Sly as a Fox {Book One}

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A/N: The image above is of Brian (in both forms) and Lisa.

Sunrise

noun

-the rise or ascent of the sun above the horizon in the morning

-the open or beginning stage of any period

I was awoken from a forgotten dream by something nuzzling against my neck. In a fight with my eyes to open, I finally forced them to do as I wished and was met by the burning yellow eyes of my mate, patiently awaiting my arrival back into the realm of the living. With a slight yawn, I lifted my head from my paws and attempted to mink-link him, "Good morning to you too." It wasn't until he stared blankly back at me that I remembered everything.

With a growing headache, the memories of yesterday and last night came crashing back into my mind like a freight train. I was having a sensory overload and I was barely even awake.

Blithe opened his mouth at me and started panting, his tongue lolling out on the other side of his mouth like a happy puppy. His menacing cuspids were all too visible to me then, only making the possible scars on the back of my neck from where he held me between them yesterday throb once more. Still, I had to admit he was stunningly beautiful as he sported a literal wolfish grin at me. The chill of the morning hit me as a gust of wind lapped at my fur. Even with my thick coat of fur, the cold up in the mountains on a chilly October morning like today was enough to make goosebumps pop up on the surface of my skin, probably making my fox form look all fluffed up. My much thicker winter coat had yet to come in this year and I was sorely missing its presence.

I sat up and peered over the mountain edge from where I lay, looking over the landscape that sprawled out before me. It was just minutes, if not seconds, before the sun would rise. Wisps of clouds hung on the horizon, taking on hues of pink and purple, making them look like fairy floss had been intertwined into the sky itself. I looked up to the sky behind us and saw that the darkness there still lingered, hiding and scurrying away from the first teasing rays of the sun. There were two or three stubborn little twinkling stars still clinging to the sky and I inwardly smiled at their determination, mostly because it reminded me of my own.

Below the mountain, and as far as the eye could see was a forest. It was autumn, and though the majority of the leaves had already fallen to Earth with the seasonal cycle, many trees still sported the marvelous reds and oranges that so many flock to Maine just to catch a glimpse of. Even in this dim light, their colors were spectacular and seemed to glow with the early morning sun. A thin layer of fog covered the tips of the trees as I stared out into the little valley beneath us. It hung low and trapped the growing rays of the early sun in its nearly opaque body, only further making the forest look glowing with the pink light. I felt infinite in that moment as I looked out at a sea of endless forest and opportunity, despite only being in fox body.

I felt another nudge, though this time to my side, and a hot breath of air. I turned to see Blithe standing beside me in all his magnificent, terrifying glory. Blithe certainly wasn't the largest wolf I had seen before, in either form, but he was intimidating nonetheless. His coat was mostly black, but there was a scattering of whites and grays throughout. Even when relaxed, the muscles beneath his thick fur and his skin were bulging with power just waiting to strike. He looked built and ready for the kill. The sun's early light reflected off of him, making almost appear to be glowing a deep blue color while the pink, paintbrush strokes of the clouds were mirrored in his eyes. He was breathtaking in every sense of the word.