Bearclaw Valley Desert Wellies

Nuna was too small to understand that she was different from her brothers and sisters. It is very likely that even as she would grow up, she would never consider that there was something wrong with her. Either because her mind was wired in an alternative way, or simply because she was a 100% "doer", who was so involved with the world around her that there was no room for contemplation of philosophical sort.

She was used to other puppies and adult babbling, something she was unable to mimic (though she sometimes tried, but the effort was too much and she soon gave up) and thought quite useless anyway, when tones, body language and demeanor could be so much more informative. And that - really - to surivive you did not need that much of talking anyway. A bark here, a growl there, an occasional "rumph" and "umph" and things were clear and simple.

And because neither she, nor her siblings could comprehend yet their differences, it was beneficial that Lucas treated her as everyone else. As if she was normal by their standards. There and then, working besides her brother, frequently casting fleeting glances to him to see, if this refilling of the hole was still they had to do, she felt something stir inside her. A realization that she liked him just a bit more than the rest, that to her he suddenly was just as a special friend as Indra was.

And the next time, when she paused and looked at him, there was a profound sincerety in her eyes and smile. Nunataq might never be just like everybody else, but she loved just the same.