Wolves' Den

Elle watched as the puppy licked the rim of the bowl cautiously, the way his tiny whiskers drooped with the weight of the droplets of water that sparkled as he turned his beautiful black eyes towards her. He was still rather unsteady on his feet, but plump and so very soft and cuddly.
She reached a hand towards him when he suddenly gave a startled leap. A shadow loomed over them both and Elle whirled round, her heart jumping to her mouth - then sighed in exasperation. "It's just a friend." she turned and crooned to the dusty grey ball of fur that quivered against the wall. To the lanky youth who had just flopped on the ground next to her she hissed "You're late, Zach."
The boy lowered himself to the pup's eye level and clucked his tongue. The puppy trotted over, all fear forgotten at the call of this new person. Its short, bushy tail wagged, once, twice, then it leapt. Clumsily, it landed on Zach's lap and rolled onto its back, begging to be stroked. Zach offered the bundle of puppy to Elle and grinned "Peace offering." Elle snorted and took the squirming bundle from him, his hands warm from the sun outside and from the puppy's body wrapped around hers to make sure they didn't drop the pup.
"What are you naming him? It's a him right?" Zach asked and tweaked the puppy's chubby leg aside to check. Elle pursed her lips thoughtfully, unaware that Zach watched her, his eyes darkening to a dark sapphire with that small movement. "I think...I'll call him...Zen. Although he isn't the most peaceful thing. But his fur is the same colour as the sand they use for those tiny zen gardens. Right, Zen?" Elle laughed as she wiggled the puppy around on her lap. When Zach didn't comment, Elle gave him a sideways glance. His face was twisted in a sort of grimace. "Oh. It's that time is it?" Elle murmured, more to herself than to him. "Go ahead and change, I've seen it before anyway." she smiled encouragingly. Zach nodded painfully and got to his feet, moving a few feet away from where Elle still sat with the pup who was watching him with its head cocked to one side in confusion. It's alright little one, soon you'll understand. Zach thought with a grim smile.
The change started with an itch at the base of his neck that just wouldn't go away. It gnawed at him, but he steeled himself against it. This wasn't the first time. The itch spread to his backbone and he bit his lip to ignore the insane urge to really claw at it. His vision blurred and refocused suddenly making him gasp. Except that it didn't come out as a gasp. More of a very canine huff. He looked down his snout at Elle who dangled the pup before him. Zach smelt fear coming of the tiny creature, waves of it. He reached forward and licked the pup on the nose.
"You know, you still look amazing when you're a wolf." Elle commented as she placed the pup on its wobbly legs and stood up, brushing hay off the seat of her black jeans. Zach looked at her and huffed. Wolves didn't blush did they? Elle laughed and kissed him on the nose before swinging herself over the top of the fence that separated the cub's pen from the rest of the barn. "Dinner will be waiting. Don't take too long to teach him what he needs to know alright?" she yelled across the distance to Zach. She stepped out into the sunlight and smiled as she saw the small copper plaque engraved with a wolf's head  and the name Wolves' Den in capital letters right above the barn door. This was their haven.

~Rei Shiori