Hideaway Strath ragwort,

Alduin had been so entranced by the bug for those short few moments he hadn’t even noticed how bad he startled her. Until he realizes that she’s not running along side him. He stops, slowing to a trot and then an uncertain walk before halting completely. Scarlet eyes swirling with something…something not necessarily negative but he only assumes the worst by the way the other pup stares at him with wide heterochromatic eyes that sparkle in the low light of the moon. 

Then in the same second shes on him. He almost flinches as she approaches, sniffing him all over. Only to make a face. Does I smell bad? He wonders. Until he’s distracted by her wandering gaze, seeming to lose interest in him just as quick. She’s odd to him, but so is he. Neither have spoken a word to each other yet. Still, he eyes her with wonder and curiosity as she dips down to collect a firefly onto a rosey nose. Balancing her way back with the little bugger too, he tilts his head, a crease already firing between circular brows.

He has no idea what she plans on doing with it until she invaded his personal space. This almost makes him flinch despite her meek stature and innocent look in those pretty, mismatched eyes. She closes in on him, so much so he almost backs up, such a sweet gesture is foreign to him. So when her nose boops onto his, he almost goes cross-eyed trying to look at both her and the bug. A laugh even bubbles up from her lips and Alduin hardly knows what to do with himself. Sure, the only other pup that’s been so sweet to him was @Thyme, but he considers Thyme his best friend as of right now. But this is a girl ans he almost finds himself getting nervous, the shift of his ears shows this as well as the pensive expression. 

He doesn’t move though, rather he bravely closes the distance between them. This allows the bug to mosey on over to Alduin’s own sniffer. It tickles and he has to wiggle his nose in an attempt to push away an upcoming sneeze. Only then does he look back to her, blood red eyes curious and captivated. 

The tiniest smile quirks his lips upwards and he releases a huff of breath that could be considered a laugh. Such a magic moment spent between two practical strangers, bonding in the way younglings do. 

So he allows the bug to sit atop his snout a few seconds longer before approaching her once more. Alduin tries to mirror her actions, lowering his head a tad to press their noses together again and pass the fiery insect back to her. It’s accompanied by another breathy laugh and for the first time in a while, he feels normal again.