Paws in the Sand

The sun beamed high over the horizon, casting golden flecks across the rolling waves of the Earle Sea. A soft breeze carried the scent of salt and seafoam, ruffling the fur of two Xeros as they padded onto the sun-warmed sand.

Malour strutted ahead, her sleek coat shimmering in the sunlight, a wide-brimmed sunhat perched dramatically between her ears. Her eyes, hidden behind oversized sunglasses, scanned the beachgoers with mild disapproval.

“Oh please,” she scoffed, swishing her tail with flair. “Did everyone wake up this morning and decide to dress like soggy potatoes? Honestly, if I’d known it was this tragic, I would've brought my own backdrop for photos.”

Behind her, Dawn giggled quietly, the sound soft and bubbling like a hidden spring. The sand squished between her paw pads as she bounced along, tail fluttering lightly with each step. “It’s not about fashion, Malour,” she said, brushing a lock of her brown mane from her eyes. “It’s about... y’know, the breeze. The sun. The freedom!”

Malour wrinkled her nose. “Darling, freedom doesn’t mean sacrificing standards.”

They finally settled near a small tide pool that was teaming with life. Malour laid out a glittery towel shaped like a seashell, propped up her beach umbrella,  and arranged herself like a queen on a throne, applying sunscreen to her paw pads in delicate swirls. Dawn, meanwhile, was already halfway buried in the sand, tail wiggling as she built an elaborate dome-shaped sand fortress.

“Want to help with the towers?” Dawn called out, glancing up with a hopeful smile.

Malour peered over her sunglasses. “Do I look like someone who shovels sand?”

“No,” Dawn giggled again, “but maybe the queen of the beach needs a castle?”

Malour paused, then smirked. “You know what? You make a good point. A palace for your queen it is.”

The two of them built for hours—Dawn molding delicate turrets, Malour adding flair with shiny shells and bits of sea glass. More than a few beachgoers stopped to admire their creation, and Malour, of course, basked in the compliments like a sun-loving lizard.

After a while, Dawn plopped down next to Malour, brushing sand off her fur and gazing up at the sky. The clouds drifted lazily, and far above, a few faint stars twinkled even in daylight.

“I always wonder,” Dawn said softly, “what it would be like to swim through the sky. Like, if we had wings amd they were strong enough to break through the clouds and just... keep going.”

Malour leaned back on her elbows, watching her friend with a rare moment of quiet. “You always think about stuff like that. Flying to other planets. Chasing comets.”

“It’s fun to dream,” Dawn said, a little sheepishly. “I bet the beaches on other worlds are made of stardust. Or glowing water that sings when the waves crash.”

Malour gave her a sideways glance. “Alright, dreamy girl, but if we do end up on some alien beach, I’m packing three suitcases. I am not showing up to a glowing water beach without a matching sequin wrap.”

Dawn laughed, nudging Malour playfully with her shoulder. “Deal.”

Later, as the sun dipped low and the sky painted itself in pink and lavender hues, they walked along the shore, paws sinking into the cool, wet sand. Dawn chased the retreating waves while Malour practiced her walk for an “impromptu” beach fashion shoot.

As the stars began to peek out, Malour plopped down beside Dawn, sighing dramatically. “You know what? This wasn’t the worst idea. The spa can wait.”

“I’m glad you came,” Dawn whispered, leaning her head on Malour’s shoulder.

Malour smiled, just a little. “Me too, stardust.”

And under a sky stitched with stars and sea breeze, the two Xeros sat together—different as night and noon, but perfectly content.