allegro

“What?” he asked, brilliant gold and cool turquoise and warm umber by turns, but Koi couldn’t seem to find the courage to repeat herself. A tremor ran through her, equal parts puppyish excitement and shy trepidation, and she was still trying to figure out what to respond with when he asked, “Do you know tug-of-war?”

Comprehension flashed across her young face, tufted ears popping animatedly to attention in tandem with a spirited flourish of her feathered tail. “Yes!” she piped joyfully, bouncing from side to side. So that was why he’d grabbed the antler — he wanted to play! The pearl had no hope of winning, being the smallest of her siblings, but she didn’t play tug to win; she played to get jostled and squashed, jiggled and joggled. Daringly, she tiptoed forward and set her teeth against the antler’s midsection, her tail wagging so furiously her entire body seemed to vibrate along with it. A soft, kittenish growl burbled mischievously in her throat.