Risktaker knew Truthkeeper hated it when he wandered from the pack, but he was bored and up a bit too early to wake the whole pack. So he slipped away for some early morning wandering, to scope out the area and to make sure it was all safe and friendly.
Yawning as he moved, he looked up at the sky. It was still light, the sun only starting to set over the horizon. He knew most animals would be settling down for the night, but he was a nocturnal creature now. He hardly noticed how weird it might have been, to be sleeping in the middle of the day and walking in the night. It hardly bothered him.
He found a watering hole near by and stopped for a drink. They had come to rest near one, but it was nice to go off and have a few quiet moments to think by himself.
Dole, like the other creatures, was settling down for the night, but for some reason, he just couldn't sleep. He didn't know why he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes it seemed like he was ready to wake up. It was an odd feeling to be sure.
Sighing, the leopard left his nightly den to go for a drink. Water could fill his stomach and maybe then, with that weight, he would finally be able to sleep.
He thought he would be alone. Instead, there was another figure at the edge of a watering hole. Dole approached from the other side, so they would both have their room for a drink, and dipped his head down to taste the cool liquid.
Risktaker crouched low when he heard the footfalls of another creature in the area, his sharps ears perking forward and swinging around like a radar. He sniffed at the air carefully, golden eyes scanning the area as his back bristled warily. He wasn’t the most confrontational of creatures, but he knew when he needed to be on his guard. There was no chance he would let some sort of danger slip past him and head for his pack.
He spotted a leopard and did not relax immediately. He didn’t meet many, and knew larger predators were not too fond of the smaller canines. They were often lumped in with hyena, and considered annoying.
He knew he could be seen, and he sighed when the other went to the other edge of the water hole, clearly not wanting to start any trouble. Sighing, Risktaker raised himself and, tail wagging, tilted his head at the other. “Drink before bed?” he asked casually, nodding in greeting.
Well, a casual and friendly greeting could not be politely ignored, now could it? Dole lifted his head from the water and blinked at the canine, who wagged his tail and offered a smile. The leopard nodded from his position. And then, on second thought, he spoke, because the lack of light probably did not illuminate his gesture.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that. I can't sleep for some reason; thought a drink might help me. Yourself?" Not the first wild dog he had met, but this one had been wary at first. As was a decent reaction; Dole didn't blame the other male.
Risktaker smiled.
“My pack walks at night, so I’m actually just waking up. They’re all being roused now, and we’ll probably start to get back on the move soon. It my lifemate knew I were already up and away from them, she’d be mad. I understand why she doesn’t like it, but I can’t help it. I like to look around, and sometimes, it’s easier to explore when the whole pack isn’t following behind you.”
He laughed, an easy talker. He liked to share almost as much as he liked to listen. Wagging his tail again, he tilted his head at the leopard. His eyes were adapting quickly to the darkness, and he noted that the other had a very interesting coat. “So, water puts you to sleep, huh?”
Well, that's a different way to live, then. Lifemate? "Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is a lifemate?" And though he could not really understand the trying task of having a pack follow out behind you while wandering around at night, Dole nodded his head like he did understand.
Dole's eyes were blind; though usually good in darkness, his did not adjust to the lack of light as fast as this canine did. "Sometimes. I'm hoping this will be one of those times, honestly."
“Ah, in my pack we have a few traditions. Some are a bit older and less… practical, than they probably should be, but they’re good practices and they teach the pack different lessons that, I think, make us all better wild dogs in the end. One of them is Recognition. If we find someone our soul is bound to, our one true mate, then that is recognition. It’s difficult to prove or disprove, though. Anyway, a lifemate is the person that you either Recognized, or you have fallen in love with. Mine is Truthkeeper, and she is so much more than I can describe.”
He looked distant and dreamy as he spoke of her, though he had only just parted from her company and she was but a matter of a short run away.
Blinking, he focused back on the leopard, offering a sheepish shrug and a grin.
His ears lowered, “I’m sorry you can’t go to sleep. I’m not sure I know any tricks for it. Maybe a full belly? I’ve never heard of filling it with water, though.”
That...actually made sense. It did seem like a somewhat of an old way, yes, but Dole rather liked it. "Interesting," he said after a moment. "And you often choose who your lifemate is? That is very interesting indeed..." It could be a very interesting life if Dole could somehow encounter the soul that matched his. He hoped that one day, he would.
He chuckled at the canine's dreamy facial expression.
"I'm not really up to hunting at the moment, to be honest," he replied just as sheepishly. "Water sometimes fills me up when I can't get any food, so that's what I thought about doing. Thanks, though."
“I’m not sure if I picked her, or if she picked me… or if our souls just picked each other. But I’ve never met someone like her before. And I’ll never meet anyone like her again. I don’t want to. I’m set, I think,” he laughed, fondly, then tilted his head at Dole, realizing that he didn’t know the other’s name, “I’m Risktaker, by the way. Or Risk, if you want.”
He nodded. It seemed to make sense. Not in the mood for food, then go for some water. Risk lowered his head to drink again, now thinking more about his mate than ever. He smiled at his reflection, the brown dog staring up at him looking as if he had been stricken by love in that moment. Brand new.
Sighing, he tried to wipe the goofy expression from his muzzle. “Yeah, so. I should probably be getting back to them, though. And I don’t want to keep you up any longer than I have to.”
"Well, I hope to share your happiness one day, then. It sounds like a good life to be set with." Oh, manners. He apparently had none. "A pleasure. I'm Dole."
Yes, water at this time was a good little sna--err, drink. He, too, leaned down to take a drink. Even thinking about it made him thirsty. Silly leopard.
"Have a good night then. It was nice meeting you, Risktaker." Interesting name, that. It didn't sound like...well, his name or those of whoever else he had met so far in his life. "Thank you for your courtesy. I wish you good health," he added.
Risktaker grinned and nodded.
“And I hope you go to sleep quickly, and have good dreams! Good night, Dole.” He bowed his head, then bounced away. He trotted back toward his pack, his spirits high and his paws eager to get to moving. Now that he had been speaking about his life, his pack, he wanted more than ever to return to their lands and meet with those they had left behind.
He wanted to spread this life he had adopted, and show other wild dogs, not just leopards, how good it was. Maybe they would join them, and their family would grow. Grinning from ear to ear, he greeted his waking pack and they set off, seizing the night.
