<div style="text-align: justify;">Pouncing on Nanook and running had indeed been a challenge. At the same time, it had been an invitation for social interaction, something wolves often valued greatly. And something Marissa, like Nanook, had been craving for a long time. At least interaction with someone who could understand her. And now that she had someone right this, she wanted to enjoy every moment and interaction this relationship could offer.<br/><br/>When Nanook stretched and started following her, Marissa prepared to run a little faster. She was smaller than Nanook, which might make her strides smaller, but it was possible for her to slip into places where he couldn’t, so Marissa calculated - as much as her brain as a wolf could - that if they started racing each other, she could definitely have a good shot at winning. <br/><br/>Despite her picking up the pace, Marissa didn’t run fast enough to dart away from Nanook. That wasn’t her intention, actually. She had challenged him into interacting with her, and maybe she might then to try race him. <br/><br/>When Nanook pounced on Marissa, she had been expecting it, and thus didn’t act surprised at all. Letting out a yelp - mostly an expression of excitement -, Marissa would have bitten Nanook back, but not hard enough to hurt him. <br/><br/>After a few bites, she would nudge Nanook with her muzzle and then give him a few more playful bites, before slipping from under him and then running a bit further away. It was clear that she was having fun with that interaction. And that she was acting purely out of instinct.<br/><br/>Just like Nanook’s, Marissa's human side would have to deal with the more rational aspects of this new step in their relationship.</div>