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"Shh!"

The mud-colored pup with sunshine mask slowly crept along the forest floor, his belly pressed tight against the soil. His eyes were intent on a small white butterfly that flickered on the surface of a rounded rock. Rump up, tail full and fluffed, ears perked and eyes wide, Slowstep was the epitome of fight. A smaller female watched his antics from a few feet behind him, her own ears perked as she moved into a crouched position.

"Don't... move..." he whispered, his face comically motionless as he spoke.

Just as she was told, Skygaze stopped the instant he hushed her. They'd been following the aimless wanderings of this one butterfly in particular for quite some time, and as she hunched down flush with the ground, she kept an eye on the fluttering wings of the pretty butterfly.

It really was so pretty, and she wasn't quite sure what Slowstep had in mind for the butterfly. She didn't want him to kill it and so in the stealthiest whisper she could manage she told him as much.

"Don't hurt it, Slowstep.."

At her whisper, the butterfly took flight, and Slowstep moved into a seated position as it shifted in the air. A small smile spread over his features as the butterfly disappeared into the blue sky, and slowly he turned to meet the younger female's eyes.

"I wasn't going to hurt it, Skygaze. I was going to capture it. For you. A present, I guess." He beamed at her, pink tongue lolling out of the corner of his mouth. Skygaze had been his best friend since they were pups, and he couldn't imagine not having her around. They truly had been inseparable since they'd become friends.

"I dunno what we'd have done with it, but it was fun while it lasted, wasn't it?"

Skygaze rose to her feet, a grin turning the corners of her mouth upwards. Slowstep had been her best friend since she was little, and while they were still but pups, he was older than her. It didn't matter to her, honestly. He always found fun things for them to do together, and that's what mattered to her.

"You were going to capture it for me?" she squeaked, the smile on her muzzle growing even larger. "That's so nice," she added, flicking an ear as she watched him intently.

"I don't even know what we'd have done with it." Where could they have kept a butterfly? Suddenly she was a little ashamed that she'd thought he was going to hurt it. Slowstep wouldn't harm a fly.

"Of course I was going to capture it for you," he chuckled, shaking the dust from his fur. "You're my best friend, aren't you? I'm allowed to give my best friend presents!" He tapped his shoulder against hers as he moved past her. Time for their next adventure together!

He would never admit it, but he was dependent on the company of his best friend Skygaze. He was a juvenile now, though she was still a pup, and at times he was teased by peers that he was hanging out with a 'baby' -- only she wasn't a baby to him. She was his best friend and it didn't matter how old they were. She would always be his best friend.

"It doesn't matter what we would have done with it since I didn't catch it," he admitted with a laugh, "but I'm sure we'd have figured something out. What do you want to do next?"

Skygaze bounced after him, a happy expression on her face. "Want to look for river rocks? Or worms that we could stick in my brother's bed?" That would be fun. She had an innumerable amount of family in the pack, so finding a brother to torture would be easy.

"Or we could look for flowers for the healers, or go find another butterfly, or ... I don't know, we can do anything you want!"

She didn't care what they did as long as they were together. Skygaze drew her courage from the immovable Slowstep, and as long as they were together she felt like she could do anything, even things that she might otherwise decline.

Slowstep laughed, bumping his shoulder against hers as they walked. "You have so many brothers, though. We'd have to catch a lot of worms." His eyes were bright with mirth. "Lets go look for river rocks. Lets see who can find the flattest one!" That was a pass-time of theirs. They had a small collection of stones that they'd hidden away. They weren't sure what they were going to do with them, sure, but that wasn't what mattered.

"Race you to the river," he said in sing-song tones before breaking into a run. He would let her win just like he always did, but it was worth it to hear her laugh.

"Ohhh!" She called out, breaking into a run herself. They weren't far from the river and she knew she would win (she always did, and she suspected it was because he let her). Her legs moved as fast as they could, toes digging into the rich earth that reminded her of Slowstep's pelt.

"I'll catch you," she threatened playfully, giggling as she pushed herself faster and faster. Soon enough she was catching up and once she was close enough she pushed off in a leap towards Slowstep. A perfect landing! She crashed against his back, wrapping her paws around his neck as they tumbled to the ground.

"Ack!"

Slowstep turned himself so that she landed against him and not against the ground. He laughed heartily at her antics, ruffling a paw against her headfur. His bright orange eyes met hers and his laugh trailed off.

"I'm glad you're my best friend," he said in stark seriousness to the laughter that had just lightened his voice. He gently turned until she slid off of his chest, watching her quietly with those bright, vibrant eyes of his.

Skygaze grinned before bopping him on the nose with a gentle paw. "I'm glad you're my best friend too, Slowstep," she said before rising to her feet and shaking the dirt and debris from her brown fur. Panting softly, she wagged her tail as she met his eyes once more.

"I won!" she trilled over her shoulder as she padded towards the river. "Now lets find some rocks!"

Hours later, after they'd both secured their secret cache of stones, the pair headed home shoulder to shoulder as they always seemed to be. Best of friends for now, and where the future took them... well, only time would tell.