Listening to the bird song, eyes growing sleepy as she watched her puppies, she soon rested her head and closed her eyes, relying on her sense of smell and her hearing until those, too, faded away as she dozed in the warm sunlight.
She was– Ah, only napping. Thank goodness.
And the pups did not look worried in the slightest as they fought playfully over a stick.
Heart beating fast, he took his chance, not even thinking about it as he stepped out of the tree-line, just watching silently.
They noticed after a moment.
His blond son and his daughter trotted up, unsure, while his darker son began to growl and stood his ground, tailing them as if their self-appointed little body guard.
No words were spoken as his son toddled up to his legs, as they exchanged sniffs, as he shied his blond head away when he moved.
He leaned over to give his daughter a good sniff as well.
Then, slowly, his other son came to investigate as well.
"Wait, I recognize you!" his blond son exclaimed.
As his darker son and daughter sniffed around his back legs, his lighter son asked him point blank, tail straight up, "Who are you anyway? I think Mama knows you."
"I look like him," his darker son said quietly to his sister.
He heard his daughter whisper back, "Wolf."
He swallowed, ducking his head to take in more of their scent– he couldn't get enough– "I'm–"
Sharp and barked and running fast, he heard, "PUPS! COME AWAY!"
They jumped, but ran back over to their mother who stopped, out of breath, eyes wide on him, shoulders hunched as if ready to spring.
He couldn't move, looking into her eyes.
For, yes, there was fear, but there was something else too that was mirrored in him. Her panting was coming much more slowly. He leaned forward, almost taking a step, but–
He heard something slam behind her in the town and it startled him enough to stride away, running back into the woods.
She sat where she was, watching him go, a deadly concoction of it seemed every emotion stewing in her chest.
"Mama, was that–" Chessa began.
She cut her off, telling her, "I'll tell you later," nosing them into action, sending them off towards the house.
She dropped them off with a sleepy Molly while she returned to the edge of the forest, sniffing about, taking in his scent like it was addictive, soft whines escaping her. But he was gone. It should have been a good thing.
For the past few days now after the incident with his pups that he couldn't stop thinking about, he'd been getting pestered by one persistent shewolf. Without another breeding pair, everyone's dynamics were confused. It would make sense since he led most things for him to be a part of that duo. She was attempting to be the other.
And attempting to get him to be affectionate.
He simply stood up and left every time she tried to brush against him. He growled and disciplined her appropriately when she tried to be teasing and get her legs over his shoulders, and she'd always submit too readily, her tail wagging to appease.
The Dangers Facing Halfbreeds
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