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Fanart courtesy of flyingcuttlefish
Pack-leader is back!
She's back she's back!
Naga bounced from front paws to rear, bounding toward her.
Lick! Lick!
She hugs the neck, laughing, smiling. Scratching behind OH YES BY THE EARS.
Will she be staying long this time? Sometimes when she goes she's gone a long time, and sometimes when she goes she comes back hurt.
She keeps scratching the chin, but the dark-haired one is here too. Naga's tongue lolled out. She liked Dark-hair. Dark-hair fought very hard for Pack-leader, stood very close. Dark-hair was an important part of the pack. When Pack-leader was hurt, it would have been better if Dark-hair were there to help. But perhaps Pack-leader had to leave her mate to lead the rest of the pack while she got better.
Dark-hair looked at Pack-leader, and Naga could smell it on them. Yes, they were definitely mates now. Perhaps the pack would grow soon? Naga couldn't wait for pups! She pushed forward, giving Dark-hair a big lick up the side of her face. Dark-hair's dark hair stood up afterward, her face a little crooked. Pack-leader laughed.
“She approves of you, Asami!” Pack-leader said.
And Naga did.
**
Dark-hair guided Naga by a lead, rubbing her flank as they rode the box. Naga whimpered—the box was small and smelled like metal. But Dark-hair would not hurt her. Dark-hair was Pack-leader's mate.
The box opened, and there was green! Trees! Grass! Water flowing! She bounded out, flopping onto her side, rolling on the fresh greenery. The city was a loud and smoky and nasty place, but Dark-hair found somewhere nice, like the island. Pack-leader would love it too. Dark-hair was very clever.
Naga had the best pack.
**
Many people were around. There usually weren't so many when Pack-leader brought her to the island, but now there were many. Anyone who had ever been part of the pack. Pack-leader's elders, the windy pack that lived here, the metal lady's pack... too many for Naga to deal with! She tried to stay aside.
But outside was all full, too. Chairs and tables, lights. Everybody so busy! Pack-leader and Dark-hair were very distracted. And not wearing their usual skins. Many more pieces, more decorations. Dark-hair was in lots of white, too much to move in. There were flowers everywhere. It smelled terrible.
People acted silly sometimes.
Everyone gathered together outside, filling all the chairs. Pack-leader's mother stayed with Naga, on the grass, holding her reins as Pack-leader and Dark-hair came towards each other. They looked at just each other. They'd been doing that for years. All the other people from all the other packs seemed happy though. Even though some were crying. Naga yawned.
**
PUP!
THERE WAS A PUP NOW!
Pack-leader and Dark-hair have a pup! Neither of them littered, so must have been abandoned. Like Naga had been. They treated Pup like Korra had treated Naga, all those years ago. Like a friend. Like pack.
Pup was so small! Very quiet. She clung to Pack-leader's leg, but made a happy sound when Naga licked her. Tiny person-paws grabbed Naga's fur, and Pup burrowed her head into Naga's side.
Naga loved Pup. Pup was already Naga's favorite.
PUP!
**
Pup grew bigger, very fast! Pup started bringing other small ones over. They always loved climbing over Naga, playing with her ears, taking rides. Sometimes, the elders of the other small ones were afraid, but Naga would lick them and it would be fine.
Chasing them around the garden on top of the tower was very fun! But cuddling with Pup or Pack-leader was still best. And did not take as much energy. All the little ones were hard to keep up with.
Sometimes, they would go to a sky-building, and ride, and return home. Pack-leader's elders had a much bigger den than when Pack-leader was young. Pup loved it down there, and Pack-leader's elders loved Pup more than anything. They showed Pup how to play in the snow, and Naga was very glad to help. Pup had to know these things.
**
Pup was as big as Pack-leader now. She visited less often, and usually had books. Dark-hair had the round things over her eyes all the time. Pack-leader still came every night, though, and played with her, but it was not as much fun to fetch the ball or tug the rope, not like it used to be. Sometimes, she was tired, but Pack-leader smiled and laughed, and that made Naga happy, and so she played.
Naga liked seeing Pack-leader happy. And Dark-hair and Pup too. The pack was healthy and strong. Even if this place was still too smoky and had too much metal and it was always too hot.
**
Naga had been slow for a while.
Running wasn't as fun as it used to be. Chasing things, rolling around. She did it some, then a little, then less. Then she moved when told, when asked. Pack-leader smiled. Dark-hair smiled too, but looked worried. Pup didn't come around much, anymore.
Naga missed Pup.
Today, Naga did not want to move. Her inside hurt. For a long time it hurt, but today it hurt a lot and moving made the hurt worse. This shady spot was fine. Nothing was coming for her there.
“C'mon, girl,” Pack-leader was saying, patting her legs.
Naga chuffed, and kept her head on the ground. It wasn't as cool as the snow. It was never cool, here.
“Naga, please,” Pack-leader said, arms around her now, yanking against her weight.
Naga exhaled. Pack-leader was pulling hard, but having her there felt good. It was good for pack to stay together, as they got old. Pup would do that for Pack-leader and Dark-hair, someday.
“Naga,” Pack-leader pleaded.
She licked Pack-leader's face, then rested her head back on the ground.
Pack-leader fell against her, fingers grasping hard into her fur. She shook against Naga's side.
After a while, Dark-hair came, and wrapped herself around Pack-leader. They pet Naga a lot, and spoke in soft tones. Night fell, and it got cooler, just a little.
Naga's inside still hurt.
But her pack was still here. All night.
**
Naga limped into the sky-building. Her insides still hurt, but she knew what the sky-building meant.
Snow. Cold.
Home.
Pack-leader was with her all the time. Dark-hair was there too. And Pup had come back! All of them were brushing her constantly, and holding each other. The brothers were there too, and their pups, and as much of the pack as she'd seen since the day with all the chairs and flowers, on the island, when Dark-hair was covered in white.
Pack-leader rushed to her elders when the sky-building stopped, holding them tight. Her elders looked different, now, their skin more textured, their hair more like the snow or cloudy sky than the dark it had been. They looked at Naga, and Naga looked at them. They understood.
Naga knew this trip was her last. It was right.
The Pack was strong. Pack-leader was strong, and healthy. Her mate was strong and healthy, and so was Pup. Everything was good.
Pack-leader guided her, though each step was slow, and many of them hurt. She had energy though, just a little, just enough. Naga took them out, away from the sea, away from the city. To the snow. To the wild.
The wind was still. The sun was bright, but the air was colder than Naga remembered. She shivered, but this was right.
Pack-leader stayed with her, her hand never leaving Naga's side. The rest of the pack, even Dark-hair, stayed behind. That was right, too. Pack-leader had found her in the wild, both of them all alone. It was right that it end the same way. The pack would still be there for her, when Pack-leader returned.
Naga found a spot. It was not a special spot, but it was the spot where she could go no further. She lay down, and Pack-leader lay against her. A light snow began to fall.
Naga craned her neck. Pack-leader moved, to make it easier. She licked Pack-leader's hand, and Pack-leader scratched behind her ear. Yes, that was the spot she liked. That spot was good.
This was good.
Everything was good.
Naga closed her eyes.
Everything was good.
Fanart courtesy of nyuppypuppy