Phoenix Maplewood No one's ever left me quite this sore

Arion apologized and Saena smacked the surface of the water with a foreleg, but she wasn't able to conceal a grin when she declared, "you're an ass!" He was right, though. It was funny for him and she appreciated seeing some humour in him once more. It was much better than the attitude he'd had previously: one of aloofness and potential aggression. She'd felt nervous around him before, but now he was showing signs of being his old self again. Saena knew better now than to trust that he would always stay this way, but he surprised her by not only acting differently now, but acknowledging verbally that he'd been a bit of a prick.

"We should've paid more attention," Saena said, though she wouldn't outwardly apologize for not seeing the signs that Arion was in trouble. Leading a pack was a lot of work and she'd meant it when she'd told him there were more important things to do than to keep an eye on him. Still, Saena knew she and Reek could've done better by their friend and she would acknowledge that. "I forgive you," she told him, "and I would like that a lot."

As if to commemorate Arion's change of heart, she rose and slapped a paw broadly across the water, trying to splash him again. This time she dropped her chest toward the water and waved her tail high in the air, daring him to fight back with splashes of his own.