A Summer Splash (Mizark/open)

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

The petite, alabaster girl trotted along the edge of the gully, pausing now and then to dart at a fish or minnow that happened to flit by. A sweet giggle escaped her lips. This was entertaining for her. The warm sun filtered through the clouds, shining gently on the water. Shaelyn continued to play her little game, pouncing again and again at the silvery creatures until, at last, she caught one.

The wriggling fish in her jaws was too small to be considered a meal, but it would make a tasty snack, nonetheless. Stepping away from the water, Shaelyn dug into her prize. It stopped writhing after a little while, and she licked it softly. "I'm sorry." She whispered, nudging it a few more times before eating the rest. She always felt bad, for some reason, when she hunted another creature. It made her feel like a killer. Frowning, Shae buried the bones and shook herself off.

A sigh left her body as she searched for something else to do. She wished she had a playmate. It had been too long since she had a companion to romp with. Her mismatched eyes trailed the area, but Shaelyn saw no one. Her eyes trailed a while longer, and she got an idea. The water! Excitement bubbled inside of her. She had always loved to swim, and with the hot summer weather on her fur, it would be the perfect way to cool off!

Smiling widely, Shae backpeddaled before launching into a sprint and diving into the chilling water. The heat escaped from her coat, and she sighed again, happily. Her paws moved effortlessly as she plunged down and resurfaced again and again. If only she had a friend to share this with. Another giggle entered the air as she felt the minnows scattering around her. She dived into the water once more, snatching two of the tiny things in her mouth.

Shae swam to the shore and dropped her catches at the ground. If anyone wanted to join her, she would gladly offer the minnows to them. Until then... she glided back into the azure waters and floated for a moment, just relaxing in the beautiful day.

[Mizark]

Fluff bounced around merrily, hoping to and fro. Not a thing in the world was wrong in Mizark's multicolored eyes. His tummy was quiet, and so his little legs took him wherever his whimsical little brain could think to carry him. The gully seemed like a good start; he was tired of seeing grass, he wanted some trees and maybe a little water.

A fleck of orange caught his attention, and he froze. A butterfly flitted quietly and innocently in front of him. The little creature seemed to notice him, and began flying away. Mizark crouched to the ground and stalked the little thing, his plan to catch it and examine it. He had never thought to look at such a simple thing up close, and so this would be his first time learning about butterflies. The creature sensed this, and began flying away hastily.

He picked up his momentum to a trot, the creature flitting over a small hill. Thinking his chance to be slipping from him, he took a lunge at the insect. Paws missed the subject and landed on the ground firmly, muscles tensing to have another attempt. Putting more power into his back legs, he leaped again, this time pinning it between his two little furry paws. Bi-colored orbs stared at the prize between his paws, observing the flecks of black and orange with extreme curiosity. Nostrils flared near the bug, and Mizark decided that this thing was definitely not for eating.

A splash doused his ears, and he looked up. In his excitement, he hadn't noticed the other fox, dripping wet from fishing. His tail flew up, making an exclamation mark out of him, his ice and earth eyes widening in surprise. He had thought himself to be alone out here; what were the odds of him finding another of his kind? Words almost escaped the usually talkative fox, but he blathered out words anyway. [/size] "What are you doing here?" His crania tilted to the opposite side it had when he was examining the butterfly. An urge to take this femme between his paws and examine her touched him briefly, but he dismissed the notion as silly. She was certainly not as small as his current prize, and quite possibly not as fragile.

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Shaelyn's lithe figure glided across the water's surface like a leaf, her bi-colored eyes closed as she soaked up the warmth of the sun. Her ear twitched when she heard another creature nearby. Her eyes flashed open and she twirled in the water until just her head was above the surface. It was another fox. A male, who happened to look a lot like her. Happiness swam inside her, but she cautioned herself, knowing that not all males were kind and playful like she was. Shaelyn watched as the snowy fox chased a butterfly. The girl struggled to hold in a giggle. This male seemed plenty friendly.

She paddled silently in place, waiting for the other creature to notice her. He was very distracted by the fluttering insect, and Shae wondered why. Hadn't he ever examined a butterfly before? Apparently not, she decided, as the boy pinned his catch to the ground and gave it a sniff.

This surprised her a little. After all, she had examined tons of butterflies when she was a kit. Shaelyn waited a while longer, allowing him to get his fill of curiosity. But she was curious, too. She wanted to meet this other fox. How long did he have to look at the silly bug? Rolling her eyes impatiently, Shaelyn plunged deeper and swam close to the shore. Then, with a mischievous grin, she burst to air once more, being sure to give both the creatures a good soak. The splash finally snapped the boy out of his trance, and he cocked his head at her.

When he asked what she was doing in the gully, Shaelyn laughed. "What does it look like?" she giggled, coloratura voice sparkling with excitement. "I'm swimming." she told him, stepping out of the water and shaking the water from her coat.
"Fishing, too. You want one?" Shae padded forward and picked a fish out of her small pile. Then she leaned over and dropped it at the boy's feet, pushing it closer with her nose. "My name's Shaelyn. Would you care to tell me yours?"

Shaelyn sat next to the other fox and grinned at him playfully. Maybe she had just made a new friend. [/color]

[Mizark]

The male flinched at the word "swimming". His unruly fur was such a pain when it was wet; it added what felt like a million pounds to him. Even on land, it took forever to dry, and if he moved around too much, his lengthy fur would drag on the ground and pick up dirt. Personally, Mizark preferred being an arctic fox over and earthen fox.

Ears flattened as she shook off, his icy orb the only thing bothering to stay still. His other clenched shut, as though the earthen color would turn darker if exposed to water. The tip of his extended tail flopped forward slightly, as though it were disappointed with the display. He frowned at her and shook his head. "Not a fan of swimming. I'm just oh so fluffy, you see."

He laid eyes upon the little fish she had caught, and pondered. He himself was not hungry, but a little snack wouldn't hurt him any. The little fish was scooped up into his mouth. He rolled over onto his back, the extra fur giving him some cushion. A smile curled around the dead animal in his maw. [/color]"Thanks a lot! I'm Mizark!" He wagged his behind fervently, and pawed at her playfully.

He tried to roll the fish onto his nose in a show-offish sort of way, and it worked for a slight moment. It then fell to gravity and landed over his eyes with a dull splat. Mizark yipped and flipped over and shook his head violently, the oils from the fish slathered over his eyes. Surroundings faded as his only meaning in life became getting that oil of of his face. Bum hit the earth and he promptly began licking his paws to get the fish off of him, while somehow simultaneously nibbling on the fish. As the tasty morsel hit his tongue, he seemed to calm down a little, worrying less about his face. Turning back to her, he grinned."Nice to meetcha! You around here a lot?" He relaxed and reclined onto one side, eyeing her gratefully as he nibbled his fish.[/size]

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Shaelyn's grin brightened even more when her alabaster companion accepted her offering. She watched curiously as he rolled onto his back and managed to balance the fish upon his small black nose. The girl was so impressed, that she grabbed another minnow and attempted the trick herself. It wobbled a bit, but she managed to keep it there, at least for a few seconds. When it began to slip, she tossed her head and caught the snack in her jaws once more.

As she began to pick at the fish, a startled yelp made her flinch in surprise. Shaelyn looked to the boy, seeing that he was the source of the noise. The snowy female couldn't help but giggle as she saw his prize fall flat upon his eyes. His stunt had finally failed. He sat up and began desperately wiping at his eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, dropping her fish and coming closer, peering at his face to see what was the matter. Then she saw the glossy residue that his snack had left over his eyes. The fishy oil had been smeared across his eyes. Shaelyn winced, her multi-colored eyes narrowing. "Oh. That can't possibly feel good. Do you want me to help you?"

She raised a white paw, offering to aid him if necessary. It seemed he had it handled by then, though, so she smiled again and stepped away. The girl continued to pick at her fish in silence as the other fox introduced himself and inquired as to if she came here often. Shaelyn grinned to herself as she spoke. "Mizark, huh? That's a cute name." She batted a paw in his direction as he began to swing at her. A playful growl tumbled from her lips, and she jumped onto Mizark, wrestling around with him until she had pinned his fluffy body to the ground.

"Actually, I've been here once before. With my sister. She's on her own now, though. As am I..." She pawed at the boy's muzzle and grumbled tauntingly again. She'd never had this much fun with a male before. Usually males were so aloof and superior... Shaelyn was glad she'd finally found one she could play with. "By the way, Mizark, why are you here?"

[Mizark]

Mizark felt himself being pushed into the ground, an "oof" exiting his maw. His bodice disappeared into his own fluff, hiding some of his cheeks and making his face look smaller and, somehow, more adorable. Any other male probably would have mocked him for letting a female pin him so easily, but this fox was a carefree spirit. Laughter followed, and he nipped at her maw with that same Mizark playfulness that followed him everywhere.

Shae inquired of his presence within the gully, and his multicolored eyes blinked. There was no thought put into the answer; it almost chased Shaelyn's words. "No reason. Just here just cause." Shoulders would have shrugged, but they were not exactly mobile at that moment. His whimsical side simply made him wander everywhere, except into claimed territory. Mizark was not fit for a clan, unless it were a clan of other wandering individuals, which to him did not make much sense. The little poofball was not ready to settle down into responsibility; he was mature enough to admit that fact, at least.

Crania tilted to the left, making his aud disappear into his wintry forest of fur. "You're not alone, silly! You've got me!" His little self wriggled happily beneath her, as if proud of this fact. "Though, why's your sister gone? Did something happen?" Mizark felt his tone get a little too serious, which was a no-no, and so to lighten his mood he kicked his hind legs as if attempting to tickle Shaelyn's underbelly.

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Shaelyn couldn't remove the smile from her face as she stared down at Mizark. He was carefree and happy, just like her. Almost everything about them matched. Their looks, their personalities... she laughed as she looked over the adorable, fluffy boy. She knew then that she had made a valuable friendship. Shae wanted to spend a lot more time with Mizark.

The lady's ears pricked when the male spoke again, and she chuckled when he nipped at her muzzle. His words, however, made her much happier than she let show. Something deep inside her seemed to burst, warming her entire being. Her tassel flipped crazily as a grin painted her face once again. "You're right." she chirped. "As long as we're friends, I won't be alone. Thank you, Mizark. That means a lot to me." Shaelyn leaned down to nudge his snowy neck. Then she pressed her whole face against him, enjoying the softness of his fur.

When the boy asked about her sister, his tone was all wrong. She pulled her head away and scrutinized his expression. He was a bit too glum for his bubbly attitude. She felt his legs batting at her underside as Mizark tried to lighten the mood. She frowned slightly. "No, it's not like that, Mizark. She's happy and well. It's just... I miss her. A lot." The girl's frown deepened. "Taylor and I left home together once we'd grown out of our dens. We travelled for a long while, until she came across Garrett. Garrett was a very nice man, don't get me wrong. Still, I can't help but feel that he ripped her away from me. Taylor chose her mate over family, and dropped me out into the world, alone."

A sigh escaped the alabaster female. She growled to herself, despising the melancholy feelings that were covering her now. She needed some cheering up, and she knew for a fact that Mizark had just what she needed.

[Mizark]

Mizark yipped at her, profoundly proud that his offer of friendship had made this female fox happy. Most would have defined him as over excitable to the extreme, and he was okay with that. He was yet oblivious to the fact that this could cause him to be a headache, even an annoyance. That was why he was commonly found roaming around, playing with bugs, inspecting the doodads that the leaves of plants seemed to offer forth. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but what of the fox?

The boy began to panic as Shaelyn's voice began to lose color, fading into shades of gray. He squirmed to get his paws free to bat at her with his customary Mizark playfulness, but settled for rubbing his cheek into her neck as she withdrew from him."Hey... hey!" Mizark barked at her, staring firmly into her eyes, "None of that! They may have dropped you into the world but the world dropped you onto me!"

Bicolored eyes softened, tufts of white falling over them as he furrowed his brow cutely. "One day you'll be happy as she is, and then maybe you'll see her and you can share your families! Being by yourself ain't so bad!" Honestly, Mizark had no idea if what he was saying was helping her mood. All he wanted was happiness, no sadness, and for this girl to smile like she had a few minutes before he had ruined it.

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

The petite girl's lips parted in awe. Shaelyn doubted she had ever heard such beautiful words in her life. "Mizark... I know we just met... but I don't think I've ever had a friend as good as you." As the boy nudged her once more, she nuzzled deeply into his long, silky fur.

Then, with a laugh, she pushed herself away from him completely. Shaelyn was one of those people who couldn't seem to stay in one place for long. And she'd been lying there for a looong time. Her muscles ached to be stretched. Reluctantly, the female stepped away, pushing on Mizark to get him to stand. Once he was on his feet, she pounced forward, paws brushing him lightly. Shaelyn's rump wagged playfully, and then she darted away, daring the boy to chase her.

"Catch me if you can, Mizark!" soprano chords giggled as a flash of white sprinted around the Gully. Her legs pumped effortlessly as the girl took off around the edge of the water. Shae's pads occasionally splashed in the shallow depths, causing a moist spray to light up the air. "Come on!" She laughed, darting over the earth, the exhiliration of the chase lifting her spirits once again.

[Mizark]

Face brightened as the sourness on hers disappeared. Already they were the best of friends, relying on each other for comfort. Well, he hadn't really been disheartened yet; it was extremely difficult to get the spunky fox down. He'd only ever known the sadness just that last moment when Shaelyn had stopped smiling. It was a disgusting feeling, and he hoped to never feel it again. He was sure in his mind he could keep his friend happy, through thick and thin, and that's what he intended on doing, whether she liked it or not. He would be her buddy, even if she chased him away.

Strangely, the boy said nothing as Shaelyn ran away from him. He simply had that boyish grin plastered onto his face as his pillars gave chase, tongue lolling out of his mouth. His fluff was in no way helpful in chasing the girl down; it swayed as he move, making him look like a cloud on the ground.

He darted in front of her, around her, but never actually touching her. Even when he got close, he would zig zag, simply running with her for the joy of it. The wind through his fur felt delightful in the summer air, and at that moment he couldn't get enough of it and his newly found companion. "Is this all you do for fun?" Mizark giggled, hopping onto a rock with his rump in the air, tail poised over his head, Mizarkish grin on his lips.

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Shaelyn continued her little chase, her sparkling laugh breaking into the air every time Mizark would come near. Eventually, though, she got tired, and her pace began to slow. She noticed her companion trotting alongside her, and she was content that the game was over, as long as the two of them could still enjoy each other's company.

When Mizark's question met her auds, a confused chuckled slipped from her throat. "Isn't that the definition of fun? Playing?" she asked.

The girl paused for a moment as she second guessed that logic. But what else could there be? "Why? What did you have in mind?" When the male leapt up onto a rock, Shaelyn came to a halt and lounged across the heated ground. She allowed her breathing to slow as she looked up at Mizark, curiously awaiting his answer.

[Mizark]

Mizark was caught off guard by Shaelyn's queston. His rump thudded on the ground, tail fanning him. An aud fell to the side as he tilted his head once again in thought. "I don't do much. I just walk around and look at things. I've probably seen everything in the Tundra twice." If the boy could remember where he was for a second, he would find he wasn't so wrong. His mum and dad had dragged him wherever they had wanted to go, which was usually everywhere. His daddy was intoxicated with wanderlust, and so from here and there they went, gazing at everything there was to lay eyes upon.

"Well, why does what we do have to be physical? Why don't we talk!" The fox bounded down off of the rock, his tail flying gracefully behind him like a gigantic ribbon. Mizark landed yards away from his friend and sauntered over to her, laying himself down in front of her, close enough that their noses could touch. "Where were ya born? You from the Tundra? I'm from here. I was born in the Rashan Valley two summers ago!" The boy blathered random information he could think of, trying to have some fun along with it. "The mountain is super fun! I rolled down it when I was a few months old! My mom told me that's why my eyes were funny, I jumbled some stuff up in my head and one turned a different color!"

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Mizark started rambling off questions, and a cheerful smile came onto Shaelyn's face. Talking. Getting to know each other better. That sounded great to her.

Shae's bi-colored eyes watched the boy as he glided down from his rock and came to rest in front of her. She shifted her weight so that her legs were tucked under her body and her posture matched Mizark's. Then, with a smirk, she answered her friend's questions and ran off a few of her own.

"Well..." she began. "I am from the Tundra. My sister and I were born on the Liux Beach. What are you're parents like? What are their names?"

Shaelyn was glad they were going to talk with each other. True, she had never thought of it as fun before, but with Mizark, everything was fun. He was the girl's new best friend. He was nice and close, laying near her now, so she leaned forward and bumped noses with him. She laughed, then, and asked one more question. "Did you have any brothers and sisters, Mizark?"

[Mizark]

The fluffball rolled onto his back as he listened to Shae, allowing his belly to catch some air. Auds listened intently from the words that spilled from her mouth, tail making his body move around. It was good to know she was also from this place; he didn't want to think of Shaelyn as a foreigner.

He licked his lips as she inquired about his family, trying to remember back on that year. "Amura was my mum's name, Zephen was my pa. I had a bunch of siblings but most of them weren't as energetic as I was. Most of em wandered off and never came back, but we found the later, cold. I think one of my sisters survived, but she got super annoyed with me and my dad, and left." It was kind of a sad story, but Mizark had no sadness in his voice. It was simply how things had happened, and he had no regrets.

He rolled back over and shook some of the dirt off of his coat before lying back down. "What about you? Is your sister your only sister? Didja ever meet any uncles or anything?" Crania was tilted, aud falling over into the white fluff that surrounded his face.

[Shaelyn]

Shaelyn

Shaelyn mirrored her companion's movements, rolling onto her back as he spoke, and shaking her coat in synchronization with him. The alabaster girl held in a laugh as she did this, still trying to genuinely listen to Mizark's voice as he told her of his family. Shae struggled to hold a smile as the sadness in his story came through. The fae felt almost... guilty. She complained about feeling lonely, missing her sister, when Mizark had never truly had a playmate as she had. Taylor, at least, had enjoyed a good chase now and then.

Her brow furrowed when the boy asked of any other relations. "My grandparents used to play with us at times... their names were Gaia and Jesse. I remember them quite well." A small grin crossed her maw as the recollection flashed through her head. "Taylor and I used to pull little pranks on them. We had such good times together."

"As for uncles, I do believe I've heard my parents mention one before... his name started with an E... Edmund? No, it was Earn... est?" Small paws clapped against the ground as the name finally came to her. "Oh! That was it! Earnest. I had an uncle named Earnest."

Her lithe form relaxed back against the ground, her hind legs splaying out to the right. "What's your favorite color, Mizark? Or how about your favorite food? Are there any things you like or dislike more than others?" Shaelyn continued their pattern of following up with a few answers of her own. "My favorite color is yellow. My favorite foods are berries. Every kind of berry, actually."

The girl let out a laugh and became distracted for a moment at the thought of her favorite treat. Her round black nose twitched as she sniffed the air. No smell of berries hit her nostrils, and she pouted for a moment. Then she got an idea. "Hey, Mizark! Do you like berries? Maybe we could find some together!" The fluffy female stayed put for the moment. Her suggestion was not meant to be urgent; she wasn't hungry now, anyway. Shaelyn only hoped to hunt with her friend sometime.

For now, she nestled deeper into the hot summer grass and looked expectantly at the boy, waiting for him to speak his turn.