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Oh if only Momma knew where she was. There was a growing smirk on the young pup's face as she paraded through the underbrush, legs working faster and harder than ever before. The slim, sleek blue and white saddle puppy moved with a bumbling, tripping stride. She was still young and rather clumsy, but this didn't stop young Bluejay from running away from home. She gave a squeal of delight.

Once she was certain she was far enough out of her packlands, she slowed. Her paws were a tad sore, but she pushed through the pain with her head held high. Green eyes darted this way and that, tail flagging the air behind her in happy wags. Oh, what kind of adventure should she go on? Surely she could find a handsome knight, or a giant, firebreathing dragon! Another squeal, and a burst of speed. She tumbled, fell, and did two soumersaults before landing at the giant teal blue paws of a certain someone. With only a flicker of fear and a grin that could give even the toughest puppies a run for their money, Jay stared him in the face.

---

Sikittok was beginning to tire of Gomorrah pack, the new alpha femme, Piper, was a good leader, but he didn’t fall into the same groove with her as he had the last alpha. That and the constant debauchery was starting to tire him, he wasn’t a teen anymore after all. Since the pack wasn’t holding his interest he decided he’d wander for the day. He was just out of the borders of the pack when a little blue and white ball bumped into his paws. Yellow-green eyes looked down at the little fur ball and tilted his head slightly. Now this was new.

The dusty blue male studied the little pup carefully, not yet speaking. He could tell from the scent it was a female, and it wasn’t one of Gomorrah’s. She was a cute little thing for all she just bowled into him. He hadn’t seen any pups up close in awhile and for some reason this little one was reminding him of his old pack, and his old family. ”Hello there, little one, what are you doing all the way out here?” Seeing her grin he couldn’t help but smile, she was a spitfire this one, he could tell. He wasn’t a small wolf and most pups were more intimidated by his size.

---

Bluejay tilted her head up -- she had to, in order to look at him. He towered over her, massive like a big building, but she just stared him down, the grin never slipping from her face. Ears flicked up, then pinned, and flicked up again as she gathered her wits. Her paws sprang to life beneath her, and she was on her feet, leering at him. Her tail began to wag. "'Ello. I'm going on an adventure." Her voice was soft, like little chiming bells. Innocent. She was hardly that. A huff came up her throat. "Who might you be? I'm Bluejay. You can call me Jay, pal." Once more, her tail wagged. "Do you know of any dragons we might slay, oh silver knight?"

---

Siki watched as the pup climbed back onto her paws, taking a step back so she’d have a bite more room to get up. Once she was all set up he smiled, listening to her speak. She sounded so innocent, a trait that was severely lacking in the wolves of Gomorrah pack. His tail began to wag a bit, at the mention of an adventure he chuckled softly. ”An adventure? Now that sounds like fun.” At the exchanging of names he smiled again. ”That’s a pretty name, I’m Sikittok, but just Siki is alright.” He laughed again, dragons? He could barely remember when he was young enough to still believe mythical things like dragons were real. ”Dragons, you say. Well now, I think I might just know of one, but I’m not sure it will be easy to slay though.” He puffed out his chest at being called a knight, sure it was only a childish nickname but it made him feel more manly.

--

Jay beamed. Pretty. He thought she was pretty. For one moment, she let her girlish fantasies about being rescued by this large knight float through her mind, a smile on her face. Then she shook her head, shaking off the reverie. Time for business. He knew a dragon! She gave a soft squeal, sitting back down and raising a paw. "Well, Sir Siki, I feel we would be doing the world a favor by slaying the beast, don't you? Besides, wouldn't you like to rescue a princess and fall into a fairy tale love?" She batted her eyes and circled him. "Let's go, let's go!" she shrilled, barking and leaping ahead at full speed, fully expecting him to follow her like the loyal knight he was.

---

He laughed as she went on, she was really energetic, and he wasn’t quite used to it. His closest friend in Gomorrah was a mute she-wolf by the name of Gerda, and she wasn’t much of a talker. The big wolf smiled as she tried to convince him, and then wondered how he was going to play this imaginary tale out. He didn’t want to show her a bear or anything, the large creature might eat her, and even though he just met her he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. Well, he’d figure that out when they got closer, maybe he’d be able to distract her with something else.

Catching her offer of rescuing a princess and falling in love he laughed. He was too old to fall in love, or rescue much of anything, but he’d play along he supposed. ”Well I guess rescuing a princess wouldn’t be so bad, but I’m not sure my heart could handle a fairy tale love.” He winked at her and then ran after the pup. ”I thought I was leading!” He grinned, he hadn’t fun like this in a while.

---

In fact, little Jay was hoping for something scary. A bear, perhaps, might work. Teeth and claws and big and hairy...hardly a scaled, firebreathing dragon, but it would be good enough in her silly imagination.

He couldn't handle loving a princess? She tilted her head to one side. "You're not old," she said quickly, ignoring the soft grizzling of middle age on his muzzle. To her, it simply didn't exist. Once he caught up with her, she stopped, nearly falling over, and grinned. "Oh, right. Too true. Lead on, Sir Knight!" This was almost a barked command as she surely felt she was a princess in every sense. Her tail wagged and her eyes were eager. What was he going to come up with on this grand adventure?

---

The big wolf felt his heart warm a bit when she denied that he was old, he didn’t argue with her even though he knew he was indeed old, not near death old, but quite a bit older than her. Instead he just ran after her, he almost wished he could be like the little pup, carefree and loving life. He slowed down and stopped next to her, smiling down his muzzle at her. ”Gladly,” He didn’t even mind her barking at him, it wasn’t like she was a challenge to his authority.

He walked ahead thinking, he knew of a wild horse pack that roamed outside the pack lands, probably around where they were now. The blue wolf thought about showing her the horses and spinning them into Unicorns, that just might work, unless Jay was determined to see something big and menacing. He looked down at the pup and smiled. ”What if I told you I knew where a herd of Unicorns were? We could see those instead, Unicorns are much more fit for a princess than a dragon.”

---

She padded after him, never cautious to the dangers that could be lurking in the shadows. Instead, she felt safe in his eyes, just like she felt when Daddy was near. Not that this pup was often scared. For a moment, she thought of home. Momma was probably worried, chewing Dad's ear off because he let her get away. She giggled and continued to walk.

She paused, ears pricking. Unicorns... Big beautiful animals with horns and flowing tails and her tail began to wag. "Oh yes!" she said gleefully. "I'd love to see Unicorns!" All thoughts of dragons were out of her mind as she sprinted the last few lengths to be at his side.

---

Siki couldn’t help but let out a small sigh of relief, thank goodness she liked the idea of Unicorns. He glanced up at the sky and noticed that, conveniently, the sun was starting to set. Hopefully they’d reach the horses in time for the sky to be all orange and purples, it would add to the fantasy, or so he thought. The male was a bit surprised about how fully he was immersing himself in this little pup’s quest for adventure. He felt protective over her for some reason, probably because she was out, alone, in the wild. ”Then we go off to see the Unicorns” His tail was wagging as he grinned and he shifted directions slightly, he had caught the scent of horses on the wind and luckily they smelled close. Thinking of something he looked down at Jay. So, princess, where’re your parents? They must be worried about you being out here all alone.”

---

And all alone she was. She'd run off because she'd felt like it. Daddy had told them the story of their mother, who left home at a young age to meet her soulmate. Now, Jay wasn't sure if she believed in soulmates. Maybe she would when she was older. She believed in true love, but soulmates? Was a little farfetched for this pup.

She gazed up at him, all the while taking in the smells of the Unicorns. Her tail wagged and she smiled, eyes creasing as she did. "I dunno," she said. "Daddy was paying attention to Dove and Pippin, and I decided to go on an adventure. Brothers and sisters weigh ya down, yanno? They wanna be princes and princesses too and there's only room for one." She puffed out her chest a little. "Me." Then a tendril of fear took her. What if she never found her way back home? "Um... Siki... Do you think maybe after we see the Unicorns we could find Momma?"

---

The old wolf listened to her little story closely, he knew how siblings could be. He had had a sister, and she had received most the attention from his mother and father. Now of course it didn’t matter, they were all dead, killed by a fast moving disease that he was lucky to escape. He nodded slightly, ”I know how that is, my sister used to get all the attention from my parents.” A smile pulled at his muzzle as he looked at her. ”But I’m sure you’re the best princess.” He really shouldn’t be stroking her ego, but he couldn’t help it. She was small and cute, and he wasn’t around pups very often, they got special treatment right?

Catching her question he leaned down, nudging her gently with his nose. ”Of course we can.” Lifting his head the male scented the air and then grinned. He brought his voice down to a whisper before he spoke. ”We’re getting close, they’re right through those bushes. Now we’ll crouch down and shimmy on through and see if we can get a good look at them, alright?”

----

Jay beamed. The best princess? Sir Knight thought she was the best? She puffed out her little puppy chest and grinned, but stayed quiet for not to scare off the unicorns. She listened with wide eyes, nodding every so often, jaw snapped shut. They were going to get a good view of the unicorns, and then he would take her home after their adventure was over. It sounded great to her. "Okay, Siki," she whispered back. She waited for him to move first, willing to follow bravely.

---

Siki smiled at the pup’s gusto, she was a darling thing. When she agreed to follow him he crouched down until his stomach was scraping the dirt. Motioning for her to follow he wiggled his way through the bushes, making a hole for her to follow through. He tried to make headway as silently as he could, not wanting to scare the horses- er, unicorns away.

It took a minute but eventually his snout broke through the brush to open air and he could see into the clearing and he could see the herd of horses grazing there. He shimmied to the side making room for her to come around and lay next to him to peek out of the brush. Looking back he whispered to her ”Okay, princess, come up here, but don’t go out of the bush, and you can see the unicorns.”

---

Bluejay, grinning the entire while, shimmied down in the dirt after him. Her belly touched the ground as she crawled, putting one paw in front of the other. She followed him loyally, the bush poking at her and grabbing her fur. She nipped at a branch and shuffled after her Knight, ears pricking up when he whispered to her. Her green eyes grew wide as he head popped out of the dark bush and gave her the perfect view of the herd of Unicorns. They were stunning, sleek beasts with rippling muscles and their manes and tails flagged out in the breeze. She sighed heavily. "They're so beautiful," she whispered dreamily.

---

Siki smiled glancing sidelong at Jay instead of looking at the herd. He’d seen enough horses in his time, the reaction on the pup’s face was worth more than words could say. He didn’t even have to convince her they were unicorns, she just believed. He wasn’t used to that sort of blind faith, usually everything came with questions upon questions before it was believed.

”They really are,” He smiled laying his head on the ground, content to lay there until Jay had gotten her fill of the unicorns.

---

After several minutes of just breathing and watching the Unicorns graze on the grass, she turned to look at Siki, honesty in her eyes. She stifled a yawn, her excitement spent. "Could you...take me home?" Surely Momma was scared for her. Prolly Dove too... "I live in..." A pause as she thought about it for a moment. "Agua Azul. It's a little pack by the ocean. I don't really know the way..." This time, her smile was sheepish. She backed out of the bushes, careful not to startle the Unicorns, and sat down on her rump, waiting for Sikittok.

---

Siki himself was starting to get tired, and the contentedness he felt while laying there was making him nod off. Luckily Bluejay’s words snapped him back to reality and lifting his head he smiled with a nod. ”’Course I can,” His words were a whisper, still not wanting to startle the herd. When she stated she didn’t know the way he chuckled. ”I’m sure we can find it,” He followed her out of the bushes, giving himself a good shake when he was free. Looking down at her he grinned. ”We can follow your scent back to your pack, but first…” He trailed off a playful look on his face before he leaned down rubbing his nose across her back and sides, half picking up her scent half tickling her. When he had gotten past the scent of dirt, and bushes, and general forest and down to a crisper saltier smell he stopped. He wagged his tail a bit smiling. ”Now we just follow my nose, princess.”

---

She grinned at him, sitting lopsidedly with a wag of her tail, her paws close together. She watched him give a shake, and leapt to her paws, splayed out and ready. A shiver ran down her spine as he sniffed her in, taking in her scent and she giggled, a hiccuping sound. "You're so silly!" she barked softly. When his tail wagged, hers went even faster. "Let's go home! Momma will love you!" she beamed and took off running...in the wrong direction before pausing and returning back to him with a flush on her cheeks. "After you, Sir Knight!"

---

Siki chuckled at her words, maybe he was being silly, but he hadn’t been silly in a long, long time and he had to admit, being silly was fun. He nodded, ”All right, let’s go.” And I hope your momma loves me and doesn’t want to kill me for bringing you home so late. He was about to take off, but then Jay took off in the opposite direction. He laughed as she came running back, a grin on his muzzle. ”I probably should lead.” He gave her a small bump with his nose and then took off in the proper direction.

By the time they reached Agua Azul it was dark, they could’ve gotten there faster, but Siki had stopped several times to give Jaya break. She didn’t say she needed a break, but Siki was being careful, he didn’t want to wear her out. He knew they had arrived when the salt air hit him right in the face. Looking down at Jay he smiled, ”Now we just have to find your momma.”

---

She took the bop on the nose with a goofy grin, padding after him, tail flagging high behind her as she stepped back into her princess role. Head held high, chest out, she moved easily behind him. Soon they came upon land she recognized. The smell grew thicker and her tail began to wag. With a grin at Siki, she threw back her head and let loose a warbling cry.

---

Kriggertarpok was scouring Agua Azul with a clawed paw, heart clenching worriedly as she looked for her oldest daughter. Damn that Ravenblue, teaching their children about her own young adventures. Surely little Bluejay had taken off... But was she okay? She worried, padding down the forest, nose to the ground, as she heard the cry.

She froze, then sprinted ahead, running until she found her baby...and a big aqua streaked male who hovered behind her. Krigger growled at him, cuddling up to Jay, licking her all over. Jay giggled and licked back. "Momma! This is Siki! He brought me home and showed me Unicorns!" she squealed.

Krigger glanced up to meet his gaze. Uncertain, as he smelled of other wolves that didn't belong to this pack. "Hello there... I'm Krigger," she said, trying to keep pleasant even when she wanted to steal her daughter away from under the male's gaze. She knew herself at that age, looking for a soulmate... And this Siki... He was surely too old for Jay... "Thank you..."

---

Siki waited after Jay cried out, assuming that was her call to her mother. And so it was, within seconds a gold female with undertones of blue showed up and she wasn’t happy. Hearing the growl he stepped back, fighting off the urge to raise his hackles. In Gomorrah you didn’t back down from a challenge, but he knew that the smartest thing to do in this situation was to play it calm and not aggravate anyone. He watched as the mother took over Jay, obviously relieved she was home. That made Siki feel a bit bad, he should’ve made her go home the second after he saw her and not catered to her whims about unicorns. Although when he listened to Jay talk about seeing unicorns and how happy she sounded he smiled, she was a nice pup.

His gaze went from Bluejay to the mother when she spoke. He smiled, trying his best to be pleasant and polite, which he managed to do well. He wasn’t a heathen after all. ”Greetings, I’m Sikittok.” If he knew what she had been thinking about soul mates he would have been quick to quell her fears, he knew he was much too old for Bluejay. She was just a pup and he was an experienced older male, no he didn’t think he was her soul mate, or vice versa, as nice as she was. ”You’re welcome, I would’ve brought her home sooner but…she really wanted to see the unicorns.” He gave a sheepish smile and a shrug, he wasn’t one to deny a pups whims.

---

Sikittok... What a strange name. Krigger smiled, relaxing as she realized the male wasn't going to attack her or her puppy. Cool down, Krigs, she chided herself. She was acting just like Daddy. The thought made her grimace. She put on a smile. Her tail gave a wag. "I do thank you for bringing her back. There's been such tails of pupknapping... One pack, I've heard, have even given their firstborn child to the Goblin Monarch..." She shivered and licked Jay. The idea of losing just one of her babies the way Shezaam had lost little Elijah... It hurt her heart.

---

Bluejay danced over to Siki, bounding up to lick at his jaw. "Will we see each other again, Sir Knight?" she asked, eyes round. "I mean... Someday, will you show me a dragon, too?"

---

Seeing the female’s tail wag he relaxed as well, glad the tension had flowed out of the situation. He returned the smile, but then frowned at the news of pupnapping. That wasn’t good news at all, Siki liked pups even if he didn’t get to show it most of the time. He was about to respond to this when he was distracted by Jay licking him. Looking down at her he smiled, his tail giving a bit of a wag. ”Of course we will, princess.” He really didn’t think they would, unless she sought him out, but he couldn’t say no to that face. ”When you’re older I promise I’ll show you a dragon.” Leaning down he licked her cheek and then nudged her towards her mother. ”But for now I’ve got to head back to my own pack, until we meet again, Princess Bluejay.” He smiled and then turned heading a way at an easy run, he needed to get back to Gomorrah before Piper started wondering where he was.

---

Jay beamed up at him. When she was older! She danced to the side. "Thank you, Siki," she murmured, bowing to him like a princess might, crossing her front paws and doing a comical little duck. Then she headed back behind Krigger.

Kriggertarpok licked Jay behind the ears and together they stood, Mom and Daughter, watching him as he raced off at a quick pace, headed back home. Jay gave a dreamy sigh and followed Krigger back to the dens, where she would curl up and sleep with Dove until morning.

{Fin}