Wake Up

Koray had been up late at night. He liked it better at night. It was darker and quieter at night. Ever since birth he had enjoyed the dark and the quiet more than the light of day; but he did not know why, nor did he wonder about it. They were supposed to sleep; but sleep did not come wasy for a pup that enjoyed the night. He had waited until the breathing of his mother and his brother had become slow and even, before wandering around the den. He would sit at the entrance and watch the moon, sometimes even venture out a few steps all on his own; but only when he knew they were asleep and he would not get in trouble.

Koray would sit up until it was late and watch the moon, smell the night, listen for anything that might come their way. He was protecting mom, he was protecting Amarant. Someone had to watch over them. He was a small pup now, he knew he could not do much; but he could at least make sure mom was never caught unaware.

The one thing the night did not have, that the day did, was warmth. Koray disliked the cold, but he faced it at the mouth of the den every night, because someone had to stand in the cold and watch the night, someone had to keep his family safe. Koray loved his mother, he loved his brother too. They were the warmth in the cold. When the hour grew late and his little eyes could not stay open any longer, or he began to shiver from the cold, Koray would return to his family cautiously and quietly, and then curl up against his mother as tightly as he could, her warmth and closeness soothing him to sleep.

Because Koray was often up late, he was usually a little tired in the day, more importantly; he was a little less than friendly when he was woken up in the morning. When his brother had woken up, Koray?s slumber was not disturbed. Completely asleep and oblivious to all the motion and talking he slept soundly and deeply. Try as he might Amarant could not wake Koray while his mother lay beside him. Not until she stood up and the comfort of her warmth was taken from him, would Koray stir. The peace of his sleep broken, Koray would whine some in his sleep. All these late nights had given Koray a reputation for waking up cranky, when he did not wake up on his own accord. If his sleep was disturbed he would probably wake with a pup?s snarl and a snap of his tiny jaws before he even realized that he was awake.