[PRP] A Pack for Us [Asku and Namid]

[SilverLutz]

After what seemed like days of walking - and skipping, in Namid's case - they had finally found the pack that the stars had told them about. Asku, personally, couldn't have been more relieved. His paws hurt and he was starving. After some talking with the pack leaders, they had been allowed in and had been given food. They had been assigned pack roles as well, and he was pleased to learn he would be able to help in looking after the pups. He had been fairly good with that in his own old pack, and Namid certainly kept him on his toes. He'd be sure that none of the pups escaped or got into trouble.

Namid had been assigned a different role. She was to read the night sky, which was perfect, considering that was what she did for fun on a daily basis. Asku had never thought they'd find a place where they could fit in so perfectly. This pack, though...it seemed to have been made just for them.

"Finally, we can rest," he said with a relieved groan as he flopped down at the edge of a small pool of water. His paws were throbbing and begged for a break, which he could finally give them. Finally...maybe now he could get a good night's sleep. Namid would be able to read the stars with other wild dogs that knew what she was talking about. He had always just smiled and nodded and curled up around her to make sure she didn't try to walk off a cliff while he slept.  

[Skyflu]

It has been a long journey. Yes, yes. Longer than what her body could stand, but it was what she had to do. The sparkling universe waited for no one and who was she to challenge it? Oh! No...no...that rock with not do. Namid paced up to a small pebble, which touched a rock. She got on her belly and slowly crawled up to the pair. Careful now...must not let them know...shhhhh
She scooted close enough that he nose was mere centimeters away. Then quickly, in a blur of action, she flopped onto her back and pointed her paws straight towards the sky.
She remained completely still. She couldn't hear when things were moving. There now...what? Ok, ok... yes. Her eyes scanned the stars until she found the pebble's place. It certainly wasn't in the right place on earth. She marked with an ear where the pebble needed to go. Then so she rolled back on her four paws and nudged the pebble a little to the left. Her ears flickered back and forth for a bit until they were satisfied.

Namid suddenly jumped back up and shouted out, "Time for rest!" Then crouched on the ground and crawled to where Asku stood, careful to keep her ears pointed in front of her.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku turned his head to watch Namid as she...did something with rocks. Gods above, was there a single moment in the night when she wasn't constantly confirming with the stars? He really didn't know when she slept. Most of the time he fell asleep and woke up to find her in the same place, staring intently up at the sky. Only when dawn broke did she rest.

"The pebble really needed to move just a bit?" he asked, his voice weary but amused. Despite her sometimes reckless antics, Namid's unique view of the world always made Asku smile. It was the reason he had followed her for so long, really. He had always viewed the world as a place that you needed protection from. With Namid around, he was slowly starting to see that it wasn't one big dangerous place. It was detailed and welcoming and funny and...well. Still dangerous. She had a knack for finding cliffs and pointy objects.  

[Skyflu]

Namid continued to crawl until she bumped her head into Asku's flank. She left it there... For some reason he gave her comfort, which was... weird. Her relationship with others was non-existent, since they couldn't stand to be around her for longer than was polite. Which didn't bother her. She just needed the sky above for company and it offered a lot. Affection streamed from the air and wrapped its warmth around Namid. It touched her ears first, before enveloping her whole body. Her connection to Asku transferred some of its energy to him, but she didn't think he could feel lit. No one could before.

Now she was restless. She picked her head up from his flank and then rested it on his back before sitting down. "The pebble wasn't in its proper place. It was disrupting the flow." She blinked a few times, never lifting her head from his back.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku followed Namid's route until she was next to him and stretched slightly once her head was pressed against him. He always felt a bit better when she was close. He figured it was because if she was touching him he knew she was safe. He flexed his toes on his hind legs as a warm, tingly sensation that he had come to associate with Namid fill his body. It was very odd, but not unpleasant, so he never mentioned it. It hadn't always been like that, though. It was only a recent development. He had also noticed whenever she was in danger the same sort of feeling would return, but rather than being warm and tingly it was hot and painful. Very, very odd...

"Something so tiny can disrupt the whole flow of the stars?" he asked, glancing back at Namid as she relocated to rest her head on his back rather than his flank. "The things you say never cease to amaze me." Amaze him in more than one way, of course. This was one of those times when it was an in an amused way. And other times she would say things that were so uncharacteristically profound that it made his head spin. "Stars themselves are quite small, though...I guess I can see how something about their size could throw them off balance."  

[Skyflu]

Namid twitched her ears that were being to buzz. She didn't like when that happened. It was very disorienting after long periods of time. Though, she couldn't predict how long it would last. She didn't understand it, which was alright with her. Some times it just wasn't her place to understand. Confusion and ignorance is sometimes best when things play on a galactic scale.

Asku's question filtered through the buzz to her brain. It took her a second to formulate a response, but then she spoke. "Everything has a place. Here or there, some times no where. The Earth is just an echo and the stars, a map." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she lifted her head, turning to face Asku. "Now we must find ours."
She stood up and began walking forwards. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she'd know when she got there.  

[SilverLutz]

"Ah..." Asku said quietly, even though he really had no idea what Namid was talking about. Maps and echos...how did that even relate? To her he was sure it did, but to him...well. This was why he was in charge of watching pups and not reading the heavens. Clearly he was missing something.

As Namid rose he lifted his head and watched her walk a few paces. Finally her words reached his ears and he groaned as he got to his feet. Just when he thought the walking was done...

"Namid...please. It's late, I'm tired, I'm sure *you* are tired...can't we just rest here?" he asked as he limped after the smaller canine. "The stars can deal with us sleeping here for just one night...can't they?" Why were they so important, anyway? They were just two wild dogs that wanted to catch some Z's. Or maybe just one wild dog. Still...he'd better follow her. Who knew where she'd end up walking.  

[Skyflu]

Asku's words drifted through the buzz and settled. Namid froze mid-step with one paw still hanging in the air. He wished to stop and sleep, understandable considering they've been walking for hours... possibly days, she didn't keep track of time-just night and day. Which were times of times by day and night, but not the time. No matter, sleeping would be nice.

She flicked her ears to the left, then the right, finally they settled in a resting position. After consulting with the ones, all is well, so they will stay and rest.
Namid placed her paw down and looked back to address Asku. "We will sleep. My paws are tired." She looked down and examined her paws. They were weak and needed rejuvenating. So, her mind made up, she plopped where she stood and circled up into a ball.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku followed slowly behind Namid, hoping the stars would let them stop soon. He really just wanted to rest...of course, the stars had been rather ruthless drivers the past few days as they had walked to this place. Thankfully the pack seemed to be the place they had been searching for. He wasn't too sure why they wanted them to keep walking, though.

He pulled up short as Namid stopped. What? They were actually allowed to sleep? He walked up to stand beside Namid and let her lay down before he followed suit, letting out a sigh of relief. He tucked his tired paws under him before resting his head on Namid's neck, a tactic he had found that would ensure she'd stay in place during the night. Every time he fella sleep like this they always woke the same way in the morning. That warm, tingly, nice feeling returned as they relaxed and he let out another sigh, this one of contentment.

"Good...I'm glad the stars are only present at night. I'm not sure I could put up with them all the time." They were very demanding when Namid was around.  

[Skyflu]

Namid started sinking into the earth. Well, not literally sinking into the earth. Just... being the earth, but not. She was content, which wasn't always the case, though, becoming more familiar. The heavens took a toll on her body and some times, her spirit. It was testing, however, each time she passed. At least, she hoped. Things continued as they always have, just with new company. Now, quite possibly, a new home.

Asku laid his head on her neck and Namid closed her eyes. She didn't realize it yet, but he offered her a comfort not found through the earth or the stars. It was a different feeling. Something, some how closer and not a topic Namid studied. It filled a void the stars sometimes left through their brutal times of challenging.

Namid pushed herself closer to Asku. It made her happy, which she couldn't explain, but for once, she didn't care.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku let out a yawn as Namid curled closer to him and allowed his eyes to slide shut. Finally, some rest. He licked his muzzle a few times before nuzzling a bit against Namid's neck to get comfortable.

"Good night," he said quietly after another yawn escaped him. "Tomorrow we'll...explore the place a bit...get to know the lay of the land..." Of course, knowing Namid, she'd never remember what was where in the area and instead rely on the stars and their ways of navigation to get from one place to another. He fell asleep fairly quickly after that, Namid's warmth and the contrasting cool night air lulling him to rest.  

[Skyflu]

Things were peaceful and Namid enjoyed peace. She couldn’t imagine why anybody wouldn’t, but there were some. Always negatives to positives, good to bad. It was how the world worked and why things existed. The stars told her much, but not all. Never all. It was not her responsibility to know all and she didn’t want it to be. Forget about ear buzzing, her brain would explode from all the information. Speaking of ears, hers were starting to calm down. The heavens were allowing her to rest and she was thankful for that.

Now, she and Asku will continue to travel, though for how long, she doesn’t know. Maybe it will stop soon. It’s not her place to say, though sometimes she wished it so….no…. she shouldn’t have such thoughts. The gods have blessed her with a gift…at least…she hoped it was so. Some said she was crazy and that it was all in her head. It could be. Either way, Namid didn’t care. It wasn’t her place to care, just to live and interpret. Such thoughts made her think of her family… which she didn’t think of often. Though, her feelings were neutral towards her family. Maybe she loved them, though, she couldn’t be sure.

This place was different and Namid found a new pull. Maybe Asku and her can stay a while, longer than usual.

At that thought, warmth filled her ears, clearing the rest of the buzz.

Yes, they will stay.

End