Igniting Sparks

chapter 41.

Edited by KitWulf                                         11-04-2021

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The smaller, whiter snow leopard nudged the much larger one and curled her tail across his back. While her coat was white with grey and black rosettes, his had a yellowish undertone to it. He turned his head towards her and placed his forehead against hers, emitting a low purr from deep inside his body. The vibrations carried through into hers and automatically she started to purr in sync with him.

Vibrant red-colored eyes remained instead of her usual blue as she rubbed her side against his until she felt their purrs die down. With her rough tongue, she started grooming around his face, playfully nipping at his furry ears in between. The male snow leopard just let it happen, enjoying the moment together in this form. Engaged in their own world, they missed the Alpha of the Greenwood pack walking towards them, followed by a woman half his age.

"Azura, it's good to see you up." Both leopards' heads snapped to Andreas in surprise. "I can already tell having a discussion with you about what you're doing won't change a thing so I'll just comment on the sheer difference between you two, give you a warning, and be off."

Andreas smiled as he slowly scratched between Azura's ears. The woman remained behind, watching them from a safe distance.

The female shifter reached to between his knees and hips; close to sixty centimeters at shoulder height. It was the average size for a snow leopard. Lucas, on the other hand, was a whole lot taller, reaching well up to Andreas' stomach. The only thing average about him was the color of his eyes. They resembled the natural eye color of snow leopards while hers were normally a bright blue.

"You should be resting, Azura. Not going out for a run." The imposing man lowered down to his hunches and started scratching underneath Azura's chin. She emitted an approving purr in response. Not knowing how Lucas would react to petting, Andreas made sure not to touch him while still keeping half an eye on him.

The Alpha was well aware of the fact Azura was instinct-driven; close to nature but he knew her well enough to know she also still retained enough humanity to think straight. With Lucas, he wasn't so sure yet. He reminded him more of the werewolves - bigger than their natural cousins but much more human. The animal instincts were almost gone but without knowing for sure he wouldn't take the risk.

"I would like to know about why you two are so different but we can save that for a later time. You'll owe me that one." He got back up and took a few steps back. "I do want to give you a little warning about Floyd though. He's calmed down, but do try to avoid him for now. He's unpredictable at the moment. With that being said, have fun, kiddos." Azura growled at him but Andreas didn't seem to mind. He turned back to the woman as he retracted his hand from Azura. "Reyna, we'd better continue our duties."

Reyna nodded and waited for Andreas to join her before they took off. Without looking back Azura took off as well. She sprinted into the forest not waiting for Lucas to join her. She weaved herself past the tall trees; the wind in her fur, and enjoyed the smells that were so familiar to her. It felt good to be back in Greenwood. She knew the territory by heart and it was exciting to be back.

As she ran, she focused on the feeling of her body. Every muscle that stretched and contracted, every breath that would expand her chest, and every exhale through her nose. Her whiskers and ears pointed forward. Her paws felt like her own again, her tail followed her every movement. She was back in control.

Azura swiveled her ears backward as they picked up the sounds of another set of paws hitting the ground behind her, so she sped up. For someone who rarely shifted, he was fast. Being silent was not his forte but no one excelled in everything. It was the second time she saw him like this but the first time she was too badly injured to actually pay attention. Not knowing when they would spend time like this in a relaxed manner again, Azura vowed to make it last and enjoy it as much as possible. Despite that, she kept up her speed, using her smaller size to sprint through the bushes while Lucas had to go around.