Sine amor, nihil est vita- Without love, life is pointless.
"Rollovers, now!" Humphrey commanded the team. Of which consisted of two alphas, an omega, a bear cub, and two cougar cubs.
"Ryli, tighten up those rolls, a good roll can save you from a rock fall." Humphrey informed the bear.
"Yes sir!" Nodding, she pulls a tighter roll, fixing her technique.
"Alright, rumble paws!" Humphrey commanded. The two cougar cubs perform sloppy footwork and stumbled over each other.
"Henry, Hannah, try front-back-front-back with your left side then the opposite with your right." Humphrey told the two little big cats.
"Hannah tripped me." Henry complained.
"No, Henry tripped me!" His sister bickered back.
"You two, calm down." Humphrey smiled quietly. His expression was the look of deadly smiles, not one you would want to be on the operating end of.
"Yes sir!" The two cubs say in unison, saluting very comically. The entire team burst into laughter, including the coach. I looked to my side at the other alpha, he was a dark looking character, but I've seen him smile, often.
"You new too?" I ask nonchalantly, secretly fumbling over my words in my head. I was proud to have even said that.
"Yeah." He replied shyly.
"Mind me asking your name?" I ask politely.
"O'rian." He told me.
"I'm Sylvia." I smile back at him. Claudette ran into the clearing with a look of distress.
"I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" She cried.
"Don't worry Claudie, we waited." Humphrey laughed.
"Still, I'm supposed to coach them." Claudette said dejectedly.
"Okay, continue warm-ups." Humphrey invited.
"Where did you leave off?" Claudette asked, regaining composure.
"Rumble paws." Humphrey answered."
"Okay, then laps would come short after." Claudette mumbled.
"Call it out." Humphrey whispered to his daughter.
"Ten laps around the field!" Claudette called.
"Aye aye coach!" I smiled and led the pack. O'rian followed close behind, next the cougar twins, then Ryli. Claudette and Humphrey kept pace beside the pack.
"Alright, when we reach the clearing, it's free reigns... Just try not to interfere with other teams." Claudette informed the team.
"Like last year?" I asked slyly, causing Claudette to blush," While on the subject, are you two dating? It's been like a year."
"No, no, it's nothing like that! We're just friends." She replied, red as velvet cake.
"Just friends?"
"We're here, GO!" She diverted the conversation, thus ending it. I bolt off to keep my position in the pack. I make the first couple of laps seem like leisurely jogs. Ryli had taken third, leaving the cougar twins in the dust. For what they lacked in agility and speed, they made up in stealth and strength. I heard Claudette had ran into them (literally) on accident without even smelling them. Nearing lap five, I decided to see how fast I could go. I never had this much space to run. The only one that was able to keep up was O'rian. I decided to veer off the path to take a short-cut, O'rian followed. I weaved through the trees and branches like silk in the air. I took a moment to look behind me. O'rian was keeping pace with me , smiling as he gained up on me.
"You up for a race? Last three laps we book it. Whoever looses has to hunt for dinner." I asked.
"Seems fair." He replied," On one condition, we have to stick to the outer edges of the field." Knowing that he'd have no trouble catching up with out any foliage to dodge he proposed that condition.
"Deal." I say confidently. As we reentered the field area I spotted a shadowy figure at the edge of the woods, I quickly dismissed it, for I had a race to win. I was leading by about three cub lengths with O'rian slowly but surely gaining. I look back with a smile, not noticing the rock that obscures my path. It wasn't a big rock, no more like one of those fake rocks you hide your keys in. My front left paw clobbered into it's rough surface earning a deafening crack.
"Ow!"
"You okay?" O'rian slowed down and bent to my side.
"No, I think something's broken." I moan, gritting my teeth.
"Let me see your paw." O'rian told me. I let him take hold of my paw, sending lighting strikes of pain up my leg. I feel my face contort in agony. I glance at O'rian, he smiles weakly.
"Isn't broken, but it may be fractured." O'rian told me meekly.
"Ouch." I say as he sets it on a rock.
"Sorry. I'm gonna go get help." He told me.
"Okay, thanks." I reply.
Simon's P.O.V.
You know that irrational panic you get when you wake up? Yeah, I hate when that happens. Unfortunately, it happens a lot with me. When I awoke, Sylvie had already gone out for practice. I knew this yet I still panicked, this may need some getting used to. I opt to explore a bit before I check up on Sylvia, finding: A hidden spring, a small cave that smelt oddly like cooked ham, and a calm grove that had ivory lilies that gave off the scent of wood smoke. Inside of the grove sat a charcoal colored omega. Her hair had a slight shimmer, like light bouncing off water. I started to approach her sending a pebble tumbling down a slope that had formed. She turned, facing directly towards me.
"Hi" I say quietly. She gave a small jump, as if she had only just noticed me.
"Hello" She replied shyly.
"I'm sorry for intruding, I just found this place... It's beautiful." I say.
"Yeah, the flowers smell weird though." She giggles. I smile and chuckle along.
"I find the smell masculine." I smile again.
" Really?" She asked.
"Yep" I grin.
"You certainly have a weird sense of smell." She smiled sweetly. She motions for me to sit beside her.
"Come and wash up, you have some dirt on you and you smell of ham." She pointed to a small pond. I cast a final look around and shove my head under the water. It was crystal clear and tasted of the mineral water you get at those fancy restaurants. I came up for a breath and felt the omegas head behind my ear, she had moved closer to me while I was under the water.
"Do you mind grooming my back? With my busted leg I can't get those hard to reach places." I ask her timidly.
"Oh, uh, sure..." She replied blushing. She gave a quick glance at my hind leg and then got to work splashing water down my back and rubbing the grime off.
"What happened?" She asked.
"I had an accident...Well, a bear attacked me." I said humbly. Her eyes widened at the mention of a bear and she shivered.
"It's okay, I survived, that's enough for now." I comfort her.
"How?" She managed to squeak out," how can that be enough?"
"I have more to live for than myself." I tell her.
"Like what?" She asked, continuing to scrub.
"My sister, she's the only thing I have left... And I want her to have the best." I say.
"Very noble, but what happens when she grows up? What then?" She inquired.
"Well, I was hoping to find a mate by then." I admit.
"Sorry miss, I have to go and check up on my sister. Thanks for the bath." I say, standing up.
"It's Dawn, my name I mean." She said as I reached the threshold of the grove.
"Simon" I call back to her.