Time frame: over a year after the end of DotW

Romulus woke up with a start when his hind leg was kicked lightly. A warning low growl erupted from his chest, eyes darting around for the source that disturbed his sleep. Everything was quiet, but there was a low whine from besides him.

Remus was tossing and turning in his sleep, his legs kicking around as he dreamed of something that got him excited.

Romulus huffed lowly, not appreciating being awaken before time. He nipped his brother’s ear lightly, just hard enough to calm him down. The other drachensteins whimpered in his sleep, before calming down and rolled away.

Romulus huffed, laying his head on his front paws. There was no point in sleeping more; he could feel the air began to warmed up from the rising sun and knew that soon enough his mistress will come. Remus seemed to have woken up also, his mouth opened wide and showing its sharp canines as he yawned.

Soft sounds caught Romulus’ ears from behind the door besides him and he stretched up, back arched and tail straight, shaking the last dregs of sleep away. Remus joined him as they waited in front of the door, breath was short with anticipation and tail thumping against the floor.

Just like always, the door opened soon enough and their mistress walked out. Remus yapped excitedly, almost bowling her over when he eagerly reached up to her face.

“Good morning to you too, guys,” their mistress chuckled, pushing Remus away slightly before bending down to pat Romulus.

Romulus closed his eyes in bliss when she rubbed her thumb against the base of his ear the way he likes it, a satisfied growl rumbling in his chest.

“Did you have a good night sleep?”

Remus yapped some more before swiping a wet, rough tongue over her hand. Romulus butted his snout on her waist, careful to not let his horn prick her as he burrowed his nose on her tunic, inhaling her scent.

Not for the first time Romulus wondered why his mistress smelled different from when he first met her. Before, she smelled like the clean, heady scent of the earth after the rain and of sun-baked golden grass.

Now, the scent was still there but it was intermixed with another, one that Romulus associated with one of the twelve men his mistress was always with, the one with a small dent on his face. He was the one who was with his mistress the most, after all. His own scent of summer and breeze was now mixed so fully into his mistress he couldn’t separate the two.

Romulus shrugged internally. He didn’t mind, not too much. The man was harmless enough though Romulus always wondered over that dent on his face. It was fascinating how one moment it was there, then the next it would be gone!

Humans can be so strange some times.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remus’s tail was wagging excitedly, long, red tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. He loves this early morning moments with his mistress, when there was no one around and it was just him and his brother and his mistress as they have their morning walk.

The moment the open ground behind the castle was in sight Remus tore off the ground, relishing in the way the wet, dewy grass felt beneath his paws and how the air was clean and crisp.

Romulus was hot on his heels, finally passing him by and nipping his shoulder playfully. Remus growled back, bounding across the green to tackle his brother to the ground. They tumbled and rolled around on the grass, teeth biting and nipping teasingly.

Suddenly another scent caught Remus’ nostril and he lifted his head in eagerness, sniffing the air excitedly. His nose pointed him to the small cluster of trees just at the edge of the open place and he barked eagerly once he caught sight of them.

Atavos!

Remus tore off without haste, eyes locking on one atavo in mind, a short, rather fat gray atavo. The much smaller animal trembled in fright even as it began to hopped away as fast as it legs could carry him, though it was no match for Remus’ speed. Just when his teeth almost caught the atavo’s tail, it changed direction and Remus’ teeth clamped on thin air.

The drachensteins didn’t mind too much, though; the thrill of the chase is always exhilarating. He followed the atavo as it hopped left and right, and just when he knew the atavo was tiring and would surrendered to his teeth any second now, his mistress’ voice rang out.

“Remus. No.”

Remus whined even as he slowed down his run, letting the atavo got away. He let out a despondent huff as the smaller animal got to the cluster of trees and out of sight, before turning back with dejected steps.

His mistress had an apologetic smile as she leaned down to run her hand through his fur. “I’m sorry, Remus. Y