Blacktail Deer Plateau bonecracker

Before she could possibly sink her teeth into the meat of his haunch, Dante slung a foreleg about her neck and quickly rubbed her head, creating friction that made her squirm and cry, "Stahhhp!" She shoved at him, pushing herself free, eyes glittering and lips curved despite her indignant shout.

He declared her a gladiator, which she took to mean the same thing as a warrior. Osprey Jr. grinned and puffed out her chest. "Das wight, da biggest and baddest and bestest!" she exclaimed.

Not three seconds later, two things happened simultaneously: Junior felt abruptly worn out and the rain suddenly picked up, pounding down on the plateau with wild abandon. Osprey made a noise somewhere between a shriek and a giggle and dove for the trees to join her family. Once safely tucked beneath the relative shelter of the waterlogged boughs, she turned and motioned for Dante to join them.

Flopping down on the damp ground, her tongue lolled from her mouth. She watched the rainfall for a minute before her chin sank to her paws. As the sky darkened more with each passing moment and the rain continued to pummel the earth, her mismatched eyes closed and the Warrior-to-be fell sound asleep.