Noctisardor Bypass the sleeper

Grub's lips parted on a silent gasp as one of the blackbirds perched on Beetle's shoulder. She thrust her snout forward to sniff at it when she felt something feather light brush against the peak of her own shoulder blade. The yearling nearly contorted in half to blink at the bird resting there. She stared for a beat before her mouth curved into a smile.

Unwinding, her gaze swept back to Beetle. In the blink of an eye, every last one of the birds vanished, leaving the two she-wolves standing alone on the dark, frozen plain. Overhead, ribbons of green and even pink began to shift and twist against the ethereal purple. The sight inspired a low rumble in Grub's chest, which crept up her throat. She wanted to sing, yet she kept her mouth tightly shut.

Instead, she nudged her sister and took a few prancing steps. They couldn't hunt but they could certainly run, especially with so much open ground beckoning them. Waving her tail in Beetle's face, Grub laughed soundlessly and burst into a gallop. As she ran, a dozen of the blackbirds reappeared overhead, racing her along the technicolor snow.

In the real world, Grub's tiny legs kicked minutely. She didn't make a sound, though if her mother cocked an ear, she might catch the little puffs of air escaping through her nose.