Your Mine! 5
#5 of Your mine!
Dusk remembers his first time meeting Dusty, and how a little pup could change his world.
The Alpha sat alone by the pools, chewing a piece of sweet meat wondering what had Dusty so excited about the human. The treat made him think back when he met Snow, and a muddy lil pup name Dusty...
Black paws worked quickly, the strands of animal hide slowly turning into a braided rope. He was getting thirsty so he took another drink and got back to work. His dad needed the rope later that evening, but he finished it early. After dropping it off, he started to the river hoping for a little quiet, his spot was still warm with the sun light and a soft breeze. Opening the pouch, the smell of sweet meats tickled his nose, Mom always made the best!
Holding up a piece on the end of a claw he admired it like a fine wine, then it disappeared into his muzzle while he poked the next one. The crash of brush and the patter of little paws rushed by, a pup covered in mud howling "NO! NO! NO! Don't want bath!". Thinking quickly he held out the meat where the pup would see it, and the pup returned and skidded to a stop in front of him. Holding it up just out of reach of the swiping little paws and the chatter of " Sweet Meat!, gimmie, gimme!" he seen Snow arrive unseen by the pup whose attention was fixed on the treat just out of reach.
"Let me go! NoNoNo don't...your MEANNNNN!" Dusty cried while in one smooth motion, the white wolf caught the pup and tossed him into the river! He then stopped at the edge of the water to wash the mud off his paws, the whole time his little brother thrashed and fussed in the chest deep water. When Snow turned around, his blue eyes met Dusk's golden amber ones as smile on the black wolf's muzzle erupted into laughter. Snow walked up, took the offered treat and smiled, as Dusty cleared the water. A tan blur passed between them as the treat vanished from Snow's paw, the pup didn't stop as he headed home while Snow sat next to Dusk.
"Little pups are such a pain." muttered Snow "I always have to chase him down to take a bath, why does he love mud so much?" Dusk laid back looking up at the sky and replied "I wouldn't know, I am the youngest of five." Snow looked up watching a bird and asked "Want one? One day he will grow up, I love him but he can be a real pain in the tail!" Dusk's paws toyed with his newest braid, A red stone, black stone and a feather, done by Patch's Father and blessed by the Shaman himself. That is when he first met Snow, during the ceremony of Dusk's passage into adulthood.
The black wolf snickered, "The little one didn't change color much did he?" Snow laughed and replied "No, and Dusty is hard to catch too, his speed is only outdone by his nose, I am really proud of him, Dusty will be one of the best trackers ever! " Dusk rumbled "He didn't seem all that fast to me...maybe you need to change your strategy?" Snow turned and looked at him." That would be great, but knowing my lil mud puppy, he would do it even more often to get your Mom's sweet meats. I think I would swim in the mud too if I got them!" Dusk smiled, the thought of a muddy white wolf begging for treats, and him feeding them to him danced in his head. Snow took another offered piece and then got up.
"You going to the festival next season? I am going to compete in the morning race." said Snow as he looked over the water. "I planned on the race myself, is your brother running too?" asked Dusk as he put the pouch away. Snow shook his head "No, he is too young, there would be more than a few wolves upset to be beaten by a pup!" he laughed. "He would win if it was shorter, that is the only reason anyone can catch him, but his stamina is getting better, he can run for almost half a day now!" Snow beamed with pride. Dusk's eyes was wide with amazement, "Half a day? he is what six?" Snow corrected, "No he turned seven this spring, I have told him to slow his pace, but he never listens." The black sat up quickly and replied "He goes all out and still lasts half a day?!? That is not possible!" Snow challenged him, "I tell you he can! We are practicing tomorrow, can you run with us? Then you will believe me!" Dusk gave his promise and they parted ways as each headed home.
Dusk couldn't get the blue eyes out of his mind as he laid there, the rumblings of his sleeping family going unnoticed. He tossed and turned, sleep avoiding him as his mind rambled on. "He is a son of a Shaman. I am the youngest son of the Den Father. He wouldn't be interested, he is five summers older than me. If his little brother can run like that...I don't have a chance to catch Snow..." He finally found sleep, with dreams filled of him chasing a wolf with pure white fur and ice blue eyes.
The next morning was cool, the dew was still in the grass when the black wolf walked up to a small growing pack of wolves by the water. There was Smoke and Shadow, twin gray wolves, they knew each other's thoughts and would even finish speaking what the other started. There was Patch the Healers son, black and white and the biggest and strongest of the group, but very gentle and quiet. Then there was Dusty, with paws too big for his little frame bouncing around like a tan leaf in a storm. Finally Snow, his white fur shining in the sun..."So you ready to run?" asked Smoke "Hello? Dusk? Hey! you in there?" said Shadow as the twins looked at the black wolf, over to Snow, then each other smiling. Dusk snapped out of it when Snow called out to the group to start the run.
They started out at an easy lope, the grass and trees passing by them smoothly. I wasn't long till Dusty started fussing "Faster! faster! too slow!" repeatedly till Snow said "Meet you at the middle ledge then, GO!". Like a flash of fire, the little furball's paws became a blur as he dropped to all fours and moved even faster. Dusty left them behind as the rest just kept the same pace, enjoying the wind and sun. Dusk started to pick up his pace till Patch slowed him down with two words "Don't bother" Smoke laughed "We will catch up to him later..." Shadow added "Dusty will be on the ledge sleeping when we get there!" Snow barked a laugh "You can try if you want, none of us has been able to beat him to the ledge for nearly a season now!" They could see the wolf on the trails ahead, zigzagging up the mountain, pulling away the whole time.
As they neared the middle ledge, Dusty was now where to be found, till they heard a giggle above them. "Dusty! I told you the middle ledge, why are you up there?" Snow yelled, as they looked up and seen the pup several more turns above them. "I want to go! Come on! Hurry up! Not tired yet! You take too long!" as he bounced back and forth above them. Dusk looked up in wonder, as Snow said "I told you the middle ledge because we are turning around here silly!" laughed Snow "Get your tail down here!" Dusty howled in triumph "I win again then!" and started down the cliff face, bouncing from rock to rock. "Dusty! use the trail!" cried Snow " Mom will have my tail if you fall!" as Dusty with a couple more hops landed with a quiet thump nearby and rushed to a wide eyed Dusk. "Hi! you got any sweet meats!" begged the bouncing pup "Please, please, please! Give me one!"
Dusty looked at the smiling pup, he opened the pouch and gave the pup one who popped it in his muzzle and swallowed it whole. Dusty beamed and then came closer to Dusk, "Can I have another please? I will tell you a secret..." the little pup whispered as he got closer to wolf. Just as fast as before, he reached for another treat as Dusk held it out of the little one's reach. "Secret?" asked Dusk. Dusty paused then stood up on his toes as far as he could, his little tan nose blowing hot air near the midnight black ear. Dusk's ears straining to hear the words that was not quiet at all, they even made the white head of Dusty's brother whip around, blue eyes locked on his amber, and both sets of ears turned red...
"My Brother really likes you!"