Walk | Talk | Think

The little blue pup crept and slunk across the ground of the prairie, using the tall grasses that grew there as cover. She was close, so close, to the border that she could almost taste freedom. Nervously Rory glanced over her shoulder but saw no one, the first time her luck had held out this long. Oh, if she could just get over the border, if she could just make the last few feet... No aunts, no uncles, no Mommy or Daddy or even Seraphiel would be there to keep her in check - not that Ray even kept herself in check. But if she could just make it, she would have gotten out all on her own, and that was something to be excited about!

Her tail wagged, rustling the grasses as she weaseled through the last few feet and paused for a moment just a step across the border. One last time Aurora peeked over her shoulder, casting quick, searching glances to either side. No one... She was free!

Foregoing all pretense of stealth and secrecy, the excited pup dashed forward at a dead run, tongue lolling and her dark blue tail waving victoriously behind her. Vibrant golden eyes gleamed as she ran, pushing herself as far as she dared away from the border of home and into new and uncharted territory, driven not so much by curiosity but by excitement. How far could she get before she needed to stop running? How far might she go before guilt or - heaven forbid it - a relative dragged her back home? Oh, what did it matter so long as she got to spend a few crazy moments outside the border and all independently on her own!

With an energetic yip that morphed into a playful growl, the youth tumbled and rolled into the grasses of this new hilly region, rolling and twisting and wriggling upon the ground with a giddy expression as she reveled in her temporary victory over grown ups and rules.

Ashmedai didn't expect to find much when he went out, especially not another blueberry wolf. He saw the small pup streaking about. Really, how did all the blue pups not get eaten when they were like... that little. She was running straight out and, judging by her yip and rolling around, wasn't supposed to be out here. Uh-oh, an escaped pack pup. It was normal, wasn't it; for pups to want to leave the pack? Ashmedai drew closer, keeping a good distance away in case any family decided to be overprotective, "Hey blue! You there! Stop!" he called, "Just what do you think you're doing out here all on your lonesome? Haven't you ever heard of the big bad wolf?" Ashmedai finished trotting nearby, and sat, plopping his butt down on the soft grass. Really, this tiny thing was so blue. Was her whole family blue? Did she smell like the ocean and other similarly colored things, "Or maybe your parents never told you about him."

Walk | Talk | Think

Aurora wiggled as she rolled about upon her back, paws waving as they were held up over her small frame into the air. Her smile was wide and her tongue lolled comically, her delight and excitement evident. It was just so thrilling! She had honestly not expected to get as far as she did, and now that she had succeeded in getting across the border the rebellious blue pup was hellbent on celebrating for as long as she could. Which meant, for the time being, getting a literal feel for this new place that she had wandered into.

As she thrashed around in the grasses, however, she heard a faint but familiar sound. Sounds tended to never come in very clear, always muffled and distant, but she knew well enough by now to know that the noise meant someone was close by. Instantly her jaw snapped shut, barely missing her tongue as it was drawn back into her mouth, and scrambling she rolled herself to her stomach, lifting her head high to spot whoever might have been there. Was it Mommy? Daddy? Uncle Voltage? Oh, maybe it was Ray!

It did not take her very long to spot the individual, and she was admittedly surprised to realize that she did not recognize this one. Her puzzlement showed itself within her expression, lips drawn together into a serious line while her golden eyes stared direct and wide at him. From the way he looked at her, she supposed he had wanted her attention. Everyone only ever looked at her like that when they wanted her to do something. Words were lost to her because of her partial deafness, but there was nothing to hinder her from picking up on the subtle cues others made when they were trying to tell her something. Like that look.

Her curiosity was great, but her habit of running from potential trouble was greater. And in this instance, her new acquaintance was not so much the trouble but possibly the harbinger of it. Did he know Mommy and Daddy? Would he try to make her go back over the border? Still on her stomach, the blue pup lifted her rump slightly off the ground and, taking long, totally inconspicuous steps backward, began to creep in reverse. No, she did not want to go back yet! And if she could just creep a little bit backward then she could probably stand a change at getting away from this wolf before he made her go back to Mommy and Daddy the way all the others did!

Aw man, she was running away from him. That stunk. Maybe they did tell her of the big bad wolf. Maybe she thought he was the big bad wolf. Ashmedai called out to the young pup, "Hey now! I'm not a bad guy!" he replied loudly, "I'm Ashmedai!" To accompany his name and friendliness, Ash slammed his forepaws on the ground, his tail folding above him in the universal signal for 'play', then he dropped to his side and rolled over, tongue lolling out, "See, just your average run-of-the-hill giant!" he called out. Would the small pup believe him, or would she run away? Poor small blueberry, she must have been so scared. Ashemdai tried to remember being in his pack as a young pup, when everyone was taller than him. It was normal, he thought, but seeing Sparrow's family and the wolves from Abaven... he must look terrifying!

Walk | Talk | Think

Rory continued to stare wide-eyed and contemplative at the tall, blue-eyed wolf as she kept creeping slowly backward. She had suspected initially that she was doing a good job of making her movements discreet, so discreet that he might not even notice her beginning to sneak way, but it seemed he caught on faster than she gave him credit for. The look on his face seemed to fall, reminding Aurora of disappointment, and again he opened his mouth to make noise. Faintly she could hear his loudly spoken words, almost capable of making them out though she did not understand them, and for a split second she thought about turning and bolting.

What she had mistaken for seriousness, however, transformed as the long and lanky wolf very suddenly dropped animatedly into a playful bow. Oh! The blue pup stopped and tilted her head to the side as she watched him. Maybe she had it all wrong. Maybe he was not here to take her back to Mommy and Daddy. Maybe he was here to play!

Recalling that her beloved sister had a tall friend too, Rory was immediately excited to think that she might have one as well. She fought the urge to grin outright as the blue-grey wolf rolled himself over onto the grasses, and as her tail wagged she gave one wiggle of her hind end before she leaped forward at the prone wolf. She covered the distance between them in bounds and did not stop as she made a leap with the intent of half landing on his chest, a playful, silly growl slipping from her opened muzzle. She batted at the stranger with her white-toed paws and made to bite at one of his forelegs, though did so carefully as Ray had already warned her - puppy teeth hurt.