The little strip of wet sand peeking from the water was just too hard to resist, so here Sunder was at low tide staring down the pretty beach of alias island. Now this, this was like home! That realization was bittersweet. Sunder loved the memories it brought up but as he walked the pebbly beach and listened to the waves crash on the shore, his heart sank with sadness. He would never see that island again. Not it, not its culture, not his family. He would always be the only hairless dog.

But, he reminded himself, he still had his memories. In those he could go home and be happy with his family. Sunder lifted his head and tail as he rounded a bend that took him out of a cove he’d been exploring. He was only going to be sad if he let himself be sad. The first step was to look the part of happiness. The rest would follow in time.

As he stood on looking out over an unexplored beach Sunder noted the way it disappeared from view around a bend of forest. He didn’t know what was on the other side of it and there was only one way to find out. That would cheer him up. A little exploring and- his eyes lit on a pair of plovers racing away from a wave. Ah, excellent idea. That’s just what he needed! A race! Without any sort of ceremony or thought whatsoever Sunder threw back his head and howled a challenge to whoever was out there. He wanted a race.

Kali had ventured much farther up north than she’d been before, and honestly she couldn’t say she was enjoying it. It was freaking cold. Well, maybe not full blown winter cold, but the girl was used to the warmth that the volcano radiated down to Habari at the base, leaving warm drafts that lifted her spirits with each pawstep. She’d even made the admittedly stupid mistake of swimming across to the island she’d seen across the shore, her annoying curiosity getting the better of her. Besides, Habari was a spy pack, after all. Maybe some pack had set up shop there, making for an interesting bit of information to pass along to her mother. She’d officially been promoted to Cherubim, the heir to her pack, and she refused to back down. Her siblings didn’t like it, she knew, so she’d just have to show them, perhaps even stick their big, fat noses in it.

She paused on the beach, her auds perking as she heard the call go into the air. She knew that voice, she’d raced them before. She set off at a trot, rounding a bend to, sure enough, find the odd, hairless dog calling for a challenger to a race. “Never thought I’d see you again. Where are we racing to this time?” she called as she settled next to him, a smirk on her lips. She’d kicked his butt the last time, maybe she’d do it again.

"Kali Klein"

Sunder spun, the action equal parts joy and surprise, as someone spoke up behind him. He lit up at the sight of the girl. They'd raced once before so he knew she was game. That she'd beaten him never once crossed his mind. No, he was in it for the exhilaration and oblivious (more often than not) to the loss. All he saw when he looked at her was the joy of the race so he grinned toothily as though they were old friends and said, "Oh, hello again! A pleas'a to see ya again, my friend! Ah, ah, dis time we run to-" his head snapped around- "dat cove over dere, eh?" He motioned towards a vague shape in the distance quite some distance down the beach. It would be a nice little run. With the sand squishing between his toes and the breeze on his skin- oh, this was going to be great! "You say go when ya ready, eh?" ""

The dog was just as excited as before, his strangely accented words flowing, or rather gushing, from his mouth as he told her where they were going to race to. The girl turned her bi-colored gaze in the direction he pointed, squinting as she made it out. So, it would be a sprint. She gave a nod of consent, turning to get herself into position. She squatted, tucking her lean legs beneath her thin body in preparation for her start. “On your mark…get set…go!” Kali called out, her body leaping forward and kicking up sand behind her as she took off in a streak of brown and gold toward the designated cove.

Kali vs Sunder for Race
Round 1/2
Age: over 1
Size: Large
Build: Light
Skills: Expert Fighter & Advanced Navigator

Talking