Hit the showers

Widow had rebuked his every apology thus far, and it seemed like this time would be no different. No sooner had the words left his lips, he heard the quickening of her pace bring her up to him, and then he felt the gentle push of her body brushing into his. Stolas stumbled in his step, glancing up with surprised gray eyes to see the lively playfulness shimmering in her argent gaze. The impish nymph of a wolf made a sly remark about making him really sorry if he kept apologizing brought a crooked grin to the yearling's lips while he watched her bound off ahead of him, keen graphite eyes following her every movement. For a brief moment, Stolas just watched Widow. The way she moved, her slender body and long elegant legs that had once been as awkward and cumbersome as his had been now looked like she was a sculpture of fine art come to life. The lanky pup he'd met at the carnival had melted away to reveal this wolf who looked like she'd been molded by the gods themselves. Did every wolf start to look so perfect when they got older?

"Oh, is that a challenge?" he called back, picking up the pace to chase after her, subtly enjoying the sights of running behind her for as long as he could. Just as she had been admiring him behind his back, he was doing the same to her. As they drew closer to the mellifluous river branch, Stolas shot Widow a wicked grin and decided to push his luck. "Well, I'm sorry that my apologies annoy you so much, Miss Klein." He added a little extra emphasis to her proper, formal name just to try and tweak her a little more. Ordinarily, Stolas was much more reserved, but something about seeing his childhood friend again made him feel giddy and alive, a flutter in his chest making his whole body feel electrified.

As they came to the riverbank, he made sure to trot up alongside Widow, aiming to give her shoulder a playful bump with his own broadening torso before bounding forward to reach the edge of the river. Without a beat of hesitation, Stolas leaped forward into the water. The cool and gently flowing water enveloped him, soaking him in an instant in cooling relief. He dove, then surfaced again with a gasping breath, his dark fur clinging to his adolescent body while he paddled in the light current, looking about to see if Widow had followed his charge straight into the water or if she'd stayed on the shore to watch him go first.

"Stolas Abraxas-Destruction"