Risktaker always liked getting to go on a patrol around the pack borders. It was a good way to see the pack members, and to survey how things were going. Usually a lot of his friends would say hi to him, and walk with him for a bit, or keep him company as he did his rounds. Tonight he was up just a bit earlier than most of the pack began to rise, however, the sun still clinging to the sky. It was doubtful he would get anyone coming up to him, at least at the start of it.
Which was fine by him, because he had special company with him. His beloved. If there was one thing he loved more than just being around the pack, it was doing his patrol with Wisdomchaser.
Stepping from their den, he yawned and stretched his paws out in front of him. Shaking his head, which moved all the way down his body and ended in the tip of his tail flicking, he looked back over his shoulder. The den was quiet these days, with just the two of them there now. Their puppies weren’t puppies any more at all, each a full-fledged adult, contributing to the pack and living their own lives.
He was very proud of them all, but he missed having the company of kids around him. His own kids.
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Growing might have been a part of life for all of them, and they may live in the Now, but that didn't mean that parents would stop wishing their pups would stay young sometimes. She remembered fondly how well they all used to fit in the den months ago, how well they fit curled up at her side between mother and father as the Day star rose in the sky and the pack was settling down for rest.
Secretly, or more so, silently, Wisdomchaser held out hope that they would recognize again sometime soon.
She watched as Risktaker left the den, just finishing her grooming as he did so, and emerged just a moment behind him with a bright smile. "Night will be with us before long, I wonder if Drywit has managed to get into our sleeping habits yet or if we'll find him snoring in his den again tonight." The dark female giggled, brushing her head against her lifemate's as the two began to leave the den, a leather hanging closing over the opening after them that kept the sun's rays out while they slept, a courtesy from Swiftthinker and Gingerroot, the tanner's apprentice.
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Risk chuckled, “Sometimes it’s harder for some than others to get used to the night schedule, I think. He’ll ease himself into it, I’m sure. We just have to poke him to make sure he doesn’t sleep all the time, and miss both day and night.” He grinned teasingly, wagging his tail gently behind him.
Nuzzling her affectionately, he then padded along beside her, in no rush. He enjoyed their time together, and he certainly imagined that living in the Now meant making sure to bask in the fun he had with her. He nudged her shoulder with his as he walked, his tail wagging enough to hit hers as they walked.
“So what’s the plan? Once around the pack lands?” He glanced at her, smiling softly. He couldn’t help it. Every time he looked at her it was like falling in love for the first time, feeling that pull of Recognition as strongly as ever.
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"I remember a certain someone having little to no trouble at all getting used to it." She teased, flashing him a mischieveous look out of the corner of her eye as her tail began to wag with enough force to brush against his as well as they walked, more like a pair of teenage dogs rather than adults, let alone the alpha pair, though given the nature of their pack it was perfectly acceptable. Public displays of affection were highly common, the pack anything but prude.
For a moment her eyes met with his, and she too felt that familiar spark, a bounce taking over her step as she nipped suddenly at his shoulder in passing, playfully.
"Once around the pack lands." She agreed. "And maybe finding a nice patch of dreamberries along the way, beloved Hatari?"
She used part of his soul name as though to prove that she was in a lovingly impish mood. They had both been with others in the pack on occassion, but it was always to each other that they returned and held the strongest bond. Only Risktaker was given Wisdomchaser's soul name (Haki-mlindaji), and only she knew his. When they had been introduced to the pack it was by wolf name. Everyone in the pack knew them simply as Risktaker and Wisdomchaser, for the privledge of knowing one another so deeply was reserved for lifemates, recognized or not.
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He grinned broadly, teeth flashing. He laughed, nodding. “Well of course! I lost some sleep trying to adjust those first few days, but I had a great girl to stay awake for. So it was worth it.” He laughed, barking excitedly as she nipped at him. “Hey!”
Noting the use of his name, he bounded up and nuzzled her, his nose under her chin. He licked her nose teasingly.
“I think that sounds like a very good plan, my lovely Haki,” he returned. She would always be his truest love, the one he was Recognized to, belonged to, and belonged with. He happily shared with her part of himself. Grinning, he ran off ahead, calling back over his shoulder. “I think I know a good spot for dreamberries, but I wonder if you’ll be able to keep up with me?”
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Wisdomchaser just grinned softly to his laughter, a sound that had caught her attention quickly in their early days of getting acquainted and stayed with her in her dearest dreams. She laughed softly in delight and giddiness as he licked at her face and rubbed her chin with affection, licking back where she could.
"Well as I also recall on more than one occassion we neglected sleep until well after the Day star had risen just debating, asking, and answering questions. For a while I thought for certain you'd turn me over to the opposite sleep routine. Hey!" She shot back, laughing, and darted after him as he began to run. They could patrol like this, nothing would stop them from noticing scents or strange sounds, really, at least that was how she saw it. The others would be along to patrol soon enough anyway and it was still far too early for them to be awake. If he was going to challenge her... "Oh I'll keep up with you love, just don't hurt your old bones trying to outdo yourself, lovemate." She teased, pushing for an extra burst of speed to prove her point, just long enough to rile him into chasing after her all the faster, laughing as she began to catch up and pass by.
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He heard her talking about their history, and he laughed as he went, remembering just what she spoke of. He looked back over his shoulder to tease her, but saw her darting after him and realized she would catch up easily if he didn’t put his heart into it. He ran faster, trying not to bark as the pack was just beginning to stir and he did not want to wake them up faster than they had to.
“Old bones?!” He had heard her right, hadn’t he? How rude! He was not that old, and if he was, she was too. He didn’t say that though, too busy laughing and trying to prove himself the opposite instead. He had let her pass him but he wasn’t going to let her get away from him, picking up his speed as he darted off.
“Come back here! I’ll show you old,” he laughed, getting close enough to n** at her tail as she ran ahead of him.
They were getting away from the main den area now, which was fine by him. It meant he could be louder, which was good.
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The further away from the pack that they got the more of a rush she began to feel, though it was nothing to do with proximity and everything to do with the blood racing ever faster in their veins as they ran. Wild dogs were social creatures by nature, even preferring energetic begging as opposed to aggression at meal times, unlike their "cousins" and the trolls known as hyenas, so play was well accepted as a means of showing affection and bonding.
Right now Wisdomchaser was at her most open, alone with Risktaker, running freely, laughing out loud as they literally raced to the dreamberry patch that he mentioned.
"You'll definitely have to catch me first!"
A particularly happy peel of laughter followed the close call as his teeth grazd the fur on her tail, and with all the ease of a creature well accustomed to incorporating running into playing and vice versa she suddenly slowed her pace and changed tactics, laughing as she pounced at his side, hoping to knock him over. If she wasnt mistaken they weren't far from the bushes that housed the rare sweet fruit that their pack had come to love.
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Risktaker panted as he ran, but he could keep it up for a while yet: he had no problems running after her. He was stunned, however, when she slowed and he almost passed her, only to have her pounding on him. With a laugh he bucked like a bull, trying to keep himself from falling over, but that just toppled him further as he threw off his own balance.
He rolled onto his side, still all laughs.
“Well that was not the best way to win a race, love! I don’t think you’re understanding the game we were playing. It’s not fair to switch right in the middle.” He grinned, moving to butt his head against her chest and try to wrestle her from her superior position. He was not going to lose, even if the game changed.
Of course, playing with his beloved never resulted in a loss on either side.
“Oh hey, look, the dreamberries.” He grinned at that.
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Success! She had taken him completely off guard. She howled softly in triumph at that, making sure to stay at a private volume since an all out howl would carry far too easily. It was one of joy anyway, the pack wasn't likely to investigate what sounded like two lovemates in the middle of playing around.
Laughing heartily at his teasing she tried to stay where she was so that he couldn't get the best of her so easily, but all he had to do was mention dreamberries in this case, and she looked up, trustingly. Sure enough, there they were, but she was toppled as a cost for inattention. Yelping quietly and then laughing at her own folly, she grinned, tail beating against the ground.
Reaching up to wrap a paw around his neck she urged Risktaker down close enough to lick his cheek.
"Hmm, I understand the game perfectly well, lifemate, you're just not thinking of the right one. Maybe the dreamberries can help a little bit with that..."
