It was not the picturesque, pale glow of dawn light that had roused the slumbering brute. As gingerly as Ava had tried to slip from his side, her movement had roused him in the best of ways. For a moment he would lie still, his eyes roving the shades of layers of the rocky walls that surrounded him as he rehashed the prior night's fateful events. With a satisfied grin, the wolf would stretch his neck and legs, closing his eyes as he breathed in his female's scent - a fresh dose to start the day. But he couldn't just remain there forever, and as a matter of fact he did not want to. Instead, his desires were to embrace the world they had created together, at her side, and rising to his feet the man would shake the sleep from his body.

He found her, perched a handful of lengths from the cool, dark den. It was a fight to resist drifting to her side, as it would have been so natural, but a part of him was content watching as she observed the lakeland, in all of its glory. The area had always captivated him; the angles of the mountain's slopes, featured with scattered, ancient conifers; the way the winds always seemed to blow sideways; the sheen across the water's surface, so bright, like a piece of the sun survived within the lake itself. And now, this place had taken on another meaning - it had brought them together.

As he quietly approached, silver eyes would look over the sleek curves of the back and legs of his demiurge, reflecting on the fact that, even when she graced the sun with her presence, the hue of every hair upon her body was jet black. Brushing past the shewolf's shoulder, Kade started the day by issuing an affectionate nudge to her cheek, his body throbbing with pride.

"Good morning," his quiet voice broke the peaceful silence. Morning shadows draped the landscape perfectly, almost enticing to be investigated. Silently, he wondered what adventures the world had in store for them today.

The shewolf's greeting was warmer than the pale sunlight that played over them, and he smiled wide as she placed an affectionate lick upon his cheek. The foremost question of the day inevitably squeaked from her mouth, one he had already managed to contemplate in his minutes of consciousness. Where sarcasm could have run rampant, as it tended to when they were together, he would provide his companion with a serious answer. "Not yet," he cooed. "Today is for you and I." And there were oh so many things they could do with it. Though he was certain she had most likely become acquainted with the lakeland by now, surely there were a few places she hadn't seen.

Bramble Falls and the Drooping Willows were not far, either, should they retreat from the Lost Lake entirely, though his growling stomach would not permit the male to undertake such a travel without paying his due respects. Quietly, he wondered if she was hungry, too. A hunt was a lot of work for a day meant for play...

After a good stretch, the silver featured creature would steal a last glance over the serene scene as all thoughts and plans seemed to break from his mind. Once again, he found himself in a dreamlike state - with her at his side, the lake beaming below. How easy it truly was to construct a world of their own, as though it didn't exist at all outside of their times together.

Energized by the fact that this was the first morning of the rest of his life with Ava, he seemed all the bit lighter. A mischevious feeling crept up his spine as his tail rose triumphantly behind him, and his eyes would connect with hers for a good moment before he allowed for them to stray - a decoy. Without a second's notice, a playful nip would graze the tip of her dark snout and in a flash the man off, leaving only a cloud of dust, and his beloved, behind as long, powerful strides carried him to the treeline. Sliding to a quick halt, the wolf's broad head craned backward to ensure she would follow, not without breaking the serious feel of the moment with the day's first (and undoubtedly not the last) spat of humor.

"I'll race you to forever," he quipped, though he was pretty damn serious about the "forever" part.

He nearly froze at her first words, for a moment believing he'd asked too much. Forever absolutely was the longest of long times...But before she could add in her but the most familiar sensation came over him. It was not in the words his lover spoke - not today, or in the past - but in her eyes that he found his answer, and the one he was searching for as he stood in wait beneath the play of shadow. The energy of her bold stare told of loyalty, of trust, and of longing. The night he'd laid only a breath away from her, comfortably stationary upon the beach's sands and without any true comprehension of who she was to be to him, had sealed their fate. It was then that he truly knew that Ava was to be the object of his affection, even before she had charmed her way into his heart.

"...as long as I'm by your side, and you're at mine." There was no place else, and he would not have it any other way.

And with her first bound they would embark on the first of many adventures that fate had in store. The subtle brushing of her frame against his shoulder conveyed her reassurance and without a moment of hesitation the man followed in a swift pursuit. The forest was much darker than the open, stony space they'd woke to, but he preferred the darkness, anyway, and hell, they seemed to fit right in. Here and there Ava would disappear from view, but her sweet scent lined the foliage like a trail of stepping stones to guide him. The smell of pine sap was nothing like the cedar aroma of his home, and although he'd once cherished it before leaving the lakeland behind for pack life, not a day would pass now that he would not associate it with their young love.

Just when it would appear as though she held not only the swan dive record, but the 400 meter record as well, he'd finally caught up to the black speed demon. He'd been worried about her injury, but at the rate she was dancing her way over the large, exposed roots and muddied patches of earth, one never would have known she were ever hurt in the first place. In a burst of speed he would cover all the ground he needed to catch up and in a flash he was, in a more literal view, at her side. It would have been hard to make out the childlike smile he wore as his lips flopped here and there as a result from the pace they shared in combination with the uneven nature of the forest floor. Playfully, he would swoop in closer to her, his right side bumping against hers and not without a lighthearted nip to her shoulder before he swung away and took off in a diagonal direction. In the distance, the sound of rushing water pulled at him. There was just something about water he knew she wouldn't be able to resist, not this time, not ever. White water rafting wasn't originally on the schedule, but perhaps she could use him as a kayak. They were masters at improvision.

The ebony and silver brute came to a sliding halt just before a small overhang gave way to a river as awe-inspiring as a peak view of the Lost Lake itself. It was quite wide, and with the angle of the downward flow was very fast. Perhaps too fast, he thought initially - he didn't want to see his love swept away - though a quick, closer inspection whetted his appetite for the possibilities. The waters were quite clear, and from where he stood the rocky riverbed was visible and revealing of its shallow depth. A perfect challenge for the swan-diving trophy holder and her devoted dark knight.

Ava had never known love before him, but this had to be it. The absolute weightlessness that came with every bound she took was unbeatable, just knowing that he was right behind her, or right around the corner, or just at her side. It was strange, how powerful the magnestism of his presence was, and yet it didn't make her feel powerless. The absolute opposite of it, even - she was empowered to soar above the realm of mere possibility and accomplish anything at all. That was Kade Attaya's blessing, and she wondered if he even knew it at all, the way he filled her with the warmest of joys. Her fear of the shadows disappated with every smallest reassurance, be it pawsteps to her left or a breath from her right. Everything felt effortless, as though neither mental nor physical gravity could hinder her. Every once and again she would tilt her head over her shoulder and catch glimpses of silver streaking through the shadows of the pine trees which hid his dark pelt. Ava could only hazard an attempt at a charming smile before she had to look forward again, lest she planned on impressing him with her headfirst-into-trees abilities.

With boundless energy channeled to her fleet feet, Ava took the lead shamelessly, and she could worry about the damage it might cause her healing injuries later on. Pain did not demand to be felt with Kade nearby. She twisted a dark ear to the footsteps as they sounded faster, turning her head as he bounded forward. A coy grin stretched across her maw and she welcomed him to her side, able to see the twinkle of mischief in his pale gaze as their bodies bobbed and weaved and twisted through the trees. Who needed starlight when there were his eyes? Brighter in color and far more enticing. Just for a moment the playful nature of their run melted away and she looked upon him, gold eyes full of wonder and heart full of trust; this was better than freedom - this was completion.

Then the gap between them would close and the black-coated female's gait would be thrown off course, dipping a little from the momentum while the nip to her shoulder grounded her mind. Her momentary set-back had given him the advantage and allowed Kade to blaze their further trails. A new vigor appeared in her toothy grin and she bounced forward again, eyes locking on to her target. Cloud nine would have to wait.

He knew her so well already. Kade twisted to follow the rushing sounds of water, which Ava was slower to pick up on but overly excited to hear. Out of no where the trees grew sparse and from the shadows the two emerged on to the grassy overhang. Fearless she stalked forward while a quiver of curiosity began in the base of her tail. Rubbing her muzzle in the thick fur surrounding his neck she observed the the swells of water leaping over the riverbed's path. Well weren't just the right amount of dangerous? Hesitantly, she dislodged herself from the comfort of his scent and crouched, paws dipping over the edge. Her intentions were written all over her face as she turned back to offer Kade her mischievous expression. "Why don't you tell me if I still deserve my title?" Ava had impressed him once before, but perhaps her repeat performance would be even better.

The lack of a running start would effect her distance, but the water was nearly as irresistible as the dark-coated man close to her. Leaning her weight forward, she pushed against the overhang and launched downward into the river. Happier laughter couldn't have come from any other wolf as she dropped through the air. She let the waters consume her and offer her back as much as they pleased and waited she floated into calmer territory to find her love.

The expression written across the face of his lover stirred a whirlwind of emotion and excitement within his drumming chest. "Why don't you tell me if I still deserve my title?" were the words to accompany, and with an eager, frenzied wag of his silver-touched tail, a lighthearted bark would convey his absolute intention to indulge her, or to cheer her on. And, just as quickly as they'd come upon the magnificent challenge, there she went, a inkblot of black beneath the rushing current of shaded water.

Two point five seconds after, he hurdled himself in after her. The cool rush of the moment eveloped every inch of him, and in his moments of submersion he considered several things. One - he was, hands down, having the time of his life. Two - he did enjoy the feeling of the current as it slipped through the layers of his coarse coat. Three - shit! Was that a rock? Ouch. And four - he could not wait to lay a tender touch upon her slick, wet body.

Eventually his wide, black head would pop up enough to nearly spray his companion in her beautiful face as he gasped in a big breath. He did his best to avoid stubbing another toe, which was tricky to do since the depth of the river bed was nearly unguessable while one was meandering along in the rapids. Here and there on the way down his body would bump into his Ava's, and silly, insane laughter would erupt from his lungs like a volcano of spewing puppy love.

As the current subsided it was apparent that the pair had braved the worst, and most exciting of the mountainside river. The gentle, warm stare of his cold, silver eyes would search for her as he swam in an excuse of an impaired circle before paddling his way toward the river bank.