![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracoqueen22a/n: It's Free Fic Friday! But, alas, I have no chapters of The Break of Day to offer you. So instead, I give you this Ione and Fenris ficlet and hope you enjoy it. Thanks!
Title: Lost and Found
Characters: Ione, Fenris
Rating: K
Series: Infinity's End, pre-The Edge of Tomorrow, canon
Description: When Ione met Fenris, take one.
Ione giggles as she toddles after the pretty butterfly; it's black and gold wings glinting in the early Spring sun. She wants to catch it, touch those pretty whorls. But it flits out of her reach every time she gets close.
Her bare feet feel itchy on the forest floor, littered with new growth and twigs and little rocks. But Ione doesn't really mind. She hates shoes. Her toes like to breathe!
It's cooler here under the large trees. Quieter too now that she can't hear her brothers yelling as they play that stupid game. Branches reach out to slap her face, but Ione deftly avoids them with a graceful pirouette that would make her momma proud.
Her gaze is saved for the flitting butterfly. As is her attention.
“I don't want to hurt you,” Ione promises. “I just want a closer look.”
The butterfly ignores her, flitting suddenly to the left. Ione veers to follow it and crashes through a flowery bush. Her eyes catch sight of the bug as it lands on a pretty flower with bright blue petals. She can catch it now!
Ione springs forward, only to encounter something warm and fuzzy, which she trips over. With an oomph, Ione lands on top of it. She gets a faceful of warm, grey fur.
“Oops,” she says.
“Ow,” it replies.
Ione scrambles backward. “I'm sorry,” she squeaks. “I didn't mean to... Did you just talk?”
It's a dog, she realizes as it unfurls from its sleeping position. A big grey one with bright yellow eyes. Pretty eyes, too. Soft and curious as they look her over.
The dog blinks as it stares at her. “Why hello, little one,” it – or he actually, since he has a boy's voice – says. Thereby proving that he does talk. “You're far from home, aren't you?”
“No, I'm not,” Ione protests and looks around pointedly. “It's...”
Actually, she's not sure where home is. Somewhere behind her probably. Beyond the tall trees and thick bushes.
She sticks a finger on her lip that slips into her mouth all on its own. Ione looks one way and then the other. Her face scrunches in thought.
“I think I'm lost.”
The dog chuckles. “So you are,” he says, getting up and stretching.
Her eyes widen. He's huge. Easily longer than she is tall and just standing, almost taller than she is. He's strongly muscled and powerful looking. Bigger than any dog she's ever seen.
“What kind of dog are you?” she asks then. Infinitely curious and immediately forgetting that she has no idea where she is.
“I'm a wolf,” he corrects softly and tilts his head as he studies her.
She shrinks back, a little afraid. “You're not going to eat me are you?”
The wolf makes a barking, rasping sound that’s maybe laughter. “No, little one. I don't eat humans.”
“Good. ‘Cause I bet I taste bad.” Ione nods sagely.
“I don't intend to find out.” The wolf sits on his haunches, still looking at her. “What’s your name, little one?”
Ione hesitates. Momma says not to talk to strangers, but she probably means people. She didn't say Ione couldn't talk to dogs. Or wolves.
“Ione.” She offers a little curtsy just like her momma had taught her.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Ione. I am Fenris.” He makes another of those raspy sounds. “And how old are you?”
“Seven.” She holds up her fingers to show him just like Damon taught her.
“Way too young to be out here by yourself.” Fenris stands up, nudging her with his wet nose. “Come along then. I'll help you find your way home.”
Ione can't resist the urge to pet him, like she does Arisa's dog, Woofer. Fenris' fur is much softer, and his body tingles, too. Like the magic she sometimes catches Jeredu playing with when he thinks no one's looking.
“Why do you feel all tingly?” she questions as he leads her along.
Fenris turns his head to blink at her. “Tingly?”
“Yeah.” Ione scrunches her forehead, trying to think of a better way to describe it. “It's like a buzzing. Only it's all around you.”
“Ah.” Fenris guides her into the woods, and Ione trots along at his side, glad that he's walking slow so she can keep up. “That would be my magic, little one. I'm surprised you can sense it.”
Ione grins. “My brothers can do magic. I watch them sometimes.” Damon and Theron anyway, Jeredu's not supposed to do it.
“You have magic yourself,” the wolf muses as he sniffs her.
Ione's eyes widen as she claps her hands together. “Really?”
“Indeed. It is fledgling, however, so I wouldn't try anything complicated yet, little one.”
It's okay. Ione has patience. She can wait. It's enough to know that she has magic, too. Just like her brothers! Still...
“Will you teach me?”
A little shiver races through Fenris. He looks at her, startled.
“Teach you?” he repeats blankly.
“Magic,” Ione says and pets him again. He's not biting her when she does, so she figures it's all right. If he didn't like it, he'd say so, right? “I want to go to the Academy someday, so I need to get started as soon as possible.”
She is going to outdo her brothers, too! Show them that there's nothing wrong with being a girl. That she can still kick butt and theirs too if she wants.
“I don't think that's such a good idea,” Fenris murmurs, but he sounds sad, like he wishes he didn't have to say no.
“Why not?”
Gold eyes are soft as they look at her. “There are others who will not appreciate my presence. It’s safer for you if you never see me again, once I get you home.”
Ione's eyes widen. She buries her hands in his fur, holding on.
What? No. I don't want that!” He's a talking wolf with magic! Which is the best side of awesome. “I like you!”
Fenris looks away, picking up the pace as he leads her through the trees, back to her home. “I am honored by that, little one. But this is the way things should be.”
“That's stupid,” Ione puts in with a pout.
“Yes, that has often been my opinion.” His ears give a flick and turn from left to right.
Ione perks up. “Then we should be friends!”
Fenris makes that wheezing chuckle again. “I can see you are quite stubborn.”
“As stubborn as my papa,” Ione says proudly, puffing up her chest. “Momma says that all the time.”
“You will not be swayed otherwise, will you?” he asks, but she thinks he already knows the answer.
“Nope!” Ione scratches behind his ear, like she does for Woofer, and smiles as Fenris leans his head into her touch. “So we'll be friends, right?”
Fenris' tail flicks through the air. “Yes, little one, we can be friends.”
Ione cheers.
a/n: It's so rare that I write cute fluff. And yet, here is some. I hope you liked!
As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.
Title: Lost and Found
Characters: Ione, Fenris
Rating: K
Series: Infinity's End, pre-The Edge of Tomorrow, canon
Description: When Ione met Fenris, take one.
Ione giggles as she toddles after the pretty butterfly; it's black and gold wings glinting in the early Spring sun. She wants to catch it, touch those pretty whorls. But it flits out of her reach every time she gets close.
Her bare feet feel itchy on the forest floor, littered with new growth and twigs and little rocks. But Ione doesn't really mind. She hates shoes. Her toes like to breathe!
It's cooler here under the large trees. Quieter too now that she can't hear her brothers yelling as they play that stupid game. Branches reach out to slap her face, but Ione deftly avoids them with a graceful pirouette that would make her momma proud.
Her gaze is saved for the flitting butterfly. As is her attention.
“I don't want to hurt you,” Ione promises. “I just want a closer look.”
The butterfly ignores her, flitting suddenly to the left. Ione veers to follow it and crashes through a flowery bush. Her eyes catch sight of the bug as it lands on a pretty flower with bright blue petals. She can catch it now!
Ione springs forward, only to encounter something warm and fuzzy, which she trips over. With an oomph, Ione lands on top of it. She gets a faceful of warm, grey fur.
“Oops,” she says.
“Ow,” it replies.
Ione scrambles backward. “I'm sorry,” she squeaks. “I didn't mean to... Did you just talk?”
It's a dog, she realizes as it unfurls from its sleeping position. A big grey one with bright yellow eyes. Pretty eyes, too. Soft and curious as they look her over.
The dog blinks as it stares at her. “Why hello, little one,” it – or he actually, since he has a boy's voice – says. Thereby proving that he does talk. “You're far from home, aren't you?”
“No, I'm not,” Ione protests and looks around pointedly. “It's...”
Actually, she's not sure where home is. Somewhere behind her probably. Beyond the tall trees and thick bushes.
She sticks a finger on her lip that slips into her mouth all on its own. Ione looks one way and then the other. Her face scrunches in thought.
“I think I'm lost.”
The dog chuckles. “So you are,” he says, getting up and stretching.
Her eyes widen. He's huge. Easily longer than she is tall and just standing, almost taller than she is. He's strongly muscled and powerful looking. Bigger than any dog she's ever seen.
“What kind of dog are you?” she asks then. Infinitely curious and immediately forgetting that she has no idea where she is.
“I'm a wolf,” he corrects softly and tilts his head as he studies her.
She shrinks back, a little afraid. “You're not going to eat me are you?”
The wolf makes a barking, rasping sound that’s maybe laughter. “No, little one. I don't eat humans.”
“Good. ‘Cause I bet I taste bad.” Ione nods sagely.
“I don't intend to find out.” The wolf sits on his haunches, still looking at her. “What’s your name, little one?”
Ione hesitates. Momma says not to talk to strangers, but she probably means people. She didn't say Ione couldn't talk to dogs. Or wolves.
“Ione.” She offers a little curtsy just like her momma had taught her.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Ione. I am Fenris.” He makes another of those raspy sounds. “And how old are you?”
“Seven.” She holds up her fingers to show him just like Damon taught her.
“Way too young to be out here by yourself.” Fenris stands up, nudging her with his wet nose. “Come along then. I'll help you find your way home.”
Ione can't resist the urge to pet him, like she does Arisa's dog, Woofer. Fenris' fur is much softer, and his body tingles, too. Like the magic she sometimes catches Jeredu playing with when he thinks no one's looking.
“Why do you feel all tingly?” she questions as he leads her along.
Fenris turns his head to blink at her. “Tingly?”
“Yeah.” Ione scrunches her forehead, trying to think of a better way to describe it. “It's like a buzzing. Only it's all around you.”
“Ah.” Fenris guides her into the woods, and Ione trots along at his side, glad that he's walking slow so she can keep up. “That would be my magic, little one. I'm surprised you can sense it.”
Ione grins. “My brothers can do magic. I watch them sometimes.” Damon and Theron anyway, Jeredu's not supposed to do it.
“You have magic yourself,” the wolf muses as he sniffs her.
Ione's eyes widen as she claps her hands together. “Really?”
“Indeed. It is fledgling, however, so I wouldn't try anything complicated yet, little one.”
It's okay. Ione has patience. She can wait. It's enough to know that she has magic, too. Just like her brothers! Still...
“Will you teach me?”
A little shiver races through Fenris. He looks at her, startled.
“Teach you?” he repeats blankly.
“Magic,” Ione says and pets him again. He's not biting her when she does, so she figures it's all right. If he didn't like it, he'd say so, right? “I want to go to the Academy someday, so I need to get started as soon as possible.”
She is going to outdo her brothers, too! Show them that there's nothing wrong with being a girl. That she can still kick butt and theirs too if she wants.
“I don't think that's such a good idea,” Fenris murmurs, but he sounds sad, like he wishes he didn't have to say no.
“Why not?”
Gold eyes are soft as they look at her. “There are others who will not appreciate my presence. It’s safer for you if you never see me again, once I get you home.”
Ione's eyes widen. She buries her hands in his fur, holding on.
What? No. I don't want that!” He's a talking wolf with magic! Which is the best side of awesome. “I like you!”
Fenris looks away, picking up the pace as he leads her through the trees, back to her home. “I am honored by that, little one. But this is the way things should be.”
“That's stupid,” Ione puts in with a pout.
“Yes, that has often been my opinion.” His ears give a flick and turn from left to right.
Ione perks up. “Then we should be friends!”
Fenris makes that wheezing chuckle again. “I can see you are quite stubborn.”
“As stubborn as my papa,” Ione says proudly, puffing up her chest. “Momma says that all the time.”
“You will not be swayed otherwise, will you?” he asks, but she thinks he already knows the answer.
“Nope!” Ione scratches behind his ear, like she does for Woofer, and smiles as Fenris leans his head into her touch. “So we'll be friends, right?”
Fenris' tail flicks through the air. “Yes, little one, we can be friends.”
Ione cheers.
* * * * *
a/n: It's so rare that I write cute fluff. And yet, here is some. I hope you liked!
As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.
