As his mate scooted even closer to him, Flash had a sudden desire to pretend as if nothing had happened the past three years and go back to being young and stupid, back when he still had that youthful confidence and arrogance to think he could take down a bear by himself, when he knew exactly which buttons to press if he wanted to annoy a boring older wolf, back when nothing he did had a reason and everything was just for kicks, and he felt like he could stare Death straight in the eyes and make him blink. Sure, he could always pretend, but it wouldn't be the same, it wouldn't have that same delicious, fulfilling feeling of being alive as of a youngster getting up to mischief. To put it short and sweet, he felt like an old fart.

He lay his head on his paws as he listened to her words with a peaceful sigh, as if listening to a sweet and gentle lullaby. Dammit, he just wanted to bury the past and drop the miserable sentimentality he'd been feeling thus far and start over, run around outside after animals fifty times bigger than themselves, he wanted to feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, explore the unexplored of Cascade Mountains with Ice Baby by his side, have babies (again, he thought guiltily), name one after him, teach them to howl, hunt, play-fight... anything! One thing was certain, however; he'd be getting no sleep tonight. His brain was on a high now at the thought of all these beautiful things.

He laughed suddenly. It wasn't a big, loud, obnoxious guffaw, it was just a small playful giggle. Yes, real men giggle. "I love you baby!" he said with a distinct cheerfulness and with a lick on Ice Baby's cheek, then he flopped over onto his side. "I want to start over. You know?" A strange, intoxicating feeling of euphoria seemed to have befallen him, for he wasn't one to normally discuss his feelings with others.

(OOC: lol, midlife crisis much? XD)