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It was another beautiful day.

As he usually did, Slowstep was making his way leisurely through the packlands. There was something so serene about the warmth of the sun shining off of his earth-toned pelt, small birds chirping in the near distance, the happy burble of a nearby stream. Life was good and he knew only one way that it could get even better.

Skygaze.

He'd known her since she was a sassy little spunky pup and he himself just a bit older. She'd always had a spark that he admired, and she'd matured into a sweetly bumbling apprentice healer. That spark was still there but she was forever in a hurry and always stumbling here and there. It was endearing how clumsy she was, and Slowstep couldn't get her out of his mind. He'd always had a fondness for her, it seemed, and one day he would get the courage to tell her. For now he couldn't help but feel as if she were only interested in him as a friend.

He wasn't quite sure how to change that.

Deep in thought, he continued meandering through the tranquil woods.

Skygaze had been sent on a mission by her mentor Coolbreeze, and she'd been out in the woods ever since the predawn hours. She'd been told to gather a sort of mushroom that grew close to water and oftentimes under rocks, and as of yet she'd not had any luck in her search. She was not only frustrated with her lack of progress but also at the irritation she felt with herself.

"Always in a hurry," she huffed at herself, nosing a large stone out of her way before glancing over the dent the rock had left in the ground, "Always in a hurry and always a failure." Discouraged now, she kicked another stone out of her path before she turned back in the direction she'd come, a defeated slump to her shoulders and her tail tucked between her hind legs.

Maybe she wasn't meant to be a healer. Her thoughts traveled to the one friend she had that had always supported her dreams -- Slowstep. His easy smile and comforting words had always been freely given, and when she was an adolescent she'd started to think of him as more than a friend.

It was ridiculous.

As if someone like him would ever find her to be worth of his mate. She shook her head and exhaled, pausing in her steps as she allowed herself to feel a little bit sorry for herself.

Catching a familiar scent on the air, Slowstep's quiet plodding paused. She was near, he could smell her. Skygaze was near, almost as if she'd been drawn forth by his very thoughts. A whimsical thought, one that he entertained for only a moment before glancing around in hopes of catching sight of the female that had been on his mind. When that didn't work, he did what dogs did best -- he followed his nose.

It only took him a few moments to find her looking quite upset. Well, more melancholy, really. Sad, for lack of a better word. He gave pause for a long moment, merely watching her without being seen himself. Slowstep watched as a stubborn expression erased the sadness that had previously tarnished her pretty features. It wasn't long before she was overturning stones, and he kept quiet for a few long moments before moving closer. Once close enough, he merely asked, "Skygaze. What are you doing?"

Skygaze didn't let herself get carried away by melancholy for long. No, she wouldn't go home until she'd found the mushrooms that Coolbreeze had requested of her -- even if that meant she had to be out here all darn night long. With a stubborn set to her jaw, Skygaze went back to flipping over stones (perhaps a little rougher than necessary) in order to find the mushrooms.

When that familiar voice called out to her, she couldn't help the small yip of surprise that wrenched from her throat.

"What, are you sneaking around now, Slowstep?" She shook her head and exhaled shakily before answering his question.

"I'm looking for mushrooms. Coolbreeze says the grow near the water, but I've yet to find one and I've been out here all. Day." The final two words were punctuated by Skygaze kicking a stone for each word she spat in disgust.

Slowstep bit back the chuckle that threatened to burst free from his lips. No, he'd known Skygaze long enough to realize that she wouldn't appreciate being laughed at. At the moment she looked a little upset with her situation and would likely either break into tears or fling one of the rocks in his direction.

"What mushrooms, Skygaze? Perhaps I've seen them before on my walks through the packland. What do they look like?"

She was adorable when she was frustrated, but he'd never be able to tell her that to her face.

She should've just asked Slowstep to help her from the beginning but she had wanted to do this on her own. Skygaze wasn't one to feel sorry for herself but today seemed to be one of those days that she couldn't help it.

"I'm sure you have better things to do, Slowstep," she said, her words muffled as she used her nose to dig free yet another stone. No mushroom. She gave a hard grunt and turned an exasperated gaze to Slowstep. Skygaze tried to smile but was very near to bursting into tears. That would be the worst ending to the worst day, and the day had yet to even begin.

"Hardly," he said, recognizing the look on her face. She was going to burst into tears any moment if he didn't do or say something to make her feel better. "Now, come on," he cajoled softly, that soft familiar smile flitting across his muzzle, "what do they look like?"

As if he'd rather be anywhere than here, spending time with the female he was head over heels in love with but too afraid to say anything about. He was a fool, and with his luck he'd lose her if he didn't say anything about his feelings to her.

Skygaze sighed. Just what she needed, embarassing herself in front of the male she secretly adored. He probably felt sorry for her, always stumbling around and failing at her duties. Slowstep had that smile that made her heart thrum in her chest, and here he was offering to help her find the stupid mushrooms she'd been searching for for hours now. Shaking her head, she offered him a tentative smile though the gesture didn't extinguish the feelings of failure that gleamed in he reyes.

"They're brown with darker tops," she blurted, sighing again. "Coolbreeze said they'd be found near water, and as you can see I haven't picked a single mushroom."

Slowstep chuckled softly, moving close enough to bump his shoulder against hers. Her sadness made his heart ache, and he wanted only to make the upset go away, "I saw some earlier, not far from here. I don't know if they're the right ones, but they look just like you've described. I'll help you gather some, and if they don't turn out to be the right ones, well, I'll come back out with you." He offered a bright smile to her before dipping his head in the direction that she should follow.

Tomorrrow, he thought to himself. Tomorrow I'll tell her how I really feel.

If her fur hadn't been so dark, Slowstep would've seen the blush that pinkened her skin. As it was, her ears were tinged with the soft blush as she fell into step behind him. She wasn't sure what she'd done to keep his friendship, but it was all she had. There was no way that he'd accept her as a mate, not when there were other capable females around -- like Coolbreeze. With a hearty sigh and a determined frown, Skygaze straightened her shoulders and fell into step behind him.

She hated the uncertainty, though. Skygaze didn't want to let the possibility pass her by.

Tomorrow, she thought to herself. Tomorrow I'll tell him how I really feel.