It was a lovely summer's day on Earthbread, with the sun shining down on the cookies' crispy dough and birdsong heard throughout the hills. Even the kingdoms were peaceful, departed from war and misfortune-for now, anyways. Near the Hollyberry kingdom was a narrow, obscure trail which most cookies didn't know about. On this trail was a cream wolf, who appeared to have a cookie laying on its back.
The cookie was shorter than average, and had an oreo-resembling appearance, with black and white hair as well as black and white armour. He was laying on the back of the off-white cream wolf, who was walking casually down the trail, sniffing every once in a while to get used to the new scents around it.
Crunchy Chip Cookie had come all the way from the Dark Cacao Kingdom, after His Majesty, King Dark Cacao had insisted on him taking a break and going to the Hollyberry kingdom like he had promised. No offence whatsoever to King Dark Cacao, but Crunchy Chip needed to be there at all times to keep him safe, especially after that scoundrel Affogato Cookie had betrayed him.
Crunchy Chip Cookie sighed irritatedly and raised his head, wondering where on Earthbread Wildberry Cookie was. The cookie had promised in his letters that he'd be there when Crunchy Chip arrived at the Hollyberry kingdom, but he was nowhere to be seen. He exhaled and put his head back down, his dough feeling like it was burning in this heat.
Soon enough though, as he passed a row of rickety fences overlooking the hills near the Hollyberry kingdom, Crunchy Chip could hear footsteps. He patted the side of the cream wolf and it halted, and Crunchy Chip heaved himself off of the wolf. Just coming up to him was a taller, more muscular cookie than himself, wearing a gauntlet on their left hand.
Crunchy Chip scowled as Wildberry walked up to him.
"Greetings, Crunchy Chip Cookie," Wildberry stated, towering over Crunchy Chip. He stared back at him in defiance. "You're looking well."
"Yeah, well, no thanks to this heat!" Crunchy Chip responded, pointing to the sky with his claw-weapon thing. "Why is it so warm here?! It's always cold in the Dark Cacao kingdom!"
"..."
"...the kingdom looks nice so far.." he murmured, folding his arms.
"That's good to hear," Wildberry responded in his usual monotone voice. Crunchy Chip Cookie hopped back on the cream wolf, patting it's side to let it know to start walking again. The duo walked alongside each other on the trail, the crisp afternoon sun shining down on them.
"How's things in the Dark Cacao kingdom been?" Wildberry queried, adjusting his hand gauntlet.
"Eh, same-old, same-old," Crunchy Chip responded, shaking his hand dismissively. "Caramel Arrow Cookie has reported seeing sightings of cake hounds, but I'm sure they were just my cream wolves-they do look pretty similar."
"They do," Wildberry Cookie agreed, glancing at the cream wolf Crunchy Chip was riding. It stared at him and tilted its head.
"May I?" Wildberry asked, his hand hovering above the cream wolf's fluffy head.
"Go ahead," Crunchy Chip nodded. Wildberry let his hand sink into the wolf's fur, scratching it behind its ear. The wolf's tail wagged and it let its tongue hang out, clearly enjoying the pats from Wildberry. His eyes widened by a fraction.
Meanwhile, Crunchy Chip stared at Wildberry, looking at his lush red hair gently rustled in the breeze. He paused for a moment, wondering what it would be like to run his hand through Wildberry's hair.
Get a hold of yourself, Crunchy Chip! he thought, shaking his head and averting his gaze from Wildberry's hair. Dark Cacao warriors don't go about imagining what it would be like to run your hand through Hollyberrian warriors' hair!
Before Wildberry could take notice of the other cookie's flush, a horse began cantering towards them from the city walls. The two turned to face the cookie, who was wearing a blue shirt and had green eyes and darker dough.
"Greetings," Wildberry greeted the traveller. Judging from his non-hostility, this must be another Hollyberrian citizen, Crunchy Chip thought. "What's the urgency?"
"Hello," the Hollyberrian cookie hopped off of their horse to come face-to-face with Wildberry. "Queen Hollyberry Cookie requests your presence in the palace immediately."
Wildberry turned around to Crunchy Chip on his cream wolf, the slightest note of something other than his usual emotionless stare in his gaze.
The citizen sighed and said, "You may bring any companions that you wish with you." Wildberry nodded and as the Hollyberrian cookie began to mount their horse, turned back to Crunchy Chip.
"Are you okay with this conference?" He asked Crunchy Chip.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Crunchy Chip confirmed, patting the side of his wolf. "Do you think she'll allow animals into the palace?"
"I'll see to it that she does."
