Silver Creek O Captain! My Captain!

Her voice was soft, but he heard it all the same. He smiled softly and nodded, he meant his words. It was a sad world where children could die and horrible wolves still lived and roamed. It was a sad world where a wolf like Spring could suffer so much hardship. Yet, looking at her, Heston knew that her hardship had made her stronger. It made her more beautiful, all the things that she had overcome.

Her shoulder was warm against his, and they leaned like this, equal weight to keep the other wolf from tumbling over. For a moment, all was silent, they merely leaned and took in each other's warmth. He stared out at Silver Creek, enjoying this calm moment with Spring. A soft chuckled escaped him, breathy with disbelief. "Look." He said softly, voice rumbling deep within his chest. He gestured with his nose towards the small dot that rose and fell a small distance away. It fluttered closer, alighting on a flower for a moment, only to rush back into the air. It twirled and bobbed with an uncertainty, as if it were new to flying in general, or clumsy.

It grew closer to them, but did not come directly towards them. It passed before them, perhaps a body length or so away, dipping and weaving and landing haphazardly on the occasional flower. Heston did speak anymore, he merely watched the butterfly and thought of Hazel, a pup he never knew. Finally he pulled his eyes away and glanced to Spring. "See." He said, voice still soft, as if afraid to scare away the butterfly. "I'll notice them more now, because of Hazel, and you." He leaned more into her for a moment, before returning to normal balance. Yet his eyes stayed watching her face.