let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster

The two young team members exchanged glances, and Atreyu pretended that they knew exactly what they were doing. As if it was some sort of silent signal, he quirked his right ear towards her, before canting his head to the left. In his mind, Spectra would know exactly what she had to do. They would both go for the heart but, at the last minute, she would pull away and he would grab it, and then she would pin Aesop so Atreyu could shoulder charge Onyx and then...

Suddenly, the other yearling had taken off down the field, quickly managing to gather up the heart with the skill of a thieving raccoon, side-stepping a sprawling Onyx. He chased after her with barks of excitement mixing with Thistle's own cheers from the sidelines. Hah, their opponents had nothing on them! The boy was nearing Spectra's side, ready to either defend or receive a pass if she chose, until the world flipped and Atreyu suddenly found himself on his side. He wasn't even sure what he had tripped on, but he was quick to his feet again, afraid the heart had been stolen by their competition. Instead, he saw Spectra on the other side of the field, Aesop and Onyx trotting towards each other as if in defeat. Realisation dawning upon him, the boy gave a short, triumphant howl in celebration of their victory, his tail wagging furiously behind him. It had been a short game, but they had won and, to Atreyu, that was really the only thing that mattered.

The yearling went to rejoin the others as they began to congregate around Thistle. He and Aesop were almost unrecognisable, their pale fur streaked with mud and dirt, while the two girls became darker, more matted versions of themselves. Atreyu shook out his filthy — well, filthier — coat, unaware of the fact that the surrounding wolves would probably be showered with bits of mud. As the host of the game clarified their win, the Epsilon's ears thrust forward in pride, before they pricked as he pitched the heart towards he and Spectra. Leaping from the ground with wide open jaws, Atreyu made to grab at the morsel that was now free to eat despite how dirty and beaten it was. Whatever, it was still their prize.