It was times such as these when he allowed his wolf freedom that Jaryn could forget about the stress of everyday life. The simplicity of the grass beneath his paws and the scent of the night mountain air calmed him as no herbal tea his mother thrust into his hands ever could. Lately that stress had been getting to him, more than ever before. He was constantly tired. And when he wasn't depressed, Jaryn was irritable to the point that even his best friend, who was known for his temper, raised an eyebrow. His life was a constant juggling act of duties to his pack, business, and a task force the American Shifter Council--the ASC--had 'volunteered' him for.

Jaryn lapped water from the lake then lay in the grass, staring up at the moon as if it held all the answers. He heard a sound off to the left, near the tree line, and instantly rose to his feet. His head swivelled and his ears perked. His eyes were glued to the spot--ready for anything--but then a familiar scent reached him and the tension drained away from his muscles. He immediately recognised it as Charlie, his little brother. Seconds later Charlie came loping out of the trees with a rabbit in his mouth. Charlie was only fifteen so he was quite a bit smaller than Jaryn, even in wolf form. Having undergone his first change a little less than a year ago, Charlie was still an eager young pup. His prance gave away how satisfied he was with himself for the catch. When Charlie reached the edge of the lake, he tossed his prize towards Jaryn and prostrated himself a few feet away.

The scent from the fresh kill tantalised Jaryn's senses. He took the first bite of the treat then welcomed his little brother to join in the snack. With the demands of his stomach temporarily appeased, he decided it was time for a good run. He looked over and saw Charlie rolling around in the grass. He snuffed and let out a little whine then took off across the meadow. His legs stretched with each stride, running full out across the clearing. His hell-bent run forced the air to part as his strong body ripped through the atmosphere. He turned his head and saw Charlie trying to catch up, and slowed his pace to lure him in. All of a sudden a forceful weight catapulted onto his back. Jaryn threw Charlie off his back with a twist and rolled. He quickly regained his legs, preparing for another assault. Charlie was down on his front paws with his rear flank up in the air.

Oh, so the little runt wants to play, does he?

Jaryn lunged and head-butted Charlie in the side, tipping him over, but Charlie's smaller size allowed him to squirm out of the pin. He circled around to nip at Jaryn's back leg. They took off running again then, a couple of hundred feet away, Jaryn's back legs lost traction as Charlie dug his head underneath his rear and lifted him up as if they were doing a wheelbarrow race. Jaryn collapsed his front paws and Charlie flew over him. As he did so, Jaryn nipped his tail. A sharp yip escaped Charlie before he landed in a pile of mud.

Serves the little snot right!

To finish off the challenge, Jaryn took Charlie's muzzle between his jaws and exerted just enough pressure to demand his submission.

When Charlie capitulated, Jaryn gave his little brother a lick. He liked to encourage Charlie to build his dominant nature. One day he could be Alpha of their pack and it was important he learn those skills. They lay next to each other in the meadow for a while, occasionally rolling around in play, each trying to topple the other. A breeze had picked up as the sun began to set and his fur rippled as if it were waves on the ocean. They eventually made their way back to the house. After trotting up the steps to the back porch, they shifted and dressed in the jeans laid out for their return.

"Hey, next time watch the teeth on the tail, man. I swear I felt some fur strip off."

He captured Charlie in a headlock. "You started it, runt. If you don't wanna pay the dime, don't do the crime."