The sky twinkled, like a shimmering, never ending sea. Cool and gentle wind played with the blades of grass and crimson strands of hair. It ruffled the fur along her tail and made goosebumps rise all across her skin. She shifted a little, one arm sliding behind her head to cushion it against the ground. The other draped over the one creature who would not leave her side. For a minipet, her hazmutt had a surprising amount of intelligence to him. Even if he was a doofus ninety-eight percent of the time. LW loved her minipet just the way he was and wouldn't change him for the finest piece of silver out there.

He was hers. Her pack. Her friend and loyal pet. Someone that she turned to when she didn't have anyone else. And he was always there, tail wagging and muffled woofs ready to give in response to her words. Just like her closest friends.

She continued to stare up at the stars, full moon just slightly off from being in the middle of the sky. Her usual escape from the confines of daily life. The one time she could shed everything and be herself. It called to her blood. To her wolf soul. And tonight, she shared a special moment with that shining orb just as faithful as the hazmutt beside her.

Exams had come.

Exams had passed.

Little-Wolfe Tamaroc had passed her exam. She was now officially a knob! And it was something she had shared with the moon, howling her sweet song. The she-wolf felt blissful and relaxed for the first time since that horrid field trip. Since she'd died. A shudder raced through her body at memory of the sensation, hand curling into the soft fur of Austin. His tail thumped lazily and he sighed. Tonight was too peaceful and serene to be thinking of such things. To feel old phantom wounds. Not tonight. She whispered to herself, eyes hooding lazily as the crickets sang their lullaby.

At least, everything was tranquil until one very loud, very hyper wolf came yapping towards her. Before she could sit up fully, a body went hurtling over her to land in a heap before scrambling to his feet, tail waggin' like a cyclone.

"SkeeeEEeeeteeeR!"

"Can't you ever call me by my real name?"

"Nooooo! You are Skeeter." The serious business face Irving tried to give her only made LW laugh.

"Fiiiiine!"

"Daaaad says...says..." The face that was similar to hers was frowning. Her youngest brother, Irving, had that boyish charm to him with short, ruffled crimson hair. His crimson tail was just as fluffy as LW's, but much more animated than hers. Which was saying a lot.

"Says...?" LW sat up, crossing her legs and stretching her arms towards the stars. Austin flopped all the way on the ground, no longer having her stomach as a pillow. "Irving. What did dad say?" She didn't think she was going to get that answer.

"Says...dad says..." He was trying, that much was obvious. But alas, the youngest of the Tamaroc's was not the brightest. He was their special puppy.

"...says to cage that blasted terror of a pet you just had to bring." A smooth voice replied quietly from behind her. LW jumped and shot a scowl at one of her older brothers. "Really, Little-Wolfe. That thing is a menace!" LW giggled. "Don't you giggle at me, pup!"

Of course she giggled again. "Dawww, is the big bad Torren getting picked on in there?" Torren was not only the oldest of her siblings, but he was almost as big as their father was in wolf form. "Or maybe Vanna doesn't like having a creeper stare at her?" The minipet in question was Billy Bob, her mimic, naturally. LW had only planned on bringing Austin with her, but BB had thrown such a fuss that the she-wolf had caved and let him come as well. It was summer after all and she planned on being at home longer than a three day weekend.

Nightstalker sighed in an airy fashion. "Da just wants you to...put it away. Lock it up. Do something with that terror." He gave her one of those looks that dared her to argue with him.

"Hey, Irving! Go fetch the purple ball with a fuzzy tail." LW grinned as her brother all but wriggled with excitement at doing something for his sister. He bolted towards the medium sized house that was the Tamaroc abode. The she-wolf grinned up at the other wolf. "There. Taken care of."

"Fine. Just means we get to talk. About you passing that exam. And those boils you are always around." Nighstalker flopped down next to her. "So, my little sister is growin' up, is she?" He grinned. "I'm proud of you, Little-Wolfe."

LW felt her cheeks light up a little, tail swishing along the ground. "Thanks, Night."

"Da is very proud of you as well. I know he didn't say it quite enough." Now she got the cheeky grin. Lw snorted at him. Her father had hardly shut up about it. He was so happy of his youngest daughter. 'Next, bring the boils back home with you.', he'd teased. Torren had enjoyed that and agreed. He just wanted to play the 'big bad wolf' role.

She just smiled at him. Hearing the pride in her father's voice and mimicked in her brothers' voices had been such a warm feeling. LW was happy that her family was proud. Happy that she had finally done something that they could really have such pride in her over. It was hard always trying to live up to her sister or the expectations her mother had that she'd never meet. LW was just not that she-wolf. Having those that had always supported her feel such pride was a euphoric feeling indeed.

"Little-Wolfe, did you hear me?" Nightstalker ruffled her hair.

"W-what?" Nope. She'd been completely lost in her thoughts.

He sighed dramatically but gave her a quirky grin. "I said, you should invite those best friends of yours. Or see if any of them wish to come tackle the Tamaroc household." He leaned towards her and snagged her tail, tugging it. "Especially those boils. Gotta make sure the boils are treatin' our baby sister right." He snapped his jaws playfully and LW batted at him. Then the wrestling began. She found herself pinned against the ground more than once. And just when she succeeded in pinning Nightstalker down, Mooz and Dell came galloping out and tackled them. Oh yes. She was going to gain several new bruises after this.

Nightstalker is right. I should invite the others. And she would. As soon as she was able to walk and write a letter to them. Which probably wouldn't be tonight. Most likely tomorrow afternoon-ish. Until then, the moon played host to the romping and playful banter of a pack of crimson colored wolves.