the rest of his days. Yet, with what life had thrown at him thus far, he knew there could always be an unforeseen event hiding just around the corner, ready to change everything. The dark wolf shifted his sitting position slightly, absentmindedly rubbing his sore ankle with his hand. He watched the stream in silence once again, almost feeling jealous of it. The water would always remain the same, in the same place with nothing to worry about. Nothing would drastically change it.

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#15
Done?

Right now, it was, it really was the place that really couldn't be called anything other than idyllic. Crisp air and winter breezes, the brittle leaves and the dreamy hazel sunsets; green glades still untouched by season's fingers and soft moss to rest a body on. Legacy allowed herself another glance at the stoic dark wolf, as if acknowledging the bond of fellowship that their home gave them. But the sun was brightening overhead, and this reminded her of those she'd left behind- those she still kept close, in her puppyhood and dependency. The red youngster got to her feet and stepped forwards, stretching out her legs one by one. Then she turned and looked back over her shoulder at him, expression wide open, friendly.

See you 'round, p'raps?

And without further ado she trotted swiftly away, making for home.
#16
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Yep. Smile



Kieran enjoyed the silent company for a few moments longer, not surprised when the young wolf stood, preparing to leave. He nodded to her as she turned to leave, a small smile on his lips. “See you around.” As Legacy left, the older wolf focused once more on the stream in front of him. The sun reflected down from the sky on its cool surface, leaving a blinding image of its presence. Before long he decided that he should be on his way as well. He stood up and began to hobble his way back to his den, taking one last look at the tree he had fallen from.

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