Early Morning

A friendly bet to kick off each day doesn't sound so bad right?

“Frinder! Frindeeer!!” I hear my name called behind me, in a rather needy tone. My ear perked and turned, my head soon following to see a familiar face. Her ears drawn back and her face folded up in fatigue. I waited as she made her way to me, panting and bumbling around in her steps. Once closer her accents and markings became more apparent, along with her scent.

“Hey, you look like you’ve ran a mile Neama. Had a good run?” I jokingly smirked.

“That’s..not f-funny..you jerk!” She panted her words. I placed a gentle paw on her flushed cheek, a soft smile saying sorry.

“We’ll see how sorry you are after you ran like I did.” Taking my paws into hers, with an evil grin.

“Oh? You think I can’t do it?”
“I bet you’d even hate it after the first day.” She exclaimed proudly. I answered her bait just as proud. Stating loudly and proudly with a claw to my nose.

“For a week then, we’ll run together every morning, and i’ll show you how bad it isn’t.” we shook on it, and as agreed I waited at her house for our morning run. The air was calm and cool, the smell of fresh dew from the grass and trees filled my senses as I waited.

“Alright, ready to go!” Neama perked her ears to me.

“Straight to the gates.’’ I answered calmly to her. I learned a lot that one morning running with Neama. I learned that I still hate getting up early and even more so to be active. Neama was right about me hating to run this early. I’ve hated it from day one… it’s now day fifteen as I wait outside for her.

“Hehe morning Frinny, ready to go?”

“Aye lets get to it.”

I learned that I enjoyed Neama’s company a ton more than me sleeping in the morning. That her smile in the cool morning air always made it worth it to me. To spend that time running with her beside me. In that instant, the world is just me and her and the wind in our fur. I learned on that day, the day I made a deal to ditch sleeping in, that I wouldn’t trade in that moment for the world.