Things for Borden Lyall had been quiet lately it seemed; and as spring constantly reveled in the abundance of green and several bird songs, the brute retreated into a more quiet state of mind. He had tried to hunt earlier this morning to bring something for Jaysyek and Arlette but found that today was not a day for patience or tracking. Feeling rather lazy from the lack of sun these past few days, he dragged his feet over to the pack den then, after circling once around it, paced away after the ivory lady's most recent scent trail. If Grizzly Hollow picked up on how low their caches were, this was the reason why... the pack Keeper seemingly had much more important things to tend to... like making sure his beloved was well-protected and looked after. Anything he successfully brought down went to her and his mind could not focus for the time being on anything else apart from her well-being.

Her path circled around the abandoned bear den but he shrugged off the fact. He had probably missed her by merely half an hour, and she, too was probably, just checking up on the den. Sniffing at the air he glanced towards the sea of cedars all around him. The empty nook at the base of a gnarled tree had last been filled with a hare a few weeks ago, but whoever had made a meal of it did not leave anything to spare. With one last look about his surroundings he set off again towards the Thicket in hopes of actually finding something to present to Jayse.

Tired. She was exetremly tired these days. The cover of grey clouds did not make it any easier for her to continue. If anything it made her forget the time of day, and how long she'd been lookin. After the pack hunt it became apparent to her Trisden, and Hocus had become reclusive. Today was another day she could not find them, nor a real trail of where they were. The mother kept looking for a sign, instead of something to eat though she was well aware they had no reserves. She did not want to admit they had wandered off again. It was beoming the time she accepted they had left home, it was weeks now since she'd caught any fresh scent. She tried to think why of all reasons, but her mind kept going back to Borden, and Theodore. She tried to find peace at least they were together, looking out for one another like always. How could she be happy when she didn't know when she'd see them again?

She was unaware of much beyond her sight, lost in her thoughts, and she was walking the same trail to the den, she usually did she could have walked it blind. Then she noted there was something teasing her nostrils, a hare, and close enough to be catching her attention. She quietly lowered her body, following it toward some bracken. She had a hard time trying to see it, where it might be.She spotted it's tail, and made an effort to snap at it where she could reach.

The macaronic twittering of the birds overhead was ignored as Vlarindara slowly crept towards the 'common grounds' of Grizzly Hollow. She kept her head down and her tail low as she slunk back from where she had been - Jasper Rocks.. As if she was afraid some recourse would come down upon her head for being gone so long. The white wolfess shifted and crept over to the nest of leaves she had made before shuffling around in them and digging out the femur of a deer she had stowed away from the last pack hunt.

Seeing no one, Vlarindara carried her bone about two feet from her bed and slowly lowered herself down to her belly, the sun-bleached item held securely between her paws. Powerful jaws began gnawing on the end of the bone - an end that was already scored and marked from her teeth, ears having lowered to rest against her skull as her single working eye canvassed the area around her. She wasn't sure what she'd do if someone from the Hollow came around - so far, she'd been lucky and had avoided altercations with most of the wolves, although, she knew she'd have to truly take on her pack role in ernest soon. Once she healed enough that she felt a 'good beating' wasn't going to kill her.

October 29th; early evening.

The Hollow patriarch had had a trying day. After several attempts of searching for an aging buck, he had turned up with nothing. The old, antlered thing would probably not even last the winter anyway; all Borden had to do was be patient. He was determined to keep the pack and his family well-fed and though the buck would generously provide meals for Jaysyek and the four Lyalls they were currently raising, they had no want for anything. Borden was sure of it.

Realizing the hour he swiveled his ears forward as his footfalls drew closer to the old bear den. The cubs wouldn't be in bed yet, he was certain, and somewhere he knew Jaysyek was probably out and about trying to get Taima and her brothers back to the den. He smiled to himself and, after peering down into the den just to be sure no one had already settled down for the evening, lowered his nose to the ground. Picking up on one of his sons' trails, he opted to follow it. The least he could do is help his beloved get the youngsters to bed.

With a steady pace he strode through the dying grasses until the underground burrow was well out of sight.

Why did the sun have to go down? If it were not for the urgent time for bed he would not have cared, because there was whole new world in the darkness. Many things came out then. The things taht did not like the day, and he was most eager to see them. Would they taste good? Would they be fun to chase? Surely there would be some new game. He had yet to catch glimpses of this darkened world.

It was with the fading sun he let out a sigh, disgruntled by the red light that washed through the forest. This was always the time they would usher them together, collect them in their pen. The den he could not hate, it kept him warm, and made him feel safe with sleeping eyes. He hated how he was suppose to stay there, wait to leave by Borden or Jayse's voice. It was the one place he knew without thinking to much about where the walls were marked and he hated that too. A snap of his teeth he continued to hit at the grass seeds above his head with his overgrown paws. He was staring at the sky on his back, waiting for his parents to make him return. Renier Lyall was a stubborn child, his mother had told him so.

It was a well known fact that wherever Renier was, Ryvet wasn’t far behind and today was no exception. Ever since his miserable attempt at stalking his sister he had been practicing hard, and for once, not only the light was in his favour, but the wind as well. He peeked above the log that concealed his pale coat so well. No matter how much mud he rolled in, the pale tufts still shone through.

There his prey was, batting at a grass seed. If he timed it right, he may actually manage to pin his brother for once, and land a good nip or two before racing away. Surely they were old enough now that the setting of the sun couldn’t wait a while before they were ushered to bed? There was still so much to see and sniff and roll in before this young man would be ready to sleep…

He pounced.

Renier should have been ready for his brother, but he wasn't. He was sure Ryvet would have been on his way to the old bear den by now. He was more bothered by their parents wants than Ren was. Taima and Calla were probably with mum any way. A dissatisfied frown, his ears were pressed to his head, and he wished he could hide from their noses. He had yet to find a way.

Annoyed and agitated the boy mistakenly let his guard down, continuing to bat at the drooping plant. It was too late when he heard a sound to move, because he was suddenly crushed under the mound of white. With an unpleasant bark, he tried to tuck his hind paws beneath him so he could push at Ryvet's guts. He would have to get off.

The itch was stubborn, and Trisden was entirely convinced that she was going to scratch her ear right off before she vanquished it. Still she persisted, balancing ever more awkwardly as she stretched harder into the motion, one hind leg moving furiously to keep her dull claws against her ear, trying to find relief. All about here the snow lay thinly, slowly melting from a lack of snowfall that day, but she had no doubt it would be back. Winter was setting in again, and they would have to be ready.

If only she could concentrate! Growling softly at nobody in particular, she set her leg down again and frowned at it, disappointed. The irritation was faint for a moment, and then back again, but she barely had the willpower to continue the fruitless endeavour. With an exhausted sigh, she flopped down into the flakey snow just outside of the main den, and tried to ignore the infernal tickle.

The tawny giant that was Angier Lyall slinked through the forest until his paws came to rest beside the knoll where the wolves of the Grizzly Hollow made their home. The den seemed to be empty and he wondered if he ought to scour the Cedarwood and make sure his four nephews and nieces all returned safely to the heart of their territory. Cautiously, he craned his head downward to peer into the main tunnel. The slight wind that traveled through from the back entrance assured him with a biting chill that it was, at present, unoccupied. Surveying his surroundings he sighed, stepping around the place where Borden usually slept.

He reclined onto his stomach, resting his chin atop his left wrist. The caches that he had found to be empty had been refilled and within a matter of hours another day had yet to end.[/dohtml]