Chivalry Isn't Dead | A Clawtie Fanfiction

• Harmony •

Regret formed into an itchy pest when Sweetie forgot her shoes, although, perhaps that would make her mood even fouler, imagining all the mud sticking and drying between the soles and around.

"I hate yesterday's rain. Travelling into the forest was a terrible idea," she muttered.

Sweetie reached the area for the meeting; the area agreed without words after a sheet of paper served as a message relay. Claw was around, she was sure of it, considering he sometimes wrote about his judgement in seeing Sweetie with Chase at times in the same forest. Once, he even stated how funny they looked as a couple, but Sweetie tore it apart without even bringing it back to the castle, leaving Chase to question what she did and for Sweetie to tell him to mind his own business.

"Hey, Sweets! You're finally alone."

Sweetie turned to a bush, Claw's head popping out from behind it.

"Where's Sparks?" she asked.

"Sparks is in the outer perimeter of the forest, he can't really hide. Besides, he wanted to rest near my house. We can go hang out there!"

"It has been a long while without your presence," Sweetie replied, lifting one of her mud-soaked paws. "You got water, right?"

It was a few minutes of a walk before the two pups reached the other edge of the forest, which was a considerable distance. It was far enough to be kept hidden yet close enough to travel back to the kingdom of Barkingburg on foot at ease.

There was a small slope leading down before lifting up to a plain, where large maple trees pointed to the sky, listening to the flowing water from the river they sided in. On the other side of the river was a large wall of stone from a cliff. It doesn't seem like there's a path to trek the land it held above, aside from climbing the vertical wall. To the two pups, it was the unaccessible edge of the map.

One of the trees—the largest one—had a fine house built within its higher portion. Definitely one only actual architects would have been able to design, and from under it sat a large bundle of firewood and a running, winged reptile to greet the two pups, who growled in a joyful tone.

"Hey, Sparks! Sweetie's finally back after breaking away from that insolent royal knight."

Sparks opened his mouth to pretend he was throwing up. The two buddies then got out giggling after making fun of their proclaimed enemy, walking towards the tree house, yet Claw stopped from a shoulder hitting his, forced to take a few steps to the side.

"Whoa, excuse you, Sweetie."

With a slight lower of her eyebrows, Sweetie replied, "You really shouldn't disrespect others just because you dislike them."

"Aren't you one to give such advice?"

"You're following the wrong example then."

Claw's witty smile slowly curved down into a small frown. "Well, I'm sorry. I thought you hated Chase?"

No reply. Everything became quiet. The atmosphere was a bit sour, although it just needed a few minutes of nothing or a good icebreaker.

"We can go check out my tree house, if you like. It's rather spacious that I firmly believe even you would like it. Although you might want to clean up by the river, I'll bring the soap."

Sweetie merely nodded, heading over to the side of the river. The roundish stones underneath her were smooth, and cold like the fresh running water. It was convenient that it was transparently clean enough to bathe in yet safe enough for someone as small as her, the rush only able to pull the smallest of small fishes that swam at the center.