A/N: Well hello there FFnet, haven't seen you for a while!
So apparently I have a curse, which renders me only able to write stories about animals. It's really a problem. This is, sadly, no exception. This story was inspired by Klemonademouth, who [on her profile page] referred to Sirius/Remus as "The Puppies", and subsequently this is what came out of my mind. And by the way, if you're at all interested in Harry Potter or Glee (especially klaine) fic, go check out her stories, she's a brilliant author.
To those who are following "To Keep The Flame Burning" (Hiii there! you're awesome!) who may happen upon this fic, thank you for your faith in the story, and I promise I haven't given up on it, just waiting for inspiration. But it's one of my priorities so hopefully the next chapter will be out asap.
Warning: Extreme fluff, try not to drown in it.
Disclaimer: I would never attempt to pretend to own anything that came from the brilliant mind of JKR. I don't even have a pottermore account yet :(
Star and Moon
There was something in the bush, he was sure of it. It was still one moment, then the next it was trembling madly like it had a mind of its own. Crouching as close to the ground as he could, Remus tried to stay as still as possible, hoping his grey-brown fur would blend in with the large rocks around him, camouflaging him from whatever lurked behind the leaves of the still-shaking bush.
The small wolf's mind was racing, wildly imagining all sorts of things the leafy wall could be hiding. 'It's probably just a pair of squirrels. Or maybe a rabbit.' At this thought, his stomach gave a tiny growl. He hadn't eaten for hours… But then, 'Oh no, what if it's a huge, massive badger with teeth and claws... NO, I'm a wolf; I could take on any old badger…Couldn't I? But even a badger wouldn't make that much noise… Oh God, it's probably a bear, or a mountain lion… What do I do? RUN! NO, it'll see me! Stay still. Back away…' Remus's entire body was shaking from fear and indecision. I should never have gone so far from the den! Mum'll have a fit. If I even come back aliv-"AAHHH!"
A small black mass shot out of the bush, turned around, and shouted back at it "HA! That'll teach you to mess with a dog! Stupid squirrels! That's right, run away!" The little black dog bared his teeth and growled as two tiny brown creatures with bushy tails sped away in the opposite direction. The dog gave a derisive little chuckle and began to turn away, but stopped suddenly, his eyes widening, staring straight into Remus's.
The wolf had nearly collapsed in relief upon realizing the unknown bush-shaker was about a tenth of the size he'd feared, but under the intense gaze of the young dog, he started to feel inexplicably nervous.
"Ohh, come on, the squirrels weren't that bad," Remus froze as the dark-furred creature spoke, slowly padding towards him. "Sure they put up a fight, but I got them in the end." A glint of humour reflected in the dog's black eyes as he sniffed the air, then grinned. "You're a wolf, you probably eat 10 squirrels for breakfast! I really don't see what you have to be nervous about…"
The dog continued in this vein for a bit, but Remus wasn't really listening anymore, instead getting his thoughts together. It was a dog. And a Squirrel. Really Remus, a bear? What were you even… And as he realized just how mental he had been in his panic, he let out an audible snort of laughter.
The black dog stopped mid-rant and turned, with a confused look, to Remus, who was now full out laughing, collapsed against the ground in sudden, inexplicable mirth. After a few moments, the wolf cub, through his haze of laughter, saw the young dog starting to snicker, then laugh along with him. Their chuckles merged together, the quick barking chortle of the black dog harmonizing with Remus's almost howling yelps.
Almost at the same instant, the two looked up at each other, laughter subsiding slightly, and Remus could tell in that moment, they were thinking the same thing, we could be friends. They at last faded into silence and the black dog was, unsurprisingly, the first to break it.
"So, I haven't seen you around before, what brought you hereabouts? It can't have been for the food, the rabbits here are all scrawny and… misshapen." At this, the dog wrinkled his nose, as though at a particularly scarring memory of the rabbits frequenting this clearing. "And you saw those squirrels," he injected the word with disdain. The dog sat down in a patch of sunlit grass and looked up at Remus with big, dark eyes, expectant.
Remus stood for a moment, then sat down in the soft grass as well, facing the dog.
"I came for... well the… scenery, really" He tried to mask his embarrassment. It was true, of course, but the dog didn't come across as one who was interested in such things. He, however, appeared to be listening intently, so the wolf continued on, "My pack lives across the river," at this he gestured with his snout to the left, and slightly behind him, towards the river about 2 miles away, "but not too long ago I found a place where the river narrowed, and I was able to cross explore this side. It's not technically our territory, but I didn't sense that anyone else had claimed it. It's so beautiful here…" The wolf half expected the black dog to laugh, but he was nodding and smiling faintly, as in agreement. Encouraged by this, Remus spoke again, "I'm Remus, by the way."
Remus found it impossible not to smile as the black dog cocked his head and gave a large grin, baring his teeth slightly, but in a friendly way.
"I'm Sirius."
A/N: So I'm planning on making these a series of mini-oneshots/long drabbles about Sirius and Remus as canines, not necessarily sequential, but hopefully in some coherent order.
Like it? Hate it? Think I'm insane (or not) for writing even more animal fics? Want me to stop speaking like an infomercial? If any of these apply to YOU, Review!