(ooc: flickr.com have got some pretty good pictures of wolves.)

Flash sighed again, as his mind rolled over all the things they could do like back in the "good old days". He couldn't really think of anything else to do. Maybe they could go on a little hunting trip tomorrow. He felt like running. Go exploring a bit? He was curious to see what the rest of Cascade looked like now, if everything was still the same way it was before. He wanted puppies. Lots of puppies. Teach them the way of the wild. How to hunt, or rather, from his experience, how not to hunt. They'd start with small things, birds and rabbits, and then go onto foxes, and when they were older and big enough, onto deer. Small deer, though. No Elk. When they were adults they could go after those big things.

Children was a topic he'd been avoiding to discuss with Ice since... last time, for he and everyone else knew he had done the inexcusable, and he would carry the guilt with him to his grave. It was something that couldn't be reasoned with, that empty black hole was still there and refused to go away and would rear its ugly head whenever it wasn't being remembered, all the time. But maybe, just maybe Ice wanted pups again too? This time Flash would be a good mate. He'd keep both his watchful eyes over Ice and the pups every minute of every day. He wouldn't let anything even as petty as a tiny fox come near the den or his family.

"Oh i know love, i know. I kinda agree."

He shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable as Ice curled up in to him. Well, at least he wasn't the only one who felt it was time to move on. The "kinda" bit had him puzzled, though. What did it mean? "Yes, but not now"? "I'm not sure"? Or maybe it didn't mean anything and he was just being old and paranoid again? One thing was absolute, though- He didn't want to move on with anything until Ice was 100% ready. He would wait for her with all the patience in the world and help her along wherever he could. Then that thing he wanted to say to her popped back into his head, more obstinate than before as if illuminated in bright neon red lights with an alarm blaring out at him. If he kept it until tomorrow then tomorrow would be ruined. Maybe he could just spit it out now and then start tomorrow afresh. He could feel a knot tightening in his stomach while his heart crawled up into his throat. He opened and closed his eyes a few times, wondering whether to trust his voice or not. He had no idea how she might react. He knew if, after everything that had happened, someone just came along and told him what he was about to say, he'd be furious, enraged beyond comprehension. "Ice?" he said softly, closing his eyes tightly. "... I'm sorry."