Another chuckle escaped from him, rather glad he had humored her with the word rather than took it with the remembrance of the incident on the mountain. She grinned and it seemed to him that life in the forest had helped her move forward. “As I love you,” he chimed. Her nod brought him to take a step and continue on his way. The curiosity he had invited was quick to catch up.

Random thoughts, according to the Lyall, consisted of everything and anything he could think of, past and present. He wasn’t sure where to begin. “Just little things,” he started. “Like how we’d manage on our own and if the territory I’ve laid out would be enough space for now… and, well, puppies and how I worried about what you’d say to the thought of them among other things. Been thinking of finding another member to round out our pack, someone to help with the pack responsibilities and make it a little easier on you and Vlar.” His path curved around two trees which looked as though they had sprouted up within a foot of one another; the space between was probably ideal when they were saplings but now their trunks were within inches of touching if they grew any larger. “I’ve also thought of Alexander,” he then confessed. “I wish I had told him we were leaving.”

The distress threatened to surface in his tone but he choked it back as he added, “I was thinking of visiting him sometime… just to check up on how the pack is faring. Maybe before our little ones arrive or when the pups have grown up a bit.” One side of his muzzle curled up into half a smile at the last part of the thought. “Maybe the former, actually, since I’ll be gone for a few days. I just feel guilty about it all.” The last few words of his sentence fluently eased the conversation into a seemingly gloomy silence and he wished he hadn’t brought it up. However, keeping his guard up around Jayse was absolutely useless when he constantly wanted to share everything he thought and felt. After all, she was basically his world now and there was no reason to hide anything from her. He glanced at her apologetically, “I don’t mean to spoil the mood. I’m probably just hungry.” He scoffed, attempting to give her a more cheerful smile.

O O C | My muse… D: It has been stolen by Merlinnnn. /armflail. Next post will be betterrr.

Only when Jayse reassured him did he lovingly caress her temple with his nose. It seemed she always knew exactly what to say. “We shall see,” he nodded. “He didn’t seem too pleased when we announced we were going, but we’ll see. It might be better to just leave it alone; if we’re meant to cross paths again, that’s fine, and it not, then… so be it.” He returned his gaze forward, not surprised to see what looked like the ruins of what was once a great hideaway just within sight. Instinctively he lowered his nose to the ground, not even minding when the occasional stray pine needle poked at him.

His eyes trailed along the ground before looking to her and raising his head. The plume at his back smoothly swung about, giving away his frame of mind, his eagerness to hunt. “Shall we?”

Sauntering along the thinly spread snow and patches of forest floor, Borden investigated the area and weaved loosely around the trees, sifting through the wide assortment of scents the little area harbored. Squirrel, crow, fox… he began to list. Buck… wolf… rabb—RABBIT! The instant the word was formed in the forefront of his mind, it seemed as if he had actually shouted it out loud upon fully realizing the creature’s presence, for a snowshoe hare immediately emerged from its hiding place one step ahead of him. It fled across the snow and the hefty male darted after it with a bark in hopes that he wouldn’t leave Jayse too far behind.

Each step, each forward leap, each stride brought him steadily closer until he nudged the creature to the side, sending it teetering from the set path it was set on traveling. A snarl erupted from his throat, renewing the panic that had taken hold of the creature. His jowls snapped as he nearly lost his footing on a thick pile of damp leaves. So… close. The hare gained a bit of space between his pursuer, but the two feet of distance wasn’t enough to make Borden give up the chase. If there was one thing he was going to do today, was going to catch it… for her. In his four short years of learning how to hunt, he had yet to successfully capture a hare. Not only would the achievement be something he could use to remind him he was fully capable of the feat, but perhaps it would impress the lady who held his heart.

Encroaching into a small gathering of assorted shrubs, he stumbled face first into a thick cover of bare twigs and freshly grown leaves. When his head emerged from the brush, heavily panting through his nose, he brandished in his jowls the lifeless body of his prey. His tail thrashed about behind him as he turned around. A low growl, an unmistakable fanfaronade of satisfaction, rumbled from his chest.

O O C | not a prob’… been quite preoccupied with stupid, worrisome things lately.

He grinned and trotted over to her, placing the hare at her feet before reassuring her, “I’m fine… I’m fine.” His eyes went to her as he took a deep breath, releasing it quietly before taking a step back and nudging his catch toward her with his nose, “For you.” The black-tipped bottlebrush that was now a waving banner of triumph wagged to and fro. He sat down and looked to the trees around them, proud that he was able to pinpoint exactly where the wayward chase had led them. Somewhere east of here a spindly tree with a crooked trunk marked the edge of their territory.

A pleased smile graced the dark features of his face. “Eat,” he gently persuaded. “I’ll… find something in a bit.” He trusted she would enjoy the meal, perhaps even request another something to satisfy her hunger. Surely she would need whatever energy she could muster up in the weeks to come.

Borden watched as she tore into her meal, glad to watch contentment show itself on her face and in her posture. She nudged his shoulder and brushed up against the underside of his neck. His eyes, which had been trained on the stillness of the trees and ever vigilant of the slightest movement he could spot, blinked and soften upon her contact. “Hmm?” he sounded; his ears repositioned themselves as he acknowledged her voice. The ivory lady pranced away and he stood up, “Oh, yes. Of course.”

Once he had stretched out his hind legs behind him for a few seconds each, he caught up to her. Her unvoiced question and the enthusiastic gleam in her eyes brought him wordlessly forward. For a few moments, he ambled along as he happily led her through the trees. “This way then,” he lilted. “Think I know exactly where we could start and make our way around.” While the telltale landmark he sought after was merely a moment away, he took the time it took to get there stealing glances at Jayse, even mischievously grinning every so often. The early morning sun was absolutely rejuvenating.

Whether it was the sun filtering down through the trees or the glow that she had taken up from the prospect of exploring their new home and sharing a part of his duties, he wasn’t quite sure. But, something about his mate had him absolutely entwined in her spirit and everything else that embodied her. Even on an empty stomach, he was effortlessly swept away by her zeal, her liveliness. She willed him to move onward, to carry himself proudly as her companion and extend every sense of delight he had, anything to make sure she thoroughly enjoyed the day. Through the forest, he took her, alternately leading and following as he dug at the forest floor wherever she chose to add her mark to the borders he had already set in place.

{Presto.}