The Peace Keeper

Chapter 21

P.O.V
Kiara
Everything happened in a flash. Kiara jolted awake from her dream, to see Aspen prodding at her to try and wake her up. He sat back a bit shaken up as Kiara jumped up and began to growl.

She realized that she might have scared him a bit because the look of fear on his face looked like a scared pup, and his first encounter with a mountain lion. Kiara's tail drooped and she stopped growling with a look of despair on her face. She shook her head and Aspen sat down in front of her and tilted his head.

"Are you ok Spark?" He asked with a small smile at mentioning her nick name.

Kiara shook her head and then realized her eyes were watering. Aspen pawed at her face playfully and she looked down.

"Hey C'mon Spark don't be sad. I... I heard about your little go at Fawn.. Don't worry even I had my go at her. Oh, and just for your information, no matter what Fawn tells you we were never a thing," he said and rolled his eyes but smiled as if this was so common it didn't phase him.

Kiara looked up at him. "I figured she was lying. Anyways, how did you find me?" She asked and scratched at her left ear struggling a bit.

Aspen chuckles quietly before answering her question, seeing her try to act like a wolf could be fairly amusing. He looked up at the sky then said, "Well.. I just followed the sound of howls and barking. Plus, I am a wolf.. And I can follow your scent," he said humorously.

Kiara rolled her eyes and stood up. "Ok Mr. Smarty. So.. I have not done anything all day, and it's getting dark, so you wanna race back to the pack?" She asked with a smirk and he stood up next to her and bumped into her growling playfully.

"Your on Spark. Just hope you don't start crying again after I beat you," he said and Kiara growled at him.

"Not if I get ahead of you!" She barked and bolted and Aspen stood in shock but quickly started speeding after her.

Kiara looked over her shoulder for a few seconds to see him gaining on her and she barked happily as she stretched out with long strides as she bounded through the forest, Aspen right on her tail.

As they headed towards home, Kiara sniffed the air and knowing she was on the right trail, took a detour and ran through the trees skidding to a stop as she turned and glanced to her right. She looked out across the shimmering blue lake beside her as she ran through a flock of ducks that flew away, quacking loudly in her ear. She spun around quickly as she heard a splash in the water, and saw Aspen swimming across the lake trying to beat her to the other side where the village was. She growled playfully making sure he heard and then began to run again, trying to beat him across to stay in the lead.

She rounded the corner and looked out across the lake to look for Aspen.. But she couldn't find him. She kept running thinking the sun's reflection was hiding him, be he seemed to have vanished. She kept looking until she was half way around the side of the lake and then looked towards the forest hearing a bark ahead of her.

She growled seeing Aspen shaking off as he got ahead of her. "I'm gonna win!" He shouted to Kiara as she bolted towards him.

They were closing in on the wolf village. She could just barely see it in the distance. She could see Aspen beginning to stop. She put her paws out in front of her trying to stop. She began to slide across the dirt and ran right into him, as they flew into the village tumbling over one another trying to get up.