for
@Aeryn, per request like a bazillion years ago!
something seemed off with the smaller creatures. there was one fewer—cam wasn't the most observant of wolves, but he was observant enough to know that. the big light-colored woman (ali-something?) had three pups. . .three. just like him and his siblings. and there were three even smaller denizens of the willows, too.
but now, there were only two, and a concerned sizzle in the air to go with it. so he watched, and he wondered.
cam made his way toward the other whelping den, now much steadier on his paws and beginning to grow out of the chubbiness that had marked his adolescence into something thinner, more refined. his eyes, too, were changing from infant blue to a verdant green; they were in the midway point now, resembling tempestuous seawater more than anything. deep enough for that, too.
but he had no idea about his appearance—he only knew what was in front of him, around him, beneath him. the changes in his siblings were noted, sure, but he was much more interested in things beyond. the wetness of the grass on a chilly morning. the colors of a sunset. the mouth-feel of a bone between teeth.
why concentrate on trivialities when all the wonders of the world were his to behold?
cam let out a soft whuff once he'd reached the small clearing where the pale woman kept her children, tail wagging slightly behind him. lana and ziggy had left him behind in pursuit of their own adventure today, so he was looking for some company. he was growing tired of them, anyway. . .spending every waking moment with the same souls for weeks on end had a tendency to do that, or so he'd learned.
there was something different about today. it was very wet, not a surprising fact considering some water was just around the corner. but the den was always dry. not today. tiny droplets made a home in his fur. needless to say, it wasn’t the best wake up call.
aeryn stretched himself across the dirt, twisting and turning every so often. he was getting ready to settle down, but something caught his eye. an alien in armor, slithering by without a care. and it was the smallest thing he’s ever seen! no bigger then a pebble.
aeryn cautiously shuffled towards the snail and gave it a sniff. it immediately retreated back into its shell when touched. poor thing. it was probably scared to death! ’m sorry sir.
maybe it was trying to find its home but lost its way. as much as he’d love for the little friend to stay awhile, he knew how important home was. he’d help it out as best he could. aeryn tried to maneuver it onto his little snout. it took a couple times but once it stuck to his nose it stayed there.
he wasn’t expecting any guests, so he was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face greet him. the boy that had dropped by before had returned. that’s what he assumed, considering he was the only other dark pup he knew of. aeryn yipped with glea and trotted towards him.
the little dark one appeared; out of all of them, he resembled cam the most, or at least what cam understood himself to look like, although he was younger and still more pudgy. just a baby, still. feeling slightly superior, cam lifted his muzzle and gave the boy a vaguely austere look, though his eyes didn't lack friendliness.
hallo,
he said, mimicking mummy's cheerful greeting. his little tail, growing longer and more whiplike by the day, wagged like a metronome. wanna play?
it was a simple enough request, one he thought the other boy would be more than happy to accept. but perhaps he was just as flighty as lana and ziggy. cam wrinkled his nose at the thought, completely unaware that this probably reflected poorly on his attitude toward aeryn in the current moment. that was one thing cam had trouble with. . .distinguishing what was from what could be.
please forgive me for this shitty post
aeryn’s perception of playing was chaotic and overwhelming. when his siblings rough housed he would always stick to the sidelines, watching in worry. it wasn’t anything he’d ever been interested in, it was always a little daunting. he’d rather enjoy the oddities and wonders of the world.
can’t,
he whispered apologetically.
i’m taking him home.
he gestured to the little creature perched on his nose.
cam felt much the same about playing. in fact, when aeryn gave his explanation, his eyes strayed to the little creature that he'd overlooked before, going crossed with intense concentration. whassat?
he asked, clearly awestruck, his slender jaws open a little. he drew forward and sniffed at it, and it moved a little; cam jumped a step or two back.
where's his home?
he asked, brows drawing together in confusion. he cocked his head, staring at aeryn now instead of the tiny thing on his nose. cam wondered how he had found it, or had gotten it to stick around in the first place. all the things this small always ran or slithered away from him in quick order.