Redhawk Caldera Make my heartbeat stop

She had returned home without Atreus. She had sesrched and searched, but it was as if he had simple disappeared. Atreus would never leave her like this would he? There had to be another reason.

She had stopped by to see Alaric and he had done hisbest to brighten her up. Had even spent time digging the snarls out of her fur. But now she was back and sad all over again.

She curled up outside her den amd studied the sky. It smelled like him. Her throat tightened.

@Eljay and @Maia had moved their three youngest to the rendezvous site, where Frolic could scamper to her heart’s delight. For someone who was a notoriously picky eater, she contained a frankly unhinged amount of energy sometimes. She could play from dawn until dusk, dropping only to snuggle up to @Glee and/or @Callahan as if they were her personal battery packs.

This morning, she woke fully charged and immediately went galloping from one end of the rendezvous site to the other. Maia eventually called her over to eat some breakfast. Frolic ate like a bird, then followed after her mother on what had become a daily routine: either Eljay or Maia would single out the hyperactive pup to burn off some of that energy.

Today’s trek took them past Amalia’s den. As soon as Frolic spotted her gazing skyward, she capered up to the her pack mate. The pup was still rather clumsy, though she managed to grind to a halt in front of her Amalaia and grin goofily at her, black tail whirling behind her.

Hi, what’cha lookin’ at? Frolic asked, leaving the woman no room to answer before gasping, Can we yell at the clouds?!

Amalia saw the young pup coming and sat up a little. Ears thrust forward to catch the child's words. A small smile lighting up her face.

We can if you want too. I was just looking.

Amalia shifted and stared up again
::But you know sometimes you can find pictures in the clouds too.

“We can if you want,” was all Frolic needed to hear. She threw her head back and bayed at the summer sky, her youthful melody drowning out whatever else Amalia said. When her small lungs shortly ran out of air, she gulped in a huge breath and renewed her cry. This went on for two more cycles before she finally grew tired of it.

Her head dropped down and she peered at Amalia, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as she caught her breath. Frolic recognized her, though she couldn’t recall her name right now. As a matter of fact, the youngster was rather terrible with names. Sometimes she even called her beloved brother and sister by the wrong ones!

D’you wanna race? she proposed as soon as she had the breath to spare.

Amalia chuckled andjoined in. Her own melodiou howl reaching out to intwine with the youngling.

She nodded. We can race.

Amalia pulled herself to her feet and smiled. Stretching out her limbs and back. Shw found a safe disgance away and nodded towards the tree she'd chosen.

First one to that tree wins?

Frolic’s little body thrummed with excitement when Amalia agreed to a race. Unlike many pups her age—including her own siblings—there wasn’t much in way of puppy fat on her frame. She was thin as a whip, in part because she ate like a bird and ran like a horse. She was light on her feet, which lent her speed, if only Frolic could avoid stumbling over them…

As soon as the final word left Amalia’s mouth, determining the finish line, Frolic burst into a gallop. For a solid thirty seconds, she flew across the yellowing grass, her blackened ears slicking back against her skull. Her lips peeled back too, revealing a wolfish grin. Her jaws parted and her tongue lolled out, flapping in the breeze.

Even when a gnarled root sprang up in her path, Frolic didn’t slow down or stumble. She leaped over it and came down on the other side with only a mild totter before continuing at breakneck speed toward the targeted tree.

The girl was fast and she was off before there was even an utterance of go. But Amalia knew she could catch her. The question be ame did she or did she let the girl win. She supposed she could catch up and then back down. She was a ranger after all built for speed.

Amalia gave a soft yip and jumped into action. She raced behind and then past the girl giving a playful growl and then backing off again. Laughing.

The pup scarcely remembered her opponent, her focus on making it to the tree giving Frolic tunnel vision. But then she heard thumping to her left and Frolic’s head snapped in that direction just as Amalia overtook her. She didn’t have the breath to spare for a shout, though her face became the picture of determination as she poured every ounce of her energy into the last leg of the race.

Unaware that Amalia slowed deliberately, Frolic thought she was simply so fast that she was catching up to the full-grown wolf. Thrilled by her own speed, she leered triumphantly at her competition, even playfully sticking out her tongue as she started to pass Amalia.

This division of her attention was her downfall, as she promptly tripped over her own feet and slammed to the ground. Her right shoulder took the first impact, her momentum flipping her over in a complete somersault. This resulted in Frolic landing flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her so she writhed like a fish out of water.

Amalia chuckled an moved over to help the girl up.

A lesson in sore losing and winning. Are you okay?

She snuffed her all over and made sure she was alright. The girl had run well. And Amalia was pleased with her run. But the girl did need to realize sometimes it wasn't kind to act that way win or lose.

Amalia came over and tried to help her up. Encouraged by the prodding, Frolic flipped over and pushed onto all fours. The phrenospasm slowly subsided and she gave Amalia’s words a look that said, Huh? Frolic didn’t comprehend what she meant at all. She grinned and waved her tail, as if nothing had happened.

Abruptly, she darted forward and tapped the woman’s elbow with a cry of, Tag, you’re it!

The puppy spun and scrambled away, laughing wildly.

Amalia was surprised and pleased at the girls turn around, but she was tagged before she could think. The girl was there and then she wasn't.

Amalia stood still for a moment, but then with a snort followed the girl.

Better run fast!

“Better run fast!” Amalia warned from somewhere behind her, earning a squeal as Frolic pumped her legs harder.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before she took another spill. She tripped over her own forepaw and stumbled, though Frolic somehow managed to stay upright. Once she recovered, Frolic began dodging and weaving in an instinctive pattern to avoid being caught.

All the while, she laughed maniacally, giving off the vibe of a deranged drunk.

Amalia slowed when the girl fell again, but she seemed okay. Amalia chuckled at her absolute goblin energy.

She let her run for a little until finally the girl weaved and Amalia didged and she reach3d out a paw to dab and yell. Tag!

The feel of Amalia’s paw brushing her shoulder elicited a screech roughly the same volume as a low-flying airplane. It was followed by a gulp and a bray of laughter as the girl skidded to a halt, then whirled.

I’ma gonna get’chu! she cried with a gleam in her eye, heart pounding gaily against her rib cage as she sprang toward Amalia.

The screech hurt her ears and she had to curl thrm to her head. But she quickly backed up and then turned to bound away.

She teased the girl. Moving close and then far away. Laughing merrily, green eyea gleaming.

No matter how hard she tried, Frolic could not catch Amalia. Rather than grow frustrated, it just compelled her to try harder and harder. Every time she thought she was close only to be foiled by the woman’s elusive escape, she laughed. Win or lose, she was enjoying the game.

As often happened with her, Frolic crashed suddenly and without warning. She flopped dramatically to the ground, tongue lolling from her mouth and chest heaving. Still she smiled, giddy even in her exhaustion as she rolled her head in search of Amalia’s whereabouts.

Amalia heard the crash, but what would usually cause her worry it didn't. Frolic had proven she was prone to falling and she was always fine.

Amalia flopped down a few feet from the girl. A break sounds great. So glad you thought of it.

Then she closed her eyes in delight. Took a deep breath in of the peaceful air.

She snickered softly at Amalia’s comment, still panting as the woman came to rest beside her. Frolic closed her eyes, wishing her brother or sister was nearby. She much preferred to rest beside one of them, as if she could draw energy from their nearness.

Maia reappeared, exchanging a friendly greeting with Amalia before coaxing Frolic to her feet. The girl raised one blackened forepaw to wave goodbye as she trailed after her mother. They would rejoin their family at the rendezvous site, where Frolic could drag Glee or Badger into being her pillow pal for a nap.