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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 14, 2010 14:27:35 GMT -5
A soft, soothing breeze swirled its way between the Ventura's meadow and the Taern forest, licking the grass and making it dance. Many scents wafted along its current, ones easily depicted by a feathery-pelted wolf striding against the flow of air. The wind tickled his fur, making him shiver with pleasure. Zak raised his pointed muzzle to the sky, tasting the bountiful amount of prey scents that lingered, relishing in the fact that hunting would not be a hassle today.
But it wasn't food Zak was longing for, though he hadn't eaten for awhile. Flourishing his bushy, dark-gray tail, the Ventura member continued down the gently-sloped area, towards the Straumura's border. He wasn't planning to enter their land, but he just needed a bit of peace from his wild and boisterous elder brothers. Normally Zak would pitch in along with them, having a laugh, but when it had gotten carried away (they had started to tease and nip at his younger friend, Cloud), that's when it had stopped being funny to him. Zak had successfully managed to persuade his brothers into picking on someone else; though when he had turned to talk to Cloud, the straw-pelted wolf had requested to be alone.
So here Zak was, trotting along -- alone, for once, and not surrounded by the ladies -- settling to a stop once he reached the Kael River. Letting out a long, even breath, Zak plopped himself down, the tip of his forepaws dipped into the river. Reaching out his tongue, he lapped a few mouthfuls of water down before watching the narrow stretch of aqua flow with his big chocolate eyes. A leaf floated down the canal and Zak tapped it with its paw, gazing as he saw it fill with water, sink, and continue to be swept away. Crossing his forelegs over one another, Zak raised his head and allowed himself to be entirely calm, closing his eyes and allowing the breeze to ruffle his fur again.
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 14, 2010 14:44:56 GMT -5
She loved it outside here in the wild plains - she really did. There was nothing quite so beautiful and gratifying to the yet-young (though she was supposed to be an adult now, but she was young at heart and that was what mattered, wasn't it?) Ventura wolf as she romped through the meadow with the carefree skip-step of a pup. Honestly, she might've been able to pass for one too, if not for her developed muscles and voice. Senri loved the forest, Husky liked the riverside, and though Cooro could understand her elder brothers' fixation with those, she couldn't stand not being able to see the sky among the trees. Where were the birds, concealed in the dense foliage of the woods?
So here she was. This meadow was larger than she remembered, but that didn't matter. She romped playfully along, feeling like she could fly if she jumped high enough. Maybe she could, one day. A cheeriness lit her auburn eyes as she felt the whistling wind swirl through her black fur as if inviting her to play. Briefly she leaped about and snapped her maw at the invisible current, trying to, but knowing she couldn't, catch the breeze in her jaws. The two black feathers strapped to the side of her head by the headband she always wore flitted in the gust that swirled around them, and she continued this until she got tired.
"Hmm... I wish Nana or Husky was here to play with me," she thought out loud to herself, the equivalent of a pout coming onto her face. Senri wasn't the type to do that kind of stuff. Husky had insisted he was too old to be chasing butterflies anymore and that Cooro should stop it too, and Nana might've, but she was helping the elders today. So Cooro was left alone, shirking her own duties, more than likely. At that moment, as she crested over the hill, she caught sight of a figure down by the river, and her eyes brightened. A new friend! This was a Ventura wolf as well, though she didn't recognize who it was.
Nevertheless, she threw caution to the wind and raced down the hilside, coming to a gentle lope once more as she approached the figure, lying down beside the gurgling water. "Hi!" she called out brightly, bushy tail swishing in greeting, "Sorry if I'm bothering you! I'm Cooro - who're you?"
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 14, 2010 15:09:38 GMT -5
The last time Zak had failed to sense an oncoming presence was a few years back, back when Cloud had just graduated from puphood, and had approached him to ask a timid question. Zak had been quite surprised, as he hadn't been doing anything that required every ounce of his concentration, but look where that had lead -- he and Cloud were like brothers now, though Cloud was probably a little less likely to admit it.
So now, as a she-wolf had romped down the slope and cheerily announced her presence (and Zak had failed to pick up her approach even with his hyper-sensitive ears), Zak nearly jumped out of his fur, yelped in surprise, and toppled sideways into the deep but slow river. Holy catfish! After a brief moment of confusion and panic, he stopped, thinking. More alert than ever now, Zak immediately straightened his legs, his head breaking the water's surface. He silently thanked nothing in particular that he was tall.
Wary eyes wide, Zak's gaze finally settled upon a figure nearby -- a raven-pelted Ventura female, by the looks of it. Slowing down his heartrate, Zak sighed in relief, all caution and anger melting away. She seemed friendly enough -- though he hadn't ever talked to her before (surprising; he knew just about every female in the Ventura pack) -- and her bubbly attitude was nearly tangible. He was sure she had said something, but because he had fallen into the river (much to his chagrin), he had been unable to make it out.
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Zak voiced out loud, his eyes instantly becoming slightly alluring, his face sliding into its usual charming mask. "Wait, excuse me for a moment." Dipping his head gratefully, the well-built wolf heaved himself out of the river, pelt streaming with water. His coat was now sleek and shimmering with light, though the beads of moisture seemed to just roll off, like on a duck. Trotting some feet away, Zak stretched out his forelegs and shook, an array of water flying all around. With a final shake, Zak bobbed his head before approaching the she-wolf again. "So, miss," he verbalized, dashing eyes never leaving the newcomer. "My name is Zak." He offered a gracious bow. "Could I please have the honor of hearing your name once again, darling?"
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 14, 2010 15:23:11 GMT -5
When he only response was a startled yelp as the male jolted upright and literally was so shocked he fell right into the running river, Cooro's reaction was to stare, eyes wide. Had she been that surprising? She didn't remember any of her siblings ever telling her she was quiet when approaching - maybe he'd been really deep in thought about something? Suddenly feeling a bit of shame for disturbing him, she tilted her head and frowned in concern, seeing his head pop out of the crystalline water. "Gee, I'm sorry. Need a paw - ?" She stretched forward as if to grasp onto his ruff and help him out, but it seemed he had the situation under control, as he quickly and gracefully scrambled out of the river.
She watched for a moment as he shook himself to get the remainder of the water off his pelt, though much of it had rolled off and he'd only been slightly soaked. His immaculate fur only made her a bit conscious of her own pelt, which was constantly rather ruffled. It ran in the family, but it didn't help that she didn't make much effort herself to take extra good care of it, unlike Husky. It wasn't a rare occurrence for her to come romping back to the den with all sorts of grass and dirt in her fur, only to have Husky indignantly bark that he would not have all that mess tracked into the den, before he ordered her to the river to wash herself.
Goodness, Husky was like their mother... if she'd still been around.
But her attention turned back to the male when he spoke again, his voice liked honey, his expression now serene and charming. Though Cooro was not immune to the effect of his gentlemanly behavior, she was also maybe a bit naive to really fall for it in the first moment. Instead, she smiled and giggled slightly, swishing her tail happily again, mostly just relieved to see that this stranger was unharmed. "My name is Cooro ~ she repeated with a bright smile and flickering eyes. "You're funny - I'm sorry if I bothered you. You looked like you were thinking about something. What was it?" She smiled and sat down in front of him.
Had Husky been there, he probably would have thwacked her on the head and reprimanded her for being nosy about other canines' business. But she wasn't trying to pry - in all honesty, she was just innocently curious, and it showed in the amicable glitter of her eyes.
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 14, 2010 15:43:30 GMT -5
Cooro... huh. Yep, Zak definitely hadn't heard that name before. It puzzled him as to why he hadn't been aware of this amicable Cooro, thinking back to the times when he had been swarmed by the females of the pack... why, when he thought about it, she hadn't been there. Was she the first she-wolf to be immune to his charm, to find him as usual as the rest? Now that he took a closer look, she wasn't squirming or nervously playing with her paws as the others normally would. This caught Zak off-guard, his charm slipping a bit (though he was quick to catch it). The giggle especially threw him off.
Funny? Was that a good thing? He always had jokes tucked away, ready to toss them out when the situation called for one. But he hadn't recalled telling one; hadn't he only introduced himself? This Cooro was twisting his mind in ways it had never been twisted, and he had only just met her!
Anyway, on with the charm. "It's my pleasure to be with you this afternoon, dear Cooro." Zak dipped his head again to her, taking note of her seated position and doing the same, curling his nearly-dry tail. "Oh, not at all, not at all," he chimed, hearing her apology; "I seem to not be any worse for wear." Zak winked, chuckling to himself. "It'll take a lot more than a river to bring me down, m'lady." Hopefully.
"I was just in fact thinking about my dear friend, Cloud, just now. D'you reckon you've seen a straw-colored wolf around in the pack, the one with furry bangs running over his right eye? That'd be him." What was the harm in telling the truth to this pretty she-wolf? Yes, he did find her mildly attractive, but wasn't every she-wolf in Ventura? "He seemed a bit down today," Zak added, putting in a slight, deliberate frown, "but it was most likely my brothers' teasing that did the trick." A worried, concerned shake of the head. "Those fools."
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 14, 2010 15:51:57 GMT -5
She listened to him speak, and noted his formal tone of voice. Did he always speak like this, this male? She was unused to being addressed with such formality (after all, Senri hardly spoke, Husky only spoke to chastise her, and Nana was her playmate), and it came as a bit of a curveball. This Zak... where had she heard his name before? He sounded familiar, though she knew she had never spoken to him before. Hearing him speak of his family, she waited patiently, interest sparkling in her eyes. She liked to know about others, like to listen to them. Despite her bubbly and often naive demeanor, she did have a piece of advice or two tucked away somewhere. At the very least, she was very good at lending an ear where it was needed.
"Siblings can be a problem," she agreed with a dip of her head, though the cheerfulness never vanished from her expression, though it lessened to simply a friendly smile towards the new acquaintance. At his description of Cloud, she rolled her eyes upward, trying to recall any idea of a sandy-furred wolf. "Mm... nope. I don't think I've seen him."
With that, she turned her attention back to the charming tom, and then she remembered where'd she'd heard of him before! The other females! She didn't usually talk to them too much, not because she didn't like them (she didn't dislike anybody, to be honest), but because they simply would have nothing in common to talk about. But she had passed by them on occasion and heard them giggling over someone named Zak. Was he the one they'd been talking about?
"So you're protecting your friend from your siblings?" she asked with an impressed smile. "That's really cool. He must be glad to have such a great friend!"
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 15, 2010 15:46:04 GMT -5
By the tone of her sympathy and agreement, Zak had the vague feeling that this Cooro probably had siblings of her own. Not that he'd know for sure unless he asked, seeing as he hardly knew her to begin with. But he wasn't interested in her littermates; it was her his attention was focused upon. Just how much of his interest was piqued, he was still unsure, but he could never turn down an open oppurtunity to make a new friend... especially if they happened to be female.
"Oh, that comes as no surprise," replied Zak coolly, casually waving a paw. "Cloud's the quiet, brooding type, you get me? He's a cool kid; just needs a little guidance in starting a conversation." A smile played on Zak's maw, images of introverted Cloud passing through his mind. "Yeah, Cloud and I have been through a bit. I might give him more credit that he deserves, but he'll definitely earn it in time." He shook away the compliment just as he did for all the other words of praise he'd receive, shyly twitching his whiskers. "Oh no, it was nothing. I'd do the same for you, too... I feel like we're almost friends already," Zak added with a friendly flick of the tail, offering a small wink.
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 15, 2010 18:50:07 GMT -5
Hearing his answer, Cooro smiled, liking how modest he was. She could tell that he and this Cloud had a very close friendship, even though she knew they weren't siblings. She knew about Cloud though, despite what Zak said about him being broody and anti-social. She had talked to him once or twice, or... tried to anyway. Once she'd found the sandy-colored wolf sitting by the stream further upstream on a day like this, but when she'd tried to chat with him, he had been silent and unresponsive, and then had finally told her to go away, which she had done.
He must've been thinking really hard about something, she figured, and had left him alone as he'd wished.
"Yeah," she barked happily, wagging her tail happily at his words. She liked this male - he was amicable and nice, and he wasn't bad-looking either. Of course, she wasn't really too concerned with the last note, but that was a plus, right? At least, it seemed so according to the other females of the Pack. A big plus. So she figured she should think of it as something big too. But honestly, she was just glad to have another friend. Rising to her paws then, her eyes began to shine eagerly. "Wanna go explore?" she offered, "I've never been really far downstream here. It's so much more fun to do it with a friend ~"
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 15, 2010 20:57:00 GMT -5
Naive, definitely. Friendly, polite, and energetic? For sure. Zak couldn't help but process all these peculiar aspects about Cooro as they were speaking, nodding politely as she replied. He wasn't ignoring her, but because she was so different, he had to constantly think and rethink things. I s'pose there's a first for everything. Different was good, right?
At least he knew she was charming, in her own way.
Nearly taken aback by Cooro's sudden offer, Zak flicked his ears, recovered, and settled back to his customary expression. "Sure," the wolf responded, rising more slowly than the amiable she-wolf in front of him, and quickly licking down his chest fur for good measure. He breathed deeply, eyeing Cooro for a second before chuckling again to himself, taking a few steps towards her. "We could call it a date," he said in a lowered voice, laughing good-naturedly at the look on her face as he stepped past. He wasn't being entirely serious -- heck, he hardly knew this girl -- but why not? A nice stroll down the river could be called a date; it was just the two of them, anyhow.
Tossing a glance over his shoulder, Zak caught Cooro's gaze. "You coming?" he invited, grinning pleasantly.
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 16, 2010 14:00:06 GMT -5
A date? She watched as he also rose to his paws, slower than her and with a sort of masculine grace that she found endearing. She'd never really thought of any male as a potential mate before - in fact, she'd never given any thought to that. None of her siblings had, and so she'd never been introduced to that world. But according to an instinct all her own, she found this Zak sort of attractive as he smoothed down his fur and then began to lope off down the river, tail swinging behind him.
What would Nana and Husky think of this if she got back and told them about it? A look of innocent surprise plastered itself on her face, her mouth fashioned into an 'o' shape, and then she brightened again, grinning happily as her tail swished briskly from side to side. "Okay!" she barked, setting into a gentle trot after the male until she caught up. A date - it sounded like fun! Who knew what they would find here on their little adventure?
"So Zak ~" she chirruped as she followed along beside him, glancing to and fro to see the sights, even though nothing was really different from just a few paces behind them. "Tell me more about yourself - what's your family like?"
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 16, 2010 15:51:45 GMT -5
How come that, when he was around this she-wolf, he didn't feel the usual desire to be someone else? Well, it wasn't that he was fake around all the others; he just felt that he had to step it up a notch. Everyone respected Zak for who he was, but all the attention from the girls had winded him up to the point that it had gotten to his head a bit. He was still Zak, but wearing a mask of charm.
He wasn't entirely aware of it, but Zak began to relax as he strode alongside Cooro, a small and polite distance between them. It was a gradual change, but the black-pelted male didn't notice until he caught himself staring into the she-wolf's eyes, almost missing her words. This worried him... but why?
"Myself?" Zak cleared his throat, attempting to keep his mask of charm clear and consistent. He was used to this subject anyhow, this should be easy. "Heh, well, they're an interesting bunch." A smile played on his maw. "You see, I have all brothers, four of them, but none of them were in my litter -- they're all older, warriors and such. But they're a bunch of goofballs, the lot, which gave my elderly parents a pawful." Zak laughed, feeling himself become more at ease. "That is, except Angeal. He was always the serious one, barking orders at us and trying to keep us in line. He's the only one with a mate and pups, which doesn't surprise any of us. He's also the brother I'm closest to," Zak threw in, flicking his tail. "He may be the oldest of us all, but he's the wisest, that's for sure."
Zak smiled genuinely, silent for a few rare moments as he cast a glance Cooro's way. "But anyway, enough about me!" Wait, was he really saying that? Usually the she-wolves begged for him to talk non-stop, all day, only about his life. But for once... he was tired of all that. "What kinda family have you got, miss?"
[Ooc// Am I going too fast? :/ Lemme know if I am~]
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 16, 2010 19:18:32 GMT -5
ooc|| Dun worry about it - you're fine. x3
bic||
How interesting! Cooro liked knowing about other canines - it always helped her really get to know them better, see what kind of canine they were. How one described family brought out a lot in their character, she had discovered, and he seemed honest enough. How interesting that he was closest to the one who was farthest away in age from himself. "Maybe you're closest to him because you're kind of like him, right?" she guessed, the cheerful smile never leaving her face as she trotted along, "I mean, you don't really seem like the goofy type to me. So maybe you're kind of like him?"
She didn't want to assume though, and before they knew it, the stream had taken a turn, and she was following it deeper into Ventura territory, farther away from camp, but still a decent ways away from Straumura land. She didn't want to make it seem like they were trespassing. But she'd never been this far away before, and it was thrilling, traveling along with a friend. It would've been so boring by herself.
When Zak asked about her own family, she tilted her head and thought for a bit on how to describe them. Since she didn't hang out with other wolves usually besides her own family, she'd never really had to talk about them before. "Well, I have an older brother too who's in another litter, but he's the only one. His name's Senri, and he's really quiet, but he's really sweet."
Then she thought about the other two, and smiled, wagging her tail. "Then I have an older brother and a younger sister, both in my litter. Husky - that's my brother, is kind of a princess, but he'd yell at me if I called him that to his face." She giggled innocently then, indicating that the antics that went on between her and Husky were purely comical and hardly ever meant to actually injure anyone. "He's kind of a serious neat-freak. And then there's Nana, who's really nice and helpful. She's the one who usually plays with me cause Husky thinks it's above him and Senri's usually busy."
By now, they'd reached a wide expanse of grassland that she had never seen before, and her eyes widened appreciatively. "Whoa... I've never been so far from camp before - this is so cool ~"
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 16, 2010 20:23:15 GMT -5
Well... he hadn't honestly thought of it that way. Zak took it as a compliment when Cooro stated he wasn't a goofball, though his elder brothers (excluding Angeal) always reminded him that he was. Was it because he was more similar to Angeal (though they shared a large amount of differences as well) that they understood one another better and shared a closer bond? He'd ponder it later.
"That could be true," Zak voiced aloud, taking his head out of the clouds. He turned his angular head to look Cooro straight in the eye; her energy was still just as visible as it had been when he first met her. "Perhaps he was so relieved to find a sibling that wouldn't constantly wreck his den?" Zak's eyes danced with laughter as he shook his head, noting they were taking a turn.
He vaguely remembered this place, though it took him a few moments to recall why. When he was just a pup, about 6 months or so, his elder brothers had somehow managed to smuggle him outside the nursery as they shirked their duties and went exploring. They had trekked this very path (though they had been going the opposite way). Angeal obviously found them out, ruining their fun, but Zak had been secretly grateful (as his siblings had been trying to make him cross into Straumura's territory and try to become a "hero").
Now that he viewed the area with older and more experienced eyes (and with a different atmosphere to boot), the large meadow that they were approaching seemed a lot more peaceful, calm, and soothing. Zak halted where the trees stopped, raising his nose and breathing deeply. The smell of rabbits and mice flooded his senses, along with the earthy smells of grass, dirt, and nature in general. His ears picked up a few scurrying animals, birds singing their songs, and even a couple of deer trotting away, in the trees' cover. Grinning, the male wolf turned to his friend.
"Fancy a little hunting?" he asked, a glint of playfulness in the brown depths of his eyes. At that moment, a rabbit quite a ways' away scuffled into view, unaware of the wolves standing upwind. Gaining an idea, he lowered his front legs into a crouch. "I'll race you."
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Post by Rai;;+ on Jul 16, 2010 20:43:38 GMT -5
Being here, amidst the wind-blown plains, reminded her distinctly of one moment in time, some months ago, when she and Nana had been sitting on the edge of the river, not unlike Zak had been mere minutes before. The two of them had been closer to the camp than Cooro had found Zak, but it had been a similar kind of day, and for some reason, Cooro clearly remembered the wind, the feeling of it as it ruffled through her tussled fur, the sounds of birdcalls filling the air.
It had been Fall, she remembered, and the bird were beginning to migrate. Least, that's what Husky had told her. Anyway, she remembered sitting there with Nana, and they had been watching the fish swim back and forth like little silver darts in the water, and then her sister had asked her something odd. "Cooro, have you ever thought of settling down? Like, starting a family and raising pups of your own?"
The black she wolf had been surprised - she'd never really given that any thought before. At the time, she had laughed and swished her tail brightly. "A family? I'm having too much fun to settle down yet, Nana!"
But now... trotting beside this male, she wasn't so sure. What was it like, to have someone you loved as more than a friend? Those other Ventura females made it sound like fun, anyway. Confusing herself, Cooro tilted her head - she'd only met Zak for a little bit. But he wasn't like quiet, gentle Senri and he wasn't like proper, critical Husky either. He was very... different.
"Hey! No fair!" Cooro called out as Zak dashed off towards the rabbit, and she too broke into a run. Their footfalls alerted the rabbit, which looked up and sped off well ahead of them, and Cooro barked with laughter, knowing that they would never be able to catch that rabbit now. But it didn't matter - it was all for fun.
Hey, maybe life could be fun too, even with another wolf.
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Post by Fayolinn]~ on Jul 16, 2010 21:37:57 GMT -5
Zak laughed as he raced, his paws swift and light as he flew past. The breeze laced itself through his fur, chilling him a bit but making him feel free. True, he had cheated a bit by starting a second or two earlier, but both wolves had realized awhile ago that the rabbit wasn't their target anymore. Glancing back, he saw Cooro sailing behind him, just as happy (if not more so). Seeing her joy somehow raised his spirits, and he laughed again, and it was authentic and real. Not the usual chuckle that came as a habit, to please an audience. It was from the heart this time, pure.
Zak smiled, his tail billowing in the wind, his eyes still on Cooro. He opened his maw to say something, but before he could, as if planned, a quick flashback flared itself in the wolf's mind without a second thought. It had happend just a few days ago, actually...
"Zak," Angeal spoke, his deep voice seeming rough and criticizing (though Zak knew it to be his usual tone). He watched his pups frolic in the center of the camp, giggling and tackling one another. "Are you truly happy with your life right now?"
Zak, distracted, winked to the nearest she-wolf, and she giggled as she trotted off with her friends. "Of course, Angeal, why wouldn't I be? I'm at the height of my prime, I'm well-loved, and there's no shortage of food; plus, the Pareil have been rather quiet." Flicking his ears, he caught his brother's eye, suddenly serious. "Why?"
Angeal shrugged, flexing his paws. "I don't know... you just seem..."
Zak shuffled his feet, slightly agitated now. "Yes?"
"You just seem to take things for granted," Angeal finished quickly, looking away. "You act like flirting with girls is fun, all a joke, and that it won't harm anyone. But the truth is, they won't be like that forever, and you'll find yourself aging and growing old... alone." Zak flicked his ears, taken aback. "Just... just think about it, okay? I say this 'cuz I care about your well-being. So... don't let it get it your head, little brother." With a small smile, Angeal bowed his head and took his leave. Where had this flashback come from? Why was it unexpectedly surfacing now? It was true that he hadn't given Angeal's words much thought, but he didn't think that it would come back to haunt him now... Blinking, Zak realized he had been halting -- rather fast -- and hadn't been paying attention. Realizing too late that Cooro couldn't stop in time, and that he couldn't dodge, he braced himself for the impact.
Wham.
The two wolves tumbled in a bundle of fur, their pelts plastered together as they were roughly jostled about, skidding in the soft grass for quite a long way. Though he was in a great deal of pain, Zak couldn't help but feel an odd feeling within him; something that made him tingle and shiver with either delight or discomfort...
In time, their bumpy journey came to an end. Zak lay on his back, extremely dizzy. He tried putting his senses back together, as they were haywire at the moment and giving him a major headache; he needed to think straight. Shaking his head gently, the wolf realized there was a heavy weight on top of him, making breathing a difficult task. Hey, at least it was soft...
Soft?!
Opening his eyes wide, Zak's eyes focused upon the object on top of him, only to come to the realization that it wasn't a thing -- it was Cooro.
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