With nose pointed towards the opening in the canopy, my green eyes blinked, taking in the clear blue sky. Winter was giving way to spring, and the sun's reach down into the forest would soon melt away much and more of the snow. The powder that I had cast into the air fell back down around me, some peppering my upturned face and scattering across my back. A small smile creased my features and I breathed deeply of the cold end-of-winter air.
A single ear flicked back at the sound of approaching paw steps, and I turned my head back over my shoulder as I heard a familiar bark of greeting. My grin grew to a most happy expression to see Solstice standing at the edge of the clearing. I was about to bark a welcome greeting back to her when I realized the approaching paw steps were still beating across the ground towards me. That was when I noticed the streak of Masque running full tilt across the distance towards me, and I quickly turned around to face her fully. Just in time too, because she showed no sign of slowing as she closed the gap.
Welcoming her approach, I dipped forward into a play bow. She plowed into me, and I dramatically flopped over onto my side as if struck by an elk's kick with a jubilant laugh.