Firestone Hot Springs i will prove myself

oh my god i love you <3

The sun shining down on him, glistening in silver-blue ribbons on his sleek ebony fur, created a blanket of heat that lay pleasantly atop him and made him want very much to just drop to the ground, roll over on his back, and snooze in the warmth. Spring had very much sprung, and it would not be long before summer arrived with hot days, muggy nights, singing cicadas, and buzzing bees. He liked summertime, and the thoughts of all that would come in the months ahead -- particularly seeing his little nieces grow and being a part of their lives -- brought a smile to his face.

And it was because of them that he could not allow himself the luxury of sleeping away the afternoon in a pool of sunshine somewhere. He was hunting for them, as had become a habit for him since their birth, and at the moment he was scouting around the hot springs at a ground-eating lope. It felt good to be away from the packlands and doing something constructive. Sometimes he felt it bitterly ironic that he was now working to feed the children his brother had fathered with the woman he himself wanted. He loved the beautiful girls they'd had, of course, but…well, he tried not to think about it too much.

Coming around a small stand of sparse trees just beginning to leaf out for the season, he spotted a figure not far ahead. And the sight of that figure made him stop dead in his tracks.

It was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful females he'd ever laid eyes on. The first detail that struck him was the richness and color of her coat: brilliant, lustrous shades of gold gleamed boldly against deep, decadent mocha hues. The sun danced and glinted on her sleek form such that Atticus could not help but stare. He'd never seen a wolf so strikingly marked, nor so beautifully feminine.

Atticus did not allow himself to gawk for long, remembering his manners and pulling himself together after a few fleeting moments. Moving toward the female, he waved his tail at her affably and offered a friendly smile. A soft breeze brought a faint whiff of Peregrine's scent entwined with hers. So she'd met his brother. Did this make her a newer packmate of his, perhaps? "Hi," he said as he drew nearer, feeling very dull and plain next to such a splendid wolf. "I'm Atticus. Are...you new to the Plateau pack?" He'd never been good at striking up conversations, especially where pretty girls were involved, and he couldn't help kicking himself for how dumb he sounded.