Nine Tales of Love (ErrorxInk)

1st Tale: Found Fox

Ink sat motionless, for what seemed like hours- as he let the loss of his friend- sink into his bones. The storm had passed severely hours ago- taking with it the remainders of Pail- and hints of dawn had begun to bathe the night sky in red and gold.

A brief spark of regret shouldered its way through, taunting him, for not collecting her dust to bury it properly. Yet, the idea of her remains soaring through the sky, the world her entire resting place, gave his soul a sense of peace.

Ink allowed himself a few more moments of silence before he switched his gaze to the forgotten hole, where Pail's, no, his tiny kits lay hidden. Mine...They're Mine now.

His soul quivered, as a wave of parental instinct, steadily washed over him. The overwhelming desire to protect, forced his stiff body into movement and, ignoring the twinge of discomfort in one of his legs, he swiftly crawled his way over to the hole.

Surprisingly, the kit that had previously climbed the hole's edge to look about, had remained holding onto it with its tiny paws, and they happily wagged their tail as Ink approached. 

They're still too young to know what dusting is. How sad. They don't even know their real mother is gone. Ink felt another pang of regret tear through his soul, and he dug his claws into the flooring as he paused for a moment. Innocence or ignorance. I don't know which one is better.

The kit's excited barks, shook Ink from his thoughts, and he quickly resumed his pace. Upon reaching the hole- tibias and fibulas littered with scratches and dirt- he felt his nerves settle, as both white kits came into view. Sitting back on his haunches- ignoring the immediate flare of pain from his leg- he gently lifted the energetic kit by its thick scruff, and placed it in his arms.

It quickly snuggled into his warm touch, and flickered it's yellow-blue eye lights at him in happiness. He grimaced at the patches of dirt and mud staining its white fur, and slowly ran his claws through the mats that had started to gather. The kit whimpered at a particular painful tug and Ink snorted as it started struggling in his grip.

Thinking quickly, Ink flipped it onto it's back and started rubbing its belly. It immediately started squealing in delight and swatted its tiny paws at Ink's wiggling fingers. 

The ticklish feeling he knew he was causing the young kit, brought an even bigger smile to his face, and he giggled as the younger started gnawing on his pointer phalange.

"Now now, little Starshine..."

...Starshine? The nickname came out of nowhere, and a sudden memory rushed to the forefront of Ink's mind.

*Flashback*

"Inkkkkk! You promised to play with us after you finished your drawing!" Two small young skeletons barreled into Ink- flashes of sunny yellow and deep purple obstructed his vision- and he fell back with a laugh at the added weight. 

The sound of paper fluttering to the ground was background noise as the tinkling of soft giggles filled the air.

"Ahaha yes, yes I know! I just finished actually. Do you want to see?" Two matching sets of star shaped pupils, stared at him with awe. After he received a set of head nods, he quickly sat up and set the two smaller skeletons in his lap. Reaching between the two, to the dropped sketchpad, he turned it around to show off his masterpiece.

"Oh stars! Is that us? It looks so real!"

"Really, you drew us? Again! Hmpf...I can do better than that."

Ink laughed at the two very different responses he got, and tossed the sketch to the side. Reaching his hands up he ruffled two sets of fuzzy ears and smirked as one laughed while the other blushed and turned away- the kinked tails attached to both wagged regardless.