The last month had been both wonderful and troubling. With the new year, there was the hope that it would go for the best, and not for the worst. With the Holidays hanging in there and the boxes still waiting for their chance to open (to many kids' dismay!), it felt like the world was still deeply overwhelmed with cheers and happiness. Snow was still falling and shining brightly.
Within this huge amount of snow was a small lump that seemed to be going around. A small trail seemed to be making itself as something wiggled under the snow. Whatever it was had to be rather small, being hidden under those inches of snow. But eventually a small head popped up, snow covering it at every possible spot.
The Lucain pup was excited and overjoyed to be outside, playing through this deep snow. He seemed to be almost grown, markings faintly showing on his fur. His creamy fur made him hard to see in the white background, but thanks to his black Jacket Fox, you could still spot him. His wingblades were still small, but they would probably grow more in the following months. The puppy's tails wiggled happily as he turned around, his tongue lolling down.
"Daddy! Daddy, look! It's all over! It's all over!" the puppy squealed before dashing off again through the snow, making yet another path.
A little further back was another Lucain, a fully-growned Akita male. His coat was a darker shade of brown, but his white Jacket Fox was enough to confuse your eyes. The other thing that stood out was the male's bandana around his neck. Brown and cream checkers, blending with his fur.
Unlike the puppy, he didn't seem to enthusiastic about the snow. He moved at a slower pace and sometimes shook his paws to get the snow off them. Being more of an indoor Lucain, the male hadn't grown a winter coat; or not a very thick one. The temperature was stinging his paws and face.
"Cleveland!" he called to the puppy as he tried, as fast as he could, to catch up to him.
"Don't go too far away. I have to be able to see you at all—" But his sentence was cut short when he put a paw through the hollowed snow. The Lucain found himself toppling over, his face falling right into the snow. Only his wingblades could be seen now, with his hind paws slightly sticking out of the snow. Ah...! But he had to catch up to the puppy! Thankfully, he could see the little thing wiggling his way ahead through the snow.
Behind the male came yet another puppy, this time a female. She was slightly bigger than the male puppy, her markings also faintly tattooed on her fur. She skipped along to the male, grabbing onto his scruff and trying to pull him out. She didn't do much by herself, but eventually her father's popped out from the snow, getting the same treatment as his son; snow everywhere on his head and face.
"Daddy, you're covered in snow," the female pup remarked, sitting down and tilting her head. She pawed at her father's face, trying to push the snow away; but her smaller size prevented her from even reaching him.
The father shook his head, sending snow flying at every angle.
"Tempest, if you would catch up to your brother," he asked, flicking his ears in the other pup's general direction.
"Make sure you don't lose him until I catch up to you." He gave the female pup a little push, which was enough to get her running towards her brother.
Meanwhile, Cleveland, the male puppy, was busy shuffling through the snow, sending it flying everywhere and digging holes in it. It was while doing that that he noticed figures moving along the snow a little further ahead. His ears pricked, and, being faithful to the nature of a puppy, he rushed towards the small group, almost bumping into one of the two playing pets. He addressed the female Lucain, considering he was used to the breed, being a Lucain himself.
"Hi! My name is Cleveland," he introduced himself, his tails wiggling and his tongue lolling.
"There's snow all over! Can I play with you?"Babies, always so daring.