The boy brightened. His round eyes widening, sparkling with excitement. A squeal rolled from the kid's throat and Arlen knew they had him. Their body curved in a playful crouch, Arlen would egg the boy on with a bark of their own and bound in a curved path around him. Sure, they could have let the kid tag them, but Arlen wasn't the type to give things for free. No, the little explorer would have to earn a tag on them.

Their cowled head craned over their shoulder as they moved in a keep-away fashion. Indigo eyes locked onto their target. Ensuring that they never truly left the boy in the dust, but keeping watch so as to keep up the challenge. This distracted gaze also made it so Arlen was not watching where their paws landed. Namely, where the their paws weren't landing. Such as, oh you know, the ground.

A raised tree root left a hidden dip in the earth. Arlen's paw swept forward, expecting to be caught, only to have the stomach flip one gets when you forget about a stair on the landing. Stumbling, Arlen rolled forward in a graceless manner. A cloud of dust kicked up from their epic face plant.