Just Another Day

They sat together in silence for a moment. Shanku tended the fire and stared at it.

"So, uh, know any good games?" Shanku asked.

"Been a while since you had any company of your kind?" Dakota laid an ear back.

"Maaaaybe," Shanku said innocently in a sing-song voice.

Dakota shook his head.

Shanku and Dakota revisited as many games from their youth as they could remember. They held up rocks and their hands in front of the fire to cast silly shadows on the wall and tell stories. They would take turns falling silent and acting out different things for the other to guess. They would have battles by making shapes with their hands to see who would create the "superior" shape each round.

Shanku began to feel rather playful and began a wrestling match. Dakota squirmed and struggled against her, trying to regain his feet to either win or flee. But Shanku, having great fun, deftly pinned him on his back with her hands holding down his wrists and her feet over his ankles.

"I win!" Shanku laughed and got off of him.

He growled and shifted to his feral form. Shanku ran on four feet and he chased in the same manner. Shanku turned suddenly on her heel, grabbed his wrist, and pulled it under him to flip him on his back and pin him once again.

"I win again!" Shanku gloated.

"Oh, let me up, you big brute," Dakota sulked.

"It's nice to win for once. Back when I was with the Highlands, I always lost," Shanku sat down and stretched her legs out.

"I'm not surprised if they were as much bigger than you as you say," Dakota responded.

"Eh, size is a bit o' it, but not the end o' it. I got my tail kicked by a pup once too, and she was one of the few Highland I was bigger than!"

"They sound... violent. So what is your story anyway?" he asked.

"Now that is a long tale," Shanku nodded.

"The storm doesn't look like it's letting up tonight," he said pointedly.

"Suit yourself," Shanku shrugged. She proceeded to tell him her tale.

Dakota sat silently as she finished, without much more than a nod from time to time.

"You've had quite a time," he said quietly.

"Eh, I guess. It hasn't killed me yet. Maybe Turai was right, black wings are lucky. Some days I don't know how I'm still alive."

"Perhaps." Dakota looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.

"So, a long day of play, a few stories, a good night's rest, and tomorrow we leave from here?" Shanku asked.

"I hope so. I'm sure my clan's worried about me," Dakota said as he settled down.

"Do you mind? There's not much wood left and it's certain to get cold tonight," Shanku asked and sat down beside him. Dakota shook his head.

As the last of the firewood burned down, both remained in their feral form and huddled together for warmth, with Innugati curled up between them for her own heat.