Redsand Canyon morning soak

Rising with the dawn as often as he did had left Aquillius with a fine tuned internal clock, and he was still quite following it. He was growing lean with muscle, even more so as he began to get closer to a milestone of a year.

It wouldn’t be for some time yet, but Aquillius was almost the man he would become. Minus a few centimeters of height, and some muscle build, of course.

This morning he came back from a predawn run through the canyon, avoiding the southernmost parts to keep his pelt from adorning a coyote den. He slowed his pace beside the oasis, slipping quietly into its borders. After a quick look back and forth, the eaglet padded into the water with a short sigh of relief, making it to where the water touched his belly fur and plopping onto his side there, letting the water cool his overheated skin.

the world was filled with sudden changes.

his children had grown to their adult heights. now food and physical experience would fill aquillius with the hard muscles of a soldier.

germanicus put all else from his mind. he followed the boy's trail to the oasis and deposited himself in the water nearby.

he spoke not a word, only enjoying the quiet sense of company as the moments drifted.