Together we run, fleeing from the danger of the storm that engulfs us. But I don’t feel threatened; I hold no fear of the storm. It was his worry for me that had reminded me of the reality of it all. The synchrony of our strides is all that matters now, and even as another crack of lightning illuminates the sky and the thunder rolls, all I can feel is the beat of our paws moving in harmony. It had taken only a couple minor adjustments on each of our parts to find that stride where we matched one another beat for beat. It was only as we came to cross into my home lands that I felt the slightest of shifts from him and I knew his eyes were upon me. But there was no time to stop and explain, though it was certainly all quite obvious. For a fleeting moment I was nervous, wondering what he was thinking. It was as he strides settled once more to match my own that I dismissed the momentary concern, delving further into the pack lands and leading him through the foothills towards the cave.

Even as we entered the cave he did not leave my side, and I leaned towards him as I laughed, circling around the cave’s interior before returning to its mouth. He is always watching me, I can feel it, and my mahogany eyes turn upon him only moments before I braced my bodice and shook the water from my pelt. The way he jumped at my motion brought forth a small smile, and I was given to wonder what it was that had given him a reason to always be on edge. I’d felt the texture of the scars upon his face when my nose had touched his cheek, and those were no the scars of a wolf who had been beat down and abused – they were the marks of some form of war. They’d not been idly received, for they were ragged blemishes that required movement on both the giver and receiver’s ends. Right now, this evening, was not the time for such questions. Maybe someday I would ask, when I felt he was ready to tell me.

It was as I had receded a few steps into the cave that Jericho mimicked my actions, shaking the water from his own pelt before turning to face me. A supple grin was given to him as I spoke of how it might be best if we simply waited out the storm for the night here. I only realized I was anxious to know his reaction when the look of mystification made my guts twist. I nearly rose to my paws, to leave the cave to him and return to my own den if he did not wish for me to stay. Perhaps I had interpreted our friendship incorrectly. But before any action was made his confusion fades to contentment. My eyes never leave him as he moved towards me, circling around until he stood at my side, before lowering to the floor of the cave. His fur brushed against mine, and a shiver ran down my spine, followed by the warmth of his closeness that I had so craved.

Now it was my turn to mimic him, and I lowered my head to my outstretched forelegs, tilting my own crown towards his. Our noses lay mere inches apart, and I can feel the heat of his breath wash over my face. His whispered words make me tremble inwardly, wanting to reach out and place a single paw upon his to reassure him. But I choose to use my words instead. “It is, most certainly, alright.” My eyes of mahogany rest ever present upon his of orange, locked upon him in a most unassuming of ways. It is then that he broaches the subject of my position among these lands that we had entered, and a pride wells in my eyes at his acknowledgement of it, and his curiosity about my home. “Spirane, the highest point in all Moladion,” I said softly. I felt an overwhelming desire to take him to the highest peak amongst the range, to let him look out across all of Moladion and simply soak in all its power as we had the storm. But all at once tiredness consumed me, and I smiled softly at Jericho, so content in his company that I allowed my eyes to slide closed. And as I allowed myself to trust him enough to slip into sleep, my bodice rocked into his, and I let his warmth envelope me in my slumber.