Saucy loved the valley, it was the liveliest land she’d come across and she felt so happy here. She still wandered far, randomly deciding to stray from the valley for day trips or sometime entire weeks, but she kept finding herself back here. Today she’d left the meadow that she usually planted herself in and gone to a forest where the leaves began to take their autumnal tones of fire, and the radiance was energizing.

She wandered through the warm forest at varying paces, sometimes with invigorating speed and sometimes at wearily slow. She had just finished a sprint through a more open section when she heard a low hum ringing through the trees. She stopped in her tracks, completely frozen at attention, the only movement was from her heavy breaths. She recognized that voice, she was almost sure, and a sudden urgency spread across her face. She followed it until it stopped, but by then she’d caught his scent and was positive it was him.

When at last she found him, the creamy toned male whom she called brother, she let out a loud, SWEET!!!! and bounded towards him. She leapt circles around him and showered him in affection, which manifested as a mixture of licks and head butts. What’re you doing here?!! she said in an enthusiastic tone, her tail wagging madly.

Saucy’s unbounded, in your face personality was met with an all to familiar wall of ‘stop’, which she completely and utterly ignored. She’d almost forgotten that Sweet was so sensitive, and she chalked his reaction up to him being so, rather than her being too much. She wasn’t the most self aware of wolves, but she also didn’t give a crap. Even as he spoke she nuzzled his cheek, just so glad to see him again. Why aren’t you with mom and dad? he asked, as Saucy scoffed, giving him a raised eyebrows look.

I left a while ago, I got bored I guess so I went exploring. Mom and dad are totally fine, they got Spicy to take care of them, she said as though that meant mom and dad were fine, but both siblings knew that having Spicy to take care of them wasn’t the most reassuring of things. And I was following you just now, following your stank ass singing! she said with a playful grin, teasing him as usual, meant in the most loving way. How long have you been in this valley?

Her brother said he didn’t know how long he’d been here, he’d been in the forest a few hours and before that; roaming. Saucy nodded, kind of surprised honestly that Sweet hadn’t yet found a pack. She’d thought that’d be the first thing he’d do after he left, find a new place to call home. It was hard to believe that he’d been out here so long on his own, since before even she left their little family unit. She was honestly proud of him, it showed in the fondness in her pale blues.

I can’t believe you’re here! You look great by the way, she said with a jovial hum, offering him a rare, no strings attached compliment.

Saucy smiled, something in Sweet’s words and that timid smile just made her feel warm. And young, and unlike she had since leaving her family. She really did miss them, she hadn’t thought about how much she did until now but they truly were some of her favorite wolves. His return of the compliment was met with a confident, I know, along with another circular prance around her brother, her tail wagging like a flag.

This time she didn’t stop, she felt energized, so she just kept moving- in circles around him, from one side of the clearing to the other, up and down, wherever felt right. As she did she spoke, Since you’ve been out here longer than me, I’m sure you got a good story or something. Spill the beans, she said, flashing him a cavalier grin.

Saucy regarded his story with interest and amusement, her eyes widening in a mixture of surprise and concern when he mentioned a cat. Like a big one? Or like a littler one? she asked, looking him over quickly to see if he had any scars she hadn’t yet noticed. There was nothing to indicate a fight that she could see, so he either meant he ran into a kitten, or he was just way more able than she’d originally thought. Either way she was proud of all he’d done, it shone in the sparkle of her eyes.

I’ve done a lot too, I went across a whole mountain range and met a ‘dog’, he was a little bitch so I bit him, that whole encounter was still raw in her memories, how the dog had set her off with a phrase and brought out a seldom seen truly angry side of her. She figured if she played it off like everything was chill as usual, it wouldn’t matter. And it didn’t really, she hadn’t changed any since then. But sometimes she still felt a twinge of guilt, and found herself with her head hung and her mother’s words playing in her head.

None of this showed on her face, Saucy was very good at being happy so that’s what she stuck to. She continued on with a light swing of her hips, mostly I’ve been hanging out in this valley. I thought about settling down here, but I don’t know. I love exploring.

Pretty big? Well shit! Was Sweet finally getting some of her badassness!? She was impressed! If only she could see past his fib, however this unsure tone he took was common with the shy Soleil, so it didn’t cross her mind. What reason would he have to lie anyway? she thought at least. He seemed surprised when she mentioned settling down, yeah what? she replied. He elaborated further, having come to the conclusion that she hadn’t made up her mind. Well... yeah but that’s not the point homie!

No like- not forever I mean. I meant just for maybe winter. I like it here but I’m gonna keep exploring for now. I was just thinkin like pack wise you know? There was one pack that invited me to join nearby and they were pretty tight, she explained with a nod of self approval. Sometimes she had to think back on what she just said, to make sure it made sense; she didn’t usually think before she spoke.

Saucy’s long explanation was met with a simple but sweet response, that so suited him. Her train of thought drifted to her childhood, all the good and bad times she’d had with her family. Seeing him again was just the thing she needed to boost her mood, it eased her guilt about separating from them, to know that even without her at least one Soleil was thriving. Eww was she feeling sentimental? Grodies. 

Thanks bro, I will, she said, then finally stopped her restless circling. The white lioness then dropped into a play bow shaking her tail which curled up above her. Enough of this talking stuff, Saucy much preferred the physical aspects of life. She let out a low grumble, coaxing him to join in. Hopefully he hadn’t outgrown this! But if there was one in the family who would Sweet would be it.