A new beginning

OOC, I can't resist using this table, xD His text will be in green to differentiate between our posts ^^

He had been pleasantly surprised that the ground was not frozen completely solid. He supposed it had not had time yet due to the just recent onset of winter. It wasn't as if winter had raged for weeks now, only a few days at best - or perhaps a week at most. He hadn't paid much attention, though he did know that it had been snowing off and on for the better part of a week. He felt the dirt shift beneath his weight, giving him an advanced sense of power and strength. Normal non-brittle earth would not move so freely, but he would let himself believe he was strong regardless. A smile cracked across his lips as she said she was eager to meet them as well. She would be a great princess, he just knew it. More importantly, he would have someone his own age at his own intelligence level to speak with and make decisions with. No longer would he be forced to see things his father's way, for he would have yet another point of view to pull wisdom from. His tail danced happily behind him as he slithered from the den, finding his chest and front paws to be a much darker hue than normal. Even in the fading sunlight it was clear he needed to clean up.

Amusingly enough, his coat did not show the dirt as blatantly as hers did, and the boy stifled a laugh at his betrothed covered in debris. "A princess who knows how to get down and dirty.. Seracia won't know what hit them!" He mused with a laugh. She then confirmed his previous idea and nipped at him playfully. He feigned a disapproving look momentarily before swiping at her with his left front paw, not taking much time to aim for any particular part of her body. He twisted so that he was facing her, and then again so that he was facing the direction they were to head in. It wasn't that far to the lake, but with night approaching they would need to move quickly to get back before the temperature dropped too much. "Come on then," he chided with a flick of his tail before gallivanting off toward the lake. The water would be positively frigid this time of year, but it was necessary for them to clean up. Besides, they could combine their body heat in order to warm up once they returned to the den.

They arrived at the shore of the lake just before nightfall. It had taken him longer than expected due to the snow that had deposited on the earth. The terrain was far less navigable during the winter months - he'd noted sullenly. He tossed his head back at her. "We'd better make this quick." With that the boy slipped into the icy water, surprised that it wasn't frozen solid. He waded in up to his chest, allowing the water to soak into his fur and purge the dirt from his hide. "Geez it's cold!" That revelation had come perhaps just a bit too late, but there was no going back now. Twisting and writhing he stayed in as long as he could stand it, and then paddled for the shore. Once on solid ground he shook multiple times to get rid of as much water as he could, gazing through emerald spectacles for his betrothed. "Ready?" he would call out, taking a tentative step toward the den.


"Speech,"