Blacktail Deer Plateau home, and my music's playing

though her tone was light, he could see beneath the airy facade that she worried--over her father, over the pack to the south, over the injured bur. dawn did an excellent job, especially at her young age, at hiding these little worries from others, but now that he was getting to know her, he could see them peeking through the levity here and there.

"let's go find some birds," he agreed, grinning as she spoke next. i'll race you. the cheerful, almost childish challenge bubbled through his bloodstream, and he picked up one paw and scraped on the ground, back and forth, in an exaggerated fashion, as though to power up.

"oh, it's on. you can't beat these muscles," he whispered, his muzzle close to her ear. he flexed his burly shoulders, laughing as he did so. the lithe dawn was clearly going to excel in the speed challenge, but that didn't mean he couldn't still talk tough. "one, two, three--" and he shot off like a rocket, dead leaves scattering in his wake, anticipating dawn overtaking him in oh, maybe one or two short moments.