Under The Full Moon

Wolfish Games

Once outside of the valley, the travelers seemed to reach a faster pace. Some of the riders had decided to bump their horses into a trot, their slow pace finally getting to them. Those that didn't want to go any faster stayed behind. Broin and Gale were two of such riders. Gale watched as some of the others raced ahead, smiling at the way the horses seemed to enjoy the sudden uptick in their pace. Looking up to Broin, she smiled a little more. "Why don't you take your horse out for a stretch?" She offered. Broin thought about this for a moment, his silence giving this away on him. Looking over his shoulder at Gale, he watched her lightly before he spoke.

"I don't want to leave you back here by yourself," 

Gale shook her head at this. "I'll be alright, I promise. My father is still here and with the wolf beside me if anything tries to come after me..." She stopped herself, seeing that it wasn't helping. Broin's brows had furrowed a little. Clearing her throat, Gale shook her head sheepishly. She watched as Broin tossed a glance to her father, who had been riding behind them. The older man shrugged once, Broin's gaze returning to Gale. 

"Alright..." he said, his hesitance showing before he slowed his horse to a stop. Letting Gale down, he stayed put for a few seconds, only moving again once she was settled with her feet on the ground. He smiled softly at her before he turned away, clucking once to his horse as he tapped his feet against its ribs. The animal took off as though it had been snapped on the rump, letting out a joyful-sounding nicker at being able to join the others. Gale watched him go with a smile before she felt a bump on her hand. Looking down to see what it was, Gale met the she-wolf's gaze. 

Responding with a gentle rub to the wolf's head, Gale started walking again. Before she could take more than two steps, the wolf grabbed part of her dress, giving it a playful tug. Turning a little, Gale watched the wolf, the canine's ears back and a slow wag of her tail signaling that she wanted to play. Gale's lips turned up into the beginning of a smile. For a moment, there was a standoff between the two and Harland slowed his horse to watch them. He rolled his eyes a little with a chuckle, and when Gale suddenly jumped forward at the wolf, he laughed. The wolf's reaction was exactly like that of a dog, her front half dropping down toward the dirt and her tail wagging wildly as she released the grip on Gale's dress to give chase as Gale took off running. 

Gale laughed herself as she ran, peals of the sound reaching the soldiers as they watched. Some of them laughed, unable to keep the joy that rushed from the young woman from reaching them. Gale looked over her shoulder as she ran, wanting to see how far behind her the she-wolf was. Seeing that she was right on her tail, Gale let out a delighted shriek that turned into laughter. The wolf gave her a playful growl after this, soon running at the girl's side instead of behind her. Gale could see her from the corner of her eye, and deciding to challenge the wolf a little, she put on a little bit of her dragon's speed. Noticing this, the wolf flicked back her ears a little and picked up her own pace to keep up. 

Harland watched this from his horse, smiling. He knew Gale to make friends with animals, but the fact that she had made friends with one that could keep up with her and stuck around with her was something that made his heart warm. She seemed to be much happier, and the fact that the chanting and whatever had caused it was no longer as big an issue, Harland felt like he could finally relax for the time being. He would worry if something gave him reason to. But, for now, watching his daughter race about with her new canine friend... he didn't have a need. He looked beyond Gale and the wolf, watching as Broin slowed his horse down, having run the animal out as far as he was willing to go before he turned it around and started back toward them. 

As Broin returned, he watched Gale as well. The way she ran and danced about the wolf made him smile warmly. He was glad that she was able to make a bond like that with a wild creature that he himself had only seen in the distance while he was out hunting. The way she ran with Gale made her appear as though it was what she did daily.  The animal barked at Gale, her tail swirling in circles as she bounded around the young woman. When the wolf jumped up onto her hind legs as she danced with the young woman, she was easily the same height as Gale herself. This brought forward Broin's worry again, though it didn't remain. He had to keep reminding himself that if the wolf wanted to hurt Gale, she would have done so already. After a few more minutes, the two of them finally settled down and started walking. Gale, panting to catch her breath, walked with her hand on the wolf's shoulders. The wolf's own mouth was hanging open, her tongue lolling out as she too panted for breath. 

"I think the two of you might sleep like babies later," Broin said, finally walking his horse up to the two of them and falling in line with Harland. Gale looked up to him, giving him a smile. 

"Maybe. Who knows, maybe there will be a second wind," Gale teased, her good nature shining through as she looked away again, watching ahead of them. The wolf walked beside the young woman for a while before her head snapped up and her ears perked forward. She stopped walking, standing as she was for a moment before she bolted off to the right of the company, Gale watching her. She couldn't help but feel a little bit of worry as to why the wolf had suddenly decided to take off as she had. Frowning, Gale stopped walking as well. Taking note, Wysteria was the one to speak up this time.

"Don't worry, she might just be hunting," Wysteria said, stopping her horse behind Gale. Reaching out, she set a hand on her shoulder, looking off to where the wolf had gone. She waited with Gale, watching for the wolf. When the animal did finally start back toward them, Gale could see something in her jaws. As she drew closer, she saw that something in her jaws was a rabbit. It wasn't there for long before the wolf snapped it down with two bites, the rabbit had been rather small. "See?" Wysteria said, giving Gale a gentle rub on her shoulder before she moved her hand back to her reins. Upon returning to the two of them, the wolf wagged her tail. She stuffed her head into Gale's hands, greeting her in her own way.