Ashmedai had been so seton going to the damned hunt. When Cascade called out, he wouldn't stop asking. Esti told him no several times, but he wouldn't pipe down. How could he possibly be a leader if he couldn't hunt, he had complained. Why didn't she ever let him away from the den, he asked. He ended with a huffy, teary eyed, "Pleaaaaaaaseeeee, Mommaaaa?" and finally, Esti relented, "How could I say no to that face?" she would say, licking his cheek as he looked at her in disbelief, "Really, Momma?!" He started, jumping up with his tail wagging in hard circles, "Only if you can keep up," she had replied, taking to a brisk walk.
She wasn't too thrilled to drop him off with Cascade, but she was glad he was so happy. The lanky pup trotted and sometimes broke into a lazy run to keep up with his mother, his tongue lolling out of his maw between breaths. Once they came to the scene, Esti surveyed the other pups carefully, her eyes narrowing slightly as she came to look at Cascade, "You better take care of him," she thought, "or else," as if her sour gaze would penetrate the woman's mind. Ashmedai was close to Esti's side now and Esti gave him an affectionate lick on the head before shooting one more look at Cascade and turning to go, "Have fun," she called out, though if it was to the group, Cascade, or Ashmdai wasn't too clear, and to Esti, it might as well have been all of them.
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