love like this

Aia held on tight as her father told her to do. He began to lope and the little sprite of a girl laughed merrily. The gentle wind whipped through her lavender and charcoal fur. She had yet to acquire the stripes that her pelt would some day hold, but already the color of her fur had begun to change, splitting into blacks, silvers, dark indigo and other shades of purple. The white marks around her eyes were vibrant and had been so from the moment she was born.

Indigo asked if the pace was fast enough and bright blue eyes widened, though he wouldn't see. "You can go faster?" Her papa surely was the strongest wolf in the world! "Faster, Papa, faster!" There was little risk of Aia falling out of his mane. She had pawfuls of his fur and was hunkered low. Could they go as fast as the wind? As fast as birds? As fast as Ashur when he zipped around and chased her moms falcon?

When they neared the edge of the lake, Aia was in awe. "Whoaaaaaa..." the girl whispered, eyes wide with wonder. Fireflies, more than she could count, danced around the lakes edge. It was unlike anything that a tiny puppy like her had ever seen or even dreamed of. With a dreamy little sigh, Aia placed her chin on top of her fathers head right between his ears. "It's so pretty."

"Aia Indarra"