Fine Again

Coming back to the den at the end of the day was always the highlight of his routine and the thing that encouraged him to follow through with all of the work he had taken on around the pack. Of course he was proud to be able to help his uncle with Valta and do his part to keep everyone safe and fed, but really he was mostly just here to keep the remnants of his family together and to give Vanille a real home. If it hadn't been for her and the way she gave him a reason and purpose he wasn't sure if he could have managed to fall into this "normal" life without her. Now he had a routine and someone to look forward to coming home to each day. That sinking feeling that things had been going too well for too long was hard to shake at times, but every time he fell asleep with Vanille tucked into him helped lessen that feeling each day.

As usual, they finished up their daily chores and came back to the den they shared. After an easy dinner, he flopped into their spacious bed first and smiled a bit as he immediately lifted his foreleg with every expectation that Vanille would land there without needing to ask. He wasn't disappointed and after a beat her much smaller frame was settled in against his own and he slipped both of his forelegs around her to pull her back into his chest with his back to him. It was easy to curl around her and he tipped his muzzle down to kiss the top of her head before he nestled into the soft furs of their bed with a contented sigh, giving her a gentle squeeze as her paws clasped one of his own.

"Arc & Vanille"