They walked together, shoulder to shoulder. Each of them would press back with a bit more playful force than the other, all smiles and play and childish flirtations. It was his place of comfort. Him beside her — chasing after her, guiding her back to him. Home was where their paws went together.
It wasn’t this Northern prison.
It wasn’t what their parents wanted for them.
He’d smile toward her, leaning against her shoulder, a rare glimmer beneath his hazel eyes as she, too, would challenge her lineage.
She’ll have to yell at me, too,he told her with a promise, raising a brow at her as he flicked his tail over her back. And as much as it may have been made in the context of a joke, Malakai was not joking.
He would brace the fury of her mother for her.
He would fight for her.
And then Nadya would continue, talking about something that would cause his jaw to tighten and his teeth to grit uncomfortably. He couldn’t help the snarl that would pull at his lips, his hazel eyes darkening dangerously as he pushed himself harder into her shoulder.
What?Betrothal? Was her mother mad? Insane? He would exhale quickly, twisting his nose and grimacing at the idea.
They moved together, though.
Forward.
Away from those empty promises.
So? What did you think of the Northern boys?He would ask her as if she wasn’t running away from them right now. His shoulder would press into hers, embracing her warmth as they escaped this dystopian hellscape together.
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![[Image: ddee6j2-0a61dc56-1470-46cd-8e1b-330e85cf...EdNk9CBU40]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/1512174d-21f1-412d-a0f9-5192619d6745/ddee6j2-0a61dc56-1470-46cd-8e1b-330e85cfc4ab.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzE1MTIxNzRkLTIxZjEtNDEyZC1hMGY5LTUxOTI2MTlkNjc0NVwvZGRlZTZqMi0wYTYxZGM1Ni0xNDcwLTQ2Y2QtOGUxYi0zMzBlODVjZmM0YWIuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.a-CCfholicTr-_g7pdPzE0kyD9E_xLjTfEdNk9CBU40)