Cedarwood Forest no fear, no doubt

If she had known she had succeeded because of his want for his success, perhaps victory would not have been as sweet as it was then. However, she did not know, and so she let out her own little battle-cry as they plowed forth into the water, the noise only stopping short when they hit the water. The way the stream rolled over the two of them was perfect, soothing and all, but Feather all but ruined the tranquil effect by splashing him with her muzzle, refusing all the while to extract herself from him. She let out a rumble of quiet approval as she buried her soaked self into him, and when she withdrew, he came forward. His nuzzle was met with wide, confused eyes – and then she found she could make sense of the emotions rolling around within. She had heard of this, of course. Her mother had told her about it, had told her why she stayed with that bastard of a man. And it was then Feather was reminded that men were that way – oppressive… but… he seemed different. He seemed different from all the rest, from anyone she had ever met – from anyone who had courted her. This was new. Everything.

And so, instinctively and with every piece of her glad to do it, she leaned in and allowed her salmon pink tongue to brush across his dark, inky nose. She withdrew quickly, in case he might snap in her face, but there was no denying the fact that she had just enjoyed doing that. Her tail swayed left and right in an automatic show of her happiness, and then she admitted boldly, I like it here. With you, And although it was a murmur, although he might not hear it above the whispering stream, the whole world seemed to fall into a sense of quiet as her muzzle loomed towards his own to brush against it. She hadn’t felt like this ever, so she could not even express to him in words how she truly felt – wild, free, reckless, careful, excited, and so unbelievably happy. How was this possible? And in response to his ow, she said a bit louder, Sorry,

From her leap to their crash to the floor it must of taken seconds but Indru felt he could remember everything, from each movement of her limbs to every individual flick of her fur. The water cascaded over them and Indru, on his back, was soaked, but it was trivial and he barely noticed so entranced was he with the wolf lying across him. She splashed him and he couldn't muster up the will to retaliate other than with a winning smile that was slightly marred by his tongue lolling out at the end and his ears twitching for the water that was trying to run into them.

He watched as she lent forward and then he saw her salmon tongue stretch forward before he felt it brush against his nose. It was a move that left him dumbstruck, a look of shock on his face as he peered back at Feather, and it took a moment for it to sink in. He saw the motion of her tail out of the corner of his eye and instinctively his copied it, yet his eyes remained captured by hers. With a grin he woofed lightly to her, his face split with a grin and he leaned towards her again, allowing his tongue to brush along the side of her muzzle. I do too. He was unabashed about admitting it as well, and as she came closer again to brush her muzzle against his he did the same, meeting her halfway. At her apology he laughed, shaking his head, I don't care. At the moment he truly didn't care whatever she did to him, and she certainly shouldn't be apologising for this. I could stay here forever, in our little Cottonwood Creek

How could she be happier? How, without him, had she ever known the emotion? She had missed out all her life. But that was alright. For she was being introduced to it now, fortunately, and she was not holding back on the life that was appearing before her eyes as the clock ticked by. How long had they been together? How long could they be together? She wanted this forever, she wanted here forever. Their special little place. Their beginning, their future – and Cottonwood Creek would continue on, though with a name. As he finished, Feather withdrew slightly, although allowed her nose to tap against his gently as she murmured an elated Can we? Can we start something here? She asked, leaning into him suddenly and slipping slightly towards the side. The stream was shallow here, and neither of them were in any sort of danger. It’s weird. I want this forever, too, She said softly, the water gushing all around her muzzle.

She wanted to suggest the impossible, the impossible that felt possible. She moved to cuddle into him, breathing him in and moving to drape her foreleg over him. I want this to be my life, She said quietly, fondly. She just knew. She just knew that this had to be, this didn’t just happen, did it? This was rare, this was unique – for this to happen meant something, everything. She didn’t know what it was, but she wanted it, needed it, pined for it. He was giving her the world by existing, by breathing, by lying beside her and speaking. Feather felt as if she had known him for all of her life. She didn’t, and she knew that – but she was prepared to know him, to learn all about him. I want this to really be ours, She said thoughtfully, feeling the world around her but looking at him. Always looking at him. She couldn't possibly take her eyes off of him now. Not yet.

Start what? He asked her dreamily, his eyes closed as he lay in the water, the Creek having successfully soaked through to his skin. The boy was relaxed, he didn't feel like a Leader right now, he just felt like a random wolf with another, free. Perhaps this was what it was like to be lone wolf, he decided, and if it was he envied his siblings who had experienced it so long ago when he had been more interested in rank. At her words though Indru opened his eyes, his fiery gaze watching her steadily, and he nodded, it was weird, how fast everything had been. I know, it's happened so quick. After all other than her first name, what did he know? Not much, but he wanted to know everything about her, beyond just her full name.

He felt her shift and he did himself, rolling slightly onto his side to face her easier, and as he shifted he laughed, feeling his wet coat cling to him and make him shiver slightly. We're soaked. He added, as if she didn't know, and though it was refreshing and cool at first in the heat of the summer, the small wind that surrounded the creek chilled him slightly and instinctively he shifted closer to her. It's is ours. If she wanted it it was hers, he decided, not really thinking through the implications. You named it. In Indru's mind it was theirs, in his memory it would be the place they found together, whether other wolves crossed it, whether his pack was somewhere else, he felt an attachment because of the memory that had been formed there.

As they lay together, their fur swaying within the water and intermingling with one anothers pelts, she smiled and moved her face closer so that she could place it to lean heavily on his shoulder. The question he asked caused her to shake her head. He had said it. This was theirs. She would be the ruin of anyone who said otherwise. Minute by minute, they were moving closer, the chill of the water and the nip of the air around them doing its job. When she noticed him moving closer, Feather disentangled herself with a grin and snuck in another kiss before doing what she could to fight the water and rise. With a grin she shouted, Come on captain, I don't want you getting sick now, She said in earnest.

And that was the truth — she did not want him to get sick, to fall ill, to disappear or anything. She wanted what she saw now. But if he were to fall ill, that would be all well and good. So long as he was alive. So long as he got through it. She imagined things she would have never imagined if not for coming across him, and she moved towards an area where the sun poured around. She peeked over her shoulder, searching for Indru, green eyes sparkling as she awaited his approach.

The weight of her head on his shoulder was a welcome one and he tilted his head to rest it again hers slightly, just enough for her to feel it there. She departed from him abruptly and a whine escaped his lips before he even thought about it, but she dashed back for a kiss and he smiled, licking her departing chin in return. He laughed when she spoke and rose with her, eager to get her out of the cold as well. His eyes followed her as she moved into the sun and for a moment he just stood, watching it shine against her, glowing where it hit drops of water. Soon Indru could bear the distance no longer and darted over to her with a grin, pushing his body up tight against hers to keep the contact between them, worried that this was somehow signify the end of their meeting.

You should join my pack, he whispered, tense and worried. Perhaps this had been a one off? Something that happened only to be left a distant memory to think of when he was older. It pained him as naive as he was to what he was feeling and again he almost whined with sorrow. Don't leave. Indru thought of his parents, the only true example he had of someone leaving and him never seeing them again, so used to having his family around him still. He was sure it would be as such a long lasting pain as losing his parents would be, but he knew it would be as abrupt with how quickly she entered her life. My pack, it's on a Swift River too, not so different from this one.

He approached, a whine that caused her heart to melt falling from his lips. It caused her body to ache and she moved to press closer, suddenly able to bear being even a second apart from him. At his suggestion, she knew she couldn't say no. She had known for a while that she was no longer free to begin with, for he had lassoed her heart and she was unable to break free. But what surprised her the most was that she did not want to. As the sun pressed against his fur, making him look absolutely ethereal in the light, as it caused some sort of halo effect near his face, her canines moved to rake against his shoulder.

I won't, She whispered to him in earnest, close to his ear so he could hear. She would not leave. Wherever you go, I will follow. I want to be with you, And she could not remove herself from him, could not look to see the expression on his face as much as she yearned to. She wanted to more than anything — but what if somehow, despite all of the signs they showed eachother... what if her saying it changed things? It would have, where she came from. She would never have been able to even express to him the way she felt. And so she remained pressed against him, pressing a ginger kiss to the apex of his shoulder.

At first he thought she was saying no to his request and his stomach clenched, his eyes dropping to his paws, his first thoughts were to flee, as cowardly as that was and he felt a flicker of shame. Her next words however made him pause, confused at a moment, why did she turn his pack down if she wanted to stay with him? Then Indru remember his second request, don't leave he had said, and now he understood that she had meant she would not. He turned, brushing his muzzle along the nape of her neck affectionately to show his pleasure at his words, his movements felt natural, but he was awkward like a cheechako at the same time. It was confusing for Indru, so used to knowing things, himself, his pack, his lands.. Now everything felt very different and he had to know them if he was to lead successfully.

You make me so happy, he laughed, a first for him in a while. There was a difference to having happy moments to feeling happy, continuously, like he could float. My Feather, he grinned, testing it out and getting a thrill at how it sounded. The Tainn felt eager to move now, to show her their home, his pack, his family. The thought briefly made a lump catch in his throat, she couldn't met them all, his mother and father, who would of loved her he knew. Honijo perhaps, but later. Let's go! A bark broke from his muzzle in joy and he started to run towards home, peering over his shoulder and waiting for her to follow.

Normally, she might have objected to the possessive way he said her name. But the thrill that raced through her as he said it, well, she couldn't and didn't even want to. What was she doing? What was happening to her, the normally terribly stubborn and independent Feather Northwind? Hah — that didn't matter. She would never lose sight of herself, she was only exploring yet another branch she didn't know she had. Your Feather, she confirmed, her eyes glittering and her voice breathless with glee.

As he suggested that they go, she watched him prepare to move. Not wanting him to move away from her at all, she bounded to his side and brushed against him, allowing her muzzle to run beneath his own and press against his chest before she picked up the pace with him. She swooned at the thought of living where he lived, used to having lived with strictly her own family... but the thought was brilliant, exciting. She pressed her cheek against his own, her tail wagging left and right as they moved at their own elated, merry pace. Ear to ear, cheek to cheek, despite her difference in height they moved fluidly with one another. A thought that effected the Northwind like no other could.