Once out of the canopy, Ash stopped chasing after his Master, and stood- he took a moment to breathe deep the fresh night air. A breeze blew his cloak back and he rolled his head back around on his neck to look up at the stars. A smile spread across his face, whiskers twinkling in the moonlight.

Looking down the hill, Ash could see an Earthly Elemental village caressing the edge of the plain. Lights from its shops and homes sparkled in the landscape like the stars in the sky.

Ash watched Garren as he galloped through the twilight. He spun in circles, dodging this way and that to get the cheebs to chase him as they descended closer to the village. Ash couldn’t help himself- he let out a soft chuckle as he watched his master.

“He he he….”

Ash jumped to the side, looking around for the source of the giggle- his tail up and his claws out. To that he was met with a giant guffaw, and the gray short-haired cheeb he hadn’t notice stop next to him fell to the ground, literally rolling with laughter.

Ash bit the inside of his cheek and turned his head away from the young Leo on the ground next to him, but looking at him through the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, yeah. It wasn’t that funny, ya’ know. What’s your name anyway, cheeb?” Ash asked him when he finally stopped laughing hard enough to stand back up.

“Kevin…” The young Leo panted out, still chuckling. Now it was Ash’s turn to guffaw, and the smile was wiped off Kevin's face, who looked up at his senior through slitted cat eyes.

“You’re...voice...is just so deep, but you look so cute and fluffy!” Ash got out between laughs, pointing at Kevin’s bushy tail in contrast to the rest of his short-haired body.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not that funny ya’know.” Kevin’s baritone rumble preceded them down the hill.