It'd been a while since he'd pushed himself so hard. Tendrils of fogged breath eluded his snout as his lungs seized in an effort to quench their thirst for air; his manic running was little more than a stumbling, weak trudge that left trenches instead of tidy footprints. He noticed that the solid plane of earth beneath him had gradually softened with the introduction of sand...and by the time he could urge himself onward no longer he was entirely within the haven of a seemingly deserted beach.
This is where I'll start over he thought dramatically to himself as he stared absent mindedly across the surface of the water and on toward the infinity of the ocean beyond.
He wouldn't really...but he was helpless not to at least entertain the idea.
set by Emy
Pump had been out of the pack-lands for the past few days, scavenging up and down the nearby territories, seeking for scraps of food, dead carcasses and anything else that appeared to be edible. Nothing much had been going on in the Horizon ridge - with Pied still severely injured and recovering, Jinx's exile, the mood was not the jolliest. She and the white she-wolf hadn't been friends, but out of the all wolves she had met, she had respected her the most.
Therefore she kept herself busy. And today she had arrived at the shores, looking for the sea lion carcasses and strangely - finding none. The big creatures had left the place for some reason and Pump had no idea, if or when they would return. She found out a few minutes later that she was not alone on the shores and froze the moment she recognized the white figure standing there. Oh no...
The bones in his neck practically emitted an audible squeal as his snout submitted to a slow, hauntingly precise turn that brought a familiar face into focus. She was less macabre looking than in their last encounter but was unmistakable nonetheless; even the shreds of disdain floating upon her face kindled nostalgia from their meeting at the river.
Yes. he thoughts whispered in boyish satisfaction. A smile curled on his lips.
"FLOOFY!" He yelled obnoxiously as he stood and began staggering his way down the beach to greet her.
set by Emy
Pump did not have to be a genius to tell that the white beast had noticed her, because he first yelled something about "fluff" and then began to run in her direction. The first reaction was fear and awkwardness - she pulled her ears back and bared her teeth at him. The fur along her spine bristled, making her look bigger and more intimidating than she was. If this fellow wouldn't get the clear message to "bugger off", she would attack him. Or run. Depending on the situation.
"Floofy!" he called again. It was obvious that he was largely unaffected by the hostility (and dread no doubt) in her body language...though he didn't go so far as to invade her personal space. He halted within a few yards of her, plume wagging excitedly behind him, and he stamped the sand beneath him with his forepaws. "Have you been well?" he asked with a voice loud enough to carry adequately over both their distance and the low roar of the ocean.
set by Emy
He greeted her like an old friends - in your dreams she thought to herself - and asked about her well-being. Instead of answering - she huffed and ran past him as fast as she could. Pump was not the best sprinter in the world, but she was determined to get away from him.