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Storm

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The morning brought with it the smell of petrichor. A massive storm had passed overnight, leaving behind quite a mess in its wake. Now, the bright morning sun would rise beyond the clouds, evaporating the dew and leaving a thin layer of mist hovering over the earth.

Sazora would rise with the sun, her ears pressed forward as she trotted toward the entrance of the thicket. She'd heard the thunder and seen the flickering lightning through the thin walls of their bramble den, and she was so curious to know what the world looked like now — in the calm of the apocalypse.

Blinking against the brightness of the summer morning, she would smile, casting her glittering gaze over the muddy earth. It smelled so ... wet! And as she took a few delicate steps out of the grove, she felt the way her paws sank slightly into the muddy earth. It was like walking on slime! A little laugh would escape her lips as she took a few careless bounds into the clearing.

As quick as she'd leapt, she felt her feet slide away from beneath her.

And then Sazora faceplanted into the mud. 

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Mud tasted weird.

She would lick her lips, just to ... make sure she was tasting it right.

And she'd squinch her face in disgust.

Uffff, she'd sputter, lifting her head and taking a paw to wipe the grime from her eyes and mouth. Bleck, she continued, releasing a constant stream of sound effects that emanated between her giggles. Every time she tried to move, she slipped further, spraying bits of mud and disrupting the effervescent mist.

From somewhere behind her, she heard the loud approach of another. Smaller paws, also sliding. Another puppy, also belly-flopping into the grime. Sazora would turn toward him, slowly sliding back onto her belly and putting herself nose height with the Nameless Boy. He would whine and growl at her, perhaps asking to see if she was hurt. Sazora would greet him with a gentle smile — she was alright, just ... really really dirty.

But so was he.

Don't eat it, she told him with a silly grin, mud gritting between her teeth. Her paws would slide as she tried to push herself upward into a sitting position, gaze looking a bit past the Unnamed boy and then back again. Did you come out here to explore after the storm, too? Her tail would wave, slapping in the mud. A yes-or-no question seemed like the best way to start talking to him.

But she would get more excited. I bet there's all sorts of cool stuff in the mud!! 

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Sazora waited with an innocent patience, something perhaps a bit beyond her age, as she smiled through muddied features at him. Sazora did not know much of the blue merle children, but she knew that her Mama cared for them. And that meant that Sazora did, too.

Plus, it was way more fun playing with kids than adults!

"Cooo-oool? St---Or--Mm?"

Hey! He did it!

Ha! Mama was gonna be so jealous!

Yeah! Storm! When the sky gets all cloudy and splotchy and dark and — she'd pause, bright gaze lingering on the boy. His coat. It looked like a stormy sky. Wow! Your coat! You look like a Storm, too! There was bright fascination in her gaze as her smile widened with the realization. He was so pretty, like a stormy sky. And she, like the sun.

Do you want a nickname? She would tilt her head, not wanting to insult him by giving him an actual name. He would have to choose that. But what if they both had fun nicknames for each other? You can be Storm! Her paws would dance, nearly sliding out from beneath her as she realized quickly that she could not tippy-tap in mud. You can pick a nickname for me, if you want!

She awaited.

Expectantly.

Whatever he chose would be good, she was sure of it.

He'd said two words so far, and they were both awesome.  

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Sazora was completely overjoyed to see the way that Storm shifted when he accepted his nickname. There was a brightness that shone beneath his curiosity, and he would mirror her excited movements. For a moment, the two of them just danced together in the mud.

And a bond would form, then and there — a bond that would meld two children together in a way that only children could. And though Sazora feared trusting outside of her family circle, perhaps Storm was close enough to her inner ring that he could exist there comfortably.

As her friend.

And then he would bestow upon her a nickname.

"S-u-nn!!!"

Sun!

Oh, she loved it. She loved the sun! And she recalled, ever so fondly, when she and her mother had sung to the sky, dispelling the darkness so that the sun could return to the land. And just like her song had brought light to the world, her voice had brought sound to Storm's voice, too.

Storm would leap upward, and so would Sun. Storm and Sun, she yipped, grinning. It's perfect. Thanks, Storm! Her tail would flick upward, and mud would spray as she slapped the sodden appendage over her muddy back. And now, Storm and Sun go on their first big adventure! It was time. Time to make history.

She'd puff her chest up, taking a few wide and careful steps as she began to make her way through the mud, sniffing about and hoping that they might find a prize worthy of their newly forged best-friend-ship.

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Storm

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The two wrestled in the mud, the bloom of their childhood in full view. Sazora laughed, splashing about and digging around in the mud as she and Storm played. After a few moments, she panted, her chest heaving as her laughs continued to spill from her lips in little bursts.

After a moment, she’d sling a paw across his shoulders.

I like you, Storm, she said warmly, with all the platonic ferocity of a big sister. Her blue eyes glanced toward his mud-covered form, and she pressed her head toward his own in a quiet Headbutt-of-Friendship.

She’d release him from her grip before continuing to dig in the mud, nose working at the earth until she unveiled something: a bone! And her little eyes would widen, and she would yip, turning back toward her friend for a moment. Storm, look! Sazora would paw at the earth, finally unveiling the form of the ermine tibia. She had no idea what animal it was from.

But it was cool.

We should carry it home! They’ll all be so jealous!

Her eyes glittered, smile widening.

She was so excited about their prize that she hardly noticed that Storm, for a quick moment, faltered.

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