Slavik had taken down Speedy, and pinned her in the shallows. He stared down at her with a boastful grin, and laughed at her comment. What can I say, I got moves, he joked, his warm gaze fixed on hers. He started to back up off of her to let her up, when he smelled a light metallic tang in the air. Blood. Instantly he got worried, and instead of backing up to let her stand, he began to sniff all through her fur. He would feel horrible if he'd injured her somehow.

Are you hurt? Did I hurt you? he asked, finally pinpointing the smell to a healing scar on her shoulder. It didn't look like something he'd done, and it didn't look bad either, but still he was worried.

Slavik was comfoted by not only her words but also a sweet nuzzle at his chin. It made him feel better, but still he didn't want to injure her further. He hadn't smelled blood when they began so the wound must've opened up during their play. The big sunspot leaned into her nuzzle, returning it with a friendly nip at her cheek fur. Then he backed up off of her, allowing her to stand. How did you get it? You don't seem like a fighter, but I'm not judging, he said with a teasing smile. He started to wade back closer to the edge of the lake, hoping she would follow.

Slavik smiled at Speedy’s chuckle and comment about not being a fighter. He could relate, but for different reasons. Me either, he said as they walked through the water. She explained what happened to her, Slavik winced at the thought of getting clawed by a lynx. He’d only seen one of them once, and while it was smaller than him it’s claws were very menacing. That must’ve sucked, he said. She then told him about how she had herbs nearby, and Slavik’s ears perked with interest. Are you a healer? he asked, as it was a subject he himself was interested in.

He pranced onto the rocky ground and gave a magnificent show of shaking the water from his fur. The golden fuzz stuck out in all different directions now, and he looked pretty silly. Normally he would’ve gone to work grooming his fur, for he liked to look nice whenever he could. But he didn’t feel the need to right now. He flopped down onto his side and curved his spine, make a little cubby in front of him for Speedy if she wanted to cuddle. He patted the ground with a big paw and gave her a friendly smile.

...Hurt as much as any big cat she said, and Slavik spent only a few seconds wondering what other kinds of big cats there were, and what size made them considered big. After reaching the shore and lying down, Slavik watched as Speedy finished shaking her own pelt out. He gave an amused smile, as now they both looked rather like mops. She curled up where Slavik had made room for her, her damp fur clung tighter to her body and Slavik could easier feel the rise and fall of her breaths.

He tightened his body around her, closing his eyes and becoming fully content next to her. They both exerted warmth, and he felt perfectly serene. She answered his question about being a healer, adding in some context about her past. He opened his mouth to answer her question, pausing only to watch what she was doing as she began to groom him. I’m mostly a hunter, but I want to be a caregiver too. I like taking care of wolves who need help, so I want to look into knowing a little healing. I only know the basics, he said, then bent down to lick flat some of the fur on Speedy’s head.

Slavik's tail began to subconsciously thump on the ground when Speedy got to his chest fur. It tickled a little, but mostly felt good. He paused in cleaning her head to crack a smile when she reached a particularly ticklish spot. He moved his head down to begin grooming her neck fur, licking gently behind her ears.

Slavik paused in his grooming when Speedy said they should learn together, and he turned his head to meet her golden gaze. He suddenly realized that he really liked Speedy. Not necessarily in a like like manner, but he didn't want to simply leave her and continue on alone, such was the life of the lone wolf. They'd only just met, but they had a lot in common, and he wanted more time to spend with her. Maybe they could travel together. I'd love to learn with you, but on one condition, he said, cocking his head to the side to plant a lick on her cheek. Travel with me.

Slavik's lick was returned, and her words brought a soft flutter to his heart. A warm smile spread across his face, as he realized that he was no longer a lone wolf. Well he was a lone wolf, but he wasn't alone, and that meant the world to him. His original plan was that he would head back to Sunspire, and see if they still had room for him in their ranks, but now he wasn't so sure. He would still love to see them again, and maybe one day join them, but with a friend at his side, traveling seemed all the more fun.


Feeling a giddy excitement, Slavik let out a happy purr, and shifted his front half to face her better. He was in a similar thought process as her, he wanted to get to know her better. She beat him to the question, but he didn't mind. He raised his chin as she went back to licking at the damp fur, Well, technically I followed you to this cave, he said with a light chuckle, his eyes closing as she groomed him, but nah. I'm from a pack called the Kendry's, my family. We lived out on these plains, it was nice there but I'm glad I left. I'm having much more fun here, he said, breaking away from her licks to bend down and start grooming the fur around her shoulders.

What about you? Where are you from Speedy? he asked in between licks.

At the next question Slavik gave an amused snort. The fact that he was enjoying himself so much on this adventure was almost ironic, considering how hard he'd made Simsey work to get him to leave, I didn't at first. At Kendry Plains, we have this tradition that kind of sucks a little bit, when you turn one you have to decide whether or not to pledge yourself to the pack and stay, or leave. Either way its a go all in kind of deal. I was originally gonna stay with my sister Arway, but my other sister Simsey convinced me that we should leave and explore the world together, he explained.

I was so stubborn too! I really wasn't gonna go, but on the day we were supposed to decide I made this spur of the moment decision and went with her. We had fun traveling together at first but then one day she decided she would be fine without me. I was real pissed at first but everything turned out ok, he said. He'd never been one to keep secrets, so his past flowed easily from his lips.

Speedy spoke next about her own pack, as Slavik groomed her back. They were both from the south it seemed, and were used to the heat. Overall, their stories sounded sort of similar, other than his family traditions and indecisive sister. Same, glad I left, but I loved my family. Still do, he said, feeling the bitter sweet feeling he sometimes got when he thought of his parents, and Arway, and even Sim, all together as a family.

He still wanted to know more about Speedy, and a question popped into his mind. Ok, so I'm sure you get this one a lot, but why Speedy? He asked, curious as to the name. There had to be a reason for that frickin awesome name, either that or her parents just had style.

Slavik felt that he and Speedy had much in common, they thought similarly and just seemed to click. When prompted about his sister’s location, his eyebrows narrowed. No, I don’t know. But I’m sure she’s ok, believe it or not she was as big as me! he said with a smile though he was still trying to convince himself. If Simsey was in trouble and he didn’t even know, it was a fear that crossed his mind often. Being an empathetic wolf, his family and friends meant the world to him, and he would protect them at all costs. He would be broken if in someway he’d let her down.

At the point in Speedy’s tale when she dictated her father’s first words to her, Slavik let out good natured laugh. That sounded like the kind of thing he’d do, and he totally admired her parent’s spunk. That’s amazing. That was Speedy, he repeated, then met her golden eyes. She said it fit her well, and the blonde nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Oh definitely it does! Dude, if I hadn’t tricked you there’d a’ been no way i could’ve caught you in the lake, he said with a teasing grin, giving her a quick lick on her nose.

I hope so, I’d love to see her again. We used to even talk about starting a pack together, but I don’t know about that. She was always the most ambitious and out there of the three of us, so it was mostly her idea, Slavik explained, memories flashing through his mind. He could see puppy Simsey running to the edge of the territory, and asking him to date her across. She’d always been that way, and Arway had always been the more quiet and obedient one. Slavik was the intermediate, not the angel or the devil, but the shoulder they sat on.

Speedy laughed at Slavik’s joke about their game of chase, telling him it was a sly move. He returned her playful grin, I am a pretty good hunter, it’s actually what I’m best at. So what you saw was a pro pulling pro moves, don’t feel bad about losing, he teased, reaching forward to give her another lick on her ear. Just as he did she moved her own head to nibble his ticklish spot, and Slavik squirmed. A low giggle escaped his mouth, and though he squirmed he still liked the way it felt.

Slavik smiled and gave a huff of approval. They did have plenty of time for a rematch, now that they were going to be travel buddies. He was feeling great, his whim to follow her scent down into the cave had turned out to be great idea, and he silently praised his instincts. He watched her yawn, which inspired a yawn of his own. He too could use a nap, so when she asked and laid down he simply replied, Yeah, sounds great. He laid his own head down and shifted to be slightly closer to her so they could completely share warmth. He let out a satisfied rumble, then closed his eyes and dreamt of the future.