Dawnlark Plains how long can i survive with this mentality

@Aditya

Although tiny on the outside, Eventide's spirit was growing exponentially with every passing day. Sometimes, it seemed like he had so many spunk waiting to be released that he might explode! Since Poppa's disappearance, Momma had been less enthusiastic during play time, which meant that Ty was forced to search elsewhere for an outlet. 

Unsupervised outings weren't often encouraged, but Eventide wasn't known as a stickler for the rules. Unless someone was to come around and save him, he was headed right for the border.

since he'd gotten back, and especially after grayday's death, aditya's life had fallen into a sort of rhythm. borders. hunt. den. borders. it cycled on, day by day, always the same order. the monotony didn't bother him, so much, especially when he had company. it was his new normal, and he tried to keep his normal, cheerful attitude throughout.

he especially loved the time with the pups, so when he padded toward the den and saw ty's burly little body rushing away, his face cracked in a grin. "bahadur," he called out, heading that way. it meant 'brave,' and he could think of no better moniker for the boy. he would be the pack's guardian one day, fierce and protective. for now, he was one to be protected.

adi blocked the boy's path, flopping down in front of him. "where are you off to in such a hurry?" he asked, cocking his head. he nudged his nose against the already-sturdy shoulder, attempting to bowl eventide over and initiate play.

Initially startled by Aditya, Eventide flinched and ducked down with his hackles raised, only settling once the man's familiar face came into view. Once they were eye-to-eye, he used a curious paw to bat at his elder's snout, whispering, Play! Aditya's nudge was only strong enough to get him off of his feet for a second, shifting his weight onto his side and almost falling over in the process. Play! he exclaimed, tail wagging a mile a minute. 

The border was so close! If his speedy legs could just make it over without getting caught...

his eyes creased to slits as he laughed, a deep, gurgling sound of joy. "yes, play," he agreed, watching as the boy regained his footing with aplomb, a skill that would serve him well as he grew up. he wagged his tail and used his paw to scoop the boy under his belly and into the air, hovering just a few inches above the ground.

adi placed him atop his belly, letting him crawl around however long he chose. river and kitten were quite the fans of snuggling into his fur; why should eventide be any different? he waited for the press of little pawpads upon his ribs, mouth cracked in a grin of anticipation as he expected a tickling sensation.

Oh, no; this wasn't what Eventide wanted! He didn't want to roll on top of Adi's belly like some pageant child, waiting for praise. He wanted to play like he had with Sunny, and if Aditya didn't want to help with that, then he would just have to take his company elsewhere. No, Ty whined, rolling off of the furry stage he'd been placed on, Stop. With lowered ears and a sad, low-hanging tail, Eventide began to walk away from Aditya to sit a few feet away and mope.

aditya was taken aback when eventide abruptly rolled off, toddling away and moping. eyes flashing with concern, he sat up, head cocked. "arrey, bachcha," he called out to the boy. "i'm sorry, ty. i should have asked. how do you want to play?"

he should have asked. this was eventide, not one of his more snuggly siblings. a brawny boy, through and through. adi got to his feet and wandered a few paces, finding a stick and taking it between his teeth. he held it straight out, careful not to trip and inadvertently impale himself--fine example to set for the boy, there.

"bahadur," he mumbled through the wood in his mouth, grinning. he waggled the stick to and fro, enticing him to come forward. aditya dropped it at his paws, head tilted in inquiry. "tug of war?" he didn't know if the boy knew what it meant, but perhaps he'd take the meaning with physical cues.

It didn't take long for Eventide to forget why he'd been upset in the first place, especially when Aditya presented his peace offering. Ba-ba-da, he repeated, trying to mimick his own pet name as a way to yell, Yes! Tug-of-freaking-war! The tiny Corten rushed forward and took one end of the play-thing in his mouth, leaping up and down to keep its weight from dragging.

he let out a bark of laughter, taking the other end in his mouth and pulling ever-so-slightly. too much and he'd knock the boy off his paws--and it was too soon in the budding warrior's life for an ego check. instead, adi wagged his plumed tail, paws hitting the ground rhythmically in a motion that was half-dance, half-knead, like a playful puppy himself.

"try to ge' i' ou' of my mouf," aditya mumbled through the stick, bobbing his chin slightly up and down so that the stick would follow. he made a great show of backing up, trying--and failing, by design--to pull eventide with him.

With Eventide bobbing one way and Aditya going another, the poor boy was being half-flung through the air! Not that he was complaining; to him, this was more fun than any other games he'd ever played. As he held on for dear life, the boy tried to get his footing so that he might actually have a chance at beating the bigger wolf. His jaws were clamped tight, but was he strong enough? Once his paws found their place on the ground, Eventide twisted his head as hard as he could, hoping that it was enough to win.

aditya's eyes creased to slits as he grinned, watching the boy bob around on the other end. he wagged his tail in a continuous motion, waiting for eventide to get his bearings. there, he planted his feet, and--

"whoa!" adi cried in reflex as the stick flew out of his mouth, squarely lodged in eventide's jaws. that had been quite the pull; the youngster had great strength, especially for his age. "vah vah, kya baat hai, bahadur!" he praised, golden eyes glittering.

he was getting better with the children, though god knew how he'd do when they got a little bigger. easy had been so cross with him for babying her; it would be even worse, knowing this litter from their birth. he could only hope that they'd be kinder with him than the prickly morningsider had been (though he missed her, every day).

And just like that, Eventide had one! The stick was his to keep whether Aditya liked it or not. Ba-ba-da! he yelled, finding himself caught and cornered by a swarm of proud giggles. Not wanting their game to end, he dropped his end of the stick and ran to Aditya's side to try his hand at sparring, like he had with Sunny.

charmed by ty's babbling, aditya sprang backwards, wagging his tail as if he were about to pounce. he thought he got it, now. the little warrior wanted to wrestle. "come knock me over, bahadur," he challenged, leveling his stare to meet the boy's. "if you can get the stick, you can certainly put up a fight with me."

he danced slowly back and forth, shifting his weight on his paws. he wondered what eventide would do next. his ears swiveled, eyes darting to pick up the pup's every move. someone had taught him this behavior--sunny, perhaps, or his late father. whomever it had been, aditya was here to pick up the slack.

This was definitely going to be the highlight of his day. Eventide's tail wagged so hard behind him that his entire body shook; there was too much unreleased energy inside of him to stand still! Watching Aditya leap backwards startled tiny Eventide, but only for a moment before he started after him, teeth bared and all. The first thing that he did was go for Adi's chest, taking a chunk of fur into his mouth and using it for grip.

he burst out in shocked laughter, tumbling over as eventide gripped his chest with his maw. perhaps it was just a matter of placating the child, for now, but one day he would be a great warrior, a capable fighter. sides heaving, aditya blinked over at the boy, batting gently at his ears.

"you've got me down," he gasped, jaws stretched wide in a smile. "know what to do next? go for the belly, go for the belly." he arched his back in further emphasis, stretching out his creamy stomach for the pup to pummel. "c'mon, bahadur, finish me off."

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