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Morning. The sun has just begun to rise and illuminate the space around.
A slight humidity still hung around, giving the air a distinct scent of freshness and warmth. It made one relax, wanting to sink deeper into the grass, lie on one's side, and inhale the grass and wet earth.
Such moments of peace were not uncommon, but they were what Dream loved with all his soul. When, as a wolf, he could be small, not fighting or hunting to find food for them all. Here and now, he could breathe, feel the softness of the grass hugging him, staining his fur and making it wet. He would dry off either on the way or on the hunt.
The feeling of someone's tongue touching the fur on his side makes him raise his head, regretfully tearing his nose away from the wet grass.
Techno sits on top. He's currently light pink instead of white because Wilbur thought it would be funny to dye him when he was tired after hunting together. It's a safe dye, suitable for animals, and Techno would later, in human form, chase after his brother, only to finally knock him to the ground and laugh from above, rejoicing in his victory.
The other wolf looks at him with curiosity and question. Dream doesn't need to hear these words in his head; he already understands why the other has come. The advantage of this form is that they can communicate telepathically with each other, just like speaking vocally as humans, but without having to strain their vocal cords or open their mouths.
They always go hunting in the morning. Even before everyone else wakes up. They usually choose this time to compete—who can find prey faster, who can track it better, or who can carry the largest carcass. It's so nice that the meat doesn't need to be cooked. Dream dislikes cooking for the human body; yes, there is something delicious about it, but it's so tiring.
And now he is called to get away from the freshness, the softness of the trampled grass and the earth that smells delicious in the morning.
He snorts at Techno's suggestion and nuzzles down again. It's his favorite scent. He wants to stay sleepy a little longer.
Unfortunately, Techno doesn't think so. He runs his tongue over the light golden fur again, and it's pleasant, soothing. Taking care of each other in a pack always has a positive effect on everyone. He licks away the wetness, and Dream relaxes, almost thinking about falling asleep again and dozing until the sun rises to begin to warm him.
But then Techno bites.
It's not too hard, not painful, his teeth never fully close. But it's enough to be a surprise, and Dream quickly rises to his paws to escape, glaring menacingly at the other. Despite his wolfish face, a satisfied smirk can be seen on his lips.
Dream looks down. The grass still bears the marks of his peaceful slumber. Now he definitely won't be able to return to enjoy the dampness.
Turning his gaze to Techno, he slightly bends his front paws. Techno knows this is the hunting stance, when Dream is about to pounce, only now his green eyes are fixed on the wolf in front of him. Techno lifts his crouch and quickly rises to his paws, then manages to dart in the opposite direction. As soon as Techno turns, Dream chases after him.
Their pack is still sleepy; such a quick jerk must have woken one of them up, but everyone is used to the fact that these two are always sharing something.
The grass crushes beneath their paws as they run. Techno doesn't turn around, holding his tail straight, but occasionally he can't help but wag it, then pulls himself together. It's a game, and they enjoy it. The competition never devolves into anything more than healthy rivalry. Even when they growl, it's not hostility.
They run and run, and the sun begins to rise slowly, as if to look at them, moving away from the edge of the forest onto the wide open steppe.
And because it's a game, Techno stumbles, and that's enough time for Dream to take advantage of the interruption and knock him to the ground, and then sideways. They roll around on the grass, pushing each other, preventing them from getting up, and when one manages to get back on their feet, the other knocks them back down again.
They snort and growl softly, but only they can hear it—it's so quiet. Sometimes they click their teeth near their ears and in the air, so that it's audible but not harmful. Dream is displeased with his early rise, and Techno is displeased with his laziness.
Dream feels comfortable and safe when they play like this. Because, even though some might say it looks like a fight, they would never harm each other.
Their fur takes on a slightly greenish tint because they tear up the grass beneath them and get dirty. It also gets wet, so they sometimes, too reflexively, lick each other's fur twice, then growl again and try to stand up.
Morning slowly awakens, so it's time for them to go on a real hunt. With a low, disgruntled whine, Dream allows Techno to stand up while he lies on his back. These seconds are enough to give him time to start running again. They both know it's on purpose. They remain silent, continuing to chase each other, running toward the other edge of the forest.
In front of her, because Dream remains himself and still a young wolf, he knocks Techno down onto the grass again. Techno is indignant, as if to say, "Again? Seriously, brother?" He growls and kicks with his paws.
And, seeing the genuine weariness in Techno's expression, Dream softens and licks the fur around his neck as he throws back his muzzle to sigh in displeasure, replying wordlessly, "I'm just in the mood." Then he climbs off the pink wolf and stands next to him, watching as he stands up as well.
The sun is now higher and illuminates the area perfectly. They could have found prey anyway using their excellent sense of smell and sight, but it's much more enjoyable to do so in the light.
When Dream looks back, he sees how wet Techno is with traces of grass, and almost wants to smirk contentedly, but doesn’t.
They caught a goat on this hunt. Dream took it upon himself to distract the others, who had escaped from a shepherd's pen in a distant village, while Techno managed to capture one stray. That would last them a while.
Despite their frequent bickering, they work reflexively together remarkably well. They've been hunting for their pack for many years, so they know how to do it effectively.
When Techno grabbed the goat carcass, the sun was almost in the center of the sky. Day. Not the soft, gentle morning Dream woke up to today. Now was the time when the shade of the tree branches protected them from the heat. Although the wolf skin allowed for much better thermoregulation, being a human was much hotter during the day.
They return by a different route. It's rare that they take the same route twice. It's quiet in this area, but that doesn't mean there's no chance of crossing paths.
There was an incident that showed that it is worth following some rules.
Techno proudly carries the carcass himself and tells Dream not to interfere, so he doesn't even protest. If there's a rabbit along the way, he'll be able to catch it, and the other one is too rested and full of energy to ask for help now.
And so they walk back. The satisfaction of a good hunt makes their steps smooth and unhurried. Their paws tread on the grass, the scent of its various varieties filling the forest. Dream grew up in the forest; he knows which herbs are dangerous and which are beneficial. He and Techno sometimes compete to see who can identify the plant's species by scent. Dream always wins.
Techno can hide perfectly in the snow and withstand more stress, being born in the tundra.
So when he feels the berry flavor settle somewhere deep and inside his tongue, the sweetness filling his lungs, he smiles. They're carnivores, but he's always enjoyed berries, and over the years, he's developed favorites and those he'll politely offer to others. Some werewolves disdain these wolf genes, but Dream relishes being omnivorous.
What could be better than walking through the forest after a successful hunt, carrying a carcass that will be enough for them all, and at the same time enjoying the aroma of berries hidden somewhere in the grass.
Dream glances sideways at Techno. He's carrying the goat and isn't distracted; he'll still hear and know if anything goes wrong, but he's as relaxed as he can be. Hunters almost never relax. They're used to being constantly on guard.
So Dream lowers his gaze to the vegetation around them. Different blades of grass—tall and short—combine, various large leaves from the trees rest upon them, but it's not another plant. He tries to find something recognizable: even though he grew up in the forests, every new place is different from the last. Whenever possible, he goes to human libraries to study new varieties, but it doesn't always work out.
A few raven eyes that look like a ball on a stalk; ears of wheat-like flowers; a few lilies of the valley off to the side. But there's nothing berry-like in the air.
They still have quite a long way to go. And Dream decides to find those berries he can smell. He hasn't had anything sweet in a long time. Techno clearly suspects something, but doesn't ask. He doesn't particularly prefer this diet; he'll try a few and then leave it at that.
Dream, his paws slightly bent, presses his nose to the grass to get a better feel. The faint, fading dampness of the morning still comforts him from within; he's almost distracted by it, wanting to purr, but then he senses a trail of berries.
His tail involuntarily starts wagging with joy. He doesn't try to stop it, instead beginning to walk forward with an excited, bouncing step. Usually, Techno would tease him for this kind of reckless behavior, but right now his mouth is busy, his thoughts more focused on what Dream is trying to find this time.
He pushes the grass aside with his nose, following the scent of something that's sure to give him even more satisfaction this afternoon. It's a bit different from hunting—the search is more subtle and calm, focused on tracking.
And finally, Dream sees, just a few steps away, strawberry bushes, exuding sweetness. Instead of steps, he leaps and instantly finds himself right next to them. Techno is still nearby, the rustling of a goat on the ground echoes behind him. Dream pokes his nose into the strawberry bushes and gently pushes the leaves aside with his paw. A small red berry sparkles before his eyes. It's smaller than a strawberry, but it has a tartness he adores.
He carefully closes his jaws on several berry stems and plucks them, raising his head to chew contentedly. The taste fills his taste buds, the sweet and sour nuances making him forget everything and be happy now. Dream sits down on the grass and lowers his jaws again, grabbing more berries—they're small, but there are many of them in this bunch—and then, with his muzzle raised, he closes his eyes, trying to forget everything else.
Behind him, Techno stops carrying the goat and leaves its carcass within their line of sight; Dream sees this when he lazily opens his eyes. The other wolf looks at the scattering of small red berries and lowers his muzzle to sniff them, not really knowing the taste. Dream wants to watch Techno try one of the best berries for the first time, wants to see his reaction. He's probably never had one. And Dream wouldn't enjoy something tasteless; it turns out they have fairly similar taste preferences.
Techno carefully grabs a smaller handful in his mouth than the other and begins chewing, looking at the grass. Dream would have done the same, but he's interested in watching the wolf across from him. How his muzzle is hesitant at first, then relaxes, as if to say, "Yes, there's something about this one." And that counts as a personal victory. Dream dips his muzzle into the berry patch again, first inhaling the aroma, and then plucking the last berries.
Techno calmly returns to the goat and continues to drag it, and Dream catches up with him with a light step and a light jump, and the taste of strawberries is still felt on his tongue.